Airport Transfer with Kids

[fumanchu2488]

We are going back in May and this is our first trip with Magical Express. I have heard not great things about the standard Mears connect (and now it is going to be $122 for our family).

Any recommendations for transfer for a family of 4 with kids that will be 3 and 5? Since they need Car Seats I am not going to be relying on Lyft/Uber and will want to have something booked.

Rental cars with car seats for the week were over $500.

Any good recommendations for car services?

 

[sponica]

If sunshine flyer is running their "kids ride free" that can be a good deal.

We used happy limo last year and are using them again this year. To each their own with the 5 year old, but you can probably just bring a backless booster and stow it in the overhead compartment of the plane, just don't forget it's there. But my oldest is a giant, and was out of a 5 pt by then.

 

[Griffin11]

I was in the same boat a few months ago looking for transportation from the airport for our family. I need a booster and a car seat that can fit a five year old who is over 40 lbs.

I emailed a bunch of the companies usually recommend on here, and didn't get any reassuring answers. Either no response, can't commit to having a car seat for a 40+ lb child, or they only have car seats that are suitable up to 40 lbs.

I finally found (and booked) Cast and Crew Transportation https://castandcrewtransportation.com/ (they also have a Facebook page and group). They have car seats and boosters available (including high back boosters) and post the specific models they use on their website.

We aren't traveling until next week, so I can't comment on the service yet, but they have been responsive so far.

 

[Panlover]

Are you opposed to bringing your own seats? We bought cheaper/lighter travel car seats that we know how to install and put them in an Uber or cab, but if you book a car you should be allowed to install your own seats. Airlines even budget airlines check car seats for free.

 

[Anna131517]

We used Mears. Now I did bring our own booster seats but I think they have an option to request car seats. Or as a prior poster suggested bring a lightweight car seat for the three year old, use it on the plane, and then use it in the car. You can transport it on a collapsible luggage cart in the airport. I’ve done this many times with a Graco Contender. For the five year old look into the bubble bum booster. It has the back strap so you can adjust the height of the shoulder strap on a shorter child, and it’s inflatable so it packs really small and lightweight.

 

[Specter]

We have used Mears private car service our last two trips. It was a little under $300 for our family of 3, however there was what I believe was a small upcharge because both times our arriving flight was just before midnight local time. When I got the cost breakdowns the return trips were always cheaper than the arriving, and those were late morning times.

In both instances we requested a car seat since DD is still in one. We opted for the SUV and it was a great size for us with luggage and passengers, but I believe they have the option for a van.

While we miss magical express and would love to see it return, if we have to pay for transportation at this point we would rather pay for private transportation that leaves as soon as we are ready rather than waiting for other groups whose flights may or may not be on time or whose luggage might be the last off the plane.

 

[covebarlove]

We've used FL tours http://www.fltours.com/ for our last two trips and have been happy with the experience. They meet you in baggage claim and assist with your luggage. It was about $200 roundtrip for their large SUV, and they offer a 15 minute grocery stop.

My husband booked it both times, but I recall something about only being able to get one car seat and a booster seat. I don't know if that was a policy or specific to our dates. We have an infant and 4 year old, so it worked out because booster seats are legal for 4 and up in Florida.

They don't accommodate double-wide strollers though. They allowed our double-long stroller, but it needed to be disassembled.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

We used Sunshine Flyer and it worked great for us. They had cute extras to entertain the kids while we waited for our bus - if budget is a factor and you don’t mind waiting like you did for Magical Express then I can’t recommend them enough.

 

[RoseGold]

The mifold works for >4 and >40lbs. Ours has a lot of miles on it. I'd bring that and a carseat for the 3 year old and just uber/Lyft. You gate check the carseat with the stroller. It's no big deal.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Lyft Black was about 80 dollars for a full sized suv.

Clean new car, no need to hit all the resorts.

Easy and relaxing...

I think the SUV would fit 5 with bags.... not sure there were only two of us

I have also had good luck with destinations MCO

it is about 100 or 120 for the same car....

 

[khertz]

Sunshine Flyer worked out well for us. We booked when they were offering a kids ride free promotion

 

[hsmamato2]

I'm wondering about this too....I usually take a Lyft or something but I don't see an option to book with a carseat in the app....

 

[MeganFyne]

I'm in a similar boat but one kid. I am on the fence about getting ride safer vest (travel car seat vest) for the kid and doing uber/lyft- he'll be 5.5 when we go, and I still have him in a 5-point harness at home. It doesn't make sense to lug that thing on a plane when I won't be traveling by car much there and I thought it would be nice to have the travel vest for uber/lyft options while there too. In your situation, I'd probably do this or a black car and bring an infant seat on the plane.

 

[sponica]

I'm wondering about this too....I usually take a Lyft or something but I don't see an option to book with a carseat in the app....

Lyfts don't carry car seats. You can get an Uber with a carseat, but I used some of those cars last time around, the carseats were pretty beat up and the straps wouldn't always tighten and I would not want to use that as airport transportation.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Limos carry car seat if requested.
An SUV from the airport to resort hotels is about 100 dollars.

 

[dis_hrnichs]

I booked transportation for later this year with Away We Go Transportation. They were recommended online and their prices were very reasonable compared to some other private transfer services. We do not need them but they do provide carseats and grocery stops.

 

[danceintherain]

I'm thinking Ride Safer Travel Vest for my youngest, even though we'll likely rent a car for our next trip.
But, mostly, I travel with car seats. For our cruise last year, I brought a Cosco Scenera NEXT for the 2 yo, and two Harmony Youth Boosters for my 5 and 8 yos.
We don't travel a ton....at least we won't be this year, but even having a vest in my Mom's car would be more convenient than full car seats and high back boosters.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I'm thinking Ride Safer Travel Vest for my youngest, even though we'll likely rent a car for our next trip.
But, mostly, I travel with car seats. For our cruise last year, I brought a Cosco Scenera NEXT for the 2 yo, and two Harmony Youth Boosters for my 5 and 8 yos.
We don't travel a ton....at least we won't be this year, but even having a vest in my Mom's car would be more convenient than full car seats and high back boosters.

I have to laugh but I am the Mom Mom who had an infant carseat, toddler carseat and a booster seat across the back seat of my crew cab pickup. got a lot of comments when truck was in for service. traded the truck in but now have an SUV with seatbelts for 8 but down to only one booster seat but still travel a number of grands

 

[Bethandoesdisney]

We've got a 2 year old and bought a light car seat with a backpack style bag to put it in. As you can imagine we looked like idiots walking through MCO with this big giant thing on our back, but saved us money on ubers as we had our own car seat!

 

[revereno]

We are going back in May and this is our first trip with Magical Express. I have heard not great things about the standard Mears connect (and now it is going to be $122 for our family).

Any recommendations for transfer for a family of 4 with kids that will be 3 and 5? Since they need Car Seats I am not going to be relying on Lyft/Uber and will want to have something booked.

Rental cars with car seats for the week were over $500.

Any good recommendations for car services?

Going in May with almost 3 & 5!

Sunshine Flyer is having a sale right now with $12 per person each way. $72 round for our family of 4. Of course you’ll have to decide on the car seat issue. They do have 3 point harness seat belts!