First trip without a car: What do I need to know?

[megs1313]

I've used disney transportation before while at the resort, but we've always had a car AT least from the airport. This time we're going to use Magical Express. Normally, I fly with our car seat (because DD2 sleeps well in it and that way she just sleeps through the flights) but since we won't have a car, I don't necessarily need a car seat once we land. Would I be better off using a cares harness on the plane? Is there a compelling reason to still bring a car seat? What about on the actual magical express? Do people use car seats? I'm assuming no. What am I not thinking of that I should be? I'm very intimidated by the idea of a no car trip! LOL Help!

 

[kboo]

In all our recent stays onsite, we have used DME and no car, no carseat. Well, the baby had her infant carseat, but you are not allowed to use those on DME anyway.
We've used the CARES harness in all our flights with ODD when she's had her own seat. I know there is a lot of contention on these boards about *having* to have a car seat on the flight, but we've done fine without bringing a car seat both on trips to WDW and elsewhere. Elsewhere, when we rent a car, we will rent carseats with the car, and pay for a car service to have car seats.

 

[SweetMissy]

Every time we've flown we've never brought a carseat and we've flown with when #3 was 4 months old and when #4 was 7 month old. We used DME, I believe you can't use carseats on the buses. The times we've driven we only use our vehicle to get to the resort. I'm a big advocate for car seat safety so I remember how nervous I was the 1st time not using a carseat for our little ones on the bus, lol. I have no idea what a cares harness is so I can't comment on that. We now live in FL and I actually enjoyed our vacations not having to drive and let disney bring me back and forth....have fun!

 

[DopeyDame]

For a 2 year old cares should work great. The only trick is do you trust your kid not to unbuckle the seatbelt - some 2 year olds can handle that and others can't. Assuming your comfortable that your won't throw a hissy fit and try to unbuckle the seat, cares and no car seat should be great!

We're going down in January for our first trip with kids without any car seats. I am so amazingly excited to go through the airport without the car seats!

 

[Princess Minnie321]

We just used the cares harness for my 3 year old and it worked great. The DME busses had seatbelts. We used a car service that provided a car seat for my 3 year old and a booster for my 5 year for the day we went to seaworld. Other then that, I was happy with the Disney transportation. I could not imagine lugging car seats through the airport.

 

[Imagineer5]

If you won't have a rental car, then I wouldn't lug the car seat solely for plane use.

That being said, I will never again go to WDW without a rental car because the transportation wastes SO SO much time it's ridiculous :-D.