What do you take to your vacation home if you drive?

[irisesareblue]

We are going to Orlando in August and are meeting my husband's daughter and her family near Toledo Ohio (Perryburg actually) and driving down the I-75 to Orlando from there with her. There will be 6 of us, DH, me, DSD & her DH and 2 grandsons (aged 4 and 6). We are driving through the night from Toledo and will be stopping through the day for a rest stop for the boys - hopefully at a hotel which has a day rate but I guess that's another thread....

My main question is this:

if you stay in a vacation home or villa and drive down to Orlando, what do you take with you from home?

I would like to keep the budget low (otherwise wouldn't be driving). Last time we were there (just in June) hubby and I went to Wal-mart and got groceries, however, it seemed crazy to me to buy a bag of sugar for just a week and there seemed to be so many groceries left in the cupboard when we vacated the house. And the cost of some items in the U.S. stores (like toothpaste and toilet paper) shocked me

So, seasoned villa dwellers, can anyone give me some hints on what items you bring from home? I know I will be bringing my "Disney bucket" of snacks for the trip down (I buy boxes of individual snacks and mix them all up in a small Rubbermaid container for us to graze from in the car).

OR maybe I'm just overthinking this too much and the amount of money I'm saving won't really be worth it for the hassle factor

 

[glendalais]

I have no clue what to bring from home (other than Fruits and Veggies probably won't make it across the border). However, if you're looking to save money on Groceries and whatnot, check and see if there's an ALDI near your Vacation House.

They're a deep-discount supermarket, equivalent to a Extra Foods or No Frills in Canada (Maxi/Maxi & Cie. or Super C in Quebec). Slightly cheaper than even Walmart. They don't carry everything, but should have all the basics if you're just on vacation.

 

[irisesareblue]

I have no clue what to bring from home (other than Fruits and Veggies probably won't make it across the border). However, if you're looking to save money on Groceries and whatnot, check and see if there's an ALDI near your Vacation House.

They're a deep-discount supermarket, equivalent to a Extra Foods or No Frills in Canada (Maxi/Maxi & Cie. in Quebec). Slightly cheaper than even Walmart. They don't carry everything, but should have all the basics if you're just on vacation.

thanks! I'll look up Aldi.

 

[disneyfreak89]

This past winter we drove to the Keys and stayed in a villa for a week....I know how expensive the groceries can be in Florida (especially the Keys) so I brought most of my nonperishable items.....coffee, filters, sugar, salt/pepper, cereal, crackers, case of water etc......mind you we're only 2 people, so we had the room.....guess it depends on how much room you'll have...sounds like you'll have a full vehicle!

 

[irisesareblue]

This past winter we drove to the Keys and stayed in a villa for a week....I know how expensive the groceries can be in Florida (especially the Keys) so I brought most of my nonperishable items.....coffee, filters, sugar, salt/pepper, cereal, crackers, case of water etc......mind you we're only 2 people, so we had the room.....guess it depends on how much room you'll have...sounds like you'll have a full vehicle!

disneyfreak, thanks for confirming my suspicions about the perishables - I think I will do that - we have a 15 passenger van that we're taking this time...I should have a lot of room for perishables in the back. Now - on to making my lists!

 

[formill]

Even when we have flown I always took a lot-we keep suitcases to a minimum on way down as we like to shop while there. We always take things like coffee, coffee filters,sugar, spices,small packs of ketchup etc we keep or I will put mustard etc in small containers if driving- dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent,soap for the bathrooms, shampoo, sunscreen,napkins, pool toys, foil, saran, baggies. If I had your space I would even take toilet paper, paper plates, cereal, snack foods, canned goods. I love grocery shopping there but it always takes so much more time when you don't know the store and then don't know what is on sale. I have usually made a menu of meal ideas we think we might have when there then look around see what I can take from home or will need to make stuff. When it is time to leave the villa we have every time ended up allowing the kids to suddenly eat ice cream for breakfast to try and eat it up.......

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

Thanks for posting this thread. We are driving down to Florida for the first time this summer and we are atually gone for a whole month.....rented 2 condos and 3 hotels so far.....I'm a bit nervous about the trip and forgetting something important!