Packing - 7 night western next week

[Sydnerella]

Comments on ANYTHING below are welcom, thanks!

So i read about overpacking all the time, and I'm a classic overpacker... trying hard to change...

We are a family of 4 - Me, DH, DS12 and DD 10 going with Grandpa and Grandma

Do I need:

• $100 in ones
• Cash amount of ??
• any extra hangers
• our own bug-spray like deep woods off. I heard they provide it now at WDW, is that true of DCL too?
• more than tevas, flip flops, tennies and dressier sandals for dinners, formal and otherwise - still feels like lotsa shoes!
• to wear a different top to each dinner? Assuming I can multitask bottoms except formal night.
• mugs/tervis tumblers for all four of us, - if so, will my old WDW resort mugs do?
• kids masks/ snorkels so we have some that fit correctly and are not potential germ farms
• umbrella
• ponchos - nervous about the potential circle back by Matthew
• kids lanyards for pin trading on board? or not much of a "thing" on cruises? if so i assume I can buy a lanyard onbaord as theirs are filling?
• one sweater or blazer for indoor areas due to a/c
• a fresh shirt/tank for everyday and another for each night for kids and adults - thinking of the heat
• sea bands AND meclizine

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

 

[dclpluto]

No

Comments on ANYTHING below are welcom, thanks!

So i read about overpacking all the time, and I'm a classic overpacker... trying hard to change...

We are a family of 4 - Me, DH, DS12 and DD 10 going with Grandpa and Grandma

Do I need:

• $100 in ones
• Cash amount of ??
• any extra hangers
• our own bug-spray like deep woods off. I heard they provide it now at WDW, is that true of DCL too?
• more than tevas, flip flops, tennies and dressier sandals for dinners, formal and otherwise - still feels like lotsa shoes!
• to wear a different top to each dinner? Assuming I can multitask bottoms except formal night.
• mugs/tervis tumblers for all four of us, - if so, will my old WDW resort mugs do?
• kids masks/ snorkels so we have some that fit correctly and are not potential germ farms
• umbrella
• ponchos - nervous about the potential circle back by Matthew
• kids lanyards for pin trading on board? or not much of a "thing" on cruises? if so i assume I can buy a lanyard onbaord as theirs are filling?
• one sweater or blazer for indoor areas due to a/c
• a fresh shirt/tank for everyday and another for each night for kids and adults - thinking of the heat
• sea bands AND meclizine

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

No need to bring hangers. If you need more hangers ask your stateroom host and they will bring you more. Seems like you are packing a lot.

 

[panda123]

Cash amount depends on your family. I try to carry enough cash to tip guides for excursions and a little more for incidental souvenirs but for the most part a lot of places take credit cards. Make sure to let your banks know your travel dates and locations so you don't have any issues being declined.

For shoes, I'd suggest leaving tennies at home unless you're planning on working out on the ship or your plans in Port demand it. My kids lived in sandals the whole time.

You can request extra hangers.

Don't know about bug spray on board but I usually bring our own.

We actually plan to do laundry once while on board about half way through and bring laundry pods and dryer sheets, which cuts down on how much we bring by half.
Most people won't care if you repeat a top at dinner during the week.

I personally bring our masks and snorkels because we love to snorkel.

I'd leave the umbrella at home. We do bring 1 light weight jacket and/or sweater with us that can be used at night up on deck or if it's raining somewhere.

I'd leave the ponchos at home. I hear Disney hands those out on particularly rainy days in port.

Hope that helps!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Comments on ANYTHING below are welcom, thanks!

So i read about overpacking all the time, and I'm a classic overpacker... trying hard to change...

We are a family of 4 - Me, DH, DS12 and DD 10 going with Grandpa and Grandma

Do I need:

• $100 in ones
• Cash amount of ??
• any extra hangers
• our own bug-spray like deep woods off. I heard they provide it now at WDW, is that true of DCL too?
• more than tevas, flip flops, tennies and dressier sandals for dinners, formal and otherwise - still feels like lotsa shoes!
• to wear a different top to each dinner? Assuming I can multitask bottoms except formal night.
• mugs/tervis tumblers for all four of us, - if so, will my old WDW resort mugs do?
• kids masks/ snorkels so we have some that fit correctly and are not potential germ farms
• umbrella
• ponchos - nervous about the potential circle back by Matthew
• kids lanyards for pin trading on board? or not much of a "thing" on cruises? if so i assume I can buy a lanyard onbaord as theirs are filling?
• one sweater or blazer for indoor areas due to a/c
• a fresh shirt/tank for everyday and another for each night for kids and adults - thinking of the heat
• sea bands AND meclizine

