Travelling with your dolls: issues/ideas/etc. Part I

When I bring my boy with me when I travel - short, long, and everything in between - he's either situated in my ballistic nylon businessman's laptop + change of clothes + other stuff bag (15 inches long, 12 inches deep, and 8 inches wide) or he's in my arms.

The bag fits not just my boy, but also a pillow/padding for him, a change of his clothes, a change of my OWN clothes along with my slim laptop and some odds and ends, too, and it's a GREAT size to carry around if you're forced to carry around luggage.

If you can get a rectangular bag that's around the dimensions I mentioned (a little bigger is always better), traveling around with the bag (and your boy in the bag) won't be so difficult and unwieldy and you can also use the same bag for your own stuff, too.

 

Anyway i'm going to Anime Expo next week and going by airplane.
Why this matters is because i'm not sure how the airports feel about dolls, since they do have metal bits in them. ((i refuse to put her in my suitcase))
so has anyone had trouble taking their doll on an airplane?

 

I would think there wouldn't be too much of an issue. I mean, kids take their dolls with them on planes too, right? As long as the x-ray machine didn't show you were hiding something in there, they can't force you to check it.

 

well it's the metal s-hook i'm worried about, that is in her head.

 

It shouldn't be a problem since you could just pop the head cap off and prove it wasn't anything unsuitable or dangerous inside.

If the doll has hooks in the hands and feet, just tug on the string and show them its fine. The xray should do the rest.

 

The doll has to go through the x-ray machine, but I didn't encounter any issues - and have never heard of anyone being challenged about bringing on their doll. Just make sure you can stow them for take-off and landing. I had my girl in a carrier that I put under the seat in front of me - no way was I trusting her to the overhead bin!

 

I flew cross-country and back in December with Harumatsu (my Shiwoo-) and didn't have any trouble at all. He isn't wired, and I just made sure he wasn't wearing anything metallic that might look weird to the scanner... The security people thought he was cute, and didn't have any issues with him as far as the s-hook or eye-stuff or any of that was concerned.

The airline also let me hold on to him as my one "personal item" that's allowed in addition to the regular carry-on bag. I held him the entire trip. 'Didn't have to put him under the seat for take-offs or landings or anything... I suspect the cabin crew thought I was afraid of flying and he was some kind of comfort object. With the grip I kept on him, it did probably look that way.

Anyway, it was an easy, no-problems trip.

 

I posted in this thread before.. but my expiriences have changed and I am a bit wiser
I took Matt ( a MSD ) with me on the plane to America. I really had no trouble whatsoever. I had him wrapped in a pillowcase with the cushions he came with and just but him in my hand luggage. Customs or whatever gave me no trouble at all.

 

Hello~!

For those of you who are REALLY into taking your doll everywhere, you may wish to invest in an inexpensive, yet sturdy collapsing pram. Infant prams work the best, I find. Travel wise,
I have to say that the large bag and doll case routine works out very nicely. Yes, the x-ray
machine people DO look at you oddly. And call over their co-workers to guess at what the
weird thing of the screen might be. Then, look at you even more oddly when you tell them it's just a bunch of dolls in converted violin case. Still, it is very hassle free and very safe. I am currently looking into converting a hard case, rolling suitcase. Both, the small and the larger sizes. I will post here if I find I can make it affordable. ^_^

Kit

 

A violin case was the coolest little bit of packaging I'd ever seen for a dolly! X3

 

I'd buckle her up on my lap and read to her... you can put the laptop overhead... right?

 

I took Adam (my clockwork cybernetic boy ) on a plane and there was no problem despite him being covered in metal, so I reckon s-hooks and the like are not really to be worried about.

 

Thanks for the travel advice everyone, I'll be studying abroad in Japan and I will def want to take my BJD with me.

 

I also wish to thank everyone for there help!

