Can a family of four use only carry ons and not check bags?

[kevschickee]

What I mean is can it be done? I know technically it can be done but can it all fit? There will be me, my DH my 2 and 3 year old. Have you ever done this? We will be doing laundry so that isn't an issue.

 

[Minniemama350]

I have done this before and didn't regret it. The laundry is at the resort pool. I send DH to the pool with both kids and do the laundry. I can still partake of the swimming, because it's right there. In fact we usually swim/wash at 10pm at night.

 

[kevschickee]

I have done this before and didn't regret it. The laundry is at the resort pool. I send DH to the pool with both kids and do the laundry. I can still partake of the swimming, because it's right there. In fact we usually swim/wash at 10pm at night.

We are staying at the all star movies and I think that is where the laundry is so I think we will be doing the same thing

 

[Minniemama350]

We'll be there on October 9th! See you there maybe!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

My parents just did 6 days with my dad, neph (3) and DS (3). They actually checked 2 bags and only carried on their personal items. They thought about only doing carryon but it came to be too much to deal with carryon suitcases and the stroller.

 

[skip323]

We almost managed to do that this summer...however my kids are a bit older. I purchased 21 or 22inch luggage for all four of us. All of our clothes fit just fine (smaller clothes, though, in the summer but we did bring lots of extras so that we could change midday) as did our shoes. What got me was when I wanted to bring all of the extras that are "recommended" on sites such as this....the overdoor organizer....the fun new things for the kids so that you don't have to pay onsite prices...the pop up or sack laundry bag etc. Once I started to try shoving those things in it was all over!!! What we finally did was put those extra things into one suitcase and we paid for one piece of luggage then took everything else in our carry ons. I really do find it to be doable, though, if you don't have a need to bring a lot of extra stuff and if you plan to do laundry (which is what we did...same as pp we just did laundry while at the pool).

We also have grocery delivery done so that we could have large bottles of liquid items (spray and lotions suncreen, lotion, some drinks etc). The delivery was very helpful!

Good luck!

 

[QVCshopper]

I have a 3 and 4 year old. I packed 1 big suitcase that I'm checking. I'm bringing 1 backpack with swimming stuff for when we get to the hotel and 1 backpack with snacks and toys for the kids on the plane. I also have one over the shoulder bag filled with snacks for our week (not on the dining plan). And two unbrella strollers. That's it. Not too much for a family of 4, but I will also be doing laundry.

We were thinking about 2 larger carryons, but it's seems like too much with kids so young. I'd rather be watching them and not dragging bigger carryons behind me.

We are there for a week, and I'm bring extra surprises for "Halloween Mickey" to bring. I'm just a very strict packer.

 

[twins4disney]

we are going in Feburary, two adults, two kids, both 7, does anyone think it is doable for carryons, and one checked bag? We are in a 1 bedroom at BLT, so laundry is very doable. Just not sure about that time of year, about what we will need to pack. We will only be there, 4 nights, three full days.

 

[QVCshopper]

we are going in Feburary, two adults, two kids, both 7, does anyone think it is doable for carryons, and one checked bag? We are in a 1 bedroom at BLT, so laundry is very doable. Just not sure about that time of year, about what we will need to pack. We will only be there, 4 nights, three full days.

Yes, see my post above. I went in early March with one big suitcase. Very doable. Just ask yourself if you really need an item before you pack it. You can always roll clothes, but I usually don't--that's my trick for fitting souvies on the way home.

 

[deva]

I'd think it would be so difficult with kids that young. Four bags plus two little kids trekking though the airport sounds like a recipe for disaster. I have, (as others have suggested) packed one large suitcase (just make sure it is under 50 lbs), then everyone has a backpack with swimsuit, 1 change of clothes, snacks and plane games. It's easy to sling a second backpack over your shoulder when kids get tired.

 

[teresajoy]

My plan is to only take carryons. Wish me luck! Last year I payed for 2 checked bags in advance, then realized that with the carryons so big, I could have done without them. So, this year, I'm not paying for a bag unless I absolutely have to!

We are a family of 5.

 

[lalaland101]

well, we're a family of 6 and we did it

Just a warning, but would you be able to carry them all as you go through airport procedures? Depending on the number and size of your bags, it might also be hard to find space in the plane if the other passengers took much of the overhead space happened to us, and having leg cramps isn't fun.

