IMPORTANT - Plastic Bags for Clothes!

[Tink's Pixieduster]

Here’s a packing tip for those that are flying to WDW; always pack your clothes in those plastic, roll-up packing bags.

I just returned from WDW on Sunday, 9/09. When I first arrived at MCO on 9/01, I was using ME so I did not pick up my luggage from baggage claim (we’re not supposed to). I have used ME four times since it began in 2005 and never had a problem with my luggage being delivered in good shape.

Until now.

This time, my luggage arrived in good time, but somewhere along the way, either on the plane or during the transfer by ME, a bottle of some kind of oily, musky smelling liquid or lotion that someone else had packed in their suitcase leaked out of their bag and got all over my suitcase, even going through the material to soak through to the inside. All my lotions, shampoos, etc., were intact, so I know it wasn’t my packing that caused the problem. The liquid or lotion, or whatever it was (and there was A LOT of it to do the damage it did), coated the inside of the suitcase and everything that came into contact with it. My suitcase and its contents were an oily and very smelly mess, but there was one saving grace.

What saved the trip for me was the fact that I had packed all but one pair of pants in those plastic roll-up bags for clothes. Those things don’t always stay airtight, but it was protection enough to save my clothes from being ruined. The one pair of pants that was not packed in plastic have oil stains on them now, and my suitcase is ruined, but my clothes were fine.

So, please be careful when packing your toiletries and always seal them in plastic for protection of your suitcase and other traveler’s as well, and even more important, ALWAYS pack your clothes in those plastic, roll-up bags. It could save you a lot of grief.

 

[TIGGER1981]

wow! Thats terrible! I'm sorry that your luggage was ruined...smart thinking to pack your clothes in the bags...I'm heading out tonight after work the buy some. Thanks for the trip saving tip! (haha say that 10 times fast!)

 

[Mcbruns]

Here’s a packing tip for those that are flying to WDW; always pack your clothes in those plastic, roll-up packing bags.

I just returned from WDW on Sunday, 9/09. When I first arrived at MCO on 9/01, I was using ME so I did not pick up my luggage from baggage claim (we’re not supposed to). I have used ME four times since it began in 2005 and never had a problem with my luggage being delivered in good shape.

Until now.

This time, my luggage arrived in good time, but somewhere along the way, either on the plane or during the transfer by ME, a bottle of some kind of oily, musky smelling liquid or lotion that someone else had packed in their suitcase leaked out of their bag and got all over my suitcase, even going through the material to soak through to the inside. All my lotions, shampoos, etc., were intact, so I know it wasn’t my packing that caused the problem. The liquid or lotion, or whatever it was (and there was A LOT of it to do the damage it did), coated the inside of the suitcase and everything that came into contact with it. My suitcase and its contents were an oily and very smelly mess, but there was one saving grace.

What saved the trip for me was the fact that I had packed all but one pair of pants in those plastic roll-up bags for clothes. Those things don’t always stay airtight, but it was protection enough to save my clothes from being ruined. The one pair of pants that was not packed in plastic have oil stains on them now, and my suitcase is ruined, but my clothes were fine.

So, please be careful when packing your toiletries and always seal them in plastic for protection of your suitcase and other traveler’s as well, and even more important, ALWAYS pack your clothes in those plastic, roll-up bags. It could save you a lot of grief.

Thanks for the tip.
Sorry about your luggage.

 

[dburg30]

I'm suprised we arent hearing more of these stories with just about everything having to go in the checked bags anymore.

Glad you had planned and put your clothes in plastic!

 

[theparsons]

Where do you get the bags large enough for adult clothes? I've got the 2gallon zip lock bags, but sheesh, one pair of my jeans and it's full, lol. Are their bigger better alternatives?

 

[blossombrd]

Are you talking about space bags or the Ziploc or Hefty bags you can get in Large, XL & XXL size?

I need to buy some, but I don't know which ones to buy? I'm not sure what you mean by roll-up packing bags.

Thanks.

Linda

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Where do you get the bags large enough for adult clothes? I've got the 2gallon zip lock bags, but sheesh, one pair of my jeans and it's full, lol. Are their bigger better alternatives?

Comparitively, I used the 2-gallon bags (One-Zip are slightly larger than the yellow & blue make green) for our trip two weeks ago. Mind you I was packing summer clothes, but I was able to fit an entire days' worth of clothes for the three of us in one bag - 3 shorts, 3 shirts, undies and socks were packed separately. I packed almost every item in plastic bags, just in case.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

Are you talking about space bags or the Ziploc or Hefty bags you can get in Large, XL & XXL size?

I need to buy some, but I don't know which ones to buy? I'm not sure what you mean by roll-up packing bags.

Thanks.

Linda

I used Space Bags I got at Costco. The box came with regular Space Bags (that you use with a vacuum to take the air out), and travel Space Bags (the roll-up kind).

I think the XL or XXL Ziploc or Hefty bags would work just as well, and would probably be a bit less expensive. I think as long as the clothes are protected, it doesn't matter what you use.

 

[Kevenswife2]

Packing bags of any kind also help if security chooses to do a hand search of your bag.

While dropping off my checked bags at the x-ray machine I got to watch TSA go through someone's bag. All the female's "delicate" items were there for the world to see. And I can't imagine the wrinkled mess she had when she arrived to her destination. TSA's do not fold clothing!

 

[poohfriend77]

This is also a great tip for the way home! A couple years ago, we visited my brother for several days. On our last day, I tossed all our dirty laundry on top of the remaining clean stuff and we left for the airport.

Even though the weather was beautiful, a midwest storm near our destination prevented us from taking off. We sat on the runway (in an unair-conditioned plane that ran out of water an ice, but that's another story...) for 3 hours before the flight was officially canceled.

