Traveling lightly ????s

[goofy4tink]

Okay. It will be myself, dh, and 9 y/o dd going in Aug. We would dearly love to be able to use only carry-on luggage. Since it's going to be so hot, we'll have only bathing suits, shorts and t-shirts, sandals. Have any of you actually been able to be in WDW for 9 days using just carry-ons?? I figure we'll do laundry 4 days into the trip. Won't be buying more than a couple of souvies. Won't be carrying food since we'll stop at grocery store for that. What do you all think?? Thanks.

 

[BevS97]

Won't be buying more than a couple of souvies

this is where the plan would fall apart for me...

if you have 3 of those carryon cases, 1 each, then I guess you could do it, but personally, I'd as soon check the bags and forget about them. The wait to collect them isn't that bad, and lugging them through the airport really doesn't appeal to me

Bev

 

[Barb D]

I have a dream of one day just starting to drive down 95 on the spur of the moment, stopping at a WalMart to get some shorts and buying souvenier T-shirts when we get there. Maybe some day!

I do laundry every couple of days when we're down there, just to keep the mess down. At the All Star resorts, the laundry rooms are by the pools, so you can do a load or two while the kids cool off after a long day at the parks. I don't know if the other resorts have it planned as well, though.

 

[crisi]

Oh, easy, particularly if you are planning a laundry day.

Haven't done it to Disney, but I did pack for a week long business trip in a carry on - in fact, I always do if I can manage it (I hate checking luggage, I've waited an hour or longer for luggage, and I never HAVE an hour to wait), and I don't do laundry on business trips and pack more than t shirts and shorts.

You can't do it if you need to pack curling irons, blow dryers, a full makeup kit, enough tolietries for a sorority - but if you can pack minimal shampoo, the makeup in your purse, and live with the hotel blow dryer, it will work.

 

[BethC]

My daughter and I did this once on a mother-daughter trip. It was summer, so there was no need to pack long pants and sweatshirts. We only went for 5 days, but did not do any laundry. If you plan on doing laundry, I'm sure you will be fine.

Of course we did end up carrying a few things on the plane on the way home. Those darn souvenirs!

Have fun!

 

[crisi]

Consider shipping your souveniers home. And trying to fit an extra duffle in your carryon - something that crunches down small. Checking dirty laundry on the way home is not the pain in the back end that checking luggage on the way there is.

And come to think of it, I'm sure I've done this to Disney, just B.C. (Before Children). Probably every trip before children, as I'm pathological about "stuff" (rent strollers, don't bring car/booster seats, don't pack diapers - just buy them at Goodings, these things spell hassle to me, others swear they simplify their trips, I break out in hives thinking about it). Mine are still young enough they don't handle their own carryons (or they fill them with stuffed animals), so we need to pack and check a large suitcase. My last carryon trip would have been seven days, no laundry, but before the airlines tightened carry on restrictions, so our bags may have been a little big.

I got through six weeks in Europe in a backpack (we did do laundry), I figure I can do a week pretty much anyplace in a carryon.

 

[goofy4tink]

THanks for the insights. You know...I do have a smallish duffle from our last trip. I had to buy it in DD. It's got Mickey on it and will fold up quite nicely. I had to buy it for those pesky souvies last time! If I have to use it then we'll just check our stuff going home. No problem.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by crisi
Consider shipping your souveniers home

How do you arrange this? This can it be done from your resort or do you have to go to a local post office?

 

[crisi]

Some souveniers Disney will ship for you. We had an animation cell shipped back years ago. Otherwise, you will need to talk to the hotel or go to the post office. I haven't shipped anything back from Disney, but most hotels can help you ship if you talk to the front desk....I'd assume Disney is the same.

 

[MEM]

I think it CAN be done and plan to try it for our WDW vacation, also in August. I always pack way too many clothes and do laundry anyway so the stains don't set in. This time I won't be packing breakfast foods, film and toiletries and instead plan to buy everything at our Publix stop via Tiffany Towncar. I do laundry first thing in the a.m. when everyone else is sleeping -- I really don't mind it. One tip you might consider (which will not work for everyone!) is to pack clean but nearly-worn-out underwear for everyone and just toss it in the trash before coming home. Use the event of the new School year to buy new undies and/or socks when you get home. I have also heard of people shipping their clothing home and using their suitcases for the precious souvenirs. I'm not sure, however, how to ship from WDW.

Do whatever you feel comfortable with!