Leaving in 2 weeks -- help with packing:)

[Swirly girls]

2 weeks from today my family will be on the airplane, getting close to landing in Florida!
How soon should I start to pack?
I know some stuff will have to wait to be packed until the day before.

 

[Hootch]

laying out clothes about a week ahead. Disney unique things like tickets, reservations, itinerary, etc are also laid out about then. A couple of days before the trip, we lock down the clothes and start getting the suit cases packed and staged for loading.

Here is a pretty comprehensive packing list to tickle your brain for items you might need.

www.mousesavers.com/wp-content/uploads/UltimatePackingList.doc

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Whenever you want. LOL

I'll be packing my bathroom stuff up in mid-October for my early November trip. I use all travel size stuff and that way I have time to order anything from http://www.minimus.biz/ if I need it.
I used to run around town trying to find what I needed in travel size but quit doing that after I found this website.

I look through my clothes about then too and make sure what what I want to bring to Disney is in good shape and that I don't need to replace anything. I don't have to do that this year - I know I'm good.

My biggest issue is the weather in November. My first Nov. trip, I packed for warm weather and luckily checked it the night before because the temps had dropped and it was going to be freezing so I had to repack everything.

About a week before, I put together my pocket folder with everything I need - confirmations, tickets and whatnot and put that into my carryon so I don't forget it. Been there done that, never want to do that again. LOL

 

[monica9]

I feel your pain. I am going end of Nov beginning of Dec for 11 nights with a 3 split stay!

Packing for cold and hot weather, for three different resorts!

 

[Swirly girls]

Thanks for the advise
We are a family of 5. I'm very organized to date. I have a wicker basket that I have thrown all misc items I have picked up here and there ir our trip. ( underwater camera for discovery cove, OTC medication, medication, moleskin, sunscreen, clickable sharpie markers for autographs, hand sanitizer, travel size baby wipes, collapsible water bottles, glad bags, tote, fanny pack, camera, camcorder, batteries, cables, chargers, ect and the list goes on!
I've had our clothes somewhat out for a few days now. We are staying at our timeshare which has washer and dryer in unit. So, I won't have to pack 12 outfits for us all . I will check weather right before leaving and adjust if needed. I'm planning on mostly shorts and tee shirts, a couple pair of jeans, and sweatshirt. ( just cuz I know we will buy sweatshirts and tee shirts at DW and any other place we go)
I just don't want to get there and have everything wrinkled. Anything that helps with less wrinkles?

 

[Tricia's mom]

The washer/dryer is a life saver when packing...

Its great to be able to throw a load in before bed.... Make sure you pick up some Tide pods to use !

I usually start backing around 2 weeks if not earlier. We go in the spring so I have to figure out what fits and what doesn't and what I need to buy. I make DH pack all is old underwear and throw them out as we go....
DD's Birthday is in April so she usually gets tons of new clothes. Make sure everyone has 2 pairs of comfortable shoes and your good to go. I leave out the luggage so when I remember things I throw it in the appropriate bag sometimes I weed through 2 nights before. I bought good totes ponchos for our 1st trip as a family and they stay in our luggage. I double check the toiletry bag make sure nothing is out dated and that all the medicines, copy of passport are all ready to go.

 

[Swirly girls]

Yep, I put some tide pods and fabric softener sheets in a Tupperware container today and threw it in the " Disney" basket of things to pack.
I'm also a little confused about what to put in checked luggage, and what to put in our carry on bags. Each of us in our family (5) can have 1 carry on, as well as another purse, camera bag ect.
I have different thoughts on how to do this. Sometimes I think I'll pack each if the girls' clothing, shoes, pjs, swimsuits, and undergarments in their carry on bag, put as much as I can of my clothing, shoes ect in my carry on, have my DH carry on be our camera, laptop, camcorder, kindles, nooks, IPads, and headphones, and all cables and chargers for stuff.
Then in the checked bag, all my husbands clothing ect, our toiletry items, blow dryer , straightener, our OTC meds, sunscreen, and all that stuff.
Then sometimes, I think pack all that stuff, as much as we can in checked bag, and what we can't fit in that, put in carry on bags. I'd still pack the carry on bgs in case we need more room on the way home ( which I'm thinking we will be buying quite a bit stuff )
I'm thinking if the kids don't have to mess with carrying around a carry on each, that would be easier for them. They are 16, 15, and 13 so definitely old enough to carry their own stuff.
I figured too, we may as well fill up our checked luggage. It is a good sized suitcase, with tons of convenient compartments. I think the majority of our things would fit. Especially if I roll clothes or place outfits in ziplock bags and suck air out ( saves a TON if room)
Ok, I'm over thinking this, I know .... But any thoughts on which if these will maybe work better than the other???

 

[Amaia82]

Our biggest lesson from our first trip was to have pj's, swimsuit and change of clothes in the carry on.

It took almost 6 hours to get our bags (magical express to POP). Huge bummer with two little ones to not have that stuff.

 

[BreeBree]

With three little ones I have to pack and prepare a lot before any trip, but since your kids are older, it shouldn't be too bad. It's the massive amounts of laundry that always seem daunting before I go on a trip! Generally I take my massive diaper bag as my carry on along with my purse, and then my husband takes the laptop case with all of the electronics (iPad, camera, chargers) and another bag with extra clothes for each little one. As for the space-saving problem, I ALWAYS use packing cubes. They're not too expensive and it's well worth the investment, it also keeps your clothes organized! Also, to avoid wrinkles in my clothes I either leave them in the dry cleaning bag and lay them as flat as possible in the suitcase, or if it's just a t-shirt, I'll roll it, trust me, it works and saves room!

 

[DakotaRose]

If you have a clothes dryer in your villa, taking care of wrinkles is easy. Wet a couple of hand towels and wring them out well. Toss them into the dryer with your wrinkled clothes and dry for 20-25 minutes. Removes wrinkles well except for on things you might normally iron, like cotton blouses or khakis.

 

[sambisc]

Pack everything now. Day before you leave, remove half of it. You'll be fine, trust me.

 

[ZoZo]

Our biggest lesson from our first trip was to have pj's, swimsuit and change of clothes in the carry on.

It took almost 6 hours to get our bags (magical express to POP). Huge bummer with two little ones to not have that stuff.

This is great advice any time you travel. I always pack as if their airline will lose my checked bag, just in case! (This has actually happened to me on three different trips, and it's such a pain not to have what you need those first 24 hours.)

So my recommendation is to put the items you simply can't live without into your carry-on, and think about what you might need in case your suitcase is lost. Whether that's prescription meds, make-up, swimsuit, toothbrush, etc., if I need it the first 24 hours, it goes in my carry-on.

 

[Swirly girls]

Thanks! Good advice, and I hadn't looked at it like that.
I'll put as much as I can fit according to airline requirements for size, in our carry on bags. Shouldn't be in too bad of shape with 5 of us.