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

I moved almost as far as it is possible to move, from Australia to the US (ok I may have exaggerated a little but still!) the flight alone took 24 hours, so it was a bit of a feat. I made this move when my doll collection was around 15. When I moved I packed all of my dolls except two into their original packaging, their boxes and the original shipping boxes which I kept, and then left them with my mother. She sends me one box every few months. I am slowly being reunited with my doll family via EMS, but I DID bring two straight with me. Corpse and Devin I could not leave behind, so I disassembled them, wrapped them well, and put them in my carry on luggage. I held onto that bag for dear life, and guarded it like a savage pitbull all the way, but my babies were perfectly fine and happy to be reassembled here. Carry-on is the safest way and you would be amazed how much you can fit unassembled (a hound and DoT for a start, and Australia has weight AND size limits and only allows ONE carry-on, none of this bag and laptop stuff other places have) so you may be surprised how much you can take, particularly if travelling in the US where you can get away with a carry on and a "personal item" such as a laptop (or laptop bag full of dolls?)

For those considering putting them in checked luggage deffinitely get insuranc eon your luggage, pad them REALLY well and if you can put them in a HARD suitcase, not a fabric one, I have seen how rough baggage handlers are with that luggage. I also recommend security wrapping your luggage (I am not sure if all countries have this but when we went from Australia to Indonesia my partner and I had our bags security wrapped, this was a service to prevent tampering, where your bag is basically heavy-duty wrapped in industrial clingwrap, so they can see if there has been any tampering)

 

How to Pack Your Mecha Angel in Your Carry-On:
(Probably just as much doll clothes as people clothes in there.)


That's how Marcus got to Anime Expo with me this last year. The others went in my Tote Bag of Doom(tm) and went under the seat in front of me.
I wore very little at AX - shorts and t-shirts. Due to Marcus, I had to not pack the jeans I'd planned to take for when it got cold in the evenings.

Three years ago, when I moved back stateside from Kwajalein (half way between Hawaii and Australia), all I had was Ichigo (IH Soo Ri - SD13 size), and he went in my carry on, until I got on the plane. Then he rode in the seatback pocket when not in my lap.

 

I've never moved long distances with a dollie (my big country to country move was BEFORE the doll time), but I have moved plenty of times since I've gotten into them.

I always just pack them back into their respective boxes, and pack those boxes into a larger one with the rest of their stuff. If I did another huge move, they would be sent ahead of me, since i know I pack boxes *well*, and it would be the sure fire way to get them there, and get them there safely.

 

Thanks.
I think I may still ship some of them ahead of me (I haven't got people here who can ship after me) Those shipped ahead will be going to friends who also collect so I know they will be well taken care of when they arrive.

Thanks for the advice and would still love to see some more... I'm probably still taking 1-4 dolls with me.

 

I haven't moved cross-country with dolls but I do routinely cart at least two SDs cross-country via plane (bare minimum once a year, sometimes more than that depending). If you can pack them in something that will fit neatly beneath the seat in front of you, then you are golden even if you have to check a second carryon bag. I got stuck on the weensiest little commuter flight ever on my way home from my last trip (*insert profuse swearing about there never being a direct flight between Pittsburgh and Seattle here*) and while I had to pull my laptop out of one carryon for checking, the dolls fit perfectly under the seat in front of me and nobody made so much as a peep about me having to possibly check them. This was two SDs and an MSD, so I imagine you could swing it with 2 MSDs and a pile of tinies in the right bag.

(Dollmore double carriers are EXACTLY the right size to fit under airplane seats. )

 

It must be very difficult to carry all this dolls with you in a plane at such a tiny little space！！
If I were you, maybe I will put the body of the doll in my package and let the head to go with me. Because the head is much valuble,right?! But IF you don't know how to assembled them, It may be a bit worried to do so.....

 

I'm worrying about the same thing, too. I might be going on a flight soon, and if I have my doll by then, I'm concerned it'll be abused by the people who check the carry-ons. D:

 

I jsut finished moving across Canada, four flights and all. I have two SD's and two tinies/Pipos. One SD stayed behind as she was being shipped off to get re-face-upped, but the other three came with me in a carry on bag that I made my 'purse' for the journey. It was a large laptop bag (meant for 18 inch laptops) but didn't have any extra padding so it was thin enough to be called a 'purse'.

I wrapped the SD's head and hands up with a little bubble wrap and then wrapped him in some cloth and stuffed him in there, then the two tinies wrapped in bubble wrap on top. Worked perfectly.

There were no comments on the dolls, and in previously trips where I have had the SD with me, I have only one person slightly curious to see it, as a doll collector, and that was all. They are much more enthused with your laptop and mini liquids-in-a-bag.

I prefer carying my dolls as carry ons as I have SEEN and EXPERIENCED what they do to luggage, and it is NOT pretty sometimes. Sure, most of the time it is okay, but I"m not taking that chance ever again with my breakable valuables.

 

I've frequently moved from the east coast to the west coast and back and I always bring my boys in my carry on. I've never had any problems or anything. Maybe a few strange looks at the xray machine, but other than that, nothing.

 

I have been bringing my Raito overseas. I was pretty surprised that I wasn't stopped in the customs for checking. I brought him on plane and took a lot of pictures for each place that we've gone to. We've managed to avoid people's glare. >__<
Sometimes there will be a lot of kids running to me and stared with a can-i-touch-your-doll look. I quickly walked away because I don't want people to touchy Raito. I'm kind of selfish when it comes to touching my doll. I felt pityful for my doll when people aren't carrying or taking care of him properly.

