Overpackers Anonymous

Dole Whip Happy Hour

Dole Whip Happy Hour

Active Member
I am an overpacker for any and all family trips. It doesn't matter if it's a day trip, or a big two week Disney World vacation. So as I am wondering the best way to pack the kitchen sink into my suitcase, I thought I would ask..
Is there something you packed for Disney and found out it wasn't worth packing?
 
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DarthVader

DarthVader

Sith Lord
Dole Whip Happy Hour said:
Is there something you packed for Disney and found out it wasn't worth packing?
Click to expand...
Here's my take on packing.

If I know I'm going away for x days, I pack x+1 number of articles. If I'm away 10 days, I'll pack 11 pairs of socks, shirts, and what not. I only pack a couple of shorts as you don't need 10 pairs of shorts. Depending on the vacation, I'll include an outfit that's less casual if we plan on a night out. Bascally, if you pack the bare minimum, you should be fine.
 
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DisDadWoz

DisDadWoz

Well-Known Member
We are pretty much the same with Darth. Pack number of days plus one for socks, shirts, etc. Shorts can get a couple of use days. We also normally stay DVC so we do a couple loads to make what we have last longer. The one thing that seems to be excess sometimes are shoes. For whatever reason, it just seems like one or two pair are not enough.
 
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Dole Whip Happy Hour

Dole Whip Happy Hour

Active Member
Original Poster
Thanks, that is kinda my rule too. But we are going in summer with the kids for the first time, and even though I plan on doing laundry at the resort, I was going to up those numbers a little since we might be changing clothes twice a day with the heat. I have kids to pack for, and there is always something you think you need for them. We are staying at POP this trip and there are new refurbished rooms with hard floors instead of carpets. So I was thinking about packing a rug for wet shoes to be by the door, (I heard it rains just a bit in June). And a swiffer because some people on the forums have said the floors can get dirty, and maybe to wipe up rain water that gets in the room from the umbrellas and ponchos that I will be packing.... and so it goes on and on...

so to rephrase my original question, was what did you pack and realized you didn't need....
 
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Minnesota disney fan

Minnesota disney fan

Well-Known Member
I'm an overpacker too. I try not to do it, but I do every time!!!
I always overpack clothes. I usually lay out clothes that I think I want to take about 2 or 3 months before the vacation, then a week before I remove about half of them. I still overpack the clothes. Can't seem to change...........................
Oh, I don't do laundry while on vacation, so that's probably why I overpack. I do laundry all the rest of the year, and don't want to waste time doing laundry just for the 2 of us adults. If I had kids with me, that might change.
 
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Gillyanne

Gillyanne

Well-Known Member
Are you going to have a car or rely solely on resort transportation? If you have a car, you can probably leave some disposable/cheap things behind and just purchase them when you get down there (like the swiffer, lysol, sunscreen etc) and I say "cheap" too b/c then you can just pitch them (or try to leave them for someone else) and not worry about having just spent alot of money on something just to use a week. I feel like there's been a sprout in Dollar Trees along the 192 area lately. A couple years ago I remember I had to drive a ways down to get to one, but now it feels like there's one every couple of blocks; this could be good for a cheap rug, the swiffer (although a generic version) sprays, cleaning wipes and things... and there's plenty of walmarts/targets around and in my experience, they're not overpriced for the area (they at least match what I generally see in MD)
 
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Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
When my kids were little, I used to pack entire outfits (underwear,socks, shorts, and shirt) in individual ziplock bags, so it made getting ready in the mornings a quick and easy task. I'd also take one of those bags in a small backpack into the parks for each of them so if an outfit got soiled or just too sweaty, they could change into a clean one and put the dirty one into the ziplock. It worked well for us that way, and even though we didn't always need them, it was one less worry for me.
 
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Disney4family

Disney4family

Well-Known Member
We used to pack an outfit a day. We don't anymore since we know we're going to buy some overpriced, but fun, t-shirts that we'll wear while there.
I don't do laundry when I'm there. It's my vacation, too. I do bring a lot of garbage bags & start to sort darks, whites, etc. each night while there so it's already set for me when we get back.
 
