packing Panic -- I leave Saturday. Tips, please, traveling with 15 month old!

[labdogs42]

I'm starting to get overwhelmed with all the stuff I have to take with me to Disney, so please help me figure out what to pack and how to do it! It will be DS's first trip to Disney and he is 15 months old, so that presents its own set of issues. I need to take a carseat and stroller for starters. I did go ahead an mail a box containing diapers, wipes, snacks, a few toys, and some other baby gear down there. At least that is taken care of! My biggest issue is what to carry on the plane and into the parks.

I want to take my digital SLR camera, video camera and laptop along. How do we tote all that on to the plane along with DS, a stroller, a diaper bag, a carseat, and at least one carryon for DH and I with a change of clothes, reading material, and some toiletries? Should I take the cameras out of their regular bags and try and pack them into one of the other carryons? Should I pack the battery chargers in my checked bags?

I know there probably isn't time for me to buy any new pieces of luggage (well, not online anyway). Maybe I should get one of those rolling laptop bags that has additional compartments? I have a Lands End backback diaper bag that might fit some stuff along with a camera or two. I'm just not sure how to pack all this stuff! I thought going digital would be EASIER than film, but not this time! Suggestions, Please!!

And, what do I take into the parks? Stroller, diaper bag, camera bag, and another bag? Can I leave the diaper bag with the stroller and just take the valuable stuff with me on the rides? (in another bag or camera bag) HELP!

 

[pbharris4]

I don't know if this helps, but here goes...IMO..the less bags the better especialy when you have a young child. See if you could fit the cameras into your purse or diaper bag. At the parks I'd either put the camera in the diaper bag or where it around my neck. Again..I wouldn't take too much to the parks either. Just the basics that you really need. Are you renting a car? If not then you don't need a car seat for the plane. They can ride in your lap or if you already bought the seat....you can strap them in. It's about a 1 1/2 hr flight from Allentown to Orlando so it's not long. If you ARE renting a car then I understand the car seat. I would just try to conserve as much space as you can. When we went to San Francisco when my DD was 18 months I must have packed the world and I'll never do that again. I'm sure someone else may post some better tips. Have a great time on your vacation!

 

[REW91599]

Use your stroller! I always carry a backpack/babybag and put everyones park essentials inside. You will want a comfortable stroller for the baby so utilize it in the airport and you should be able to gate check it, ask at check-in. As for the carseat, you have a couple of options if you are using WDW transportation you do not need the car seat(if the baby has seat on the airplane you would want one.) but if you are renting a car, you can rent a car seat . I once had carried my DS booster seat to WDW and rented a minivan with 2 child seat included. Regardless of how much luggage, HAVE FUN!!!

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

I would definitely try to combine as many things as possible to minimize the amount of bags that you will need to carry. Can you just put your camera into your laptop bag and your video camera into your carry on? I just use every space possible.

As far as the parks, when we go, we use one of those bags that hangs on the side of the stroller. We pack that with a few diapers, small pack of wipes, extra outfit, sunblock, hat, and any feeding necessities. We found this to be a lot easier than bringing along the diaper bag. The bag was cumbersome when trying to juggle the stroller, baby and bag on a crowded bus. The one we used never has to come off the stroller. As for the cameras, we bring ours and just pop them in the stroller bag. When we go on rides, we pop the camera in one of our fanny packs.

Our youngest will be 14 months for our October trip, so I know what you're going through. We're driving this time, since the juggle-the-bag ordeal was pretty stressful traveling with three last time. It would be much worse with four!!!

Oh, and remember to bring along outlet plugs . I forgot those on a few trips, and was so worried the whole time.

Have a great trip!!!!!

 

[emma'smom]

Skip the carseat...that's a good start at being less cumbersome! You can rent one from the rental car agency or you won't need one if you are just doing WDW transportation. MY dd will be 16 months when we go next month (and was 14 months when we were there in march). I way overpacked for the plane...because once you are settled in, it is too difficult to keep reaching much anyway. I would take a few little toys/books for entertainment. A cup/bottle...a little snack and put it all in a ziplock bag and place it in the seat pocket in front of you when you sit down. Then you won't need to reach for anything else on the plane (unless you need to change diapers).

On the plane, take your stroller (with the diapers/wipes/change of clothes/camera and the ziplock "plane bag") in the stroller bag attached to the back of of the stroller. Just pop the bag off as you gate-check your stroller when you are getting on the plane and take that one with you. Carry your laptop bag (with your wallet, etc inside) as your carryon. If you can fit your video camera in your laptop bag, all the better. Are you traveling with another adult? If so, s/he takes the baby and one bag (stroller bag), you carry the other two (video camera adn laptop). On the plane, set the baby down....stow the bags (excpet the ziplock plane bag) and you are done!

We just did this in March....you won't use most of what you bring on the plane! Also, don't forget to dress your baby in shoes that can be removed and be ready to fold the stroller to put through x-ray. This is always the most stressful part of teh flight for me...getting us all through security and getting all of our belongings gathered back up without losing anyone/anything and without holding everyone else up behind us for too long!

 

[MyZoeJane]

If I were you, I would ask myself, "Do I REALLY need my laptop??"

I took mine on our first trip as a family and it was a total waste! I was so into the parks, I didn't even think about getting online or working. By the time I got back to the room, I didn't feel like using it, either, because I wanted to go sit outside and enjoy the lovely weather with DD and DH!

