Car seat question WDW to universal

[lilouisianagal]

Short version: How to get from WDW to universal and back safely with baby? Aka what do I do with the car seat?

Details: We are planning a Thanksgiving trip with our 5 yr old and 8.5 month old along with DH and my parents. All adults are WDW veterans and have done universal a LONG time ago (+20 yrs). 3/4 of the adults are big Harry Potter fans (and the 5 year old really likes), so we would really like to do Wizarding world while we are in the area (next trip will probably be a Disney Cruise in two years without my parents). We will probably be staying at Caribbean Beach. Normally we fly in and use ME for airport and Disney transport on property. We do plan on getting baby a plane seat and bringing her car seat. I know we could rent a car, but that seems like a time suck/hassle/major cost if we can avoid it. I see a lot of people do cab or Uber/Lyft or Tony Hinds (???) but what the heck would we do with her car seat during the day? It makes me nervous to use a seat that has been in a vehicle (Correctly installed? Not expired? Properly washed if it has been? Been in any wrecks? Correct size?)
Figure we can bring a BubbleBum for the 5 yr old if needed, though he still rear faces in our cars currently.

 

[bumbershoot]

I know we could rent a car, but that seems like a time suck/hassle/major cost if we can avoid it.

I’ve never felt that renting a car is any sort of time suck.

Get Alamo or National from car care center (arrange the rental early, then check multiple times to see if the cost goes down), arrange for a pickup at your resort the moment it opens in the morning, they get the car and pick up the family. Use your own car seat. Go to Uni. Return the car 24 hours later.

I’m not big on trusting other car seats. To me, paying for a rental and Uni parking cost (and, sigh, possibly Wdw parking fee for one night) might very well be worth it.

 

[rwdavis2]

I’ve never felt that renting a car is any sort of time suck.

Get Alamo or National from car care center (arrange the rental early, then check multiple times to see if the cost goes down), arrange for a pickup at your resort the moment it opens in the morning, they get the car and pick up the family. Use your own car seat. Go to Uni. Return the car 24 hours later.

I’m not big on trusting other car seats. To me, paying for a rental and Uni parking cost (and, sigh, possibly Wdw parking fee for one night) might very well be worth it.

^^^ This is your best bet. Renting a car for the day ^^^^

 

[Helene_C]

Do you have an infant car seat that locks into a stroller frame and still fits your 8.5 mo? (Or could you borrow one from a friend at home for the trip?) Normally I'd say sitting in a car seat all day would get too hot, but in November that's less of a concern, and you could always put the baby in a carrier on you and leave the stroller/car seat parked most of the day. Then you could use that car seat in the cab and keep it with you during the day.