Baggage Weight

We are flying AirTran to Orlando in 2 weeks and I read that their baggage weight limit is 50lbs. We learned a very expensive lesson year before last when we had to pay $25.00 per bag in overweight fees (total $75.00) - we got zocked on the way home but not on the way out, no fun since we had already spent too much money and were depressed about having to go home! Anyway, can I weigh the luggage on regular bathroom scale? This has encouraged me to pack lighter and instead of stuffing lots in one big bag, pack a few lighter bags.

Why do you take so much luggage/clothing to a TS with a washer/dryer? Or doesn't Sheraton Vistana have washer/driyers?

1. This is our first stay at our TS.
2. Yes they do have W/D
3. There are 5 of us in the family so I was packing all 3 kids clothes in one bag and mine and hubby's in another.

DeniseM said:

Why do you take so much luggage/clothing to a TS with a washer/dryer?

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Because, not everyone is an expert a packer as you are.

I weigh our bags on a bathroom scale before we leave.

My wife packs her bags quite full----so they often approach the 50 lb limit.

Then, I remind her for two weeks that she can't shop---especially for anything over an ounce or two (HaHa!)--
because the suitcase will go over the weight!!

And we found that our 2 golf carriers (that hold ALOT)
can sometimes be weighed, too------so don't assume that if your golf bag weighs 80 pounds that it will go through scot-free!! (perhaps Hint #1)

A few years back I scrambled at airport check-in getting about 6 pounds of stuff out of one suitcase to shove into my carry-on.

When we have used Skycaps/porters----they did not seem to weigh them (perhaps Hint #2)

When we flew two weeks ago, I had no way to weigh the bags----and I sweated it out thinking that perhaps 2 of the four bags may have been
51+ pounds. I actually chatted away with friendly conversation/questions about golf, etc. to the attendant as he was looking them over---it seemed to have distracted him and I to the point where neither of us noticed how much they weighed (perhaps Hint #3)

If I COULD have weighed them----I was going to employ this strategy:

If I had, say 18 pounds too much:
I would have loaded ALL of the extra 18 pounds into ONE
of the bags, and paid 1 fee (vs. dividing/having MULTIPLE
bags over the limit.)

I know that there is ANOTHER fee imposed after perhaps
71 pounds, or is it 75 pounds, etc (?)

Oh---one time we mailed some 'weight' home----turns out it cost us about the same $35 as it would have cost to have taken them in our luggage!!

Pat

hopetotimeshare said:

1. This is our first stay at our TS.
2. Yes they do have W/D
3. There are 5 of us in the family so I was packing all 3 kids clothes in one bag and mine and hubby's in another.

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I think you will find that with a washer/dryer in your unit, you can just take clothes for 3 days or so. Throw in a load every night (when you're there anyway) and dry it in the morning when you are getting up, having breakfast and getting ready to go out for the day. If you do that, each person can carry their own clothes in a small carry-on and you don't even have to check anything - you will be the first one to the rental car desk too! Then, when you get home, you don't have mountains of dirty laundry either.

If I suggested to my wife that she does the washing and ironing while we are away I suspect only one of us would be making the return journey :ignore:

As well as the 50lb limit there is an absolute weight limit of 32kg or about 70lb per item with many airlines. They simply will not accept anything over that weight.

pack an extra empty bag

We always have an extra lightweight duffel in the pocket of our big suitcase just in case. If you are overweight, you take out the duffel and stuff it with shoes, jackets, or sweatshirt(all bulky/heavy items) and that should be enough to get you in line with the weight requirements. With that many traveling, an extra checked bag is worth it over the $$$.

HTH!

Rose

Keitht said:

If I suggested to my wife that she does the washing and ironing while we are away I suspect only one of us would be making the return journey :ignore:

As well as the 50lb limit there is an absolute weight limit of 32kg or about 70lb per item with many airlines. They simply will not accept anything over that weight.

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Ironing? What's ironing? Besides, don't YOU know how to use the washer/dryer? I would far rather do a little load every few days on vacation than come home with mountains of dirty laundry!

DeniseM said:

Ironing? What's ironing? Besides, don't YOU know how to use the washer/dryer? I would far rather do a little load every few days on vacation than come home with mountains of dirty laundry!

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Or have to take enough clothes for several weeks! I remember doing that as a kid. I still don't know how we did it.

We got nailed this Christmas with US Air. $75 charge for one bag that was 60 lbs. That was one of those ~25" roller bags. After that happened, we decided to go get a couple extra ~21" roller bags. We may end up taking an extra bag, but now that our daughter is almost 6, she can wheel one herself (and actually enjoys it! ).

