Wedding Dress

[Disneygrl1823]

Looking for some advice. I am getting married at Disney in October 2023, I am worried about getting my dress down there? Any thoughts or how did you guys do it? I am flying from Mass to Orlando, so it's not that long of a flight. I have read you can carry it on (which I plan on doing) but I am worried once I get there they will turn me away because its too "big". I am obviously putting it in a dress bag, probably a couple to ensure no issues and make sure nothing gets spilled on it. For those of you that have traveled with a dress on an airplane, what has your experiences been? Am I worrying about nothing?

 

[LoveDaisy]

I got married in Mexico and flew with my dress. I bought a good garment bag for it. I had to put it through the X-ray machine at the airport. Then when I got to the gate I spoke to the gate agent. They let me hang my dress in the first class area. My travel agent said to make sure you pick an airline with a closet so no southwest, spirit, frontier, etc. we flew delta. Coming home I crumpled it in a ball and shoved it in a suitcase lol. Should not be an issue and everyone was so nice to me.

 

[Disneygrl1823]

@LoveDaisy thank you so much! Yeah, we prefer Southwest just cause of the free bags, but that is something to consider. Everything I have read says that you can carry it on and put it in the overhead once the other bags are in there, or if there is a closest on board. Did you call the airline ahead of time to warn them, or no? I see some post suggesting that you do that but wasn't sure if it was needed and/or required.

 

[LoveDaisy]

My travel agent made a note on my record with the airline. I’m a southwest girl but my travel agent strongly suggested we go with a legacy airline. She said southwest will let you put your dress there IF there is room. No guarantee and people have had to gate check their wedding dress. She said she had a client whose dress was ruined when gate checked. That stress was not worth saving $100 on free checked bags for me. But you may not be as nervous as I was flying with your dress. I would say do what you are comfortable with. With what we were already spending paying for the wedding, checking a bag was barely noticeable in the budget

 

[Disneygrl1823]

Oh, im nervous and anxious about it. If I go with one company for the dresses, they will ship it to their store in Florida, but if not I have to bring it on the plane. It might be worth at leasing going down on an airline with a closest, coming back its not as important. Thanks again

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I got married at WDW in 2001, so it's been a while and things may have changed. Though we got married and flew from California to Florida about a month after 9/11 so airports were high alert. We booked first class flying from California to Orlando. The flight attendant put my wedding dress in a closet all by itself. Did the same thing on return to California.

 

[Disneygrl1823]

Thanks, yeah its about a 3hr flight, I'd love first class but not worth it for that short of a flight sadly. it's just a anxiety inducing thing to worry about.

 

[AussieFan8]

We got married in Vegas and I carried on my dress. But I purposely got a long straight dress so it wasn't one with a full skirt. I don't know if that would have made a difference or not. The pilot said "congratulations" and the flight attendants brought us champagne on the flight; it was really nice.

ETA: we flew Southwest

 

[Disneygrl1823]

Oh that was nice. I don't want a puffy dress for The sole fact I have to travel with it, and the dresses are big enough as they are. Thanks for the feedback

 

[AussieFan8]

Oh that was nice. I don't want a puffy dress for The sole fact I have to travel with it, and the dresses are big enough as they are. Thanks for the feedback

Good luck - I hope it works out for you. I didn't even think to say anything to anybody before I brought it on. I just showed up with it and it was fine. But I don't know if I just got lucky or what.

 

[Disneygrl1823]

Thanks. Everything I've read says it hasn't been an issue on any airline, but if you got a full flight you might have a problem. Some say to call the airline ahead of time, so maybe I'll do that, not sure if it will even matter.

 

[Karin1984]

Oh, im nervous and anxious about it. If I go with one company for the dresses, they will ship it to their store in Florida, but if not I have to bring it on the plane. It might be worth at leasing going down on an airline with a closest, coming back its not as important. Thanks again

Thanks, yeah its about a 3hr flight, I'd love first class but not worth it for that short of a flight sadly. it's just a anxiety inducing thing to worry about.

I wouldn't look at the cost for what is it worth materially, but mentally. If you can, I would pay the extra money (depending on the amount of course) for the peace of mind.

Shipping it or fearing there might not be a closet or space or whatever, would give me anxiety for weeks or months leading up to the wedding.

Is the price worth it for a 3 hour flight? Normally no. But this isn't a normal flight.

 

[Disneygrl1823]

@Karin1984 thank you! Yeah, I have massive anxiety about it. I got my dress through David's Bridal, they said they can ship it from Mass. to my Hotel, which would be great. But, there are so many what ifs and worst case scenarios. What if it doesn't make it? What if its damaged? What if it takes too long or whatever? Its all the questions and problems someone with bad anxiety would ask and worry about. My fiancé asked if it would be worth to buy an extra seat for the dress, which I have seen people do. Its not a large dress or puffy (I wanted it that way for this reason), so I think if I folded it up in a garment bag, it should be fine. But all the reviews I have read about bringing it on the plane have been positive ones, so it sounds like that shouldn't be a problem, but I got the worst luck sometimes and If we get to the gate and they give me a hard time, I am in trouble. Based on what I have read as long as its no larger than what their carry on requirements are, there shouldn't be any issues. Coming home I am not as worried about it, plus I got family that said they would take it back w/ them if I didn't have the space.