Is it possible to pack light for a trip to Disney?

[Disney2013]

What are "packing folders"?

 

[aubriee]

What are "packing folders"?

Best things since velcro! I have all sizes of packing folders and cubes, but mainly use an 18" packing folder to pack a week's worth of shorts and tees in my carryon and still have half the bag left for other things. I am pooh size and can still easily pack 8 shorts and tees in an 18" packing folder. Don't be afraid to stretch those flaps closed. As long as you can get the velcro to touch, they'll hold and one 18" packing folder perfectly fits into one side of my 21" Heys carrry on, leaving the other half for other items. I also love the slim cubes and small and 1/4 cubes for miscellaneous things. The 20" packing folder I use if I'm checking a bag. The 15" packing folder I hardly ever use though. Go to ebags or zappos and read the reviews:

http://www.ebags.com/category/trave...acking-folders?lastSearchTerm=packing+folders
http://www.ebags.com/category/travel-accessories/packing-aids/packing-cubes?origin=flyaway
http://www.zappos.com/eagle-creek-cubes

 

[BiancaBernard&Penny]

I go cheap with packing cube concept- I save up those plastic zipper cases that sheets, etc come packaged up in and roll my clothing into those. I also pack a few things into squished out gallon ziplock bags.
I try to pick a couple complimentary colors and pack within that palate so I can mix and match outfits easily and re-wear sweaters and pants/shorts/skirts. My grey jersey skirt can dress up with my yellow top and a necklace or dress down with a blue tee and headband. The grey ruffled cardigan and comfy black Mary Janes goes with either.

 

[Swirly girls]

We are leaving on our Disney vacation on Saturday.... I just began packing today. Originally, I was planning on only having 1 checked bag, and each member of our family would have a carry on bag. However, we have decided to go to having 2 checked bags ( DH clothes, my clothing, pjs, flip flops for us all, swimsuits, extra tote for everything we buy while on vacation, 4 ziplock bags filled with medication, sunscreen, rain ponchos, first aid stuff, ect ect ect, all of our cosmetics and hair stuff, hair straighter, brushes, personal items, blow dryer ect. I will not carry a carry on the way there, just my purse ( which is kinda big and will hold my camera as well) DH will carry on a tote with all cell phones, lap tops, iPad, kindles, nooks, chargers and cables. 3 daughters will each have a carry on( their clothes, swimsuits, and undergarments)
I rolled of our shirts,tanks,and pjs. I placed everything in ziplock bags ( gallon sz) as many items as I could fit in the bag, and pressed all air out of e bag, sealed, and placed it in the suitcases or carry on bag. I did this with socks, undergarments, and swimsuits too. It seems like we got a lot of packed -- I have 3 daughters ages 16,15 and 13. As well as my husband, and myself.
Just thought I would share my plans with you.
I'd rather have what we need, and have that extra space for in the way home.

 

[aubriee]

We are leaving on our Disney vacation on Saturday.... I just began packing today. Originally, I was planning on only having 1 checked bag, and each member of our family would have a carry on bag. However, we have decided to go to having 2 checked bags ( DH clothes, my clothing, pjs, flip flops for us all, swimsuits, extra tote for everything we buy while on vacation, 4 ziplock bags filled with medication, sunscreen, rain ponchos, first aid stuff, ect ect ect, all of our cosmetics and hair stuff, hair straighter, brushes, personal items, blow dryer ect. I will not carry a carry on the way there, just my purse ( which is kinda big and will hold my camera as well) DH will carry on a tote with all cell phones, lap tops, iPad, kindles, nooks, chargers and cables. 3 daughters will each have a carry on( their clothes, swimsuits, and undergarments)
I rolled of our shirts,tanks,and pjs. I placed everything in ziplock bags ( gallon sz) as many items as I could fit in the bag, and pressed all air out of e bag, sealed, and placed it in the suitcases or carry on bag. I did this with socks, undergarments, and swimsuits too. It seems like we got a lot of packed -- I have 3 daughters ages 16,15 and 13. As well as my husband, and myself.
Just thought I would share my plans with you.
I'd rather have what we need, and have that extra space for in the way home.

Just a note: I would never, never pack medications in a checked bag. Medications should always go in your personal item, if you don't want them lost or stolen.

 

[Swirly girls]

Just a note: I would never, never pack medications in a checked bag. Medications should always go in your personal item, if you don't want them lost or stolen.

Yep, just to clarify if you are on any medication that you have to take, and can't go without, then yes, you should have them on carry on or purse. The medication I pack in checked bags are all over the counter. Such as, extra Tylenol or ibuprofen, gad x, tums, stuff like that. Which, In the case luggage would be lost, that can all be replaced by buying at a store.