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

• $100 sounds good - but doesn't need to be all 1s. Toss in some 5s also.
• No need to bring extra hangers, just ask you room host if you need more.
• Haven't heard that DCL is giving bug spray. I'd bring my own, however.
• Not sure what tevas are, but for a 7 night cruise, I'd bring water shoes, dress shoes, and walking shoes.
• Maybe just me, but I'd bring different tops for each night. But you certainly can get away with repeating tops, especially if you do laundry.
• Bringing personal cups - it's up to you. I don't like doing dishes on my vacation. Whatever type you don't mind carrying around.
• If you already have snorkel masks that fit, sure, bring them. I wouldn't go out and buy special for one trip.
• No umbrella - they are a real nuisance in port - handing cameras, bags, umbrellas is a juggling feat, and when in crowds they can be an issue.
• We usually bring a rain jacket/poncho, cause you never know.
• Yes, there is pin trading onboard.
• I always have a light jacket or sweater for indoor use on the ship.
• Again, no need to change shirts twice a day, unless you plan on getting really dirty/sweaty. I don't have a problem with that. You can always do a load of laundry one day to wash up already worn stuff, if you want.
• If you're unsure about needing the motion sickness meds, I'd bring them. I usually bring along some, even though I don't need it. Cause, you never know.

 

[AJaquins]

We were on the Fantasy on Sept 10th they do provide bug spray outside the gangway when you're off the ship. They have a table set up with Gallon size pump bottles and hand sanitizer wipes for you to use. It's part of their protection against Zika virus. The travel size ones at the store work great too.

I took a mixture of 1, 5, and 10 dollar bills for tipping. Used mostly the 5 and 10's.

Lived mostly in flip flops and mostly lighter weight shoes. I did take a light jacket mostly because it was cold when I left home but it did come in handy.

 

[Dug720]

We were on the Fantasy on Sept 10th they do provide bug spray outside the gangway when you're off the ship. They have a table set up with Gallon size pump bottles and hand sanitizer wipes for you to use. It's part of their protection against Zika virus. The travel size ones at the store work great too.

I took a mixture of 1, 5, and 10 dollar bills for tipping. Used mostly the 5 and 10's.

Lived mostly in flip flops and mostly lighter weight shoes. I did take a light jacket mostly because it was cold when I left home but it did come in handy.

Just as a note, the hand sanitizer is to protect against Noro and the like. I've not heard of Zika being transmitted other than by mosquitos and...certain adult activities.

 

[Luvzmy3boys]

Great advice from PrincessSchmoo as always. No to umbrella. Yes to ponchos or rain jackets if u don't wanna get wet but we found ourselves living in semsuits and beach cover ups and did not mind the rainstorms. We sailed in late August around the time of tropical storm few yrs ago. Still definitely needed sunscreen and bug spray if you are going anywhere away from beaches (we did Xcaret). I would suggest dry fit shirts rather than cotton as they dry much faster in the humidity and don't wrinkle. We also brought our own snorkel gear (minus fins to save space) as dry snorkels are much easier for the kids to use and we snorkeled in every port. U can rent fins. Pack less if u can. We each had one carry on bag and I still had stuff I did not wear. Waterproof camera or case for your phone if u plan to use that to nstead. I would bring a water bottle to fill up with cold water before leaving the ship. There is a big markup on bottled water at the ports.

 

[AJaquins]

They had the hand sanitizer wipes on the table with the insect repellant. So you could clean your hands off after you used it.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Your list is actually helping with my packing for the 10/15 cruise -thanks
I'm debating on mugs though.. On one hand they are nice to have, on the other there is nothing to rinse out or carry if we don't bring them.
I think I may buy a tervis mug on board..
I'm kinda excited about using disposable cups they have at the drink station... Princess Schmoo posted a pic of the Halloween on the High Seas one recently. Super cute.

 

[Sydnerella]

• Maybe just me, but I'd bring different tops for each night. But you certainly can get away with repeating tops, especially if you do laundry
• Again, no need to change shirts twice a day, unless you plan on getting really dirty/sweaty. I don't have a problem with that. You can always do a load of laundry one day to wash up already worn stuff, if you want.

Thank you! By my post I am assuming I will wear something during the day to Port excursions and then perhaps be showering and wearing another thing to dinner at night, even on cruise casual dinner nights. Isnt that typical?

Your list is actually helping with my packing for the 10/15 cruise -thanks
I'm debating on mugs though.. On one hand they are nice to have, on the other there is nothing to rinse out or carry if we don't bring them.
I think I may buy a tervis mug on board..
I'm kinda excited about using disposable cups they have at the drink station... Princess Schmoo posted a pic of the Halloween on the High Seas one recently. Super cute.

We are on your cruise, but you probably recall that from previous posts! So excited and convinced I have packed wayyyyy toooo much! Clothes in particular. Do you have any kids at he same ages as ours? DS12 and DD10?

