Semi rant - too much & missing something

[SlightlyGoofy]

The hardest part of a trip or anything else is planning and I swear by lists. I keep a list of what has to be done before leaving on a vacation and that way I have more time to obsess about the important details like where we are going to eat and what rides we want to go on. LOL

Are you driving? If so, pack away, if it pleases you. We go for about two weeks each trip and I do not want to spend time doing laundry either. Might not mind it so much if I swam as I could go round and round as my clothes were going round and round.

If you do decide to make a list the great thing is that you can check back after your trip and tweak it so that next trip things go easier. When it is not hot weather I would recommend two tops for every pair of slacks/shorts to cut down on packing but in warm weather my slacks get just as sweaty as my tops. LOL

Good luck, have fun and don't worry about the small things. The only thing that matters is that you are "Going to Disney World!"

Slightly Goofy

 

[bytheblood]

O Ok maybe I confused you I have no problem actually using the facilities. Its the matter of being on vacation and either wanting to be in the parks, by the pool, or in bed...or eating of course. I mean everyone does what works for them, that just works for me.

I am right there with you. If I wanted to do domestic work, I would stay home.


I am also one who makes a list. I always do great when I have a checklist. Without the list, I over pack something, underpack another and forget an item or two that I wished I would have brought. I highly suggest making a list.

 

[Martha7]

Hey, C.Anne,
Won't you be able to do laundry while visiting your sister? I always pack less when staying with family, since it's so convenient to wash at their place. The other thing to remember for everyone, is that if you've bought new clothes for the trip, you may need to wash some of the dark items, so that they don't bleed into your other clothes in the wash later.

 

[C.Ann]

Hey, C.Anne,
Won't you be able to do laundry while visiting your sister? I always pack less when staying with family, since it's so convenient to wash at their place. The other thing to remember for everyone, is that if you've bought new clothes for the trip, you may need to wash some of the dark items, so that they don't bleed into your other clothes in the wash later.

-----------------------------

Yup! There's where I'll be headed after I do WDW.. That's why I'm thinking only 8 outfits - as opposed to the 18 or so I took in February - LOL..
Even an outfit a day (16 days - 16 outfits) is way more than I want to bring.. The only thing that confuses me is the weather - will I still need long pants and sweatshirts?

 

[TinkerbellMama]

And i also heard a town car service is stating a THREE large suitcases maximum per group. How many families travel with only three bags total for a WDW vacation!?

The three of us (mom, dad, infant) travel with one backpack each whenever we go to Florida. This includes cloth diapers for our son. We never use everything in the bags, and we (so far) have never been without something we needed. I am the psychotically perfectionist planner from hell and I have it down to an art!

 

[pixiedust23]

I agree with the lists. They're a great way to make sure you get everything in the bag to go. Also you can bring the list with you on vacation that way you make sure you re-pack everything!

 

[Otimon]

Make sure it's not the sunscreen you forgot.

Have a safe journey to Orlando. We'll be waiting for you.

 

[monica31671]

People talk about wearing their new t-shirts the day after they buy them. New cloths give me the hives. I always have to wash my clothes before I wear them. Sweat just makes it worse. I'd be standing in line rubbing on my arms all day.
I'm siding with the over-packers. I figure if I can carry the bag by myself, it's not too much. If I fall down trying to get my bag down the stairs and into the car, I need to rethink things.

 

[minkydog]

The three of us (mom, dad, infant) travel with one backpack each whenever we go to Florida. This includes cloth diapers for our son. We never use everything in the bags, and we (so far) have never been without something we needed. I am the psychotically perfectionist planner from hell and I have it down to an art!

You go, girl! My dad was in the Navy and he taught me to pack. If it wouldn't fit in a duffle, it didn't go. And everybody totes their own, right down to the 2yo.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

Over packer here. I have to have choices.

 

[snowglobe girl]

I always make lists but somehow seem to forget things anyway...but I always pack too many clothes. This time was the first trip that we washed clothes while we were there and we'll definitely do that again. It was so much easier and we went home with clean clothes instead of coming home and having to do 6 loads of laundry. We just swam at the pool while our clothes were washing...and it leave more room for souveniers!

 

[Meezers]

I must be a little strange. I actually enjoy doing laundry while on vacation....sometimes doing something "normal" makes me appreciate the vacation even more.

Since I tend not to go anyplace that doesn't allow khaki pants/shorts and a polo shirt....mix and match is easy.

