flying to DW - take own mini fridge and microwave?

[mommiepoppins]

we went with a fiend 2 years ago who was very thrifty. He never once bought food at the parks he flew in with us and brought a cooler filled with food. and kept it going by adding ice. He laso brought a toster oven. He saved major money! I say go for it. I brought 2 suit cases filled with water and soda and 3 coolers loaded with food on the plane no prob!

 

[DMRick]

I never got the don't want someone cooking in the room next to me thing.

Obviously you have never been next door (or followed someone in your room) to someone cooking kielbasa and kraut, or something with onions! We have...and at the All Stars, those stupid air conditioners suck the smell right into your room, when they open their door..or through the bathroom vent at POP. I think that is the complaint.
The values have micros for anyone to use in the food court.

 

[theprincess]

You've got to be kidding me!!!!

 

[I'mNoPrince]

Obviously you have never been next door (or followed someone in your room) to someone cooking kielbasa and kraut, or something with onions! We have...and at the All Stars, those stupid air conditioners suck the smell right into your room, when they open their door..or through the bathroom vent at POP. I think that is the complaint.
The values have micros for anyone to use in the food court.

I understand what you are saying but I guess I'm just use to living in a row home in the city we get all types of smells from cooking from our nieghbors.

A little Frebreeze will take the smell right out.

As far as the Micros in the food court I have seen them dirty and they are not avail late at night when needed.

All I'm saying is if Managment says it's OK and not just some misinformed CM then whats the big deal.

 

[LisaNJ25]

how late can you use the microwave at the food courts?

 

[Tinkerbelle99]

First trip we drove, so bringing the portable fridge was 'easier' and came in really handy on the road, as it had both a standard plug and car adaptor. When we flew down on our second trip, I brought it down with us too. We packed it in a duffle bag and it was no heavier than any other peice of luggage, it may have even came out lighter as the fridge was empty.

I have have never thought of taking a micro, It obviously would be trickier to pack.

Those Sam's Club zip cooler bags were very usefull too. We did a grocery run upon arrival and we would fill the cooler bags with ice regularly and we also had cool drinks at our disposal at a fraction of the cost in the resorts/parks. Everyone took a water bottle with to the parks each day and we were good to go.

 

[SummersMom]

I must be the only one who was thinking go for it! I don't know how much a fridge weighs, I would check with the airline about size and weight, but I didn't think they weighed very much. Of course, understand if it were broken, that would be your problem, but especially with Disney's Magical Express, if they are going to deliver it to your room - I say go for it! I also would second the idea of a mini-swap. Depending on your dates, you should be able to find someone else who may go in on the cost with you. I know I would consider it if our dates lined up.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Hi Guys!

It's been a crazy day so I apologize for not getting back to all of you sooner!

Ok, Let me try to answer some of your questions......

NO, I was NOT kidding. (That is the greatest thing about these boards is that everyone has an opinion and some very valid points! I appreciate each and every response. I'm putting a lot of thought into this.)

I took a microwave once to DisneyWorld before-- I took it on the plane. It was not over 50 lbs so there were no additional fees. I marked it fragile. The airline knew it was a microwave -- I told them. It arrived in PERFECT condition. The box wasn't even scuffed up. I'd do it again in a heart beat.

Yes, I asked Disney guest services before hand and they said it was fine just as long as we unplugged it when we weren't in the room.

Someone asked WHY I'd want a microwave.....really? OK - well, I don't want to walk down to the food court in the middle of the night (is it even open in the middle of the night?), I don't want to spend time waiting on others to use it and I don't want them waiting on me, I have seen some of those microwaves in the food courts and they are not always so clean, and we like to make the most of our time while on vacation! I like TEA (see my sig) and I wouldn't have a coffee pot to use anyway....nor would I.......and it's great for heating up water for oatmeal, etc. And no, I had no intention of cooking onions or anything like that. For reasons I won't go into here, we have some dietary restrictions and it's just much easier to make a cup of soup or a baked potato in my own microwave. Also great for baby food when "someone" might not to be wanting to wait in line to use the microwave. Also, while one person is in the shower, someone else can be eating breakfast. Then while the next is in the shower, the other can be eating breakfast. Shoud I admit that I am NOT a morning person? I want my first cup of tea while I'm still in bed. In my pajamas. And maybe my second.

Kudos to the person who said they saved hundreds of dollars making their own meals. (I'm all for saving money!) I plan on making breakfasts.

Someone said something to the effect that if you're on vacation, you're "suppose to" eat out. That is not the case in our family -- sorry! We're lucky to get to Disney at all under any circumstances so we will definitely be warming up water for tea and cocoa and having oatmeal and warm bagels in our room for breakfast. (in our microwave) I don't plan on paying to eat out breakfast at all. And over a week's time, that's certainly saving some money which I think you all can appreciate since this is the budget board. And really, I don't think if yu ask any of us about our most memorable moments at Disney, that any one of us would say "man, we sure missed out on eating breakfast in the parks and waiting in long lines."

I appreciate the info on the collapsable cooler. I just might do that. It will be nice to come back to a nice cold soda at the end of the day. And a great place to keep cream chz for our bagels.

Someone said something about that being a lot of work to save a few dollars. For me, it's actually more than a few dollars. $70 to rent a frig for 7 days. To upgrade to the moderate where there is one, it was $385 more for 7 nights. That's just for the frig......no microwave. To me, $385 is more than a "FEW" dollars. And like I already said, we are just THRILLED to be able to go to DW at all. I don't need to add $385 more dollars to the bill just for a frig.

