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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
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BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
We are planning to go to WDW in May DD#1 will be turning 35 months and DD#2 will be turning 1.
I have some logistical questions.
We were thinking of taking Jet blue b.c they have the TVs in the seats and we had a bad experience when we flew with delta last time. DH doesn't want to take Southwest b/c he doesn't like not picking out his seats in advance so that is out. We are not renting a car at WDW so we won't need car seats down there - we will be using Magical express and the disney transportation system.
1) how did you get to the airport from your home? DH doesn't think we can get a double stroller and 4 large bags and carryons into our CRV for the trip to the airport -so what did you do?
we were thinking of bringing a car seat for DD#2 for the plane (we are buying the baby a seat) but were thinking of using CARES for DD#1 so we didn't have to lug 2 car seats with us.
We usually take a car service to the airport. Does this mean we have to bring both car seats? I'm not crazy about DD riding in a car service without a seat - so I guess there is no alternative???
2) I believe that they don't allow 2 car seats in one row - since the seating is 3 and 3 - I assume we would need to sit 3 and 1? Is this how most people do it?
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Posted 7/19/09 3:03 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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steph4777
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Member since 5/05 11726 total posts
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Stephanie
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
1. When the kids were younger we usually took our car and parked it in long-term parking. We have a CR-V also and have been able to fit 3 large suitcases and our double stroller. We just put both carseats side-by-side and then put a large duffle bag and our carry-ons on the empty side of the seat.
When we were in NY last week, we actually took a cab this time becuz we had less stuff. We took a booster for Nate instead of his big seat and only took our umbrella stroller instead of the double.
With 2 young kids, I found it easier to take our car to the airport. Whether or not you decide to take your carseats, it will be less hassle than a car service, IMO.
2. On the plane we usually each will take a kid and sit in rows next to each other. DH and I always sit in the isle bc of the leg room and then DC would be in the middle. It makes
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| Posted 7/19/09 3:32 PM |
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-Lisa-
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Member since 5/05 6530 total posts
Name:
Lisa
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
Last time we flew, we brought one car seat, and the car service we used provided another car seat. Tell them to send an SUV that can fit your stroller, luggage and car seats. It shouldn't be a problem.
I've used the CARES harness - Ella didn't like it much. She sits/sleeps better in a seat, so for long flights, a car seat is key. For short flights, it doesn't matter much (we're flying to Niagara Falls next month and not bringing her seat).
I've had two car seats in one row, but the seating was 2-3-2, so there was one car seat in the window, and one in the middle section.
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| Posted 7/19/09 3:57 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
Reading their sit it just sounds like you can't have 2 in a row of 3 not the whole row of the plane - so we would have to break up into 2 and 2 in the same row or not bring one seat.
The catch that I have is that I don't want to end up in the middle seat since I'm tall and a bit bigger - and it says car seats have to be in the window seat - do they not follow that rule? Last time we flew with just DD and were told it had to be in the window seat so that any other person (it was just DH, DD and I) could get by the seat which is why the require it in the window position.
I know I have plenty of time to figure this out - but do all the car services provide car seats if you request one?
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| Posted 7/19/09 4:26 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
Posted by -Lisa-
I've used the CARES harness - Ella didn't like it much. She sits/sleeps better in a seat, so for long flights, a car seat is key. For short flights, it doesn't matter much (we're flying to Niagara Falls next month and not bringing her seat).
When you brought the seat were her feet long enough to kick the seat in front of you? I worry that if I bring her car seat -that she will spend the flight kicking the seat in front of her. I know the baby won't be tall enough to do that but not sure if DD at 35 months will be.
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| Posted 7/19/09 4:28 PM |
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-Lisa-
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Member since 5/05 6530 total posts
Name:
Lisa
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
Posted by Lillykat
When you brought the seat were her feet long enough to kick the seat in front of you? I worry that if I bring her car seat -that she will spend the flight kicking the seat in front of her. I know the baby won't be tall enough to do that but not sure if DD at 35 months will be.
yup, her feet could (and did  ) kick the seat in front of her. It was a battle to prevent that through the whole flight. If you get rows in front of each other - put her in the back row so she's only kicking her sister 
And in my experience, they DO enforce the car seats by the window thing.
I would think the need for car seats is pretty common and car services should be able to provide them. I don't know if they *all* do, but the one we used didn't seem to think it was an odd request.
