Sending a package to the room ahead of time?

[bookworm2]

Hello
I've noticed that some people on here suggest sending a package to your room ahead of time, so that you have stuff there when you arrive. I was thinking last night that it might be fun to send one to surprised DH and DD(3)... but I'm unsure how to go about it.

First of all, what would be good to send? I'm sure snacks would be great, but what else? Also, DH would lovvvvvvve to have some beer waiting for him - is this possible or even legal?

Would you suggest I buy all the stuff from one online store (and if so, which one?) or package it up myself and UPS it?

TIA!!!

We're leaving June 3 and I am sooooooooooooooooooooo excited!!!

 

[Elmo888]

I just sent dry foods and plasticware, like coffee, cereal, crackers, plastic bowls and lids (such as Ziploc, which are disposable and some are large enough for cereal), etc. It was lightweight and inexpensive to mail.

I think sending beer would be too heavy (too expensive). I would try a grocery delivery service for that, such as wegoshop.com. I didn't try them this time, but I will next time for beer and wine. It is too expensive at WDW, and it is nice to have some in the room.

I used UPS Ground. I checked different web sites, and this appeared to be the least expensive option, plus they have an exact date of arrival with the tracking. If you use their web site, it can tell you exactly what day your package will arrive. UPS Ground is only M-F, so if you arrive on a Sat. or Sun., make sure that it will arrive on the Friday before. I woke up Tuesday morning and decided to send a package last minute. I sent it Tuesday morning, and it arrived on Friday. We didn't arrive until Saturday, but our package was waiting.

So, I am planning on doing both next time - mail the lightweight dry goods and have grocery delivery for heavy and perishable items (I'll probably get some fresh fruit along with the beer and wine).

I looked at the other grocery delivery service that everyone mentions (can't think of the name off the top of my head), but they had a $40 minimum before the beer and wine. We just didn't need that much food.

 

[5fordisney]

Hi. We used thegardengrocer.com (I think this was the name anyway!). They charged a flat rate of $10 to deliver and then whatever the items cost. I had delivered lots of water bottles so we wouldn't have to spend a fortune on them in the parks and breakfast food items. You can have just about anything delivered such as diapers, laundry detergent, all sorts of food, beverages. I can't speak for beer but you could check their website. I think I paid about $40-50 with delivery and got 2 cases of water and breakfast food for 5 of us for the week, plus a few snacks. You would more than likely spend more than $10 to ship food ahead of time. You tell them the day you need the items and a time-frame for delivery.
Aside from food, some people have gift baskets delivered to their rooms when they arrive as a surprise for loved ones. There are some great threads on these boards about this service. I opted to do my own. I purchased ahead of the trip disney related items for my kids, like PJs, Tshirts, stuffed animals, and set it up on the beds in gift bags when we arrived. My husband took the kids for a walk and I ran ahead to the room. This saved me about $35 in delivery costs alone, plus I shopped around and got great deals on what I bought. I may try ordering next time though.
Have a great trip!

 

[bookworm2]

These are great tips! Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much

 

[eeyoregon]

Gardengrocer.com is fantastic!!! They do have a $40 minimum order but it adds up quick when ordering bottled water, bottled soday, breakfast and snack foods, etc....oh and beer

Even if we only ordered $40 of water/soda we would still save money over the long run as each soda in the parks is $3+ x 8 days x 3 people!!

 

[kileybeth]

has anyone compared wegoshop.com to gardengrocer.com for price comparison?


I want to do one or the other but like the fact that wegoshop will shop were you want them to (wal-mart) for the brand/items you specify and they don't mark up the goods??

Am I on target here or no?

Is garden grocer competitive?

I have a large family and will need lots of snacks, water bottles, breakfast stuff and sodas, etc. plus maybe diapers/wipes.

any opinions would be great.

 

[5fordisney]

I can only speak for gardengrocer.com, but I thought their prices were competitive, relatively speaking! I'm a budget shopper, shopping mostly at Wal-Mart, often generic brands and I thought gardengrocer's prices were fine. Maybe 25 cents more an item than I could get shopping around but nothing too bad. The prices are listed on their website so you can get an idea. I've never used the other site so I can't help you there!

 

[TheDizMom]

I just did this for the first time and it was great! We sent breakfast and snack items, bowls and spoons, ziplocs, travel packs of clorox wipes, spray on sunscreen, film and batteries. I went to UPS and asked them how long it would take to get down so I made sure to send it on time, leaving me few days extra in case it got delayed. I sent it to our resort addressed to myself with my arrival date, and it got there UPS Ground no problem. When I got to the front desk I told them I had shipped it and it was in my room even before I was. It is definitely something I will do again!