When Do You Start Your Prepwork and Packing for a Trip to WDW?

[Little E]

Hi Disfriends!

We leave for WDW on July 25, and it just occurred to me that *technically* I started packing a few months ago! Granted I haven't opened suitcases and started filling them yet, but I've started buying things we'll need for our trip, a little at a time, and I place them in our extra bedroom next to our unopened suitcases. For example, I've ordered ponchos and small neck fans from Amazon, based on recommendations from folks on the Disboards. I've purchased a new day backpack for the parks, based on recommendations from lovely folks here, I've gotten new luggage tags and lanyards for masks, again, thank you Disfriends, and I've started setting aside hand sanitizer, wipes, masks, and other essentials we'll need for flying and navigating the parks. I've gotten new shorts and bathing suits for my DSs, new shoes for me to break in before we go, and I've started researching which grocery delivery service we'll use. I figure that maybe about a week before we leave, I'll start doing power laundry and start putting clothes and necessities in suitcases?

I guess what I want to know is, on a "weird-o-meter", how weird am I? Do other folks start organizing, prepping, and packing as early (or earlier?) than me, or am I really an anomoly?

 

[PollyannaMom]

I guess what I want to know is, on a "weird-o-meter", how weird am I? Do other folks start organizing, prepping, and packing as early (or earlier?) than me, or am I really an anomoly?

Not weird at all!

I set out a laundry basket months before Disney trips, filling it with just the kind of things you described as I buy/make them.

 

[BobbyDukes]

We also do this, getting ready with little items, toiletries, jackets, umbrellas and items we want to get before we really have to get down and start packing.

 

[JenBush]

Usually a couple months before a trip I start thinking about what I need. If I need a new swim suit I keep an eye out for sales. I’m even known to buy shorts and tank tops on the clearance rack in the fall for any trips I have planned for the following spring/summer. As for actually packing my suitcase I usually don’t start that more than a few days before my trip.

 

[tinkerjo]

I am sometimes several months ahead as we typically go late February/early March. I will need shorts and a swimsuit so I try to buy end of season sales in the fall. Kids get Disney related items for Christmas, and so forth. It’s all part of the fun in planning the trip. I also am usually able to pack a couple weeks ahead of time because in February we are not wearing shorts in Ohio!!!!

 

[kanerf]

I just have a suitcase that I take whenever I go. When I get home, I take out the clothes and toiletries, but leave everything else in the bag. When I have a new trip coming up, just need to put in clothes and toiletries and I am pretty much done. I take a few other things in a carry-on.

 

[VandVsmama]

You're not weird. I do the same thing. My Disney "pile" starts to take shape about a month before departure. Helps me make sure that I don't forget anything.

 

[easyas123]

I guess I'm the odd man out here I pack the night before if I'm flying out in the early AM, or that morning if I'm flying out that afternoon. If I'm going down there when it's warm down there but cold up here, I'll fish out my warm weather clothes a day or so before I leave.

 

[Lorna7]

Well. . . . when I came back from my WDW holiday in March 2019, I started researching/planning then for my next trip - which was going to be March 2021, until this world madness started. I'm hoping to be going in 2023 and I'm researching/planning already - added to what I already did in 2019. I, obviously, am a pre-pre-planner, plus it gives you something to look forward to and dream about!

 

[OpieDoodle]

I start putting things aside pretty early. Like we are going to WDW and a Disney cruise in Feb 2022. We are slowly starting to gather stuff. I'm only really getting the weird stuff right now. Like I bought my husband and I new phone cases for the cruise. Things like that are sat aside. Clothes and such maybe the month of. Just depends. I'll be going to pack a little earlier this trip because it'll be winter here in Ohio so I can pack more of our warmer/semi warm weather clothes because it'll be below zero here

 

[helenm29]

For us, as soon as we actually get the hotel/resort and round trip flights paid for.....we start "packing"! I start buying and storing any new clothes and items I'm going to need right away...I can't help it! I KNOW we are going at that point! if I could, I would start packing my suit case but that would be silly wouldn't it? we are FINALLY down to 121 days! Woo hoo!! This time I will have to use a scooter due to severe Arthritis in both my knees...I'm a bit nervous about that but we'll make it work.

