Need help from organised folk please!

[Tink78]

Hello
I'm very organised but with working full time, setting up a photography business, and trying to run a home with a 2 year old, 5 year old and DH (!) I'm feeling slightly chaotic in the head right now (having a snotty cold doesn't help!).

Anyway, everyone's out for the next few hours so I thought I would have a little think about our holiday to WDW in October.

What do we need to get into USA?
Flight tickets
ESTA
Passports
Anything else?

What can't we take on the plane these days?

What else do I need to think about getting from the UK to the US?

We've sorted our transport to the airport hotel, booked airport hotel, there's a bus from airport hotel to airport.
What do I need to think about for the airport?

Any tips for what to take on the plane for the 4 of us (me, DH, DS2 & DS5)?

What do we need to remember/take for when we arrive at Sanford airport?

We've yet to arrange our pick up from Sanford to our accomodation but I'm working on that.

Phew...sorry, that's a massive list but if anyone can see anything I've forgotten please say!
My head hurts!!

Thanks. xxxxx

 

[queendisney]

Hello
I'm very organised but with working full time, setting up a photography business, and trying to run a home with a 2 year old, 5 year old and DH (!) I'm feeling slightly chaotic in the head right now (having a snotty cold doesn't help!).I have a snotty cold as well, driving me potty!!

Anyway, everyone's out for the next few hours so I thought I would have a little think about our holiday to WDW in October.

What do we need to get into USA?
Flight tickets
ESTA
Passports
Anything else?

no you're sorted on that front

What can't we take on the plane these days?
http://www.gatwickairport.com/security/
this is from the Gatwick airport site. Just take the bare minimum through security and buy items like water and snacks in Departures then you'll have no problem carrying them on board

What else do I need to think about getting from the UK to the US?
not sure what you mean here?

We've sorted our transport to the airport hotel, booked airport hotel, there's a bus from airport hotel to airport.
What do I need to think about for the airport?
nothing really other then making sure you haven't got anything you can't have in your handluggage/luggage re your question above.

Any tips for what to take on the plane for the 4 of us (me, DH, DS2 & DS5)?
things to do to keep the children entertained, maybe some children headphones. I always think it gets a bit dry in the cabin so always have lipsal with me. Always take snacks as the food can be iffy at times!!! I always take a neck pillow (memory foam one).

What do we need to remember/take for when we arrive at Sanford airport?
You will still need to complete a customs form on the plane or maybe while waiting at departure airport, so make sure that you have that handy to hand in. But other then just maybe keeping your paper work handy you are set to go

We've yet to arrange our pick up from Sanford to our accomodation but I'm working on that.

Phew...sorry, that's a massive list but if anyone can see anything I've forgotten please say!
My head hurts!!

Thanks. xxxxx

Basically as long as you remember the basic's you're sorted...
Passports for everybody
Esta's for everybody
travel insurance
tickets for plane (or e-ticket anyway)
money

everything else can be obtained easily out there if you have forgotten anything.

Happy planning

 

[Brave5]

Some things to remember: Travel insurance, car parking at airport - I always seem to forget about these until a few weeks before we leave.

You won't be able to take liquids on the plane - but I always took 'sippy' cups that can be filled by the flight attendant for the little ones. To keep my boys busy when they were younger I bought them each 2 new cars and laminated a few different A4 sized road maps for them to play on. Extra headphones and a mp3 player with music for them. Don't bring too many small items they get lost! Lots of snacks/sweets - I know this sounds bad but I found if I pulled out a pack of biscuits/haribos every 30-45 mins while they were awake it kept them very happy!

Lucky my DS's 14,13,10 now have a completely different packing list that includes DS, mp3, pringles and gum - The last two years we got on the plane and I didn't hear a word from them until we landed!

Have a great trip!

 

[queendisney]

Lucky my DS's 14,13,10 now have a completely different packing list that includes DS, mp3, pringles and gum - The last two years we got on the plane and I didn't hear a word from them until we landed!

Have a great trip!

sounds great

 

[orangetiggs]

I always take my irls juice on the plane, i fill their bottles and cups up and as long as we taste it at security its fine. I even filled a bottled with juice concetrate and got that on the plane so i could refill their bottles. My girls were just under two last year and this year will be just under four and will will do the same

 

[Elise79]

Hello
I'm very organised but with working full time, setting up a photography business, and trying to run a home with a 2 year old, 5 year old and DH (!) I'm feeling slightly chaotic in the head right now (having a snotty cold doesn't help!).

Anyway, everyone's out for the next few hours so I thought I would have a little think about our holiday to WDW in October.

What do we need to get into USA?
Flight tickets
ESTA
Passports
Anything else?

What can't we take on the plane these days?

What else do I need to think about getting from the UK to the US?

We've sorted our transport to the airport hotel, booked airport hotel, there's a bus from airport hotel to airport.
What do I need to think about for the airport?

Any tips for what to take on the plane for the 4 of us (me, DH, DS2 & DS5)?

What do we need to remember/take for when we arrive at Sanford airport?

We've yet to arrange our pick up from Sanford to our accomodation but I'm working on that.

Phew...sorry, that's a massive list but if anyone can see anything I've forgotten please say!
My head hurts!!

Thanks. xxxxx

When Dd was younger I used to make sure she had a new toy or 2 for the plane - nothing big or expensive just something that had novelty value Also if they have a comforter toy make sure that's in the hand luggage too

My rule when travelling to FL is as long as we have tickets, passports (with valid EsTA) and money/credits cards nothing else matters.

