Driving, cooking... worth shipping?

[gopherit]

If you (a) always drive to your DVC villa, and (b) usually cook while there (so you'll be making grocery stops in your car anyway), does it pay off to ship stuff down ahead of time?

Are those of you that "ship" primarily flyers who aren't getting cars and have limited baggage space? Or do others among you ship, and if so, what?

And what is the average rate per lb? (We live about 15 hrs drive from WDW, in WV).

On the one hand, a little extra leg room might be nice, but on the other, it seems useless for me to ship a box of 99 cent pasta (and pay a buck to ship it) if I can buy it in FL for $1.05 (or sometimes 99 cents or even less!) We don't live in a metro area or city, food is reasonable here, and yet when I shop at the grocery places in Orlando (like WalMart or Publix a few miles away from WDW), I have not felt financially gouged in any way. Some things were as cheap or cheaper. And postage can be awfully pricey.

So what might it pay off to ship ahead? (BESIDES my kids....)

THANKS!

 

[tjkraz]

If you will have access to a car, I can't see why you would want to ship anything down ahead of time. Is the few cents more you might pay per item buying in Orlando worth the time, energy and postage costs of shipping ahead?

And, worst case, what if your package gets delayed or lost? Then you need to buy all of those items anyway.

 

[gopherit]

Yes, and that's my question exactly... I see lots of folks mailing stuff to themselves in advance, and I just can't figure out why. We used to haul lots of stuff down with us and stopped that recently, too, simply beacuse we did the math and discovered it WASN'T more expensive in Orlando (PROVIDED you escape the tourist trap stores, like Goodings). I can't even see mailing the light stuff (like diapers or boxed cereal) because again, they are the same basic price at Wal Mart there as they are here. And I don't want to ship anything REALLY necessary (that I couldn't buy while I was down there), because as you said, what if it didn't arrive? So what DO people ship, and why?

I'm just trying to figure out if there's some mystical bit of info I'm missing here... but I see that you're in the same wondering position I'm in! Perhaps some frequent shipper can enlighten us....

 

[msdis]

Not to mention some people have reported being charged a storage fee of $25.00 as I remember, from the resort. This appears to be random and not sure what quilifies it or which resort but the risk is not worth the savings plus the postage. Not sure if anyone else like Winn Dixie as we do, but they have the rewards program, you can sign up on line, and they will send you a card. Also their weekly flyers are on line so you can plan for the sales and coupons you might have. Here's a link to the one that is closest on Apopka Vineland Rd

http://winndixie.dailyshopper.com/index.aspx?pagename=shopmain&storeid=1028701&zipcode=32836&sf=true

We bring lots of food with us if we don't have a car, but with a car there is little need esp. when I know I can plan ahead with Winn Dixie. Even their items not on sale are cheaper than our reg. prices at home.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by gopherit
Yes, and that's my question exactly... I see lots of folks mailing stuff to themselves in advance, and I just can't figure out why.

I always assumed most of them were people that didn't have access to a car. When my wife and I honeymooned at WDW years ago, we booked a package which included Mears transportation, and used the WDW busses for the entire 8 day stay.

Traveling under the same circumstances with two little ones coming along, I could envision ourselves shipping items like this:

Diapers (huge!!!)
Wipes
Formula
Bottled water
Cereal
Pop Tarts
Other snacks (cookies, pringles, etc.)

I'm still with you in that I don't see the real value of it. Unless I were staying at WDW for 2 weeks without a car, it seems like I could make out just as well saving myself the time, effort and shipping $$$ and putting it toward a car. Or spend a few more dollars (over Mears) for town car service that includes a grocery stop on the way to the resort.

 

[crisi]

I think I'm likely to ship next time we go down - or (more likely) pack my souvienier suitcase with non-perishibles.

1) We fly (we are in Minnesota, two days in the car per leg of the trip is about 18 hours too many).

2) We don't rent a car (hate to rent a car - I know a lot of people can't live without a rental, we aren't those people).

3) I was unimpressed with the grocery stop we made with the towncar service. Half an hour in an unfamiliar store was not a good idea. The store we stopped at did not live up to our expectations (their was mold on the bread on the shelves, and "decent" coffee was non existant). At home, my groceries are delivered - so I only go into a grocery store every few months even at home. And when I shop at home, I tend to shop pretty upscale (Minnesota DVCers - is there anything like Byerlys in the Orlando area?)


4) I find the Screen Door prices to be reasonable for the few perishibles I need to pick up. Eggs, milk, bread, a little orange juice and half and half. I'll probably spend an extra $3 getting things from the Screen Door. Not a big deal.

As has been pointed out, diapers are really bulky. At one point, we traveled with two in diapers (that trip we rented a car just to be able to buy diapers and get the kids around easier - it wasn't easier, but we thought it would be). And diapers are one of the things that are not reasonable at the Screen Door. Plus, anyone little enough to wear diapers is probably little enough to not be able to help with bags.

Bottled water is the one thing that isn't reasonable at the Screen Door and a pain to ship or pack (too heavy), so the towncar may be stopping long enough for us to pick that up.

 

[jcodespoti]

We are flyiers and have ship ship most of the junk..i mean "gifts" home. I ship nothing to WDW, I buy all my groceries down there. There are a lot of different stores you can hit to best suit your needs. We have no kids though and that proobably makes a difference. We do thoug however rent a car. I hate the busses.


Joe in CT

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by crisi

3) I was unimpressed with the grocery stop we made with the towncar service. Half an hour in an unfamiliar store was not a good idea. The store we stopped at did not live up to our expectations (their was mold on the bread on the shelves, and "decent" coffee was non existant). At home, my groceries are delivered - so I only go into a grocery store every few months even at home. And when I shop at home, I tend to shop pretty upscale (Minnesota DVCers - is there anything like Byerlys in the Orlando area?)
.

I have yet to do it but my list is ready for next trip. while back MOMTOMOOTOO posted:

preorder from:
Kate @ Albertson's, Orlando
Orange Blossom Trail
Telephone: (407) 857-5666
Fax: (407) 857-0132

Enclosed is a list of groceries we would like to pre-order. We will be arriving on Sunday, November 2 and we should be in to pick up these groceries around 8am-8:30 am

She specified all items she wanted and sizes. She stated for no fee they shop for you and all you do is wait to have it rung up.



I am preshipping a box this trip. It is gifts for everyone from Mickey to be given to us at check-in. We have had a rough year and even the grownups need a little extra magic I wrapped 5 boxes of matching tinkerbell pajamas for our first night. I thought it would be nice welcome gift. Hopefully it is given to us on arrival, if not, whenever we get it is fine.

Sandy

 

[crisi]

Thanks, Sandy. That may work out to be the best option.