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DryerLintFan

DryerLintFan

Well-Known Member
Dole Whip Happy Hour said:
Thanks, that is kinda my rule too. But we are going in summer with the kids for the first time, and even though I plan on doing laundry at the resort, I was going to up those numbers a little since we might be changing clothes twice a day with the heat. I have kids to pack for, and there is always something you think you need for them. We are staying at POP this trip and there are new refurbished rooms with hard floors instead of carpets. So I was thinking about packing a rug for wet shoes to be by the door, (I heard it rains just a bit in June). And a swiffer because some people on the forums have said the floors can get dirty, and maybe to wipe up rain water that gets in the room from the umbrellas and ponchos that I will be packing.... and so it goes on and on...

so to rephrase my original question, was what did you pack and realized you didn't need....
Click to expand...

Definitely food. We brought home over half the snacks we took with us. Especially in the heat, we eat less, and no matter how much you like a granola bar, you aren't going to choose it over a mickey bar.

Another thing was surprises for the kid. We went over Christmas so we wanted to bring some presents. She played with a couple smaller things, but for the most part we were too busy enjoying Disney to use any of them.

Another thing is activities for the plane/ car ride. I thought for sure you couldn't possibly over pack on this one, but we did it swimmingly. Bring activities that don't take up much space, and also rely more on your surroundings. My daughter played for an hour with two cups and some water.

One thing that is worth it's weight in gold while traveling with a kid is an Amazon Fire Stick. There's something magical about not relying on cable/hbo to be showing something that would interest your kid. We just pupped in the fire stick and started whatever disney movie she wanted.

In regards to clothing, pack coordinating colors and cut down your clothing by half. If a shirt can be worn with a few different bottoms and vice versa, then you'll get more wear out of it. Especially since you are planning on doing laundry halfway through.
 
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DryerLintFan

DryerLintFan

Well-Known Member
Oh, and also first aid..... Don't get me wrong, you want to be prepared with this, but not THAT prepared. A couple of bandaids and a packet of sunscreen should be enough to get you through a park day. If something goes wrong, hit the aid station. Obviously bring all epi pens and whatnot, but we really overpacked on the first aid kit.
 
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eliza61nyc

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
I'm a proud overpacker. traveling with me is sort of like being on Cleopatra's barge. Listen the reality is I hate wanting/needing something and knowing it's at home.

First, I go in the late summer which generally means 90+ degrees. nope I am not wearing a shirt or short twice. yuck. so a lot depends on if I'm staying in a dvc room with laundry or a regular hotel room.
for a 7 night trip
If I'm staying in a normal room I bring 10 pair of undies, 6 bras (I will wash small stuff in the sink) I can get away with 6 socks as I only wear them with sneakers. 9 outfits (shorts, sundress, shirt type combos). 2 sneakers, 1 sandals, 1 pool/shower type shoe.

yes I have items that can go with various combinations but again, do I want to wear a shirt that I've walked all day through Animal kingdom in August?

I don't pack food. I'm not cooking nor eating at a little desk in the room
 
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TheGuyThatMakesSwords

TheGuyThatMakesSwords

Well-Known Member
Wellllll - just us. Both Sandy and I CHECK a fairly large bag, and use a fairly SMALL carry-on (soft side... we can "squish" it under a seat if needed).

Now - CARRY ON. Rain parkas, Android Tab (communicate with home security), phone chargers, Meds, one days supplies, cash, printouts of all Ressies, PASSPORTS in the event TSA gets wonkey (or we get robbed). Objective: Checked bags get lost, US LAW changes mid trip . We have time to make a trip insurance claim, and go shopping. Supplies that can NOT be shopped for.

CHECKED bags - Park wear, designed to be worn two days. SIG Restaurant wear, designed to be worn two nights. Majority of supplies that can be shopped for. We cross pack - lose one bag? HALF of our optional supplies arrive. GOAL: protect against the Airline Baggage Monkeys.

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.
 
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21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
I brought 6 pairs of high heels on our 2016 trip... I wore one of them.:hilarious:

Besides that, I didn’t wear half of the clothes that I packed.

Both of these situations happen on every vacation, anywhere. You’d think that I would have learned to scale back by now..
 
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