Thursday's Tip

If you're a parent of young children, you're probably used to lugging around tons of extra stuff. One of the happiest days of my adult life was when I could stop bringing along the diaper bag on every outing--ahhhh, freedom! And it seems with each passing year, the backpack we take into the Disney Parks gets a little lighter too. No more diapers and, sadly, our girls are almost over wearing costumes to the Parks too (sniff). But when you're forced to lug around everything a family of four needs for a full day at Disney, you get really good at packing efficiently. So here are a few of my favorite packing strategies for a bag to take into the Parks. Keep in mind, this isn't about what to pack (I've addressed that in previous posts) but really about how to pack.

• We love using a clear backpack. It might sound risky--everyone can see what you've packed!--but we think the convenience outweighs the risk. We are generally waved right through security with a glance. And when we need an item, it's so much easier to spot and retrieve. Obviously, we don't pack cash or credit cards in the backpack.


• If you are taking Disney Princess costumes, the fabrics are quite forgiving...which means you can cram them into a gallon-sized zip bag when your little princesses get hot or tired of wearing them.


• If you like taking quarters and shiny pennies for the pressed penny machines, the tubes that miniature M&M's come in are great for holding those.


• A good way to keep various cards in order--park tickets, room keys (if separate from tickets), Fastpasses, credit cards, etc.--is using a wallet-sized photo holder. Stick each card in the plastic sleeve, just like you would a photo, and it's easy to find exactly what you're looking for when you need it.


• And, finally, my secret weapon for packing just about everything is zipper bags. We put our cameras, autograph books, and anything else that might be damaged by water in them. This helps not only in the event of a pop-up shower (quite common in Florida), but also when you encounter the "wet seat" on Kali River Rapids or Splash Mountain.

Best of AtM: Miscellaneous Packing Tips

Please enjoy this "encore performance" of a previous Affording the Mou$e post. Back on Monday, September 24, with all new material!

This is our final installment of "Best of Affording the Mou$e." Tomorrow, I'll share a Friday Photo, and if all goes as planned, I'll have a trip report (or several) next week. But for now, enjoy these miscellaneous (or, Mousellaneous?) packing tips:

• We drive to Disney from Tennessee, which usually means an overnight stop on the way. Fortunately, we have family along the path, so we save $ by not paying for a hotel. Rather than unpack our entire vehicle to get our enormous suitcase that is, inevitably, in the back and at the bottom of everything else, we've learned to pack a separate overnight case for our personal items (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.) and a change of clothes for each member of the family. Such a timesaver when packing back up the next morning!


• I roll some clothing, rather than folding it. I don't believe in unused space, so I fill every corner and crevice of our suitcase by rolling small items such as socks and underwear.


• Again with the theme of no unused space, I pack items within items. For example, I don't just toss in the empty clear backpack or fanny packs--I fill them with items first. Our soft-sided cooler/lunchbox that we'll take into the parks is full of plastic utensils and disposable bowls. My small purse is holding various sample sized items.


• Speaking of samples, I save up every shampoo, floss, cereal, or medication sample I get throughout the year and take them all to Disney World. I love having a variety of items in miniature. It lets me take "the kitchen sink" with little commitment.


• When we arrive at our WDW resort, we unpack the aforementioned enormous suitcase into the ample drawers that Disney resort rooms offer. Since I detest the thought of packing up on our final day, I try to make it go as quickly as possible. One way we accomplish this is by turning our empty suitcase up on its side in the closet area, leaving only about a 6-inch opening at the zipper, and using it as a dirty clothes hamper all week. You can easily cram worn clothing through the slot, and at the end of your trip your suitcase is already packed (more or less).


• I know some of you will balk at this, but we drive from our resort to the parks. (It really is a packing tip...wait for it.) Yes, Disney transportation is, for the most part, efficient and reliable. But there are advantages to having your own vehicle. First and foremost, we don't have to wait in the never-ending bus line at park closing. Also, you have the ability to leave and eat off-property if you wish. (We've done this when meeting up with friends from the area who didn't have park tickets.) And here's the packing tip: we keep a small cooler of beverages in our car where we can stop and reload our "lunch box" as we park hop. It's a refreshing break and an opportunity to load/unload anything else we might need.


• We make our kids carry their own snacks. Yep, I'm the "mean mommy." But seriously, each girl has her own little fanny pack. Inside she has two snacks--usually one that's somewhat healthy and one that's more of a treat. This offers them easy access, and gives them the responsibility to make them last between meals.


• We have saved a couple of tubes from miniature M&Ms. These make great holders for quarters and shiny pennies for the pressed penny machines around the property. Film canisters work too (but who uses film anymore?).

That about wraps up our series. If you have some favorite packing tips, feel free to share them in the comments section.