How many suitcases do you take???

[Karalynn]

I am packing for our trip on Friday!! It will be dh, me, ds7, & dd5. We are flying and I am worried about the 50lb limit as well as having too many suitcases! My dd has special needs & doesn't walk so I will have her in a stroller and won't be much help with the suitcases. I figured I could have the backpack & carryon and he can do the suitcases. Right now I have 1 large 1medium and my ds small spiderman one because I couldn't fit it all into the two larger ones!!! I thought he might like to have his own, but I can also see him complaining about it!

Should I try and get another medium one instead of the one for ds, that way I can more evenly distribute the weight and have some extra room for souveniers? Will dh be swearing at me trying to navigate the airport with 3 suitcases? What have you done, and how did it work out?
I have really tried not to over pack!!! But we are going for 9 days, renting a studio and needed to take diapers, wipes and some snacks. (Not too much because we are doing a grocery delivery) I am also planning on doing laundry half way thru. Where does all the room go????? Thanks!!!

 

[cinjam]

I will also be packing this weekend for our upcoming 2/4 trip!!

It is me, DH, DS5 & DS2. I try not to overpack as well, and I only bring enough clothes to get us through 1/2 the week & will do laundry at the mid-way point (day 5). The problem is that the weather is so varied: it may be warm enough to wear shorts & t-shirts during the day, but in the evening we will need sweats & long-sleeved shirts. So I need to pack to address both circumstances...hence three bags!

I have two good sized suitcases and a very large duffel bag (on wheels with a pull handle). Within the suitcase I also will be packing a medium sized nylon duffel bag in case I wind up heading home with more than I went down with (which always happens). Last year we went over the weight limit & had to pay the $25 over-weight fee at the airport. I do not want to do that again. But part of the over-weight reason was because I over-bought formula when I was there & it is too exensive not to bring home.

I am no help with the luggage either - Regardless of the number of bags, it's DH's responsibility But, I am responsible for the kids & strollers (which we keep with us until we gate check them)!

 

[gris gris]

We're not big fans of lugging things around so we try to pack as little as we can get away with. Here's what we'll be doing (my kids are younger, actually one isn't even born yet!).

DH: duffle bag on wheels (he uses this wherever we go and gets all his stuff in it)
Me: 26" suitcase, I'll probably pack the baby's things in mine too (will be 6 months)
DD: 21" suitcase (she'll be 4)
Extra: we have an extra duffle on wheels and will pack diapers, wipes, snacks, water, anything that we can't fit into ours, formula, maybe health & beauty stuff. then on the way home our souveniers will go in this bag since it will be mostly empty.

Also I buy travel sized everything and just toss whatever is left so I don't have to bring it back home. Shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.....

I've never even paid attention to weight, so I guess I must not ever be over 50 or the airline would say something?

Have a great trip!

 

[Karalynn]

I think I have a solution..... I am going to try and hang some things in a garment bag! Like our Jeans and longsleeved shirts. There aren't many, but it may give me enough room in the suitcases to not be overpacked, and it won't be as bulky as a suitcase. Whaddaya think? I'll have to try and rearrange things tomorrow!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Just be very careful not to go over the weight limit for each bag. I have seen it enforced on a number of airlines this past year when they never used to.

 

[minkydog]

I set a limit of one bag per person, plus one bag for medicine & diapers. DS10 has special needs, and while he no longer is in a wheelchair trust me when I say he is a double handful Invest in rolling suitcases. At age 7 your DS is perfectly capable of managing a backpack and a medium suitcase. Your DH surely can manage 1 or 2 suitcases. Get a strap so you can tie a medium case to a large case and he can carry them both with ease.

Last summer I flew with DS10, DD12,DNeice7,& DSister. We left home with 6 pieces luggage among us and came home with 12--and *I* was in a wheelchair due to a torn ACL. Talk about a mess, we were in one. But we made it! We all pitched in to manage the luggage and Christian(and me!) Renting a trolley cart helped enormously--even the little girls can push them.

Good luck! Have a great vacation

 

[NotUrsula]

I think you need to forget about taking jeans! Never travel with jeans; they are too heavy and too bulky. Wear khakis or athletic pants if you need long pants, but skip the jeans. If it gets cold, a pr. of silk longjohns will keep you warm outdoors even when wearing lightweight trousers. If you need to bring fleece, get a compression sack and squish it down small. Stick a cloth duffel on top of your checked bag so that you can pull out and separately check shoes if you go over weight, then re-combine when you reach the carousel on the other end.

There are only 3 of us, not 4, but we do the trip with either 3 22-rollaboards and one backpack, or one checked bag and two backpack carryons.

