Need HELP all you expert packers!!!

[daffidyll]

Ok, I am just one of those people who packs WAY too much and I really don't want to this time if I can help it. We will be arriving in roughly 2 weeks (at DL for 1 week, Vegas for 1 week and Santa Barbara for 1 week) and have no idea how to pack. We are coming from very hot and humid summer weather so have no idea what the weather is like there (I can read the weather reports but what do they mean in REAL life?????). So if anyone can....please HELP HELP HELP with the following:

1. I'd love to know what most people have been wearing lately and are packing for their trips in March???? i.e.....mostly shorts/short sleeves??, capri's, light weight for only slightly cool but mostly warmish (not hot)????, long pants, long shirts, sweatshirts etc for cold???? PJ's.....summerish? Flannel?? Warm winter????? Would love to know also what kids are wearing as our 4 year DD who will most likely 'feel' the cold (if it is cold that is) more so than we adults.

2. Can anyone tell me if there will be a big difference in the weather between DL and Vegas??

3. How MUCH do you pack of each (shorts, pants, shirts, etc etc.) I am HOPELESS!!! I know I overpack and I hate it!

so any experts out there PLEASE give me your tips!!!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

The weather in southern California in the winter is pretty variable. It was 57 and rainy in San Diego today, but is forecasted to be 75 and sunny on Tuesday.

I would strongly recommend planning to wear layers. Maybe a light long-sleeve shirt and a sweater or sweatshirt, with long pants. The nights can get pretty cool, and fast, so I would advise against shorts.

I'm not sure about the weather in Vegas, but my impression is that in the winter it is a little cooler than SoCal, especially at night, but I have been known to be very, very wrong.

 

[mama2twoluvbugs]

the weather is actually quite comparable, maybe a few degrees cooler in LV but you should be fine in jeans and a long sleeve with a sweater for early morning and evenings...I would advise against shorts as well...but then I am used to 120 degree summers..lol

 

[Quest4fun]

Ok, I am just one of those people who packs WAY too much and I really don't want to this time if I can help it. We will be arriving in roughly 2 weeks (at DL for 1 week, Vegas for 1 week and Santa Barbara for 1 week) and have no idea how to pack. We are coming from very hot and humid summer weather so have no idea what the weather is like there (I can read the weather reports but what do they mean in REAL life?????). So if anyone can....please HELP HELP HELP with the following:

1. I'd love to know what most people have been wearing lately and are packing for their trips in March???? i.e.....mostly shorts/short sleeves??, capri's, light weight for only slightly cool but mostly warmish (not hot)????, long pants, long shirts, sweatshirts etc for cold???? PJ's.....summerish? Flannel?? Warm winter????? Would love to know also what kids are wearing as our 4 year DD who will most likely 'feel' the cold (if it is cold that is) more so than we adults.

2. Can anyone tell me if there will be a big difference in the weather between DL and Vegas??

3. How MUCH do you pack of each (shorts, pants, shirts, etc etc.) I am HOPELESS!!! I know I overpack and I hate it!

so any experts out there PLEASE give me your tips!!!

My wife is a chronic overpacker since she likes to make sure is prepared for all circumstances. Compared to Las Vegas it isn't much colder during the Winter months though it's a lot nicer during the Summer.

When packing, I check a few things prior to filling my suitcase.

1. Check the weather. Weather.com and Accuweather.com will give you a rough idea of tempuratures. Rain predictions are not always accurate and they tend to undershoot their estimated highs. Add about 5 degrees to what they estimate. It usually doesn't rain during the Summer.

2. Pants vs. Shorts. I don't know about you but I find that a pair of Levi's look better after a few outings so I never pack more than one pair of jeans for a week. I will usually pack two to three pairs of shorts. It's okay to rewear them and most hotels have laundry service available if you think you'll be soiling your pants. I never pack enough pants or shorts to wear each day. They'll last your vacation unless you go commando.

3. Socks and underwear. Pack an extra 3 days worth. I always do this in case I need to do a wardrobe change mid-day. Grizzly River Rapids and Splash Mountain both have the potential to get you pretty wet.

4. Shirts. Pack at least one for each day with a few of extra t-shirts. They take up very little space and like the socks and underwear may be called upon if needed.

5. Keeping warm. If you go during the Summer you won't likely need anything with long sleeves. A thick sweatshirt will take care of business or a sweater if you're not into sweatshirts. During the Winter you can potentially be at the park during some 50 degree tempuratures. Don't worry about forecasted lows in the 40's. These are reached around 3 in the morning and most of the chills are gone by 8am. That being said you may want to bring a moderately warm jacket. You can probably leave the parka at home. You'll find yourself sweating while on a lot of indoor rides. Some people do gloves and scarves but I don't think it's necessary. You'll get used to the cold pretty quick. This is also where that pair of jeans comes in handy. Long johns? Never.

