Going to Disney - What seat(s) to take???

What seats should I bring to Disney???

  • Radian

    Votes: 6 27.3%
  • Turbo or Confidence Booster

    Votes: 4 18.2%
  • none

    Votes: 14 63.6%

  • Total voters
    22
  • Poll closed .

canadianmom2three

Active member
We are going to disney in August with our 3 kids ages 10,7,5 (50lbs). I just can't decide what seat(s) to take. We will be flying detroit to orlando, and then shuttled from the airport by disney, to our resort at disney. We won't be leaving the park until our return flight home. I want to take the Radian, cause DS is such a fidgety guy I know he will do better on the flight with it, but know it will be a pita to install on a shuttle...so am thinking a hbb booster might be easier (we have the turbo and confidence, but for space issues I would probably go with the turbo). I could take both (Radian and booster) too, really... Then of course, I know DH will say he doesn't need to bring a seat at all...Anyone been there, done that, and have any advice? Thanks!!
 
ADS

MomToEliEm

Moderator
Shuttle buses don't have seatbelts at all (at least all that I have seen). Unless you are going to be using other transportation (rental cars, taxis, etc.), there will be no way to use a car seat or booster.

Edited to add that you should look into the transportation mode that you are using and call and ask them directly. It might be a "van" instead of a shuttle, and in that case you should be able to use a carseat. A true shuttle or bus does not have seatbelts though.
 
Last edited:

ThreeBeans

New member
There is not a single form of transportation in Disney that uses seatbelts, from the shuttle to the buses to the monorail. The only place you'll be able to use the carseat is on the plane itself.

In your scenario, I probably wouldn't bring anything....at 5 and 50, he should be perfectly safe sitting in the airplane seatbelt. You can't use a carseat or booster on Disney transportation.
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
There is not a single form of transportation in Disney that uses seatbelts, from the shuttle to the buses to the monorail. The only place you'll be able to use the carseat is on the plane itself.

:eek: Thanks for saying this--we will definitely be arranging a rental car when we go to DL in November!! There is no way I'd feel comfortable with an unrestrained hyperactive 2 yo and an infant for 30 miles in LA!
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
The Disney Shuttle that picks you up at the Orlando Airport is a coach bus. They may have other smaller choices...but we rode the big bus from the airport to our resort.

Susan
 

becca011906

Senior Community Member
There is not a single form of transportation in Disney that uses seatbelts, from the shuttle to the buses to the monorail. The only place you'll be able to use the carseat is on the plane itself.

In your scenario, I probably wouldn't bring anything....at 5 and 50, he should be perfectly safe sitting in the airplane seatbelt. You can't use a carseat or booster on Disney transportation.



Exactly what i was thinking... We've been to disney about 5 times with kids, and ALWAYS drive our selfs, we did fly once but the car seats were already down there with my grandparents that took their seats down when they drove 2 weeks before we flew down, i took my 4 year old in a plane blet and a my 1 year old in a sling we didn't know any better then about planes and turbulance and all that, we just though if the airline didn'thave a problem with a child under 2 being a lap baby then what's the big deal... :eek: now that we know better we have always driven ourselfs and always used our own car to get the parks and such, the kids are just so much better after a full day 10 hours at the parks to climb into thier own seats and fall alseep then have to sit on a packed and crowded bus...
 

cryswilkins

New member
I agree with the OP. There are no seatbelts on any of the Disney buses.

FYI: I flew out of Detroit to Orlando in May and the flight was jammed packed with kids so there was no pre-boarding (through NWA) Make sure that you are super organized and getting on and off the flight will be a lot smoother. It was choas when we went.
 

Niea

New member
Agreed -- no seatbelts on Disney transportation.

What we did last year, and what we plan to do again when we go again in 3 weeks, is to not use Disney transportation from the airport to Disney. We, instead, got a private shuttle service (not quite a cab, but not a standard shuttle either). The shuttle service charged a flat rate ($30 each way), no matter how many passengers in their 12-person van. So we just installed DDs carseat in there and were on our way. The cost of the shuttle was much cheaper than renting a car and keeping it the entire time you're there (since you won't need it every day). I did take Disney transportation to/from Disney and the hotel, but it wasn't far at all and I wasn't as concerned about not having a carseat. Still made me nervous, but there wasn't anything I can do about it.
 

MagnificentMama

Senior Community Member
I went when DD just turned 3 and didn't bring anything down. I can't believe my anal retentive self did it, but there was literally no seatbelt on any of the busses/shuttle busses/coaches... anything really.

There is really no need to bring any seat to Disney. If you plan on going to Universal Studios or anything, that's a different story- but if you're staying on Disney property, there will be no seat belts for you to even use.

