With the exception of our typical 'holiday' bag that we pack with all the goodies, I am using this trip as kind of a test run of bringing my bare essentials. I have sworn up and down and have gotten side-eyed multiple times by my MIL who is fully aware of how I pack, that I will get everything for the cruise into ONE suitcase (just for me). My biggest concern is not necessarily clothes (although kinda), but rather my toiletries, and by toiletries, I mean my hair tools and accessories. My Revlon hot air brush (a complete and utter game and life changer) has its on carrying case so that it won't be destroyed in my suitcase and than it of itself and my hiking sneakers makes me a smidge nervous when it comes to the space, but here's to hoping. EV and I (notice how I throw my five year old who couldn't care less about her hair under the bus) have excessive hair accessories and carriers for them and my makeup bag alone (which I barely EVER use when we are away), so a small jaunt to Disney is a perfect way to see how I can minimize my excessiveness since I am used to bringing what I want.
We normally visit my MIL for a couple of days after Disney since it is the half way mark between us and Disney and it gives the kiddos valuable time with Nana. Plus, my MIL is an amazing cook and all around fun person to be around, so it is nice to be amongst adults for us too. I always end up packing two separate storage cubes for the kids since I hate bringing all the suitcases into her home especially since we do not need them. This way I don't end up over packing and having to have two suitcases for the kids and I can just leave the cubes in the car while in Disney. All this to avoid an extra suitcase, but I swear it makes sense.
Since we are going to be in Disney for Easter (actual Disney and not just in Orlando) for the first time in forever (cue Frozen music, you know you were already singing it in your head), I had a couple of cute Disney outfits planned. I love Disney at Easter and with our gold passes we had been blocked out for years, but with the new passes (I think its the Sorcerers), we no longer are (although I am not sure how much I like paying $60 more for this benefit and losing Thanksgiving at the same time).
I tried to stay on target with just packing for the days that we were there and only planned an extra outfit for each kiddo in case of accidents, meltdowns over said outfit, etc. Normally, I pack so many outfits that I am annoyed over everything I have to put away when I get back, so this has been a work in progress.
I was able to snag the Stoney Clover heart duffle from the Target collaboration (amongst a few other things ::cue face palm emoji::) and to say I am ready to break it in is an understatement (your girl loves herself some travel accessories) and also to see how I can maximize outfits and space (spoiler, it fits SO much). I am using my Lilly Pulitzer X Disney backpack to carry things like the 'bunny board', bunny ears for the park, hair accessories, my bra bag (yes, that is a thing) and my makeup bag and yes, again, it fits all those things comfortably.
The backpack was a huge Mary Poppins surprise in that it fit so much stuff and I love the neoprene-ish fabric which will make it really easy to clean.
In full transparency I normally pack over the norm of outfits for myself since I have an idea of an outfit in my mind and once I put it on I will want to change it immediately or it won't look the way I envisioned, so having a few options is worth it...for everyone involved. One of these days I will be the girl to try on the outfits first and then pack to alleviate this situation, but until that day...here we go.
One staple that I love for the parks are tennis skorts (a few faves HERE, HERE, and HERE). I realize the Lilly Pulitzer ones are pricier, but they are absolute perfection and I wait till their annual sales to scoop them up (they usually end up being the same price as Target during this time). Skorts are perfect since they are breathable, light, perfect for Florida weather and tend to look a little dressier so if we have dinner or lunch reservations somewhere casual, I still feel kind of put together. I recently bought THIS Amazon one that although the small is slightly big (I would have prefered the tighter waist of an XS), I love that the short part has a pocket for my phone. Because pockets will always win over perfect fit...or at least where skorts are concerned.
Anyone elses phone constantly overheating while in Disney causing you to not be able to use your camera for FOREVER and becoming instantly annoyed?! I am hoping this pocket will quell that, but we will see
Granted a smidge wrinkly, but that is what THIS (pricey yes, but I swear by it) travel wrinkle releaser is for...
THIS Nala 'Legend' shirt is so cute and comes in Mommy and Me (pictured below) with both Toddler and Kid sizes. Normally, the mommy and me tshirts that Target releases are either toddler or kids sizes, so it was nice having both options and being able to get each kid one. Obviously the shirts will be for our Animal Kingdom day. THIS 'Damsels' shirt from Lost Bros, I absolutely loved and was an automatic purchase since one, people do not make enough of Hercules and two, how does a Greek girl NOT purchase a Megara shirt. I am thinking I am going to wear it for our Magic Kingdom day as I have an awesome pair of Megara ears that I have not worn it what feels like y(ears). #seewhatididthere. However, THIS graphic Minnie is also a contender, so we will just have to see. The flower dress is a couple years old from Lilly and it is super comfortable and lightweight so my plan is for to wear it for actual Easter in Epcot since it is also the Flower and Garden Festival, but just in case I feel ridiculous or uncomfortable (it is snug) I have the LillyXDisney tshirt that my amazing friend Amanda scooped up for me (she also go the backpack) and that I can wear in its stead. Our first day is MGM (#youcantchangemymindotherwise), so of course it will always be Star Wars inspired hence my Galatic Love tshirt and the kids have Chewie outfits that are already sitting out.
