stroller/no stroller & carseats/no carseats

[Trina7020]

My kiddos will be 2.5 and days away from 4 when we leave May 31st. It is a 3 hour flight. I can't decide whether to mess with the carseats on the plan when we won't need them at all in WDW.

And the whole bring our own stroller vs. renting is driving me crazy!! Anyone have some sound advice as to pros and cons of these scenarios?

 

[brightvalleyjrts]

We are using the ME, so we don't plan on bringing carseats. If I was renting a car I would be bringing mine. My kids are 2 and 5.

Now I am bringing my own stroller, I will want it at the airport too. We have a phil and Ted stroller and I really like it. I also will want to have it to use at DD and walking around the resort. Plus my 2 year old is comfy in it and I know he can sleep well in it. It completely reclines.

 

[jodifla]

My kiddos will be 2.5 and days away from 4 when we leave May 31st. It is a 3 hour flight. I can't decide whether to mess with the carseats on the plan when we won't need them at all in WDW.

And the whole bring our own stroller vs. renting is driving me crazy!! Anyone have some sound advice as to pros and cons of these scenarios?

I'd definitely skip the car seat for the 4 year old, and probably the 2.5 year old.

Stroler, I'd bring a double umbrella stroller. The longest walk is back to the buses at night! It's great to have your own stroller then.

 

[Minniemouse07]

I bring car seats all the time. Ds is 2yo and we took his seat just for the plane during our December trip. We put it under the bus on DME and then in the corner of our room for the remainder of our stay. It really kept active son in one place on the plane.

We use our own stroller at WDW. It was priceless when going from the park to the bus line...and waiting for the bus, and then going from the bus stop to our room once we got to POR. We have a Peg Perego Aria. For a 2yo I would definitely NOT bring an umbrella stroller, but definitely opt for something w/ some sort of recline so they can nap in it. Even if they don't nap at home.. they WILL at WDW!

As for the 4yo... If he/she is in a booster seat (no harness) you cannot use that on a plane, if he/she is in a harnessed seat...that would be a toss up. Depends on how well you think they would sit on the plane in the seat belt and if you think they would sleep? If you think your 4yo would sleep on the plane then I would bring the seat.

Oh, and place the child who is more prone to kick in a seat BEHIND the other child! Sit w/ one parent and one child in rows right behind the other! It worked out great on our trip (dd is 6yo).

 

[jenseib]

I wouldn't bring the carseats. Its alot to lug around for just the plane. Now it may depend on how well your kids sit and how long the flight is too. But if you did bring one, I would only for the younger one. We went last year when DD was 2 and had no problems at all without one, and are going again without one.
As for the stroller, we bring our own. I want to have the underneath storage that mine provides.

 

[Honeymooner04]

I would also skip the carseats but bring the stroller. Having your own stroller is nice when going to and from the busses to the parks as well as wandering around Downtown Disney.

 

[gabriellyn]

Definitely bring your own stroller - totally worth it!

As far as car seats go - how wiggly are your kiddos? We took one for our 15mo and it was a blessing - but we may skip it this next time and go w/the CARES harness. He'll be much bigger and kicking the seat ahead of him if he is in the car seat. The harness is FAA approved w/straps designed to keep kids safe in turbulence and weighs next-to-nothing. The only thing is I am sure he will be able to slide out of the harness as it doesn't have a strap between the legs. Still thinking on that one.

Good luck!

 

[ZeroMyHero]

Personally, I would bring the carseat for both kids purely for safety reasons. You never know how severe the turbulence might be during your flight. We'll be flying down in May and my DD3 will be in her car seat on the plane. She'll be more comfortable and she'll also be able to see out the window. We'll stow it under the bus for DME and just keep it in the corner of the room during our stay.

We're also bringing our own stroller from home. I've heard the ones at the park are hard plastic and might not be very comfortable to sit in all day. Plus, since they're rentals, it's possible that there might not be any available for you to rent when you need one.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Another vote to bring the strollers. The walk to your room from the bus can seem like forvery if you are lugging a sleeping child.

Personally, I never brought a car seat on the plane for my kids when they were 4. 2.5 was a toss-up and a lot depended on the time of the flight and how well I thought they would sit.

