REALLY don't want to overpack! Need realistic packing advice for first WDW trip.

[lowepg]

and metal dogtags just in case the plane goes down and they need to identify my body

lol, I was right with you till that part!

You just made me laugh out loud (at 2:45AM- thats funny!).

 

[MinnesotaChill]

One of the best trips my mom, a seasoned traveler, gave me, is to pack in colors so you can more easily do laundry. For instance, if you bring three red shirts, three white shirts and four blue pairs of pants, you have a bunch of little loads. If you concentrate on bringing blues and whites, for example, you will have two full loads. I thought that was brillant, because I hate when I have one or two pieces I have to wash because they are central to my wardrobe and they are an odd color. We are DVC members, so we can do the laundry in the room and it's really not a problem.

Another tip I have is that I pack the kids clothing in baggies by temperature and event, then write on the outside what it is. For example, "warm, dressy" or "cold, casual" I also then coordinate the three kids clothing. I do this because then the kids are in outfits that compliment each other (not necessary matching, just the same general colors) and any picture we take is a fantastic one. It also makes the kids easier to pick out in a crowd and it is amazing what purposely gets left behind when I start packing this way. It is amazing to me how easy it is to overpack, thinking you will need a ton of shirts, etc., but when you break it down you need much less than the original "piles to pack" that you might have made. I also bring a few extra shirts, etc., but I wind up with far fewer odds and ends. It cuts down on my packing volume and it makes it really easy for my kids, or DH to pick out the kids clothes for the day. It does mean a bit more work packing, but it ensures I have the right outfits for each situation and it is so much less stressful at the park.

 

[Leota]

When packing for longer trips when I know I'll be doing laundry - I throw in a couple detergent tabs (no longer on the market, but I have a few left) and fabric softener sheets.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says.................................................Bring enough tops for half your trip, and enough jeans/shorts for plus one day. You will buy some T shirts, so wear them!

Have DH do the laundry, and take the kids with him as most laundry places are by the pool. Two hours of alone time, that's a vacation!!!

 

[ljones]

bringing lots of blacks/darks and whites; agree with a previous post about loads of wash;packing similar colors for DD; will be going with a group of 11 family members and someone will be doing wash to let those odd colors in a load; bringing own liquid laundry det. as allergic to many brands

 

[susy]

Here's my two cents:

Now, I live in FL, so FEB can be FREEZING to me-pack everything from shorts and t's to coats, gloves, hats. Don't forget the swimsuits. I would pack at least two shirts per day (we like to take breaks and change for the evening). Extra shoes is a good idea.
If you are staying a week or two and you don't mind doing laundry (I do mind), I would build that time into your schedule and bring your own detergent, dryer sheets, and quarters. Maybe some bags to carry it in. Brign a good book to read while you are doing the laundry.

If you have a portable DVD player (or can borrow one), we find that this is excellent for the trip and you can hook it up to the tv in the room. Get the kids some new movies just for the trip. We carry them in a CD carrying case. Our son also has one of those new video game things (his is Spongebob) that hooks right up to the tv. The games are contained in the joystick itself. They are around 14.99 and can be found in the toy dept of Target, K mart ,etc. Believe me, there will be times that you want some down time in your room.

Also, pack medications!!! I practically pack my whole medicine cabinet. The best way to keep things to a minimum is to buy pill/capsule/chewable versions of the meds and bring them in a large ziploc (don't forget the moleskin-I just cut it up into different sized pieces). I also pack a few of each med in a small ziploc and one of us carries it in our fanny packs. Believe me, it happens. Once my son had an earache in the MK. It did us NO GOOD that his tylenol was back in the room! Very important: Take antibacterial gel into the parks and use it!!!!! We also bring a small ziploc with wipes and dental care gum-it allows for "cleanup" after a meal and you do feel a lot better.
Also, in your fanny packs- don't bring your whole wallet-just your id, cc, cash, insurance cards-the basics.

I always pack a nightlight, a pair of scissors, and tape. Also, make sure the kids have your cell # on them and that they know what to do if they get lost.

