So no car seats? Really?

[maxiesmom]

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.

Do you realize that you can only use that on the plane? You won't be able to use it on the Disney busses. I have seen one poster who stated the used it on the Magical Express bus, but they had to rig it to work. Which doesn't sound very safe to me.

 

[danielle&aidan]

I'm carseat obsessed too. My 3 year old is still rearfacing, and I'm considering getting a Radian xtsl so I can keep him that way.

With that said, I did a bit of research on bus safety after he told me that his father took him on a city bus. Originally, I was upset and told him to never to do it again. I checked car-seat.org (my favorite carseat nazi site...they know everything), and I was surprised to find out that the consensus was that city buses are not only ok, they are safer than cars, even with a carseat, because of the rarity of accidents. There was almost no one that believed otherwise.

We just got back from our trip, and I took him on the buses with my paranoia fairly nonexistent.

Then, right after we got home, there was a really bad bus accident downtown, with one person possibly losing a leg. Now I'd be paranoid again.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Just keep in mind that city buses in a city environment aren't generally going very fast.

City buses in the Disney environment are often traveling on the highway or on open higher speed limit roads.

Big difference.

Yes, overall because of size and slow speed buses tend to be safer. With school buses specifically, compartmentalization exists, and this makes school buses safer for elementary age kids (but NOT for preschool age kids and below!).

I did one Disney trip with my child using Disney transport...I don't know what I was thinking. I will never do it again, I was sick to my stomach the entire time.

 

[maxiesmom]

Just keep in mind that city buses in a city environment aren't generally going very fast.

City buses in the Disney environment are often traveling on the highway or on open higher speed limit roads.

Big difference.

Yes, overall because of size and slow speed buses tend to be safer. With school buses specifically, compartmentalization exists, and this makes school buses safer for elementary age kids (but NOT for preschool age kids and below!).

I did one Disney trip with my child using Disney transport...I don't know what I was thinking. I will never do it again, I was sick to my stomach the entire time.

I'm not sure where you live, but in my city the busses often travel on a very busy road with a speed limit of 45 mph. With a lot more stop lights than what we go thru on Disney property.

If you don't feel comfortable using the busses, that is fine. But your post makes it sound like the Disney busses go zooming all over the place at a high rate of speed, and that is really not true.

 

[allison443]

We had every intention of renting a car, but then at the last minute my mom and MIL decided they are coming, and that would mean we would have to upgrade to a minivan rental, which is a LOT more money than the compact car we had planned to rent at first. I don't want to ask our mothers to contribute to the extra rental car cost, so I figured the rental car option is out now. Ugg.

How much more is it for the minivan? If I was really worried about it and I felt it was that important, I would upgrade regardless of the cost...and maybe cut back on some other compenents of the trip, kwim? Please don't take this the wrong way, but to me I don't understand saying, I really want my kids to use carseats, but only if it won't cost extra.

Anyway, like others said, I'm sure it will be fine! Enjoy your trip!

 

[melham]

So can I just confirm... for my 4 1/2 year old.......... no carseat needed.??. We are flying, taking ME, and staying on the resort.
Thanks

 

[mommy2_3]

For the plane ride i am buying 2 CARES systems. walmart did sell them but now they dont so im just going to order them off amazon. for my youngest i am just going to hold her (will will be a yr.).

 

[BLAZEY]

Just curious...I never really understood the whole carseats in an airplane?? I mean...God forbid something happen....do you really think a carseat is going to help save them??

We have yet to take a flight with DD, but when we do she will have her own seat and be properly restrained.

We live on an island and either that to take a ferry (1.5hrs 7 45 min drive to airport) or fly on a small DC10 plane. That car seat can make a huge difference, refer to the news article below.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/10/29/plane-survivor.html

 

[paul_toria96]

When we went last time or DD 5 and DS 3 we got free car seats from the rental company. This year they don't need them and they feel very grown up as they still have to have them at home.

