We are flying Spirit this time because it saved us a bunch of money over going out of Philly. But they really do like to nickel and dime you for all the extras. I only purchased one suitcase for the trip and figured we could pack the rest into backpacks, one for each of us because they are considered a free item. Has anyone flown Spirit before and if so, do you think it's realistic for us to fit stuff for a week at Disney into one suitcase that weighs under 40lbs and four small backpacks? Or should I just suck it up and purchase another suitcase?
I think it's do-able, but only if:
1 - You're traveling during a warm time of year and packing only shorts/T-shirts/swimsuits/sandals/PJs, etc. (You can wear any bulkier or cooler-weather items on the plane instead of packing them.)
2 - If necessary, you pack only half as much clothing as you need, and launder it halfway through the trip.
3 - You're keeping toiletries, make-up, etc. to the minimum. (I recently watched an online tutorial about "how to pack" by a "Disney expert" who had brought not only her own hairdryer from home, but a pedicure footspa, an electronic "buffer" for her face, hair curling and straightening irons, a set of hot rollers and two huge hard-sided cases of makeup and nail polish!!! I was aghast. All of my toiletries, makeup and hair "stuff" fits easily into a 6" x 3" x 3" pouch.)
4 - You make a packing list ahead of time and stick to it religiously. The packing list should incorporate as many "double-duty" items as possible. (e.g., DH and I share one sample-sized can of shaving cream for his face and my legs. I pack body lotion that contains sunscreen so I don't need to bring a separate bottle. I pack a single sundress that is both my swimsuit cover-up and my "nice dinner outfit." We bring only one pair of sandals apiece and wear our sneakers to travel. We bring and wear only one outfit per person per day. We don't bring anything that the hotel is already providing -- shampoo, soap, towels, hairdryer, etc.)
Using these guidelines, we've packed enough clothing/toiletries for 4 people (2 adults and 2 children) for a 5-night stay into 2 21" carryon bags (we rolled our clothing instead of folding it and placed it in packing cubes to organize it, but we used no compression bags or anything), and that was with packing 5 outfits per person and not planning to do laundry. If we'd packed enough for just 2-3 days, we could have fit it all into 1 carryon. We used our "personal item" backpacks for electronics and chargers, phones, purse/wallet, sunglasses and hats, a couple of boxes of granola bars for breakfasts, and "care packages" of activity books and headphones to keep the kids busy on the plane. (If you're checking a bag, put one outfit/toiletries/prescription meds, etc. for each person in the backpacks so you're not left in the lurch if your checked bag goes missing or is not delivered to you promptly.)
You don't specify the size of your suitcase, but since you're concerned about fitting everything in there, a "trial run" is a good idea. Lay out the amount of clothing and sundries you think you'll be taking and try to pack the bag. (While you're at it, weigh it.) To maximize your use of the space within the bag, I suggest rolling your clothing instead of folding it. If there's just no way to get it all in, if paring down your packing list is too stressful, or if your bag is overweight (or borderline overweight), go ahead and invest in another suitcase. Otherwise, pack light and pack smart and you should be fine!
