DCP Plane Packing

Many people travel by plane to get to Florida for the DCP, but how do you pack for five months when flying via plane? I'll attempt to tell you. First bit of advice: PACK LIGHT. You will buy SO much stuff at Disney that you will need the room. And if you do the fall program, pack a few summer outfits, but I got the most amount of wear out of capris and t-shirts. Buy as much as you can down there, so unless you're super picky, buy your bedding in Florida. It saves SO much room. And if you really are a heavy packer, fly Southwest (2 free checked bags!). Also, if your family flies down with you, have each of them take a bag with your crap in it. I flew using two 49lb suitcases (you have to pay like $50 if you go over 50lbs), and a backpack. Try to put your heaviest items in your carry on, since the carry on doesn't have a weight limit. I definitely over packed. I never used my dresses or wedges; trust me you will almost never dress up. A little background on me: I almost always dress for comfort, and this list reflects that. So if you are more likely to wear cute shorts and jeans than leggings and athletic shorts, swap those out. So here's a checklist of what I would pack next time (applicable specifically to females, but hopefully guys can find this helpful too):

• Obviously a sufficient amount of underwear (but remember you can always buy lots more at Walmart)
• A few pairs of ankle socks (I wore sandals around the parks, not tennis shoes)
• 2-3 pairs "comfy" shorts aka running shorts
• 2-3 pairs cute shorts
• 1-2 skirts
• 1-2 dresses (including 1 business dress)
• 1-2 pairs jeans
• 1-2 pairs yoga pants (long) or sweatpants 
• 1-2 pairs leggings 
• 2-3 pairs capri style yoga pants
• 2-3 pairs jean capris
• 1-2 sweatshirts
• 1 dressy jacket
• 1 raincoat, a poncho is best since raincoats (AKA my Northface) aren't strong enough for a Florida downpour
• 1-2 pairs pajama pants
• 1-2 pairs pajama shorts
• 3-4 t-shirts (including pajama/sleep shirts)
• 2-3 long sleeved/warm shirts
• 1 cardigan or light jacket
• 2-3 cute tops you can dress up or down
• 3-4 tank tops
• 1 pair tennis shoes
• 1-2 pairs sandals (I brought Chacos and Teva flip flops)
• 1 pair boots (optional, I just wear lots of boots!)
• 1 pair dressy shoes (I had flats for Traditions)
• Hair curler - optional
• Hair straightener - optional
• Blow dryer - optional
• Prescription meds
• Camera
• Phone
• Laptop
• Chargers
• Cosmetics bag (buy the cheap stuff there)
• Razor - can also buy this there
• Pictures from home (but no frames)
• Wallet
• Checkbook
• I.D.'s
• DVD (not in cases, limit your movies - I used a CD case)
• Contacts
• Contact solution (for you glasses people like me)
• Glasses
• Sunglasses
• Any personal items you need/can't live without
• If you have room after packing clothing and essentials, pack some of the items in the below list that you can leave in Florida after your program is over. This way you save money by bringing items instead of buying them down there, and you can leave items there which will allow you to bring back souvenirs and Disney merch!!

Stuff you should buy in Florida, and not pack:

• Hairspray/hair products
• Towels (body and hand)
• Lotion
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Face wash
• Tylenol/Advil/any over the counter drugs you need
• Deodorant
• Bedding
• Pillows
• Mattress Pad
• Toaster
• Blender
• Lamps
• Extension cords
• Christmas lights
• Push pins for your cork board
• Body wash
• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Cleaning supplies
• Hand soap
• Feminine products
• Air fresheners
• Food (you would think this self-explanatory)
• Laundry bag/basket
• Laundry detergent
• Dish soap

I'm sure there's more that I forgot, but as you can see it's expensive either way to travel via plane. Also, if you are a bookworm like me, invest in a Kindle! It doesn't beat a real book, but it's MUCH lighter and more convenient. Hope your week is more magical than mine! Mine's spent in the dreary Washington fog, dreaming of Disney.