Dumbest question about weight limit for luggage and returning home?

Meagansmom

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 14, 2001
Messages
629
Ok, I have the dumbest question! Now that the limit is 50lbs for luggage, all of you that have returned, how do you know if you are over? With all of the dirty clothes and the new souvenirs, how do you judge? At home, I can weigh them on my home scale. I have heard that people are paying if the luggage is over. Let me know your thoughts or your expertise!!!Thanks!!!
 
Pack an empty duffel in your suitcase, then pack the case itself w/ ziplocs. If you go over weight, then transfer some of the ziplocs to the duffel and check that, too. Even if you have the max. # of checked bags, an extra bag is usually cheaper than an overweight bag. (Obviously, you always want to avoid starting out with the maximum # of checked bags.)

Some hotels that have business centers will have a scale on the premises for packages; if so, they could probably weigh it for you before you left.
 
Well, if it weighed 49 lbs at home you can be pretty sure it is over. LOL! Actually I cannot easily lift 50 lbs so I just make sure my suitcases are weights I can easily lift. Dirty clothes don't really weigh more then clean ones so you purchases are your big issue.
 
We have our purchases shipped home. It's not that much for shipping charges and the weight of the suitcases stays close to the same. Since now suitcases have to be accessible for searching, I just thought it safer to ship home my purchases. (and if you purchase breakable items , they are insured if shipped)And what a great pick-me-up to have your purchases show up at your door a day or two after you get home.
A friend of mine, did just the opposite and packed her purchases and shipped home her dirty laundry. But who wants a package a dirty laundry on their doorstep LOL
 

My husband and I through our years of going to Disney have our traveling finally down pat. We first began with every trip having to purchase additional luggage while down at DW to get home. Well several years ago (and many disney trips later!) we have maxed our amount of luggage allowed. We bring four large (largest size available) and 1 carryon each plus camera cases. We pack all our clothing in the foldable units and these help tremendously; you can get double the amount of clothing in the luggage. We also, ship with us packaging tape (4-5 rolls) and large garbage bags. When we're down at Disney we stop at the local Mailbox Etc. (now called UPS) and pick up the large size boxes. In the room as we have laundry we place in garbage bags based on laundry loads. When we pack up a box we seal up laundry bags and use as cushioning for souvenirs in boxes and ship home (or you can ship to friend/neighbor). I keep a log of what is in what box by marking box with a number and keeping a list with me as to what was inside. As for new clothing souvenirs we pack in the foldable units to go in our luggage. Clean clothing is in your luggage not dirty smelly stuff ! We make a point to buy a souvenir(s) for who ever takes in our boxes at home so they know they will have a surprise coming as well (they just have to wait til we get home to get it !). Depending on how we feel, we will have BCV ship the box or we will take to MailBox etc. This such an easy way to handle laundry and souvenirs and we never have casualties ! We also know the weight it goes down will be rather close to same coming home for it will be only clothing. Also, it keeps your room so organized without having items all over the room.:Pinkbounc
 
If you are shipping packages home, the best option is not to ship them to neighbors' homes, but to your place of business, as long as that isn't prohibited by your employer. We have a warehouse that is staffed 24/7, and they are able to report any damage they see BEFORE accepting the package, which is crucial if you will need to try to file a claim.

As to shipping home dirty laundry in summer heat, my only thought is YUCKK! Sealed in a trash bag, yet? Double YUCCK!
We just pack 5 days clothing for any trip, and do laundry one day a week. A few hours in a cold aircraft hold won't have your dirties nearly as ripe as 4 days in the back of a dark brown UPS truck. In fact, I'd be afraid that by the time the sweaty stuff baked that long, it might have become mildewed.

Really, packing light is the best revenge. I've been dealing with weight and size limits for years, because I travel abroad quite often. One large suitcase is enough for the 3 of us, even in winter; packing light for summer in Florida is a piece of cake. (We keep the extra duffel for making weight, but volume isn't negotiable; if it doesn't fit in the big bag or our carryon, we don't need it. Everything we put in the duffel goes back in the big bag before we leave baggage claim.)
 
In regards to the YUCK on shipping laundry. One is assuming that it is sent in summer. I failed to mention, we do this in the WINTER shipping NORTH! Of course, any thinking individual would not place damp clothing in bags ! ! We ship our packages overnite delivery and they are placed into a special box we have for delivery of packages and are neighbors place packages in our garage til we get home. I don't know about anyone else but when we go on vacation, WE ARE ON VACATION !!!! Who wants to do laundry ? Not us ! We stay at Disney World usually eleven days and bring two changes of clothing per day. We try to wear shorts/pants that are handwashable and are dry by next day. Why 2 changes a day ? Who wants to be in smelly clothes all day. One does like to go back to room shower and put on clean clothes for an evening out! Who wants to wear the same outfits several times in a vacation, even if they're clean. When your on vacation, if you can handle the chore of packing/unpacking/and laundry when you get home, it is a great feeling to have different outfits to wear on your vacation ! As far as YUCK, WE DON'T DO YUCK ! NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL !!!! Don't mean to snarl but I don't appreciate SOMEONE speaking their mind when they're doing alot of assuming !:mad:
 
When we went on our trip this past December, they had just changed the weight limits at AA. In fact, we didn't even know about it until we checked in at the airport. I had checked their website the day before we left and it still had the old weight limits so I had no idea it had changed.

Needless to say, we were a bit surprised to find that we were within 2lbs of being over limit on one of our pieces and 1b on another. None of our luggage had more than 2 or 3 lbs to spare.

On the return trip, I knew we'd be in trouble! We stayed for 14 days and did a LOT of shopping. We were there for Christmas and all our gifts to each other were purchased at WDW.


There was no doubt we were over the limit on the return trip. We were all talking about it during the limo ride to the airport and our driver gave us a tip that saved us a fortune. He said to check-in at curbside and we wouldn't have a problem. He was right! They didn't weigh one single piece and we had no problems whatsoever. Whether that's still the case or not, I don't know. But it saved us a bundle.

Thank goodness we're driving on this next trip and I don't have to think about this. Flying has become such a pain that I'd rather drive anytime we can.
 
Belle, my apologies for offending you.

You didn't specify the season in your post, and neither did the OP, but I did. The ship-home-the-dirties idea is not without pitfalls in summertime, which was what I was attempting to point out. I didn't assume that you would put clothing in boxes while damp, either, but I've lived in the deep South for most of my life, and I know what subtropical heat can do to boxed clothing. When you put clothing away in heat, it has to be free of perspiration residue if you don't want to risk damaging it. If you pack soiled clothing away in an air-conditioned environment in a warm climate, then put the boxes in a hot truck, they are likely to give off some moisture on their own, and plastic will seal that moisture in. There is bacteria in perspiration, even if it has had time to dry, and it thrives in warm, moist environments. Even after just a few days, the fabric is at risk of becoming permanently discolored.

If you wish to spend quite a lot of money on tipping porters and overnighting boxes, and time packing those boxes, that is your decision. I would suggest, however, that the amount of money you are spending on that process is likely to equal or exceed what the airline would charge for having an overweight bag. As the OP wanted to avoid paying an extra charge, packing light would seem to be the best plan in her case.
 
I agree that tipping the skycaps at curbside checkin should help with slightly overweight bags BUT people have posted skycaps weighing bags. The RUMOR was they may be getting a bonus based on the money charged (not sure I believe it).

The best suggestion (posted many times) is to take an empty duffle bag. If you forget go to WalMart (or any other store) and buy a cheap one.
 
The other problem with the skycap is that sometimes the skycaps have to take you inside (let's say you are flying home to Boston in the winter and the great snow has arrived) In that case you are at the counter and they can get picky and EXPENSIVE.

Belle, I hope you are not offended but I keep thinking to myself have they bought everything Disney sells! I actually find I bring back the same amount I went with now. For the most part I have ALL the stuff I want from Disney.
 
:) Not Ursula, I accept your apology and thank you ! When I gave my story on packing it was my very first posting on the Diz Forum or any forum for that matter. I guess I wasn't detailed either in the seasons. I can understand your reasoning living in the warmer climate. As far as taking on the plane that would not be possible in our case. I tend to go overboard on the shipping thing. With buying gifts and stuff (!) we send about 10 boxes home weighing about 60#s each. Yes you read correctly ! It is costly but . . . . . . . As far as Carol A remark OF COURSE THERE's ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW AT DISNEY ! ARE YOU KIDDING ! I keep assuring my husband next time will be better but I'm working on it ! ! ! ! Thank you again Not Ursula for your reply back and I hope to hear from you. Carol A thank you too ! I hope I get better at the forum! :Pinkbounc
 
Well I guess that is true. There is always something new. I guess I have just kind of broken the "habit". I won't let myself buy much anymore, t-shirts have to be on sale, etc... Otherwise...
 
We flew Northwest last week and didn't know about the new weight limits. DH and I had one suitcase each, but they are quite large, so were overweight. They SOLD us a cardboard box to carry part of it! (Last year coming home, they GAVE us one.) The extra weight I brought along was scrapbook supplies I brought to finish up LAST year's trip, on our down days! We bring very little clothing and use the washer/dryer in the room. At MCO they didn't weigh our bags! Next year we will bring 2 smaller cases each, which will hold the same amount of stuff, but not put us over on weight. BTW, I thought you couldn't check baggage curb side anymore?
 






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