 

[Brian1403]

We got reservations a year out, and not too long after that we started (albeit slowly) planning and buying a few things. We bought lanyards and pins for our daughters, and each week if they did their chores they would get a pin for their lanyard to trade at the parks. Was a good carrot, and got them about 30 pins each. About 3 months out I got more serious, and at 1 month I bought most of the things we would need. We start packing about 2 weeks out.

 

[shawthorne44]

I just have a suitcase that I take whenever I go. When I get home, I take out the clothes and toiletries, but leave everything else in the bag. When I have a new trip coming up, just need to put in clothes and toiletries and I am pretty much done. I take a few other things in a carry-on.

I call that stuff "Luggage Lint"

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I have a drawer permanently set aside for my Disney stuff. I keep it inventoried and restock whenever stuff goes on sale. I guess, by that logic, I am always partially packed to go since I just pull the bags out of the drawer and put them in the suitcase.

 

[Little E]

Whew! I'm glad I'm not the only one who starts packing well in advance of a trip! You've all made me feel so much better! You've also given me some good packing ideas! Thank you!!

 

[pfeifer1990]

I started packing for our May 2020 trip in 2019 which is now a May 2022 trip

 

[shawthorne44]

I used to travel a lot for work. Short trips totaling 180+ hotel nights a year. So, I have a decent amount of travel gear. When the Disney trip planning first start, I added "Travel #3" box, and added stuff like ponchos from Amazon to it. But, I'll dig through all travel boxes before the trip.

I also have a list app on my phone. I created a Disney Pack list there. That really long thread on weird, helpful things people pack was helpful.

Trip was Jan 2021 and is now Jan 2022.

 

[Patella1129]

I think doing little things like that ahead of time is part of the building excitement! My next trip is in Sept so I'm about 90 days out. Right now I'm starting to plan outfits and getting my dining strategy figured out. But this is an adult trip. When I went with my kids last year, I started gathering things 9-12 months ahead!

 

[tguz]

We drive from the Midwest so once we get inside a month, I keep an eye out for sales on snacks and drinks for the drive and for the resort stay. Once we have a vacation planned, I keep an eye out for sales on stuff that we may need, Marshalls and Kohls generally have some good sales/prices. By the time we really need to pack, we have a stack of stuff in the spare bedroom for the trip.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Hi Disfriends!

We leave for WDW on July 25, and it just occurred to me that *technically* I started packing a few months ago! Granted I haven't opened suitcases and started filling them yet, but I've started buying things we'll need for our trip, a little at a time, and I place them in our extra bedroom next to our unopened suitcases. For example, I've ordered ponchos and small neck fans from Amazon, based on recommendations from folks on the Disboards. I've purchased a new day backpack for the parks, based on recommendations from lovely folks here, I've gotten new luggage tags and lanyards for masks, again, thank you Disfriends, and I've started setting aside hand sanitizer, wipes, masks, and other essentials we'll need for flying and navigating the parks. I've gotten new shorts and bathing suits for my DSs, new shoes for me to break in before we go, and I've started researching which grocery delivery service we'll use. I figure that maybe about a week before we leave, I'll start doing power laundry and start putting clothes and necessities in suitcases?

I guess what I want to know is, on a "weird-o-meter", how weird am I? Do other folks start organizing, prepping, and packing as early (or earlier?) than me, or am I really an anomoly?

We leave on Monday. I have half of the toiletries for DH and I, and a bag of snacks packed. I have our park bag supplies packed too (with replacements, like for hand wipes, sanitizer, etc, in the snack bag). I bought new clothes and shoes for all 3 of us. Other than that, I haven't packed. I'm doing that Sunday. If I pack now (or before now), I'll unpack and repack a dozen times...I've learned that waiting saves me work, lol.

I have made a list on my computer; I'll print it and check it off on Sunday.

And I can guarantee...we'll forget something.