Packing with no checked bags??

DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

Active Member
Ok...so I always read trip reports, etc. of people heading to WDW for a vacation with only carry-on bags. My wife and I are going for a long weekend next month (no kiddo this time!) and would love to not deal with checked bags. For the lenght of our trip, neither of us think that clothing will be an issue - we're not planning to take time out for any "dress up" meals, etc. My question - how do you do it? Do you just use the toiletries in the hotel, buy them down there, etc?

Would love any and all tips!! :)
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Gabe1

Gabe1

Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
My DD and I did it for a 5 night trip a few years ago. We re-used jeans, cause it was too chilly for shorts, packed layered clothing, wore our hoodie on the plane, shared toiletries and each took pretty empty backpacks as our other carry on, minus laptops, to bring home purchases.

It went fine until we had to each buy a new sweatshirt, sudden drop in temp. and we were being careful with our purchases. I gave my DS who lived down there two sweatshirts and told him to mail home. I never did that again. It was nice not to have to spend the few minutes not dealing with checked bags but it wasn't worth the hassle to us so usually we check one good sized bag for all of us and each take on a carry-on with stuff to cover us for 2 days if the luggage gets lost.
 
Upvote 0
D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
figmentfan423 said:
Lucky you!:) I admire your efficiency I can't even figure how to get our stuff to fit in a sedan let alone no checked bags! I can do ok getting down I think but coming home might be a big problem!:eek:
Click to expand...
Oh do I hear you Figgy! Once we changed airlines and switched to Southwest and they allow TWO bags PER person free (plus a carry on) I nearly lost my flippin mind!!! Kudos to those who can do it, I'm surely not someone who can go on vacation, any length of time, without checked baggage.
 
Upvote 0
Figgy1

Figgy1

Well-Known Member
DisneyDebNJ said:
Oh do I hear you Figgy! Once we changed airlines and switched to Southwest and they allow TWO bags PER person free (plus a carry on) I nearly lost my flippin mind!!! Kudos to those who can do it, I'm surely not someone who can go on vacation, any length of time, without checked baggage.
Click to expand...
Will your giraffe be checked or carry on or will he get his own seat?
 
Upvote 0
H

hksusa

New Member
I think it's possible if you carefully plan it out. I've watch quite a few video of people putting 7 days worth of outfits in a 21" carry on. I think its even more feasible if you plan to do laundry half way through your vacation.

Planning a Aug trip with gf and daughter, and i'm thinking of just doing carry on.
 
Upvote 0
Figgy1

Figgy1

Well-Known Member
hksusa said:
I think it's possible if you carefully plan it out. I've watch quite a few video of people putting 7 days worth of outfits in a 21" carry on. I think its even more feasible if you plan to do laundry half way through your vacation.

Planning a Aug trip with gf and daughter, and i'm thinking of just doing carry on.
Click to expand...
Welcome I hope you can pull it off!
 
Upvote 0
disneygirl1

disneygirl1

Well-Known Member
Funny, I leave for Vegas tomorrow for a long weekend and somehow I managed to fit everything into a 19" suitcase and a backpack, b/c I refused to check a bag for such a short trip. It took some strategic placement, but I got it all to fit! Basically I have all my clothes in the suitcase, and I have my plethora of shoes in the backpack along with all my toiletries. Good Luck!
 
Upvote 0
journ116

journ116

Well-Known Member
I am planning a surprise weekend trip at the end of April and have already started packing...AND I managed to fit it all, for 2 adults and 2 children, in a 21" carry-on and our DVC tote bag! We're only going to be there from a Friday night to a Sunday late afternoon, so we really only need 2 outfits, basic travel toiletries, and a pair of shoes (which we'll wear the entire weekend). Keeping the compact idea going, we'll be taking an iPad & iPod, pocket-sized digital camera (plus my DH's iPhone), and some snack-sized goodies. As for a light coat, we'll wear 'em onto the plane, which should deter us from buying any extra clothing for warmth.