6. Miscelaneous. Sunblock is a must at any time of year but especially during the summer. You can bring your own toiletries. If you're staying at the Anaheim Plaza I recommend bringing your own shampoo and conditioner. Theirs smells like chocolate mint. Yes. Chocolate mint. If you don't mind hotel toiletries then milk them and leave your stuff at home. Don't forget that bathing suit either. Even during the Winter it is sometimes nice to use your hotel's heated pool or hot tub after a long day. Jammies are usually necessary as well unless you sleep in the nude.

I hope these tips help. I can usually fit a weeks worth of stuff in one medium suitcase and still have room for souveniers.

 

[shoppingmom]

If you can pack your 4 year olds clothes in zip lock bags. Not only does this save a lot of room, but if you can get entire outfits in the bag it makes getting ready in the morning a snap. We did this in 2006 our dd was 5 and wow, I would just hand her a bag and everything was there and poof dressed and ready to go quickly. But what really surprised me was the amount of room in the suitcase after doing this.

 

[Quest4fun]

If you can pack your 4 year olds clothes in zip lock bags. Not only does this save a lot of room, but if you can get entire outfits in the bag it makes getting ready in the morning a snap. We did this in 2006 our dd was 5 and wow, I would just hand her a bag and everything was there and poof dressed and ready to go quickly. But what really surprised me was the amount of room in the suitcase after doing this.

If you're not flying then space saver bags are incredible. There is only one downside and that is the lack of a vaccuum cleaner at your final destination to repack. The baggy thing might be a little "you know" but it does save time to plan the outfits for your kids in advance. Personally, I just start at the top and work my way to the bottom so I don't have to spend a lot of time figuring out what I'll be wearing that day. I also make sure everything I pack matches.

Honestly, If you're driving you can leave things like jackets and stuff in the car and pack everything else unless you have a small car.

If you're flying, since it's occasionally cheaper than driving, then the baggy method is not always the best way to do it. The screeners may want to rifle through those baggies and may mess up your system. Plan your bag carefully and everything will fit in an orderly fashion. Folding properly will also save you space.

 

[jernysgirl]

Also, consider getting small snacks and groceries delivered to your hotel as opposed to packing them. That way they won't take up so much room in your bags. Try Albertsons or Vons. They will deliver to your hotel, just make sure you will have a fridge before you go and order anything that needs to be refrigerated!

 

[daffidyll]

Thanks everyone.....I really appreciate all your tips and advice!!!! Ok, so just to clarify: If the weather is basically anywhere in the mid 60s to high 70s then it's long pants and long sleeve shirts or layers???? That is the range of 'highs' that I am seeing predicted so just want to make sure I pack more of the right things then wrong ones. Gee, don't know why I was thinking it was going to be warmer and shorts weather (SO GLAD I ASKED!).

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

I think what you pack also has some bearing on where you are from - for us "northerners", the weather in So.Cal is WARM compared to our days of snow and ice, so we will be wearing shorts at the parks and thinking it's pretty warm, when locals are complaining about the cold!

And, unfortunately for us "non-Americans" (I believe the OP is from Austrailia....), Von's and Albertson's will not deliver for those who do not have a credit card with a billing address in the US. So us foreigners are out of luck where grocery delivery is considered...

 

[sandymandr]

We're going the week after you. 3 days DL, 4 days SB!! We consider 60's - 70's pretty moderate weather, so we are taking t-shirts or polo shirts (about 10 for 7 days, just in case!), 1 pair khaki long pants, great for travel, not too heavy, not to thin, don't show wrinkles much, really the perfect traveling pants!, 1 pair jeans, probably 3-4 pairs capris, 1-2 pairs shorts, bathing suit, 10 pairs socks, 1 lightweight fleece jacket for evenings. Shoes: flying in tennis shoes, packing 1 pair columbia walking shoes, 1 pair flip flops for around the pool, going to beach, etc.
And I try to pick shirts that can go with either pants, shorts, or capris. But we may also do some laundry in SB since we are staying with family.

I plan to be wearing capris most everyday, then changing to pants and the light fleece at night.
BTW, if you are driving to or from SB, take the PCH!! I got a great tip about it here on the DIS!! PM me and I'll send you the link to that thread if you want / need it

 

[Quest4fun]

Thanks everyone.....I really appreciate all your tips and advice!!!! Ok, so just to clarify: If the weather is basically anywhere in the mid 60s to high 70s then it's long pants and long sleeve shirts or layers???? That is the range of 'highs' that I am seeing predicted so just want to make sure I pack more of the right things then wrong ones. Gee, don't know why I was thinking it was going to be warmer and shorts weather (SO GLAD I ASKED!).

