12 days with no suitcase- possible?

[Fastpassminus]

The problem I see is that the weather in October can be hot and cold on the same day. Will you be able to pack for both hot and cold weather in only a carryon? Shorts and jeans, tee shirts and fleece. Sandals and sneakers. All the while making sure you are taking the bag that will fit in the guidelines set by the most fussy airline, and making sure your backpack will fit under the seat in front of you.

I think if you wore the bulkiest clothes it would work best. Like wear your long pants, t shirt and sweatshirt on the plane. Maybe tie a wind breaker around your waist?? Wear your sneakers and pack your flip flops.

I would pack enough shorts, tshirts, & underwear for 5 days and plan to take a break to do laundry in the middle of the trip. Use Amazon Prime Now for toiletries ( pack sample sizes of some things) and bring at LEAST two swimsuits. I hate having to wait while one dries out.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Can it be done? Yes. Would it be my choice? No.
I don't really understand peoples' checked luggage phobia, but I understand wanting to save $500.

So here's my $.02, just off WDW property, there is a large outlet mall, with a Publix next door. It is pretty easy to go shopping and pick up a few items. If you don't have a car, it is very east to take a taxi. Buy a few inexpensive items and be done with it.

At the end of the vacation, you don't have to bring anything home. I don't see where it is worth paying $50 in luggage fees to preserve $5 worth of shampoo. Just give it away or toss it. Mostly though you can buy small sized tubes/bottles of everything.

Further, if you don't need the clothing you buy, and it will save $, then consider giving the items away, or shipping them home. Again, it might be better to toss $20 worth of t-shirts in order to save $250 in luggage fees. Consider asking a cast member if they would be willing to donate the items.

If you donate clothing to retailer H&M, they give you 15% off your next purchase. If Americans donate clothing to charities, they can often claim a tax deduction.

Many trips, I've been able to give items away to complete strangers as we were leaving Orlando. It always amazes me how easy it is to find someone willing to accept almost anything. Then again, strangers have given items to use as well. The hotel pools gladly take cans of sunscreen. Rental car company staff gladly take cans of soda.

Those big WDW balloons are pretty, but you can't take them on a plane. strangers have given them to us, we enjoyed it in our room, then we give them to someone else.

 

[Skywise]

As a solo traveller - 12 days of clothes is pushing it. (Toiletries shouldn't be a problem aside from toothpaste and shaving equipment as the hotel provides the rest daily and, at worse, you could buy it at the hotel)
I do my best to limit my packing to one large backpack (enough to fit a 17" laptop - not one o' them camping ones! ). Shirts and underwear aren't usually a problem as I can get about a weeks worth packed easily. Pants, jeans especially, take up more space. (My bigger problem is I also take along a large DSLR camera plus 2 extra lenses along with a canvas camera bag which really sucks down my spare space.)

(And I keep my backpack underneath the seat! )

Getting stuff (souvenirs) back is even worse. Although this last trip I ended up turning my camera bag into my extra carry-on so I could get all my souvenir mugs back (Chewy-stein, Trader Sams... )

I'd say bring enough for 4 days and make use of Disney's laundry facilities if you're staying onsite.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Excuse punctuation because my shift key has been sticking and I'm too lazy to go back and fix it.

It's possible during the summer months when you have lighter and less clothes to deal with. Disney has laundromats at most resorts, so you can easily get away with 5 or 6 outfits. You're gonna have to pack efficiently. Think plain items that match with everything (khaki shorts, white plain shirts, etc.)

The beauty of Disney Springs being there is that if you forgot something or really need it (like if a cold front seeps through or it rains the entire time you're there) you can run and just buy something.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I think if you wore the bulkiest clothes it would work best. Like wear your long pants, t shirt and sweatshirt on the plane. Maybe tie a wind breaker around your waist?? Wear your sneakers and pack your flip flops.

I would pack enough shorts, tshirts, & underwear for 5 days and plan to take a break to do laundry in the middle of the trip. Use Amazon Prime Now for toiletries ( pack sample sizes of some things) and bring at LEAST two swimsuits. I hate having to wait while one dries out.

This is a common strategy, but airplanes are rather dirty.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Its definitely possible with just a carry on. You'll have to do laundry at the resort, but thats not big deal. I do it all the time. its great! You can swim while laundry is being done. As for being chilly in October....im sorry but just how chilly does it get in October? i've been to disney in the fall a few times and I have not once needed a jacket or sweater or long pants. Maybe its just sheer luck? I dunno. But to be safe i guess it doesnt hurt to bring one long pants and one sweater (wear them both on the plane to save space in your carry on).

 

[goofyintoronto]

This is a common strategy, but airplanes are rather dirty.

Im confused...what does dirty airplanes have anything to do with what the OP suggested?

 

[amyy]

I will be curious to hear how you make out. I am in the crowd that does laundry and feels it is no big deal. I do it because I end up usually changing clothes so sometimes 2 outfits a day. I only have so many pieces of clothing I enjoying wearing at Disney and prefer to just do laundry. And I agree with others, just go shopping if you need to.

 

[katt789]

I would say it would definitely be work able, especially if you simply mean, not taking a checked bag.
You can carry on a carry on sized suitcase and a personal item(big purse, back pack, etc) so I'd do that. Pack only what you NEED, work out outfits that can be worn multiple times, and different tops with different bottoms.
-Toiletries/liquids come into play too, if you don't want to use Disney stuff the entire time, I'd say Uber over to Walmart on arrival day to pick up some stuff and you could even grab some cheaper groceries for the week you'll be there!
I regularly only take a carry on, but they're usually for shorter trips, and in all honestly, it's make up that makes me almost over the limit with liquids! I'm headed to Asia in the fall & will be relying on a lot of travel sized stuff instead!
-with space bags, BE CAREFUL, they zap up a lot of the free air/space in your bag, BUT, they do NOT make the WEIGHT go down,you can fit more in, but there's a higher chance of your bag being overweight!
-I've also bought a collapsable, super small when you buy it, huge when you open it, styled duffle bag for the same purpose! Does the trick!

 

[elvedon]

I have not checked a bag for any trip in the past 15 years. It's gotten so I can pack for any trip in less than half an hour.

For me, the key is a battalion of drip-dry wrinkle-free dresses (e.g. from Karina or Leota) that can go from a little ball in my suitcase to a day exploring to a swank dinner out and not look any worse for the wear. You can easily get 10 of those, a pair of pretty flats, a spare pair of walking sandals, a couple of cardigans, and enough underthings for two weeks into a carry-on.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Im confused...what does dirty airplanes have anything to do with what the OP suggested?

A PP suggested they could get around luggage limits by wearing multiple layers, including all their bulky/cool weather clothes on the plane.

So you wear three shirts, your one pair of long pants, your belt, all jewelry, and your jacket on the plane. Plus, stuff in your jacket pockets. Basically, anything that doesn't fit in your suitcase, you wear.

Except that you've been wearing all of it on the multiple planes OP has to take.

 

[loves to dive]

I would think it would be possible, most pants can be worn more than one time, tshirts can fold or roll pretty small. Bonus, if you run out of clothes you get to buy more there.

 

[mom2rtk]

I would think it would be possible, most pants can be worn more than one time, tshirts can fold or roll pretty small. Bonus, if you run out of clothes you get to buy more there.

But then how do you get the new things home?

 

[loves to dive]

But then how do you get the new things home?

One would assume no one worries about loosing their luggage on the way home (I've done it, it was found 3 years later in Africa) so if it can't be fit into the carryon she can always buy a small Disney duffel. Or, take things you aren't crazy about and leave them there. I do this just about every international dive trip I go on.

 

[jsmla]

OP- check out the EBags TLS Motherload Weekender bag. It's my all-time favorite carry on suitcase. I have a very old video (ignore the quality LOL!) of a review I did of it on YouTube so you can see the dimensions, features and whatnot. We have flown internationally with it (we have two) as has my sister and her husband. It's the best carryon suitcase ever!

I second this bag I used one for a chilly two week trip to Germany and it worked great when combined with packing cubes. I needed something without wheels in order to navigate European streets and stairs (I learned on my first European jaunt that wheels are a very, very very bad idea for me over there.) and really appreciated the option of sturdy handles or nicely padded backpack straps. My other carry on was a school bag type backpack. I definitely looked like a pregnant turtle at times but easily navigated my way around the stairs, escalators and cobbled streets I encountered.

I also "invested" in several pair of quick dry undies that could be hand washed and would usually air dry in a couple of hours.

A tip that I've learned elsewhere:

Just because you're allowed three ounces of a liquid doesn't mean you have to pack three ounces! Idiotic but this was a huge Doh! moment for me! I've become a dedicated hoarder of the little shampoo samples that come in the mail or inside magazines. Same with toothpaste. It probably helps that I'm not a beauty person and only have a couple of items to which I'm brand loyal.

Happy trails!

 

[JJZMgailey]

I'll be travelling international at the end of October and this time in order to save money (saving about $500!!!) I'll be flying through Europe. So 3 separate flights, 2 connections in order to get home to WDW.

I'm REALLY worried about losing my suitcase somewhere on the way and so was considering not bringing one at all and managing with a carry-on.
I'll be staying 11 nights, 12 days.

I was considering shoving a duffel bag in there so that I can possibly use it on the way back if I buy too many souvenirs

Any thoughts on this? Good idea? Awful idea?
Thanks!

What a great thread! We liked it so much that it was actually chosen to be featured on the DIS Daily Fix today. You've gotten some really great tips here.

 

[Dashzap]

In addition to Sonia Travels great videos on YouTube, check out Rick Steves' site. His company runs tours in Europe and they all have to travel with carry-on.

I like to pack very efficiently, but I still mostly check my bags because I love not schlepping my stuff to the gate, onto the plane, etc. I'm more relaxed that way.

 

[hsmamato2]

IDK.... if you do some research into backpacking and the clothing yo'd wear for that, you could easily do it. layers of shirts/tops/jacket,along with one or two mix and match bottoms,easy wash/dry fabrics, colors that mix and match throughout,and do laundry during trip if needed.... I've done it before.... I suggest you wear your heaviest items on the plane, to leave room in bag for smaller items. I'd order from a service for toiletries if wanted when I arrive also.(or make do with the daily stuff at hotel)

 

[hsmamato2]

oh yeah.... and rewear your clothes.... it's not a big deal unless spilled kethcup all over your white silk shirt if you choose colors that mask any small imperfections,it makes it easier.

 

[hsmamato2]

I really like that ebags suitcase a lot......