What did you pack that was just a waste?

[MAGGIED]

For all you that said you do laundry halfway thru the week, do you lug your detergent along? Powdered?

Or do you buy what they have there? Do they have Cheer or Tide or something similar? Do they have dryer sheets also?

I'm thinking I'd rather just buy detergent & dryer sheets there at the laundry facilities. (CBR)

I save all the samples I get throughout the year and use them - they are in individual packages so they work nice

 

[ZoZo]

For all you that said you do laundry halfway thru the week, do you lug your detergent along? Powdered?

Or do you buy what they have there? Do they have Cheer or Tide or something similar? Do they have dryer sheets also?

I'm thinking I'd rather just buy detergent & dryer sheets there at the laundry facilities. (CBR)

I stayed at Shades of Green and found the detergent very reasonably priced (not sure of the price at other on-site resorts - I think it's usually about $1 per box, which is the amount for one load). Dryer sheets, I would bring in my luggage, since they don't take up room or weigh much. But I would buy detergent there.

 

[Shagley]

For all you that said you do laundry halfway thru the week, do you lug your detergent along? Powdered?

Or do you buy what they have there? Do they have Cheer or Tide or something similar? Do they have dryer sheets also?

I'm thinking I'd rather just buy detergent & dryer sheets there at the laundry facilities. (CBR)

I measure out powdered detergent and put enough for one load in a sandwich size ziplock bag. I take about 5 - 10 ziplock bags of premeasured detergent, about 5 - 10 dryer sheets, and a small ziplock bag of quarters and put them all together in a gallon size ziplock bag. This doesn't take up much space at all, and I can fit it in the front pocket of my suitcase. Also, it is nice to have everything together so when you are ready to do your laundry, you can grab the one bag and you have all of your laundry supplies together (detergent, dryer sheets and quarters).

My other tip is to get a cheap, mesh, drawstring bag from the dollar store. They don't take up any space when they are empty, but they are great to keep all your laundry together. You can use it to carry your dirty clothes the the laundry. Once you have put your clothes in the washer, you can throw the bag in and wash it with your clothes. Then when your clothes are clean, you have a clean bag to carry your fresh clothes in. It works great!

 

[BamaBaloo]

Dryer sheets, I would bring in my luggage, since they don't take up room or weigh much.

Plus, putting a dryer sheet in each suitcase will have your clothes smelling fresh when you arrive, instead of that musty suitcase smell.

 

[mytwotinks]

Our first trip in Sept. 04 at POFQ was 12 days and I brought way way way too many clothes. I have 2 girls (turned 7 at DW! and 2 at the time) and I also would never bring as many "outfits" as I brought for that trip. They ended up wearing the fun Disney t-shirts that I had bought beforehand at the Disney store and comfy shorts. I ended up doing laundry during a pool day and washing all of the comfy clothes that we all wanted to wear anyway. I made much better decisions for our June '05 trip. I just booked a trip for Dec. '06 and I am totally freaking out thinking about how much I will have to pack for the strange weather.

If you do wash and leave things to dry in the shower, make sure and leave a note asking mousekeeping not to spray bleach. Some of our clothes that I didn't want to put in the dryer got bleached! That was the only negative thing that happened to us in 12 days (aside from mnsshp) and I am sure that if I left a note they would just leave the shower without cleaning it.

As for snacks. I suggest taking only breakfast food. We fed our kids while they waited for us in the morning and that worked pretty well for us. We still had snacks in the park whenever anybody felt like it, but it kept them busy in the morning long enough for us to get our things ready to go. We bought things that we don't usually indulge in at home (pop tarts, sweet cereal) so they were pretty happy to have it.

 

[Taqwus]

We borought way too many snacks with us

 

[JCA1970]

This wasn't my post but thank you to everyone who responded to the original one. I found it very helpful.I'm very surprised at the number of people who said they wouldn't bother with snacks! I would have made that mistake. JCA1970

 

[traciedee]

It's like this compulsion, you know, to over pack. I always think...well what if ..and then I throw something else in the suitcase. I do agree with the snack overpacking, but I have found with our family we like to have certain snacks when we travel and to have something around for a late night treat. I have given up on things like granola bars and healthy snacks, because quite frankly it's diffucult to convince anyone they want a granola bar when they have all these wonderful park goodies staring them in the face. Lets see...granola bar or warm churro.....warm fruitroll up or some cold, yummy Disney ice cream.

