13 days to go ... packing advice!? and ME

[StarbuxNY]

We are leaving in 13 days for our first trip ever! (Me, DH, DS11, DD5 & DS5)

When do you guys normally start packing? Also, do you guys recommend skipping Magic Express? Someone said to me that they preferred to just wait the few extra minutes for their luggage rather than rely on their carry-on for the day since the luggage took so long to get to the room. We land at 9 am and plan on hitting MK first thing anyway! What should I put in the carry on?

Being that we have a three day weekend this weekend, I was going to start my packing and my final shopping trip for Disney this weekend.

Any last minute suggestions on what I should be doing? Itinerary is set (loved TGM!), ADRs made, GardenGrocer order placed. I guess I am just LOOKING for more WDW stuff to do!

I am just too excited! Probably more than my kids, it is a first trip for me too!

Kelly

 

[lemondog]

We're only about a week behind you!

Have you made a packing list yet? I have been writing down everything I think of, that way I have something to reference when I am doing the actual packing.

Of course, I have not finished my touring plans yet...I keep tweaking them, and have yet to do Animal Kingdom at all!

 

[GothTink]

11 days here!!!

We're almost entirely packed now...

 

[jacksmom]

I started thinking about packing today! We have 16 days, but I hate waiting till the last minute!

 

[Silvermist]

We have 34 days until our trip and I already have a suitcase started with little things that I think of. Call me silly but I think I might just be ready when the trip rolls around.

 

[sueh]

I am at 20 days away from our trip

I began packing a couple months back. I would buy stuff and put it in the suitcase.

About 2 weeks ago with my list and clipboard in hand I did a check off of what I have and what I need. I am about 85% packed and ready to go

We will be using the ME for the 1st time and I can't wait.

 

[Tink-aholic]

Why skip ME? Are you planning to rent a car? You most likely won't be able to go to your room right away, but you can check in and get your tickets, etc. The front desk can take any carry-on luggage that you don't want to take into the parks with you.

That said, if you are planning to go to MK before your room, you will need everything you are taking into the park with you in your carry-on. I usually bring a "mister" fan, a first aid kit (different size bandaids, neosporin, tums, etc), a small bottle of pain reliever (that I mix-and-match all of my pain relievers in so I have a choice), camera, small towels and/or chamois, hats, GOOD shoes (I always wear crocs), cellphones and/or walkie-talkies, PAL Mickey (only sometimes), extra ziplock baggies, a small roll of paper towels that I found in the "sample" section at Wal Mart, hand sanitizer and Wet Ones cloths (also from the "sample" section), and sunscreen. I also take our lanyards and frozen bottles of water with us, but you won't have those the first trip.

Sunscreen can be a problem. If you bring it in your carryon, you'll have to get a small container under three ounces and put it in a ziplock bag to get it on the plane. Depending upon how much you use, you can bring a regular size one in your luggage and get it out for the next day.

Don't expect to be at MK until closing. Traveling can take a lot out of you, and so can the heat and all of the walking. The desk can give you a number to call so you can find out when your room is ready. When it is, go back and relax before dinner. Trust me, you will be able to do more later.

I am excited for your first trip! Hope to read your trip report soon!

 

[disneychard]

We leave in three weeks. I want to get our suit cases out, but my husband thinks I am crazy, I am glad other people feel the same way that I do.

 

[timzagain]

We're planning to go to WDW in late August (hooray for free dining!!!) Over the past few months, I've been rounding up some of the items we need and putting them in one of our old damaged suitcases. I used the old one so that no-one would have any reason to remove the contents.

Haven't packed clothes yet, but I've thrown together things like hats (we have a large stash!), sunblock, water bottle straps (used for our disposable underwater cameras last year instead of the wrist strap provided), extra phone chargers etc. I'm glad I started that component of the packing early - I learned yesterday that I cannot account for a few of our ponchos, so I have time to put out any APB to recover them!

Thanks to my BIL frequent business trips, I have enough travel sized, hotel toiletries to last me for about a decade.

DH and I are going on a short trip next month. DH was shocked to look into the bag, and discover that I already had so much stuff packed! He thinks I'm crazy too!

 

[seashellmom]

We leave in 40 days and I have been putting toiletries, ponchos, small surprises for the kids away for about 2 months. I just found a great packing list under another thread under the Tips forum and am making a shopping list for things to buy before we leave. Have fun!

 

[StarbuxNY]

Thanks for the input everyone! I actually do have one pc of luggage started full of Disney trip items I have been purchasing the last couple months, but this weekend I will start with the clothing.

Tinkaholic - I should have been more clear, I meant skipping letting Dis take my big luggage to the hotel for me. Someone else suggested I just grab it myself. Does this make sense? I AM concerned about the sunblock issue, I will have to do the 3 oz bottle on my carryon and that will go quick with 5 of us!

