Any help would be wonderful!

[ddtcschroeder]

We are heading to WDW in 2 weeks..we are heading down w/ 5 adults, and 4 kids...9, 6, 3, 1, and 1...do you think I should ship snacks and diapers down early.

Also what should do we need pack for the trip..we have not traveled for years..any help would be wonderful!

Also any tips would be great!!

[Strmchsr]

There's a great packing list here (http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/misc/whattopack.asp) in Info Central.

As for shipping down stuff...you can certainly do that and it makes it easier than trying to carry it with you. It also might be better to use a grocery delivery service like Garden Grocer. Just google Disney grocery delivery and you'll see several options. They'll bring it to your resort so you don't have to worry about shipping anything.

My biggest tip will be about the heat - take it easy, drink lots of water, and take plenty of breaks. In this kind of heat and humidity (heat index over 100) you can get heat exhaustion and stroke very, very quickly. Especially children. Also, you need a high SPF sunscreen as you can burn in the Florida sun in 10-15 min of exposure. Nothing would ruin the fun faster than sunburned kids.

Have a great trip. :mickey:

[faline]

Sounds like a fun trip!

Here's Intercot's packing list (http://intercot.com/infocentral/misc/whattopack.asp)which you might find helpful.

Are you staying at a Disney resort? Will you have a vehicle with you and will you be using Disney transportation?

If you have a car, it should be easy enough to go to a local Wal-mart or similar store to stock up on what you need during your trip.

If you're relying on Disney transportation, you can ship items to yourself ahead of time (be sure to include your reservation number and arrival date on the outside of your package and keep in mind that some resorts have a storage charge for items shipped - primarily conference resorts); use a grocery delivery service (there are several in the area); or pack items in an extra suitcase which will free up space for souveneirs on the return trip.

Keep in mind that it will be very hot and humid while you are there and you will need to consume a fair amound of water. Many folks do not like the taste of the local water. You can bring a Brita filtered container or flavor packs to add to the water. Buying bottled water in the parks can get expensive so this might tip you to using a local delivery service for snacks, diapers and water as shipping water can be quite expensive and it's really too heavy to add to your checked luggage.

With the ages of your children, you will likely need strollers for your two youngest - there's a lot of walking involved in a Disney trip. Think about bringing your own or renting from an off-site company. Renting Disney strollers on a daily basis can get expensive though they do, I believe, provide a weekly rate for strollers. Also, when you rent strollers from Disney, you can't take them from the parks. The distance from the park gate to the buses can be a bit of a walk, particularly at the end of the day when you have some very tired children. To offset this, though, also keep in mind that any strollers you have need to be folded before you can board a Disney bus.

[cer]

Hey there! I just sent you a private message regarding your packing...

:mickey:

[tdk316]

Yes, I'd highly recommend shipping a box down prior to your arrival. It was a life-saver for us when we went with the kids. It may have been cheaper to bring it on the plane with us, but not having to deal with another bag was priceless! While we do use DME, we collect our own luggage from the plane and take it with us on the bus due to problems on two trips in the past so anything that can limit the amount of luggage for us is great. Plus it was one less thing for me to worry about buying and packing before the "big day."

As for packing, it depends on where you are staying and for how long. We waaaayyyyy over packed last year (the first year we took the kids) because we stayed DVC and had a washer/dryer in the room which was :cloud9:. This year we're planning on bringing significantly less and washing more. Both of my kids were under three last year so there were also a lot of bottles, sippy cups, diapers and wipes involved.

If you have any specific questions just pm me. :mickey:

[Darbylew]

It is going to be hot so take light clothing, hat,
sun screen, light weight tennis shoes, we like
the personal little fans when it is hot and
bottle water. :mickey:
FIRST TRIP 1972
LAST TRIP MAY 2010 :thumbsup:
NEXT TRIP OCT. 2010 :D
AND MANY TRIPS IN BETWEEN :mickey:

[LVT]

I have 2 favorite travel items. Ideas borrowed from the folks here over the years.
1. Hang up storage cubies. You can get them at K-mart or target. I Have a big one that hangs in the closet. It has 10 spaces so kids can have areas for bath stuff, shoes whatever. It folds down to shoebox size.
2. Dish soap dried into small pieces of wet wipes.
I dry small amounts of dish soap onto baby-safe wipes, cut them into quarters and place them in a baggie. Instant dish washing for the Resort mugs or cereal bowls.