Need advice on flying with kids!

[mommykeg]

We will be flying from the west coast to MCO for our cruise in March, and our kids (DD9 and DS5) have never flown on long flights before. They've flown to Tucson to visit grandma and grandpa, but that's it. I'm worried about how they'll do on a long flight. So for all of you expert travelers...do you think it would be better to take a nonstop flight from LAX (we'd have to drive 50 miles to the airport and deal with the LAX chaos and leave our car parked there) or a 1-stop flight out of Ontario (5 minutes from our house) with a plane change at JFK. The nonstop would probably be on Delta...the flight out of Ontario would be on JetBlue with the TVs. My basic question is...which do you think is more important when flying with kids...a nonstop flight or inflight entertainment?

 

[Amlee]

I would say the one with Jet Blue. Because changing planes would give them time to get off the plane and work off that built up energy. JMO

 

[woody73]

I would go with the non-stop from LAX. For our next cruise, the LAX - MCO non-stop is 4 hr. 40 min. in duration.

Woody

 

[becca_n_wa]

My basic question is...which do you think is more important when flying with kids...a nonstop flight or inflight entertainment?

We lived in europe for a few years so we flew many times back and forth with our 3 kidos. A few times me alone with them

My experiece is to have things to keep them occupied! Though they have movies on planes, maybe not a movie or TV they are going to watch. So, DVD players are lifesavers!

Have a bag of NEW stuff for them, coloring books, toys, whatever will keep them occupied! If it is new to them they are more likely to get interested!

YOu know your kids best. One thing to remember, when switching planes, sometimes you have hours between and sometimes you run to get to next one on time! How will your kids deal with this?

ME personally, I would pick a nonstop flight anytime over changeovers! But, I also had the joy of flying with my 3 kids (youngest being 7months at the time) from Frankfort, Germany to Baltimore just 2 weeks after Sept 11, 2001! A 9-10 hr flight then another flight to Atlanta

 

[needabreaknow]

I would pick the nonstop flight any day. That way they at least get an opportunity to sleep for a few minutes if they need to and once they stop they know its over.

I don't know how many times I've convinced myself that a layover isn't a big thing, and then next thing ya know one plane is late and you are running to catch the connection, or worse, you are waiting for 4 hours in a boring airport...and that was before my toddler was born. With a non stop it may be hell for a few hours but you can at least tell yourself that when it lands you don't have to deal with it again for x number of days.

Plus with a nonstop, you get a meal and a movie to break the monotony, and they CAN get up to stretch their legs here and there.

 

[mommasita]

I would also choose the non-stop. When there is a tight connection, it is a HEADACHE...Imagine yourselves running through the airport with kids and stuff... Just not worth it IMHO..

Stick with the non stop flight. 50 min is not that bad.

I get the kids backbacks full of new things. Often it is cheapo things, but something that will keep them going for at the least the first hour or two. Crayons, books, and such. We usually fly early in the AM, so after the first couple of hours, they tend to nod off a little..(as well as us

Good luck, whatever decision you make, can not be wrong, we all learn with experience, and then keep on learning..LOL..

 

[poohs4me]

I also vote for the non-stop. Although the stop can be entertainment in itself, the get on get off is much better. Especially if the flight is around a nap time or night time. The non-stop will allow for a much more continuous nap.

When traveling long distance, we also take a new bag of goodies and let DD10 pick the stuff out before hand with the knowlege that you cannot take it out, look at, play with it, etc. until the flight. If our flight is delayed sometimes we say the airport, but normally not until flight timw. For her it adds to the excitement. However, try to pick somethings that will keep them occupied for awhile and remember to open the packages before you leave. We did not do this one time and one of the activity pads was closed with a metal fastener that we could not get opened. And yes before you ask, we did ask anyone around us including the stores and airport workers for a pair of scissors, but no one would share.

 

[twinmommyks]

Non-stop is our priority.

We have flown several times with 3 small children - the younger 2 are twins. They have flown 3 times in 4 years including once when they were only 1 and our ds was 5, then when they were 4 and again this summer when they were 5.

I would book the non-stop flight anyday. That is our criteria for booking a flight. I won't have a layover unless there is no other option.

As somone posted, have a backpack with lots of things to do and also some snacks. We've taken coloring books, plain paper, colors, pencils, cards, small travel games (checkers, magna doodles, etc), disposable cameras to take pictures of each other on the plane, flash cards, small stuffed animals, etc. Having traveled alot with our kids, I have a supply of small toys that work great on a plane or a long car trip and all fit in one small child's backpack and they are thrilled to be responsible for the bag.

This past trip, my dh had his laptop so we saved a disney movie for the last hour of the trip after all the other toys had been played with. They knew they would get to watch the dvd if they did great on the trip and they earned it with some help from us by playing games with them.

There were times when they would ask how much longer, but having an ample supply of games to play and things to do, really helped. To me, this is much easier than having to get off the plane, wait in the airport, get back on the plane again. I'm sure others may feel differently, but non-stop flights have worked best for us when traveling with 3 children.