I would personally got for the minivan, we had one last time with 5 of us and it gave us that little extra space this time there's only 4 of us going and we have done the same.

If in doubt do what your heart tells you

 

[ban26ana]

We use Disney transportation with relatively few panic attacks on my part. We will always take a car seat for the plane though. Between me being a car seat nazi, and dh knowing every fact known to man about aviation, there is no way our kids will not be in a car seat in the air.

Here's my question. (Rhetorical?) The flight attendants are psycho about making sure the car seat is FAA approved. The whole airline, really. They checked for the sticker when we checked in (before we even hit security). They checked at the gate. They checked when we stepped onto the plane. Then the pilot came and checked the sticker. Here's the thing though. Say my car seat didn't have the sticker. You wouldn't let me use it and would make me...hold my baby on my lap? Is that so much safer than a non-FAA approved car seat?

 

[Jessica14]

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.

We have travelled twice to China for each of our children's adoptions. I don't think there is such a thing as transportation safety there! No car seats on planes, buses, cabs, not sure about personal cars. I think I was too amazed at the driving "technique" of our drivers to think that we were probably on most days thisclose to getting in a major accident. All with an infant in one case and then a four and a two year old the next time around on our laps!
Jessica

 

[ilvdznee]

Car seats are not designed to be effective on buses. You may actually be harming your child by placing them in a car seat on a bus. Just like if a car seat isn't installed properly in your car it can cause harm to your child. Bus seats are different than car.

 

[MarriedToAPrince]

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 going in may, with my almost 3 year old, a friend, and her almost 3 year old. This is my very first time flying with a child (who is mine). I am TERRIFIED to fly to begin with, so I am a wreck. I am going back and forth between bringing the carseat and not bringing it. If my whole family was flying, and I had my husband I think I would bring the seat, just cause it would be easier with another grown up.
Now that I am flying alone, and have to worry about me, my son (and I am a WRECK about it.....panic attacks, not sleeping, etc, and its 4 weeks away still!!). And all the stuff I have to bring. I think I have decided that I am not dealing with it.

There is a huge part of me that is saying...well, what if?!?! But, I still think I am okay with not bringing it this time.

Look into a CARES harness. That is what we are getting to use on the plane with our DD.

 

[MarriedToAPrince]

We have yet to take a flight with DD, but when we do she will have her own seat and be properly restrained.

We live on an island and either that to take a ferry (1.5hrs 7 45 min drive to airport) or fly on a small DC10 plane. That car seat can make a huge difference, refer to the news article below.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/10/29/plane-survivor.html

Not only that, but what about sudden turbulance. Adults have flown out of their seats and broken their necks because of it, what do you think would happen to a child. If anyone doesn't want to use a car seat, then I really recommend a CARES harness.

 

[luckylady131]

Okay, I read this entire thread. Didn't come across my situation.

We will be flying to WDW from Houston - about a 2.5 hour flight. We will be using ME and staying on property using disney transportation.

DD1 is 4 years old, and will have her own seat on the plane. Wasn't going to bring a car seat for her. She did just fine on a flight to Cozumel as well...looks out the window and uses the stuff we bring her to keep her occupied.

BUT I will have a 9 month old this time. She will be a lap baby for the flight, so no car seat.

So since car seats on ME is out, then that means no car seats are needed at all? I am a bit weirded out by that. I can do CARES for my 4 year old, buty what about the baby???

I am a car seat advocate to the fullest. Help me wrap my head around this one...

 

[Kae]

Okay, I read this entire thread. Didn't come across my situation.

We will be flying to WDW from Houston - about a 2.5 hour flight. We will be using ME and staying on property using disney transportation.

DD1 is 4 years old, and will have her own seat on the plane. Wasn't going to bring a car seat for her. She did just fine on a flight to Cozumel as well...looks out the window and uses the stuff we bring her to keep her occupied.

BUT I will have a 9 month old this time. She will be a lap baby for the flight, so no car seat.

So since car seats on ME is out, then that means no car seats are needed at all? I am a bit weirded out by that. I can do CARES for my 4 year old, buty what about the baby???

