Laundry or not to Laundry?

[UTgirl]

Would you pack enough clothes for a family of 4 for 7 days or would you plan on washing mid week?

My initial thought is to pack so I don't have to take the time to wash in a public washer - YUCK!

 

[Tumblwd501]

Personal choice, really. And for me, it would depend on where I was staying. More specifically, if there are washer/dryer units in my room or if I have to use public facilities, which seems to be what you're alluding too?

We just returned from a stay at SSR 2-BR unit, so we had a washer and a dryer in our room. It wasn't a big deal to throw a load in the washer in the morning before leaving for the park and then throwing that load in the dryer when we came back. If I had to hang around and wait for the loads to be done at a public washer/dryer, probably not. But I've heard that some people will do their laundry while relaxing at the pool. That doesn't sound too bad. And I'm all for anything that means we can pack less!!

 

[Tasmen]

For me, part of being in vacation is not having to do chores. Laundry is a chore Of course, I also am not traveling with children yet so I'm only dealing with luggage for two rather than 3, 4 or 5.

My recommendation would be to pack enough. If you are already a little squicked out at the thought of using a public washing machine, you probably won't want to do it while you are at WDW. Pack enough and worry about the dirty undies and socks when you get home!

 

[Tam1067]

The first time we went as a family of 5, we stayed at WL and I did laundry. My youngest was just 15 months old, and I thought there was no way I could go 7 nights without washing clothes. Well this past summer, we went for 8 nights and I just refused to do laundry. What a difference! We had plenty of clothes, and I did not at all miss lugging the clothes down to the laundry room (WL's is much too small for the size of the resort) and waiting for a machine. I'll NEVER do laundry at WDW again.

We didn't even have that much luggage, and we are a family of 5. I vote no laundry.

 

[TMB1203]

I always do laundry when I stay. Generally, I do it either late at night after we get back from the parks or while DS is napping.

I don't like coming home with dirty laundry and I figure, there's 2 washer/dryers at VWL and only 1 at my house, so I'm doing it much faster than if I was at home

 

[kimis]

The first two trips I didn't do laundry. I packed everything. DUMB! The last trip and this coming trip I do laundry. We always go over superbowl Sunday so I will do laundry than (or when dh is "resting"). The laundry rooms at POR are very nice. That way you are sure to have room in your lagguage for the goodies you can buy!

 

[Pixiedust34]

We do laundry. We always travel when it's hot and we usually go through 2 outfits/day, which is a lot to pack. Laundry is no big deal at the moderates and values because the laundry rooms are near a pool. We do a load of laundry while we swim. I've never done laundry at a deluxe, so I don't know how the laundry rooms are there.

It's always nice to have all fresh clothes mid-way through a trip.

 

[azgal81]

I would pack the clothes. The public washers don't bug me since I live in a condo complex and don't have a unit in my place. I wouldn't want to do laundry on vacation.

 

[wind1]

Doing laundry saves us one suitcase. I bring enough clothes for half the trip and leave one middle evening for laundry.

 

[familyofgoofies]

I've done laundry on vacation. I don't like it but with two boys, well... Seems like I get a little help with it when on vacation, unlike at home, so it wasn't so bad. Wishing you the best for your Disney trip.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I do not like to do any housework on vacation at all and usually pack everything we own (we drive) but we stayed 21 days on site last time as well as the time down and back and a couple of side trips so it was not possible.

If you like to swim or watch your family swim it might not be too hard but I do neither.

Hope it works out whatever you decide.

Slightly Goofy

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I tried to pack light this last trip because we stayed at OKW and had a washer and dryer in the room but not know how the weather would be I totally overpacked...

I liked coming home to clean clothes so even if I didn't have a washer in the room I would go do the laundry. Less to carry too!

I am also getting smarted about packing...this past trip I brought along (for myself) 3 - 4 t shirts, 2 pair of jeans, 1 pair of shorts and capris and some cardigans and just intermingled...it worked great!

 

[Belladonna]

a tip that I learned from my grandma is to buy those packs of undies from the dollar store. Wear them once, then toss them -- makes for less laundy and a little more space when you're trying to find a spot for some of those goodies you're bringing back

 

[mckinley]

I do laundry each time, i always say i am not going to do laundry this time and pack tons of clothes. But when i start seeing all of the dirty laundry starting to pile up i just break down and wash. We also normally go in the hot weather so the sweaty clothes really need it. Now this time in feb. when it is just me and dd6 i don't believe i will do laundry this time.

 

[RachaelRol]

I do laundry while DS and DH rest or while we're at the pool. Not a big deal for me

 

[3DisneyGals&1Grumpy]

I almost always do laundry. Not because I want to but somebody usually dribbles a Mickey bar on the new dress, spills a little ketchup on the Disney shirt, etc. and I don't want the stains. I know, I could try a little shout out on it and leave it til I get home but I don't trust the stain removers to work. I would rather come home to clean clothes than a bunch of suitcases full of dirty ones.
Plus I don't want airport security to see all our dirty undies

 

[CrazyDisneyMommy1]

Last time we went I packed way to much for my family of four. We had a washer and dryer in our timeshare. It was easy to throw in a load in the morning and put it in the dryer when we got back. We also went for 18 days last trip and there were clothes we didn't even wear. Not to mention the clothes we buy and wear when we are there. We are going for 15 days this time and have rented a house with washer and dryer. I will put everything out on my bed when packing then, cut it in half. If I didn't have a washer and dryer in the place I was staying and was going for a week, I don't think I would do laundry.

 

[Helene]

Personally, the part I hate about vacations is the un-packing upon returning home. For me, I pack 4 days worth of clothes, do a load mid-week and another one the night before we leave. That way, I only have a small amount to unpack and they go right into the dressers.

After taking a 7 Disney trips in the last 5 years, I realized that cool, lightweight clothing is all that's needed. I've learned to pack light and not waste my time packing/unpacking unnecessary clothing.

To me, washing the clothes is a "chore" no matter what, my personal preference is to do it in small loads. Since the washers/dryers are placed near the pools, I just schedule the laundry around our "pool time"

Helene

 

[DisneyJo]

We went for 14 days and I did not plan on doing any washing at all as I had taken loads of clothes. But we went in August and went through so many outfits as they get so disgusting. I ended up doing 2 loads of laundry, but the machines were right by the pool at POR so it did not seem like a chore. Be warned though we ruined loads of white clothes with suntan lotion, stains would even somehow get into the middle of T-shirts too. This trip I'll be buying yellow clothes!

 

[perdidochas]

Would you pack enough clothes for a family of 4 for 7 days or would you plan on washing mid week?

My initial thought is to pack so I don't have to take the time to wash in a public washer - YUCK!

Pack enough clothes. The only reason I would wash clothes is if weather conditions changed, and I didn't have enough appropriate clothes. I would plan to do no more than a load or two, though.