(and I'm laughing because we're flying in 3 weeks and I don't have all the logistics worked out yet and you're planning for next year )
Message edited 7/19/2009 4:44:14 PM.
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| Posted 7/19/09 4:41 PM |
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Erica
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 11767 total posts
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
do you have a DVD player - you can pick any airline that way. and honestly - the kids aren't always enthused about the selection on the airline's monitors. we have a dual screen DVD and it works great.
we have parked in LTP at JFK and are happy with the experience - or sometimes my dad drives us. I don't think our Cherokee is much bigger than a CRV and we get it all in (we don't pack 4 bags though - we try to keep it to 2. It's easier to handle, carry and now easier on the pocketbook)
We stopped taking a 2nd carseat on the plane (we check it with luggage) when DS was 2 years...he loves to sit in the seat by himself and he can curl up to go to sleep too.
as for the 3-3 configuration. we try to book the window and aisle (leaving the middle seat vacant) the chances that someone will get the middle seat is slim and we can always move around once on the flight.
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| Posted 7/19/09 5:44 PM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
When we flew with both DC, we had rows one in front of the other. That way, it was very easy for DW to pass things from her goody back to me, and vice-versa.
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| Posted 7/19/09 6:58 PM |
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Tah-wee-ZAH
Kisses
Member since 5/05 15952 total posts
Name:
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
Posted by Lillykat
1) how did you get to the airport from your home?
we were thinking of bringing a car seat for DD#2 for the plane (we are buying the baby a seat) but were thinking of using CARES for DD#1 so we didn't have to lug 2 car seats with us.
We usually take a car service to the airport. Does this mean we have to bring both car seats? I'm not crazy about DD riding in a car service without a seat - so I guess there is no alternative???
2) I believe that they don't allow 2 car seats in one row - since the seating is 3 and 3 - I assume we would need to sit 3 and 1? Is this how most people do it?
Last summer we flew to Hawaii with our 2 16 month olds and IL's... two limo rides, 5 planes and assorted other transportation including a monorail... 22 hour door to door one way and I'm a pro at this.
1. We took a limosine from our home in Suffolk to Newark. We had a double stroller, 2 Britax boulevards and I believe 7 bags including carryons... one suitcase each for DH and I and the babies shared a suitcase... a carry-on bag each for DH and I... one that was filled with toys for the trip and one that was snacks for the kids.
The kids MUST be in a carseat.
ETA: We had a stretch limo and even then bags were in the front by the driver.
I would suggest packing very lightly. All of the resorts have laundry and it's easier to do a load while you are there than lugging another bag. I did a load of laundry one night while sitting at the bar watching a Hawaiian sunset... best laundry experience ever...lol.
Can you have someone drive you there and send the carseats back with them?
2. They do not allow two car seats in a row of three.
You would have to sit two and two... one adult and one child and one adult and one child in front or behind and the child cannot be on the aisle, so most likely both children would be window seats and you and DH would be middle seats.
Our plane was 2 seats, three seats in middle, 2 seats. WE were 4 adults and 2 children so we had to sit
Stranger, FIL MIL, DS, DH Me, DD
DD had to be window and DS had to be middle seat.
FIL is pretty useless when they cry so he got the single seat. There really were no other possibilities.
You won't be able to sit next to your DH but you can request that he is right behind you or right in front of you.
HTH
Message edited 7/19/2009 7:33:49 PM.
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| Posted 7/19/09 7:29 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: BTDT moms who have flown with 2 young children...a couple of questions
Posted by Erica
do you have a DVD player - you can pick any airline that way. and honestly - the kids aren't always enthused about the selection on the airline's monitors. we have a dual screen DVD and it works great.
we have parked in LTP at JFK and are happy with the experience - or sometimes my dad drives us. I don't think our Cherokee is much bigger than a CRV and we get it all in (we don't pack 4 bags though - we try to keep it to 2. It's easier to handle, carry and now easier on the pocketbook)
Yes we have one from our last trip to WDW that we can bring if we need to - but I was trying to cut back on what we had in our carryons.
I wish we could bring less bags but DD has HUGE feet (size 14) and his shoes alone take up a large portion of the bag. I think we will definitely give the laundry a try though to cut back on the number of items we bring - I think we might go for 9 or 10 days so we would need to bring a lot if we don't do laundry. I already plan to ship stuff down to the resort (diapers etc) so we have less to carry.
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| Posted 7/20/09 8:18 AM |
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