Packing
I feel kind of grown up - instead of a big duffle bag and several smaller tote bags, I am using an actual piece of Samsonite luggage for my long weekend vacation (is it still a long weekend when it's 4 nights/5 days?). I've all my clothes packed up, and there's still room for my toiletries and blanket!
It's a lot of clothes, too, because I hate not having options when dressing in the morning.
3 sundresses
3 bike shorts for under my dresses
3 pairs of shorts
4 tank top shirts
4 short sleeve shirts
1 long-sleeved tshirt for night-time lake sitting (mosquitos!)
2 bathing suits (so I can swim 2x/day and not have to put on a wet suit, ick)
2 beach towels
1 knee-length yoga pants (for the gym)
2 gym shirts
pyjama pants
6 pairs of socks (extras just in case)
pool flip-flops
I still have to pack (and this is a reference list for me, too):
sneakers
underwear + bras
toiletries (shampoo, shavers, face + body washes, deodorant, teeth stuff, sunscreen, bug spray)
hair things (extra elastics and barrettes in case any break, bobby pins to make sure pink hair doesn't get wet in the pool)
blankie
knit green blanket (because hotels never have small blankets)
sweatshirt (might not, because of the long-sleeved t-shirt)
cool/sweat rag for the parks
hat
All of the above will fit into my suitcase, it's amazing.
and also entertainment things that MAY fit, or go in a smaller bag
knitting supplies (2 balls of yarn + needles + pattern + notions)
2 paperback books (Jingo and Dark Mirror: The Rise of Anti-Jewish Medieval Iconography)
hobonichi techo + decoration things (and my Now Playing TCM guide to fill in empty pages)
phone charger cords
mp3 charging cord
laptop
I'm always worried about rainy days making it no fun to go out, and when that happens, I go to one of the resorts with lots of indoor lounging places with a book/knitting and just relax for a while. And then since I'm gone 4 nights, I have my laptop to help with any FP+ or dining reservations that I want to fix, and to catch up on the internet before bed or while i"m waking up in the morning.
This trip, I'm going to visit a Publix on my way to the resort, and I plan to buy some fruit and milk to keep in my room, so that I don't have to pay outrageous prices for breakfast. I mean, I'll probably still get some Mickey waffles at least once, but I'm not going to pay $1.39 for a school-sized carton of milk or $2 for an orange when I can get a pint from Publix for $2 and oranges for 50c. That reminds me: add to my packing list TRAVEL TEA SET and TUPPERWARE CUPS WITH LIDS. I forgot both on my last trip down and the tea available in the little conventioneers section of the resort was no good. I'll use the cups to transport milk from my room to the cafeteria. I also ordered a Graze sharing box for this trip, so I have those snacks to eat when I crave something before bed, or while I'm at the pool.
This is just one way I save a LITTLE money while at Disney. I also often order children's breakfasts because they're perfectly filling and I don't need the full amount of sugar/carbs that early in the day. Also, I carry my water bottle with me. I even knit a sling carrier for it last summer, and improved on it over the last months. The water fountains are perfectly good, or I can fill it up at a self-serve soda fountain, or I can ask for a cup of ice water from any food vendor with a soda fountain. Buying a bottle of Dasani at any theme park is such a racket and also the local water tastes better! (at least to me)
I haven't planned out anything about my trip yet, except Saturday night I'm going to Trail's End with my brother for dinner, Sunday I'm going to the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular at MGM for the first time in my memory (I must have seen it as a kid??), and Monday I'm going to try to do the Twinings Tea Garden Tour at Epcot. I want to see the Finding Nemo show at the Animal Kingdom, I think, but I don't have any strong Must Dos otherwise, except lounging around and relaxing.
I leave on Friday after work! I'm staying at Coronado Springs again, because it was the least expensive moderate resort, and hopefully will have as great a room as I had in January.
It's a lot of clothes, too, because I hate not having options when dressing in the morning.
3 sundresses
3 bike shorts for under my dresses
3 pairs of shorts
4 tank top shirts
4 short sleeve shirts
1 long-sleeved tshirt for night-time lake sitting (mosquitos!)
2 bathing suits (so I can swim 2x/day and not have to put on a wet suit, ick)
2 beach towels
1 knee-length yoga pants (for the gym)
2 gym shirts
pyjama pants
6 pairs of socks (extras just in case)
pool flip-flops
I still have to pack (and this is a reference list for me, too):
sneakers
underwear + bras
toiletries (shampoo, shavers, face + body washes, deodorant, teeth stuff, sunscreen, bug spray)
hair things (extra elastics and barrettes in case any break, bobby pins to make sure pink hair doesn't get wet in the pool)
blankie
knit green blanket (because hotels never have small blankets)
sweatshirt (might not, because of the long-sleeved t-shirt)
cool/sweat rag for the parks
hat
All of the above will fit into my suitcase, it's amazing.
and also entertainment things that MAY fit, or go in a smaller bag
knitting supplies (2 balls of yarn + needles + pattern + notions)
2 paperback books (Jingo and Dark Mirror: The Rise of Anti-Jewish Medieval Iconography)
hobonichi techo + decoration things (and my Now Playing TCM guide to fill in empty pages)
phone charger cords
mp3 charging cord
laptop
I'm always worried about rainy days making it no fun to go out, and when that happens, I go to one of the resorts with lots of indoor lounging places with a book/knitting and just relax for a while. And then since I'm gone 4 nights, I have my laptop to help with any FP+ or dining reservations that I want to fix, and to catch up on the internet before bed or while i"m waking up in the morning.
This trip, I'm going to visit a Publix on my way to the resort, and I plan to buy some fruit and milk to keep in my room, so that I don't have to pay outrageous prices for breakfast. I mean, I'll probably still get some Mickey waffles at least once, but I'm not going to pay $1.39 for a school-sized carton of milk or $2 for an orange when I can get a pint from Publix for $2 and oranges for 50c. That reminds me: add to my packing list TRAVEL TEA SET and TUPPERWARE CUPS WITH LIDS. I forgot both on my last trip down and the tea available in the little conventioneers section of the resort was no good. I'll use the cups to transport milk from my room to the cafeteria. I also ordered a Graze sharing box for this trip, so I have those snacks to eat when I crave something before bed, or while I'm at the pool.
This is just one way I save a LITTLE money while at Disney. I also often order children's breakfasts because they're perfectly filling and I don't need the full amount of sugar/carbs that early in the day. Also, I carry my water bottle with me. I even knit a sling carrier for it last summer, and improved on it over the last months. The water fountains are perfectly good, or I can fill it up at a self-serve soda fountain, or I can ask for a cup of ice water from any food vendor with a soda fountain. Buying a bottle of Dasani at any theme park is such a racket and also the local water tastes better! (at least to me)
I haven't planned out anything about my trip yet, except Saturday night I'm going to Trail's End with my brother for dinner, Sunday I'm going to the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular at MGM for the first time in my memory (I must have seen it as a kid??), and Monday I'm going to try to do the Twinings Tea Garden Tour at Epcot. I want to see the Finding Nemo show at the Animal Kingdom, I think, but I don't have any strong Must Dos otherwise, except lounging around and relaxing.
I leave on Friday after work! I'm staying at Coronado Springs again, because it was the least expensive moderate resort, and hopefully will have as great a room as I had in January.