When do you unpack?

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I was just looking at a personal navigator, and saw a ton of fun things to do embarkation day!

Ship tour
Kids club open houses
Sail away party
Evening show
Movie
Dinner
And more... (including the mandatory drill)

When do you find time to unpack and organize your stateroom?

 

[bobbiwoz]

No children, so we usually make time just before first dining. DH unpacks first.

 

[Geomom]

Depends on when the suitcases arrive...but generally between sail away party and main dining.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Having an early PAT makes things easier. We typically head straight for lunch when we board unless we need to make dining changes or get tickets for something. There is really no need to do the ship tour unless you are really interested, and kids club open houses really aren't that big of a deal, just basically walk through and see the club. Rooms should be open by 1:30. Sometimes luggage is there, sometimes not yet. If our luggage shows before muster up we unpack then. If not, we do it after the sail away party and before the 6:15 show.

My DD was a travel cheerleader for 5 years. Tight schedules and late nights/ early mornings have made me a packing wizard. I can get us set up in a hotel room in 15 min and packed to go almost as fast. It has also made me very diligent about unpacking when we check in rather than leaving it until we are all tired at the end of the day.

 

[SaraSpringsIsHome]

On our recent cruise, we lucked out and our luggage was all there when the rooms were ready at 1:30. So we unpacked at 1:30 before going to the DVC members celebration at 2:30. (We also were in boarding group 2, so we were on the ship around 11:40ish and eating lunch before noon)

 

[Quellman]

If at all possible, before muster drill. This way I can be in vacation mode.

 

[Soontobegoodsell]

We leave ours in our suitcases. I know...savages

 

[tink1970]

As soon as the suitcases arrive!

 

[com_op_2000]

We only unpack on 7 day and longer cruises; otherwise we live out of the suitcases.

 

[doublesided]

We don't unpack when we go anywhere. We just have a separate suitcase each with our clothes and live out of there. laundry goes in the closet.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I admire anyone who can pack well enough to live out of a suitcase. I just cannot do it. I find i am much less stressed if I unpack everything. Otherwise by about day 3 I am out of my mind looking through bags for things.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

The good news is there is no wrong answer. Some people don't go to all those activities. But if you are excited by all of them, GO! Worst case scenario, you can even unpack fully the next morning or something.

Another possibility is to unpack slowly. Maybe even plan to do that. Pack one suitcase with everything needed by all members on the first day. That way, even if you are swamped, you'll have everything you need in that one bag that you can unpack, and you can do the rest a bit at a time.

Another option, if you personally have the stamina, is the first night. If your kids are young, they will probably sleep so soundly, you can unpack to your hearts content once they are asleep and they won't budge. If they are older, there will be kids club activities that first night, and you can unpack while they are there. Of course, if you find you are as tired as they are, then go back to my first suggestion and unpack the next morning.

Have a great trip!

 

[kiford]

We usually don't get our luggage until 5-ish. I'll unpack my carry on when I get into the room but the rest is dependent on when we get luggage. We always have late dining so we are usually unpacking about 5:30.

 

[californiamomofboys]

but the key is to not overpack. you really won't need half of the clothes you think and can re-wear/re-mix your evening outfits since you're only in them for a few hours each night. Daytime, mostly you'll be in swimsuits/coverups or casual shorts/shirt. Shoe-wise, 2 pairs: a pair of flip flops/water sandal type for daytime on ship/beach and then a closed toe dress shoe (men) or dressier sandal/flat for evening (women). Depending on excursions planned, we may bring tennis shoes and would wear those the day we board to save room in suitcases. When you don't bring too much, you can unpack and repack in 15 minutes or so. Don't forget, you can slide the empty suitcases under the beds once unpacked to save room in closets.

 

[Bonnie1222]

On our recent cruise, we lucked out and our luggage was all there when the rooms were ready at 1:30. So we unpacked at 1:30 before going to the DVC members celebration at 2:30. (We also were in boarding group 2, so we were on the ship around 11:40ish and eating lunch before noon)

Where we on the same cruise? Our last cruise was exactly this.

We have had luggage be at our room at 1:30 when we first get there and as late as 5:30. If it is there right away we unpack as soon as we get over the initial excitement of being in our room and realizing we get to disappear from reality for a week. If not after the DVC presentation we go back to the room, order our traditional All Hands On Deck from room service. Usually by then we have our luggage (or most of it) and we unpack as we wait for the Muster Drill.

When we pack, we use the ziplock space bags and we pack like items together which makes unpacking faster. (I also know a lot of people on the boards use packing cubes). I grab the socks and unmentionables pack and dump it into the drawer. Next workout clothes/bathing suits in the next drawer. I also pack my outfits together so I open the pack and put shorts and coordinating shirt on 1 hanger. We can usually unpack 2 suit cases in 15-20 minutes and have everything put away and all important documents and jewelry locked in the safe with time to spare.

Don't sweat the unpacking - you'll find time. Remember you are vacation - there is no rush.

If this is your first Disney cruise and you want to do the ship tour - go for it. I have never done it, but my first time on the Fanstasy after 4 cruises on the Magic I was still finding things on day 5 I didn't know about.

@californiamomofboys have you been taking to my DH? He always yells at me for over packing. I always end up with at least 2 outfits not being worn - but I just can't help myself. He always reminds me there is laundry on the boat but I refuse ....... I'm on vacation

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Usually we have time just before the safety drill--we head to the room when they make the announcement that it is coming up, and then we have 20-30 minutes before it is actually time for the drill. I pack in packing cubes for the kids, so those just come out and go into drawers or a cabinet as they are. One drawer for toiletries, one drawer for electronics, one drawer for misc stuff--just throw all that in the appropriate drawer.

My mom on our last cruise just shoved her open suitcase under the bed and would pull it out like a drawer. That won't work with several people in the room though.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I was just looking at a personal navigator, and saw a ton of fun things to do embarkation day!

Ship tour
Kids club open houses
Sail away party
Evening show
Movie
Dinner
And more... (including the mandatory drill)

When do you find time to unpack and organize your stateroom?

Also wanted to comment on doing the ship tour--I always thought that sounded dull but last cruise I was waiting by the elevator when a tour was going on near me, and the details that the guide was pointing out were really neat. We're going to do it next time.

 

[mike314]

No kids so unpacked maybe 1 hr before dinner, took the essentials in a carry on bag.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

I do a bit as soon as we get in the room, and a bit between the muster drill and the first night show. (We do second dining.)

DH and DD help, and we use packing cubes. So unpacking is really just put toiletry cases in the bathrooms, unzip and transfer packing cubes to the drawers, and hang up hanging stuff. It only takes like a half hour, total. I do some toiletry re-organization and get out make-up, etc. when I get ready for bed that night and the next morning when I get up and get ready.

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

I was just looking at a personal navigator, and saw a ton of fun things to do embarkation day!

Ship tour
Kids club open houses
Sail away party
Evening show
Movie
Dinner
And more... (including the mandatory drill)

When do you find time to unpack and organize your stateroom?

My husband takes our daughter up to the sail away party while I unpack in peace.