 

[Southern Bell]

Well, I am not a very light packer or a good source to help anyone else be! LOL! My daughter sometimes says which one should I take and I answer Oh just take both if you have room and you can decide when you get there which to wear! LOL! If I were flying I would worry more about it I guess. But since we are driving, I pretty much take what I want. LOL! Each of us will have one big suitcase. So whatever I can get into that suitcase it goes into it! LOL! Even though I am guilty of bringing my clothes home clean on some vacations, I take enough that I don't have to do laundry if I don't want to. I match up my outfits but... I have no idea what outfit I will wear untill the night before or the next morining when I get up. I'm just not one to know what color or what out fit I will be in the mood to wear next week. I will do good to know the night before. It also depends on the weather and were we are going. If I go for six days, I'm going to take six outfits, and at least a couple of extra outfits. Sometimes a dressy outfit or skirt in the summer, a couple of bathing suits, cover up or two, a couple of PJ's, under clothing for each day plus extra, tennis shoes, flip flops, sandals, beach towels and sunscreen in my beach bag , cameras, phones, all my toiletrie items and meds in a seperate small tote bag. For fall, I included with my shorts, a couple of long capris, two pair jeans, beige pants, black pants, 4 long sleeve shirts, sweatshirt, a couple of jackets, very light weight windbreaker for the rain, my poncho. Then I will have a insulated bag I got at Sams full of snacks and a cooler full of drinks and water, plus extra in the van for the room. I will also have an overnight bag with a change of clothes incase we drive only halfway and get a hotel for one night. So that makes me have, 2 large suitcases, 1small tote(toiletries), 1 insulated bag(snacks), 1 beach bag, 1 overnight tote, 1 cooler, carton of coke, water. I'm also thinking do I need a bag for my cameras, phone chargers, computer etc. Lol! Oh I will also have a pillow and small blanket in the van. I think that is pretty good for me!My husband will be thrilled! LOL!

 

[aubriee]

Well, I am not a very light packer or a good source to help anyone else be! LOL! My daughter sometimes says which one should I take and I answer Oh just take both if you have room and you can decide when you get there which to wear! LOL! If I were flying I would worry more about it I guess. But since we are driving, I pretty much take what I want. LOL! Each of us will have one big suitcase. So whatever I can get into that suitcase it goes into it! LOL! Even though I am guilty of bringing my clothes home clean on some vacations, I take enough that I don't have to do laundry if I don't want to. I match up my outfits but... I have no idea what outfit I will wear untill the night before or the next morining when I get up. I'm just not one to know what color or what out fit I will be in the mood to wear next week. I will do good to know the night before. It also depends on the weather and were we are going. If I go for six days, I'm going to take six outfits, and at least a couple of extra outfits. Sometimes a dressy outfit or skirt in the summer, a couple of bathing suits, cover up or two, a couple of PJ's, under clothing for each day plus extra, tennis shoes, flip flops, sandals, beach towels and sunscreen in my beach bag , cameras, phones, all my toiletrie items and meds in a seperate small tote bag. For fall, I included with my shorts, a couple of long capris, two pair jeans, beige pants, black pants, 4 long sleeve shirts, sweatshirt, a couple of jackets, very light weight windbreaker for the rain, my poncho. Then I will have a insulated bag I got at Sams full of snacks and a cooler full of drinks and water, plus extra in the van for the room. I will also have an overnight bag with a change of clothes incase we drive only halfway and get a hotel for one night. So that makes me have, 2 large suitcases, 1small tote(toiletries), 1 insulated bag(snacks), 1 beach bag, 1 overnight tote, 1 cooler, carton of coke, water. I'm also thinking do I need a bag for my cameras, phone chargers, computer etc. Lol! Oh I will also have a pillow and small blanket in the van. I think that is pretty good for me!My husband will be thrilled! LOL!

WOW! (two large suitcases, a tote, beach bag, overnight tote, and another bag for electronics--just for one person) It's funny how different people can be--not that one is wrong and one is right, just that they're different. I can not imagine packing all that stuff for a week's vacation. My husband would kill me! At work, I have a reputation for being one of the most organized, efficient nurses on our unit. I'm always juggling 20 different things at one time. I am the same way in my private life. I have to know where everything is, that everything is organized and in it's place, and if I know something needs doing, I want it done yesterday. I really wished I could be more relaxed and laid back, but just can't.

