How much to pack? 11 days

[java]

We are driving down so 2 days will be in the car..How many pairs of shorts do I bring per person? There are 6 of us! YIKES the thought of all those clothes. I do not plan on doing laundry...although maybe I'll have to. We are a pool break back to the parks kind of family so generally we shower after the pool get dressed for dinner and parks- so do I need to pack 20 pairs of shorts? YIKES!! I know if I assume more than one day of wearing they will get ruined somehow. And in the July heat it is tough to reuse clothes. HELP! I don't even think the kids have 10 pairs of shorts. Opinions please....

 

[antree]

Really, what I would do is wash while you are there. We went in July and it is HOT. There is no way you can wear the clothes more then 1 day in that heat.
I would pack a weeks worth of clothes and then do the laundry. The clothes can be washing while you are in the pool, that is what I did. I jumped out of the pool and switched them to the dryer. Don't worry about getting them back to the room until you are done swimming, then I would put them away after I got back from the park. Bring lots of tank tops they pack up small and don't take a lot of room up.

Maria

 

[sunnishine]

We are going for 11 days and we are washing ...

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I really think doing laundry is your best bet. Like you said 20 pair of shorts is just plain silly. Washers and dryers cost about $2.00 each per load, cheaper than buying everyone more clothes.

 

[brat5063]

That's a lot of shorts. Bring some quarters and do some laundry while you guys take a break from the park and swim.

 

[razamataz]

There are 6 of us! I do not plan on doing laundry...although maybe I'll have to. We are a pool break back to the parks kind of family so generally we shower after the pool get dressed for dinner and parks- so do I need to pack 20 pairs of shorts? I know if I assume more than one day of wearing they will get ruined somehow. And in the July heat it is tough to reuse clothes. HELP! I don't even think the kids have 10 pairs of shorts. Opinions please....

Things to take into consideration:

How much room will you have left in the vehicle if pack all of the clothes you will need for 11 days?

How much space will you have to store all of these clothes when you get to either the resort or hotel you where are staying?

If you have younger children, take into consideration the "drop" factor. How often do they drop food/drinks onto their clothes? (I still factor this into any trip for myself.)

Do you really want to have all those dirty clothes left in your hotel room for 11 days?

Do you really want to do that much laundry when you get home after a such a long vacation? (This alone, would probably, take the magic out of the vacation to me )

Just some food for thought......

 

[java]

UGH looks like laundry for me on vacation. That shouldn't be a surprise- I usually have to do at least 1 load a day at home to keep on top of things- so 11 days is too much. Guess I should go find out where the laundry is in the Poly. (I still am going to overpack though! LOL)

 

[sameyeyam]

Not sure of the ages of children in your family, but how about offering some of the older ones some extra spending money in exchange for them doing the laundry.

You can sit out by the pool and enjoy a nice cool drink, watch the younger ones swim, while the older ones take care of the laundry! You're probably going to give them spending money anyway, how about making them earn it?

Or if that doesn't work then you can put the laundry in the washer & dryer, then when it's dry make everyone go down and fold their own clothes. By the way, I find the upper dryers dry in about half the time of the lower dryers. I don't think they get used as much!

Can you tell that I have no problem enlisting my kids to help! I figure I am giving them good life skills as well as giving myself a little free time!

 

[java]

LOL My oldest just turned 12 and he can kind of do laundry already. He could probably handle it....but maybe not. Now dinner that he can handle! I am all about the life skills too(especially when it helps me out lol)

As a side note anybody else having trouble posting today- I can only do quick reply

 

[idreamofdisney24/7]

Our stay is for 12 days and we leave on Thursday!
I just started packing for myself, husband and kids (ages 11,8,2,8 weeks).
We change clothes in the afternoon after the pool usually. We like to have something clean and fresh for dinner, etc.. I always do laundry. We drove the last 2 times and I also brought a laundry basket and was able to pack things in it our vehicle..Then, it's easier to transport wash back and fourth..but, for us, we are flying this time. I bought a small bottle of ALL at Walgreens and packed it in a zip loc bag. I would say I packed for 7 days worth of shorts and more than enough shirts and t-shirts. Lots of tank tops for me and my 11 year old! Their small to pack too!! Plus, this whole flip flop fad has got me going nutty! I think I packed about 12!! Luckily they don't take much room!! What type of Vehicle do you have? I think it also depends on how much room you have in that. When we drove, we had my husband's Chevy Avalanche and I could bring everything but the kitchen sink!!

 

[o2bacelt]

I also agree on the wash thing. Most resorts have laundry by the pool. We went to the pool one afternoon and I got the laundry started while my MIL and FIL took DD to the baby pool to play for awhile.

I got a small bottle of All small and mighty (the new one) and passed it off to another mom a couple of days before we left when I was doing laundry a second time (my DD got a stomach virus while we were there.) We're going again in October and I've got a couple sample sized boxes of detergent for emergency laundry.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Last year we went for 18 days - 5 of us! Even though DH swears I overpack (11 suitcases - 4 carry ons- 2 boxes shipped) I still had to do some laundry and sent some out to be done.

For this trip we will be there 16 days. For the kids I am packing 16 outfits and I still know that I will be doing and/or having laundry done because in the heat of July and pool breaks they always end up wearing two outfits a day.

Of course I don't even own 16 outfits for myself (LOL) so I know I'll be doing laundry for DH and I.

I usually try to get up really really early - liked around 5:00, throw two loads in and then DH will run and pick them up from the dryer on his way back.

Have fun!

 

[akalittleeva]

How busy are the laundry rooms in the middle of the afternoon or at 8:00 at night? How much time would it take to do a couple loads? The machines take quarters? Is there a place to make change?

 

[o2bacelt]

I didn't have to wait for a washer in the middle of the afternoon. A lot of people are still in the parks. There were two people there when I went in and they both had stuff in the dryers, then no one until I was taking my stuff out of the dryer.

I don't know about later at night, I think my hubby did a load when our DD got sick around 9 and there was no one in there either.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

At the GF there were only two washers for the entire building (Sago Cay) so it worked out better for me to do it very early in the morning.

 

[Grendalynn]

I don'tknow what to say - but - no matter how long I am leaving home for - I always pack WAY too much stuff! Weather it be for 2 days or a week plus, DH grumbles when he lifts our suitcases! My Theory: You never know what you might need!