It felt so weird just to sit next to DD and ride around, but it was great being shuttled everywhere!
 

bethng

Active member
We just got back from disneyland. Youngest did not go with us but I left my 6yo's seat at home. I didnt like not having seatbelts on our shuttle ( I didnt know that was how it was) but at that point we didnt have much of a choice. But other then the ride from and to the airport we did not need it as we just walked from the hotel to the park.
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
This is all good to know as we are going to DW next summer with the girls. I knew the shuttles from the hotel to the parks probably didn't have seatbelts but wasn't sure about the ones from the airport to the hotel. I will be sure to book an airport shuttle van instead. I will want to girls restrained at least from the airport to the hotel.

We plan to just bring no back boosters since our youngest will almost be 5 at that point.
 

vamom

New member
yep, we did disney world in May. Disney's magical express is a coach bus. No seat belts. Depending on the resort, you are looking at a bus, monorail, water taxi - no seatbelts. Ds was 4.5 when we went and we left the carseat at home. When we go back, I am planning on taking our radian, because ds's legs stuck straight out and he ended up kicking the seat in front of him. I didn't notice this on the way down, but we sure did notice it on the return trip. We used a taxi van to go to seaworld, and the driver had a booster, which made me nervous. I will probably rent a car to go to seaworld again, so I like the idea of having the radian. If we were only going to disney and the flight was not too long, I would probably skip the seat. So I guess that means I would chose the radian or no seat, since the booster won't work on the plane.

Have fun - we had so much fun that we are going back!
 

harnessed4ever

New member
It's really worth taking them just for the flight. Turbulence and harsh landings are really enough to hust your children if they're only restrained ny a lap belt
 

Minniemouse

Senior Community Member
We are going in December. Dd is 6yo (as of yesterday!) and ds will be turning 2yo while we are WDW.

I am planning on taking nothing for dd, and we will be bringing ds' Advantage (which will expire in February) for the plane trip. I am hoping that ds will still be short enough to rear face by then. His older sister was too tall at 22 and 23mo in her two car seats.

We are planning on taking Disney's transportation everywhere, including to/from the airport.

I thought about alternative transportation.. briefly... but I'm okay w/ ds being on the coach bus for a short period of time.

Dd flew 5 round trips before she turned 4yo and was always in a seat. Unfortunately, the only harnessed seat she fits in now is her Husky so this will be her first trip using the airplane's belt.
 

harnessed4ever

New member
I'd really suggest that you find someone with a mid-sized FF harness, and ask them if you can borrow it for the plane ride. Even at 6, Harnesses are important and should be used whenever humanly possible.
 

Minniemouse

Senior Community Member
I'd really suggest that you find someone with a mid-sized FF harness, and ask them if you can borrow it for the plane ride. Even at 6, Harnesses are important and should be used whenever humanly possible.

Yup, I know that... I'm a HUGE proponent for harnesses, and extended rear facing. Dd is still harnessed in my car in a Husky (primary seat) and only uses a booster occasionally in dh's car.

Dd is long torsoed... she doesn't fit into any harnessed seat other than the Husky. We have a Boulevard (for ds) and she's not even close to having her shoulders under the top setting. She outgrew her Platinum CarGo (purchase specifically so she could fly in it at 3.75yo) harness when she was just over 4yo.

I am thinking of possibly replacing the Advantage that ds is riding in (used to be dd's and expires in February) with one of the new Recaro seats... but I'm waiting until they are released to see how they are working out. If we do get one that could be a possibility on the plane... but otherwise there aren't any other options for her harness wise. She is 45.5" tall but her height is all torso (wears a girls size 9/10 top and 6x pants!). She would have been using the top slots in the Marathon back when she turned 4yo!
 

harnessed4ever

New member
I could be wrong, and please correct me if I am, but isn't the Radian 80 FAA certified, or is it too big like the husky. If it is certified chances are that she could fit into that.
 

canadianmom2three

Active member
Thanks all for the input...I think I am going to take the Radian for my DS, cause he is a HANDFULL, and I know that will contain him on the plane far better than a lap belt (not to mention the safety benefits) plus it will be pretty easy to fold up and carry off the plane, and stow away in the resort...

That said, until the previous posts, didn't even consider harnessing my 7yo dd for the plane ride, but it is kind of a moot point anyway, even though we have 2 of the Radian(65) she is over for weight at 70+ lbs...I'm pretty sure DH wouldn't spring for a Radian 80 just for that, since DD is over the top slot by a fair bit, in fact pretty close to ears at the top of the seat even...though I know she would adore a princess (she LOVES the radian, and still wants to ride in it all the time) but that did give me something to think about...
 

harnessed4ever

New member
This advice is totally wrong for car use, but for airline use, you can bend the rules a tiny bit. I have a post somewhere in here that talks about how my dd survived an emergency landing (not like a crash but a change in plans due to engine trouble) in a marathon which she had slightly outgrown. You should be able to get away with a child a little bit too big for the seat on the plane, since the physics are all differant (air pockets and turbulence are up and down rather than full forward) however NEVER USE AN OUTGROWN CHILD SEAT IN THE CAR. Crash force is a lot higher than turbulence and need to be restrained by a properly fitting harness.
 

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