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No, I’m not traveling this month.
Anyway. I’ve decided to push the entire family to go carry-on only because of the Terminal C at MCO debacle. Currently, you _have_ to pick up your rental car over in the garage off B side of the old terminal; I _thought_ you also had to drop it off there, however, you actually can drop it off in C garage, but I have no clear sense of how that works or what the walk is like from there to checking your back in Terminal C. We missed our rebooked post cancelation flight because we got stuck in an insanely long bag drop line after an arduous trek with all our luggage. The only other people I know who went through Terminal C either were carry on only (my sister and her family) _and_ took the coach from the rental car area or were dropped off at departures in Terminal C (MIL) — and she had trouble checking her bag, too, with a very long wait.
So it is carry on only for Orlando and any hypothetical European trip this year. European trip carryon only is because of loss of bags over the last year (not for me — I haven’t been over an ocean since 2019) and because when we rented a sedan in the UK on our last trip, we really struggled to get all three checked bags into the trunk. We’d never fit 4, so we might as well start downsizing now.
My first thought was to use the Zuca. Waiting in the long bag drop line with no benches anywhere in the hall was a problem for all of us but especially my daughter. Having the Zuca would have given her a seat. However, Zuca dimensions are _hard_ (you wouldn’t be able to sit on it otherwise) and slightly too big in one dimension for JetBlue carryon rules. Deciding that I couldn’t risk bringing the Zuca was The Moment where I decided I would push the entire family to go carry-on only. If we were checking any bags at all, we’d get stuck in that line and need a seat. Since I couldn’t provide a seat, we weren’t going to check any bags at all.
My second thought was to use my original G-Ro carryon. It is entirely legally as a carryon. It’s a little tippy, but otherwise a fantastic bag. Since I’d already reduced what I am packing to fit into the Zuca (using the Zuca set packing cubes), it all dropped super easily into the G-Ro. Next question: what to do for my daughter? I got out the LeSportSac It’s a Small World weekender (?), and figured I had a solution. Then I had to go have the Conversations. With R., the issue is bike stuff. So I looked into Owners’ Locker. They don’t pick up or drop off from Universal, however, so I had to call them to figure out if there was a solution. Turns out their warehouse is not far away, and we are allowed to drop off at the warehouse (I’ll need to get that exact location from them by calling, because I didn’t, and it’s not on their website. Ooops!). They also told me on the phone that there is a DVC promotion, so I dug into that and set up an account using it. Yay! If it doesn’t work out, I’m not out any money at all. We’ll need to check one bag going down to Orlando this trip to stock the box, and R. may need to buy a couple duplicates (gloves, overmittens, helmet, shoes) but that’s it, and he can put his head unit and pedals in his carryon. So, one down, one to go!
T. does not pack a huge amount ever, so fitting him into a carryon should be easy. However, he was a bit resistant to the idea as he is to all new things. But not very! He initially wanted to buy a bag, but was excited to learn that the 2019 G-Ro hardside that you push was not currently being used. He’s liked the look of it since I first bought it, and I’ve never even used it. So he’ll try that first and then we’ll proceed from there.
In the meantime, while shopping for a bag for R., I ran across the Aerolite Maximum Allowance … but in Purple. In really lovely Purple. But not black. Hmmm. So, new plan! Now the original G-Ro carryon is for R., which he is fine with, and the Aerolite is for me! Yay! And it was under $60!
While waiting for the arrival of my new bag, or possibly A.’s new bag, depending on how she felt about that purple, I shoved the packing cubes into the LeSportSac, picked it up, put the strap over my shoulder, decided it was okay but not great as a carry (12 pounds packed). The handles on the bag are too short to use as a backpack. Hmmmmm.
I have an old Eddie Bauer duffel in olive. I got _that_ out, measured it (legal carryon, duh), eyeballed the straps, put them on as a backpack, yep, that’s fine. I transferred the contents from the LeSportSac to the Eddie Bauer duffel, zipped it up, put it on as a backpack, tried the shoulder strap. Slightly heavier than the LeSportSac, much more comfortable. Hmmmm.
