Mailing a package - best way & least cost

[pooh2001]

What is the best and least expensive way to send a 15 pound box to a WDW resort?

I looked at USPS - United States Post Office - large flat rate box - 2nd day arrival for about $45

I am still waiting to find out if UPS can send a 15 pound box for less money (if I pack it and they just send it). But I think UPS does nor handle boxes nicely - such as not with care and placing them in the trucks haphazardly

We plan on renting a villa and would like to mail some snacks and "food" - tuna, mayo, applesauce ....
to us.

 

[barkley]

if it's stuff you haven't already purchased you might consider looking on-line at walmart since they deliver most items free w/a $50 purchase. we get food items by mail delivery from them regularly and they are always packed well. you could take that $45 postage would cost and use it to cover the actual items.

 

[bianca]

You could also find an old piece of luggage (either your own or used), fill it up with what you want and check it in just one way at the airport. Throw it out when you're done. Probably cheaper.

 

[starry_solo]

I agree with the first response, if you haven't already bought the items, I suggest getting it delivered straight to your resort from Walmart.com or another retailer who will ship items to you for free with a minimum purchase.

not sure how a 15 pound flat rate box would cost $45 though, even if you sent it across the country, a large flat rate box is only $17.90. So if you can stuff all those items into the large flat rate box that they provide to you for free at the post office (there are two sizes: 23-11/16" x 11-3/4" x 3" or 12" x 12" x 5-1/2"), it shouldn't cost more than $18.

 

[Alesia]

I agree with the first response, if you haven't already bought the items, I suggest getting it delivered straight to your resort from Walmart.com or another retailer who will ship items to you for free with a minimum purchase.

not sure how a 15 pound flat rate box would cost $45 though, even if you sent it across the country, a large flat rate box is only $17.90. So if you can stuff all those items into the large flat rate box that they provide to you for free at the post office (there are two sizes: 23-11/16" x 11-3/4" x 3" or 12" x 12" x 5-1/2"), it shouldn't cost more than $18.

She's sending it 2nd day. Large flat rate priority mail express is $44.95.

OP, there's not going to be a cheap way to do this. 2 day shipping is always expensive. Having your things delivered from walmart or amazon or garden grocer is your best bet.

 

[barkley]

You could also find an old piece of luggage (either your own or used), fill it up with what you want and check it in just one way at the airport. Throw it out when you're done. Probably cheaper.

we've done this in the past, but instead of tossing the extra piece of luggage we use one that is a smidge smaller than our existing so on the return trip we just put it inside the other piece of luggage and pack as we normally would (not a problem so long as your not really close on the weight limit). when our kids were younger we used to come back from wdw vacations with less than we took b/c we always traveled in the fall so I made it a point to take the swimsuits, shorts and other hot weather clothing I knew the kids would outgrow before the next warm season where we lived. when we left, the clothing (laundered) stayed behind either in the dvc room or the hotel's public laundry w/a note "free children's clothing".

 

[Best Aunt]

Not sure where you will be staying, but don't forget that if your package is shipped by UPS or fedEx to a Disney resort which has a convention center, itwill be shipped to the convention center. The outside vendor which runs the business office in the cinvention center will charge a handling fee. So BCV, BLT, BWV off the top of my head. Or maybe you don't mean DVC when you say "villa."

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

We used Amazon Prime Pantry for our last trip and it worked out great. $5.99 shipping and they had a huge selection of items, most of which were priced the same as they would be at the supermarket.

Seems that you're going to cancel out any savings you were hoping for by spending it on shipping!

 

[pooh2001]

We are staying at a dvc studio
If we do BWV standard studio
I guess we will go to the convention center and pay for our food package

If we stay at the WL studio or AK studio I guess we do not pay for our package when we pick it up


We will look into Walmart and Amazon prime online

Thank you for the suggestions

 

[starry_solo]

If you're going to one of the non-convention resorts first, have everything shipped there and then have it moved to the next villa. Just make sure to mark it perishable and let them know if anything needs to be refrigerated!

I must have missed the 2-day express.

 

[Alesia]

If you're only shipping food, just have it delivered from Garden Grocer or wegoshop.

If you do that, you will be able to get fresh food, too.

 

[PAcpl]

Not sure where you will be staying, but don't forget that if your package is shipped by UPS or fedEx to a Disney resort which has a convention center, itwill be shipped to the convention center. The outside vendor which runs the business office in the cinvention center will charge a handling fee. So BCV, BLT, BWV off the top of my head. Or maybe you don't mean DVC when you say "villa."

It has been about 3 years since we have stayed at the BWV's, but we used to ship stuff to ourselves all the time and we were never charged a fee. It was always harder to get our packages from The Boardwalk since it was handled by a third party, but we did get them eventually and we weren't charged a handling fee.

 

[Alesia]

It has been about 3 years since we have stayed at the BWV's, but we used to ship stuff to ourselves all the time and we were never charged a fee. It was always harder to get our packages from The Boardwalk since it was handled by a third party, but we did get them eventually and we weren't charged a handling fee.

Convention resorts started charging a fee a couple of years ago.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If you're flying, just pack what you'll need in a cardboard box and check it. No need to pack in a suitcase you won't need on the way home. This will be cheaper than any mailing service.

I have found FedEx Ground is usually the cheapest for heavy, large boxes.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I agree with Walmart, prime pantry, or garden grocer.

However, since you don't know what resort yet, why are you pricing express mail? Just check standard parcel post thru usps and mail it a week ahead of your trip.

 

[Best Aunt]

If you're flying, just pack what you'll need in a cardboard box and check it. No need to pack in a suitcase you won't need on the way home. This will be cheaper than any mailing service.

Check your airline website first. I know that one of them said something about not being allowed to use a box in place of a checked bag.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Check your airline website first. I know that one of them said something about not being allowed to use a box in place of a checked bag.

This is untrue. You can check a box on any airline. You should see what some people check.

 

[Best Aunt]

This is untrue. You can check a box on any airline. You should see what some people check.

With all due respect, I know that I have seen at least one prohibition.
The Jetblue website says,"Please note boxes will not be accepted as checked bags on international flights." Perhaps there are no such prohibitions on domestic flights, but when I first posted I did not remember the details, just that I had come across such a rule. That's why I originally said to check the airline website for particulars. Since you said I was wrong, I went to the Jetblue website to check, thinking that was where I most likely had seen a rule.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

With all due respect, I know that I have seen at least one prohibition.
The Jetblue website says,"Please note boxes will not be accepted as checked bags on international flights." Perhaps there are no such prohibitions on domestic flights, but when I first posted I did not remember the details, just that I had come across such a rule. That's why I originally said to check the airline website for particulars. Since you said I was wrong, I went to the Jetblue website to check, thinking that was where I most likely had seen a rule.

OP was asking about sending something to WDW. That's a domestic flight for him/her.

 

[momtosam]

I always use ups for resort boxes.