Laundry Question

[QuirkyButterfly]

I am sure this has been asked before so sorry if I am repeating myself (can't get search to work) What does everyone do with there dirty clothes??? Do the resorts have laundry rooms? Do you all bring enough clothes to last the entire trip? Are there housekeeping services that will wash your clothes and bring it back to the room? I hope the last one is true because I just can't see myself washing clothes when I could be in a park, where do you find the time? Thanks for all the help I know it's a lot of questions.

 

[spiceycat]

yes there are laundry mat rooms in every WDW hotel.

some people bring enough clothes to last (but I am accident prone)

disney does have a dry cleaning service - that you bring it back to the hotel (not sure about your room)

I go alot - that is why I joined DVC. besides using the laundry (when I don't do the 1-bedroom) allows me to bring less clothes.

 

[Atchley]

I pack a lot of clothes, but I usually wash the shorts as they take up the most room.
One tip I got last trip from a DISer was to purchase a pop up hamper. It was wonderful! Not just a pile of clothes in the corner. It made the room look sooo much nicer.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

OP, I don't know how long you are planning to stay, but I see you are from Australia so I'm assuming it will be longer than a couple of days.

When DSis and I go and stay for a week or more we always go to the laundry facilities and do our own. It certainly doesn't stop us from going to the parks. We'll hit a park in the morning, come back during the afternoon and do our laundry, and then head back out again in the late afternoon for an evening in the parks. I cannot speak for any resorts besides POR and POFQ, but the laundry facilities at those resorts are right next to the pools, so its easy to take a cool dip while we're waiting for our laundry to be done. We'll usually use that time to relax, swim, read a book and talk about our plans for the evening. Down time is not a bad thing.

I've never used the laundry service offered by the resorts, but it is available as an option.

Here's a photo of the laundry facilities at POFQ.

 

[QuirkyButterfly]

Yes I am from Australia and I am planning to spend at least 10 days, as the cost of the flight is about half the cost of the trip I am staying as long as I can to get my moneys worth

This is why taking clothes for the whole time is difficult, though it would be easier not to do laundry, If I take that many clothes my luggage is going to get really heavy and it is not a short flight over at all.

 

[Harambe]

We stay for nine days, and we only take carry-on luggage! It is so much easier to do laundry, and since we go in August, we need to wash all of our sweaty clothes all the time!

I've used the laundry at AKL, BWI, Poly, ASSp, and GF. We usually stop on the way to WDW (towncar grocery stop) and buy a jug of detergent, and I bring a handful of dryer sheets from home - Disney sells detergent/dryer sheets but they are costly.

Another trick I use - we all use rolling carryons, and this is how I transport my laundry and detergent. We designate one rolly as the "dirty rolly" and at the end of our trip, any unwashed clothes go in here for the trip home. That particular rolly gets some extra cleaning/airing out after the trip!

This year we are staying at OKW and there is a washer dryer in the room - I'll be so happy!!!!

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

Yes I am from Australia and I am planning to spend at least 10 days, as the cost of the flight is about half the cost of the trip I am staying as long as I can to get my moneys worth

This is why taking clothes for the whole time is difficult, though it would be easier not to do laundry, If I take that many clothes my luggage is going to get really heavy and it is not a short flight over at all.

Plus, you'll want to save some room in your luggage for some souviniers.

Coin operated washers are $2 per load. Dryers are $2 per load for 30 minutes. There is no option for any additional drying time except to insert another $2.00 for another 30 minutes, although one drying cycle is usually enough for most pieces of clothing. Detergents are available for purchase for $1.00 per load.

NOTES:

-If you decide to do your own laundry, the machines in the laundry facility require coins, not paper money, to operate. There is a money changing machine in the laundry facility where you can insert paper money and receive coins in exchange.

