Packing for Florida.... Need advice please 😀

[zazzabeans]

Off to Florida in June for 2 weeks, me dh, ds14, dd8&dd9.
We have 2 large IT suitcases and a medium It suitcase, I'm aware these are not expandable so I'm worried these won't be enough.
From going abroad in the past 10days in Europe, I always take far too many clothes and shoes for the dcs.
Really need to cut back and take only the essentials,
So what's the staples for us?

Also really not sure on spending money, we are in a villa and have tickets for parks already. Obviously it's a big holiday and we may never go again, so don't want to scrimp on anything when we are there.
How much spending money ?
Any advise greatly appreciated: 🇺🇸✈️🇺🇸

We did 2 weeks in Arizona and California on hand luggage alone. It's amazing what you can get in 10kgs if you pack it right. We did have washing facilities and limited shoes.

So apart from shorts and vest tops for us all, do we need anything else like dresses/play Suits?
Normally when we go abroad, we take clothes for daytimes and evenings when we go out for entertainment etc, but iv heard there's no need in America 😕😕

Zazza, if you only take vest tops you'll end up severely sunburned so I would only ever wear a tshirt with sleeves in it. However, if you really do just want to take vests tops I would pack a blouse to keep in your bag that you can slip on over your vest top at various times throughout the day.

Ive lived in the Middle East for decades and I take as much care in Florida when it comes to being sensible in the sun as I do here at home.

We used to take a few nice outfits to wear in evenings: thin dresses / top and skirt etc

You don't have to but I think it's nice to dress up for nice meals if you go somewhere nice like the Fulton's Crab House in Downtown Disney for example - SO tasty!!!

Yy to packing light and doing laundry. The American washer cycles are much quicker than ours, you can do a load in the morning before you go out.
I normally buy a box of tesco laundry tablets and pack half a box in sandwich bag to take with me. Cos everything is bigger over there including boxes of detergent - the smallest was way too big even for a fortnight.

Yes to layers. Even outside you might prefer a loose long sleeve shirt to a vest. And indoors the AC is usually arctic in restaurants!

We've been going to Florida every year for the last decade, and I've packed less each time and more casual.
Clothes are cheap, Target is good for basics and do your food shop at same time.
Publix is my favourite grocery store. Take a couple of jute shopping bags like you do at home, otherwise they put about three items in each plastic bag and you end up with dozens

We never go back to the hotel or villa so don't dress up for going out when we go to the parks. Infact we normally eat in the parks themselves, so we are in shorts and t shirt much of the time.

Take lots of decent suncream. We use once a day - UltraSun and P20 - in higher factors. We only reapply on water parks days, and never been even slightly burned when there. I was a little concerned initially as it can be so humid in the height of the summer holidays, and I burn very easily without cream, but never suffered fortunately - probably partly as you spend so much time inside for shows and rides, and even most queues are either inside or under shade.

probably partly as you spend so much time inside for shows and rides, and even most queues are either inside or under shade

Im sorry, honestly, but I really would disagree with most queues being under shade or inside. The parades aren't, neither are some of the shows, for e.g. the Star Wars one, the character one on the stage beside the castle, and the day time parades. And many of the rides have parts of the queue that are out in the open for a stretch then under shade.

friends have suggested a bumbag but I'm not keen, apparently they are big in USA

I live in Florida. Trust me, fanny packs (which is the American name )
are not big here. I haven't seen one in 20 years or so.

It's so casual and you have washing machines. You need very little, folk don't dress up at night the way they do in Benidorm.

I live in Florida. Trust me, fanny packs (which is the American name grin)
are not big here. I haven't seen one in 20 years or so

Im not surprised considering the size of some of the fannys.

I just used a cross body bag as I find backpacks impractical. a) it is too hot to have something on your back and b) it is a faff when you want to get something out. I wear glasses and have a magnetic sunglasses attachment that just stick on to my glasses frame. Going in and out if the sun all day makes it a real pain if I have to keep taking my backpack off.

MrsPeelyWally - maybe we've been lucky and never had to endure too many really long queues. Only ones we've had outside without shade that I can remember in recent years is Harry Potter Hogwarts - and only the first bits. I know of the kids ones like Dumbo are abut its years since we've done them so I forget.

We got by in July with 2 IT cases for family of four for two weeks, still lots unworn.

Me, DH, and DDs all lived in Havianas and had no problem with sore feet - personally wouldn't be seen dead in walking sandles or trainers😂

Clothes wise I found people did dress up in evenings - not suite but defo dresses, smart shorts and polo etc. Maybe more casual in a villa but in our Disney hotel and put at downtown Disney i felt people made an effort.

Took 3 cardy ta after air on advice I read - never wore one in the whole time we were there!!