Buying fragile items. How do you get them home?

[Rags]

For years now I buy my niece and nephew snow-globes for their b-days. I either buy them at the disney store or disney direct. Well this year we will be down at WDW right before their b-days and I want to buy the snow-globes there.

So how do you get fraglie items home? We will be flying so that is another factor. Can WDW ship them for me? How much would it cost? Thanks to all who respond!!!

 

[huey578]

For years now I buy my niece and nephew snow-globes for their b-days. I either buy them at the disney store or disney direct. Well this year we will be down at WDW right before their b-days and I want to buy the snow-globes there.

So how do you get fraglie items home? We will be flying so that is another factor. Can WDW ship them for me? How much would it cost? Thanks to all who respond!!!

We usually carry any small items with us on the plane. Larger & heavier items we pay to ship to home. Disney will package and ship them for you. We had a couple of ceramic statues shipped with no problem.

 

[Epcot Girl]

Most resorts and large shops will ship them for you. I prefer that to putting them in your suitcase, wrapped in clothes, hoping it will be alright.

 

[tjmw2727]

We have them shipped home directly from the shop when purchasing them, no hassle, no worries and its always arrived safe and sound. For the convenience and peice of mind the shipping charges are well worth it (and I found them reasonable anyway).

TJ

 

[Feralpeg]

If you have the item shipped from the store where you purchased it, they will continue to ship the item to you until it arrives undamaged. If you ship to a destination out of the state of Florida, you don't pay any sales tax. That often offsets the cost of the shipping.

 

[disneymagic02]

Just a quick note, make sure that you open the box when you buy a snowglobe at the store, we bought one in 2003 that had many little details and we opened 4 boxes and they alll had something broken off the globe, on the 5th box everything was attached. We drive to Orlando so we do not have a problem getting them home.

 

[seashoreCM]

Putting fragile objects in checked baggage for air travel is no longer recommended. It may be better to choose gifts from stores near home.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[pouncingpluto]

Have them shipped home. We've done this many times without problems, but the one time something did arrive broken, WDW replaced it quickly and for free.

 

[Tiffany]

For years now I buy my niece and nephew snow-globes for their b-days. I either buy them at the disney store or disney direct. Well this year we will be down at WDW right before their b-days and I want to buy the snow-globes there.

So how do you get fraglie items home? We will be flying so that is another factor. Can WDW ship them for me? How much would it cost? Thanks to all who respond!!!

We usually have those types of items shipped home via UPS. If you are shipping out of the state of FL you do not pay the FL state sales tax so you can look at it as shipping free so to speak.

 

[llij]

Another vote for shipping here! My dd's collected snowglobes from Disney for the longest time and I never bothered to carry them home. It was easier for us to ship and they always arrived in great shape.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[karen l]

Definitely have them shipped. Our things arrived a couple of days after we returned & were in perfect condition. The way airlines are today, I wouldn't
trust them with anything fragile.

 

[WaltD4Me]

When 10 of us went in December we bought ALOT of stuff and we shipped EVERYTHING home from our hotel gift shop! -- The idea didn't occur to us at first, so we didn't ship the items from the shops we bought them at, but later found out we could ship everything home right from the hotel gift shop. The cost of shipping went by the COST of the items, not the weight or anything.
They give you a form to fill out where you have to list all the items and their cost and then they box it up and send it to you. I don't remember the exact cost, but it wasn't out of line or very expensive, just regular shipping, that you would pay normally.

On a side note, another time I bought a big heavy Cinderella snowglobe at Disney and I brought it home in my carry-on bag which worked out fine, but I couldn't have brought more than one.

 

[Minnesota]

If you were really worried about it I would ship it. In 6 years going to WDW and buying snowglobes nearly every year (and being a scrooge with shipping) I have never had a problem wrapping it in several layers of clothes and putting it in the CENTER of my suitcase to bring home on the plane. I did carry a few on with me in my carry on bag on my last trip as I had 4 I was bringing home, two went in the suitcase two in the carryon bag. I just keep in mind that while airline luggage does get beat up, now days they are a bit more careful because they don't know what bag may have something hazardous in it. (a little tip from a NWA pilot I know) So if it is packed well, I have never had a problem from MCO to Minneapolis or LA to Minneapolis.
Minnesota

 

[kparc]

I always carry an sturdy beach bag folded up in my suitcase just for carrying fragile items home. I check my carry-on bag that I brought on the way down( since you are allowed two checked bags most of the time and I usually just check one on the way down) and put all essentials in my messanger bag/purse and the beach bag and carry those on the plane on the return trip! I also pack snacks in one small suitcase which I can then use for souvenirs for the return trip.