The only thing I overpack is underwear....I figure except for prescription meds there isn't anything I can't replace or live without

 

[JealousTinkerbell]

Why are you taking 9 shirts? You can only wear one at a time. It seems excessive to me. Why not take 4 and plan to do laundry? That's what we do. My DH went to England for 6 days with only one small suitcase apiece. With creative matching and washing undies in the sink, we did just fine.

I never wake up early enough to do laundry when I am on vacation. Plus staying offsite means that I would have to be up even earlier find a laundry that was open early etc. It is just too much hassle. I will only have 2 extra shirts, after all I am there for 8 days and I have to wear SOMETHING on the way so day one is covered.

 

[JealousTinkerbell]

Why not take 4 shirts and plan to BUY some cool new shirts there?

-- Joe

I just bought New clothes to restock my summer wardrobe since it was lacking. I can't narrow it down to only 4 shirts or trust me I would. instead I will bring my 9 shirts and wear the new ones first. Plus I notoriously spill something on myself at least once per day due to being a first class KLUTZ

 

[Martha7]

Monica31671~Lots of people react to the sizing that the shirts are treated with. My nephew once wore a new shirt to dinner and had a sneezing fit! I gave him some Tylenol allergy sinus meds and he was better, but I always wash new shirts before we wear them too!

 

[Leota]

Over packer here. I have to have choices.

That's me!


Funny thing is, I used to travel for business - I could pack for 4-5 days of meetings in a carryon....that included my portable coffeemaker.
Go on vacation? I feel the need to bring the entire wardrobe.....and then some.

 

[Goin4forty]

We just got back yesterday. I did 4 loads of laundry on the cruise. I do not mind doing laundry because it's less to do when I get home. I packed the detergent, dryer sheets, quarters, etc. The one thing I was so glad I packed was bottled water. The water at Disney and Universal is at least $2.50. I only packed 12 bottles, and next time I will pack at least 20. I put 4 in each of our carry-on bags. When we were at the parks, it was great. I also used my daughter's backpack when we went to the parks. I did not mind hauling it around. I liked having the room for water, some snacks, camera, umbrellas (yes, we used them!), etc.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I somtetimes wear new shirts unwashed, but did you know that clothing which comes from other countries can be treated with strong chemicals to prevent any *live* foreign critters from entering our country? My mom used to work for a clothing store - and the company didn't even want its regular employess to know this, due to the threat of lawsuits from exposure.

Anyhow, I always pack too much, but you never know if you're going to want to dress up or if you'll hit a cold/rainy spell. Packing things that are interchangable helps. I wear jeans and my heaviest clothes item when I fly (I always bring one pair of long pants, and a sweatshrt/cotton sweater!)

One of the best things to pack (for FL) is silk! Some silk is quite inexpensive these days. I don't like doing a load of laundry on vacation, but I don't mind throwing a silk shirt in the sink for a few minutes. In a pinch, shampoo works for detergent. Plus, all the rooms have clothes lines in the shower. A silk shirt will easily dry overnight (or in about 20 minutes or less with a hairdryer ) If I've got to rinse my bathing suit out - what's an extra shirt? Silk is super light weight, too! Last summer I found a silk skirt that you are supposed to crinkle when you finish washing it - it is pretty much the perfect travel item! Silk boxers are also a great item for men! Not all silk is washable, and the kind with a krinkle pattern to it works best w/out an iron (but again, the hairdryer technique will work with any washable silk shirt) In a pinch, other clothes items can sometimes be hand washed/air dryed too, if need be.

I also find that I like to wear tankini bathing suit tops with a tank top over it. Then I can go on a water ride w/out worry - and tank tops take up less room in the suitcase. (Nothing is worse than getting off of a wet-type ride to discover that your shirt is see-through!) So then that's one less bra I have to pack, and I can change for the pool quickly too!
Another thing that you can do is to bring dark colored shorts, and wear them twice. If you're wearing a different shirt each day, will anyone really notice that you wore the same pair of denim shorts twice in the pictures?

 

[pixiedust23]

I like to have options too...esp if I'm going out at night!

 

[jenelope]

Not only do I make lists, but I "practice pack" some time in advance. It helps me determine how much and what kind of bag to bring. It also ensures that all of my things fit in one suitcase and one backpack, even though I'm a chronic overpacker. As a bonus, I get to figure out if I need to replace or repair my vacation clothes. It would be terrible to discover that my favorite shorts had an un-repairable hole the day before a fall trip.