Luggage..go big OR??

[jessp1021]

I was wondering if flying families could share with me what they choose for luggage, we found a really nice 28in one at Target but we HAVE to stay within the 50lb weight limit (we will be weighing them before we leave)..do you recommend doing 1 large and 1 small OR 2 medium sized bags? My goal is to pack for 2 adults and 2 children for 7 days in 2 suitcases, is that crazy? And then we will have 1, maybe 2 carry on bags..the last time we flew we had a pain in the butt suitcase (think old school with the strap you have to drag it by) and 2 carry on approved but checked luggage pieces and 1 carry on bag..just trying to figure out which way to go BEFORE buying

 

[Pesky]

I've done this kind of travel -- 2 adults, 2 kids, 7 days. I will say without diapers it will be a bit simpler. I will also say it depends on the packing habits and needs of who is coming. DH, God love him, needs a big suitcase all to himself. No kidding. I can MAYBE throw in a few outfits of DS's and DS's socks but that is it. The rest is me and the kids and I will say it is a bit tight in one large suitcase for the 3 of us. So we usually end up with 2 large and 1 smaller suitcase. I have a samsonite soft-sided bag that is large but lightweight with a handle and wheels. If you want to go really lightweight, look at the duffle bags. In fact, we often pack an empty duffel bag so that we have the option of checking a 4th bag if the need arises due to Christmas presents or the like. For DD, I'm actually looking at a light-weight suitcase with all 4 wheels that roll easily. That way she can handle her own suitcase without issue. I have also found fewer bags, the easier for handling unless your kids can handle their own. Problem with the larger suitcases is it is easy to hit that 50lb mark so we have to be careful with heavier items like shoes. I've also gotten better about acquiring clothing that can go dressy or casual and that makes it a lot easier too because I pack less. Good luck!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

A 28 inch suitcase is just too large for air travel. It's too big and too easy to over pack. I'd rather take two smaller bags.

 

[Boiseboone]

Go small, then ship it via FedEx to your hotel so it arrives before you do. (Call the hotel and let them know it's coming). We did this and it was soooo much easier, and cheaper than checking our bags on Delta.

 

[aubriee]

Go small, then ship it via FedEx to your hotel so it arrives before you do. (Call the hotel and let them know it's coming). We did this and it was soooo much easier, and cheaper than checking our bags on Delta.

I like this idea. Do you just put your stuff in a box or in a suitcase? Also if you are dependent on Disney transportation, how do you ship it back home? Also how many days prior to your trip do you ship it? I'd hate to get down there and not have any of my stuff.

 

[jessp1021]

Thanks yall! I think we may do the 2 medium sized ones, we aren't charged for checked bags as long as they are 50lbs or less!

 

[Lolsmum]

2 Medium is a good idea.

We usually take 1 largish (nowhere near as huge as some I've seen) and 1 medium, plus a carryon each for the 4 of us when we head to the US. Given the long flight time, we need the carry ons. I make sure we buy lightweight luggage, which helps. We have only hit problems with the weight twice in all the years of travel. Last month we were a smidgey overweight for a flight to Spain, one which had a lower than usual weight limit, and once when we were taking Christmas presents including a large number of books home. Both times we were able to easily rearrange things.

 

[maggs1035]

I like this idea. Do you just put your stuff in a box or in a suitcase? Also if you are dependent on Disney transportation, how do you ship it back home? Also how many days prior to your trip do you ship it? I'd hate to get down there and not have any of my stuff.

Be careful!!! I shipped a guide book to our room, a surprise for my son, it was a interactive book for him to carry around the parks and mark off what he had done. The book didn't get to our room until the last day of our trip??? WDW lost it within their mail system.

I would hate to see that happen with clothes! But then agian it can be lost with the airline too?

 

[maggs1035]

If you fly southwest you each get 2 free bags? We have a larger suitcase and the medium suitcase, we pack our 5 yr olds clothes inside the medium suitcase and then place the medium suitcase inside the larger suitcase, and check it that way! When we come home we have an extra suitcase for bulky sweatshirts, and the 12x12 scrapbooks that I always buy while I am in the world, plus any other souvenirs we buy!

