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

I noticed when I was traveling to Las Vegas in July, that there was a sign that said "only two carry-on bags per person" I had my purse and laptop with me so I was ok, but I'll probably want to bring my laptop again (can't live without it) plus my purse (it's a girl's necesity XD) and the doll. OwO *thinking: crud...*

 

I've taken Ealasaid, my first doll, on two trips already - a land trip to China and a cruise.

My next trip is a short getaway to Shanghai, and I'm hoping to bring my tiny, if the head gets back from the face up artist in time, that is. If not, I won't bring anyone.

My next big trip is a world cruise segment on the Queen Mary 2 and there is no way in heck I am not bringing my dolls - all three of them. I just hope I don't weird out the people on the ship.

 

Well, my family has been going on roadtrips alot lately, I just put them in the seat next to me (if it's clear of luggage and nothing will fall on them) or in my lap =]

But for traveling by plane (Never have), I'd keep them in my carry-on luggage if possible.

 

I've found that my medium-sized purse doesn't usually count as a carry-on. So I really got to take my purse plus one.
Thanks for posting this--I'm about to take my dolly to my grandparent's for a week. I'm going by car, though, so I think I'm just going to pack her, with padding and pillows, in her box and rubber-band it shut.
My Obistu is less fragile and I take her places sitting in a big basket. But for a plane I'd pack her in her box.
SoraPanda, did you ever make a violin-case carrier? I remember you were on that thread. I haven't gotten to mine yet. Technically a violin case is too big for a carry-on, but I've always managed to talk my violin onto planes. Or you could put his case in checked baggage, but hold the doll on your lap. It seems like you'd really want the case for car rides and such.

 

I was able to stuff my Hound and SD13 into a messanger bag and put it somewhat underneath the seat in front of me on the plane. I tried to make it as small as possible so that they could be with me at all times, instead of being in the overhead or being crushed about by the people on the ground throwing in luggage.

 

Iv traveled with one of my dolls once. It wasnt that bad really. I live in a small town though, so the security in the airport here is very relaxed.. The x-ray didnt damage the doll at all, and they didnt even bat an eye at it, even though Im really sure it looked quite strange. It was on the way back however that got a little stressful. The larger airports, especially along the east coast, are a bit insane.. But going through security I figured, he made it through fine the first time, shouldnt be a problem now.. well they looked at the contents of my bag oddly, and asked to see what was in it. I said sure.. I had Glyph wrapped in his blanket and tucked away safe and sound.. but jeez.. x.x I wanted to sock the security lady.. she wasnt gentle at all, even after I had asked for her politely to please becareful. She ignored me, and after the second time I asked, I finally said, "Its a doll! Becareful, jeez!" She was after I snapped at her. But after getting through security there was no trouble.

So if I were you I would carry your doll through security, and show up extra early so you can have plenty of time to go through and then put your doll in your bag, or in whatever you are going to carry him in.

 

Easier solution to that issue ... call a supervisor. And don't be afraid to do so.

 

For plane trips I limit myself to what dolls will fit in a carryon that will fit under the seat. That way they are always within arms reach. I've never had a problem going through security with them. One scanner did tease me about the number of body parts in my bag.

As to car trips, if it's just me, I usually put them in a basket, buckled into the seat, or just plain on the seat under the seat belt for the SD sized. If it's a family trip, I put them in their box, it's just safer as the car tends to get overloaded and I worry about something falling on them.

 

Foxxian - If they move to handle my dolls, I just remind them that they are handling an eight hundred dollar doll and would they please be careful. That is usually enough to get them to play gently.

 

H.R. 2870 - Securing Cabin Baggage Act

In case you don't want to read the full text of the bill, Cranky Flier puts it plain language: Congress Tries to Regulate Carry-On Size.


Personally, I think this bill is crap. The airlines want to make us do what should be their job. The congress critters are supportive of it however. Purses will be counted as a second carry-on. You may not be able to take large dolls into the aircraft cabin if the pilots and flight attendants get their way.

 

She wasnt going to handle him, she was just trying to pull him out of the bag I had him in. She couldnt see what it was because I had him wrapped up. I did tell her after that he was expensive.. I think she was just very rude. -.-' She didnt handle any of my things gently at all, and I bet if she could have she would have merely upturned my bag instead of yanking things out.

