booster seats for rental car

[Lmans77]

Hi all, we are travelling in a few weeks with our 9 and 7 year old. We are experienced Dis-ers - this will be our 6th trip. However, we always drive except for our 1st trip when we used ME and busses. This trip we are flying and renting a car. At home both of my kids use seat belt boosters. 7 year old in a high back and 9 year old in a low profile low back Cosco booster. Wondering what I should do for this trip for the rental car. I am fine with them both in a low back, and to be honest, I'm ok with the 9 (and a half) year old without a booster. For the 7 year old, should I bring the low back and would I just gate check that and how inconvenient would that be? I've never flown with a car seat, large or small. Where do you then pick it up. Or should I get an inflatable like the bubble bum.

 

[Tink_83]

I have checked my DD car seat (not gate check but checked with regular luggage) without an issue... when I flew last even checking with regular baggage it was not considered one of my checked bags but verify this with your airline... I have not tried the inflatable car seats yet but that does sound like an easy option if they work...

 

[BLAZEY]

I have checked both a high back and low back booster without issue. No charge from either airline for the seats to be checked. Just picked them up with the regular luggage.

 

[AZMermaid]

We got bubble buns for NYC and they worked great!

 

[Always_Dreaming]

We used to check our car seats with our luggage but eventually got tired of hauling them to and from the airport while juggling luggage, stroller and kids. Now we pay for them with the rental car. Pricey but worth the convenience.

 

[kboo]

We used to check our car seats with our luggage but eventually got tired of hauling them to and from the airport while juggling luggage, stroller and kids. Now we pay for them with the rental car. Pricey but worth the convenience.

We live in NYC and our car seats are heavy and "permanently" installed in our car. Meaning, MAJOR hassle to get them out and lug them around. So we always rent with the rental car. So much more convenient.

 

[Tattylou]

Hi all, we are travelling in a few weeks with our 9 and 7 year old. We are experienced Dis-ers - this will be our 6th trip. However, we always drive except for our 1st trip when we used ME and busses. This trip we are flying and renting a car. At home both of my kids use seat belt boosters. 7 year old in a high back and 9 year old in a low profile low back Cosco booster. Wondering what I should do for this trip for the rental car. I am fine with them both in a low back, and to be honest, I'm ok with the 9 (and a half) year old without a booster. For the 7 year old, should I bring the low back and would I just gate check that and how inconvenient would that be? I've never flown with a car seat, large or small. Where do you then pick it up. Or should I get an inflatable like the bubble bum.

We just went to FL last month and rented a car for the first time. My kids are 6 and 8. They carried the low back boosters on the plane and put them in overhead bin. Worked out great. Since it was $13 a day to rent one and we needed 2 for 7 days, I saved $182 by bringing our own.

 

[Smittolis]

We use the 'Mi-fold' with our 7 year old, awesome little design and fits in a very small space!

https://www.amazon.com/mifold-Grab-...ie=UTF8&qid=1494633280&sr=8-1&keywords=mifold

Have no safety concerns at all and they are the most portable seat we have ever used!

 

[sprousehouse]

We also have mi-folds for traveling and LOVE them!

 

[Lvsdisney]

Gat checking is very easy. You just have to carry the seats through the airport. We used a gate check bag recently and I could fit both DD's high back booster and DS's low back booster in the same bag. The make bags that have backpack straps, so easy to carry. I have never used the bubble bum, but I've heard good things. That's another way to go.

 

[Muskrat191]

I am a CPST (car seat tech) is Canada. I would absolutely bring boosters for both kids. Unless your nine year old is extremely tall, it is unlikely that they pass the five step test to ride without a booster (http://csftl.org/the-five-step-test/). The mi-fold is a neat product, but it doesn't consistently result in a properly fitting seat belt for the child. I'm in Canada where we don't have the BubbleBum, so I can't comment on how well it works as a booster.

Your children can bring a no-back booster on the plane as their personal item and put it in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of them. Here is a blog article from a Canadian CPST about flying with boosters: http://vicarseattechs.com/2017/travels-with-older-kids/

 

[DopeyDame]

I'd bring low back boosters for both kids and either carry them on or check them, depending on the rest of your luggage situation.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

We use the 'Mi-fold' with our 7 year old, awesome little design and fits in a very small space!

https://www.amazon.com/mifold-Grab-...ie=UTF8&qid=1494633280&sr=8-1&keywords=mifold

Have no safety concerns at all and they are the most portable seat we have ever used!

I have a mifold and don't like it at all. My son tends to slouch down so that his legs hang over the seat of the car which puts the seatbelt right across his tummy. Exactly where it shouldn't be! This slouching thing doesn't happen with a regular booster because his legs are allowed to bend naturally.

So I would highly caution against the mifold.

 

[kohlby]

I agree with bringing boosters for both kids. We found that the Bubble Bum didn't work well for my 6 year old - he slipped too much. My other child was 9 at the time and the Bubble Bum worked great for her. (She's 11 now and still needs a booster for safety reasons since she's under 4'9" and doesn't pass the five step test). The kids were about the same size but the extra maturity and strength helped quite a bit. So, I wouldn't use the Bubble Bum for the 7 year old without trying it out at home first. As for traveling with backless boosters - it's super easy! I did like the Bubble Bum for the narrow profile. If you're trying to put three kids across a seat with two in boosters, it's hard to do with two regular boosters but easy to do with a Bubble Bum in the mix.

 

[Lmans77]

thanks all! I am going to bring 2 low backs from home. I'll bring the Cosco and I'm going to buy a Graco low back at Target today. They are on sale this week for like $16!

 

[Lmans77]

Woot! Just bought it online... Just FYI, if you buy online, they have an additional 5% of Graco with coupon code GRACO5. I also have a redcard which saves 5%. And then, I didn't realize I had some money left over on an old online gift card. So out of pocket I only paid $1.38.

 

[Kerriowl]

I am in a similar boat. Flying and renting a car with my 6 and 9 year old boys. We are bringing two mifolds. They easily fit in the kids backpacks and they can carry them. Nothing else to worry about.

 

[Karenj2]

May I join in on the conversation, even though this is a year old? My family is flying out to CA to visit with BIL, and we will have an 8 yo & twin 5 yos (all girls). Our current car seats are dionos, and they are a BEAR to get in & out of the car (so we're not taking them). We plan on getting booster seats for the girls, and I had planned on getting the Mifold until I read the above statements... Are they really all that bad? Is there *anything* that's packable like that, that is more recommended? I don't want to have to lug suitcases, a purse, and three traditional boosters while herding three kids.

ETA: If I end up buying "real" booster seats, I'll need them to fit three across in both my husband's sedan and my midsize SUV. (both Volvos, if that helps any)

 

[Smittolis]

If I were you i'd try and see if you can find a Mi-Fold locally and check it out, we certainly haven't had any issues and love them. They aren't perfect by any means, but for short trips over a short period of time they are more than adequate, and they are safe too. We have 3 and they are a god send when it comes to travelling.

Can you buy one on Amazon or somewhere else on 'satisfaction guarantee' deal and send it back it you don't like it?

 

[AZMermaid]

We like the Bubble Bums. They inflate, which seems strange but they work great. They don’t fold super small, about the size of a loaf of bread, but Id bet you could get three in a backpack.