Im flying to Rose, so just wondering if there is any issues or advice on taking a doll through customs as a carry on. Do the weight beads in nylon sacks cause concern to the customs agents when they go through the xrays? Id hate to have a baby disassembled.
Also has anyone ever flown with babies in checked luggage or weighted kit parts. I am debating the best way to travel with dolls. Assemble at utah, and unassembled before departing? Or carry assembled in checked luggage. Anyone have issues or suggestions?
Thankd
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I carried mine fully assembled. They will look over baby and swab it with so thing that checks for explosives but itâs harmless to the paint. I was apprehensive last year but it was a breeze. All the agents had to come look at the âbabyâ. It was a good experience for me.
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Is it best to warn them when you put it through security, since it looks real from the cameras.
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I put a silicone doll in my carry on, they pulled me aside and swabbed it real quick and then moved on. No issue at all. I wouldnât put it in your regular luggage though, heard theyâre pretty strict with that.
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You usually canât because youâre so far back from the people when youâre loading the conveyor belt. Oh, at the recommendation of someone else, I put a flyer about the doll show on top so when the bag is opened, it kindaâ gives them a heads-up.
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Iâve flown twice with a baby. The first time I used a baby carrier. They scanned it, swabbed it and strip searched it but no disassembly. The second time I put it in my âpersonalâ bag and they just sent it through the scanner. Go figure.
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Izzy what experiences did you hear of with packing kits into checked luggage? Im thinking it will just be kits no weight/assembly. Do you think this will cause issues? I think its my cheapest route. But now im worried.
Thanks friends. Im debating the bedt way to bring multiple dolls with out stress. Maiking is going to cost alot if I dont pack in my checked luggage.
Iâve had this daydream (I have an unbusinesslike sense of humor) of just putting baby on convey belt without mentioning itâs a doll. For reactions. If I end up going, Iâm totally gonna do that. 
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I carried my doll TO the ROSE show in my carry-on. Itâs best to maybe just put the baby in a little white undershirt and diaper or a onsie so if they choose to swab it for explosives the limbs are exposed. I bought several 'kits" at the show and packed them in my suitcase to come home, no problems there. Just make sure you have plenty of room in your suitcase in case you go crazy and buy lotâs of âstuffâ!!
p.s. throw in an extra zip tie in case anything happens and you need it!!
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Iâd dress her so that vinyl barely shows, so fewer chances of scratches or smudges. Even a hat.
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My doll was well wrapped in a white receiving blanket to protect her all over, I just didnât want to have to take the time to undress her, this made it real easy.
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Perfect! This is good advice, ill do exactly this, I have a table to fill so lots of babies are coming.
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I brought 8 babies in my checked luggage last year. Each baby was well wrapped in a blanket and all were in a large clear bag inside my luggage. I had 2 suitcases with 4 dolls in each. They did open ibith suitcases and unwrap one baby in each suitcase. I could tell because they were not rewrapped tightly as I had done it. The eyelashes were squished on the 2 that they had unwrapped and looked at because they were not re wrapped well. I had extra eyelashes along so easily fixed this. The ladies from South Africa bring just the painted kits every year and assemble them in the hotel before the show. Luggage is a lot lighter without the glass beads in them. I am still trying to decide what I am doing this year whether to ship ahead or bring in luggage again. My husband flew with me last year so he could help but this time I am on my own.
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When I took mine in a baby carrier, I did take it off and put it in the bin. There was a collective gasp behind me, It was pretty funny.
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I bet! 
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Jubileej im looking forward to meeting u and FINALLY seeing your babies in person, since dollfan days, I bought so many kits you did cause I loved your babies.
Im going to do exactly what you did, I dont have time to weight, etc at the hotel, so ill finish them here and pack 2 suitcases, checked in, they are free to look as they feel, I just dont have time to glue, assemble, and everythingâŚplus Iâd have to rip them all apart to travel home. Im going to place my big rose doll expo magnets onto the wrapped babies so if they look they understand what all the dolls are for. Id love to be a fly on the wall in all these airports as we all come through with babies! Thank you, I feel much better hearing this , I was mainly worried the glass beads in limbs or nylon sacks would cause them alarm and they would rip the dolls apart. But thats what they have xray machinesm and dogs for at airports, so I shouldnât worry.
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Looking forward to meeting you too Jenn.
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What I have done when Iâve traveled with babies in my checked through luggage, is put a note (explaining that they were collectible baby dolls and to please handle them with care, and wrap them back up the way they found them) in the suitcase and a Ziploc bag with samples of whatâs in the doll. Theyâve always arrived in the same condition I put them in the suitcase. Havenât ever taken them out of the country though.
Thanks for all the good advice and experiences, I am shipping weighted parts next week and just buying stuffing in utah and assembling there. On the way home I may just check them into my luggage completed with a note, or mail them home taken apart.