It's snowing where I live so I didn't take the time to consider that 60's and 70's were considered sweater weather. That being said, I've only lived here for a year and I used to live less than 10 minutes from Disneyland. I found myself roasting if I wore layers for anything more than 60 degrees. A light coat usually did the trick in the evening if temps were between 60 and 70. Anything above 70 may seem a little warm and a sweatshirt usually does the trick.

For those colder sub 60 degree nights you may want a slightly thicker coat.

It all depends on what you consider to be cold. There was another post about this subject and I was lambasted for preferring colder weather so I may speak for a very small minority of people who avoid hot and sunny days.

/Not trolling.
//Fresh blanket of snow today.
///I will be very sad when Summer rolls around.
////Only 9 more months until next Winter begins!!!

 

[Quest4fun]

I think what you pack also has some bearing on where you are from - for us "northerners", the weather in So.Cal is WARM compared to our days of snow and ice, so we will be wearing shorts at the parks and thinking it's pretty warm, when locals are complaining about the cold!

And, unfortunately for us "non-Americans" (I believe the OP is from Austrailia....), Von's and Albertson's will not deliver for those who do not have a credit card with a billing address in the US. So us foreigners are out of luck where grocery delivery is considered...

They can contact the stores from their hotels and get same day delivery. Albertson's rules!

 

[nun69]

we went last year at the end of March and wore shorts pretty much almost everyday, it was chilly in the mornings and evenings but with a light jacket or sweatshirt, we all seemed to be OK...I packed enough outfits {everything matching} for each of us for 5-6 days. Then I just did laundry on site about 1/2 way through the week and then right before we left. Also bring your own, prepackaged laundry soap. Unless you are close to a Wal-Mart or local grocery store, laudry detergent is VERY expensive in the hotels {or at least I think so}...also something we didn't realize we had forgotten was a pair of nailclippers...I also packed everyone 1 pair of jeans/capri's and that also worked out for the nights that we decided to go back out...and I really like the idea of the ziplocs where everything is put together and all you have to do is hand it to them and they can get dressed...I also second the take extra socks and undies...

 

[daffidyll]

Yeah, since we're coming from a stinkin' hot and humid summer I'm not sure whether we'll feel like it's cold or just 'aaaaaaaah relief' from the heat!

Sandymandr, we will be flying from Vegas to SB so no driving for us but yes, the PCH is the much nicer drive!

Ok, extra socks, undies, laundry soap it is!

Now, EEKS! About the grocery delivery! Isn't billing address the address where you actually have your credit card bill mailed to? That's what I always thought anyway so like mommyof2boys1girl said we won't be able to use the service? I didn't even realise that so thanks for bringing this up! But what Quest4fun is saying is that we can just say that our billing addess is the hotel address?? Hoping that is true and it actually works anyway!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

While the forecast right now may say 60s and 70s, it could be highs in the 50s or 80s then, and could cool off very quickly at night, which is why I suggested layers. Add in possible rain and wind, and it gets even chillier.

With layers, you'll be prepared for anything.

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

They can contact the stores from their hotels and get same day delivery. Albertson's rules!

Really???? YAY! I was almost losing sleep trying to figure out how to get my kids some fresh fruit and healthy snacks (apparently there is a 7-11 close by the Camelot where we are staying, but I didn't figure oranges, apples and grapes would be readily available there!!) But if we can arrange delivery from the hotel, this would save me a lot of worry and hassle trying to bring our favorite foods!
Gonna have to look into this some more....thanks again for the tip - I emailed Von's long ago about this problem of mine, but of course all I got was a response saying I should get a credit card attached to an American address - not sure how to do that when I am from Canada! Never checked Albertson's....woohoo!

 

[Quest4fun]

While the forecast right now may say 60s and 70s, it could be highs in the 50s or 80s then, and could cool off very quickly at night, which is why I suggested layers. Add in possible rain and wind, and it gets even chillier.

With layers, you'll be prepared for anything.

If you don't have a car to throw the warm clothes in you can get a locker. 50's are not uncommon during the colder months but fortunately it only creeps into the 40's once in a blue moon. I think I can count on one hand how many times I felt like I was freezing in the park. I think that's why I consider Anaheim to be a little more hospitable than Lake Buena Vista. That being said, those hot, dry summers kill me. I welcome the relief a little rainfall brings. I hate the humidity though. I've sworn off of visiting either Disney resort during the summer.