There is no way I could pack for a trip and not know what top goes with what shorts. It would drive me bonkers. I'd be scared to death that I had forgotten something. Before I pack, I organize my clothes into outfits, iron them, then fold them neatly into a packing folder, in the opposite order that I plan on wearing them, so that the first day's outfit rounds up on top, the second day's outfit next, and so on. When I get to the room, I simply slide them out onto the top shelf or into a drawer and take the top outfit out every morning. I don't do laundry on vacation either and pack enough clothes to have one extra outfit (and maybe a nicer outfit or two if we are dining at any Signature restaurants), but can still get everything into one carry on. Now in cold weather I will pack one checked bag, (but my husband and I share it and we always have lots of room left in it--we fly). I do like to have my own personal shower gels, lotions, etc, though, so just pour my favorites into small bottles just big enough for the trip. Normally I can easily pack for a 9 day trip in a carry on and a personal item. Every night when we get in from the parks, I repack clothes neatly back into the packing folders and underclothes back into a packing cube, so that on the last day all I have to do is drop the packing folders back into the bags, drop in shoes, and repack any toiletries and and chargers back into their small bags and drop them into the bag and I'm repacked and can be out of the room in less than five minutes on our last day. I hate repacking, so always take just a minute every night to refold dirty clothes into a packing folder or cube, to make it easier on the last day.

Again, don't get me wrong. I don't think there is anything wrong with the way you pack, we just have different styles and what works for one wouldn't work for the other. One of my daughter in laws is an overpacker. I'm just amazed at how much luggage she has for a trip. They just got back from a 6 day cruise last week and she carried three large rolling duffels and a smaller bag for the two of them. My son said two of the duffels and smaller bag were just for her stuff, plus she added some of her things to his duffel, because she ran out of room in hers. lol She had borrowed those bags from me, so I know how big they were. When I went on a 7 day cruise a few years ago I carried one of those duffels and that smaller bag and had room left over (and never washed clothes or wore the same outfit twice--plus we had two formal nights, whereas their cruise had just one).

Hey, I one of those weird persons that can't understand why people take those huge backpacks into the parks. I wouldn't be caught dead in cargo shorts around here, but have bought alot of thin, comfortable ones for traveling, that I love. If it doesn't fit in my cargo pockets, it doesn't go. All I take into the parks are my tiny Cannon Elph camera, maybe my cellphone, and a Vera Bradely zip ID that holds my KTTW card, AP, CC, TiW card, Disney gift card, and a little cash. Anything else I can do without for a few hours. lol I love being bagfree in the parks.

 

[Southern Bell]

LOL! No 2 people! LOL! My husband would kill me, too! LOL! I always take just one suitcase full of clothes for myself and one for my husband. I was very proud of myself for just taking one this trip since I packed clothes for hot or cooler weather! My suitcase is about 15x20. I felt pretty good about it untill I read how you could pack! LOL! I like some of your ideas!
I just wanted to add:
I never understood what everyone was carrying in all those big back packs either! But.... I just read on moms panel a suggestion to take sandwich bags and save your desert(you get every meal on DP) and put in your back pack for later in the parks or to take to your room for later! So now you all know! All those backpacks are full of Chocolate cake & Carrot cake! I never would have guessed that! I thought maybe they were carrying rain jackets! LOL! So now I'm thinking do I need a back pack now? LOL! No! You cannot go to Disney light! LOL!

 

[QueenElinor]

The method of packing I use is called "bundle packing." I learned it at OneBag.com. It's amazing what you can get in a small bag- the biggest worry is that it can go over limit on the weight without you realizing it!

My husband splurged and bought a Red Oxx bag. It's incredibly designed and you won't believe what you can get in it, even though it's carry-on sized. It was actually designed to be used with bundle packing. He usually has space left over so I can take more shoes! Mine is an ancient, little Eddie Bauer rolling bag. Tough as nails!!

We only take carry-on luggage, and have for years, no matter where we go- Europe, Hawaii, Disney wherever. The kids have grown up doing this and now are expert packers. The advantage of teaching them this is that with a rolling bag they're able to carry all their own stuff at an early age.

I make sure all of my clothes go together- tops, bottoms, dresses (they're the best for light packing, actually). We wear our jackets & long pants on the airplane. On really long trips we do laundry, but usually just wash a few things here and there using soap paper from Travelon.

We adults typically don't take anything cotton, it gets wet, takes up space and doesn't dry quickly. Silk, rayon and synthetics are what we rely on. Over the years we have really refined our packing but it's second nature now. Much of the time my bag isn't even full.

 

[ZoZo]

We are DVC members so we have a washer and dryer and always keep the bags down to 1 per person and that is often a carry on size!

AKK

I think this is the key for those who are over-packers (like me!): plan to do laundry mid-trip. You can bring half of the amount of clothes you normally would.

I go at a pretty hot and humid time of year, so I've been known to take a shower and change my clothes mid-day (it feels so much better not to be in the same sweaty clothes all day!). So it's even more important for me to do laundry mid-trip. Doing laundry actually provides me with a reason to take a nice mid-afternoon break. At most of the resorts, the laundry facilities are located next to a pool, so it's a great chance to take a pool break!