DDs clothes were neatly packed in ziploc bags, and I had an extra shirt packed in my carry on bag for the next day. But DH had to wear a shirt that had been mingling with his sweaty, dirty laundry all day. Now ALL of our clothes get packed in bags, and clean stuff can go back in our closets when we get home.

 

[Kevenswife2]

DDs clothes were neatly packed in ziploc bags, and I had an extra shirt packed in my carry on bag for the next day. But DH had to wear a shirt that had been mingling with his sweaty, dirty laundry all day.

He packed his own suitcase, didn't he?

When I ask DH what he wants me to pack for him he says all he needs is his toothbrush. Believe me, sometimes I'm very tempted to pack only that for him.

 

[ZoZo]

Yikes! What a great tip, thanks very much for sharing.

I'm compulsive about putting my own liquid items in ziploc bags, but never thought about someone else's stuff leaking through to my own suitcase. I think I'm going to invest in some of the big ziplocs.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

Packing bags of any kind also help if security chooses to do a hand search of your bag.

While dropping off my checked bags at the x-ray machine I got to watch TSA go through someone's bag. All the female's "delicate" items were there for the world to see. And I can't imagine the wrinkled mess she had when she arrived to her destination. TSA's do not fold clothing!

If I pack my clothes in those bags, actually I have my clothes packed in those bags, razors & nail clippers packed in a ziploc bag, shampoo & conditioner etc in another in my checked luggage will they OPEN those bags & go through them???? And to Tink's Pixieduster: What are you going to do about the ruined luggage??? What did you use to come home??

 

[Kevenswife2]

If I pack my clothes in those bags, actually I have my clothes packed in those bags, razors & nail clippers packed in a ziploc bag, shampoo & conditioner etc in another in my checked luggage will they OPEN those bags & go through them????

I really don't know, but I like to think it makes it easier for them to look through and find the suspicious item. Maybe they would send each packing bag through the x-ray machine or be able to feel what they are looking for through the bag. Who knows with TSA.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

If I pack my clothes in those bags, actually I have my clothes packed in those bags, razors & nail clippers packed in a ziploc bag, shampoo & conditioner etc in another in my checked luggage will they OPEN those bags & go through them???? And to Tink's Pixieduster: What are you going to do about the ruined luggage??? What did you use to come home??

I contacted JetBlue after I got home. The person I spoke with said that I would have to contact baggage claim at the airport I flew out of, but they couldn't give me the number or tell me how to find it . I have been unable to locate that telephone number on my own.

I also sent a note to WDW about my experience, suggesting that there be a way for the people who handle baggage for ME to report damage so travelers who use that service will know if the luggage was already damaged when it was retrieved from the plane. This would give me a stronger case for filing a claim with the airline or ME, depending on where the damage actually occurred.

The bottom line is I have no way of knowing who is responsible for damaging my suitcase, so I guess I will have to replace it myself. Accidents will happen, but this does not make for very warm and fuzzy feelings about JetBlue baggage handlers, or some of the ME process and possibly their baggage handlers.

I priced out a WDW suitcase at my resort, but $165 was more than I had budgeted for incidentals, so I tried to wipe down my suitcase and the plastic bags the best I could and made sure for the trip home that only the plastic bags contacted the inside of my suitcase where the smell was really strong. The outside of the suitcase was acceptable, although badly stained (its red, so the stain is very prominent), and the smell was not as noticable after I cleaned it up, so I used this same suitcase for the way home. Aside from completely blowing my budget on a very pricey suitcase at the resort there was not much else I could do since I had relied on ME for my transportation while down there and did not have a car to leave the resort to go shopping.

 

[KimAshton]

I use large size zip loc bags and it works just as well. I pack everything in there due to the fact that they might have to search my suitcase and I don't want their hands all over my underwear.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I priced out a WDW suitcase at my resort, but $165 was more than I had budgeted for incidentals, so I tried to wipe down my suitcase and the plastic bags the best I could and made sure for the trip home that only the plastic bags contacted the inside of my suitcase where the smell was really strong. The outside of the suitcase was acceptable, although badly stained (its red, so the stain is very prominent), and the smell was not as noticable after I cleaned it up, so I used this same suitcase for the way home. Aside from completely blowing my budget on a very pricey suitcase at the resort there was not much else I could do since I had relied on ME for my transportation while down there and did not have a car to leave the resort to go shopping.[/QUOTE]

I am going to pick mine up @ baggage claim...SW says on it stuff that you have 4 hours to make a claim on your luggage (we had a suitcase stolen on the way home from jamaica) so I don't really mind if we pick up our own stuff, We will be taking ME to Disney becasue I don't feel like taking the childrens car seats.

 

[texasteacher35]

Where do you get the bags large enough for adult clothes? I've got the 2gallon zip lock bags, but sheesh, one pair of my jeans and it's full, lol. Are their bigger better alternatives?

Ziplock sells those XL bags and can fit many adult clothes in each bag...I think they sell like 4 of them in a box...they can fit all kinds of stuff, but I will definitely be getting some for our Ocotber trip!

 

[newholidayx2]

Wow sorry - that sucks
Whenever we pack (whether for myself or son & I) I pack a suitcase with our clothes and a suitcase with our miscellaneous. Even then I put all the misc in separate ziploc bags.
Never thought someone else would get their crap all over my stuff! that sucks

 

[englishteacha]

Hadn't thought of someone else's stuff wrecking mine! I have some of the Ziploc XXL bags that I use in my pop up camper to store bedding and towels. Maybe I should get more to use when we travel. I'm sure a week's worth of clothes will fit in one of those huge bags, then slide the whole thing in my duffle. I tried the Space Bags this trip, but my regular clothes just didn't fit well in them. I used them for my unmentionables instead. At least I didn't pay full price for them...love Big Lots sales!