What am I forgetting?? Help I'm stressing!!

[pheathers24]

What am I forgetting?? I know I'm probably just stressing out since we are fixing to go on our first ever family Disney World vacation. Here's what I've done: cleaned my pennies and put them in m&m tubes, ordered my water to be shipped, printed our birthday certificate things, reserved a motel and parking by the airport we are leaving from, started packing, have a dog and fish sitter. What else? Any ideas for number of outfits to take for kids ages 8 and 4? I'm hoping to be able to do at least one load of laundry, is this realistic? We will be there 8 days.

 

[acourtwdw]

Visit post office online and stop your mail. usps.com

 

[timzagain]

Check out the Ultimate Packing List on mousesavers.com - I'd post a link, but my computer isn't cooperating. The Ultimate Packing List is quite comprehensive - you can tailor it to suit your family's needs.

As for outfits, if you're travelling for 8 days, and plan to do laundry then I suggest you pack 4 outfits per person. If possible, pack quick drying clothes like board shorts and moisture wicking shirts. You can wash them quickly by hand and hang them to dry in the shower. When selecting clothes for the trip, go with a wardrobe of 2 or 3 colours that work well together so that you can mix and match

Don't forget to pack shoes that have been well broken in - the Disney trip is not the time to don your new shoes!

Honestly, if there's anything else you might have forgotten, you can pick it up at a nearby Wal Mart

 

[Kelly Lou]

Cleaned your pennies and put them in m&m tubes????

What the heck is that? What am I missing out on?

Sorry, but I have no advice to offer you. We are going on our first trip in mid May and I thought I could learn from the people replying to your post... but then I saw your doing something I don't know about- please tell me more about the pennies!

 

[cglaura]

Cleaned your pennies and put them in m&m tubes????

What the heck is that? What am I missing out on?

Sorry, but I have no advice to offer you. We are going on our first trip in mid May and I thought I could learn from the people replying to your post... but then I saw your doing something I don't know about- please tell me more about the pennies!

For pressed penny machines. You put in one penny and two quarters. And it squishes the penny with a Disney picture.

M&M tubes are the perfect fit....stack them 2 quarters 1 penny 2 quarters 1 penny, so you always have easy access!

Here is a list I found, there might be more out there though, I googled "Disney pressed pennies"

http://allears.net/btp/pennylist.htm

OP: Make sure you have any medications you might need...headache, fever, cold, nausea, etc. You can get them there, but very very pricey (lesson learned).

 

[pheathers24]

Thanks for all of the help so far! I am mostly stressing because we are flying and will not be renting a car so no trips to Wally World.

 

[zarvgirl]

Just returned from our first ever WDW experience.......it truyly was amazing.

HAVE FUN!!

Go to parks for opening, we are not morning people, but this really works, not crowded, could leave in early afternoon and head back to resort for pool time, which the kids always wanted to do, it gets hot in the afternoons.

Be prepared to change plans. With kids you need a plan, but also be willing to drop the plan!! Enough said on that one!!

Have a sleep in day. Enough said.

Take snacks, great time filler and pick me up before break time. Don't forget snacks for plane.

I highly suggest a stroller. We haven't used one really in a year at home but both DD2 and DD7 needed it at WDW. Heck I wish I could have sat in it!!

Our kids didn't wear everything I took. If you are planning on doing laundry, which can easily be done while the kids are having fun at pool, then don't pack to much. We found we used more tops then bottoms. Take a sweater or long sleeves, we wore these most mornings(up early remember!)

Take clothepins and the swimsuits can be hung in bathroom, always dry by the time we were ready to use them again.

We loved pin trading, great filler in the days, and lineups. All Cm's will drop what they are doing and trade any pin they have with a child for any pin the child wants to trade.

Pressed pennies. Have an extra tube to put the pressed pennies in, or pick up a collectors folder at a shop at WDW.(less then $10)

HAVE FUN!!!!

 

[amwhitaker]

Here is a list I found, there might be more out there though, I googled "Disney pressed pennies"

http://allears.net/btp/pennylist.htm

Thanks for that link!!!!! I never knew there was a list! I just printed the list out to take with us.

 

[jenharring]

how do you clean your pennies? we are doing the penny press while there our kids love doing this.
if flying to you have your luggage tags, though we are not flying Im doing these, so I know whos bag is whos. are you using an over the door shoe organizer it helps to keep things off the counter, also you may want to take a surge protector (I know there is another name, Im having a brain fart) there are only so many plugs in the room. dont forget cellphone charges either.

 

[Carlucci]

Buy some postcard stamps if you want to mail postcards immediately.

We have managed to forget stamps every year when we take our road-trip vacations.

 

[Lori1960]

The one poster said to buy postcard stamps before you goi if you want to send postcards home.The prices are stamps goes up May 11th.So if you are going after May 11th not a good idea to buy stamps now.Dont forgetting suntan lotion,hats and sunglasses.Buy the string at you can put on sunglasses so you wont lose them.If you have young kids buy sunglasses at Dollar Tree and buy extras in case they lose them.Make sure you buy extra memory cards for digital camera and batteries

 

[Carlucci]

The prices are stamps goes up May 11th.So if you are going after May 11th not a good idea to buy stamps now.

Good catch, Lori. Thanks! Postcard stamps are going up from 27 to 28 cents on May 11th.

 

[GRUMPY D]

pack a small flashlight so you can read park maps at night , take extra batters for camera , take phone chargers , id for all adults and proff of birthday

 

[pheathers24]

I just did an internet search on how to clean pennies. It talked about acutal penny cleaners to use to not damage the pennies, but I just chose an easy method. I used vinegar and salt. Just vinegar, a little salt, stirred it around until the salt dissolved and then added the pennies. I let them soak, stirring occasionally, for about 15 to 20 minutes depending on how dirty then rinsed and dried well. I used all old pennies pre-1982 or 1983 I don't remember which due to reading somewhere on here that these were the best due to zinc in the newer pennies (it supposedly smears).

 

[jenharring]

very interesting on the pennies. thanks for the info. I will have to make sure all of my pennies are old ones.

 

[Boncho]

Visit post office online and stop your mail. usps.com

And newspaper.

 

[Carlucci]

And newspaper.

I have always been too nervous to use this service by newspapers and mail.

Yes, they will stop your service if asked, but think about it--you just told a total stranger answering the phones exactly when you will be away from your house and when you will return. All they would have to do is pass that info on to a hoodlum friend or two.

I think it's much safer to give a neighbor you trust your mailbox key and a large box and just ask them to pick up your mail and newspapers. Our neighbors are usually very happy to grab our paper since they don't subscribe themselves.

 

[dancin'girl]

I just cleaned our pennies last night and I put them in a bowl of ketchup, let them sit for awhile and then I rinsed them off. It really worked well and was super easy!

 

[4everWDW]

That is a very good idea about the pressed pennies, I honestly didn't even know they had those, my daugheter loves doing those if she ever sees one, must do now on our next trip!!!
1. don't forget the medicine, we made that mistakes on our first trip, I got a bad headache and at the resorts store we spent an arm and leg for a 2 pack of advil.
2. Buy ponchos before you leave, they are expensive in the parks and yellow, got a two pack for .50 cents at wal-mart and they were red, very easy to pick out my family in the mist of all the yellow!
3. If you are planning on sending post cards, write out the addresses for the people you want to send them too. I forgot that and didn't get to send 3 out of the 5 postcards my daughter wanted cause i had no idea what their address was.

Hope this helps and enjoy your trip!