So no car seats? Really?

[MaleficentandGoons]

One of the primary reasons why we do Disney as a vacation is because we do not have to take the car seats. Enjoy the convenience of not having to lug them around and try not to worry!

I totally agree. It's just too much and for what? Why worry about it. Think about all the kids who take Mass transportation in big cities. They survive just fine.

 

[pooh4evr]

Another parent who has never taken a carseat to WDW- if it worries you that much that you are going to be a wreckon the bus than rent a car-- the busses can and often do get very crowded with no room to spare, and you will probably be standing at least once during the trip. We have always done fine, we have had ages ranging from 11 months- 8 yrs old .

 

[LWatson]

Does anyone use a CARES harness on the plane? We just bought one for our DD who is 1.5 (but very tall) and I am debating if we really need it.

We did and my son was very quiet when we used it (well, except for the last 30-45min of the flight when he was tired of flying for 6hrs). He actually fell asleep for a while in it. He was 18m and 23m when we used it and fit just fine.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I don't see where that says that on that page. Could you please either copy/paste that info from that page or cite a source that says it? I'm really curious about it because that would mean roughly all kindergarteners and many first graders aren't safe on their school buses.

I don't think it mentions 6 years old there, but that's what I learned at my Child Passenger Safety Tech course I took. Thankfully my kids don't get bussed to school, I drive them each morning and pick them up each afternoon.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My SIL and her DD are visiting from Chicago ~ my niece is 1 year 5 months ~ she did not have a purchased seat on the plane but luckily there were open seats, her mom lugged her BIG seat (Britax Marathon ~ another beast of a seat) to the gate and then took it with her on the plane for her DD to use *she would've gate checked it had there not been an available seat* SIL was so glad her DD was in her seat ~ she's familiar with it, she sat still ~ had she been a lap baby she would've squirmed and tried to get off her mom's lap the entire flight - she's a busy girl

 

[katied]

We did and my son was very quiet when we used it (well, except for the last 30-45min of the flight when he was tired of flying for 6hrs). He actually fell asleep for a while in it. He was 18m and 23m when we used it and fit just fine.

We use CARES on all flights with DS - since he was about 18 months or so old. It works very well, and we'll stick with it until he's significantly larger.

 

[maryloubsw]

I know that I have read on here that you can't use car seats on ME or the buses, but wow, I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around that one! I can't imagine how I am going to be cool with having my 2 and 4 year old boys on a bus with no car seats, or even seat belts! Luckily, we'll have 4 adults and a 12yo with us, so between us we should be able to keep them secure, but wow, I am way too much of a worrier to be cool with this!!

So does that mean I shouldn't bring the car seats for the airplane either?

I'm also a worrier but amazingly I wasn't on the Disney buses. Now on ME I WAS because that's a pretty long ride from the airport to the resort! My 20 mth old was squirming all around, it wasn't very fun. We brought her carseat on the plane but she also squirmed on the plane and wanted to be held. Now, my 4 year old, when she was 2 did great in the carseat on the plane and itwas nice to have because she slept the whole time. I would bring your car seat although it was only used on plane, and even when we got a taxi we just held the baby and the taxi driver didn't say anything (only around Disney property)

 

[Swimalie]

I have to admit I am very much a car seat advocate. My kids rear face longer, they sit in 5 point harness's longer, they even booster longer than most kids I know.

With that being said, we ride the disney transportation, and honestly I just don't worry about it. There have been times that we have been on empty buses, and I have even let my kids stand and hold onto the pole. Horrible, I know, but gosh they loved it.

I am the same way. And for a bit of a break, my son (5) loves not being strapped in to his 5-point harness.

 

[disneylove69]

At night the busses are sooooo fulllll that you don't need seatbelts. If the bus crashes they'll be smothered to death with all the people that will topple on them. I think that in any other state/ city they would be heavily fined for the amount of people the shove on these busses. It looks like the videos of the commute trains you see in China.

 

[soonerfan2008]

At night the busses are sooooo fulllll that you don't need seatbelts. If the bus crashes they'll be smothered to death with all the people that will topple on them. I think that in any other state/ city they would be heavily fined for the amount of people the shove on these busses. It looks like the videos of the commute trains you see in China.

Have you ever traveled in a big city? It is no different.