When DS was little and could not help to carry things, we used the "hand rule" when packing: you may not take more items than you have hands that can help carry them. With 2 adults that is 4 hands, so a maximum of 4 bags total, including checked bags. The stroller counts against the total, but the carseat(s) don't if you can put them in a backpack satchel and leave your hands free to push the stroller.

 

[disneyfanfamily]

We always pack quite a few suitcases. Why? Because we were over on our poundage in 2003. The lady was nice, and did not charge us - we were 2 pounds over.

So my DH and I each have a large suitcase. My 2 DS's each have a med suitcase. My DD has a small suitcase. Then each child has a backpack carryon. Then I have a large purse carryon and DH has a small suitcase carryon. Whew!!! It is a pain, but at least I know we will not go over our limit, and we have plenty of room for souvies. We go for 9 days. I only do laundry at the end of our trip so I do not have as much to do when we get home. Call me crazy, but it works for us!

 

[Mililani Mom]

Hi,

My family sounds similar to yours! This June will be our 1st trip to WDW! I'm trying to figure out what luggage to bring as well (for myself, DH, DS-7, DD-5). We also have to fly. So far, our plan is... Bring 1 26", 3 21" suitcases. Also I plan to stick two empty duffle bags in our suitcases for when we come home (in case I'm too lazy to pack neatly or in case we make a lot of purchases). All four of us will have carryons (3 of us have wheeled carryons, hubby will lug his around). Our carryons will hold change of clothing (in case DME is late), toiletries, snacks (AA does not provide meals), entertainment (our travel period will be around 11 hours), and a sm. pillow and blanket for air travel (AA does not give pillows on domestic flights and blankets are not guaranteed). My solution to you is... Pack whatever you need and pay the porter at the curb. Yes, it may come out to $10.00 or so, but it's wonderful and worth it! Good luck! Let me know what you do (if you have a better solution, I may revise my packing strategy again).

 

[alleghator]

Don't try to manage with all the luggage, is my advice. Tip a porter at the curb a buck or two a bag and you're good to go.

For a week-long trip (we haven't been to Disney as a family before, but regularly travel), we pack a very large suitcase (but not super-tight, to keep weight in mind), a substantial garment bag (super for shoes, in addition to hanging stuff), and a very large duffel bag. Those we check through. We carry on a wheelie suitcase like flight attendants use, the kids' LeapPads (perfect on airplanes, with headphones of course), and a completely overstuffed backpack. We gate-check the kids' booster seats, as they're not airline approved, but we don't want to risk not having them on the other end if the checked luggage goes missing.

We frequently pack an empty duffel bag into one of the suitcases for souvenirs and the inevitable post-vacation why-doesn't-it-all-go-back-where-it-came-out-of? effect.

--Heidi

 

[pezpam]

I've found that it's easy to go over weight limit with the large suitcases. After being told to put the stuff in our backpacks or pay $50-100 per bag extra charge, I started using medium-sized suitcases.

For two of us, I try to get away with one medium rolling suitcase, throwing in an extra duffle bag to hold heavy and non-fragile things on teh way home. If the weather is iffy or I just pack too much, I add a small or medium rolling suitcase that DD can handle or that I can handle with the other one in a pinch.

Whatever you decide, it may just be enough of a load off your mind to check it all at the curb. When you have a child in a stroller, this is often the way to go just for the sake of ease....... For a dollar or two a bag, it's well worth it.

 

[Petmd]

Karalynn-

Just read your post...my DH takes bungy-cords so you can use your suitcases on wheels and bungy duffel bags to them. Last year, we flew and I was 7 months pregnant and on a weight restriction for what I could carry...my DS (5 at the time) wheeled a small suitcase (larger than Spider Man) w/ his car booster seat bungied (we rented a car- this year DME) and I wheeled medium suitcase with duffel bungied and he did the large one w/ carry-ons and duffel bungied- It worked GREAT!! But it is "top-heavy" so be careful not to the let the suitcase on wheels fall sideways.

Your DH and DS should be able to wheel them w/ stuff bungied on- it is only a small trek through the airport- you'll be fine- take what you need- just watch your weight. I hate buying things there as it so much more expensive. I am a little worried b/c this year we won't have a car there- and usually we stop at Walgreens when we get there to get some stuff.

You can fit alot in your DD's stroller too.

Have a great trip

petmd99

 

[lovetoscrap]

your airlines SUITCASE SIZE limits! Many of them have been lowered in the last few years. The brand new large suitcase that I bought for our trip 3 years ago is now oversized and we can no longer use it without paying a fee. I had to buy a new one and while it was fine for Delta, it is just barely under the size limit for Southwest. It is not only weight that matters! Check your airlines hight and width restrictions. They will check when you check in!

