How to get through airport with a toddler?

[disney_fan_fam]

Where are you flying from?

I think your carry on items are ok. Seems reasonable to me. I actually like that. You can have your sons bag near you with all his stuff in it (diapers, toys, snacks, etc,) and stow yours up on to.


Have an awesome vacation!

 

[Minniemouse07]

We actually don't have as many carry ons as I originally thought. I'll have a backpack, DH will have one, and I bought DS a little kid's backpack (which can fit in the stroller basket). I'll also have my Overland Donner bag. Unfortunately, I see no way of cutting back any further. My bag will hold a change of clothes for me and DS, makeup (I'm not risking putting my Bare Minerals in my checked luggage), snacks, diapers and wipes, my beco, and DS's harness. DS will have his toys and sippy cups. DH will have his laptop, change of clothes, and whatever else he's carrying on. I might be able to combine DH and my carry on, but as he is away right now, we haven't been able to talk about what he's planning on bringing. And I seriously doubt both of our stuff will fit into one bag. We won't have the regular suitcase b/c we're gate checking it.

I've tried talking to DS about the airplane and Disney, but he's still too young to really get it.

I think that sounds like a totally doable plan.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[DISNEYFOS]

It does sound like you have a lot of stuff. but managable. We check at the curb and before going thru security...DD is required to stay in stroller no exceptions.

DH has a backpack with laptop, snacks, activities (the Video IPOD cuts back on this significantly ), swimsuits, sunscreen, camera. I have a diaper bag backpack for diapers, wipes, baby/kid essentials. change of clothes for kids etc. I also carry my purse which has medicines, makeup etc.. We tied the straps on the car seat in such a way it can be slung over the shoulder. Yes we do take a lot of time to go thru security but it can't be avoided.

Once we make it thru security, if DD is really ansy we let her out of the stroller as long as she walks next to it and holds on.. We then pile everything onto the stroller and push it.

This Oct will be the first trip with two children..but I think we are losing the car seat for our oldest DD and just moving to the double stroller.

It will all work out..Just leave yourself plenty of time so you're not stressed and rushed.

 

[eliza61]

We actually don't have as many carry ons as I originally thought. I'll have a backpack, DH will have one, and I bought DS a little kid's backpack (which can fit in the stroller basket). I'll also have my Overland Donner bag. Unfortunately, I see no way of cutting back any further. My bag will hold a change of clothes for me and DS, makeup (I'm not risking putting my Bare Minerals in my checked luggage), snacks, diapers and wipes, my beco, and DS's harness. DS will have his toys and sippy cups. DH will have his laptop, change of clothes, and whatever else he's carrying on. I might be able to combine DH and my carry on, but as he is away right now, we haven't been able to talk about what he's planning on bringing. And I seriously doubt both of our stuff will fit into one bag. We won't have the regular suitcase b/c we're gate checking it.

I've tried talking to DS about the airplane and Disney, but he's still too young to really get it.

Please remember, any liquid make up over 4 oz size will be dumped. Ditto with the sippy cup. You cannot fill it before hand. I fly out of Philly 3 days a week believe me they will make you dump any liquid over 4 oz.

 

[katerkat]

We got Russ a kids' rolling suitcase and fill it with his toys and snackies and let him pull it - it makes him feel cool and entertains him for a bit in the airport. That leaves me with just diapers and wipes to cram into my laptop bag. (The DVD player already fits in the laptop bag.) I strap the carseat to a rolling frame and drag that behind me and push the stroller in front - Russ sits with his backpack on his lap when he's not walking. Absolutely everything else gets checked. (When DH comes, he gets to carry his laptop on too, because who doesn't need two laptops on vacation? )

We've gone both ways on liquids. Some airports have waved us through with full sippies. Some have made us dump the sippies and we bought liquids on the other side. None have been mean about making us dump, though, so I usually chance it on the belief that it's better to have his stuff just in case.

 

[o2bacelt]

On the recommendation of someone on the families board we got the gogo babyz attachment for our car seat, it screws right on the the back of our Britax Marathon and it becomes a stroller. That thing was a godsend.

We didn't need the stroller so we had a stroller bag and curb checked it all. I had a purse and diaper bag, DH had the rolling backpack.

We're going again on 9/20, this time DD is 3 so she's got her own backpack, The Children's Place has toddler sized ones. We're checking both the stroller and the car seat, with the Marathon and her height it's too cramped to deal with on the plane anymore.

I've tried to streamline as much as possible. This is what we've done:

* we put all our pocket stuff and jewelry in little plastic bags that we put in our carry ons before getting in the security line.

* I make sure DD and I have slip on shoes like crocs on so I can take them off and get them back on quickly.

* Don't carry a lot of batteries, I made this mistake the last time, this time I will put them in the suitcase. They hand searched my carry on for that one.

* I make sure I pack all the liquids in the suitcases and not have anything on me other than an empty travel sippy.

A little forethought about having all your documents in a place where you can get them in and out quickly. I think the most stressful parts of my trips these days are getting through security. After I get through it, then I know I don't have to deal with it again until we come home.

You'll get through fine.