The Lilly Pulitzer skorts to the right are just 'extra' in case outfits.
In my duffle all the way to right I packed my 'extra' outfits and then in the middle I have the outfits in order that we are in the parks because it keeps from getting everything too wrinkly and to the left is the the Stoney Clover X Target large white terry pouch (next blog coming up). Wait until you see how I utilized it! I have a couple pairs of pj's and I was also able to fit my shoe bag with two shoes in it because you know how Mama feels about dirty shoes touching her clothes.
Somehow, I was able to wrangle all of the kids clothes into one suitcase #whereismygoldstar. Jammies to the right and both EV and the Commodore got a half and I folded them in order of the days in the parks. Because the Commodore is a little more prone to accidents than EV, I packed a few extra shorts as it is easier to get extra boy tshirts in the park if needed, than pants/shorts. I get 20% off merchandise with our annual pass so if I have to get an extra tshirt, it is not really a big deal.
Peep the awesome Simba legacy shirts that go with my legend t-shirt! Super cute, right?! Obviously perfect for Animal Kingdom days. THIS Chewie dress and THIS t-shirt will be for Galaxys Edge. I tend not to stray from the Disney inspired, but THIS My Little Pony from the amazing Very Chic Baby was too good to pass up. I am planning it for Magic Kingdom in case they are doing Easter Bunny pics this year and Danny's outfit will obviously be the Hippity Hoppity (made by moi). Plus, I thought these outfits would look super cute on the carousel and for doing pictures at Sir Mickey's (something I never knew existed). For Easter and with it being the Flower and Garden Festival, I absolutely love the below Princess Aurora dress from Target. If you know me at all, I have an obsession with the fairies from Sleeping Beauty and the fact that they are on this dress, made it a must have! I am still trying to decide between the dinosaur shirt and tie or just the Home Grown (also all from Target) for the Commodore on Easter. Both are sooooo cute and would look great at Epcot. The matching Bluey ensemble (The Bluey tshirts came in a pack of four from Amazon and the dress is from Etsy) is just an 'extra'.
If you are checking out EV's Encanto dress, DO NOT get attached. The lovely shop decided to shut down and never said a word. I only figured it out because I was having another issue with another shop on Etsy (the debacle talked about HERE) and noticed that the image with the purchase was gone along with their shop. No notice, no email, nothing! I reached out to the individual who gave me a date that I would get the dress, he was a week late, but it did arrive and the bow that was supposed to be with it never came. I felt because of everything and not everything being shipped, that a discount should have been provided, but I wasn't about to get more stressed over a bow. I will say, it is a twirl dress, the image is not really clear, but it has pockets and is overall really cute. Again, just an 'extra' outfit in case.
The kids also have a shoe bag that I pack at the bottom of the suitcase and then I stack everything on top.
The kids jammies are rolled so there is plenty of room to the left and they still are of that age where they do matching jammies so I separate by kiddo. EV's are on top and the Commodore's are on the bottom.
Ev's outfits are to the right and the Commodore's clothes are to the left. I put the entire outfit together, so I am not spending a good amount of the time in the morning either directing Sean where things are or trying to find what I brought to go with said outfit.
This is everything in the suitcase and the mesh pocket is where I put extra shorts for the Commodore.
I put the day of traveling clothes on the top of the suitcase and the shoes that they are going to wear since we tend to head straight to the park when we leave the house.
In typical husband fashion, he is the last to pack, but here are the kiddos and I's suitcases. Because I am the primary packer, I need to get everything together anywhere between a week to four days before just to assure that we have time to go over everything more than once and because I am working and time tends to slip by.
Florida weather has been super weird for April recently and it has been slightly cool in the evenings, so I have light sweatshirts for the kids and myself and our rain jackets (these are always packed and in the bottom of our stroller along with a dual stroller rain cover) as I hate the feel of ponchos.
Are you all last minute packers? How the heck do you do that if you are? I am literally getting an eye-twitch as I think about it! Are you a planned packer like me? Are you the sole packer or do you have packer helpers/house elves? I would like to say I am jealous of this, but I would be redoing everything anyway. You know what I would like a packing house-elf for....the unpacking. I hate unpacking more than anything.
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