One item that might seem VERY strange is a humidifier (ours is small). It helps when you are running the heat in the room, if someone gets a cold, and to block out noise. One night at Pop Century, we thought we were going to PASS OUT because the room was SOOOOOO DRY. We actually opened the door and had our door open in the middle of the night (we were desperate).
Have fun!

 

[C.Ann]

Interesting thread as I'm trying to figure out how to "pack down" for a trip to see my sister in Florida the beginning of February..

I'm a little confused on the meds though.. Isn't there a new ruling (when traveling by air) that ALL meds have to be in their ORIGINAL containers and all prescribed meds have to be in a bottle from the pharmacy with the name of the doctor and the patient on it? I'd really like to clarify that as I have some prescription meds that are samples from the doctor and I never go anywhere without my Aleeve and a few other items..

 

[simba928]

I live in Pittsburgh so I know what you mean by 60-70 being perfect. Bring a couple pairs of jeans, a sweatshirt, t-shirts, and definitely bring shorts.

 

[NotUrsula]

The rule re: Rx meds in original pkg. only applies on international flights, when you have to go through Customs. I carry mine in a pillbox all the time when flying domestically. (The exception is injectables; you do have to carry those in their original pkg., of course, with a Dr's note that shows the need to carry multiple doses.)

All FDA-licensed oral meds are individually marked by the mfr., the Physician's Desk Reference shows photos of the markings. Narcotics officers are trained to recognize the more commonly-smuggled pills. If you have narcotics, it's not a bad idea to ask your pharmacist to print out an extra duplicate label for you for travel; you can just carry the labels in an envelope, rather than the bottles. (If you are using samples, a prescription from your Dr. will serve the same purpose.)

OTC meds are fine carried any way you like, though really large quantities of psuedoephedrine (as in several hundred pills or more) would probably draw some scrutiny, b/c it is used to make methamphetamine.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

In Feb I would take layers. It can get downright freezing at night.

I'd take at least a few pairs of jeans/long pants. Maybe one or two pairs of shorts. Depending on how long you are going for. I usually wear the same jeans for 2-3 days in cool weather unless they get dirty so I don't pack as much as some people.

I also pack a variety of shirts. Long sleeved but light, tee shirts, tank tops and at least one heavy sweatshirt with a hood. I usually pack with it in mind that I will be buying a shirt or two while there.

I always pack extra socks. Rain (or a bad trip on Splash Mountain) + socks = ewwww. Sometimes I will pack an extra pair of sneakers plus the ones I wear on the plane.

If you think you may go out to a nice dinner or other event to dress up, maybe take one nice outfit. I usually go all casual so I don't pack this.

A swimsuit. Sometimes, in Feb, it does get warm enough to swim.

Feb. weather is very unpredictable. Our 10 day trip in late Feb 2004 was downright freezing every day. One day it was so cold that we were in hats and gloves , sweaters and heavy coats. But most of the days it was ok with just a sweatshirt and jeans. However, the last 2 days shot up to about 75 degrees and it was gorgeous.

We never check luggage. We only pack what we can carry on.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I strongly disagree with the posters who say they only take one pair of shoes or sneakers. Particularly if you're wearing leather sneakers, you should alternate two pairs. I do this even at home and it's even more important when you're doing all that walking.

My son learned his lesson when he only took one pair the last time and lived to regret it.

I understand that shoes take up valuable space, but take an extra pair. Your feet will thank you.

Sheila

Not only that, but if you happen to get drenched in a bad rain storm or on a ride on Splash Mountain, you'll be VERY glad to have dry shoes.

In Feb. we were caught in one of the worst FL rainstorms I have ever seen at MGM and EPcot. We were brave though, we didn't go back to the room. Most people left the park though. It was cold and we were SOAKED to the bone.

It was great being able to have warm dry sneakers back in the room for the next day. I didn't want to have to take the time out of our trip to put the sneakers in the dryer and wait around for them to be dry (it would have taken hours, even with a good dryer).

Also, in Dec this year, I got drenched on Splash. I have never gotten more than a sprinkle of water on me on that ride before. But somehow, I got bombarded with water this trip and my sneakers were wet. Again, having the chance to run back to the room and get dry sneakers made the rest of my day much more enjoyable.