The trick to packing our carry-on: roll the clothing (I will fit my girls clothing into 2 gallon-sized ziploc bag and essentially "push out the air" making clothing pancakes). Remember, your toiletries must fit in a quart-sized bag (1 per person, but y'all know that). However, if you're particular about a certain soap, face wash, etc., and you have a rather large bottle at home, might I suggest heading to Target (or of the like) and picking up some empty travel bottles. The next step: ask yourself before putting any item into your bag, "Do I really need this?" I think for 2 adults on a long weekend trip, you should be able to fit everything you'll need into one rolling carry-on and 1 back pack...and technically, each of you are allowed said items, just in case you really cannot forgo that "must have item!"
 
Upvote 0
SyracuseOrange

SyracuseOrange

Well-Known Member
DisneyFan1003 said:
Ok...so I always read trip reports, etc. of people heading to WDW for a vacation with only carry-on bags. My wife and I are going for a long weekend next month (no kiddo this time!) and would love to not deal with checked bags. For the lenght of our trip, neither of us think that clothing will be an issue - we're not planning to take time out for any "dress up" meals, etc. My question - how do you do it? Do you just use the toiletries in the hotel, buy them down there, etc?

Would love any and all tips!! :)
Click to expand...
I did a long weekend last month with only a carry on. I keep travel-sized toiletries in my apartment for long weekend travel, but I overslept and not wanting to miss my flight only had a few moments to grab any that I could see (so I forgot a few things.) I just bought more travel sized items at the airport and at the hotel.

If you're on an airline that also allows a "personal" item, I always bring my laptop bag sans laptop (unless I absolutely need it) and pack an entire outfit in that bag.
 
Upvote 0
erstwo

erstwo

Well-Known Member
If I can pack for 5 nights in Chicago in a carry on every New Year's, I can certainly pack for a long weekend at WDW in Orlando in a carry on! Ha! I was so happy when the kids were old enough and we could skip baggage claim.

I am not the packing queen, but it can be done. Especially at WDW where you can do laundry at any resort if you *have* to. I always bring two pairs of shoes - one pair I wear on the plane, one pair in the carry on. Then I decide on every outfit to go with those 2 pairs of shoes. (You typically have 2 pairs of practical shoes you wear nearly all the time anyway - WDW isn't the time for your 'fun' shoes you only wear once a month that only go with that *one* oufit.) :) Sometimes I have to cram in 2 pairs of shoes if I'm going to a fancy dinner or award ceremony, that makes things a little more difficult, but that's rarely a problem at WDW for me.

Next I decide on one outfit for each day - long weekend usually only means 3 or 4 tops and 3 or 4 pants (or if you're like me - a dress.) Toiletries are difficult. I put one 3 oz bottle of shampoo in both my husband's and my bag. Same for conditioner, although sometimes I need more conditioner, since I have more hair. :D My hubby is always kind enough to not use the conditioner (shampoo only) until we are sure I'll have enough to last the whole trip. Doesn't make much of a difference to him, but makes a world of difference to me! The hardest toiletries for me are things like facial lotions, etc that are larger than 3 oz in their original packaging. I have to plan ahead and buy smaller bottles to transfer those items to for the trip. At this point, I have pretty much every bottle I need, but I do sometimes have to buy new ones when I switch products, etc. I bring 3 oz of liquid dish detergent to wash our refillable mugs and sometimes 3 oz of laundry detergent to do laundry (although you can buy laundry soap in the laundry rooms, so I rarely do this now unless I have to.....)

I will admit, if I don't do laundry, what I wear home from the trip can sometimes be pretty funny. I think on the way home last month I was wearing black leggings, a giant tshirt and a huge sweatshirt. I had worn all my nice dresses in the parks. Oh, well - at least I was comfortable!

Packing for my kids is even easier. I never pack for my husband, so I'm no help there.

That's all I've got. Good luck! You can do it! :cool::D
 
Upvote 0
Disvillain63

Disvillain63

Well-Known Member
It can be done. I once packed one regular-sized suitcase (not the x-large) for a week in Germany with enough clothes for DH, DS, DD, and myself. When we came back to the states, the custom agent didn't even bother to open it. He said that if I could pack 4 people in one bag for a week in Germany, then there was no way that I had room for anything else. :)
 
Upvote 0

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom