Anyone just doing carry on luggage?

[Cinerama261]

It's just the three of us, me and my two daughters, staying at SSR 7/24-31. I was planning on just doing carry on luggage as the unit does have a small washer and dryer. I know the washer and drying doesn't hold much but, since its only shorts and tee shirts that we will be wearing, we should be OK if we do a load every couple of days. It will save us $150 for checked luggage, not have to get to the airport so early when we leave for Florida and not have to wait for our luggage when we return home. Has anyone else just done carry on luggage?

 

[thumper75]

We are just taking carry-ons. We just plan on doing a couple loads of laundry mid-week.

 

[Lewisc]

Make sure you can live with the 3-1-1 restrictions on liquids. Spirit will start charging for carry on bags ("bin bags") in August. Won't affect you.

 

[R and C's momma]

I am planning on our family of 4 traveling by carry-on only. I can think of a lot more fun ways to spend $160 in Disney instead of paying for checked luggage I am also planning on doing laundry mid-week, and thankful that will consist of tanks, tees and shorts I also am considering packing the kids' outfits in ziplocks & squeeze out the air to maximize the space of the carry-on.

We are shipping down a box to the hotel before we go to save on space as well.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[SDSorority]

We do carry-on only sometimes. I'm not sure what we're doing this trip- this is our first offsite trip, so we'll be doing some grocery shopping when we get there, but I think my DH wants to bring our mini travel blender, and I'm not sure if we can take that on the plane with the little blade things. I'll have to look into that. There are pros and cons to just doing carryons.

When we went to Miami last year, we did carry-on only, but when we flew AirTran on the way home, there wasn't enough room for my bag so it had to be stowed. It was a big ordeal. If you have a good boarding position, it shouldn't be a problem. With SW, we always check in at the 24hr mark and have a good boarding position, so carry-ons have been fine. I like to not have to go to the baggage claim, not worry about our bags bing lost...

Still trying to decide what to do this trip.

 

[Lewisc]

there wasn't enough room for my bag so it had to be stowed. It was a big ordeal.

Great point. Passengers in that position have very little time to remove items that don't belong in checked luggage. Cameras. Medicine. Expensive items (jewelry).

I suggest you keep those items in your personal bag. The bag that goes under the seat in front of you.

Some airlines will charge those passengers for a checked bag. First come first served. Others might waive the checked baggage charge.

 

[Cinerama261]

We are using Delta. Can we use DME on the way back but not have to leave our resort 3 or 4 fours before our plane departs since we are doing carry on?

 

[goofy4tink]

4 days or less and I do carryon only. I just spend a week at my dad's in Florida, and used carryon only but they have a w/d in their condo.

I won't be surprised if, down the road, all the airlines rethink their baggage fees. So many people don't want to pay those checked baggage fees that they are now using carryon only..which holds up others from being promptly seated, which keeps the plane on the ground longer.
I hope we see more airlines adopting a 'one free checked bag' and then others being charged for, as well as possibly a small fee for that overhead bin bag. I know, I know..not a popular stand at all.

 

[goofy4tink]

We are using Delta. Can we use DME on the way back but not have to leave our resort 3 or 4 fours before our plane departs since we are doing carry on?

Your DME pickup time will be about 3 hrs before flight departure. It is based on your flight time. EVen when doing just carryon, it can take awhile at the airport.

 

[Lewisc]

I won't be surprised if, down the road, all the airlines rethink their baggage fees. So many people don't want to pay those checked baggage fees that they are now using carryon only..which holds up others from being promptly seated, which keeps the plane on the ground longer.
I hope we see more airlines adopting a 'one free checked bag' and then others being charged for, as well as possibly a small fee for that overhead bin bag. I know, I know..not a popular stand at all.

I agree. However Schumer got an agreement from American, Delta, JetBlue, United and US Airways not to charge for carryon bags. Continental hasn't replied.

Major airlines aren't going to rush to match Spirit's new policy. I wonder how long before airlines like Allgegiant and Airtran decide "what's good for Spirit's passengers is good for their passengers".

 

[ancestry]

For a trip that last 4-5 days we usually only do carry-ons. Longer trips we usually check luggage.

Although last summer for our WDW trip, which was 7 days, we were able to do carry-ons. However there were four of us and out of the four the two youngest were only 6. Their clothing takes up very little space so DH and I were able to share their carry-ons allowing us to travel for a week with just the carry-ons.

This year we are going for 10 days and will be checking four bags. Since we are flying Jet Blue and there isn't a luggage charge for the 1st bag we will definitely be taking advantage of that. By checking a bag for each of us we don't have to deal with carry-ons (other than personal items) and I won't have to worry about laundry during our vacation.

I lived in Russia for 8 weeks and then two years later in Slovakia for 8 weeks all out of a carry-on sized piece of luggage. Most people really way overpack.

 

[Cinerama261]

Your DME pickup time will be about 3 hrs before flight departure. It is based on your flight time. EVen when doing just carryon, it can take awhile at the airport.

Our flight leaves at 9:30am. Waiting at the bus stop at 6:30am is kind of early. 7:30 or 8 would be better. We just have to walk through security at the airport.

 

[DonnaL]

I agree with you, goofy4tink, but, I'm not sure it will happen because if everyone begins checking bags again the airlines will then say they need to hire more baggage people and it becomes another expense. As for us, we usually fly SWA and do check one bag each....however, my checked bag does meet the carryon requirements.....I prefer to just have that "one personal item" to carry and DH just has his computer bag as his carryon. We did fly AT on our last trip, however, and my bag did become a carryon. So, I guess it depends who we fly with........

 

[clkelley]

When we're going on our weekend resort trips, we only have our personal item.

We got this wonderful thing called an Owner's Locker!! Everything we need for a weekend at Disney stays there!!

For longer resort trips we do check bags, but we fly Southwest.

Our favorite trips are the ones we pull the camper down though.

 

[Lewisc]

Our flight leaves at 9:30am. Waiting at the bus stop at 6:30am is kind of early. 7:30 or 8 would be better. We just have to walk through security at the airport.

Don't take this the wrong way. DME doesn't care what kind of pickup time we think makes sense.

Consider a car service. You'll be able to schedule a pickup time that works for you.

DME doesn't give the option of requesting a later pick up time. DME's agreement with MCO requires guests be scheduled to arrive at MCO 2 hours before their flight. Security lines can be long. Consider your wish for a 8a pickup for a 9:30a flight. Your DME bus may stop at multiple resorts after you're picked up. Could take half an hour. Time to assist a guest with a wheelchair. Time to stow luggage under the bus. Waiting for a rude guest who didn't allow enough time to get their bags from luggage storage. Another 30 minutes to drive to WDW. Arriving at MCO at 9a for a 9:30a flight isn't a good idea. Combine my example with a DME bus that arrives 15-30 minutes late and you'll miss your flight.

Some guests may claim they're only doing carryon. Buy enough souvenirs and plans changes. Some guests may claim they're going to use RAC. Request a later pickup. Some of those passengers may not get in line in time and will wind up bringng their bags on the bus. Some may be selected for special screening and will be unable to use RAC.

DME is a free service. Paying for personalized service make sense for some guests.

edited add remember--An increasing number of passengers seem to be "maxing" their carryon limits to avoid paying for checked bags. That might be expected to increase lines at security. Particulalry passengers starting their vacation who don't understand the 3-1-1 rule.

 

[popgfd]

the airlines are making billions on the fees for checked baggage. they also found less baggage checked lets them make more in higher fees for cargo service. so these fees aren't going away.

we do carryon for long week-ends [we are DVC] but for 10+days we ship UPS to the site and use our on site res number on the outside of the box without issue. we insert the return label inside the box and bell services takes it away for o=us on departure day.

taking advantage of the washer dryer makes a ton of sense as does avoiding the fees and lines. But if you have access to a UPS or Fedex you should look into it. it's cheaper and used to be more convenient until the RAC.

