Shipping box to resort...some questions.

[brergnat]

For those of you who ship boxes to the resort ahead of your arrival:

1. What do you put in it?

2. Which carrier do you send it with.

3. How much does it cost?

4. How far in advance of your arrival do you send it?

5. Are there restrictions on packing food or liquids?

I'm thinking of doing this for our trip in two weeks. Thinking of packing the following (stuff that's "consumables", that we won't be coming back home with):

-Pull Ups (for nighttime only)
-Wipes
-Nightlight for hotel room
-chocolate milk (individual cartons, no refrig. neccessary)
-clif bars
-fruit leathers
-Goldfish crackers, pretzels (individual bags)
-box of cereal for DS (he's VERY picky about his cereal, and only eats stuff that is not going to be avail. at WDW)
-individual plastic cups of canned pears, peaches, and mandarin oranges
-some toiletries that will be used up during the week

Would this stuff be okay? Not sure if I'm missing packing of some more obvious stuff.

 

[Best Aunt]

I used FedEx, so I knew how far ahead I had to ship based on which type of service I wanted (overnight, 2 day, 3 day).

The problem was, we were expecting a blizzard, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get out of the house on the day I had planned to ship. So I shipped several days earlier than planned.

If you use FedEx or UPS, the package will go directly to your hotel. If you use the Post Office, the package will go to a central mail sorting facility before it goes to your hotel, so leave enough time.

If you use the Post Office, they always ask you a question when you ship a package. I believe they ask if there is anything liquid, hazardous, perishable or fragile. I can't remember if FedEx asked me a similar question. You can call and find out.

If you stay in a Disney resort which has a convention center attached to it, you will be charged a handling fee when you pick up your package. I shipped a 9 pound box and a 13 pound box. I was charged $5 for each box. I had to go to the resort's convention center to retrieve the box. I stopped at bell services first, and took a bellman and cart with me.

Depending on where you're staying, won't you need bowls and spoons for your child's cereal? Will you need cups for the chocolate milk, or does it come with a straw for drinking straight out of the carton?

 

[brergnat]

We're staying Club Level so no need for utensils. We'll eat in the lounge.

Do you know where the convention center at the YC/BC is? I didn't know I'd have to pick it up there.

 

[lathamary]

We sent ours through Fedex. We sent it about a week before our arrival. I think it was about $45. It was a big box!

Everything you plan on packing sounds good. We shipped a box down for our last vacation, and we were so glad we did. It's nice to not have to bring all that stuff on a plane.

We also sent down an espresso maker, and made lattes in our room. It's very hard to find good coffee at Disney World. There are a few good coffee carts dispersed throughout the World, but if you're a coffee drinker, you might want to consider bringing your own coffee and coffee maker. Unless there's one in your room.

We bought milk at the gift shop at the resort and kept it in a cooler in our room - although where you're staying you might have a fridge in your room.

We also sent the box back. They were able to ship it via UPS from the front desk.

 

[brergnat]

Yeah, we are trying to just minimize what we have to pack. We need to keep it down to two checked bags and one carryon, since we are traveling with two young kids who are too small to help out schlepping bags around. I figure if I could pack all the "consumables" that would save a LOT of space in our suitcases...

I don't think we'd need a huge box or anything. And I do not need to worry about packing a coffee maker, as there is one in the room, as well as the Concierge lounge. I might pack a bag of DD coffee, though. I hate that Nescafe stuff...