What to Pack w/ 3 Kids Under 4?

[LeeAnn]

Have travel w/ two small kids to WDW... AND I have overpacked.

Now we're out numbered. It's two of us and thre of them. Limited hands...

Want to try to pack as lite as possible. Like that's possible.

Besides luggage, we have a double stroller and single stroller and three car seats (will check-in car seats, only because there only so many hands).

We have luggauge, all sorts of sizes. Don't really want to use the really big luggage since it can easily go over 50Lbs and don't want to pay extra. Smaller laugage means more luggage. So what are the necessaties?

DD1, DS3, DD4 - Also what do I bring for the airplane ride? In the past they slept but I don't think I will this lucky again.

How sas has it been traveling w/o you own food for the kids? Will I have problems w/ water for Formula? Or I just get the ready serve cans (more expensive)?

Thanks for the info.

 

[Carriehas3]

I too am packing for three under four years old. We went last year and I plan on doing pretty much the same with this trip. I had a DVD player for the plane ride and some books and small toys. I packed snacks and cups for the plane ride as well. We are only bringing the single stroller, my older two don't sit in the stroller any longer so I'll just rent the double one at the parks in case they get tired but when not at the parks we won't use the double. I'm packing their car seats but not bringing them on the plane. The DVD player was a great thing for the plane...I bought a new video for them and they sat fine watching for most of the plane ride. Good luck! When are you going? We leave March 17-24. Can't wait!

Carrie

 

[Princess Roo]

How long is your trip? It might be worth it to do laundry halfway through to cut down on what you pack. Another option is to bring some of older clothes that you can throw away there, leaving room for souvenirs. But I think most of the laundry spots on property are near the pools.

For the carseats, you can purchase carseat bags that you can wear as backpacks. Of course, that only helps for two of them... Remember that you only get 2 checked bags per paying passenger, and carseats and strollers count if you check them. Google isn't working right for me right now, so I can't find the exact one, but try Googling "carseat backpack". It is my favorite travel helper.

For entertainment on the flight, there have been a few threads about this in the last few weeks, so you may want to look through some of the older pages. Lots of good ideas!

As for flying with formula, I would recommend putting the water in the bottle and then declaring it when you walk through. Most TSAs will let it by if it's in a bottle. If they don't, you can either purchase bottled water on the inside or ask for bottled water when you board the plane. For DS, I buy milk for one sippy cup when on the inside and ask for a bottle of water for the other sippy when we board the plane. I haven't had any luck getting TSA's to let me bring in sippy cups with liquid in them.

 

[mericletwins]

Depending on where you are staying, you will not need car seats. If you stay on Disney property and use ME, then there will be no need for car seats. We have traveled several times with our three who are only 14 months apart. Packing half the clothes and doing laundry while you are there is a great idea. I did that and it really helped. Take some snacks on the plane, but don't go crazy. I always lug all these snacks with me and then they never eat them.

 

[tacomaranch]

When I read your post all I could think was valium and beer! OMG, you are a saint to take the wee ones to WDW. God love you and good luck!

 

[Perditamarie]

You will have an awesome trip -- the ages of your children are great for WDW!

A great packing tip I picked up on the DIS...pack complete outfits in ziplock bags. Makes it easy to get dressed each morning, dad can help out easily, and you know clothes out of the bags need to be laundered. The ziplocks are also great for carrying extra outfits and dirty/wet clothes.

If you need to bring car seats, load them in the double stroller so you can gate check the car seats and not have it impact your baggage allowance.

Another great Disboard tip is to send a package to yourself at the resort with supplies: non-perishable foods, diapers, formula, wipes, etc. This will lighten your luggage.

Luckily, the flight is quickish, but will seem 3 times as long!! A portable DVD is a lifesaver. I always bring a ton of snacks, and it ends up being eaten too...the snacks served on the planes are pretty much junk. I do bring fruit chews in case of any ear issues, and dumdum lollipops to avert meltdowns.

If you stay at a Disney Resort, you can borrow life vests for swimming for the length of your stay.

 

[LeeAnn]

Are they allowing you to bring food on board? I thought all was baned. Water & food.

 

[Perditamarie]

You can bring food & snacks, but no liquids. You can purchase water/juice after security check but before you get on the plane and bring it on with you as well.