 

I'm actually on my travels this week and I didn't bring my dolls with me. a) My boyfriend is not very fond of the resin crew and wouldn't appreciate being on holiday with all four of us, b) it's supposed to be a romantic getaway and c) I just didn't want the repeated heart-attacks of watching out for my dolls while I'm traipsing around Budapest in the boiling hot sunshine and seeing exhibits. I have enough trouble looking after the BF and my SLR!!

If I was going away for longer than 7 days I would totally bring them with me, but as it is I have coped ok being away from them and I know my brother is looking after them very well, keeping them out of the sun and free from teen-boy-smell I've actually really missed my dolls, having them next to me is so comforting, but I just wouldn't have enjoyed this holiday had I worried about them the whole time.

I agree with OpheliaB, if I had wanted them with me, I'd have gone all out to make it happen, but this time around I wasn't up for it!

 

Hey guys! I need some advice, if you guys have time ^^;;

I'm going to be on an group college summer program to England next year for the summer, and I'll be staying with a host family. I'll be gone for possibly two months and I really want to have my boy(s) with me because he's a comfort item of sorts ^^; my problem is mainly about my host family... would it be a good idea to bring him? I do want to since Manila and Oxford are literally on other sides of the world and I'll miss him, but I'm not sure where to put him and how I'll bring him to England, and his storage there D:

As far as I've read, airlines aren't much of a problem? Here it definitely isn't; I brought him with me to Hong Kong when I went with friends (who were all doll owners) with just a simple giggle from security here, but is the security in Heathrow very strict about the dolls? I'll definitely have him in my carry-on luggage, along with my laptop!

The program is exactly one month. My mom, brother and stepdad want to go to London when I'm done so that's an extra 2-3 weeks, and I'll be in Kent before the start and possibly for a few days after the program so I do want to have him with me while I'm alone with my step-grandparents. I'm just concerned about my host family's comfort levels, and how I'm going to keep him since I've never met them, and I don't know a thing about them yet. I'm guessing putting him in my (locked) luggage when I'm out of the house and not bringing him with me to outings and class and stuff?

Do you guys have any ideas? ^^;; thanks so much for your time!

 

I put my Luciano in a backpack and took him onto a cruise ship. It didn't turn out that well. The stateroom was small and he took up more room than I'd thought he would. I ended up regretting the situation. ^^;; I can understand traveling with a doll for a meet up or something, but I doubt I'd randomly take my doll places anymore.

 

Well... the host family will probably not know what a bjd is and you'll need to explain, but I expect they won't mind about you bringing him. If you get a friendly family they'll probably think he's awesome, if you get a less friendly family they'll think it's a bit strange but won't be upset or anything. Just don't take him out in public with you if you go anywhere with your host family unless they obviously won't mind. I seriously doubt they'll mind about having him in the house or you taking him out by yourself, but they will
probably be embarrassed if they take you anywhere and you bring your boy. For storage you can surely keep him safe in a bag or sit him on your bed or something like that? The hosts will make sure you have a place for your luggage and personal items. If you don't feel you can trust them then definitely put him in your suitcase and lock it when you're out and can't take him with you. They're unlikely to ransack your possessions and hack apart your luggage so a locked case should be safe. =p You'll probably find that you're fine taking him to class and on outings while you're here, though.

For airlines, last time I checked over here you could only have one piece of carry-on luggage no matter what class you're flying so make sure your boy and laptop can both fit into one bag and that the bag isn't over the size limitations. Check the website of the airline you're flying with to see the most up-to-date info, it's probably changed since I last flew. I expect the doll will be fine going through security.

Basically I think you should go for it. Just be sure to check baggage limitations if your boy is SD size or larger to make sure he'll fit okay, and be sensitive about bringing him out and about in public with your hosts.

 

I always carried my doll in my arms to show him off to the public, but today i needed something to carry him in because of the rain. I looted through my friend's apartment(since i live there now) and found this cute, old Nintendo bag that's just big enough for him to kneel in and poke his head out: He's an MSD.

You don't need to pay so much for an official bag. Find something that fits and if you're self conscious.... sew straps on the bag to hold him in.

In the car he's either in my lap or the baby seat with the other boys.