Another thing to keep in mind when considering carry ons, is that some airlines will allow an extra piece if it contains medical equipment. This was a life saver when I was traveling alone somewhere and had no space in my suitcase and one allowed carryon (plus purse). I HAD to bring my nebulizer and asthma meds and didn't know what to do. I searched Delta's site and found out that the extra bag with medical equipment was allowed. This doesn't help if you are out of hands, but it does if have the amount allowed per person and still can't fit all med. supplies in.

 

[lovesdumbo]

On my last trip I took DD(6) 2 nights earlier. My DH, DS(4), and DD(2) [along with an adult friend who had just a carry on suitcase and tote bag] arrived for 7 more nights. I took all the checked bags with me. DH had a car seat, stroller and carryon for with stuff to keep the kids happy. DS also had a small backpack. I checked 2 bags. One large roller that I had to make real sure didn't go over the 50 lbs and 1 smaller rolling bag. I also had a carry on and daypack and a stroller. I did use the skycap and managed very well. I also used a town car service in Orlando that met us at baggage claim. I also mail a package to the resort with a few extra clothes. And our trip was in Oct so the only warm clothes I had I wore on the plane and I did do laundry.

I tried to pack clothes evenly between the 2 bags so that if 1 bag was lost noone would be without clothes for a week.

Good luck! Have a great trip!!!

 

[DisnyMama]

When we flew United in December I called and asked them what the limit was for the dimensions of the suitcases and they told me 26" in circumfrence. Well, our large suitcases that we flew on United a couple years measure closer to 28" so we used our smalled cases. I don't like to do laundry while on vacation but did not want to pay the oversize and overweight fee. When we got to the airport we must have seen dozens of peole using the large suitcases that we left at home. I watched them check in and they must have been under the 50lbs because they were never charged the oversize fee. Later I was told that you can get away with the larger sizes and weight issues if you check in outside at the curb and pay the Porter. They will put it through for you. I never new this. Next time!!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

4 people and 3 suitcases...you are doing good.

For a 1 week or less trip or a trip with W/D access--we do one suitcase per person. Hubby and I have a large one and the girls have their individual. If a longer trip--I will merge them into one large suitcase and use their little suitcases for extra stuff. We have one bag that is toiletries and stuff so that amounts to 5 checked bags or 6 if the girls get combined. We check their car seats and they have a bag so that is 8 pieces getting lugged...plus carry ons.

If you have 3 I think you are doing excellent. Perhaps your son can help push daughter or help dad with a suitcase--or just park convenient to a smart cart location and pick one of those up (I do this when flying solo with the kids) or pay the tip and utilize curb side check in.

It doesn't sound like what you are doing is unreasonable. Just short of hands and it happens.

Souvies are going to happen most likely. Perpaps packing a duffle type bag into one of the large suitcases so that you have an extra bag to stuff souvenirs in (or dirty laundry ).

 

[KarenP99]

We have 3 kids(4, 2, 1), 2 strollers & 3 car seats...so I really need to try to limit the luggage. My solution...UPS! I'm shipping a fairly large box it's about $25 but it has all the diapers, wipes....heck it has everything but the clothes (including laundry detergent, swim floaties, blanket/crib sheet for baby...etc)

I'm also including packing tape & a return label, so I can just re-pack & call UPS the day we leave to come get it!

All told it will cost me $50-60, but SO worth it when trying to juggle 3 little ones.

I have to ship it by Wednesday to have it there for our arrival 2/7.

 

[luvmy2sams]

We flew with the entire family for the first time on our trip earlier this month, and I was stressed the entire time I was packing about going over the weight limits. Between DH, DD7, DS2 and myself and the fact that we'd be gone for 11 nights, I thought we'd end up with too much luggage and too few hands to transport it. However, we ended up using only 2 suitcases (the large black Mickey suitcase and the large rolling Mickey duffle from Disney Direct) and a small overnight bag. I couldn't believe that I got a week's worth of clothing and 80 diapers into 2 bags, and we weren't near the 50 pound limit on either bag. Each kid had a backpack of goodies for the plane, and I had a small park backpack to carry enough diapers for travel time. DH was stuck with the carseat bag, and we pushed DS2 in his lightweight stroller.

Have a great trip!

 

[RangerPooh]

We have a tendency to overpack as our DD is 11 months. When she was really little we brought our largest suitcase to accommodate the travel boucny/sleeper that she slept in. Thankfully we don't ahve to do that this time. But we usually bring 1 backpacking pack and one larger suitcase. Plus DD Kelty backpack. I am also planning on sneding a package ahead of time t the resort that has diaper, forula, and possibly a few other lightweight items to save on space.