Sending Merchandise to hotel / home???

[DrKnow77]

I know you can send merchandise to your hotel room instead of carrying it around the parks. I think I've also heard you can send the merchandise to your home address via UPS (with extra charge of course).

We are planning on sending all of our merchandise home via UPS this time around (so we don't have to lug it on the plane!). Is it possible to have the merchandise sent to the hotel room, and then towards the end of your trip, send all of the merchandise home via UPS at once? I'm assuming this would be cheaper than sending every little trinket or stuffed animal that we buy individually seperatly??? If this is possible, where would I go to do this? I am staying at the Wilderness Lodge.

Does anyone have any advice? Thanks for the help!!!!

 

[Lewisc]

If you have it shipped when you buy it you save sales tax. Shiping it yourself would probably wind up costing you more.

If you have it sent to your room you can pack it yourself (box, duffel bag or extra suitcase) and "ship" it for free as luggage. I actually saw a big plastic bag (garbage pail size) filled with shopping bags on the baggage corral.

 

[dznyntnh]

Pack a collapsable duffel bag in your luggage and you can carry home all your 'loot' as your second suitcase.

I traveled with three other people on my last trip and we went down with four checked bags and came back with seven , of course, one was the new Mickey duffel bag I just 'had' to buy for myself .

I'm sure if you wanted to ship it all from the hotel, that guest services would be able to assist you, but I would ship larger item from the stores and then if there were enough small items to ship, send them as one shipment from the hotel (or in the spare luggage).

 

[lowkat]

There are some things that we have shipped directly when we purchase them, saves sales tax. But there are times when you buy a t-shirt here, something else there and you take it back to your room, and ohmy gosh it adds up in size and quanity.

So for the second year, this year staying at the Poly, we went to gift shop, they have lots of boxes in all sizes. Took it back to our room, packed what we wanted shipped, then took it to guest services, where they taped it, weighed it and sent it Fed Ex. The first box actually was waiting for us when we got home, the second one is expected on the 3rd.

They do not add any extra charge for doing it, you just pay the rate..For us it seems worth it, I know it not getting "scrunched" in the luggage and it just one less thing to worry about forgetting.

 

[faithinkarma]

I always take an extra suitcase. I know what I can be like in the shops

We did have one interesting experience in the United Kingdom shop though. We had purchased a letter opener, and, because it could be considered a weapon, we were not allowed to leave with it. We asked to have it sent to our room, and they suggested having it sent home, saving any possible hassles at the airport.

I asked what the charge would be and was told $35. Without thinking I blurted out " $35. to ship a $60 item???" And the CM quickly said they would pay the shipping. I was stunned. It had never occurred to me that this might be negotiable.

 

[Geoff_M]

We frequenly have items shipped back to our house from the parks. We use regular UPS ground and the cost isn't that great. The boxes usually arrive in Michigan several days after we get home. Nothing's ever been lost or damaged en route. We usually mail the bulkier items that don't pack well (soccer ball, board game, snow globe, picture frames, etc.)

As for the "pack an empty bag to use on the way back" idea... That's a good idea, BUT make sure it won't put you over your airline's luggage limit (size and weight) otherwise you'll likely be hit with an extra fee that could run around $50 to $100. Most airlines restrict you to two checked bags with a maximum of 70 lbs. (single bags over 50 lbs. are also often hit with a surcharge) per passenger.

Sending items back to the resort from the parks is a nice perk too. But remember that they will only do this if your check out date is at least two days from the date of purchase. So if you're checking out on Saturday, Thursday is the last day they'll send packages to your resort. (I think there's also technically a time cut-off on that day too.) If you're like me and like to window shop and do most of your buying towards the end of a trip, keep this in mind.