So, unless it's dire... I'd skip the laptop. Seriously. As difficult as it might sound, you CAN live without it for several days and not go into shock!

As for the carseat, I would think long and hard about how comfortable you want to be on the plane. Chances are, your DS KNOW to sit still in his carseat. It's a comfort zone for him... one that he already KNOWS he can't get out of.

Here is what I do:

Check the bigger luggage curbside directly from the car so you are not hauling it all over the airport when you depart.

DH carries the carseat using a carseat bag and his own carry on. I push DD in the stroller and loop my carry on over the stroller handlebars. I put the things DD will need on the plane into a backpack and carry it on my back.

As for what I pack in the backpack:

I pack a change of clothes, a few diapers, wipes, snacks, a few NEW toys that she has never seen (the novelty keeps her occupied longer), her VideoNow player, fruit snacks (chewy, which helps pop her ears during take off and landing), and a sippy cup with WATER so nothing gets sticky. (Hint, DO NOT use the airtight ones that have the flexible straw in them (they have characters on them). The pressure from the cabin pushes the liquid up the straw and it gets EVERYWHERE! I learned this the hard way!)

Remember to take Infant Tylenol and a decongestant. It seem slike kids always catch a runny nose after they fly.

Youd on't need as much as you think you do.

 

[labdogs42]

The reason we're taking the laptop is so we can download the digital camera pictures to the hard drive and burn them to CD's while we're there. It isn't in any way realted to work -- don't worry about that!! I'm a picture junkie and I don't want to run out of memory or have anything happen to my memory cards. That's really the reason for the laptop.

The car seat is going on the plane with us for the reasons some mentioned. He's used to the seat, he's comfortable in the seat, and he often falls asleep in the seat. We are also renting a car in Orlando, so we need it then anyway.

 

[gottalovethem]

You can dowload pics in the parks at the camera stations, about $12 a disk.

Have a small over the shoulder purse that slides into your backpack/diaper bag for the parks, one that fits the camera, ID, money and cell phone so that you can grab it and go after "parking" the stroller.

If you have a car then you can always leave some extras, changes of clothes for adults, in there.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[makinorlando]

Sorry if some of my ideas are redundant - I scanned quickly and did see some mention of consolidating things!

Zip loc bags - of all sizes! I find them valuable even for our day trips!

I see so many people in the parks that seem to be so encumbered by what they carry in the parks. Remember each individual bag (camera bag, diaper bag, fanny pack, back pack) you take into the park has to be opened for the security before entering each park! The side pockets, etc.

I am a minimalist (and no I don't have small children - DD9 doesn't require too much - and now she has her own fanny back for autograph book, cell phone, game boy, and pins) - so I know that does require more things!

I travel with my laptop as well (I even took it for a one night stay - it an my camera have become extra appendages), but maybe if it's in your budget to buy some additional memory you would not have to worry about downloading, and allow you to lighten the traveling load a bit?

I have several smaller cards (256) so that if I don't get to download my pics immediatly after a visit, I can pop in one of the other ones, also this way I am not taking 1GB of pics, and risking having them all in one place. Just something that works for me! (Again - my trips are day trips, and I might not be thinking things totally through the mind of a traveler!) Also with a car, you could make a side trip to Walgreen's, CVS, or the like and download there to a CD for a minimal cost - Again just trying to think of options to bringing the laptop or as someone else mentioned download them in the parks!

I would try an have your diaper bag/backpack do double duty for your camera. When I am in the parks (almost weekly) my camera is rarely any place but around my neck. I would not on a daily basis carry a diaper bag and a camera bag. The less the better!

I have seen some great fanny packs on folks at the parks that have a place for water bottels on them - not something they dangle from but a little mesh pouch. Carrying water bottles in the park is one of the things that annoys me most!

If one of the adults used a fanny pack for the valuable/frequently used items, then the back pack would need to be dug into less frequently. That's another thing that frustrates me - having to dig into a backpack or large purse for that one item that ALWAYS is at the bottom! This way the valuables would already be on your person when the stroller is parked for going on a ride.

During your flight, I would definitely pack your battery charger, and any other necessary cords. It's amazing how many things we travel with now that require a cord!!!! They weight of those really add up!

If you camera uses AA batteries, and you use rechargable ones, I would be sure to have 3 sets. Buying batteries (and memory) in the parks and resorts is expensive! On any give visit I have a newly charged set in my camera and two additional ones... just in case something didn't charge right! (Again from experience - I've had to purchase both when I left home without them!)


HAVE A GREAT TRIP!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

For my kids carseat we bought one of those carts that have bungee cords that you can pull your suticase on. You get them in the luggage dept. Anyway, we strap our carseat to that and manage to fit a carry-on or two in it. You do have to take it apart for security, but it is better than trying to carry it.

In the parks I packed a small bag with the items I wouldn't REALLY care if they were stolen (diapers, wipes, older change of clothes, etc.) I left that in the stroller all of the time, even when we parked it.

On our last trip we started out taking the camcorder in the morning, but it really was a PITA! I was too busy trying to enjoy DD and WDW and taking regular pictures that we didn't even get the camcorder out. I recommend just taking it in the evenings or when you know you will have a slower time (not going from ride to ride.) JMO.