Packing for a family! HELP PLEASE!

[SandraC]

Hi, we went to WDW last year and I don't remember having this much trouble packing! We have a 2 year old who last April was still in his infant carrier. This year we are lugging his BIG car seat inthe plane. This is what we have for 4 people, 2 adults, 2 kids, dd is 8 and ds is 2. 10 nights, 11 days. CSR only.

CHECKING
One large suit case ~ has wheels
Two mid-sized suit cases ~ one has wheels
Stroller
Car seat

CARRY-ON
Food (things that could break)
dh will bring cameras and video cam in a carry-on with dd's med's (heart condition)
dd will bring her own toy bag
I will carry-on a back pack with essentials (a couple diapers, wipes, wallet, tickets, paper work)

All the carry-on's are not big, nor heavy. We have a small wheeled cart.

I can just see us in the airport now! dd with a back pack filled with toys pulling the large suitcase (she loves that part), I will have a back pack on while pushing ds in his stroller with the food bag and dh's camera carry on in the basket. dh will pull his wheeled suitcase with one hand and pull the cart which will be FILLED to the MAX with a suitcase, and car seat! We will be a sight! LOL!

How do you all do it? Sandra

 

[Wendy]

This is exactly the reason I'd rather drive than fly! LOL! Now that we're out of the car seat/stroller stage, it makes flying a bit easier so we find ourselves flying more now. I HATED to fly when the kids were under 4, though. I find it sooo much easier just to throw everything in the car and go.

Good luck! Lugging all that stuff through an airport is a pain. Sounds like you have a good plan of action, though.

 

[jennz]

We check at the curb! We use a long term parking service that's great, the driver unloads everything while we stand in line at the curb, so that's where our major hassle is. We gate-check the stroller and car seat; the car seat usually will hang nicely from the back of the stroller if you turn it upside down (if it has the bar/ledge on it when it closes). We DO have an advantage over you in that we only have one child who was 3 on our last trip. We carried on a backpack, a fanny pack, and a duffel bag for the cameras, medicines, etc. Oh - I just remembered - can you "piggyback" your suitcases? We had one huge suitcase with wheels, dd's suitcase, also with wheels, and we had straps that we hung through the large suitcase top handle to hook her suitcase and the duffel to. our biggest hassle was getting through the Orlando airport with our carry-ons!! At point we had dd out of her stroller to load it up with everything and my husband carried her!

Hope this helps a little!

 

[TINKTWINS]

oh i feel for you!! we leave Boston at 620 am, which means myself dh, ds 13, ds 10 and 2 year old twins have to leave our house at 4 am. i was checking the suitcases last night and was a little overwhelmed. they are so heavy!! i have to bring 2 strollers and 2 car seats and i was considering bringing the car seats on the plane. im a bit crazy right about now.

we leave on wednesday!!!!!!!!

 

[kidzmom3]

We went last Septmeber with me, dh, dd's 4,5 and ds7. We managed to pack eveything into 2 large suitcases. The airline check in guy even gave me a "good job packing mom!" Each of my kids carried their own backpack. I had a backpack and carryon and my dh had a carryon. We checked the 2 carseats as luggage. good luck

 

[klynn]

Me, dh, ds (8), and dd (4). We check in 1 suitcase, 1 duffle bag, and the booster car seat. We gate check the stroller. On the plane I bring a small duffle bag with some snacks, books and room for my purse, dh brings the camera bag, and each child brings their own back-pack. We also use curb side check in, tip the skycap a few bucks and we're on our way. It's so easy!! When you get there you can use the skycaps again or just rent a cart for $2.00. We've done both and both work out great!

 

[BevS97]

the airport near our house has huge luggage carts right where you get out of your car (either dropped off at the terminal, or in the car-park - it's easier if you drop off at the terminal).
We just stack all the suitcases on the trolley - you can definitely get 3 cases on it, and the carseat balances on the top (a little precariously sometimes) - you can usually hang a backpack on the hook on the cart as well.

Just wheel it over to the check-in desk and get rid of 90% of the gear - we check the carseat and the stroller straight-away now, as dd is getting older, but last year we wanted to take the carseat on the plane, so I just put it in the stroller and pushed it to the gate (DD walked).

hoefully it won't be as bad as you think,

Bev

 

[SandraC]

Thank you all very much for your excellent replies! I guess the packing and lugging part of the vacation is like the wedding reception part of a marriage. The important part is the marriage/vacation not the packing(lugging)/wedding reception LOL! I wrote a plan and I think it will work and who will carry what. If it were up to dh, we would get on the plane with only money and buy everything in Florida and leave it all there! LOL! Because we are staying 10 nights and will do one laundry trip, I need to pack for 5-6 days really. But it's the BIG bulky things like diapers, wipes and the MICKEY GIFTS! It'll work, just the pre-vacation jitters! THX, Sandra

 

[skeezixspud]

I've explained this one before, but our rule is that we limit the number of pieces that go to the gate to the number of hands that can carry them. Two adults to carry things = 4 pieces. That includes bags on wheels and the stroller; you still need a hand to control these things.
We made this rule after we encountered Denver Intl., where no Smartcartes are allowed past security, which is only about 50 yds inside the airport's front door.

The one thing that is the exception is the carseat. We don't use any hands to carry it. We invested $20 on a Prince Lionheart backpack-style carseat carrier, one of the best investments we have ever made!

 

[disneyag]

Where are you staying? If you are staying onsite, I'd recommend not renting a car and using Tiffany Towncar. They can provide you with a carseat for the trip to the resort. Also, you may consider a lightweight stroller or umbrella stroller for your 2 year old.

We also limit the carry on's to those who can carry them on. I would give your 8 year old a backpack (the rolling ones are nice) and let her cart her own toys/snacks for the trip.

Some people have luck mailing their diapers and food to their hotel before they arrive. It might be an option, but I always found that the extra space taken up by diapers was great to use for souveniers on the way home!

Good Luck! We just graduated from the car seat/stroller brigade and it makes travelling much easier!

 

[jamsmom]

SandraC:

Packing diapers and wipes will just give you more room for those little extras you buy at WDW. But, another couple of options: 1) Mail them to the hotel with your name on the box and date of arriva; or 2) buy from netgrocer or something similar to have it delivered when you arrive.

I hope you have a totally amazing and magical trip.

 

[ahutton]

Something to consider...

For your DS, you can take the car seat on the plane and have him sit in it during the flight. We find it is much easier to keep our DD who is also 2 contained by telling her riding in the airplane is just like riding in the car, you stay in your seat buckled up. The bonus is with her seat she can see out the window on the plane, and that helps keep her entertained until she falls asleep, which she always does. Also, you can "gate check" the stroller, meaning you can use it as a pack horse until you board the plane, leave it at the door of the plane when you board and then get it back when you arrive at your destination. We have found that priceless when we have a diaper bag, car seat, carry on, and DH's computer bag. We can load up the stroller and push everything rather than carry it.

Have a great trip!

 

[disneyfan551]

Don't worry! I've read your posts and you are way too organized not to be able to handle your packing dilemma!!! Have a great trip!


only 10 days to go... got the packing blues too!!