To rent a carseat or not

[Nanu57v]

I have 7 year old twins that are about 48 tall and 50 lbs. We use backless boosters at home. Do I need to bring them for our rental?

Of course they are safer with them, but Florida carseat law doesn't require them. Rather than take DD's with us, DH went to Walmart and got a new one for $20. We just stowed it in the overhead as carry-on luggage on the way home.

 

[jmaycheer2012]

DO NOT RENT A CAR SEAT OR BRING ONE. Most of the transportation is on buses at disney and trying to fit a car seat. Most people will stand up and let your child sit in their seat or let you have them sit in your lap.

 

[luvmy2babies]

DO NOT RENT A CAR SEAT OR BRING ONE. Most of the transportation is on buses at disney and trying to fit a car seat. Most people will stand up and let your child sit in their seat or let you have them sit in your lap.

It appeared from the original post that they are renting a car once they arrive so they will need a seat.

OP, I actually did it just once. When my daughter was 4 and in a belt-positioning booster seat, I rented one with my rental car. I was traveling alone with her and knew I I'd have to take a shuttle to get to the rental counter from the terminal. I couldn't carry everything. I checked it over and it was fine, practically brand new. On our other trips where we rented a vehicle, we brought her seat from home. If you have others to help you, I'd bring one from home or get a Cosco Scenera. It's a great travel seat.

 

[jodifla]

Our son was a lap child until he was 2. We just gate checked our seat, and several times, there were extra seats on the plane so they gave us one and use just used his carseat on the plane.

We did end up renting a booster seat once....I simply forgot it while we were packing. The thing was brand new...no horror story at all.

 

[mabley]

Thanks everyone for you inputs. We have a Britax Marathon that's super heavy and I do not want to lug that and a child around the airport . I wish we have the option of buying a cheap seat but the cheapest ones I see are at least $99 here in Canada. I wish I had thought of this earlier and look for sales.

I just may get a new seat anyways to make sure that we have something safe.

 

[ghtx]

You can gate check them or check them in at check-in for free (I am pretty sure this is true for every airline). I wouldn't worry too much about the horror stories here about the dangers of renting car seats. I am sure that they will be just fine and just as good as whatever you would check. Just do whatever is easiest for you and everything will be fine. Enjoy!

 

[DopeyDame]

Please consider buying a ticket for your child instead of having them fly as a lap baby. The FAA, AAP, and NTSB all recommend that children be safely secured in carseats during takeoff, landing, and turbulance.

If you don't buy your kid a ticket, I'd still bring the carseat with you - as others have said, if there's an empty seat on the plane they may let you use your carseat on the plane. If not, you'll gate check it for free.

As for the carseat horror stories - has anyone actually experienced a crappy rental seat? (Fully realizing that some damage may not be visible.) I'm wondering if this "horrid, frayed, expired carseat" is really just an urban legand, as it seems like SUCH a huge liability for a rental car company to be doling out expired carseats.