I always take my irls juice on the plane, i fill their bottles and cups up and as long as we taste it at security its fine. I even filled a bottled with juice concetrate and got that on the plane so i could refill their bottles. My girls were just under two last year and this year will be just under four and will will do the same

Security may not be happy with letting liquid though for 4 years olds - at 2 they were still toddlers now they are children.

Virgin have a good selection of juices on board as well as water. We got DD drinking apple juice as it is so easy to get both on the plane and in Disney other than that she drinks water.

 

[orangetiggs]

They cant drink pure juice and they were a month under three, my twins are small for their age and i will be taking my own juice through security as they will still be three when we fly. We have had no problems with anything on any of the flights with the girls and security. We even had a full bottle of sprite and they lets us through with it

 

[Elise79]

They cant drink pure juice and they were a month under three, my twins are small for their age and i will be taking my own juice through security as they will still be three when we fly. We have had no problems with anything on any of the flights with the girls and security. We even had a full bottle of sprite and they lets us through with it

Just thought I would mention it as all the allowance are for babies. http://www.gatwickairport.com/at-the-airport/travelling-with-children/#fact8

Can they not drink water?

Sorry, but I have never faffed with anything for DD - she eats and drinks what available where ever we go and that includes going on holiday.

 

[orangetiggs]

We dont faff with our twins either but as they cannot drink pure juice i take them concentrate. And to be honest as you dont travel with us it shouldnt bother you if we faff for our children or not.

My children eat anything we give them in any country, regards to drink they drink their concentrate and thats it

 

[tinkerpea]

We dont faff with our twins either but as they cannot drink pure juice i take them concentrate. And to be honest as you dont travel with us it shouldnt bother you if we faff for our children or not.

My children eat anything we give them in any country, regards to drink they drink their concentrate and thats it

I have to totally free with you,we used to have issues with what we have our twins too! They was also prem and had quite major health issues when they was born,
plus our oldest has autism and can be quite persistent on what he likes even though he almost eats and drinks almost everything and looks completely normal often when he is being persistent other think we are just fussing over him and he is a spoilt child!!
so I go with what ever your comfortable giving them.
I would say that security when we went last time was very strict and did tell us we could take nothing through even if we tasted it, so just be aware of that x

 

[LeaversOnTour]

We have travelled a few times with our girls. Last time they were 3, 2 and 6 months.

We always take juice, (concentrate) and have never had any problems, we dont "faff" over them, but I wouldnt drink something i dont like so why should they? Drinks airside even if they are juice like ribena has about a million spoons of sugar in it - for the sake of carrying a cup i would rather take my own.

We also pack vimto/robinsons in our suitcases for in US and have never been stopped. Whilst they would drink apple juice// orange juice its not something i would want them to drink all day as it upsets their stomachs as they arent used to it at home!

We buy cheap toys/colouring books etc from 99p shop, that way if somethings gets lost it doesnt matter to much. We aim on a 9 hour flight for about 6/7 items, be it a toy or food.

Hour number 1 can be killed with excitement and goes pretty quick, the last hour the same with talk of all the "people" you'll see and places you will go. its the time inbetween that's the problem with samll kids.

They also "write lists" of characters they want to see etc to fill the time. We have been before so they know the drill!

As others have said as long as you have - passports, tickets, ESTA's, Travel Insurance and Cash/cards your all set - everything else can be bought in US.

 

[Laurafoster]

Megan much prefers to drink diluted juice too. She'll drink other thinks but a really weak black currant is her favourite.

We saw lots of people being told to throw kids drinks away last year when we went. We opted to take empty cups through and went straight to Boots airside where they sold the really light ribena.

 

[monica23535]

Once my son turned three we were no longer allowed to take juice through security. Manchester airport enforced under threes only.

Orangetiggs, would your GP or HV be able to write you a note stating that the twins will not drink anything other than juice? This should be enough to satisfy security.

 

[Elise79]

Orangetiggs - I just thought you should have a plan B for the plane incase you can't take the juice through security.

Will they drink just water for instance? Or maybe trying calling boots they might pre-order something in as they take orders for formula?

I would expected heightened security for a while after the plane landed at Stansted this week.

 

[Minniesgal]

Most Uk airports, certainly both Gatwick and Heathrow have a large boots after security which i'm sure would sell and baby/toddler drinks necessary if getting them through security was a problem.

Travel insurance is a good one. We used to have permanent annual worldwide travel insurance through my job so i never even thought about it I always had it with me. I moved in the same company so no longer have that but forgot that detail. It wasn't until i was organising my august trip and looking for it that i realsied we went for 8 nights in February without any!!

 

[chmurf]

We dont faff with our twins either but as they cannot drink pure juice i take them concentrate. And to be honest as you dont travel with us it shouldnt bother you if we faff for our children or not.

My children eat anything we give them in any country, regards to drink they drink their concentrate and thats it

You assume that, since security officers gave you some leeway at some point, you will always get the same treatment.
There is no guarantee whatsoever. It will be less and less likely as the girls grow up.
For all you know security could very well say no, and ask you to throw away the juice, and they would have every right to do so.

The underlying question was not to question what you do with your kids but to consider a backup plan just in case security tell you that you can't go through the checkpoint with the juice, wether you taste it or not.

 

[disneylove69]

Leaving the US unless its under 3oz and in a clear certain size bag u won't get through with juice ... nor peanut butter unless its on bread, dips, cream cheese, etc.

 

[orangetiggs]

I got through security last nov in Mco with full bottle of sprite unopened and they search the bag and saw it

 

[scoobydooby]

I got through security last nov in Mco with full bottle of sprite unopened and they search the bag and saw it

And I had two bottles I water taken off me.....

 

[orangetiggs]

Yes I was shocked when they said free to go after empting everything out of every bag