 

[laughinplace199]

I would cut back on the carry-ons, if possible. The baby doesn't really need his own backpack and it's just one more thing you'll have to keep track of. Bring as little as possible. Going through security with kids and lots of stuff is very stressful. I have three kids and even though I feel I'm organized, going through security is still tricky. You have to take the baby out of the stroller and fold the stroller. Both the stroller and the car seat have to go through the x-ray machine, along with the bags. Plus, remember that everyone has to take their shoes off when going through security. When you walk through the metal detector, you have to get all your stuff, set up the stroller, put on shoes, etc.

My older two kids have backpacks with their toys, books, snacks, etc. I carry the diaper bag as my carry-on. I put diapers, wipes, formula, toys, changes of clothes for baby and me, etc in there. My DH has a carry-on with anything else we need to bring on the plane (DD's meds, books, magazines, gum, etc) in it.

Don't stress and have a great trip!

 

[grlpwrd]

I would cut back on the carry-ons, if possible. The baby doesn't really need his own backpack and it's just one more thing you'll have to keep track of. Bring as little as possible. Going through security with kids and lots of stuff is very stressful. I have three kids and even though I feel I'm organized, going through security is still tricky. You have to take the baby out of the stroller and fold the stroller. Both the stroller and the car seat have to go through the x-ray machine, along with the bags. Plus, remember that everyone has to take their shoes off when going through security. When you walk through the metal detector, you have to get all your stuff, set up the stroller, put on shoes, etc.

My older two kids have backpacks with their toys, books, snacks, etc. I carry the diaper bag as my carry-on. I put diapers, wipes, formula, toys, changes of clothes for baby and me, etc in there. My DH has a carry-on with anything else we need to bring on the plane (DD's meds, books, magazines, gum, etc) in it.

Don't stress and have a great trip!

We have 5 kids, the youngest 2yo, and this is what we do, too.

We condense what we can, we use curbside check in when we can, and we try to make things go smoothly, especially with security checkpoints/etc.

We actually don't have as many carry ons as I originally thought. I'll have a backpack, DH will have one, and I bought DS a little kid's backpack (which can fit in the stroller basket). I'll also have my Overland Donner bag. Unfortunately, I see no way of cutting back any further. My bag will hold a change of clothes for me and DS, makeup (I'm not risking putting my Bare Minerals in my checked luggage), snacks, diapers and wipes, my beco, and DS's harness. DS will have his toys and sippy cups. DH will have his laptop, change of clothes, and whatever else he's carrying on. I might be able to combine DH and my carry on, but as he is away right now, we haven't been able to talk about what he's planning on bringing. And I seriously doubt both of our stuff will fit into one bag. We won't have the regular suitcase b/c we're gate checking it.

I've tried talking to DS about the airplane and Disney, but he's still too young to really get it.

You really will have your arms full and I hope you reconsider and condense what you plan to take. If you haven't flown with a child before, believe me, it's a whole new frontier. lol

You might also want to role play with your son. I do that with my older kids, too, so they are prefaced on what to expect.

Also, I always wear a blouse with pockets in the front so I can easily have my ID and tickets ready. It can be a bear sometimes to always fish for my stuff.

Have a good flight!

 

[Trena]

I found an interesting product. I think I'm going to buy one.

check this out:

www.kidsflysafe.com/index.php

CARES (“Child Aviation Restraint System”) is the first and only FAA approved
harness type child safety device.
CARES is an innovative belt-and-buckle child airplane restraint that attaches
directly to the airplane seat belt and makes an airplane seat safe for kids 22–44 lbs.
CARES weighs 1 pound, fits in a 6 inch stuff sack, and is an FAA approved
child aviation restraint.
CARES is certified for all phases of flight – taxiing, take off, turbulence and landing.
CARES adjusts to fit ALL size airplane seats.

 

[PA Princess]

We have 5 kids, the youngest 2yo, and this is what we do, too.

We condense what we can, we use curbside check in when we can, and we try to make things go smoothly, especially with security checkpoints/etc.

We have 4 kids with the youngest being 2 and we do exactly the same thing as quoted above.

As others have said, I would ditch some of the carry ons. You are headed to Disney and FL if the luggage takes a while you can always buy what you need. Seriously, an extra outfit for every person seems like overkill to me. If luggage is delayed, I will be buying some clothes at Disney anyway if I have a need early on. If checked luggage is lost all together, one outfit is not going to be that much help.

You would be surprised at how little you can make do with...I know I have been amazed at what all it takes to run our family at home and how little we can go with on a trip.

Not sure what you are including to entertain your son, but keep in mind that all electronic types of equipment have to be removed from bags when going though security. This caught us a bit off guard last week when our 3 older ones had to remove their game boys and all games from their bags.

Have a great trip!

 

[tanyaandallie]

OK, this is what I would do. Put your baby in the beco. Put the carseat on the stroller. You push the stroller, put your ds's bag on the stroller. Your dh can carry your bag and his. I also suggest one of you board early and get the carseat on the plane. Keep your baby off until the last minute.

Do you have 2 bags and your dh 1? I would combine and limit it to 1 bag per person. I always travel with a backpack for me. I put all my stuff and the kids. I let my dd (4) take a rolling backpack b/c she can pull it through the airport. My ds goes in the Beco. DD walks. DH carries my backpack and his bag. LAst time I pulled one carseat and he pulled the other.