Pack It or Buy It Out There!

[FloridaSam]

Hi everyone,

Only 16 days to go!

Is there certain things that you wait till you get over to the States to buy rather than buy and pack in your suitcase over here.

Looking for any good ideas.

Sam xx

 

[Clare D]

Hi
If you are close to a Wal Mart then I would advise that you buy tolietries, sun tan cream, medical supplies ie pasters, tablets and nappies etc (if you have a little one that is).
The exchange rate is still really good and that coupled with Wal Mart's cheap prices make it a real bargain.
I would also say to you to throw them away for your return journey so that you have more room in your case for goodies.
Wal Mart sell everything and according to Simon Veness author of the 'Brits Guide' keep your receipt and you can return things to Asda.
They even sell George clothes!
Have a look at the web to see where your local store is. I think the nearest one to Disney is on the 27 and this is where mostof the vacation villas lie.
Have a great trip
Clare

 

[MsPennieLane]

We don't take any toiletries at all with us, we go to Walmart on the first morning and buy everything as it's a lot cheaper. We then leave it all behind when we go home. The only things I do take are razors for hubby (he's very particular about what he uses as he has sensitive skin). Facial stuff and hair removal stuff is a lot cheaper out there. Even Rimmel make up is cheaper out there so I normally buy make up too. The only thing I find is that there is so much choice with shower gels, deodorants etc that it takes me ages lol.

Anz

 

[alisonbestford]

Walmart also do a very good line in cheap bags/cases if you're lucky enough to be under your luggage limit or are travelling with someone like Virgin who allow you two cases, and an extra allowance each.......
Alison

 

[Hilary]

I take all the essentials with us because I know I'll want to hit the parks as soon as we get there and won't want to spend the time shopping (even WalMart! ).

 

[brigadoon]

This summer we're determined to go with hand baggage only, including a couple of holdalls folded up for the return trip.

We'll take three days worth of clothes and buy all toiletries, towels etc. when we get there on the Saturday late afternoon, then we'll hit the parks that night. We'll get more clothes after a couple of days and we'll have a washer in the apartment anyway.

Waiting for baggage is one of the most stressful parts of the holiday, so this way we won't get stressed and will be very near the front of the car hire queue.

 

[AndRu]

What not to pack? Clothes! Go out empty, come back full.

 

[rosiejo]

Walmart also do a very good line in cheap bags/cases if you're lucky enough to be under your luggage limit or are travelling with someone like Virgin who allow you two cases, and an extra allowance each.......
Alison

HA ha - that's what we did last trip - the plan was that I took an old skanky suitcase so I could ditch it and buy a new one from Walmart... we ended up buying a suitcase and a holdall and bringing back the old dilapidated one too!!!


From two suitcases to four in two easy weeks - oh I love to shop in the states :0)

 

[rosiejo]

This summer we're determined to go with hand baggage only, including a couple of holdalls folded up for the return trip.

We'll take three days worth of clothes and buy all toiletries, towels etc. when we get there on the Saturday late afternoon, then we'll hit the parks that night. We'll get more clothes after a couple of days and we'll have a washer in the apartment anyway.

Waiting for baggage is one of the most stressful parts of the holiday, so this way we won't get stressed and will be very near the front of the car hire queue.

Woah - that's brave - not sure I could get three days worth of clothes in my hand luggage - I'm usually over the weight limit for stuff for the flight alone! What with all my Disney books to read, a change of clothes from the night before (twighlight checking in) and a picnic for the plane - I don't eat plane food - yuck!

 

[marv]

We just took hand luggage, 1 suitcase and bought 4 cases out there. We only took about 2 days clothes each. Next time i will proberly do the same. Looking at a previouse post i will be able to bring back more as were flying with virgin

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Since we normally stay overnight at the Gatwick Hilton the night before we fly, we get extra toiletries there (ie shampoo, conditioner, soap and shower gel) and only take these for our first morning. These, coupled with what the hotel has for us when we arrive in Florida, are more than sufficient until we hit the shops that first evening. The only things we take are practically empty deodorants, so we throw them away when finished with.

I don't tend to buy our sunscreen over here any more, taking a small tube I've always kept filled ready for the first day.

Since we're self-catering for the first two weeks this year (a first) I'm still taking hardly anything and stocking up over there (any excuse for a serious trip around Publix or WalMart ).

 

[LindseyUK]

Agree with the above comments re toiletries- mine always weigh more than my clothes etc. if I pack them here!

I usually buy little sachets of shampoo etc. just for the first day, then stock up there. The only thing I couldn't find out there that I liked was a decent deodorant! So this year I'll be taking one of those mini concentrated Nivea sprays- they are brilliant and last for weeks and very small and light- fab for holidays, weekends away etc.!

 

[tartangirl]

We always take suntan lotion and washing powder.

Suntan lotion because we stick to the same brand and I've never seen it over in Florida and washing powder because I've given up trying to find a decent one over there.

Gives us something to put in those empty suitcases on the way out

 

[steve_rob]

We pack very few tolietries at all and instead make our first stop at the Walgreen's next to the hotel to buy them all instead. Firstly it's cheaper and saves on space in the luggage (especially considering we will leave behind most of what we don't finish while we're there) and secondly, too many times we've had something leak in one of the cases if we've packed our toiletries from home - from nail polish remover to shampoo - and it's not worth the risk any more.

 

[AndRu]

...and washing powder because I've given up trying to find a decent one over there.

Anyone brave enough to go through customs with containers of white powder is braver than I'll ever be!

 

[alisonbestford]

Thank goodness for washing powder tablets
Alison

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

We take just about everything with us, toiletries, clothes, suncream......also I like to take teabags, soap powder tablets and chocolate digestives!!!

 

[Night-train]

DW always gets all our toiletries before we go. She reckons that dollars spent buying them over there are dollars that could be spent on other things!! I presume she means on 'serious shopping'! We also take 3 large Samsonite suitcases, one with essentials and two empty except for a couple of large (empty!!) holdalls! Needless to say they are far from empty on the return trip!!

 

[FloridaSam]

Looks like I'll be getting all my toiletries out there but I'm not brave enough to only go with a couple of days clothing!

When it comes to t-bags though, they will definately be in my case!

Sam xx

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Yes - I agree - we alwahys take our PG tips with us, as well as washing liquid and Lenor - can't seem to get anything remotely as good over there. The washes take such short time I never manage to get the conditioner in at the right time