How does flying a stroller to Disney work?

[jenrose66]

Ahh the joys of being a new mom! Me, DH, and DS (15 months when we leave) are going to Disney in October. I have a Graco stroller (like the travel system)...so it's a little bigger than an umbrella stroller. Am I allowed to take this on the airplane? Do I check it with my luggage or treat it as a carry on? I've never paid attention to this before because it was never a concern of mine.

Also, do you recommend keeping the little one on your lap? My flight would be 2.5 hours.

Thanks for your help!

 

[karliebug]

This is easy. You bring the stroller with you and when you check in at the gate they will put a tag on it for you. They will take it from you just as you board the plane. When you get off the plane, it will be their at the door waiting for you. You may have to wait a couple of minutes but they bring it right away. I would purchase a seat for the little one if possible. It isn't very comfortable having a toddler jump up and down and squirm on your lap for over 2 hours. If you buy him a seat you can bring your carseat and buckle him in for the trip.Have a great trip!

 

[Kuffam]

You can take it to the gate and check it there. Then when you get off the plane it will be waiting for you. However you will need to break it down and send it through the scanner at the security check point.

 

[brenda1966]

I've gate checked my Graco stroller many times without issues.

However, on my last trip they broke the stroller, so keep this in mind. They will not reimburse you for the damages. They make you sign a waiver before they take the stroller.

I did a 3.5 hour flight with a 18 month old on my lap and it was fine. I did book an isle seat and that helped. On our flight out I was lucky enough to have an empty seat next to me. On the way home, not so lucky.

 

[manning]

How does flying a stroller to Disney work?


I would rather fly in a plane.

 

[paults]

can't pass this up.
how many does your stroller seat dress warm it's cold up there flying in a stroller

 

[Liltx]

I would buy a seat for your son. We always buy seats for our children. They behave much better because they are used to sitting intheir carseats and will usually fall asleep. They also offer half priced fares for children under 2. On top of all of that it is safer.

The stroller thing is no big deal. Just gate check it. But my graco quatro tour also was broken on our first flight (she was 2 months) when I was a newbie to flying with babies. Now we always travel with a sturdy lightweight like our peg or the chicco which is cheap. At 15 months he really won't need a huge stroller. Besides that the graco will be a pain on the busses.

Monica

 

[DonnaL]

Our stoller was also broken by the airline about four years ago, but, they did reimburse us. It took forever for them to do so, but, I did get a check about four months later. Of course, the stoller was broken beyond repair....the frame was completely bent and actually broken apart in two places. We weren't asked to sign a waiver or anything, so maybe it depends on the airline.

 

[SueM in MN]

Don't wait until boarding to get a gate check tag for your stroller; as soon as the agents arrive at the desk by the gate, you can request one. If you wait until boarding, there is more rush and more chance that it will not be marked correctly (and could end up spending vacation time in a place other than where you are going).
During boarding, you take the stroller to the gate and leave it at the door of the plane. You can minimize damage by making sure your stroller is folded and secured closed before you leave it. Also, if there are any removable things (cupholders, canopy) it's a good idea to remove them before you leave the stroller.

 

[mochabean]

Depending on how full you think your flight will be, I've had luck with not purchasing a seat for my under-2-year-old and then asking the gate agent nicely if the flight is full or if I could have an extra seat. That way I know in advance if I'll need to gate-check the carseat too.