 

It's good to take your doll on vacation, you may do more interesting photos and probably you'll fell more comfortable with your beloved BJD with you. But it might be uncomfortable to transport doll, also you may be planning to have active holiday and doll will bother much more. So it's up to you: bring doll with you or not. As fore me - I'll rarely take them: they're heavy, fragile and so on.

 

I like taking dolls on trips. I feel as though their eyes can see and remember such things as I can.

I've never had a problem with it; but I did buy a secure bag to carry my bjd in to make sure she was safely attached to me. Don't leave them out in the hotel room, though. Not that anyone would take it, of course; but you do know how curious humans can be.

 

I brought my dolls to Japan, put their heads in my carry-on bag and their bodies in the suitcase. (safely wrapped up in bubbelwrap and clothes. If the dolls made it through shipping from Asia, then being in luggage isn't worse unless you're really bad at packing).

I got stopped in the security check in London and had to unpack my bags, and got some funny looks when I got to the doll heads.

Travelling should be safe, but I usually wouldn't bother. I'd be so worried about something happening to my dolls if I left them in the hotel room or brought them, so I'd rather just leave them at home.

 

I just got back from LA and while there I went to the volks store and picked up my new SD girl. I took my BBB Apollo, AOD Lele and Goodreau girl with me there and on the way back had 4 and had NO problems with them or the box for Elena. On the way there even one of the sec guards to the plane gates was asking me about them. Super nice dude. I love taking my kids on vacay with me...plenty of photo ops!

 

I took three of my boys with me when I went home for a couple of weeks - an SD, an MSD, and a YoSD. I put the three of them in my Dollmore carrier with lots of padding and they did work as carry-on. I was surprised at how little attention security paid to that bag three of four times . . . the fourth time they lingered over the x-ray and I heard the guys saying how weird it was, but they didn't ask for it to be opened ^^;;;.

I didn't take them out that often, as we have cats and dogs and I wasn't comfortable leaving them out in my room. However, I did get pics of them in various outdoor locations, which is something I don't usually get the opportunity to do. ^__^

As for actual travelling, I would consider who I was travelling with and luggage issues. Less luggage tends to make for nicer trips. And not everyone would be interested in waiting for me to take a bunch of pics of my dolls ^^;;;;.

 

Actually for me the biggest problem is basically this! But not because I'm worried that people will trouble my dolls while I'm not around, mostly because I worry so much about getting them on the trip safely, and then they sit around in my room or my bag. It does really depend on the trip (and your play style), though. I brought my dolls camping a couple of times, and that was great--got some fun photos of them out in the "wild," worked on some knitting for them, had fun. I brought a doll with me to Laval on a choir trip last year and kinda regretted it, since I spent way more time worrying that she was okay in my purse and trying to get her wig to stay on than I did actually playing with her in any way. We were so busy the whole time, I never had a chance to do more than pop her out for a quick bus photo. Ditto for the times I brought dolls with me on day trips to Tokyo...a big hassle and they only saw daylight for a few short moments. But if I ever go on a longer vacation again, where I might stay in the same hotel room for several days and perhaps even get to know the neighbourhood, I will probably bring at least one doll with me.

 

When I went to France the last time I took a tiny Dollmore Banji with me. My family likes to travel light, with as little luggage as possible, so a larger doll would have been out of the question!! I had her packed in a little hard-sided case. I also had a sewing kit with her and when I got little bits of cloth, lace and so forth I'd make her a little outfit. Since we were going to be there for nearly a month in a very rural area it was nice to have something to busy my hands with! I was able to get great pics of her, too (which I don't seem to have anymore, sadly!).

I brought a Kkotmu camping once, too! It was fun, but it's definitely a dicey proposition, as camping is dirty business! XD I got fun pics of Poppet though!

I'm a believer in traveling with dolls, but I always try to keep in mind the doll's safety, how much I can carry, and just common sense. I want my doll to add to the fun of the experience, not detract from it!

Raven

 

I took Edward to Bath on a short break with my boyfriend the other month ^_^ It was fun but he's so flippin' heavy that I ended up keeping him in the room. Then I got paranoid that something would happen to him whilst we were out... ^^;

I don't regret taking him at all, though. It was fun to have him with us. I would like to do it again... but we go on holiday so rarely, and most of my trips are business-related, and as such an SD-sized doll would be so inconvenient T_T; I do miss them when I go away though!!

Obviously I need to get myself a tiny

 

It would depend on where I was going and if I could have my doll with in sight at all times Iguess.

I have taken my dolls on vacation before when it was somewhere I could drive too but as far as airplane maybe if my doll was in my carry on luggage .

But then you have to ask yoruself how comfortable are you if you have to leave your doll in the hotel alone?

I have had stuff stolen from my before at so called 'nice' hotels but I didnt realize it until I got home so I probably would not take my dolls if I oculdnt keep them with me at all times.

 

I'm planning on taking Henry to a convention with me, so I'm glad it's not a big deal. I'll definitely keep him close to me, if at all possible, while there, so hopefully everything will be alright.

I have to admit, I'm oddly looking forward to the reactions at the x-ray. XD Since I'm sure no one in this area has seen a BJD before.