Packing tips

[circelli]

Who can help me???

I just want some pointers on packing for our trip.....

Show me your ideas

 

[Kath2003]

Don't take stuff you won't need.

That's pretty much it

If you're flying, split the clothes between the different bags, so that when the airline lose one of your bags you all still have clothing.

Hotels have laundry rooms. They're cheap. Use them.

A big scarf is endlessly useful.

 

[rwdavis2]

Ponchos for the water rides in Islands of Adventure. Plastic bag to hold wet clothes after the water ride. Backpack to take into the parks. Comfortable shoes and clothes. Just some common sense.

 

[circelli]

Thanks for those tips

Now I need the ones that are goodies but probably are forgotten

Clothes : what to take for 7 days?
DH, DS(5), DS(3 1/2) and of course myself

 

[Purseval]

Take pictures of everything valuable you are bringing with you, especially things like pass numbers, in case you lose them or they get stolen. If you aren't staing onsite and are driving into the park take a picture of one of the columnns where you park, it will have a character and number on it in case you forget when you come out. Throw a few extra t-shirts in your car or your backpack in case someone throws up on themself at one of the rides (happened to a guest of ours one year, I had to give him my shirt and run back to the car)

 

[h20jag]

Ben-Gay for sore leg muscles?
There's a Walgreens across street from Uni entrance for ALOT of stuff if you need. (Liquor store next to it)

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

A few other things you might want to pack:

~ Extension cord/Power bar - for recharging camera & electronics batteries (there are only so many power outlets in the rooms)

~ Wet Wipes/Antibacterial wipes - for sticky fingers, etc

~ Bandaids/Moleskin - for sore spots on feet

~ Tide Stick - for dining accidents

~ Ziploc Baggies - good for leftovers, keeping things dry if it rains, taking snacks to the parks

~ Glow Sticks - cheaper to buy them at home than at the parks

~ Night light - for finding the bathroom of your resort room at night

 

[macraven]

don't fold your clothes but roll them tight when you put them in the suitcase.
it takes up less space and keeps from wrinkling.


take 3 tops for each bottom you pack.


and my favorite, take your oldest clothes and just throw them away before you come home.
this works well with socks.

 

[circelli]

AWESOME suggestions people...kepp em coming!!!

This will help out lots of people I am sure

 

[macraven]

even though it might cost more, buy the travel size toiletries for your trip.

once they are used up, that is a few more things you don't have to return with.



if you don't want to go to that expense, only take a few toiletries from home that are half empty, you'll probably use those bottles up on the trip.


send a box of snacks to the hotel 4 days before you leave.
the cost of sending the parcel would more than likely be cheaper than packing it or buying those snack items at the parks.
think of breakfast items and small snacks the kids can carry in a belly bag during the day.

 

[squirrel]

If you have kids, pack a complete outfit in a ziplock bag. Do this for all their clothes. Makes it easy to get dressed in the morning and if you need to take spare ones for the young kids it's easy to grab one for the backpack or stroller.

Bring your own misting fans if you are going in the warm/hot months. Make sure you have batteries for them and any other items (camera, video games).

I pack food, but I travel with my lactose intollerant niece and it's not so easy to find food for her.

I bring my own laundry soap and fabric softener sheets-saves money. We go for 2 weeks and do laundry at least twice.

 

[macraven]

pack one clothespin.

curtains/drapes in the room hardly ever meet.
you don't sleep well when light is shinning in the room.

clip the clothespin to fasten the drapes closed.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Another thing you might want to take with you is an over the door shoe organizer - you can hang it on the bathroom door and put your toiletries in it to keep the bathroom counter much neater.

 

[macraven]

do you want me to come to your house and pack for you?

 

[Melisa1]

Downy wrinkle releaser!!!!!!!!!!! I love this stuff! Just spray on clothes and hang up for a few minutes and wrinkles are gone!
Target sells it in the travel size bottles.

 

[circelli]

do you want me to come to your house and pack for you?

you can if you want

I have already started getting the kids stuff together, these are some great tips I didn't know about

 

[Josh Hendy]

Each of us brought one carry-on sized suitcase, youngest kid is 11 and could handle it OK except needed help lifting it into overhead racks on plane. Was a nice simple system for everyone to keep track of their own clothes, teddy bears, etc. Saved some $$$ on checked baggage fees and left nothing to the mercy of baggage handlers.

Dad carried a laptop case which contained a small netbook for checking email, storing photos, etc. plus a power bar and all required power chargers for phones, MP3s, etc. extra camera batteries and all other gadgets. Every night at the hotel we charged batteries, every day put all the gadgets in the laptop case and kept it in our our double-locked trunk while at the theme parks.

Mom carried a small backpack as her "purse" containing vital prescription drugs and other must-haves, kept it in her hands and stowed in front of her on the plane.

iPod Touch is a great little device for checking emails, etc. online with the WiFi capability - if your hotel has it.

Compiled a duo tang binder containing printouts of all tickets, reservations, passports, credit card #s, etc. Photocopied it and carried extra copy in a different suitcase.

Made another binder with touring plans, maps printed from google showing how to get to hotel, airport, parks plus with stores, restaurants and gas stations highlighted so we could find them easily (bringing a GPS from home would probably also work, but I don't own one). This saved having to bring heavy "Unofficial Guide" on the trip.

Joined Budget's "fastbreak" plan, for free, and breezed through car rental pickup.

That's everything I know about packing and prep. Have fun!