We recently paid 80.00 extra end of Christmas week, Ouch!!! Just bought a 29inch suitcase and I told my spouse to pack an empty lightweight bag inside like we always do but he forgot. We were not staying in a timeshare but a hotel for 4 nights in a cold climate and decided to use just one suitcase. Big mistake.
We flew down from a medium size airport with no issue. On the return US air flight from Asheville NC our bag was weighed. Since it was a tiny airport there were no stores where I could even buy a duffle bag. We needed to take out 15 lbs to reduce the cost to 50.00 from 80.00 but there were no stores. DH looked at me and said this is why I told you to buy 2- 26 inch bags. So that good buy I got on luggage before the holidays was useless. This is the first time this happened and the last. We tend not to overpack as one can wash clothes in the TS. I still do not know what could have weighed so much but it did.

DeniseM said:

Ironing? What's ironing? Besides, don't YOU know how to use the washer/dryer? I would far rather do a little load every few days on vacation than come home with mountains of dirty laundry!

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Literally about 20% of the clothing we take is mine, so I ain't about to do the washing! "Travelling light" to my missus means flying during daylight hours For years I have tried, and failed, to convince her that she takes far more than she needs. Even showing her the unworn items going back into the cases doesn't do it. The answer is always the same "But I might have needed it if the weather changed". That argument was even used on our holiday in Hawaii. :annoyed:
The nearest I got to success was making her carry the case. Even that one bit the dust with the advent of wheeled cases

When taking TS vacations, we do what several have already suggested. We pack about 3 days worth of clothing and utilize that washer and dryer if the unit has one. Generally, I just toss the days clothes in before going to bed, then toss those clothes in the dryer first thing in the morning and take them out of the dryer when we have time. Of course that's assuming I don't have something that I'm worried about wrinkling badly.

When we don't have a w/d available, we take more than the mininum number of bags. I HATE stuffing a suitecase so full it's hard to close. As there are two of us, we'll take four bags. We'll take four bags even if we don't need them. This way all of our bags are well under the 50lb mark and it's not a worry.

If you have kids pack a suitecase for each one of them. It doesn't have to be a large suitecase. Just something that allows you to distrubute weight around so as to not go over the weight limit on any bag.

Of course the downside is the room all those cases take up if you've rented a car. Generally speaking, we've always managed. Sometimes with a suitecase on the lap until we get to the resort but we've always managed.

Another benefit of taking a number of smaller cases in preference to one large case is the opportunity to split clothes between cases and therefore not lose all your gear if a case is delayed or lost.
Put some of each persons clothing in every case. At least you are then likely to have something to wear

I am from the same area as you, have 3 kids, and try to use 2 suitcases as well. Once you've done it a couple of times, you'll get used to it, but it's not difficult.

First, assume everything will be worn twice, at least. If the kids don't like it too bad. Their friends won't be on this vacation with them, and if you're going to the parks nobody is going to pay attention to what they're wearing.
Also make sure the items don't need ironing. Shouldn't be a problem with the kids - jeans, t-shirts, and so on.

Since you're travelling from CT (it's really warm this morning isn't it?), wear your sweatshirt on the plane. Do you really need more than one? See above - if you need the sweatshirt, nobody will care if you wear it multiple times.

As for weight, yes use the bathroom scale, but allow 5 lbs for error. Also, if you're planning to buy souvenirs, put something similar on the scale with your bagage when you weigh it (or in the bagage to ensure space as well), to avoid problems on the return trip.

We travel regularly with 3 kids and 2 suitcases and have never paid for heavy bagage. As others have suggested, since you have 5 passengers, a lightweight duffel or backpack that could be checked in an emergency is also a good idea.

For those suggesting going only with carry-ons, have you travelled recently with a family? Sure, everyone could carry their own, but you're bound to have something that won't make it through security, and will have to check something anyway.

Mel said:

For those suggesting going only with carry-ons, have you travelled recently with a family? Sure, everyone could carry their own, but you're bound to have something that won't make it through security, and will have to check something anyway.

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Our kids are 18 & 22 and we always travel with carry-ons only. I've never had anything not make it through security - what kinds of things have you had problems with? I know the security rules are a pain in the butt, but it's pretty clear what you can take and what you can't.

On a trip to St. Maarten this September, took two European ladies who were friends from earlier trips to the airport for their flight to Paris. After staying all summer, one was almost 30 pounds overweight with gifts/clothes purchases (stay away from Marigot is you like French fashion!). Air France nailed her over $500 in overweight fees !!!

I have done two week Orlando trips for the past two years. Though we always try to pack light (four suitcases between my wife and me) we are always surprised at what we accumulate over the two weeks.