 

Ah, rudness is a whole different matter. I just always try to hit the airport with the mindset that I'm going on the best, most fun adventure ever. I smile and am super positive with all the airline personel and remember to thank everyone. It does seem to help some. It's tougher to be rude to someone who is relentlessly cheerful. I figure I can either pass on the bad attitude like a flu virus or do my best to change it. So far it seems to work pretty well.

 

ALWAYS take your dolls as carry-on, since they'll get completely destroyed with the rough way check-in items are treated. I've taken my guys on flights to and from Japan, the US and Canada and back home to the UK, and each time they've gone through the x-ray with no problems at all (though it may happen on occasion that the security people will want to run a quick drug test on the dolls themselves, which just means unzipping the bag you have them in and letting them poke the doll for a minute with a piece of cloth on a stick) I was happy to leave Ilú sitting out in my hotel room when I was out in Kyoto with my family, but that's because it was a fairly high-end hotel with lots of security: I wouldn't do that in your average run-down motel or B&B, for instance

 

Well, I just flew to VA from WI and back a couple weeks ago and the only reason I took a doll with me was because I was going to have a small meet up while out there. At first I wasnt going to risk taking any of my precious resins ( I have all 60> dolls) then I remembered that Hannah (my 60cm Obitsu) is vinyl.

I figured she would handle any bumps and bruises better than the rest. So, what I did was: put her in a sitting position with her legs straight out in front of her. Kept her fully dressed and sat her in the bottom of my totebag. I removed her wig and strapped on a face mask to protect her face. I put the rest of my "personal belongings" in on top of her as if the totebag was my purse.

She traveled beautifully! I could put her under the seat in front of me and she was fine! no problems. Coming back from VA I was asked by the screening agent, "A doll?" I said yes and that was it. No one else even raied an eyebrow.

Personally, I would never risk the safty of one of my dolls on a plane trip. Most people dont know or understand what they are and handle them recklessly. I get too stressed out about traveling thru airports anyway. I don't need the extra stress of worrying about one of my dolls.

 

I haven't gotten the violin case but I hope to get started on it soon thanks for the advice

 

I've taken dollies on vacay before. While not on a plane (27 hours of driving?! WHUUUT). Generally, I take care of them the same way I do when I'm at home. I make sure if I'm taking them somewhere out, I have their carrying case with me to stow them in when I'm tired of carrying them. And just like any other expensive belonging (like a laptop), I hide them if I'm leaving them in the hotel room while I'm not going to be there (Usually in the bottom of a suitcase).

As for size, usually my tiny, or an MSD. I don't OWN an SD as of current, but after handling many, I think it would be too much of a hassle all round to take one. an MSD is actually enough of a hassle on a bigger trip for my liking.

 

I have flown numerous times with a doll. I usually take my messenger bag with my delicate things (ie laptop, DS, sketchbook) and then just carry my doll in my arms. No surprises when I put my stuff through the XRay machine and no worries about my bag getting beat around. I've never had any trouble with my doll, but I tend to forget to keep a pair of plain jeans handy to wear to the airport so *I* have to get the pat down. ^_^;; I've had a doll in a few hotel rooms too, but we usually put the 'do not disturb' sign on the door to keep the maids out when we weren't there and then when we left the room I tucked her inside my suitcase.

 

I just flew to Denver and back with one SD and two MSDs. My MSDs aren't as valuable (BBBs), so I just packed them well (faceup masks and gloves) and put them in my normal packed suitcase. My carry-on was a backpack, and I put my SD13 in her original box and stuck it in my backpack. Only about half of it fit in the backpack, and the rest was sticking out. No damage to any of the dolls, and no hassle at the airports.

Ideally, I'd like to have a proper doll bag, but I wonder if the airport would have complained about a over-long bag, where they didn't complain about a doll in a box.

 

I'm so bad. When I flew back to school, my Narin got to ride in my backpack with my stuffed animals for protection.

 

wow thank you all for the great advice~ ^^ I hope everything goes well when I take him to the airport, but first thing's first, I gotta buy him *frustrated* hhhmmm =.=