 

[Trina7020]

So no one will give me dirty looks hauling a double stroller on the buses? lol


I think I am going to buy a new double b/c all I have right how is a sit and stand and I would like more of a place for my older one to rest. But I can get a decent double for the price of renting for 6 days

 

[luvdisney00]

I would definetely bring the stroller and not the carseats. The airline will gate check it for you meaning you can keep it until you board and then they will take it and they will have it open and ready in the corridor as you step off the plane. It worked great for us last year, with our umbrella for DD4.
The first time I took the family I brought a full sized double and had no problems hauling it on & off the busses. We loved all of the room on the bottom for stuff at the parks.

 

[collcass]

We will have both our younger boys car seats with us on the plane, but that is just me. We are also renting a car so it was a no brainer for us since they are 6 & 4 and need them for the car.

The stroller ? is bothering me too. I am pretty sure we will bring ours from home for our youngest. If need be we will rent one for the 6 yr old

 

[mommylibrarian]

I'm in the "no car seat, but bring your stroller" camp. If the 2.5 y.o. is super wiggly, though, I'd bring the car seat. I sort of have "up to 18 months" in my head, but I didn't fly with my kids between 18 mo and 3 years just by luck. My son is just now two, though, and it would have to depend what he's like at 2.5 for me to be SURE I wouldn't take it.

 

[DebRMN]

yea, no car seat, yes stroller here too.

I brought & used our car seat for my youngest on the plane last year. It worked out fine.......
I will skip it this year though, since we won't be renting a car.

I too am at odds with rneting vs bringing, but I think I will just bring our double

 

[heartbeeps]

I'd definitely skip the car seat for the 4 year old, and probably the 2.5 year old.

Stroler, I'd bring a double umbrella stroller. The longest walk is back to the buses at night! It's great to have your own stroller then.

how far IS it from the rental stroller drop off point to the buses (we're splitting our stay AKL and ASMo

 

[K and K's Mommy]

We do not bring car seats, but we have always brought our own double stroller. I would not want to do the Orlando airport without a stroller.

Depending on the park, it can be a long walk to the buses. Well, long by tired child's estimates! I'm guessing 5 minutes from gate to bus, but my DH is saying three. In MGM they take the rental strollers away during Fantasmic. That would be a very long walk carrying a two year old, probably 10-15!

 

[jenseib]

We will have both our younger boys car seats with us on the plane, but that is just me. We are also renting a car so it was a no brainer for us since they are 6 & 4 and need them for the car.

The stroller ? is bothering me too. I am pretty sure we will bring ours from home for our youngest. If need be we will rent one for the 6 yr old

Kids 4 and 6 don't need carseats, but boosters, right? (depending on the state too) And I have read boosters aren't allowed on planes. Is that still true?

 

[jodifla]

Kids 4 and 6 don't need carseats, but boosters, right? (depending on the state too) And I have read boosters aren't allowed on planes. Is that still true?

In Florida, they don't even need boosters after 3. You can use seat belts. And no boosters on airplanes. You need to use harnessed seats on airplanes.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Kids 4 and 6 don't need carseats, but boosters, right? (depending on the state too) And I have read boosters aren't allowed on planes. Is that still true?

FWIW, my 6.5yo still rides in a harnessed car seat!!!...and a booster in our secondary car.

It is most definitely appropriate, and even recommended, for a 4yo to ride in a harnessed seat until they hit the limits of the seat by height or weight.

Dd is 52lbs and 47" tall.. she's got about 2 more inches to grow in her torso until she outgrows her harness (or hits 65lbs).

AND

You are correct, booster seats are not allowed to be used on airplanes...only harnessed seats. Boosters require the use of a shoulder belt in addition to the lap belt and therefore cannot be used.

That all being said, dd's seat at the time of our trip in December was not approved for use on planes by the FAA (a Britax Husky) so she sat in the airplane's seat belt. Ds (2yo) was rear facing in his car seat on the plane though!

 

[collcass]

Kids 4 and 6 don't need carseats, but boosters, right? (depending on the state too) And I have read boosters aren't allowed on planes. Is that still true?

In CT they are required so that's why ours are in them. Actually my 9 yr old is in a booster. My 4 yr old is just hittng 26 lbs. and still in his car seat. my 9 yr old is less than 50 lb.s. my 6 yr old is of avg size (probably about 40-45 lbs) but state law here is 6 AND 60 lbs. He is in a high back booster. Not sure what we will do on the plane for him.

ETA: i forgot to answer your question. I believe it is true about the boosters.