What we have done to ease the baggage concern is to utlilize the conveniently located UPS store near Vistana Villages. We decide what we won't need two or three days before check out and box it away.

Last trip we shipped a 30 lb box home.

DeniseM said:

I think you will find that with a washer/dryer in your unit, you can just take clothes for 3 days or so.

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We do the same thing (except for a toddler we bring an extra set of emergency outfit) when we stay at timeshares.

DeniseM said:

Our kids are 18 & 22 and we always travel with carry-ons only. I've never had anything not make it through security - what kinds of things have you had problems with? I know the security rules are a pain in the butt, but it's pretty clear what you can take and what you can't.

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The biggest concern I've noticed lately has been the ban on liquids. ALL of the liquids in your carryon(s) must fit into a single one-quart ziploc bag, and each must be 3 oz or less. That includes many deoderants, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion... that 1-Qt bag fills very quickly. This is of course a relatively new rule, but is definitely being enforced (at least on my recent trips). One man was forced to throw away a brand new chapstick because he didn't have a ziploc bag to put it in (he had no other "liquids."

That also precludes any favorite items you might not find at your destination, such as BBQ sauce to use on the grill. I can do without, but it is a consideration. I love TSA's website, where they explain what can and can't be brought:

"Beverages brought from home or purchased before reaching the security checkpoint in a 3 oz. or smaller container and in your quart-size, zip-top plastic bag"

"Gel shoe inserts - Gel shoe inserts are not permitted, but shoes constructed with gel heels are allowed and must be removed and screened." If I'm spending the entire week on my feet at an amusement park, I want my inserts. If I don't check bags, I have to buy new ones in FL, and toss them before I return home.

As much as I appreciate all security efforts, I am nervous about the process. I don't plan to keep anything in my purse except my wallet, phone, and palmpilot.
Can you pass electronics through xray? Video cameras, digital cameras, palm? Last time I packed my video camera in a bag I checked when I got home it wasn't there!:annoyed: I was told that you take a chance packing valuables, it says so on the back of your ticket!

Sorry Denise, but I take a 180 degree different point of view. I refuse to do laundry on vacation; after all, it is a vacation. And I like clothes and I like to shop, so my bags are stuffed! After +30 years of business travel, I'm feeling abused by the airlines. Now I've heard some are going to charge for +1 bag. This is too much!!

I am a self-appointed princess on vacation and won't cook or do laundry. In real life, I'm a super mom. So the definition of vacation for me is doing the complete opposite of your normal life. You wouldn't catch me dead wearing the same clothes I wore two days ago! What's the fashion fun in that? So that means on vacation I get to do nothing but shop, explore, relax and take photographs. The biggest decision I make on vacation is what to wear and where to go for dinner. A lot depends upon whether you're going to the beach or elsewhere on vacation as the beach requires much less "fashion".

Just my personal way of approaching my holiday. To each his/her own . . .

dmharris said:

Sorry Denise, but I take a 180 degree different point of view. I refuse to do laundry on vacation; after all, it is a vacation. And I like clothes and I like to shop, so my bags are stuffed!

I am a self-appointed princess on vacation and won't cook or do laundry.

You wouldn't catch me dead wearing the same clothes I wore two days ago! What's the fashion fun in that? .

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You got me there! My tiara is in storage, I don't really care about clothes or shopping, and no one I see on vacation knows or cares what I wore two day before...so I guess I am no fashion fun at all....sigh...

I wish I could have your outlook!

dmharris said:

Sorry Denise, but I take a 180 degree different point of view. I refuse to do laundry on vacation; after all, it is a vacation. And I like clothes and I like to shop, so my bags are stuffed! After +30 years of business travel, I'm feeling abused by the airlines. Now I've heard some are going to charge for +1 bag. This is too much!!

I am a self-appointed princess on vacation and won't cook or do laundry. In real life, I'm a super mom. So the definition of vacation for me is doing the complete opposite of your normal life. You wouldn't catch me dead wearing the same clothes I wore two days ago! What's the fashion fun in that? So that means on vacation I get to do nothing but shop, explore, relax and take photographs. The biggest decision I make on vacation is what to wear and where to go for dinner. A lot depends upon whether you're going to the beach or elsewhere on vacation as the beach requires much less "fashion".

Just my personal way of approaching my holiday. To each his/her own . . .

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I admire you so very much! I wish I could stop being "supermom" for just one week. I just said to my husband last night that I am going to be spending our whole vacation picking the kids junk up off the villa floor! He said he would not allow that. I don't work outside of the home, I haven't had a night out with my husband in almost a year, so I never really get to dress up or be anything but mommy. I don't care much about that on this trip, I just want to slow down and enjoy the time away from the stresses of home.