- While US $2 bills are perfectly legal tender, they are not very commonly used at all and because of this the money changing machines in the laundry facility will not accept $2 bills. Neither will the machine where you can purchase laundry soap. You will need $1 or $5 bills. I never gave this a thought until doing laundry at POR during a visit three years ago and a very nice British woman asked me if the $2 bill she had been trying to use to get coins was counterfeit. I explained that the $2 was fine but she would not be able to use it for the machines. Instead, I was glad I had extra change and was able to exchange it for her. If you have $2 bills they are fine to use everywhere except some machines not programmed to accept them. The machines will have diagrams showing you which denominations of paper money are acceptable.

I haven't been able to find out the cost of laundry service yet, but here is a little more information about it I found on All Ears (this was for the All Star Music resort; this information may vary by location):

"Laundry bags are available in each room. By completing the attached laundry list and dropping the laundry off at the Lobby Concierge desk by 8:30am, same day laundry/dry cleaning is available. This laundry service is offered 7 days a week, including holidays."

This same service is offered at all WDW resorts, but with varying drop-off locations.

 

[stitchlover]

Regarding the onsite laundry service: It is horribly expensive. Your talking $5-$6 for A shirt, $5-$6 for A pair of shorts. I know you don't see yourself doing laundry when you are there but the laundry service is VERY expensive.

We just schedule a down day and do two loads while our daughter is hanging out in the pool.

 

[QuirkyButterfly]

Regarding the onsite laundry service: It is horribly expensive. Your talking $5-$6 for A shirt, $5-$6 for A pair of shorts. I know you don't see yourself doing laundry when you are there but the laundry service is VERY expensive.

We just schedule a down day and do two loads while our daughter is hanging out in the pool.

Wow that is really expensive, maybe I will be scheduling a laundry day.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

We keep a collapsable hamper in the room, and when it is full, usually half way through the stay, I go over and run it through - a load of light and a load of dark. The laundries are always near the pool, so I toss it in, go for a swim, hop out and toss it in the dryer, swim a bit more, get dried off and changed, and my clothes are dry! I don't feel like it takes any time away at all.

 

[Verity Chambers]

I'm from the Uk ad have no idea how your washers work!!!

Are they easy to operate?

 

[pepe of ohio]

We feel doing laundry on vacation is a no-no. We've been to WDW 40 trips, earlier trips with 2 children and the last 10 trips without, kids married and on their own, and have never done any laundry. The last 10 trips, just wife and I, we can pack enough, plus bring home some that was never worn, easily for a 10-12 night visit. No matter how we get to Disney, usually Amtrak, we each have a medium rolling duffle and one carry-on. Bags can not exceed 50 pounds and we're right at that limit but like I said, we bring unworn items home. Each trip we go over our packing to try and not take too much and bring back items not worn. We're getting better and if souviniors are a problem, we UPS them home, alot easier. We rather spend our free time relaxing around the pool or exploring than hanging out in the laundry room feeding quarters in the washer and dryer, and I feel for my wife, she does enough of that at home, no need to have her do it on vacation, vacation is for both of us and laundry doing and ironing is a major taboo.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

This is a really old travel tip and I hope I don't offend anyone. Especially anyone like myself that was taught to always wear your best undergarments as you never know if will be in an accident and have to have someone in an ER see you in them. Anyway, during the year we save our less than perfect undergarment, jammies etc and bring them to disney as I would never donate these item anyway, we just throw them away each day or at the end of our stay depending on the item. Now we don't go with holes in our shirts but it is amazing what you can do without... and it frees up space for souvies. We are going on a beach vacation to the caribbean this week (no laudry there) and DD has swimsuits that fit now but won't by summer so they are going to be tossed this trip as well.

 

[clkelley]

I always do my laundry at Disney. When we're in the hotels, hubby will usually do laundry every couple of days during the morning. (I'm an early bird, and he likes to sleep in, so every few days, he stays in and does laundry, and I have some "me" time). When we're at the campground, the laundry is in the same building as the shower house, so the laundry goes in the wash while I'm in the shower, then goes in the dryer when I get out, then I go check the computer for a bit, then put the clothes away.

