Advice on taking 8 bags with 2 adults/2child

[athurstance]

If you really want to it can be done. My advice would be make sure that all your cases are on wheels as it helps a lot.

We are 2 adults/2 kids. We take 4 cases - they are the Carlton long handled ones and I can easily pull along 2 at once. The boys both pull one each. Then DH is left with the golf clubs which go in this huge wheeled trunk thing which is quite heavy as we cram 3 sets of golf kit in it. We all take a piece of handluggage too - DH takes the laptop and the boys carry their own hand luggage with Ipods, gameboys etc.

Before we had the wheeled cases it was a nightmare - you can never rely on trolleys in my experience (although Orlando is very good for this to be fair). The above number of bags just about fits in the trunk of the 4 x 4 we hire.

You do only have to manouevre the cases to and from the airport and once you've checked in you are free of them. Where there's a will there's a way!!

 

[lisaj]

Well, no sense of adventure for some people (LOL). My problem is our large hard cases are 32inches and were fine on previous trips but having measured the dimensions they are about two inches over VA dimensions. Plus friends recently had problems with too large cases on a VA flight. Therefore I bought new (smaller) cases. I know we don't need 'dressy' clothes for this holiday but will need clean clothes for 21 days for four people (don't believe in doing housework on holiday! don't tell my DH that other people do their laundry please) also costumes for MNSSHP plus a couple of beach towels and toiletries.

Obviously the toiletries won't be coming back but I reckon with the weight and size allowed I will need three/four bags going out plus an extra for the car seats etc. Seemed rude not to use the full allowance and thought I would take three other cases packed inside one another to bring stuff home.

I am not worried about the actual transport either end (size of car etc.) as we have a private car from home to Gatwick, coach from MCO to WDW, private car from WDW to St Pete's and back and then we will book transport from WDW to DTD on return. Would hate to be made to unpack cases because they are overweight and I have no intention of searching for cases while I am on holiday.

Now what about that for justifying the need for eight cases eh? Can you tell I've been practicing with DH for months!

Thanks for the advice about the skycap OBI, anyone coming back in November will know me, I'll be the one with 8 beautifully packed suitcases, one stressed husband and two skycaps! Oh and the luggage scales from QVC to weigh my luggage before check-in.

OK even I can see a slight obsessive tendency here.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I think eight cases would be a complete nightmare between 2 adults and 2 children!

(Sorry)

My thoughts exactly


This is Julie not Johnny

 

[lawlesslovewdw]

that ruined that grand plan then !!

hope you had a great trip Louise

It nearly ruined mine - thank god half of one case was just stuffed mickeys They wont allow cases over 23kg at all if you are up to your 2 case per person so beware, if i couldnt repack it, it was not travelling!

Enjoyed the dis meet thanks nat for organising it

 

[Claire L]

It nearly ruined mine - thank god half of one case was just stuffed mickeys They wont allow cases over 23kg at all if you are up to your 2 case per person so beware, if i couldnt repack it, it was not travelling!

Enjoyed the dis meet thanks nat for organising it

Yes they will allow cases over 23kg but they are subject to a surcharge -

Bookings made since the 1st April 2006 are subject to new free baggage allowances. Economy passengers travelling on flights to/from the USA, Caribbean, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica and Nigeria wishing to check in baggage weighing between 23kg and 32kg are subject to an excess charge of GBP20 / USD35 per piece for each flight taken. Additional pieces over your free allowance are charged at the normal rates.

from here.

It is bags/cases over 32kg that are not allowed due to that being the maximum for health and safety reasons.

Claire

 

[disneyholic family]

we ALWAYS do this.....every time we travel we at least take the maximum baggage allowance (and often extra)...

there are 4 of us.....there were trips that we've had 10 suitcases on the way back.....we buy a LOT of stuff in the US....lots and lots and lots...

we usually travel to the US with 2 suitcases of stuff we'll need on the trip for the 4 of us, and with another 6 big duffels stuffed together (5 into 1)....

yes getting it all back to the airport at the end of the trip can be challenging....

to get to the airport in the US we have to order a specially large van (that carries 10 people) just for the 4 of us.....otherwise there won't be enough room for the luggage....
at the airport we either use a porter or trolleys - depending how many bags we have and whether the trolleys are available..

on the airport side at home, we have a different situation....we are met by a VIP service right at the plane and they help us the rest of the way (including a gigantic limo van that takes us home)..

it's not easy....and we kind of have it down to a science after living overseas for 17 years....

when i travel alone, i always use a porter - since i often have 4 suitcases all by myself (plus my carryons)....

i'm not sure i would recommend traveling this way as it does add a certain amount of tension at every crossing point (getting to the airport, check in, baggage claim, customs, getting out of the airport, etc.)...

we buy a ton of stuff because for the most part, my family can't buy clothes or shoes anywhere but in the US (they are excessively tall with ridiculously large feet - a pack of giants)....and we need special sheets for their specially long beds, and all sorts of silly things like that...so we're stuck buying a lot of stuff in the US....otherwise i wouldn't do it....