? on airport security and build-a-bear stuffed animal?

[AnnetteF]

We leave today for WDW!!!

DD7 wants to bring her stuffed lamb from build-a-bear workshop. The lamb has one of those "heartbeats" inside that make the animal feel like it's heart is beating. Will security question this because something is inside the lamb? When you hold her, you can feel it and if you press it, it makes the heartbeat sound.

Will they let us bring it? I don't know what we would do with it if they said we couldn't. I just suggested to her that maybe "lambie" is not the best thing to bring and she is crying her eyes out! Does anyone know if this will be a problem? Thanks in advance!

 

[aprilgail2]

If it was my daughters favorite stuffed animal I wouldn't chance it- I would just tell her to pick another one and take that one.

 

[abdmom]

I've travelled through many security screenings with stuffed animals. Never had a problem. If they do look at lambie, they'll just gauge the weight (to see if anything other than stuffing is in there) and/or do a wipe test to see if lambie has been doing drugs.

Take the lamb.

 

[owensamo]

With the heartbeat in the animal, I'd be worried that it would spook TSA in either checked or carry-on luggage. They'll X-Ray the bags either way, and if it looks like something bomb-like, they'll freak. That said - I'm sure thousands of children fly every day with all manner of toys, and I've never heard of an airport shutting down for one yet - so it might not really be an issue. You can always check the TSA website and see if there's some way to contact them with questions.

Personally, I wouldn't risk it. We usually encourage our DD to take a less-favorite stuffy (in case it gets left behind - which has happened) and then plan to purchase one while we're on vacation as well. She gets a new "friend" and we have less to worry about packing on the way out (though more on the way back!)

 

[lizabu]

I'd try to get her to check it rather than carry it on. They tend to be a little more picky about the things you carry on.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Mail it to the place you are going and mail it back home before you leave. A little bit of a hassle but nothing compared to it getting ruined.

 

[DebbieB]

A few years ago I was in an airport and a little girl was carrying a big stuffed barney. Barney had to go through the x-ray. This little girl screamed like you would not believe! Of course, she got him back afterwards.

 

[chamonix]

If it's her favorite or it's special do not check it!

It will be no problem at all to carry it on. Believe me, they have seen Build a Bear hearts before. Several times a day, I'm sure. They can tell the difference between a heart and a bomb or gun or knife inside the stuffed animal. My dd takes at least one stuffed animal with her every trip (we fly monthly) and none of them (even the build a bears) have ever even been looked at twice. Don't worry about it at all. But don't check it. Just stick it in her backpack or carryon and forget it. Do not carry it in her hands, you do not want to have it go through the xray machines on the belt or in a shoe bin without being inside something else to protect it! gross! LOL

 

[DVC-Don]

You can bring it, but it will be checked. A few years ago TSA at Orlando found a loaded revolver inside a stuffed bear.

 

[SandrA9810]

I never had an issue flying with stuffed animals. I always bring them on the plane. It's not like they handle the stuffed animal, it'll just go through the xrays like evrything else. As long as the beating heart doesn't look like a weapon, you'll be fine.

Just remind her lambie has to go on the belt to get checked out.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Proof "the bad guys have won." We are worried about Airport Security Screening consequences of stuffed animals.

 

[TDC Nala]

You will need to put the lamb through the X-ray scanner, so the child will have to be separated from it for a short time, but it shouldn't be a problem.

They might want to feel the lamb up, considering what happened in Orlando with the gun in the teddy bear. But they should be able to see on the X-ray that the power box is not a weapon.

You might have a harder time making sure she hangs onto it and doesn't leave it on the plane or in the hotel room.

 

[pigletgirl]

I wouldnt chance it. Keep it at home.

 

[Carriemel]

I work for TSA. There is NO reason at all not to bring that lamb. Again, there is no reason not to bring the lamb. I have been working for TSA for over 9 years. The device that makes the heart beat is very small, and really not a threat. We see stuffed animals and dolls on a daily basis that have heart beats, noise boxes for crying, all sorts of childrens' toys...and the only thing that would make us look twice is if there actually *was* a revolver or somesuch inside the animal.

It does need to be x-ray screened. But really, that's about it.
DO NOT hesitate to take that lamb on vacation.
Don't mail it to your destination - there is a chance the mail will not either get there on time or at all.
Don't put the animal in your checked bag - it will be much easier where your little one knows where it is at all times...and what would happen if her favorite friend was in a bag that the airline "misrouted"....

 

[AnnetteF]

Thanks to everyone for the replies - especially carriemel. We left at 11:30 on Friday and I didn't see your reply until now, but we did decide to bring the lamb and see what happened and it was fine - not an issue at all. Our back up plan was that if it was not allowed, I was going to remove the stitching, take out the heartbeat and dispose of it and then bring the lamb with us to be restitched later on . But again, it wasn't even questioned. I just thought I would come back and post our experience so that anyone searching this in the future might find the answer.

And I agree, I'd have been much more worried about checking the lamb and the luggage possibly beiing lost. I wouldn't trust it in the mail either.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I went to DL earlier this month and right before heading back to the airport to go home we stopped off at the Build-a-Bear they have in DTD. My daughter and my two nieces all got bears and at least one of them had a sound box. There was absolutely no problems taking them through security.

 

[mrsstats]

When we are on vacation we purchase a Build a Bear and dress it with the local location shirt, etc. We bring it back on the plane in its box. It has to go thru the security machine but we have never had a problem bringing it on the plane.

 

[wdw_girl_18]

Glad the lamb made it through security! When I was flying home from nyc they had to take my bag from me because apparently my statue of liberty statue looked like a knife in the x-ray

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Glad the lamb made it through security! When I was flying home from nyc they had to take my bag from me because apparently my statue of liberty statue looked like a knife in the x-ray

You would think the NYC airport TSA workers would know what those look like on X-ray. I can't imagine you are the first person to take one home.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

You can bring it, but it will be checked. A few years ago TSA at Orlando found a loaded revolver inside a stuffed bear.

I'm pretty sure that a loaded revolver and Build-a-Bear heart do not look similar on X-ray. If they do that is a very very bad design!