I’m now wondering why I bothered at all to order the Aerolite? OTOH, I can always put A.’s stuff in the Aerolite — she complains about boring bags — and my stuff in the duffel and strap it to the top of the Aerolite. It won’t be stable standing but it should be fine rolling. I may or may not update this post when the bag arrives. I’ll try to remember to post-mortem how it all worked on the trip (and what we ultimately did) afterwards.
ETA:
I’m not 100% certain, however, I think this is why I bought the Eddie Bauer duffel:
https://walkitout.dreamwidth.org/2004/01/13/
ETAYA:
I don’t really know why I’m still typing so if you are still reading, wow.
Anyway.
I got T. to agree to do a test pack. I usually tell him to pack 3-4 of everything, because we always do laundry when at Disney or a VRBO or whatever, and we _can_ do laundry when at a Residence Inn or UO or whatever. He always packs 5 of everything, which is a little mystifying. Turns out I tell him 3-4, because I’m hoping for at least 2 of everything, so I don’t have to do laundry _every_ day. But then he picks the bigger number and adds 1 to it. And that’s on top of whatever he wears on the original travel day. *sigh*
I held the line at a hard 4 for the test pack of the G-Ro 6. I only have him pack 2 night time options, and he persists in packing long pants/long sleeved PJs (why, altho actually probably smart on this most recent trip). I found a Pack Towel mesh on one side/solid on the other bag and used it as a packing “cube” for some of his slippery smalls (boxer briefs, socks, a couple shirts that are technical material). Then I had to explain about packing cubes, and ultimately dragged him over to my closet to show him my test pack. It all went in very nicely without having to work very hard, and there’s still space left over for Tevas and possibly the toiletries. He usually carries his electronics in a shoulder bag (laptop/briefcase style bag), which could easily fit the toiletries as well.
Success! I’ve ordered him some technical pants (from his holiday wish list but which were never purchased by anyone else, so far as we know), which will help with the packing. I think I’m also going to get him some real packing cubes. Once he understood the concept, he was all over it. We also went over the bag and removed things like the Refer a Friend tags and so forth. G-Ro isn’t in business, so referral tags don’t help anyone.
Anyway. I’ve decided to push the entire family to go carry-on only because of the Terminal C at MCO debacle. Currently, you _have_ to pick up your rental car over in the garage off B side of the old terminal; I _thought_ you also had to drop it off there, however, you actually can drop it off in C garage, but I have no clear sense of how that works or what the walk is like from there to checking your back in Terminal C. We missed our rebooked post cancelation flight because we got stuck in an insanely long bag drop line after an arduous trek with all our luggage. The only other people I know who went through Terminal C either were carry on only (my sister and her family) _and_ took the coach from the rental car area or were dropped off at departures in Terminal C (MIL) — and she had trouble checking her bag, too, with a very long wait.
So it is carry on only for Orlando and any hypothetical European trip this year. European trip carryon only is because of loss of bags over the last year (not for me — I haven’t been over an ocean since 2019) and because when we rented a sedan in the UK on our last trip, we really struggled to get all three checked bags into the trunk. We’d never fit 4, so we might as well start downsizing now.
My first thought was to use the Zuca. Waiting in the long bag drop line with no benches anywhere in the hall was a problem for all of us but especially my daughter. Having the Zuca would have given her a seat. However, Zuca dimensions are _hard_ (you wouldn’t be able to sit on it otherwise) and slightly too big in one dimension for JetBlue carryon rules. Deciding that I couldn’t risk bringing the Zuca was The Moment where I decided I would push the entire family to go carry-on only. If we were checking any bags at all, we’d get stuck in that line and need a seat. Since I couldn’t provide a seat, we weren’t going to check any bags at all.