 

[Acklander]

Have you ever traveled in a big city? It is no different.

LOL - I know.... Forget the trains in China, have you ever seen the subway in NYC during rush hour???

 

[gillep]

I commute to Washington DC for work everyday on a bus and the Metro (subway), and quite frankly it makes Disney transportation seem quite roomy, especially for the past few weeks when all the tourists were coming to see the Cherry Blossoms in bloom

This is a fact of life for all public transportation systems in big cities!!!!

 

[Ava]

LOL - I know.... Forget the trains in China, have you ever seen the subway in NYC during rush hour???

For real! Especially the 4-5-6 lines, people pack in like sardines.

When we go to Disney next year, DD will be just 2. I plan to bring her Ergo carrier for the bus rides. That way she's safe, doesn't have to try to stand, and if I have to stand I'll have both hands free to hold on & hold my bags. This is what we do at home, if we know we're going to be riding a bus one of us will just wear her in the Ergo. (Hopefully she'll still cooperate with this when she's 2!)

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Buses don't have seatbelts. How do you plan on attaching a carseat? This is true in public transportation throughout the United States as well.

 

[crisi]

When our kids were really little we splurged on the minivan rental so we could have car seats. And we had grandma and grandpa with us - so it needed to be the expensive minivan.

And we didn't use it. Left it parked and let Disney do the driving.

There IS risk with the buses. But there is risk with a kid in a car in a car seat as well. Nothing is going to keep them completely safe all the time.

A lot of people take car seats on planes more because their kids know how to behave in a car seat than for safety. Although with turbulence and the occasional gate crash, a car seat on a plane isn't a bad idea.

 

[Davids-Coco]

I personally would expect a FA to say "no" to rearfacing with such an old baby...tiny infant I would expect a "yes", but not a 19 month old... And there's really no point to it, for the plane.

Actually, the forces on an emergency landing can mimic what is seen with a car accident. We have actually been in a couple and they were not fun at all. This, and turbulence, are part of the reason we bother with a car seat on a plane. There is a point to it for me personally. And regardless, it is not about that as much as it is about his comfort and my ability to entertain him effectively, and even nurse him in his seat if necessary.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

CAn you do a private hire shuttle service that will transport you in a van?

while I can live with that on a Disney bus on property--

Cruising along at highway speed with no seat belt just doesn't appeal to me.

It will cost a little bit of money, but if you can hire a van--then your kids can ride safely to WDW.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

You might want to check on the Transportation forum, for the rules on rear-facing. The use of carseats on a plane are for entirely different reasons than in a car....rearfacing is to help with collisions and the forces those impart. You're not encountering that on a plane, or if you do, it's going to be the least of your concerns.

I personally would expect a FA to say "no" to rearfacing with such an old baby...tiny infant I would expect a "yes", but not a 19 month old... And there's really no point to it, for the plane.

FWIW--aircraft are designed with rear facing seats for adults--so there woulnd't be a problem with a rear facing car seat for a young toddler (less than 24 months). I've flown that way before. The only problem--the FAA sticker was no longer visible and the FA almost made me turn it around. They let it slide and then when we deplaned, I showed them the sticker.

IF the seat is designed to hold a rear facing toddler and is FAA approved, the FA cannot make you put it forward facing.

 

[dawnmommy]

I never understood the reasoning of "why bother with a carseat - if there is a crash, we all crash...." I mean, for every crash, there are literally hundreds of rough landings and mid-flight turbulance. THAT is why carseats are recommended on flights - infants become projectiles.

We will use a CARES harness for our 3 year old, and our 6.5 year old will use the airplane's lapbelt. We normally travel with carseats but will not for Disney, and will only use Disney transportation. We are city folk, lol, so already take buses and subways

BUT we are also carseat obsessed, do extended harnessing and extended rear-facing. My 6 year old just switched to a booster due to abdominal surgery (the 5 point hit at the incision)

 

[MarriedToAPrince]

I am another car seat obsessed Mom. My daughter is still rear facing and we are going to buy the new Radians to keep her rear facing even longer. With that being said, we are going to get a CARES harness for our Disney trip. I just don't think DD would like being in her car seat for 3 hours but with the CARES she is protected with a 5 point harness but not in her car seat. We are not renting a car and will be using Disney transportation.