Pre-Trip Wherever I go, she goes

A little over a year ago I 3D printed a tiny companion whom I will call lil BES.

In a little over 6 months I plan to take that wonderful child to WDW.

The TR title is a slightly altered quote from The Mandalorian. As a Star Wars fan and new parent I have accumulated a ton of baby Yoda stuff. I would say that baby Yoda is the only character that lil BES recognizes (sorry Mickey).

Although I am nowhere near as cool as Mando (or Armando as my autocorrect wants to call him) lil BES does share a lot of qualities with baby Yoda including:

Extreme cuteness

Love of snacking

Mischievousness

Lil BES is definitely going to be the wildcard for this trip so I am starting this pre-TR on the early side.

If the first year of parenting taught me one thing it’s to ask for help so I will be soliciting some advice from you all as I add this new chaos factor into my planning.

All of the (tentative) details:

When: early February 2023

Where: AoA family suite

Who: Me, the ever reluctant DH, and last but not least, lil BES:

(She’s the one on the right)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Afraid not. That’s from too early in the 80’s for me to remember. At first I thought you were talking about Kid Sister the rapper.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

We usually had better luck near the back of the plane and selecting a window and an aisle seat and hoping no one tries to sit in between you. This obviously doesn't work if the plane is full. Having that extra seat/space for the toddler who doesn't get their own seat unless you buy one for them is gold.

Was going to say anywhere that you have 3 seats!!!!


If this is Southwest and you haven't purchased her a seat, anytime anyone is approaching your seats give her a gentle little pinch so she screams and they move along!
(Or at minimum a little sugar right before you board so she is jumping up and down in the middle seat)!
Probably could come up with a few other suggestions if needed!

For the sanity all involved I got lil BES a seat. She’s beyond the lap baby stage and I couldn’t imagine having some rando person next to us as we try to wrestle and entertain her.

Will probably decide on car seat vs. a CARES harness closer to the trip.

Our tentative seats are as close to the front as I could get. I figured the back of the plane would remain an option for a while.

DH likes the front more because it’s quieter. I have a feeling with lil BES having more background noise in the back might help us all.

 

[youngdeb]

For the sanity all involved I got lil BES a seat. She’s beyond the lap baby stage and I couldn’t imagine having some rando person next to us as we try to wrestle and entertain her.

Will probably decide on car seat vs. a CARES harness closer to the trip.

Our tentative seats are as close to the front as I could get. I figured the back of the plane would remain an option for a while.

DH likes the front more because it’s quieter. I have a feeling with lil BES having more background noise in the back might help us all.

If that's the case, I think you'll be fine. That extra seat will make your trip so much better! Front or back of the plane really doesn't make much of a difference except that you'll be able to deplane faster if needed near the front.

 

[Nala06]

For the sanity all involved I got lil BES a seat. She’s beyond the lap baby stage and I couldn’t imagine having some rando person next to us as we try to wrestle and entertain her.

Will probably decide on car seat vs. a CARES harness closer to the trip.

Our tentative seats are as close to the front as I could get. I figured the back of the plane would remain an option for a while.

DH likes the front more because it’s quieter. I have a feeling with lil BES having more background noise in the back might help us all.

We always travel with the baby’s carseat. It provided a comfortable, familiar place for them. And they usually* fall asleep in them as well. How old will lil BES be on your trip? I can recommend some good travel seats if you are interested.

*I say usually because all but one flight when my kids were small went great using a carseat on the plane. The one that didn’t the baby had a double ear infection that we didn’t know about. She screamed bloody murder the whole flight. It was great

But in all seriousness, use the carseat! Its safest, and keeps them happiest and contained.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

We always travel with the baby’s carseat. It provided a comfortable, familiar place for them. And they usually* fall asleep in them as well. How old will lil BES be on your trip? I can recommend some good travel seats if you are interested.

*I say usually because all but one flight when my kids were small went great using a carseat on the plane. The one that didn’t the baby had a double ear infection that we didn’t know about. She screamed bloody murder the whole flight. It was great

But in all seriousness, use the carseat! Its safest, and keeps them happiest and contained.

She’ll just have turned 19 months by trip time. My preference now is the car seat but I guess it’s just hard to imagine what she’ll be like then.

I would be interested in some travel car seat recs. Our regular ones are way too heavy/bulky.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

150 days!

Yesterday booked Sunshine Flyer for our airport transport. I was able to book lil BES a seat for free.Tthey do allow car seats on their buses per their FAQ.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Bought our park tickets tonight. 5 day PHs. I thought it would be too much for lil BES and DH to go to a park on arrival day.

What inspired me?

A) DH’s family currently being in WDW on a trip we could have been on at this very moment but aren’t

B) All of the sweet D23 announcements

C) Impending ticket price hikes

D) A strong Manhattan I made this evening

E) all of the above

 

[Swissmiss]

Bought our park tickets tonight. 5 day PHs. I thought it would be too much for lil BES and DH to go to a park on arrival day.

What inspired me?

A) DH’s family currently being in WDW on a trip we could have been on at this very moment but aren’t

B) All of the sweet D23 announcements

C) Impending ticket price hikes

D) A strong Manhattan I made this evening

E) all of the above

I’m gonna have to go with D)

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

I’m gonna have to go with D)

 

[fractal]

I’m gonna have to go with D)

ditto

 

[k8einwdw]

I'm SO late, but I'm in! And happy to give any advice! We're getting ready to take L for this third trip before the end of the year, so Disney with a toddler hasn't scared us off yet!

 

[youngdeb]

Bought our park tickets tonight. 5 day PHs. I thought it would be too much for lil BES and DH to go to a park on arrival day.

What inspired me?

A) DH’s family currently being in WDW on a trip we could have been on at this very moment but aren’t

B) All of the sweet D23 announcements

C) Impending ticket price hikes

D) A strong Manhattan I made this evening

E) all of the above

D probably had a lot to do with it, but E is my vote!

 

[Bullseye1967]

Bought our park tickets tonight. 5 day PHs. I thought it would be too much for lil BES and DH to go to a park on arrival day.

What inspired me?

A) DH’s family currently being in WDW on a trip we could have been on at this very moment but aren’t

B) All of the sweet D23 announcements

C) Impending ticket price hikes

D) A strong Manhattan I made this evening

E) all of the above

 

[Darstarr]

I also choose…

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Tickets finally arrived in the mail today. I got them from a third party reseller and on a whim picked the option of physical tickets. So glad I did:

 

[Songbird76]

Was going to say anywhere that you have 3 seats!!!!


If this is Southwest and you haven't purchased her a seat, anytime anyone is approaching your seats give her a gentle little pinch so she screams and they move along!
(Or at minimum a little sugar right before you board so she is jumping up and down in the middle seat)!
Probably could come up with a few other suggestions if needed!

We didn't get to pick our seats with Delta and on our flight back home from Atlanta to Amsterdam in August, my husband and kids got stuck in front of a baby who cried the whole time. And the parents kept slamming the tray table closed, and the baby kept kicking the seats....they were miserable. I was a row ahead of them, so I didn't have the kicking, but the crying on a 9 hour flight is NOT fun.

Did you book her a seat for herself, or are you going to hold her on your lap? We flew to the US with my kids when they were 2.5 and 4, and they did really well. They each had to have their own seats, but they pretty much slept the whole time.

 

[Songbird76]

We always travel with the baby’s carseat. It provided a comfortable, familiar place for them. And they usually* fall asleep in them as well. How old will lil BES be on your trip? I can recommend some good travel seats if you are interested.

*I say usually because all but one flight when my kids were small went great using a carseat on the plane. The one that didn’t the baby had a double ear infection that we didn’t know about. She screamed bloody murder the whole flight. It was great

But in all seriousness, use the carseat! Its safest, and keeps them happiest and contained.

Is that allowed? I was thinking we weren't even allowed to bring our carseats on the plane. We had to check them, which ended up being a huge problem, because they lost one of them on the way back, and it's illegal to drive with children who are not in a European certified seat. We had no way to get one kid home. We were lucky...sort of. Our flight was delayed by 7 hours, so we missed our connection, and everyone who was on our flight who was connecting in Amsterdam to Dusseldorf was put on a bus to Dusseldorf instead of a plane, because there were so many of us. The bus went within 10 minutes of my in-laws' house, so we called them and asked them to meet us at the gas station on the road, and had the bus stop there so we could hand off the kids to my in-laws, who had their own car seats for the kids. Otherwise, we'd have been stuck in Germany until Monday when we could go buy a new seat. I know we had to check the umbrella stroller, and I know we checked the seats, but I'm not sure whether that was our choice or not. Maybe it depends on the airline?

 

[Swissmiss]

Is that allowed? I was thinking we weren't even allowed to bring our carseats on the plane. We had to check them, which ended up being a huge problem, because they lost one of them on the way back, and it's illegal to drive with children who are not in a European certified seat. We had no way to get one kid home. We were lucky...sort of. Our flight was delayed by 7 hours, so we missed our connection, and everyone who was on our flight who was connecting in Amsterdam to Dusseldorf was put on a bus to Dusseldorf instead of a plane, because there were so many of us. The bus went within 10 minutes of my in-laws' house, so we called them and asked them to meet us at the gas station on the road, and had the bus stop there so we could hand off the kids to my in-laws, who had their own car seats for the kids. Otherwise, we'd have been stuck in Germany until Monday when we could go buy a new seat. I know we had to check the umbrella stroller, and I know we checked the seats, but I'm not sure whether that was our choice or not. Maybe it depends on the airline?

I don’t think there is an option to fly with a child in car seat in Europe which is why you didn’t know.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

We didn't get to pick our seats with Delta and on our flight back home from Atlanta to Amsterdam in August, my husband and kids got stuck in front of a baby who cried the whole time. And the parents kept slamming the tray table closed, and the baby kept kicking the seats....they were miserable. I was a row ahead of them, so I didn't have the kicking, but the crying on a 9 hour flight is NOT fun.

Ugh! That’s terrible for all involved.

Did you book her a seat for herself, or are you going to hold her on your lap? We flew to the US with my kids when they were 2.5 and 4, and they did really well. They each had to have their own seats, but they pretty much slept the whole time.

We booked her a seat. I have a coworker who is flying internationally soon with her son whose is a month older than lil BES. She is going the lap baby route. I have a feeling that I will be hearing some horror stories from her that will further confirm my choice.

Is that allowed?

Yes. If it’s an FAA approved car seat. Her current seat is but it is so bulky we probably will get a smaller one just for travel.

 

[Nala06]

Ugh! That’s terrible for all involved.



We booked her a seat. I have a coworker who is flying internationally soon with her son whose is a month older than lil BES. She is going the lap baby route. I have a feeling that I will be hearing some horror stories from her that will further confirm my choice.


Yes. If it’s an FAA approved car seat. Her current seat is but it is so bulky we probably will get a smaller one just for travel.

I recommend the cosco scenera next for a travel seat. Lightweight for travel, can be both rear and forward facing, so should last you many years of travel. And relatively cheap as far as carseats go!