To bring the infant car seat or not to bring?

[Raenstoirm]

My twins are 3 months old. We purchased 3 airline seats and will be bringing one infant seat for that 3rd seat and will have the other twin as a lap baby. I am debating bringing the second car seat and gate checking it just to have. I would spend $40 on a padded bag for it, but the airline doesn't charge to check it and the bag can obviously be used for years to come so money is not the issue. We are bringing two single strollers and the seats do snap into them, but the babies seem to get hot in their car seats in MD so I wasn't planning on using the seats in the parks in June in florida. Instead putting them right into the strollers. However we do have a ts meal planned every day to give us an AC break and since the strollers can't come into restaurants, I am very concerned how that will work without the bucket seats.
And my neurosis showing through, what happens if there is a terrorist attack or something and we can't fly home and have to rent a car? One baby would be safe, but the other might be in a rented car seat or worse. (Our carseats are european so they are just as safe in a car without the bases. Or so they claim)

 

[TOBS2010]

If I was in your shoes I would bring both of the car seats especially if you were bringing both strollers to the park everyday to be able to snap them into. At that age, my son would easily take a nap in his carseat--and while yes, it can be a bit warmer--if you are in the air conditioning with them sitting next to you in a booth or something, it would be ideal not to have to worry about waking one baby to hold him/her. I think I bought a bag for DS convertible cart seat when we flew to florida last year on Amazon for about $20. I carried it and gate checked it with our stroller so it wasn't as likely to get as banged around with suitcases piled all over it.

 

[sprousehouse]

I would bring them. When you check in at the gate ask if they happen to have any open seats - if they do, they may move you and let you bring the other seat on. When I did this with my daughter I got a seat for her 75% of the time. And I would ONLY gate check a carseat - the way luggage is handled I would hate to use it after that.

 

[scrapquitler]

In the unlikely case of a terrorist attack where you needed to rent a car to get home, the solution would be for one parent to drive the rental car to walmart and buy a new car seat. That wouldn't figure into my planning at all.

I personally wouldn't buy a seat for one child and not the other, but that's just me. I'd buy plane tickets for both of them and bring both car seats.

 

[nalajms]

Are you planning to use WDW bus transportation? Or possibly the boat? How would you even carry all that when you have to fold up the stroller? I'd leave the extra car seat at home. It's really hot in the carseat. I wouldn't bank on spending the majority of your time in AC.

Many restaurants will let you bring your stroller in.

If something happens and you have to drive home, you can rent a car seat from the rental car place or buy one at a store nearby.

 

[maramarrie]

I am #1 fan of putting babies/kids in their car seat for air travel. However, if your plan is to check one seat simply to use it in the park I might suggest not going to the extra trouble, especially if you are worried about the heat. What will you do with the seat once it's there if you determine that the babies are getting too hot? If your stroller lays out flat for them (not an umbrella stroller) I would just use that in the park for both of them. You can pull a stroller up to the table in some of the restaurants. If you needed to put them in something for a TS restaurant that won't allow the stroller, I'd use a baby carrier during the meal. Another option, which I vaguely remember doing for one of my kids, is to ask for a booth table and use a blanket (and one leg) to keep the baby laying on the booth. The less you take into the park, the easier your life will be. As for the fear of needing to drive home: If the situation was so extreme, you could also go to the extreme of getting to a store to buy a car seat to take home.

 

[OSUgal03]

I would get a seat for both babies and use the carseat on the plane. I would not check a carseat, it is not safe. The way they throw luggage around, it could damage the seat making it unsafe to use. I would leave the carseats in the hotel, that is a lot to lug around when you have to fold up the stroller.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

from what it sounds you are planning to use Disney transportation while there, if so on buses strollers will have to be folded and you will have to board carrying stroller carseat and baby. no putting anything under the bus. would not bring the second seat as if something happens and you need to rent car, just send one to walmart and buy a second seat. then leave for home

 

[Roobear77]

I am an NICU nurse, and I strongly recommend you do not leave your babies in the carseats all day in the park. It is not a natural position for their spine to be in. They will be way more comfortable lying flat in the stroller, as well as cooler.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

....
And my neurosis showing through, what happens if there is a terrorist attack or something and we can't fly home and have to rent a car? One baby would be safe, but the other might be in a rented car seat or worse. (Our carseats are european so they are just as safe in a car without the bases. Or so they claim)

If there were a terrorist attack grounding planes, you wouldn't be renting a car - believe me, they would all be gone in just a few minutes. My husband was in FL at a military conference with the commanding general of the army post where he was stationed on 9-11. Of course, the general had to get back asap, but planes were grounded. My husband had a rental car, so he and the general and everyone who could fit, piled in that car and drove it back home. The rental agency wanted the car back, as people were desperate to rent cars, but of course, they didn't turn it in until they got back home.

If you have three month old twins, you have far more concrete things you can worry about rather than a terrorist attack