Laundry on board

[wdwlovin'family]

I know I am a little more than a month out, but I am already pre-packing. In an attempt to avoid over-packing I starting thinking about doing laundry while on the cruise and have a few questions.

1) How much does doing a load of laundry cost?

2) How much are the detergent packs and do they come with fabric softener?

3) How many things can you fit into one washer/dryer?

4) Will I need to bring a roll of quarters or will I be using my KTTW card to run the machines?

5) How long does it typically take from start to finish to complete a load?

6) We're staying deck 9 aft (rm. 9174) How far will we be from the laundromat?

Thanks so much! We're getting soooo excited!

 

[aliron682]

Just got off the Fantasy where I did a bunch of Laundry since our room was right around the corner.....loved that.
Wash loads are $2 each and dryer loads are $2 each. I am not sure how much the detergent is because I brought Tide Pods and dryer sheets along (best thing I ever did). Washers are decent sized and dryers are very big. You could almost do two wash loads in one dryer....but the dryer goes for about 45 min at the longest so it might not get them totally dry.
You will use your KTTW card, no need for quarters.
Longest wash load is 57 minutes (washers have a timer on them), and the dryer is about 45 minutes.
I am not sure how close your room is to the washers....sorry.
And of course it could be different on the Magic or Wonder.

 

[shburks]

Washers are VERY tiny! HA! Dryers are large but I wouldn't recommend two loads in one dryer...they'll never get dry.

 

[kcashner]

There are several laundry rooms on each ship. Sorry, I don't know all the locations on the new ships.

Wash $2, dry $2, detergent $1 (bring your own Pods or Purex 3 in 1 sheets, or pack some premeasured detergent in old film canisters or other container). All work on KTTW card swipe.

As noted, the machines are high effeciency, and not terribly big. Normal wash cycle is 27 minutes, dry is (was) up to an hour. There are timers on the machine, and you don't need to sit there and babysit it--just look at the time when you start the machine and be sure to return a minute or two before the end time.

 

[kristinfly2]

I was surprised how easy and quick it was! I also brought tide pods, dryer sheets and shout stain catcher sheets so I could throw colors in with whites! I did 3 or 4 loads and I would just set the timer on my phone so I could be back in time.

 

[wendyoconnor]

Pack a collapsible pop-up hamper for each stateroom.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

From the FAQ sticky above:

Laundry Rooms on the Dream
deck 2 (opposite 2002),
deck 5 (opposite 5192),
deck 6 (opposite 6508),
deck 7 (opposite 7014),
deck 8 (opposite 8150),
deck 9 (opposite 9500) and
deck 10 (opposite 10572).

Each location has at least 4 washers and 2 dryers, 1 iron and ironing board and a folding table and seating bench. At least one location (deck 6) has 8 washer, 4 dryers and 2 irons/ironing boards.
No need to carry quarters, a swipe of your room key and you can charge a load to wash (45 minute cycle) and/or dry (45 minute cycle) and even purchase laundry supplies (Tide, Clorox and/or Downey).

 

[aliron682]

Each location has at least 4 washers and 2 dryers, 1 iron and ironing board and a folding table and seating bench. At least one location (deck 6) has 8 washer, 4 dryers and 2 irons/ironing boards.

On the Fantasy, there were 3 washers and 5 dryers (which I found odd) on deck 7.

 

[Mama Odie]

As a follow-on question, what is the best time(s) for doing laundry while on a 3-day cruise? We're spending several days at WDW before our trip and I know I'll need to do a load near the beginning of our cruise.

~ Julie ~

 

[kcashner]

As a follow-on question, what is the best time(s) for doing laundry while on a 3-day cruise? We're spending several days at WDW before our trip and I know I'll need to do a load near the beginning of our cruise.

~ Julie ~

Laundry on a 3 night cruise? You only have 2 1/2 days on the ship; I wouldn't waste any of that time doing laundry.

Every WDW resort has a laundry room. When we do WDW first, I do laundry the last night (even if it is late) so that we board the ship with everything clean. I've never found the WDW laundry rooms full; on the ship, I've often had to wait for a machine.

As to why more dryers than washers on the ship--wash cycles take 27 minutes, dry cycles up to an hour.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Laundry on a 3 night cruise? You only have 2 1/2 days on the ship; I wouldn't waste any of that time doing laundry..

I agree. Do it before you leave WDW. If you must do it on board I would get it done ASAP. Throw it in as soon as possible and get it finished before the Sailaway Party.

 

[ranidayz]

During our last cruise I was surprised to actually have a very difficult time finding a washer available. I'd never had that problem before. After several checks to the laundry on our floor, I actually had to go elsewhere. Try to limit doing laundry on board if you can.

 

[csidisney]

When do most people do laundry on a 7 night cruise? I'll try and avoid busy times. We have done a 4 night cruise before but this will be our first 7 night and no way will I be able to pack enough without doing laundry

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When do most people do laundry on a 7 night cruise? I'll try and avoid busy times. We have done a 4 night cruise before but this will be our first 7 night and no way will I be able to pack enough without doing laundry

We've found the less busy times are early in the morning (I'm talking 6:30-7:00 - yes, we're early risers, even on vacation). Also, during dinner is usually a little less busy. Put you stuff in as to go up dinner, check what time you need to be back, slip back to transfer you load to the dryer and check again for when you need to return. The ships aren't that large, it doesn't take that long to get to the laundry room and back to the MDR.

Also, if you wash earlier in the cruise, like day 2 or 3, there tend to be fewer people trying to do laundry.

One note of caution here, DO NOT TRY TO USE THE IRON ON FORMAL/SEMI-FORMAL NIGHTS. Everyone (it seems) just want's to "press just one shirt".

 

[Eleblanc]

Agreed, DO NOT try to iron your stuff on semi or formal night. Everyone is trying to iron a shirt or dress then. I usually iron anything that needs it after unpacking sometime on the first night. Never had to wait for the iron then.

 

[kcashner]

When do most people do laundry on a 7 night cruise? I'll try and avoid busy times. We have done a 4 night cruise before but this will be our first 7 night and no way will I be able to pack enough without doing laundry

Other than the last day after Castaway, I don't know that there is a "most common" time. Some people pack about 1/2 of what they think they will need, making the midway point somewhat popular. Others want to pack things up clean, making the end of the cruise popular....so basically any time between 1/2 way on.

Of course, there are those times when the kid wears his dinner and you just have to wash it, and may as well make it as much of a load as other people have dirty...there are some who do laundry early for various reasons.

If you plan to do it on castaway day, come back to the ship early or you'll never get a machine.

And as above, press stuff for formal night a day early or send it out for pressing. And if you and DH are dressing up and have a suit, dress, or whatever that needs to be cleaned, pack it "dirty" and send it on the ship. Dry cleaning on the ship costs no more than on land and it will return fresh and pressed.

 

[csidisney]

Thank you! I'm an early riser too so I'll try then!