loveysbydesign Posted March 3, 2006 #1 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Help! 1st trip to WDW and 1st cruiser! We're doing WDW for a week (May 9-15) before our cruise (SOS 15-19th), staying offsite with our own washer & dryer so we can hopefully only pack a week's worth of clothes and then wash them before the cruise. Any tips for us? What should we bring and what should we leave at home? It'll be me, dh, ds-7, and dd almost 4. Also we'll be doing 2 days of SeaWorld after the cruise because to get SW's great $39. fares we had to fly home on Monday. :p TIA!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt32703 Posted March 3, 2006 #2 Share Posted March 3, 2006 It will be very warm by that time in May. Pack like you are going to be walking around outside all day with the temperature in the upper 80s. In a nutshell, pack like you are going on a cruise and wash all the clothes at your hotel before you cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fripprudder Posted March 6, 2006 #3 Share Posted March 6, 2006 First, what fun. Two weeks with Disney. You will have a blast. Having been to Disney 8 times since 2000 and 3 Disney cruises here are a few hints I have found. First, since you are staying off site with a w/d you should end up taking half of what you think you will need. You will be amazed at what you don't wear. Remember ziploc bags for snacks, mini-first aid kit etc and back packs. I wear a photographer type vest with lots of pockets. I like to have my hands free. Invest the first day at the park on pin lanyards. The kids can pin trade at the park with cast members and on the ship. My son has alot of fun with that. I have 2-3 of the collapsable laundry hampers (Walmart, Walgreens @$2). This helps to keep items contained at the house and ship. One for each person is great and they fold down to the size of a flat ball cap. For the ship take a plain white t-shirt with cloth markers the first night to the ship service desk and ask for autographs. At the end of the cruise you will have a great souvenir with the characters autographs. It needs to be a plain white shirt. Also don't forget an autograph book for the parks. E-bay is a great place to look. I could go on but will stop. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyneck Posted March 16, 2006 #4 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hi , you are going to have so much FUN!!!! Anyway, after traveling quite a bit with my children, I have learned from experience to pack much less than you expect you will need. You DO NOT need an outfit for everyday. Pack a few mix and match shorts and shirts and one nice outfit, one pair of long pants, a sweatshirt and a rain jacket, plus bathing suit- 1 pair sneaks, 1 pair dress shoes-1 pair water shoes--Your done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cali-croozer Posted March 16, 2006 #5 Share Posted March 16, 2006 You'll probably have some "cruise only" clothes (for evening.....formal wear?). Pack these items in one suitcase and you won't have to get into it before or after the cruise. Your daytime clothes will be the same on the cruise and at WDW (shorts, t's). Like others have said, mix and match is the way to go......for everyone, not just the kids. Not everyone's going to like this suggestion, but hip packs (fanny packs) do come in handy for WDW. We each had one (yes, even my teen boys) that had a pocket for holding a water bottle. Having a couple of snacks (granola bars, etc.) and that refillable water bottle helped us deal with the weather and lines. have fun...........I love WDW!!!!!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3brothersboston Posted March 19, 2006 #6 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Help! 1st trip to WDW and 1st cruiser! We're doing WDW for a week (May 9-15) before our cruise (SOS 15-19th), staying offsite with our own washer & dryer so we can hopefully only pack a week's worth of clothes and then wash them before the cruise. Any tips for us? What should we bring and what should we leave at home? It'll be me, dh, ds-7, and dd almost 4. Also we'll be doing 2 days of SeaWorld after the cruise because to get SW's great $39. fares we had to fly home on Monday. :p TIA!!! Hi there, So funny, we are doing the exact same thing in a week. Flying SW March 27-Ap 2 WDW then Ap 2-Ap10 Eastern Car on RCCL Mariner. We are staying off site with a washer dryer/kitchen combo as well. A full kitchen and a washer/dryer was PARAMOUNT for us as I didn't want to go on the cruise starting with dirty clothes. I'm having a hard time packing light, we too have 2 kids, ds14 dd10 and it's getting a little insane here with all the stuff getting ready to go. We are bringing our own snorkels/gear as it's much more economical. Shopping at grocery store for breakfast and lunch, etc. Know that it was no coincidence that we did the frenetic pace of WDW first followed by the chillout of the cruise last. We end with 2 sea days...RIGHTEOUS!!! One thing I have got to say, and I don't know if anyone else feels this way: I have *GOT* to stop searching for info and tidbits. I have become obsessed with finding every little last detail about WDW, saving money, tour times, tricks, tips, suggestions. Don't get me wrong, I really love being informed. But it's getting a little nuts :) I have checked out books, poured over brochures, cruised endless hours on the internet, etc. I'm beginning to realize it's time to sort of shut down and let this vacation just happen instead of being addicted to the information that goes along with it. I plan on turning off my Mac, leaving my cellphone at home, and enjoying the research I did without sweating the small stuff. I hope I can take my own medicine, I suggest you try and do the same :) Have a blast and I'll post when we're