My last trip way too many clothes. This year 1/2 the clothes and only the comfy ones.

 

[Hannathy]

Extra PJ's this year one set each. Half the time they were so exhausted they fell asleep on the way to the room and we sleep walked them to bed And they slept in t- shirts!

 

[pooch]

I will not overpack... I will not overpack...Iwill not overpack...

I think it's so funny about the snacks though. I discovered these boards before our last trip WAAAAY back in 1999. Things sure have changed here!! But, as suggested by many, I took a carryon full of snacks and, you guessed it, no one wanted them!!! Who wants to eat food from home on vacation?Then I was too cheap to leave them there so I took them all home in the carryon I was going to use for all the souveniers which I then had to buy an extra bag to carry!!! NO SNACKS THIS TIME!!

Pooch

 

[jessica52877]

Great thread! The laundry detergent was $2 for a load in October. I prefer to bring my own travel size. Keep snacks to a minimum. I find if we go for a week my son tends to eat more snacks and meals in the room (he is 3) but we had plenty of food on the dining plan, he slept through most meals it seemed! If we go for a couple of days I just bring snacks for the car. No towels, ever! Can't imagine dragging the extra weight. I do always no matter what bring jeans. In the summer there really is no need for a sweatshirt. You won't want it! We just went in January and it was freezing, you never know so I do throw in jackets, gloves and hat for little one. He wore them!

I take very little medicine and always travel size. I have found if I take it there is no need for it, therefore I'll continue to take it! BUT pretty much anything you could need you can buy and not that outrageously priced.

 

[mommyceratops]

EVERYTHING! We bought so much stuff we should of just sent empty suitcases down!!

Well, I guess underwear and socks were needed.

 

[mickeyluv]

My DH

You crack me up!!!

 

[Valentine]

I always bring too many accessories.... and clothes... I plan on going out at night to Pleasure Island and such.. but NEVER make it there! So, these "going out clothes" remain in my suitcase, never to see the light of day! And I never learn.. 2-3 trips a year, and I do it everytime!!! DUH!

Kathy

 

[Iggipolka]

It takes two to tango and DW didn't want to dance.

heh...We thought that we'd have some "adult time" while at Disney, but we were both WAY to tired to even think about that! We had brought some items for that special magical time and then forgot them in the nightstand drawers! I feel sorry for Mousekeeping!

So..my recommendation is to not bring adult items to Disney, or at least, don't forget them when you leave!

 

[NancyT]

I packed waaaaay too many clothes. And I took the samples of Tide and Wisk, knowing I was going to do laundry if needed

Also things for ds to do -- toys and stuffed animals took up a suitcase of their own.

We ordered from GardenGrocer to have snacks int he room, but ordered too much A case of water in Jan/Feb was a bit much, as were the 4 six packs of Coke, etc. Yep, I need to pare down! I think in all we pitched 1/2 box of Cheerios, a fair amount of Goldfish, over 1/2 a jar of peanut butter and jelly, etc.

Next time will be better

 

[ZoZo]

I agree - we had waaaaay too many snacks. We also bought a case of water (only used about eight bottles in one week!). We really only used the cereal and milk (and because we had to buy fairly small quantities of milk to fit in the small fridge in the room, bought extra milk at the SOG gift shop). Other than that, we didn't eat very many snacks in our room.

 

[Cinderpals]

I went from a backpack to fannypack, now on my next trip, I'm going to try and bring a little zipper wallet to hold room key, pass, cell phone and some cash. I don't like stopping to get bag checked before entering the parks. If I need to store something (like ponchos), I usually get a plastic bag to hang off of my travel stroller. I still can't give up the travel stroller!

**I brought a suitcase of food/snacks for our 1st trip there.

 

[beckmrk04]

heh...We thought that we'd have some "adult time" while at Disney, but we were both WAY to tired to even think about that! We had brought some items for that special magical time and then forgot them in the nightstand drawers! I feel sorry for Mousekeeping!

So..my recommendation is to not bring adult items to Disney, or at least, don't forget them when you leave!

That is tooo funny...

 

[groovy~disney]

One tip on the water ... if you can, freeze your water bottles... then when by the time you want cold water in the parks it will most likely have thawed enough to drink but still be cold.

Don't know if this is true or not, but I've heard that when you freeze a bottle of water and then drink it once it has thawed that chemicals in the plastic bottle get into the water and it could be harmful. Again, not sure how true that is, but just what I've heard...