how do you pack if you are driving to WDW?

[Mrs.viv07]

i have read of people that use those plastic containers instead of luggage.
i am looking for tips or advice so what do you do?
we will be going for 11-12 days 3 adults and 1 6yo.

 

[mom0299]

We've never gone for quite that long. We usually drive. We flew once, but didn't like it. I pack our things in suitcases. I think its easier to get them to the rooms than plastic containers would be. We do take a case or two of water and Diet Coke. I pack a cooler with some things and a box of snacks and breakfast type food. I found milk at the grocery story that doesn't have to be refrigerated. I put it in the fridge once we get there. I pack cereal, poptarts, muffins, etc... and a lot of small snacks that I can carry into the parks.
Hope this helps.

 

[SuperSteelerFan]

When we drive, I still use suitcases for our clothes and such. Usually, I just use more of them and take more stuff! For traveling home, I don't worry about packing the souvenirs - they get condensed down but generally stay in the bags in which they were purchased. I've never tried the plastic bins but I have multiple pieces of luggage already so it doesn't make much sense for me to spend money on plastic bins. If you don't have luggage, the plastic bins would be a much cheaper option than purchasing new luggage.

 

[pepe of ohio]

When we used to drive to WDW, we just packed our regular suitcases, easier to haul in and when we hit the grocery store, we used to pick up a styrofoam cooler for the room. We just kept adding ice and our groceries we got cardboard boxes in the store instead of them filmsy plastic bags. Most always we left the cooler or gave it away.

 

[Jill in Chicago]

For long trips we've always still used suitcases. If you plan to stop on the way down and stay overnight in a hotel, pack a separate bag for just that stop. That way you don't have to lug in your huge suitcase, just a little overnight bag.

We always travel with a little cooler in the car for drinks.

I had a separate bin for little surprises that I gave my boys on the long drive down. I also bought lots of second hand videos. We drove from Chicago. They got to have one new video each day of our drive and then again on the way back. That was a hit. I wrapped those up too.

Books on tape are awesome. Many folks don't think they will like them, but just about everyone is entranced. Makes the time fly. If you like Garrison Keeler he has tapes to listen to also. My family likes him. You can get all this at your library for free.

Bring a little blanket for all the passengers. That way if the driver has the air cranked everyone else can be comfy too. Don't forget car pillows.

Pack extra hangers in case they don't have enough where you are staying. Don't forget the over the door shoe bag to store all your little items once you arrive.

 

[lisatx04]

We drive from Houston once a year. We use suitcases, and pack an overnight bag that we use if we decide to stay over on the trip down.

We always have a cooler, in which we pack drinks and sandwiches, so we don't have to stop for dinner, at a drive thru or a sit down restaurant. Snacks go in a plastic tub of some sort that the kids can get to at their whim. It works out okay for us.

I always do laundry while down there, so our clothes are clean before arriving home! Love that!! Anything we buy down there stays in the bags we bought them in, and then condensed down into a suitcase or just left in the bags for the drive home.

I found that travelling car games were a huge hit for the kids, but now we have 2 DVD players in the truck, so it's usually movies now and on last trip, DH surprised my son and hooked up his playstation for the trip!! That was a HUGE hit!! Also make them take books, so they can read along the way.

Hope this helps. Ask if you have more specific questions.

 

[Raenstoirm]

I am one of those people that use the plastic bins when traveling for long periods. The last time I drove to Disney I was 4, so I don't remember how my parents packed, but we spend two weeks at the beach and I have found the bins work wonders. I pack one with clothes, one with "stuff" (in our case mostly animal stuff since we bring our critters with us) and one with food. By the end of the trip the food one is empty and ready for the souvenirs. Also if you decide to empty the bins into the dressers you can just put them inside each other and take up very little room in the hotel. If we will be stopping pre-destination, we have a backpacks with overnight stuff for the hotels along the way.
You can buy the bins at walmart or big lots for less than 10 bucks each.

 

[the Fidge]

For long trips we've always still used suitcases. If you plan to stop on the way down and stay overnight in a hotel, pack a separate bag for just that stop. That way you don't have to lug in your huge suitcase, just a little overnight bag.

We always travel with a little cooler in the car for drinks.

I had a separate bin for little surprises that I gave my boys on the long drive down. I also bought lots of second hand videos. We drove from Chicago. They got to have one new video each day of our drive and then again on the way back. That was a hit. I wrapped those up too.

Books on tape are awesome. Many folks don't think they will like them, but just about everyone is entranced. Makes the time fly. If you like Garrison Keeler he has tapes to listen to also. My family likes him. You can get all this at your library for free.

Bring a little blanket for all the passengers. That way if the driver has the air cranked everyone else can be comfy too. Don't forget car pillows.

Pack extra hangers in case they don't have enough where you are staying. Don't forget the over the door shoe bag to store all your little items once you arrive.

Jill DH prefers to do 99% of the driving I try but the man won't turn the wheel over. I always bring a blanket for DS but never for me and that man cranks the AC high. This time I will add a blanket on for me too! Wise advice! Thanks!

 

[themudd4]

We always drive becasue my DH is scared to fly. I pack everything in our suitcases I think I will need or might need. Saves money when you get there and decide that you should have brought it after all. Just because you pack it doesn't mean you have to unpack it...just only if you need it. Don't forget to bring quaters, laundry detergent and fabric softener sheets. even if you bring enough clothes something is going to happened and you are going to need to wash something. You can measure out the laundry powder in sandwich bags and makes it very easy....and you wont have to pay a small fortune for it there. DO NOT TRY THIS WHEN FLYING!!! (I CAN SEE YOU EXPLAINING THIS TO THE POLICE WHY YOU ARE CARRYING BAGGIES FULL OF WHITE POWDER.)
I would also suggest taking a shoe bag or something.

Also, I pack one overnight bag for us all that we share, for the stop on the way down. It makes it easier when we stop for the night without pulling everything out of the car!

 

[heidia]

We're driving down next year all the way from Canada's east coast!!

And to make it even more interesting... there will be FOUR adults and two kids in ONE minivan! Good thing we all get along pretty well but its hard to say if we'll be speaking to each other once we get there! lol

So we'll have to be pretty creative packers to fit all of our stuff in the one van. I think we better look into getting one of those bag carriers for the roof!

 

[Raenstoirm]

Thing for the roof...you need to look into a trailer! That is a lot of people and a nasty drive. Good luck with that!