The main reason we do this is time. At home, we have only one washer and dryer and doing 10 days worth of laundry can take 3 days at home. It takes only a couple of hours with the multiple washers at Disney.

 

[happymommy]

The washers and dryers are easy to use. They have instructions posted in each laundry room. You can usually get change from $1 and $5 bills, but sometimes the change machines are out or broken, so it's sometimes a good idea to get a $10 roll of quarters from the front desk on your way to the laundry room.

I agree with the PP who said they only bring a carry on - we do the same. Our clothes get quite sweaty, so I do laundry every other day. It can be while we're at the pool in the late afternoon, or an early morning while we are not doing the parks early. We have done laundry at every resort we've stayed at. I only bring enough for 3 days, and now my kids are old enough to be in charge of their own rolling carry on.

I've used the Disney dry cleaning once - I like sundresses at the parks when it's hot out, and some of mine are dry clean only. They bring it back to your room and hang it in the closet for you. That was fine, but the prices for laundry are more than my clothes are worth! I wash my own. And I like to dress fairly nicely at the parks, in a little cotton skirt or capris mostly. You can iron in your room, so I press up a few things as needed.

If you can swing a quick grocery stop, pick up a small bottle of laundry liquid or whatever kind you like. Not only is it cheaper, it's just more convenient. I just give the housekeeping the leftovers, or leave it in the laundry room. Also, I like to use 2 or 3 dryer sheets in the dryers, as I find my clothes don't smell quite as fresh as at home coming from their dryers. So I pick up a box of Bounce or bring it with me (a few scattered in the room make the room smell fresh also).

Good luck coming from so far away! I think you can make do with a small amount of clothes and wash every few days. Also, clean clothes pack up easier folded than dirty crumpled clothes. Leave some room in your bags for souvenirs!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Here is what the costs were at WL/VWL in November 06 when we went:

Dry Cleaning
Suits 11.50
3 PC Suits 12.00
Coats 8.00
Pants 6.50
Jackets 7.50
Overcoats 12.50
Shirts 6.25
Sweaters 7.50
Ties 3.50
Blouses 6.25
Dresses 11.60
Gowns/Jumpsuits 20.00+

Laundry
Shirts 5.50 (you can request heavy starch, folded, light starch, hangers, no starch)
Pants 6.50
Socks 2.00
Undershorts/panties 2.00
T-shirts 4.50
Sweatsuit 7.50
Pajamas 6.00
Undershirts & Bras 2.00
Handkerchiefs 2.00
Blouses 5.50
Slips 4.50
Nightgowns 6.00
Tennis shorts 5.00
Knit shirt 5.00

Plus an environmental surcharge
Liability limited to 10 times the dry cleaning charge.
Not responsible for buttons, ornaments and zippers.

Items received by 8:30AM will be ready by 6:30PM

Silks, linens and pleats 50% surcharge; lined +1.00; minimum charge $5.00; shirts folded on request +10% surcharge; press only 75% of dry cleaning charge.

 

[Mamalisa58]

The laundries at the Values are near the pools. I plan an afternoon at the pool and put the laundry in the washer and go out to the pool. I go back in about 20 minutes and transfer my clothes to the dryers. The dryers take at least two cycles to get our clothes completely dry.
I had a horrible experience at BC laundry room the dryer would not stay shut and I had to sit there with my foot on it to keep it closed!
I take laundry soap tablets and dryer sheets in a ziplock bag. It is much cheaper than buying supplies in the laundry room. Also they take up very little room in my suitcase.

My family makes fun of me, I do laundry where/whenever we go on vacation!

 

[AuroraBelleCindy]

I usually do laundry the last night I am on vacation - I would rather spend an hour or two and come home with fresh clothes that I can put away than have a huge mound of clothing that sits there for a week because I don't have the time or energy to do laundry.

I bring a 3 oz. bottle of concentrated laundry soap I found at Walmart - cheap and takes up no room.