I am a car seat advocate to the fullest. Help me wrap my head around this one...

No car seat needed for you. As you said you are doing the Lap baby on the plane=no car seat. And no car seats can be used on DME or on transport on property.

Kae

 

[tigger51276]

Buses are designed differently than cars and the laws of physics help keep you safe.

Millions of children have ridden and do ride buses everyday around the world and at Disney and are safe. Mine always loved being "big" and riding at Disney without it.

If you aren't renting a car I wouldn't lug a car seat thru the airport and have it take up room in the room. My kids never used a car seat on the plane and have flown tens of thousands of miles without incident.

I've honestly never batted an eyelash about not being able to use a carseat on the ME or the buses at Disney. I grew up riding a LOT of buses as my mom didn't have a car when I was little and when we went to camp and we didn't have seat belts. I've been taking my kids to Disney since the oldest was 7 months and have never had a problem with feeling like my kid(s) weren't safe. My only recommendation is that if you are that nervous then make sure you get on a bus where you are guaranteed a seat even if it means stepping aside and letting others who don't mind standing go ahead of you and waiting for the next bus to come along. Because I travel solo with my little ones to Disney and I have a big stroller I always wait for a bus where I know me and my little ones are able to sit down on as I don't want to have to juggle a stroller and 2 kids standing up.

 

[r&kmommy]

I've read through this whole thread and can't say anything that hasn't already been said... except this:

Isn't it sad that in this day and age those of us who RF past age 1/20lbs, extended harness (which in some cases, "extended" harnessing is harnessing past 40lbs/4years!!?) and booster longer than most have to call ourselves car seat obsessed or nazi's? It's not being obsessed at ALL!! It's following the recommendations of the AAP, using common sense and following car seat directions. It's just plain sad.

OP, we are using ME for the first half of our trip and then renting a car for the second half (to do off-property things) and dd will sit in a car seat on the plane, we'll stow it under the ME bus, and (obviously) she'll use it in the rental car.

She is NOT rf'ing anymore because she's 33lbs, at the RF limit of her seat. The only reason I put her RF on the plane the 3 times she's flown is because it's easier to entertain her. It is not any safer and any car seat can FF just as safely as RF on a plane. But since she was within the RF'ing limits of the seat, and I had the instruction booklet and appropriate stickers on the seat, I RF'd her. This upcoming trip will be her first FF'ing on the plane

 

[LisaNJ25]

I've read through this whole thread and can't say anything that hasn't already been said... except this:

Isn't it sad that in this day and age those of us who RF past age 1/20lbs, extended harness (which in some cases, "extended" harnessing is harnessing past 40lbs/4years!!?) and booster longer than most have to call ourselves car seat obsessed or nazi's? It's not being obsessed at ALL!! It's following the recommendations of the AAP, using common sense and following car seat directions. It's just plain sad.

OP, we are using ME for the first half of our trip and then renting a car for the second half (to do off-property things) and dd will sit in a car seat on the plane, we'll stow it under the ME bus, and (obviously) she'll use it in the rental car.

She is NOT rf'ing anymore because she's 33lbs, at the RF limit of her seat. The only reason I put her RF on the plane the 3 times she's flown is because it's easier to entertain her. It is not any safer and any car seat can FF just as safely as RF on a plane. But since she was within the RF'ing limits of the seat, and I had the instruction booklet and appropriate stickers on the seat, I RF'd her. This upcoming trip will be her first FF'ing on the plane

I hear you.. I didn't extend rf but I am all for 5pt harnessing. My youngest 2 will be 5 and 6 in a few weeks and they still are using the 5pt harness in my car and will be until they outgrow in. They have friends who don't even use car seats or booster seats

 

[lpoeppelman]

There are no car seats allowed on any bus that I know of. That includes school buses, yet we still send our children on those; right?

My son goes to a special needs school for speech and they pick him up on a regular yellow school bus. They have car seats on the bus.