When to Pack?

[Pigletandpooh]

We are going to WdW in 13 days and I was wondering when I should start packing.....I have made lists of what I am packing but don't know when to actually start!!!! I have heard of some people packing about 4 months in advance...Would I be crazy to start packing in a few days??? LOL
Thanks
Nicole

 

[pooh4evr]

We are going the first week of May I have started to get some things together. I have bought my daughters some t shirts and shorts, sunscreens, and other little things, I guess i just want to make sure we have everything, and that we don't have to buy a bunch of stuff right before we go! We need to have money for all those souveniers!


43 days until we arrive!

 

[minkydog]

It depends--do your kids have enough clothes to make it until you leave? If you can pack now without making a hardship on your family, more power to you. I never pack until about 3 days before we leave--last time I packed 2 hours before we left. That was a little too close.

 

[sskem96]

We leave in 16 days and I packed over a week ago. We're not using the summer clothes anyway right now, but my DDs will wear the t-shirts if they're in the drawer, so I packed them to make sure they're clean and ready to go.

 

[ken skellington]

We are going the first week of May I have started to get some things together. I have bought my daughters some t shirts and shorts, sunscreens, and other little things, I guess i just want to make sure we have everything, and that we don't have to buy a bunch of stuff right before we go! We need to have money for all those souveniers!


43 days until we arrive!

ME too! We leave May 11th and I have made lists and buy stuff here and there - I just want to have everything before we leave and don't want to shop for EVERYTHING right before we leave!

 

[newholidayx2]

We'll be back from our last summer vacation 2wks before our WDW summer vacation. I'll keep the suitcases out and start adding the Disney "stuff"

 

[sarahsmom73]

Since I just finalized this spur of the moment trip and I will be there in 2 weeks I guess I better start gettin serious!

 

[MickeysMate]

We are going to WdW in 13 days and I was wondering when I should start packing.....

I'd be queuing at airport check-in by now! I usually start packing about a month in advance! Mind you, usually I go to WDW during our winter months, when we have absolutely NO use for shorts/t-shirts!

 

[CadandMouse]

We are going to WdW in 13 days and I was wondering when I should start packing.....I have made lists of what I am packing but don't know when to actually start!!!! I have heard of some people packing about 4 months in advance...Would I be crazy to start packing in a few days??? LOL
Thanks
Nicole

We go in 4 weeks and although I haven't packed any suitcases, my two drawers under the bed are crammed with 'packing stuff', mostly baby clothing etc for our 11 month old, new toys/books for the plane, sun lotions and potions la la laaaaaaaaaa....the list is endless, LOL

I too have made lists....I am now on page 6 of a Word document, hehehe. I think I will have to cut back somewhere else there will be no room for souveniers!!!!

 

[jaz211228]

We're leaving in 28 days and I've just started gathering some things together. Summer clothing that we're not using right now, sunscreen, trial sizes of toiletries, etc. The weekend before we leave is when I start panicking about packing underwear, pajamas, etc. You know...the things you use every day and can't pack too far ahead!

We're suprising our DSs, 9,6,4, so packing too early may give it away. We actually had them trying on shorts last night to see if anyone needed new clothes before we leave. DS9 was really curious, but I just told him that WalMart was having a sale and I needed to see if he had enough shorts for summer

 

[ep4244]

I'm so bad.

We don't leave until June 27th and I've already got a corner in my room with one suitcase and as I buy things we need (extra batteries, laundry detergent tablets, some clothes, etc) I'm packing them. I've also already bought a few surprise gifts to give my DDs, usually one at the airport while we wait and another one when we get on the plane.

Just reading the above I'm cracking myself up.

I'm thinking maybe I'll just make that the official packing for Disney corner and have a suitcase ready year round. (hopeful thinking for more WDW trips)

 

[Selket]

It's easier to pack far in advance if you have a big weather change - otherwise you're just packing clothes that you'll need to wear. If I start packing too soon I always forget something important - like underwear

I think it is good to make sure you've bought everything you need to buy for the trip. I already have the kids bathing suits and swim shoes for our May trip - stuff like that - suntan lotion, etc. Try to keep it all in one place. I don't really start packing until about 4-5 days ahead of time at most cause we are usually wearing the clothes we're going to take - I always have to do that one last load of laundry!

Definitely make out a master packing list - I use mine every time I go somewhere - updating it each time (adding all my son's zillions of diabetic supplies for our next trip - ugh! I have a whole case just for that). Make sure you have your medications, etc. on the list and have enough for the trip. Some things are not easily replaceable by a quick stop at Wal-mart!

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

OK I think I'm the worst here! Our trip is in August and I just bought my DDs new clothes and put them in our suitcase. For DH & I, well I'll probably pack clothes and shoes like 1 week b4. I pack "things" awhile before. Like water bottles, diapers, snacks, anything I won't need.

 

[MrsPete]

Hmmm. Depends upon what you mean by pack. I keep a box in the top of my closet for "vacation things". When I get travel size shampoos, etc. in the mail, they get tossed up there. If I buy a pool toy on clearance, it's tossed up there. A special dress or tee-shirt that I don't want to be worn until the trip goes up there. I even have a bunch of gold-dollars to be used for tips hidden up there. Tickets, etc. It's all there.

I'll start to actually pack-pack two weeks before the trip. I have a formal living room that's rarely used, so I'll leave suitcases out there, and as "favorite clothes" are washed, they go straight to the suitcases.

My hard and fast rule is that all suitcases must be packed 3 days before the trip. Why? Because so much last-minute stuff comes up: leaving the house clean, taking care of the dog's arrangements, leaving lesson plans for school . . . I don't want to try to do all those things PLUS pack. Plus that means that if I suddenly discover that the bottle of sunscreen I thought was full is gone, I have a couple days to purchase more.

 

[ducklite]

This is a personal decision best made by yourself. Packing four months out is IMHO a bit premature, but starting to set aside things you don't want to forget at this point would be IMHO a good idea.

Anne

 

[Pinnie]

I am leaving in 60 hours and I haven't started yet! Guess I better get busy!

pinnie

 

[hugsquared]

Our trip is almost 6 months out...I'm guessing DH would have me locked away if I started packing now...but that doesn't mean I haven't been making a list (and checking it twice)...beginning to think its Christmas in September LOL

 

[buzzriders]

We usually pack a week in advance!! But personally I like to pack at the last minute (1-2days) becuase it takes your mind off the clock that never seems to move fast enough!!

 

[Drewandwendi]

We are leaving Friday, and I havent packed yet. I have a list that includes everything we are taking. I have my list numbered in to Bag 1, Bag 2, etc. Listed is what will go into each bag. I did pack upi 1 small plastic tote w. snacks. I will pack all clothing on Thursday night/Friday morning. We are leaving out around 6pm. My mother has always packed in advance when going on any trip. I just cant do it. What if I need something that I've packed, pull it out, and forget to put it back??

 

[toystoryduo]

We usually start packing about 2 weeks before the trip. Because we are going in December, we will probably set some summer type clothes aside in an extra drawer so we don't have to go rummaging around looking for them for our trip. (Assuming the weather will be wonderful in Florida in December! )

As a side note, my DD (age 4) decided that she needed to "pack" for WDW a couple of days ago. She started packing up what toys she wants to bring and I thought that was really cute! Then, she started pulling tons of clothes out of her dresser to pack as well and that's when I put a stop to the premature packing. (Some clothes still haven't made it back into her dresser yet. )