My second thought was to use my original G-Ro carryon. It is entirely legally as a carryon. It’s a little tippy, but otherwise a fantastic bag. Since I’d already reduced what I am packing to fit into the Zuca (using the Zuca set packing cubes), it all dropped super easily into the G-Ro. Next question: what to do for my daughter? I got out the LeSportSac It’s a Small World weekender (?), and figured I had a solution. Then I had to go have the Conversations. With R., the issue is bike stuff. So I looked into Owners’ Locker. They don’t pick up or drop off from Universal, however, so I had to call them to figure out if there was a solution. Turns out their warehouse is not far away, and we are allowed to drop off at the warehouse (I’ll need to get that exact location from them by calling, because I didn’t, and it’s not on their website. Ooops!). They also told me on the phone that there is a DVC promotion, so I dug into that and set up an account using it. Yay! If it doesn’t work out, I’m not out any money at all. We’ll need to check one bag going down to Orlando this trip to stock the box, and R. may need to buy a couple duplicates (gloves, overmittens, helmet, shoes) but that’s it, and he can put his head unit and pedals in his carryon. So, one down, one to go!
T. does not pack a huge amount ever, so fitting him into a carryon should be easy. However, he was a bit resistant to the idea as he is to all new things. But not very! He initially wanted to buy a bag, but was excited to learn that the 2019 G-Ro hardside that you push was not currently being used. He’s liked the look of it since I first bought it, and I’ve never even used it. So he’ll try that first and then we’ll proceed from there.
In the meantime, while shopping for a bag for R., I ran across the Aerolite Maximum Allowance … but in Purple. In really lovely Purple. But not black. Hmmm. So, new plan! Now the original G-Ro carryon is for R., which he is fine with, and the Aerolite is for me! Yay! And it was under $60!
While waiting for the arrival of my new bag, or possibly A.’s new bag, depending on how she felt about that purple, I shoved the packing cubes into the LeSportSac, picked it up, put the strap over my shoulder, decided it was okay but not great as a carry (12 pounds packed). The handles on the bag are too short to use as a backpack. Hmmmmm.
I have an old Eddie Bauer duffel in olive. I got _that_ out, measured it (legal carryon, duh), eyeballed the straps, put them on as a backpack, yep, that’s fine. I transferred the contents from the LeSportSac to the Eddie Bauer duffel, zipped it up, put it on as a backpack, tried the shoulder strap. Slightly heavier than the LeSportSac, much more comfortable. Hmmmm.
I’m now wondering why I bothered at all to order the Aerolite? OTOH, I can always put A.’s stuff in the Aerolite — she complains about boring bags — and my stuff in the duffel and strap it to the top of the Aerolite. It won’t be stable standing but it should be fine rolling. I may or may not update this post when the bag arrives. I’ll try to remember to post-mortem how it all worked on the trip (and what we ultimately did) afterwards.
ETA:
I’m not 100% certain, however, I think this is why I bought the Eddie Bauer duffel:
https://walkitout.dreamwidth.org/2004/01/13/
ETAYA:
I don’t really know why I’m still typing so if you are still reading, wow.
Anyway.
I got T. to agree to do a test pack. I usually tell him to pack 3-4 of everything, because we always do laundry when at Disney or a VRBO or whatever, and we _can_ do laundry when at a Residence Inn or UO or whatever. He always packs 5 of everything, which is a little mystifying. Turns out I tell him 3-4, because I’m hoping for at least 2 of everything, so I don’t have to do laundry _every_ day. But then he picks the bigger number and adds 1 to it. And that’s on top of whatever he wears on the original travel day. *sigh*
I held the line at a hard 4 for the test pack of the G-Ro 6. I only have him pack 2 night time options, and he persists in packing long pants/long sleeved PJs (why, altho actually probably smart on this most recent trip). I found a Pack Towel mesh on one side/solid on the other bag and used it as a packing “cube” for some of his slippery smalls (boxer briefs, socks, a couple shirts that are technical material). Then I had to explain about packing cubes, and ultimately dragged him over to my closet to show him my test pack. It all went in very nicely without having to work very hard, and there’s still space left over for Tevas and possibly the toiletries. He usually carries his electronics in a shoulder bag (laptop/briefcase style bag), which could easily fit the toiletries as well.
Success! I’ve ordered him some technical pants (from his holiday wish list but which were never purchased by anyone else, so far as we know), which will help with the packing. I think I’m also going to get him some real packing cubes. Once he understood the concept, he was all over it. We also went over the bag and removed things like the Refer a Friend tags and so forth. G-Ro isn’t in business, so referral tags don’t help anyone.