 

[happymommy]

I started doing this with my kids when they got a little older. At your kids' ages, you'll still need a double stroller (IMHO) so that is a lot to shlep through the airport. Now, we only do carry-ons, each has his or her own wheeled luggage. I put them overhead, obviously, for the kids. We stop on the way for toiletries then, and snacks and drinks.

I think you definitely could do it, just plan ahead. You just need to not bring much liquids, so that is why we do a stop, for a full size shampoo and conditioner to share, full size toothpaste, saline solution (or I bring a small one) and other stuff. Also, I buy a small bottle of laundry soap and dryer sheets on the way - I like to use a lot of dryer sheets in the resort laundry room machines.

Good luck! It can be done. A good thing is that kids' clothes are small. I also bring mix and match things, keep it simple. Have them wear sneakers and bring one pair of sandals in the bag.

Oh - it is tricky coming home, if you've accumulated any souvenirs or won stuffed animals - ugh!

 

[brymolmom]

I think it'll be tough with kids that young. We went in Sept and my kids are 5 and 7 and we did MOSTLY carry-ons with one big checked bags for all 4 of us. That made it a lot easier to take a large hair spray and sunscreens - just put them in the checked bag. Likely we would have spent as much to buy sunscreen there as we did to check the single bag (something to think about).

But my kids are older and were able to pull their own mini rolling carry-on themselves. When they were 2 and 3 - there's no way mine would have done this - I would have ended up trying to carry my own backpack, rolling carry-on AND one of their carry-ons too. So that's quite a handful - ESPECIALLY if one or the other of them falls asleep on the plane or for whatever reason needs to be carried off....NOW we're talking way too much to carry.

We brought about 4 or 5 outfits each this time and did laundry while there.

 

[crisi]

I'll agree that its doable, but tough with young kids. The thing to figure out is not "can we fit our stuff" but "how are we going to get two toddlers and all our stuff through the airport? A carryon needs a hand to pull, and a stroller needs to to push. Or if you aren't bringing a stroller, a toddler needs a hand to hold. It is possible though - two kids in a double stroller pushed by mom while Dad manuvers two carryons - and both parents have bags slung over their shoulders.

 

[james'mommy]

We're a family of 3 and do this all the time. I can't remember the last time we checked bags. We started doing it because of the checked luggage fees. We only pack what we need. No extra clothes we might wear, no toys, only one pair of shoes each.

 

[JeMarie6]

We checked just one bag for a family of 4, 8 day stay. Our issue was with the things that aren't allowed in the carry-on. Mostly our shampoos/lotions/hairspray, but also our food items such as Jelly & Jello, etc.

 

[crisi]

Another thing is how much you want to bring. If you have two in diapers, you'll either want to bring diapers (and they take up a lot of room), or you'll want to have a grocery delivery or make a grocery stop or some other way to get diapers (you could even pay for them in the gift shop, if you are feeling really wealthy). Checking a bag might turn out to be the most efficient way to get things like diapers down.

(This is EASY and I think kind of fun in another two years when no one is wearing diapers and they walk through the airport pulling their own carryons, but two and three is an age where I needed my hands for my children, not my luggage.)

 

[thebeesknees]

Just got back on Saturday and we packed everything for a week for the 5 of us in just carry-ons (did not do laundry). We each had a backpack and one rolling bag, so 8 pieces total. I put the kids' outfits in ziplock bags and squeezed the air out of them to save space. I only brought one tube of glow sticks (went through security fine, but I was prepared to toss them if they were not allowed) and one light-up toy for each. I packed 1 package of diapers and 2 packs of wipes for the baby in one backpack, and had 2 gallon bags of snacks/breakfast stuff packed. We each took 2 pair of shoes (wore one, packed one), and I brought a bunch of the $ store ponchos and the rain cover for the stroller. I packed sweatshirts for the kids but we never used them at all, could have saved the space. It is totally doable, especially if you are planning to do laundry. I had 8 outfits for each of us packed and never had to do laundry. We had room for our souvenirs because by the end of the week we had eaten the snacks and used up the diapers and wipes. I will add, though, that next time I will probably just do the backpacks and check one big bag for everything else to save hassle with trying to carry stuff through the airport.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

There are 4 of us. 2 adults and 2 kids age 7 and 8. We are each bringing a carryon, but I'm also checking 1 bag. I could do it with only the carry on, but where would I put the stuff we buy while we are there? My kids have their own spending money, and I know we will come home with more than what we bring down.