back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted March 19, 2006 #7 Share Posted March 19, 2006 3brothersboston - I am doing the SAME thing now. We did a back 2 back last year. Did a week at WDW, stayed at the Boardwalk Villas, then did a week on the Disney Magic. This year, we are just doing the week at Disney (staying at Wilderness Lodge, can't wait) and I have been OBSESSING over this trip. I went out and bought the "Unofiicial Guide to Disney" and I read it COVER to COVER. There is no way I am going to remember all that info. :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3brothersboston Posted March 19, 2006 #8 Share Posted March 19, 2006 3brothersboston - I am doing the SAME thing now. We did a back 2 back last year. Did a week at WDW, stayed at the Boardwalk Villas, then did a week on the Disney Magic. This year, we are just doing the week at Disney (staying at Wilderness Lodge, can't wait) and I have been OBSESSING over this trip. I went out and bought the "Unofiicial Guide to Disney" and I read it COVER to COVER. There is no way I am going to remember all that info. :eek: Michelle, SO funny. I finally took that book and brought it back to the library. Stupid book! Those mathemeticians figuring out the best line to stand in, the counter clockwise approach to the part, etc etc adNAUSEUM made me lmao. I really got into the logistics of it first but now? It's like um, who really cares, you know? The kids will have a blast if it snows while we're there. (ok maybe not a blast) My problem is that our very first cruise we UNDER packed and my DH and I were forced to come up with creative solutions for dressing. We booked our first cruise like 3 weeks before it left on X line and had a blast, but the TA was very inexperienced and young and didnt bother telling us that we needed 2 formal nights worth of clothes. I brought one nice dress and the rest were tank tops and swim suits and shorts. I will never forget the night I wore my tank top with my swimsuit sarong as a shawl and another sarong as a skirt. One of my best memories of cruising for sure. HILARIOUS and we still laugh about it every time I wear a sarong!! :) We are staying at Summer Bay after switching from Royal Caribe villas. The $300 a night for the 2bdrm villa was just too much so after MUCH research settled on SB. Tell me about Boardwalk Villas... Wilderness Lodge...isnt that like The Grand Californian in Disneyland California? Because if it is you will L O V E it. We stayed there last year in Cali as we are from the PacNW and travel there WAY more often than FLA. The rooms were beautiful and the lodge was unreal. Bedtime stories around the fireplace were a huuuuuuge hit. Leaving in 8 days and my eyes are red from too much webtime....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted March 20, 2006 #9 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Michelle, SO funny. I finally took that book and brought it back to the library. Stupid book! Those mathemeticians figuring out the best line to stand in, the counter clockwise approach to the part, etc etc adNAUSEUM made me lmao. I really got into the logistics of it first but now? It's like um, who really cares, you know? The kids will have a blast if it snows while we're there. (ok maybe not a blast) My problem is that our very first cruise we UNDER packed and my DH and I were forced to come up with creative solutions for dressing. We booked our first cruise like 3 weeks before it left on X line and had a blast, but the TA was very inexperienced and young and didnt bother telling us that we needed 2 formal nights worth of clothes. I brought one nice dress and the rest were tank tops and swim suits and shorts. I will never forget the night I wore my tank top with my swimsuit sarong as a shawl and another sarong as a skirt. One of my best memories of cruising for sure. HILARIOUS and we still laugh about it every time I wear a sarong!! :) We are staying at Summer Bay after switching from Royal Caribe villas. The $300 a night for the 2bdrm villa was just too much so after MUCH research settled on SB. Tell me about Boardwalk Villas... Wilderness Lodge...isnt that like The Grand Californian in Disneyland California? Because if it is you will L O V E it. We stayed there last year in Cali as we are from the PacNW and travel there WAY more often than FLA. The rooms were beautiful and the lodge was unreal. Bedtime stories around the fireplace were a huuuuuuge hit. Leaving in 8 days and my eyes are red from too much webtime....! HAHAHAHAHA, I was never really that great at math either. So following all those "plan tours" made me shudder. lol Yes, I think the Wilderness Lodge has a counterpart in CA. I can't wait to go. As far as the first B2B, I took TWELVE pieces of luggage with us. So we OVERpacked to the extreme. I could have taken off for a year...lol. And as far as the Boardwalk Villas...well our room (on peak) is $1,700/NIGHT...it was a 3 bedroom suite that we shared with another family. We got it off peak for $600/night. Would I pay that much for it on our own...um NO! lol :eek: So this year we are at the lodge. It looks like a better hotel anyway without the hefty pricetag. As my mom always says, I just wanna sleep in the place, not buy it. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jtg96 Posted March 26, 2006 #10 Share Posted March 26, 2006 Weve go to Orlando every year and have 5 children ranging in age from 2-8 althought Disney is good my children all seem to enjoy the Universal parks much more and cost is much better The 4 of you can do 5 days at the Universal parks for $205 total. We will be in Orlando next month before our cruise also, hope you enjoy yourselves. Any questions Jtg96@comcast.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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