Help with packing!

[skater]

Help with packing! How do you pack for WDW and a cruise? We are staying at POP for 6 nights and then going on a 3 night cruise this Sept. I can't figure out how to pack for both of them. Should I just pack a cruise bag and keep it separate? What will we do with the souvenirs we buy at WDW? We took so much junk (and brought home so much) last year just from WDW - I don't know what we'll do with all that junk on the cruise. Can you mail stuff home from the resort? I don't know why this seems so hard, but its got me crazy! Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Jsme]

I have read that alot of people pack seperately. I have even read that WDW will keep your luggage if you are returning there. Not sure about that one though.

We are going to be doing this in November 2006. I think we will just pack one set for all of us and if I have to I will wash while on board.

 

[challada]

DEFINITELY use the ziplock bags for packing (push out air when you zip closed)....pack ones for your days at WDW that have your shirts, undies, shorts, socks, etc so you just have to pull one bag and toss it on. Then use other bags for your cruise....this way you won't have to worry about mixing up the items and even if you pack them in the same bag, you can just move a cruise bag aside to get a WDW bag. Using this method, I was able to pack about 50% more items than I would have using typical packing.

We did DL park before cruise, then cruise, then another day of touring before going home and the bag method worked great for us. I was NOT going to do laundry on my vacation so it was easy to just put dirties in bags and zip them away!

 

[jrabbit]

Help with packing! How do you pack for WDW and a cruise? We are staying at POP for 6 nights and then going on a 3 night cruise

It's gotta be easier than what we're up against. We're going to be at DL for 3 nights, then the repo cruise and another 3 nights at WDW (yup, thats right at 3 weeks!!).

What we are going to do is
1) laundry on Saturday before boarding the ship (after 2 days at DL).
2) bring shirts that we can wash in woolite in the sink and hang up to dry in the shower (ie mesh shirts).
3) Plan on wearing shorts for 2 and sometimes 3 days (3 x 7 shorts = 3 weeks).
4) Laundry once on the ship.
5) renting tuxes for the males so we can cut down on the number of dinner clothes that need to be packed.
6) try to not buy everything in sight. Right now I beleive that we will get a few DL 50th logo items, gold mouse ears, panama canal crossing tee shirt, a couple of DCL picture frames (6x8 since they are darned hard to find on land), and probably not much at WDW.

We are hoping that we can get by with one BIG suitcase each and one carryon for each of us. We'll see

 

[kcashner]

First, I pack a "cruise only" suitcase of things I will not need at the parks. I usually do several days at the parks before a 7 day cruise, so we need formal wear, snorkeling gear (own our own), etc. Besides, I don't do dresses in the parks.

I do plan to do one deal of laundry--end of park, right before cruise. Sometimes I do this on the last night (late), sometimes on the morning of the cruise. It might be more than one load, but can be done in one batch due to the availability of multiple washers/dryers. Since we are usually doing 2 weeks, this helps greatly with luggage.

Yes, you can ship a box home from your resort. I have a collapsible suitcase--folds up to almost nothing, but becomes a soft-side bag when it's opened. I always pack this. If nothing else, it is my "dirty laundry" bag at the end of the trip.

We use the same casual clothes in the parks and on the ship, but want more dressy things on the ship. A 3 day cruise isn't a big deal as you don't have the formal nights. But I'd still find it easier to have one bag that doesn't have to be opened till you are on the ship.

 

[IzzysMom]

Original Quote "What will we do with the souvenirs we buy at WDW? We took so much junk (and brought home so much) last year just from WDW - I don't know what we'll do with all that junk on the cruise. Can you mail stuff home from the resort?"



If you buy souvenirs from WDW - you can have them mailed home. You will have to pay for shipping, of course. I think you have to do it at the time of purchase, though.

You might want to post this question ( about sending stuff home) on the resort or theme park board.

Hope this helps.

 

[skater]

Thanks so much for all the ideas. I think I WILL pack a separate bag for the cruise. And packing a bag that can be mailed home is a great idea. We also may need to adjust how much stuff we pack. I usually wear 1/2 - 2/3 of the clothes I bring. Souvenirs are more important than clothes anyway!

 

[Mickeyhugger]

It's gotta be easier than what we're up against. We're going to be at DL for 3 nights, then the repo cruise and another 3 nights at WDW (yup, thats right at 3 weeks!!).

jrabbit, do you think you're going to be 'Mickey'd out,' by the time you get home? Or that you'll have recurring dreams of going through 'It's a small world' and not being able to get that song out of your head?

Of course, I'm only kidding, as we know Disney vacations are the best. It sounds like a lot of fun, and hopefully we'll be able to take that long of a Disney vacation one day.

 

[Disneynut4ever]

Skater -- I just read your initial thread, and I just wanted to say Thanks! I have been thinking about asking the very same question. Hope we get a good response.

 

[Disneynut4ever]

I have a collapsible suitcase--folds up to almost nothing, but becomes a soft-side bag when it's opened. I always pack this. If nothing else, it is my "dirty laundry" bag at the end of the trip.

Where did you purchase your collapsible suitcase?

 

[kcashner]

I got my suitcase as a gift many years ago. It is made by Totes--yes, the umbrella people. It folds up to a 5 X 7 X 1/2 inch size, and unfolds to 14 X 22X? Not terrifically sturdy, but plenty good for dirty laundry.

My most fun experience was when we were returning from Europe. They were screening every so many bags, and that bag hit the number. The guy asked what was in it, and I said "dirty laundry." He then proceeded to go thru it! SMelly!!!

 

[Disneynut4ever]

I got my suitcase as a gift many years ago. It is made by Totes--yes, the umbrella people. It folds up to a 5 X 7 X 1/2 inch size, and unfolds to 14 X 22X? Not terrifically sturdy, but plenty good for dirty laundry.

Not sturdy, but sturdy enough to be checked at the airport?