Silly Questions from a First Time Traveler/Flier

[jkh1978]

and then, there are our tickets. We bought them through expedia and printed off our e-tickets, and the confirmation email that they sent me. Is that all I'm bringing to the airport? Something I printed off from my home printer? I never got anything in the mail, nor did the confirmation say that I should expect one....

I've never flown on that airline, but that's all you'll need. Either you can use that as proof to get through securty and can check in at the game, or if you are checking luggage go to their front counter. Some airlines have you put in a credit card in a kiosk just to get your name and then prints the tickets you'll show the person at the counter who takes your bags.

 

[jkh1978]

Now, this little thing is crammed pretty tight as it was designed this way. It's going in my carry on because, hey, if my luggage gets lost/stolen, I'd like to have it. Are the TSA people going to tear the thing apart looking for contraban items? Is my makeup bag that's packed in my carryon going to get searched through? Am I going to need to take everything out of my purse and show them every last bit of change??

Just how visible and easily accessable does my stuff need to be?

They have the authority to check anything and access it all, but they probably won't. You'll go through the security line, where they check your tickets against your id. Then you go through the metal detector while your bags go through an xray machine. You may need to take off your shoes. If you have a laptop that needs to come out of the bag; they may ask you to turn it on to show that it works.

So they can do anything, but probably wont do anything more than have you walk through the metal detector and xray your bags.

Have fun; i wish I was coming with you.

 

[lisah0711]

Alaska Airlines lets you print your boarding passes online. You can check in and print them 24 hours before your flight departs local time.

You've been given lots of good advice on the other aspects of your travel, i.e. arrive early, have Disney ship your souvenirs home, etc. I would pack the first aid kit or leave it at home. But I have a tendency to pack light. I think I can live without things or buy another one if I think I really need it. I've taken many, many things I could have left at home and very, very rarely ever wished I had something that I didn't.

Most of all have a great time!

 

[tink2dw]

(posted this in the wrong user name... grumble grumble....)

 

[captsparrowslady]

I have NEVER had my underwire bra set off the alarms, and I've been flying out of Seattle for 25 years. Also, although I take off most jewelry, I can't take off my wedding ring or the earring I wear in my upper ear, and they have never set off the alarms, either.

The only time I was ever asked to step aside to be wanded was in Madrid.

Last time I went to WDW, (pre 9/11!!), I wore all the WRONG things to the airport coming home! I had a clippy claw in my hair which contianed metal, I was wearing a sleeveless jean jacket/duster with metal grommets all down the front edges and had a belt with metal grommets as well. I was wearing a bra with metal underwire and jeans (which has those metal snappy things on the pockets) and I had metal on my shoes! So stupid to wear all that METAL through a METAL detector... And I think I may have had rings, earings, a necklace and bracelet on too... so I walked thru the detector... BEEP BEEP BEEP... okay... so I walk back and take off my rings, bracelet and necklace and earings off and put them in the little dish... walk through again... BEEP BEEP BEEP... hmmm... what else do I have on me?? Nothing I can think of... walk through again.... BEEP BEEP BEEP... then the guy asks me to step through and stand in the little yellow box outline... By this time both my parents were through security and they wouldn't let my parents back to me since they were through security.'

I waited for a woman to come over with the wand and she asked me to remove my jacket... Oh yeah... that has metal on it... duh! So she starts at my head... BEEEP... Oh yeah the hair clippy claw thingy has a metal spring in it... she moves the wand down my side... BEEEEP.... she has to feel my bra to make sure it's the underwire, which it is... she moves down my legs and the metal on my jeans sets it off... she moves to my shoes and the metal on my shoes sets it off.... Geez! Finally I get the all clear and able to collect my things and join my parents!

From then on, I wore hair band w/o metal in my hair, a bra w/o underwire, sweat pants and flip flops. And if I wore a coat, it was w/o metal on it too! After that I NEVER wear ANY metal to the airports!
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OP: When you pack, to help save room, buy SPACE BAGS!!! They are a life saver and truly work... (maybe not as flat as you see on TV but it gives you significantly more room!) I didn't use the travel space bags, I used the normal large space bags. The difference between the two is the travel space bag you have to roll to get the air out (not very effective and not very big!) and the normal large space bag you use a vacuum to suck the air out with the hose attachment. So, buy the large space bags... pack it as evenly as possible and remember to keep the clothes below the line on the bag. Zip it closed, then put the bag in your suitcase. Once you have it in your suitcase, vacuum the air out. Also a tip: when you think you have all the air sucked out, enlist a friend (or child) to stand/walk on the space bag as you vacuum out the rest of the air (also the act of walking on it will even out any lumps and bumps! ) Repeat the process as needed until your bag is filled. (don't worry if it takes a few tries of reorganizing your clothes around to get it all to fit right!

As for what to do for the trip home, Don't bother asking for the maid service vacuum... they don't have a hose attachment usually. But if you call the front desk and ask them to have matenance send up their shop vac, it will work wonders. Just tell them you have space bags that need the air sucked out and if you could kindly borrow their shop vac, a guy from matenance will bring it to you!

As for your carry on stuff, I bought a bag from Kmart that was shapped like this \_/ with handles and a BUNCH of pockets inside. I used it to put in all my carry on items, including my normal purse, a change of shoes, a book, and my 3oz liquids among a few other things! If you pack it lightly before you leave home, you could use it to pack all your suvenieers inside it. As for my suitcase, ever since we had the TSA absolutely RUIN a perfectly brand new suitcase that was NOT locked!! We do not check our bags any more. We have gotten really good at packing everything we need into one suitcase and one carry-on bag (per person.) The TSA decided to check our bags for whatever reason and instead of making use of the zipper provided they RIPPED the thing open, breaking the zipper rendering it useless! And it was MY bag!!

For your shampoo, conditioner, etc go to your local dollar store and they should have empty travel containers in a pack you can purchase. Just squirt the liquid/gel into the 3oz container (label it in sharpie and tape over it to prevent it from rubbing off when/if the containers explode, so you know which is which) then put it in your 1 quart baggie. I was able to get my shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deoderant (travel size), perfume bottle (well... that was for my sister's wedding but yeah....), After sun soothing gel, and a 3 part face wash stuff (cleanser/tonic/lotion) all inside the quart baggie. Be sure to put that in your carry-on where it is easily accessable because you will have to take it out and put it in a bucket with the rest of your stuff. It cannot stay in your bag.

For shoes, I recomend you wear something EASY to slip on and off, like flip-flops. That way you don't have to hassle with laces. I saw a guy who wore big combat style boots with laces from the toe to the top of the boot which sat mid calf and he had to lace them back up from his ankle up! Those are BAD shoes to wear to the airport.