I'm sure you children will do fine with whatever you decide. Enjoy your trip.

 

[poconoboatniks]

NON stop is probably your best option. They're on the plane and the next stop is Florida. MY kids have been flying since they were 3 and are 12 & 8 now. Portable DVD players & gameboys are the answer. New dvd's and new stuff for the flight are great. We had to take NWA from Philly to Detriot and then Detriot to MCO. The flight took the whole day. The 12 yr old has always occupied herself with books and cd players (now Ipod).

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I vote for the non-stop too. My boys are 6 and 9 and have flown 10 times to FL. I think the port DVD player is a lifesaver and we always try to bring a movie they've never seen. Even if it's not a new movie; last week my boys watched "Ernest Goes to Camp" on the plane and loved it. It was new to them. The Game Boy is also a fav. for ds9.
One time I chose a layover in Charlotte because even with the layover, it would get us into MCO earlier than the only affordable non-stop. There was fog in Philly so our 1st leg was delayed and we missed our connection. We ended up arriving about 3 hours later than expected. The kids were so tired by the time we got to our rental home, it kind of wrecked the excitement.
Play-Doh is good to bring too since it's quiet and won't disturb other pax. Have a great trip!

 

[joan4mickey]

another vote for nonstop-i have flown several times with 3 kids from east to west and back-fewer stops is better.

 

[flexsmom]

I would look at the elapsed time from departure from your house to destination on each alternative. Looking at the map, you're in for about as long a flight from the west coast to JFK as it is from the west coast to MCO, and then with the first alternative, you also have to fly from JFK to MCO! So, I guess what I'm saying is, shortest total trip time to me is more important than the in-flight-airline-provided entertainment options. If you can pick up or borrow a DVD player to take (they run about $99 nowadays, or at some airports you can rent them and drop them off at your destination), then you've just taken care of your entertainment dilemma. I have two kids - age 7 and 3 - and we bought a splitter so they could each listen to the one DVD player we have.

 

[angilovesthemouse]

I want to chime in and vote for the nonstop also. Changing planes isn't usually a big deal, but when it goes wrong, boy does it go wrong! I worked in airport hotels for over 13 years, and I've watch many families in tears over messed up connections being put up in a hotel for the night.

I have a question about the newest airport restrictions. i know they have said no liquids of any kind on board. I thought I heard that they had also banned all electronic devices as well, like laptops, ipods, and gameboys. Can anyone confirm for me? This makes flying with kids a little more of a challenge, but they can go back to the old fashioned reading a good book.

 

[Dsnylndlvrs]

About the electronics - that was just in Europe, the rule never hit US airports. We flew just a week after the whole liquid ban came into play and had NO problem whatsoever carrying on electronics.

I agree with looking at the total time spent traveling with non-stop versus layover. If it's anywhere close in time, I'd go with the layover and JetBlue. My kids loved JetBlue when we had the chance to fly them cross country. They were actually disappointed that we couldn't fly that airline this past August.

My kids have had a LOT of experience flying cross county. They always carry their own backpacks of things to keep them busy and a few snacks. Game boys are always in there. We also have somewhat of a tradition of going to a bookstore a few days before the trip. They each pick out a book and a couple magazines/puzzle books.

Here's something we've figured out that makes life a little easier for us. We always try to sit 3 and 1, assuming there's 3 seats on each side of the plane. The kids and I sit on one side of the plane (me in the middle) and my husband sits across the aisle. We've found that arrangement to be easier than dealing with kids and strangers in the same row - no worry about kids disturbing the stranger, no need to ask stranger to get up for a bathroom break, etc. With me in the middle, it also made it easier for the kids and I to play a card game for a change of pace. (We found the card game SET to work well on tray tables and your age kids should be fine with the game.)

Hope the trip planning goes smoothly for you!

 

[Poly Pal]

The non-stop on Delta MAY have TVs in the seatbacks just like Song had. Delta is redeploying the Song 757's to transcontinental service and upgrading the old mainline 757's with the inflight TV entertainment systems as well.

Definitely go non stop with kids. We got stuck overnight in an airport this year with kids. An adventure, but not fun!

 

[dvc guy]

Non stop is the only way to go. Plus JFK has many terminal building , you will need to transfer ( via bus or tram) to a different terminal to go from DL to JB, it will take 20 minutes

 

[mommykeg]

Well it sounds like the majority is recommending the nonstop. Overall travel time IS much shorter and I won't have to worry about missing a connection. I guess I'll probably go with the nonstop on Delta--which means I'll also be able to check-in at the port once we're off the ship and won't have to worry about lugging our luggage around. Thanks for the advice so far--I'm open to any and all tips and suggestions!

 

[snowwhite17]

Non stop for sure. We have flown to the south pacific with our kids and the layovers are a killer. Just easier to get on and get it over with. Bring snacks and plenty to drink (if the airlines will allow it of course) . A DVD player can be a god send. Have a great time!