 

[Flossbolna]

Thank you! By my post I am assuming I will wear something during the day to Port excursions and then perhaps be showering and wearing another thing to dinner at night, even on cruise casual dinner nights. Isnt that typical?

I often would put something new on in the evening and then wear the same top again during the next day (assuming that it is not too dressy or so).

 

[kamik86]

Repeating tops is fine, I always do since we do laundry half way though.

Shoes I usually did water shoes (the kind you can wear in the water if its rocky), flip flops which double as slippers, sneakers/walking shoes, and dress shoes.

Never cruised with disney but never had a need for mugs or tumblers. Either had a drink package they came with or just brought my water bottle.

Never did ponchos either. Generally just a jacket that can handle moderate rain. If its pouring I'm probably going to spend most of my time under cover anyway.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Thank you! By my post I am assuming I will wear something during the day to Port excursions and then perhaps be showering and wearing another thing to dinner at night, even on cruise casual dinner nights. Isnt that typical?



We are on your cruise, but you probably recall that from previous posts! So excited and convinced I have packed wayyyyy toooo much! Clothes in particular. Do you have any kids at he same ages as ours? DS12 and DD10?

We have a DS couple of years younger than your DD. They will probably be in the kids club together
Your DS will be in the tween club I think?
I am packing quite a few swim cover up / beachy swim dresses to wear on sea days etc. I find it easier than putting shorts and a tshirt on...
Lazy that way lol
DS will get at least 2 tops each day - one for day and one for night. He would never stay clean in the same clothes all day
We are also taking 3 pairs of swim shorts for him so there is always a dry pair.
I also packed a few clothes hangers to hang the swim wear in the tub.
One other thing (non-clothing related) that we are bringing for the first time is a multiple USB port charger. This way we can charge all our devices in one outlet.
Power strips are no longer allowed.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

We went with the "pack half as much and do laundry once" method, but my sister and her family were on the same cruise with us and they went with the "No way are we doing laundry on our cruise" method. Consequently, we were laughing at them when they had two checked suitcases for each person and we only had one, and they were laughing at us when we had to stay up until 1 AM one evening to do that laundry. (But we had a blast running back and forth to the laundry room and ordering midnight room service!) So to each their own.

I will say that during the day, our teen-aged boys mostly wore their swimsuits/swim shirts, so we only needed a couple of them to allow time for them to dry and maybe one backup. Likewise we spent a lot of time in our swimwear, whether we were swimming or not. We couldn't get below four pairs of shoes each: Water shoes, sandals, sneakers/walking shoes, and dress shoes. We just put them all in one bag.

Oh, and you probably know this, but I'll state it anyway, we packed two, empty soft-sided bags in our bags because they were certainly full of souvenirs, etc. on the way home. Just easier not to have to cram everything back where they came from too.

If you plan to snorkel at Castaway Cay, be advised that they don't rent fins separately, so it's all or nothing. If you have the set, I'd bring them. We owned masks but no fins so I ended up renting two sets anyway so my sons would have fins. I used one of their rented masks and went without fins, which saved me one rental, but keeping up with the two of them, and me not having fins was a real challenge.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Throw a couple of clothes pins in your suitcase. There is a laundry line that extends in the shower. Also, you may want to use one to keep curtains closed.

 

[dektolia]

Thank you! By my post I am assuming I will wear something during the day to Port excursions and then perhaps be showering and wearing another thing to dinner at night, even on cruise casual dinner nights. Isnt that typical?

I did end up wear one thing during the day and changed for dinner. I felt like I overpacked for my 4-night and under packed for my 7 night, but that was because for the 7-night I thought I would spend most days in swim suits and only brought a few sundresses for the day wear (and I immediately spilled an entire glass of lemonade on one before lunch was over on the first day). There is laundry onboard if you end up short of clothes. I didn't notice if anyone wore stuff twice so I wouldn't worry about that. I always had a sweater over my top for dinner every night, but i tend to be always cold. For the next trip, I'll pack a little more (but still keep it to one or two checked bags for the entire family, not per person). I'm thinking I'll just add some lightweight clothes that don't take up much space to give me some extra options.

For shoes, I brought beach sandals, dressy sandals and running shoes, but I also did the 5k at Castaway.

 

[gotomu212]

On the shirts question we do what another poster said. Every night before the shows/dinner we shower and clean up. Put on a new clean outfit. That outfit is usually the one we wear the next morning for our shore excursion. The shore excursions is where we get hot/sweaty/grimmy. Normally my son stays clean in the 3 hours he wears the new outfit. If it's a sea day we're spending a lot of the day in swimwear/cover ups. We throw in an extra shirt per person just in Case someone dumps dinner on themselves.

We found this method because we were actually going through a lot of different tops but half of them were almost unworn.

 

[kdecroo]

Remember that there are laundry rooms available also. Might help lighten the load.