 

[luvmy2babies]

Medium is probably a good idea. We have the 28 inch because there’s fewer hands in our crew and using the 28 inch means less bags. I also have a child still in diapers. I carry the luggage and dd pushes ds in the stroller. If you were to go with a 28in, just be sure the bag is lightweight material. The only time I had a problem with the weight of a bag was when I was using a bag made of thicker materials.

 

[kthruz143]

luckly we don't fly, we have a 32" high sierra and put all 4 of our clothes in it

 

[cindydare]

I have been looking for a lightweight 28" upright and am thinking about ordering the Atlantic Ultra Lite because it only weighs 8.5 pounds. Does anyone have any experience with Atlantic products or this suitcase?

I am hoping to pack for our family of 4 in one suitcase (me, DH, DD9, and DS4). We are going for 6 nights/7 days and I am already planning to do laundry halfway through, as to minimize the amount of clothes we'll need!

 

[MrIncrediDad]

We pack for 4 and have a smaller suitcase and the 28". It is very easy to go over the 50lbs with a 28". We generally have to weigh it and re-pack it.

I would recommed a few medium ones.

 

[tricia]

I don't buy anything larger than a 26" now because as others have said, they are too easy to over pack. We easily travel for 7 days with 2 adults, 1 teen and 1 preteen in 2 hard sided 26" cases.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

We used a 26" bag for our last trip, that took care of clothes for me and my 2 girls, plus diapers for the 2 yr old. Dh had his stuff in a rolling carryon. We also each had a backpack for kids snacks, entertainment for the plane, and a change of clothes for the first day. We didn't bring a lot of stuff for the flight; our girls are pretty low maintenance travellers so we just had a dvd player, kindle, leappad and some coloring books.

We were able to get away with checking only one bag. We had a washer in the villa so we packed light and did laundry halfway through. I limited everyone to 2 pairs of shoes- one to wear and then one to pack, plus flip flops for the pool (these took up no space). It limited our souvenir shopping a bit but we figured we could ship stuff home if we had to.

We were very close on the weight limit for the big bag. Only 2 lbs under. If we weren't having to pay bag fees, I would have gone with 2 midsized bags for our checked luggage.

 

[Boiseboone]

We didn't box anything, just shipped the luggage itself. FedEx used a plastic zip-tie to secure the zippers shut, so I did have to get scissors from the hotel's front desk to "open" my luggage once we got there.
I shipped our suitcases on Monday, and they arrived on Thursday. We arrived on Sunday. Depends on where you are and where you're going, though.
You need to have the delivery address of the hotel - if you ship to the general Disney address, the luggage could languish in Disney's mail system for a while, and may not be there to meet you at the hotel.
Also, if you can't get to a FedEx location on the way back, you'll have to schedule a pickup, and you'll need a label and a way to affix it to your luggage. I believe you can do that online, if you have access to a printer. Or maybe when you drop it off to be shipped to the hotel you can pre-pay for a label and pickup for the way back?

 

[sk!mom]

I'll be the odd one. I like everyone to have their own case and be in charge of their own stuff so we do 4 people/4cases. When we're on an airline that charges, we all do carry-on size. Each person also does their own personal item- DH likes a backpack, DS always preferred a messenger bag, when DD was little (3,4,5,6), I had her use a backpack so that she could wear it, and now DD and I both like a larger (usually Vera) bag. Whenever possible, we fly Southwest and then DD will pack a larger case and check it.

My DS is grown and my DD just turned 16 but I did one case per person from the time they were little. When DD was too small to pull her own, DH could easily manage 2 small cases. By 5 or 6, she could easily pull her own carry-on size. My kids started helping me pack their stuff early on and by 10 or 11 could pack their own with supervision. DS needed supervision to bring enough and DD needed help editing. Once we were on the trip, it just seemed like everything was more organized and easier for everyone to get ready if people's stuff wasn't mixed together.

We're not big souvineer shoppers but on last year's Disney trip my DH and DS had plenty of room in their cases for the stuff we bought and everyone always has room in their personal item/backpack.

One more thing, when my kids were in the 3-maybe 6 age range, I would let them choose outfits and then we would pack each outfit together and then once on vacation they could pull out an outfit and dress themselves. Very quick and easy.