I would also advise to find out the TSA allowances for liquid meds and have those handy as well, like infant tylenol, ear numbing drops etc. in the appropriate sized ziplock bag (is it 3oz of liquid med in a gallon ziplock?).

 

[kileybeth]

and all I could think of when I read this was bring your sense of humor!!

God bless and have a wonderful trip!

 

[PrincessasMommy]

You are going to have an AMAZING time!!!

On our next trip we will be taking our 4 kids - ages then...12, 4, just 3 & a new baby! And our oldest is special needs (legally blind/sun sensitive)!

The last trip was so much fun, people thought we were nuts flying from Canada with all that stuff, but once we were settled in, it was great! What I did.....

-Stayed offsite so packed enough clothes for 4 days knowing I could wash.

-Packed like pp mentioned - outfit, hair ties, socks, etc. all prepackaged in a Ziplock! Made my life so much easier!!!

-Sling for baby - our was 8 months last trip and I wore her all the time in our New Native sling, she slept on the plane that way!

-I would forgo the cost for convenience - ready to use formula for on the plane (bring/buy powder there), did disposable change pads for the plane too.

-Gate checked stroller but would not gate check car seats again - we lugged them onto the plane only to discover that the bulkhead seats (need for special needs dd) is 1 inch thinner than regular seats so they didn't fit!! So, we had to check them at the gate and they give them to you when you get off - who wants to lug those around? I would have preferred to pick them up at luggage rather than have to haul them through the airport. I need my kids in the stroller!!

- Also, I would take a couple larger suitcases instead of a bunch of littler, easier to manage but easier to misplace ones! 50 pounds is a whole ton of clothes and I managed 3 large suitcases total (not including carry-ons and diaper bags) with 3 kids to Florida and to Mexico and I have 3 girls with lots of shoes and our oldest has a ton of sun protective clothing that takes up quite a bit of space! I think you can do it!

- I researched a ton on here and had a specific touring plan set up so that we didn't have any arguing (moreso between DH & me than the kids ) and knew what we were doing after what we just did!

- Also, I refuse to hunt down characters, I think it's just easier to pay for them than frustrate myself! I did a character meal 3 times - booked late breakfast (to use as lunch) or late lunch (as early dinner) to save some $ and my kids, ESPECIALLY the 8 month old LOVED them!!

Also - do not forget the rain cover for the stroller - MANY people offered to BUY MINE!!! The LAST thing you want to do is put a baby or toddler in a wet stroller!!

I found that for all the planning and research and effort I put into it, it was THE BEST vacation EVER!! We tried an all inclusive geared to kids in Playa Del Carmen Mexico in 2006 and prefer WDW by far!! People think I am crazy when I tell them WDW was more relaxing, but when the kids are happy and entertained we all are happy and as I always tell my hubby...........a happy wife is a happy life!!!

Have fun!!!

Btw - they will remember it!!! And even if they don't - as parents we do TONS of things they will never remember....but we do!

 

[dougsmom98]

We have been outnumbered by our kids on all of our trips and I know what you mean about only having so many hands. I would do curbside check in at the airport and check the car seats with whatever you take for luggage. If there isn't curbside check in at the airport, then pay a skycap to help you. We finally smartened up last year and saved some extra money to pay a skycap for help in the airport. It is well worth the money. I have also found backpacks to be invaluable when we travel. My DH and I each have one that we use as carry on luggage. We stay off site in a villa and rent a car so I am always able to get away with 4 outfits because we do laundry daily. We also are able to run to the store if I forgot something and I don't need to pack diapers, we just buy them down there. For the plane and the airport, I have found it easier not to bring a bunch of stuff to keep the kids occupied on the airplane. It is not worth the stress of having to bring and carry extra stuff. Brand new magic ink books and maybe some stickers are about all that we have ever taken. Good luck.

 

[NU2WDW]

I would only add one thing to the great advice you've gotten. I don't know when you leave, but if your youngest is 1, do you have time to wean her off the formula? It will make for much more convenient travel if she can take milk. If not, and she isn't used to the ready-made stuff, try giving it to her in small doses now to see how she handles it. When my youngest was still taking formula, I used the canned stuff cold-turkey for a flight and travel time and it made her really sick (i.e., diarrhea). I think it must be a lot richer or something than the powdered version, and it definitely has a different consistency (smoother) which she balked at. Just a word of warning!

Have a great trip! Our girls are 2, 4 & 5 and we're planning our first WDW trip in June, can't wait!