Packing Tips

[iheartdisney]

We just made our final payment and our travel agent sent us a note: "Start Packing!"

My heart skipped a beat and then I got overwhelmed with all there is to remember.

How soon do you all "start packing?" Do you make a packing list? Any tips out there to maximize the space in your suitcase? Do's and don't's?

Thanks, everyone!

Getting excited!! :mickey3::donald:

[CanadianWDWFan]

I always say, take half the clothes you have packed and twice the money! :D

Here is the link to INTERCOT's suggestion for your packing list (http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/misc/whattopack.asp)

[faline]

Typically, I don't pack until a few days before my scheduled trip. I do maintain a packing list and generally follow it whether or not our destination is Disney World.

[marlyn]

I agree with Brian!! Twice the money, half the clothes!!

I have a packing list and have already packed my wdw specific items. I'm going in August! I have a travel toiletry bag that is already packed and ready to go.

I keep all my ADRs, hotel reservations etc all in one spot so I have it ready to go.

I used the intercot packing list and tailored it to my specific needs.

If you're going I summer, which I assume you are if you just made final payment, pack light. You won't need many clothes.

[PETE FROM NYC]

I am a great one for lists.
I make one for WDW, but we are BLT in a 1 BR villa with washer & dryer, so we bring less that half of the clothing we used to bring.
I also make a list for hunting trips and fishing trips.

[hauntedmansiongirl]

We have a generic packing list that we use for every trip. We also have a "things to do before we go away" list and a list for all our passport numbers, credit card lost and stolen phone numbers etc. There isn't really anything specific that we need for Disney except an extra bathing suit because stuff stays wet longer in the Florida humidity and tons of sunscreen! But anything extra you may need (or that your forgot) can be bought there, so don't stress too much!

Oh, always remember the camera batteries and charger! And an extra memory card! We like to take the odd video, esp. of the fireworks and there is nothing worse than running out of memory card just as the finale starts!

[RunDMV]

Roll your clothes rather than folding them. No wrinkles and you can pack them tighter.

[DisneyDadfromPittsburgh]

Usually start packing a few days ahead and it always happens.......we never use or pull out 1/2 the clothes we pack and take. We never learn.

[vicster]

I fly by the seat of my pants - I don't pack until the night before we leave.

[1DisneyNut]

We get the suitcases out and open them the weekend a week in advance of our trip. Then as we wash/dry clothes over the week we pack the ones we want to take and then a few days before pack the rest.

As for toiletries and such, we have bags for that which we place on the bathroom counter and throw the things in it as we use them.

We also have a "Disney World backpack" that everything stays in and we only use it for WDW. It has the ponchos, band aids, sun block, aspirin, etc. We just grab it and throw it in the car.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Roll your clothes rather than folding them. No wrinkles and you can pack them tighter.

This is what I was going to suggest as well. You can fit so much more clothes by rolling instead of folding. And less wrinkles too.

I used to make list after list and start packing weeks before our trip. Now I wait till the day or two before we leave and frantically start throwing things in suitcases! Lol. I do make sure my house is in order tho. Stop mail and newspaper deliveries, clean out the refrigerator, clean from top to bottom, wash all sheets so we come home to nice clean beds and a nice clean house.

[Dopey's Girl]

Another vote for rolling your clothes. Keep heavier materials on the inside of the roll. I also stuff socks into shoes to save space.

I don't ever remember a time when I packed any earlier than the night before. I'm usually throwing things in the bag as I leave for the airport. Chronic procrastinator here!

[TheVBs]

We have a packing list we use for all trips, with a few special extras we have added on for Disney trips. It makes things so much easier and it's easy to modify. We start packing in the week before our trip and we roll our clothes too. We never wear all of what we pack, and every trip I swear we're going to cut down, but we haven't managed it yet. :blush:

[etibbetts]

I start my list of what I want to bring about a month ahead of time. About 2 weeks ahead I bring the suitcases up. During the two weeks before the trip I make sure everything is ironed, clothes match etc.

One thing I found very useful was extra hangers. I always need more there! I buy the cheap plastic ones that are $1 for 10. I leave them there when done the trip and that frees up room in the suitcase for souveniers.

[minnie04]

I do make sure my house is in order tho. Stop mail and newspaper deliveries, clean out the refrigerator, clean from top to bottom, wash all sheets so we come home to nice clean beds and a nice clean house.

:ditto: Love coming home to a clean house with everything fresh...I always do all the laundry and then ask everyone to please only wear the things you are NOT taking on the trip. This way all the Disney clothes are ready to pack. I have a toiletry bag that is always packed and ready to go with all the things we will need. When we get home I repack it before I put it away, so it's ready for any trip we take. I also have a medicine bag I like to take with things we might need. This way we never have to run to the store for anything. My little list of things I might forget so I write them down are sunscreen, pillow cases (for all pillows in the room), “Disney” travel blankets for the car, XXL Ziploc bag for laundry, cell phone chargers car & room (I have a bag I keep them in. One for each person, so no one has to take their home charger), travel mugs (for me & DH), movies for the car, etc. things like that. Everything else is the easy stuff to remember clothes, shoes, etc. :mickey:

[disneymom15]

We start packing usually the day before we leave. We put our clothes in space bags (the ones that don't need a vacuum to release the air) keeps clothing dry should bottles leak.

[Katzateer]

Besides all those great tips, I only bring what will fit in one carryon roll on ( per person) You can wash clothes at the resort. I bring almost empty personnel items like hair gel, deo, and throw away all those items before I leave for airport the last vacation day. Lots cheaper than little special carryon size and opens up room in your bag for items you bring home.

An extra pair of open shoes like crocs and wear tennis shoes. I find walking around all day in the parks with my crocs works well rain or shine. But I like tennis shoes while traveling and non park days.

I bring granola, nuts, anything that won't melt or spoil for early park days or mid day snacking.

I also bring large ziplock baggies- lots of them and a couple trash bags. If needed the trash bags can be sat on while waiting for a parade or fireworks if ground is wet.

My tip if you have kids that still fit in a stroller- I would get a $20 fold up at Walmart. At the end of the trip I just leave it in the room or give to someone that has little kids. When the girls did not want to sit we sat all our jackets, water bottles on it instead of carrying everything.

[#1donaldfan]

I like the "twice the money / half the clothes" tip.....it makes sense !!:mickey:

[kakn7294]

I make a packing list by asking everyone in my family to list every step of their daily routine - shower, shave, make-up and hair, deodorant, teeth, etc. I buy all of the toiletries a few weeks early and store them in one location, which usually happens to be a suitcase because it's convenient. Also a couple of weeks before, I let everyone know how many outfits they will need (at 14 and 19, the girls and my hubby can choose their own). They are required to put together entire outfits, including underwear and socks. I then take pictures of every outfit and save those in the camera. This way I know if we need to do any shopping before the trip, in case they've outgrown stuff and when it comes to packing day (day before or day of depending on what time we're leaving), I can easily pack in peace. I pack the outfits in the suitcase as they are laid out for me for easy choosing of outfits once we are there. Each night, everyone decides which outfit they are wearing the next day and it's laid out for easier dressing in the morning since 4 of us share one bathroom.