Pop

 

[Taja]

Short trips and warm weather = carry-on only. Especially if I don't need business attire!

We usually visit WDW in December for 10 to 12 nights, and need to accommodate variable weather. Thank goodness Southwest allows two bags to fly free--although I take just one mid-sized bag to check. And my carry-on is my laptop case with laptop, related electronics stuff, change of clothing, eyeglasses, constact lens stuff and basic toiletries to get me through a day or two in case my checked bag goes astray. Southwest hasn't lost one of my checked bags yet (10 years of flights), although they did strand one on the tarmac once! *LOL* Haven't fared quite as well with the legacy airlines, though.

 

[helenk]

When I go in December I know I always over pack, I never even use half the stuff I take. In fact I am embarrassed when the shuttle driver picks up my suit case. My daughter went to Ireland for 2 weeks with less luggage than I take for a 5 night trip to Disney. I do usually fly Southwest though so I did not have to worry about a checked bag fee.
I have a trip booked for this September and I am flying with Airtran, since they charge for the first checked bag I am determined to go with only a carry on. I am hoping this will be a new trend for me, packing lighter.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Our flight leaves at 9:30am. Waiting at the bus stop at 6:30am is kind of early. 7:30 or 8 would be better. We just have to walk through security at the airport.

Then Magical Express is not for you, and you will need to make alternate return arrangements.

• DME schedules your pickup for three hours - give or take fifteen minutes - prior to your flight's departure. It has nothing to do with whether or not you have luggage to check.
• Your bus may stop at one or two other resorts on the way to the airport.
• The normal ride to the airport takes about forty minutes.
• Various delays may occur - bus breakdown, heavy traffic, traffic accident
• MCO advises passengers to arrive two hours prior to flight time.
• The security lines at MCO can be extremely long.
• Walt Disney World and DME schedule Guests so they can be assured of making their respective flights.

Should you opt on your own to simply wait for 'the next bus', you should be prepared for (a) there to be no next bus for several hours, if nobody else from your resort has a flight departing about 10 AM that day; and (b) not being allowed on any subsequent bus that does arrive because other Guests are scheduled for that bus, while you chose to miss your assigned bus and there's no room for you on this one.

 

[goofy4tink]

Our flight leaves at 9:30am. Waiting at the bus stop at 6:30am is kind of early. 7:30 or 8 would be better. We just have to walk through security at the airport.

You've already gotten many responses that will be similar to mine. DME must meet the needs of the many vs the few. There are a lot of people that 'think' 3 hrs is too long. But, there are many things to be considered...there could be an accident which makes for more traffic, or just about any other reason for stop and go traffic, you may be the first of several stops the bus will make, the bus could be running late due to issues with previous passengers.
Once you get to MCO, there could be a looooong line at security. I have had wait times there anywhere between 5 and 25 mins!
When taking the bus, you may have an addtl 20 mins at the airport. MCO recommends arriving there 2 hrs before your flight departure time. So..you're really not there all that early.

If you do decide to use a car service, they will give you a pickup time of 2 hrs before your flight...I tell them I need to be picked up a bit sooner. But, that's up to you.

If you aren't checking any bags or getting boarding passes issued, you may be able to give DME fictitious flight times, allowing you to be picked up a bit later. But, it could backfire on you. You say you would prefer a pickup time of 8, that you just have to 'walk through security'. Well....there are many times that you don't just 'walk through security'. What are you going to do if there is early morning traffic on the way, getting you to the airport at 8:45 (which wouldn't be unreasonable), then you face a line at security..again, not unreasonable at all. That line could take you 10 mins, at least, to get through. Now, it's almost 9. Your flight is going to start boarding in a few minutes. You still have to take the tram to the gate and then walk to that gate. Cutting it waaaay too close.