Disney Necessities Part 8: The "Pack"

Last post of this series, and what would a Disney trip be without the "Pack"? Are you wondering what the "Pack" is? It's actually a combination of things that I spend weeks preparing...the final icing on the Disney cake!

I start off with a plastic tub for the current year's stuff. I did manage to buy a bunch of these while they were still readily available (so they would all match):
DSC00111

Here is last year's tub after it's complete (the sticker design is that year's "theme"):
DSC00113

DSC00114

There are certain things bought to only go in the tub: A Birbaum's for that year (they aren't good for much else-worst travel guide ever, but has great photos and is a good memory of what the parks were like that particular year). I also get a free vacation planning DVD directly from Disney for the same reason (also pictured are some of my documents mailed by Disney) as well as the Food and Wine Festival Passport which you get stamped at every booth you visit:
DSC00117

A set of park maps you can get for free from the Disney World site. The only annoying things about these maps is that they come front and back instead of four individual maps and they only come in two different styles - I just switch styles every year, this is the character style:
DSC00118

The P.I.B. comes next...the Personal Itinerary Book. It's filled with all my schedules, confirmation #'s, maps, flight seating (if we're flying), registers to keep track of spending, a notes section for taking notes (which I'm horrible at), Food & Wine Festival menus (to help me decide on snacks before I get there), and tons of other useless stuff. I print all the information on 4x6 cards (I used to use 3x5, but they were just too small), use file folders to cut out divider tabs, then take to Kinkos to get bound. It goes with me everywhere during the trip and I make one for everyone that is going. That's it in the middle of this bunch:
DSC00116

Believe it or not, one of the most important items of the "Pack" is a coupon holder. I use them to hold all the receipts from all my purchases and keep them divided by days. This is especially handy when shipping stuff back to the resort because you will need your receipt to pick up the items:
DSC00115

Once a trip is over, all of the pre-trip "Pack" goes in along with everything acquired during the trip. Yes, as seen above, I keep a set of toiletries from each hotel. The higher the level of the Disney resort, the more goodies you get. Another Deluxe bonus!

All my documents (we have two sets because we stayed at both Art of Animation and Wilderness Lodge last year):
DSC00122

The unused Halloween Party candy bags and party id bracelets:
DSC00121

A set of each size shopping bag (I know, sounds completely goofy (pun intended) but they do change upon occasion and it's nice to go back and see what the bags were like years ago):
DSC00120

The pen and pad set from the hotel (only showing one here), coasters (and when we fly I have the coaster and napkin from the plane), and old luggage tags (yep, that says 14 pcs...amazing what we amass during the trip):
DSC00124

Unused fastpasses and park maps:
DSC00123

Old Keys To The World cards, used shopping cards, more maps, photo DVD that I make plus the Jeff Lange Halloween Party DVD from that year, a Disney Conservation badge which I ALWAYS donate to, and miscellaneous other junk:
DSC00116

And that's it! Each tub contains a year's worth of Disney memories; from the planning stage to the actual trip to all the post-Disney work! Of all my Disney collectibles, these mean the most to me! The worse my OCD that year, the fuller the box (last year wasn't too bad actually...some literally bulge at the seams). I've thought about doing scrapbooks or shadowboxes, but they would have to be huge to hold everything! The tubs work out nicely, take up very little room, protect everything from all manner of issues, and keep me busy for pretty much an entire year!

Here is this year's "Pack" in progress which reminds me of another thing I forgot to mention - Mousekeeping Envelopes! Their function is to hold the daily tips for the Mousekeeping staff (Disney's name for housekeeping). I design new ones every year (although these are extras from last year's designing process). There is also the added bonus of the travel maps I made. I bound them like my P.I.B. (although I don't know why I felt the need...I have sat nav in the car and on my phone as well as purchased maps...OCD!):
DSC00125

And that's it, the Disney Necessities! I don't think I'll have time for another blog series before I go, but Friday is my Birthday, so hopefully I'll have something in store for the big 4-3!!

Comments

SoCal Debbie said…
I love your idea of a tub for each trip with all the goodies!
Love this idea! I have tons of this stuff floating around my house and it would be great to have it all in one place.
Keebles said…
Thanks guys! If I didn't have OCD, I'd definitely be a hoarder!