I hope that answered most of your questions about why I was asking.

Have a good evening!

 

[DMRick]

how late can you use the microwave at the food courts?

Until they close the second half of the food court. Usually about midnight when we go.

 

[allison443]

If you don't bring the microwave, you could bring a "hot pot" to boil water for your tea and cocoa...
In the past we used a collapsible cooler, and ziploc bags of ice to keep stuff cold. It worked great!

 

[kileybeth]

hey grumpy'sgal,

I am right there with you. anything that is not to much work and saves money is right up my alley.

with 6 of us, breakfast in the room is a no brainer and saves so much money!!

unless we are traveling someplace other than Disney than it is free continental hot buffett all the way and I'm willing to pay upwards of $20 a night more for it too (do the math folks, just over $3 a person, can't do McD's hardly for that)

so I just sent a son off to live in Cambodia for a year and a half (college Internship), I'm all about packing, shipping, weight of bags etc.

you think marking micro fragile for flight would work huh? cool! I can always do mini swap to unload at end of trip or use as backup at home in kids "2nd family room" in basement, they've been wanting that and a mini fridge anyway. . .also would save having to ship or taking time to buy in Orlando.

I've also taken full cooler of snacks/drinks as checked luggage with no problems at all. get one with wheels and save your back though!!

 

[hudie1311]

Id have to agree with everyone...Just get ice from the vending machine and put it in a cooler that is what my family and I do!!! We have stayed at POP and All Star many times. Also, there is a microwave in the dining area so there is no need to bring your own. I would get a couple throw away coolers from walmart anyday rather than take a fridge down. Besides those mini fridges hold alomost nothing...Take it from a college student!!! Good Luck!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

. . . A Baby's Best Friend (www.abbf.com) rents an amazing variety of items, not limited to 'baby' stuff, for much less than renting at Disney (I think a fridge is $35 or $45 for a week).
. . . Dizneydaz's suggestion of starting a mini-swap is a good one. We did that last fall - four people, about $20 each.
. . . A cube mini-fridge most likely weighs under fifty pounds. I know the starter on our swap bought it at home and shipped it on the plane with no problem, and yes, DME delivered it to her But, what about going home? Chances are you will have more stuff aka heavier or more bags on your way home, so yeah, might WELL go over your checked-luggage limit.

 

[LetsgoDisney!]

If you didn't want a microwave, you could probably fit a small toaster, collapsible cooler and hot pot into your luggage. Easy then to do bagels, pop tarts, toast, oatmeal, soup, teas, warm up baby food etc. The milk that doesn't need to be refridgerated till opened works well in the cooler, along with soda, juice etc.
Good luck!

 

[DiznEeyore]

I so wish that was true. I wrote to Disney to ask, so I could prove to those here who wanted to cook that they couldn't. Imagine my surprise (and egg on my face) when I was told that you could have appliances in your room, but they request you unplug them when out of the room I hate the thought of smelling someone's cooking in my bedroom. I hope someone else writes and they tell her the first note from guest services were wrong.

Nope, that note was right. We've had a microwave brought to us at the GF for use in the room, and I know that Disney offers them at the Poly and Beach Club for certain -- I've seen them myself and they are offered on the Disney web site.

 

[claudia]

just saw a listing on Craigs list for a combo mini fridge/microwave....http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/hsh/283517643.html
doesn't say how large this is, but might be worth checking out on the craigs list for your area.

 

[ldb1030]

Why don't you just request a microwave and fridge to be in your room

 

[dopeyfanatic]

Why don't you just request a microwave and fridge to be in your room

She wants to bring her own from home so she doesn't have to pay to rent one. I don't know that you can even rent a microwave at a value resort anyway.

I say if you're willing to lug it on the plane, go for it! It will save you tons of money. However, i do think a good alternative would be a small toaster and a hot pot. My aunt has one and it gets the water boiling hot in just a couple minutes. It plugs into the wall, but it would be a LOT smaller than a microwave! I know if we weren't going to be in a timeshare I would probably bring a toaster and hot pot in my luggage! I don't want to waste time in line for breakfast when we could be eating while getting ready!

 

[Kies99]

Someone else posted this, but you better check with the AIRLINE first. There are a lot of new restrictions that are going in place in the last couple of months on certain airlines regarding weight. You might end up having to pay more to fly it down than if you rented it for the week.

 

[bavaria]

I'm going to chime in as someone who practically lives in higher end hotel rooms ie 300 nights a year.

Since I travel so much, I do get tired of eating out (an expense report is not a glamourous as it sounds). I do like a fridge in my room, but in higher end hotels that is not always provided, nor do they always have one available.

But I have learned to make do and buy certain groceries which work for me (and I don't like most American prepared foods, or those with a lot of preservatives or chemicals). I buy breads, bagels, fruits which don't need a fridge, ie tomatoes, fruit in a package, etc.

The one appliance I DO recommend for travel is a sandwich maker. You can make toasted bagels, cheese sandwiches, toasted PBJ, Nutella and banana sandwiches, etc etc. I know ppl make pancake mix in them.... I certainly don't go that far, but a hot meal can easily be prepared in them

It travels easily, costs $10, doesn't make a mess, and there are not the heavy cooking smells one has with a microwave and some of the prepared foods. (I hate having a room with a microwave, opening it, and smelling old cheap popcorn)

Having said that, as a very frequent traveller I can't imagine flying a fridge and microwave to my destination.