Post your best organizational, space saving and trip making secrets here!!

[tsd1202]

Deleted duplicate post from above.
DIS server too slow & I'm too impatient
Guess I pressed the button too many times while waiting.

 

[tsd1202]

I looked for these and could not find them. I stopped by Office Depot today to pick up a small soft binder for all the info I've printed out and I looked around for those name badges. I found a pack of 12 (I realize we don't need that many) clear name badge holders. They already have the hole punched in them so you can attach to a lanyard or a keychain. You can slide in your park passes and other ID's. I think this is going to work nicely and keep them organized and waterproofed (for the most part).

Thanks again for this idea!!!

I bought my lanyards at Walmart last week- they are in the jewlery dept. I found mine on a spinning rack hanging by keychains and eye glass holders. I think they were 1.00-1.50 . The cords are more the size of a shoestring than the thicker ones you see at Disney (that people put the pins on). I still think you could decorate with pins or maybe even Disney Beads if you can find them. I actually think they will be lighter and more comfortable to wear.

FYI- I also went to my local Disney Store and was told they don't sell them.

Off to have Disney Dreams Goodnight!

 

[2 princes 1 princess]

I just saw this in the family fun magazine. You can take one of those plastic hanging door shoe organizers and put it over the back of the car seat so that it is facing your child, and use it to put things for them to do on the trip (the picture showed crayons in one pocket, stickers in another, a container of snacks in one, etc) I thought that looked really neat, and could keep them occupied for quite a while on the long trip!!

Great idea for the car! I have one for the room but I didn't even think of using one in the car! Thanks!

 

[familyfirsttimer]

I bought my lanyards at Walmart last week- they are in the jewlery dept. I found mine on a spinning rack hanging by keychains and eye glass holders. FYI- I also went to my local Disney Store and was told they don't sell them.

I also found lanyards at Claire's (accesory store in the mall if you do not know it). they had several differnet kinds-no Disney when I was there. I got 2 pink/silver leopard print lanyards for my DD7 & DD4 to start their pin trading this year. They were on sales for $1.75 each. I figured it was a good stating point and then if we see ones we like in WDW, maybe they will chosse that as their souvenier.

 

[DADof2Princesses40]

Great thread! So many great ideas! I love the ziploc bags of cloths for each day, the autograph book, and the paper for the outside of the door.

 

[allonte]

I've been reading this thread ALL WEEK! Thanks for all the great ideas. Now that school is over I'm putting together a large bag/box of all the necessities. Went to Walmart, Kmart and the Dollar Tree today and found almost everything but:
1. Palmolive wipes
2. cheap toothbrush holder
3. Tide tablets or small travel detergent

If you can't find the Tide tablets or don't like powder detergent, try picking up a bottle of All Small and Mighty! It's a small, compact liquid detergent that washes 36 loads per bottle!

 

[TerBear4]

I bought my lanyards at Walmart last week- they are in the jewlery dept. I found mine on a spinning rack hanging by keychains and eye glass holders. I think they were 1.00-1.50 . The cords are more the size of a shoestring than the thicker ones you see at Disney (that people put the pins on). I still think you could decorate with pins or maybe even Disney Beads if you can find them. I actually think they will be lighter and more comfortable to wear.

I picked up a few of these at Walmart today - I decided to get two extra so I can attach my kids disposable cameras to one for each of them to wear. This way they will have their own camera handy at all times

 

[sunnishine]

1) mini umbrellas from dollar store
2) Large mickey pens on a lanyard from dollar store for autographs
3) travel size hungry hippos- self contained can't lose parts- kids end up playing with others while waiting for parades etc
4) for planning free planner http://www.touringplans.com/UG/ awesome!
5) backpack to hang on back of stroller + fanny pack for me
6) misty mate from walmart ($8) + neck coolers from QVC ($18 for 6)+ water spray/fan bottle ($4)


All I can think of right now that hasn't been listed already
Sunni

 

[minniewannabe]

If you live near a ROSS store (kinda like a Marshalls/TJMaxx, but a notch or two below), they have the clear plastic over the door shoe holder (w/ 20 compartments) for $6.99. They also had the collapsalbe mesh laundry hamper for $3.99. They are located on the organizational aisle after the decorative greenery aisle. That is better prices than at Walmart & Target.

 

[disneyfansx5]

If anyone lives near a Walls Bargain Center, they have the collapsable laundry baskets for 99 cents.

 

[goofy4mykids]

Thanks for all the great ideas !!!!! I am having a blast reading!1!

I just bought 100 glow sticks on E-bay for 13.98 at glow2u he still has alot more I think its a great deal...

