How soon do you pack?

Obviously not a need to know kind of question but I’m getting super excited so…how early do you start packing for a Disney trip?
We are 36 days out and I think I’ll start today! We are a family of 6 so It takes a little work anyway. Plus, I’m having a hard time thinking about anything other than our upcoming trip and I’m also trying to beat the January in central NY blues…so why not :grimacing:

I start early if we are going on a cruise because that takes more work. For Disney World I don’t actually pack until about three days before because either we were still using the items, or I don’t want them wrinkled.

Now… I start planning our exact outfits months in advance. I learned the hard way with the family this large (6 kids) that if everybody just picks out their own clothes for the day the photos can end up very hard on the eyes. We don’t necessarily match every day, (although some days we do); but I will have themes for a day. Like everyone wears gray or blue, or everyone wears browns or greens… You get the picture.

For our epic family road trip this past summer, I did not take care to plan outfits properly except for DLR. Here we have all these amazing photos of the Grand Canyon, and I would never hang or display any of them in the house because our clothes are so wildly missmatching that they distract from even considering that we are standing in front of the Grand Canyon.

I’m southeast of Rochester.

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I’ve learned that lesson the hard way as well! I now coordinate and label everyone’s clothes for each day.
There’s no good reason to start packing today, except it beats the winter blues! We are near oneonta/Cooperstown, about 3 hours from Rochester.
In terms of matching, This trip we are doing a pirates of the Caribbean day and a haunted mansion day for a couple of our favorite rides :laughing:And of course, we always do a Mickey shirt day on day 1.

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Too soon probably. And yet not at 36 days out! I have been known to start at 28 days out though.

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I don’t think this is too early we probably start earlier. Besides planning outfits you should make sure items still fit. We often find we need to get new clothes to fit coordination.

With upstate weather turning cold it sounds like a fun thing to do today. Albany area here

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image DSC_0953%5B3%5D (image)

That’s Snoopy, Marie the cat, an alligator and my DCL visor…

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That’s a completely normal family picture. We don’t do any kind of matching shirts, but on one day of our last trip we kind of matched accidentally, and everyone we knew took the mick out of our photos! (Taking the Mickey is English for teasing or in this case killing themselves laughing).

ETA one of the pics.

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I just stared at 21 days out. Family of 6 as well and I’m so glad I’m starting so early!! I tend to think of packing as mostly packing clothes and then just minor other things but the “minor other things” take 5 times as long as packing just our clothes!!

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I bet your teens hate you… :wink:

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But they don’t! Both boys are into A/V and screen and stage productions. They get “easy on the eyes.”

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That’s a fabulous photo that would get on the piano here as an 8x10!

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Thanks, I like it but sadly I have no piano!

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i usually start a week before… and it’s just my husband and I! haha! But i start putting stuff in my suitcase a week early so I don’t accidentally wear it the week before the trip and have to do more laundry right before I go!

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I have our “Disney boxes” ready at all times now. These hold all of our toiletries and other needs (ponchos, nightlights, etc - to make it a comfortable trip). I restock these upon return so they are ready for next time. That has saved me a lot of time packing. Since I do that, all we have to do is select our clothing. Makes it super easy, and I wish I had done this ages ago.

The Disney boxes also come in handy for other traveling.

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I have a piano. And a lot of days it only holds pictures!

DD14 is my main player and she’s so busy these days.

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The night before if I am feeling organized.
But we do have a Disney box too which has our shirts, ears, ponchos, etc so packing is not that hard.

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I’m impressed! This is such a great idea. I have some dump zones where why put some cruise-only stuff, but general travel stuff is strewn in a number of places. Do you keep it with your luggage?

We just started camping two summers ago. I was always against it and I was the most surprised of all of us when I realized how much I liked it. But the GEAR is crazy. So we have started to have totes for stuff I buy/acquire solely dedicated to such. I can’t believe I’ve never considered storing stuff for regular travel.

yes. I have one that is for me and DH, one that is for the kids, and one that is household/medicines/etc Just some moderate sized rubbermaids. We fly Southwest so we all could have two free bags if we wanted; these fit nicely into the bottom/wheel end of the suitcase and then clothing goes in the other half.

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I have a new project! It makes so much sense. I’m actually embarrassed I’ve never thought of it.

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I do the same thing! I feel more confident I didn’t forget anything despite have a master packing list

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