12 days now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelly

 

[MissDisneyTeach]

StarbuxNY- I love letting ME take my luggage for me! We've never had a problem with it. One less thing to worry about or drag around!

As far as sunscreen goes, since there are 5 of you, just buy 5 small bottles of sunscreen and let everyone have their own bottle in their own ziplock bag. Then you could pack the big bottle in your checked luggage. I just got back from a quick 3 day trip and had 2 small bottles in my ziplock bag that I carried on. The bottles were a great size to stick in my "Disney" bag that I carry to the parks.

In my carry-on: headphones for plane, my ziplock bag with the 3 oz. bottles in it, my make-up bag with all the stuff I can take on the plane, important papers (flight, ME, and hotel), small bag with my medicine, small plastic box with my jewelry, book, magazine, and some snacks (crackers, chex mix). If I wear my slip on sandals on the plane I'll stick my tennis shoes and a pair of socks in, too.

Hope this helps and y'all have a great trip!

 

[mrstomrice]

Congrats on your trip! When some people say they skip ME, they mean that they pick up the luggage themselves and then head to ME, which is fine. You can either pick up the luggage yourself or let ME deliver it to your room about 3 hours after you arrive.
When I pack, I put the kids clothes in gallon zipper bags and label which park they will be for (Cars clothing for DHS, Mickey for MK, animals for AK). They pack really easily and DH can help dress the kids without any problem. This might work for your 5 year olds. All you have to do is pull out a bag a day.
As for travel sunscreen, Target has a whole section dedicated to airline size products. They had small Coppertone sport lotions for $1 a piece. This would work for your carry on!
Have a magical trip!

 

[coolbeans]

Don't laugh....I have a garden tub in my bathroom that we don't use. In it right now is a rubbermaid container of new clothes bought for this trip (tank tops, shorts, underwear, socks..etc), a small cooler, my Car's blanket, all our luggage (we use duffle bags to pack), a small rubbermaid container full of tolietries, a case of water, a case of lemonade, misc snacks, kool aid singles and lots of other stuff..DH thinks we may need a bigger car to travel in... he is forgetting about the stroller and all the clothes too........

 

[Dizneydaz]

Okay, I haven't seen this tip mentioned, but with most airlines now only allowing 1 free checked bag p.p., this even makes more sense. I mix up the clothes in the 3 of our suitcases. That way if one suitcase gets lost/misplaced everyone will still have something to wear. I do the packing for DD8 and myself. I make sure that each of our suitcases has a bathing suit for each of us (I don't want to have to shop for a suit at WDW) along with undies, and at least one top and one pair of shorts. Shoes as well. You can still use the ziploc method for the kids clothes-just put one, or two, in someone's suitcase. I also get my DM to give me some of her unmentionables, b. suit, as well.

We've never lost a bag, but it does happen.

Also, whether you use ME, or not, pack a few unmentionables for each member of your group in your carry-on, just in case. Also, I would pack a bathing suit for each in case you want to swim before you luggage arrives. Since you are arriving at 9 a.m. I would assume it'll arrive early, however, since you can't get into your room until 3 p.m. (unless your room is ready when you arrive-this does happen, we got into our room at POP at 7 a.m. one trip!) you might want to take a break from MK before your room is available. You won't be able to access your luggage until it's at your room.

I start packing (non-clothes items) about 1-2 weeks before. I have a check list that I use-it's very handy. This year I'll be traveling lighter with the luggage fees. (no air bed this year) I do keep all my travel items in one of those containers from IKEA in my closet so they are all together-ready to go. The only thing that's now there are my WDW ponchos. I'll need to get those out soon.

HTHs.

 

[noahdove]

I have my tee shirts and invitations for each day in one suitcase, however, I think I will have enough room in my bigger suitcase to put all those surprises and my clothes in the bigger case. I know it's a bother, but I like to have a days worth of clothes in my carryon just to be on the safe side. I try to wear the clothes and shoes on the plane that I can wear to the park just in case my suitcase doesn't make it there...Have a wonderful first trip and enjoy the magic thru the eyes of your children...it's time you will never forget

 

[OU1247]

I have not started packing yet but I do have "sacks" of stuff in my closet ready to go. Glo sticks, ponchos, sun screen, and stuff like that.

I am so excited.

 

[mrstomrice]

I agree on separating the clothes in different suit cases. DH thinks I am crazy, but I think it makes sense just in case something is lost. Better safe than sorry! I also saw a suggestion on Good Morning America to help save space. Put your sock inside your shoes...every inch counts now a days! We are thinking about planning to do a load of laundry too. Good luck...now you have me thinking about what I will pack and I have 5 weeks to go!

 

[Disneychix]

My problem is DS is 18 months old and I'm not sure what clothes he'll fit into at the end of September! He seemed to gain 5 pounds last month!

To the OP: Good luck with your packing and have fun on your trip!