I also purchased a child safety harness for 8.00 for my soon to be two year old DD. I had one for my DS when he was a toddler and we visited the world. So many parents asked me if I purchased it in the parks...And where they could get one.

 

[zookeeper]

They are usually in the baby section at stores like Target and Walmart with the other home safety stuff like drawer latches and outlet covers. You can get the plain nylon harness type and both Target and Wally world have the cute backpack ones that look like either a puppy or a monkey. They are stuffed and have a small zipped pocket. The "tail" is the leash part and is detachable. Really cute, IMO.

ITA! Even though I COMPLETELY understand the need for harnesses on kids I have to admit I've never been a fan of how it looks. Today at the zoo I saw someone using one of the backpack ones. It was a monkey and the tail was the leash part just like all4fun said. I have to say it was SOOOOO cute.

 

[MeLaNie9]

We packed some snacks and breakfast foods (little cereal boxes, bowls, spoons, and fruit bars) and had to fit in diapers and wipes. I am a light packer but DH is not, but I was not going to take more than 2 moderate sized suitcases. I had previously purchased a pack of SpaceBags (for home storage of bedding and stuff) and found the travel ones that were included in my pack to be invaluable for this trip. They really decreased the amount of space we had to dedicate to clothes and could use for all this other stuff! You just put your clothes in and roll them up and the air gets pushed out and your clothes are compressed/"vacuum packed".

Also, we got glow sticks and glow bracelets/necklaces at WalMart before the trip. Our DS(2) loved these and wanted to sleep with one every night after getting it home from the parks. We had some extra bracelets on our last night and gave them to 2 little girls who were coveting my DS's glow stick.

 

[hayleypiesmom]

I found Disney themed photo albums at Dollar Tree recently (4x6, plastic flexible)-- I think it holds about 36 photos. When I was there, I saw Mickey, Pooh & Friends, Princess, etc...

I also bought a package of 4 x 6 index cards, which I've written all types of pertinent info (or printed that size)-- flight info, ADR's, resort reservation number, plus budget and itenerary stuff. I've got lots of empty pages, still!

I'll still take my original documents, but I think it will make it easy to make a quick reference. Won't be heavy, or take up much room in a backpack, either.

I can slip out all the cards when the trip is over (possibly-- I'm more likely to keep in intact for reference next time) and use for photos!

 

[katytrott]

Does anyone with toddlers or babies take any toys with them. I can't imagine my son spending two weeks without any toys to amuse him at times when we are not in the parks eg in the villa. Problem is all his toys are big and bulky and not travel friendly particularly on planes. I have got small, cheap entertaining toys for the plane trip, but I don't think they will last or will be safe enough for the whole two weeks.
How do you pack these toys? You know the shape sorters, stacking bricks, jigsaws etc

 

[goofy4mykids]

I love to bring the small Lego sets (fits into the palm of you hand) keeps kids entertained during sit down meals my DS (6) loves them. He always picks out a few new sets when we visit DWT disney Lego store.

 

[jayhjay]

Does anyone with toddlers or babies take any toys with them. I can't imagine my son spending two weeks without any toys to amuse him at times when we are not in the parks eg in the villa. Problem is all his toys are big and bulky and not travel friendly particularly on planes. I have got small, cheap entertaining toys for the plane trip, but I don't think they will last or will be safe enough for the whole two weeks.
How do you pack these toys? You know the shape sorters, stacking bricks, jigsaws etc

There is a company called A Baby's Best Friend that rents a million different child friendly things, toys among them. They also rent strollers, high chairs, car seats, etc. We rented a full-size crib from them and were very pleased. They delivered the crib to the hotel wrapped in plastic. Very clean and in good condition. You may want to try them for toys, especially if you expect a lot of down time in your room. Their site is www.abbf.com. JJ

 

[MeLaNie9]

We didn't pack any toys for DS(almost 2). In our room, we only had the stuff we took for him on the plane - his favorite stuffed animal, a familiar blanket, stickers, a few books, and those Crayola Color Magic markers and paper (didn't want him scribbling all over the plane or the hotel room). He did not need or want any other toys as we were either at the parks or he was sleeping in the room. Any down time he had in the room he looked at the books or colored with the markers/paper or watched Mickey on the Disney cartoons channel on the resort TV.

 

[mammoth_fan]

I found at Target that Palmolive made individual towels with the detergent built right in. When we would get back to our room from the parks I would set about cleaning out DS's cup AND our cups from the resort.

PERFECT!! That's going on my list of "to-buys"!

 

[katytrott]

Thanks for the ideas. That baby site is great, we probably will hire a stroller as well now. Our son is mad keen on books and jigsaws so we'll take them as well as quite flat.