alvira

We were going on our first, adult only trip to visit the mouse and our granddaughter wanted a snow globe for her collection. Being good grandparents we searched every snow globe they had for sale and selected a large, musical one. When packing to go home it occured to us that the snow globe contained liquid but we didn't have anyway to pack it in our checked luggage in a way to protect it against abuse. We took our chances taking it as a carryon. The man at the TSA line entrance asked about any liquids that we had. We told him about the snow globe and he told us "they confiscate those all day long here". He said that unless it was the size of a golfball, that we'd loose it. Luckily there was a Disney store down the hall so we took it there. They offered us the option of returning it or having it shipped home. I appreciate their cooperation in helping us not loose our gift for our granddaughter. I do think that any merchants selling these in tourist locations should post signs reminding customers that they will not make it through security and provide packaging that allows you to check it securely. Otherwise, warn your friends not to waste their money on purchasing snow globes if their travel plans include flying.

GoTravel

alvira, liquid is liquid. Why did you think there would be an exception to your snowglobe?

Thanks for the heads up.

michelleNYC

Christina

well, I think it is a good reminder to folks, though, as it is kind of the thing you wouldn't exactly think of. Especially the Disney store which basically exists solely for tourists and to sell souvenirs, etc. It would be a good idea to remind folks they can't take it through security, and then the stores can make a bunch of money shipping them (although for small stores, they aren't going to want to bother).

I will now warn all my friends about buying snow globes ... (sigh) one more thing to do in this holiday season, it never ends.

MikeT

"I will now warn all my friends about buying snow globes ... (sigh) one more thing to do in this holiday season, it never ends."

They are big boys and girls. Relieve yourself of some burden and let them fend for themselves. If this makes you (sigh), it's probably time to relieve yourself of some responsibility.

mikemo

We brought six bottles of wine from SCL to MEX in our carry-on(s).
The Mexican aduana didn't even want duty when we said vino tinto de Chile.
M

J_Correa

I don't think it ever would have occured to me that a snow globe would be confiscated. Yeah, of course a liquid is a liquid, but had I been in that situation, I doubt I would have given a second thought to putting it in my carryon luggage.

I do feel safer though, knowing that snow globes will not be allowed on planes

GoTravel

JCorrea honestly? To me that is like it not occuring to me a water bottle has water in it.

frenchtoile

When I was in Savannah someone in line beside me was all over this Scarlett O Hara snowglobe. *rolls eyes* It was something you could buy on line all day long. She voiced the same concern over the snowglobe and I told her there was no way that was going on as a carry on item. She reluctantly bought it and said she would put it in her luggage (it was well wrapped in foam.) But, the ppl at the store were trying to convince her that she could take it on. I was so aggravated b/c they were in it for the sale!

Jayneann

My Dad recently purchased a snow globe for me while on vacation and sure enough, it was confiscated at the airport! He was so upset because he had bought it at the Air Force base he was visiting and thought I would love the military theme inside the globe! (loved the thought though)
Glad you posted this alvira! I didn't think to!!!!

Dukey

Since the whole point of banning liquids was to prevent them from being mixed in with other ingredients to create an explosive device or compound I can understand why someone wh=ould be less likely to think of a snow globe as being dangerous as opposed to liquid more easily accessed.

And now we are told we can have up to three ounces of certain liquids which are totally accessible.

Some of us even still actually believe that the TSA doesn't provide very good security but what do we know?

vegasnative

Thanks for posting this because my friend is going (flying) to Orlando in May and she collects the Disney snow globes and I am sure she plans on buying some while there. I just emailed her and told her to ship them home and not even try to take it on board. Perhaps things will be less stringent in May, but who knows...so thanks again because it is something I never would have thought of at all.

Wednesday

I saw a kiosk at the S.F. airport where you can box/envelope up stuff and mail it home to yourself, a snow globe is very fragile of course, but I thought it was a good thing for them to provide the service.

wow

I posted here b/f but it did not show up. Make sure that if you mail something to yourself you put a "return address" like a family member's or a friend's & tell them that you did this. If there is not enough postage your SASE will have some place to go! I did this just last week & sure enough my SASE showed up @ my Mom's place today w/ a note from the post office that there was insufficient postage! Because there is no place to weigh your parcel @ the airport you have to guess as to the correct amount of postage & I was not a very good guesser it seems( even though I thought that I had gone on the high side!)

Anonymous

Don't most snow globes have a place where you can drain the water out?

Gretchen

Snow globes are FAR from fragile. Wrapped in a Tshirt, it would have traveled just fine.
And I have never seen a drain hole on one.
But, it you have a collection and live in the North with freezing temps, don't store them in the unheated attic.

vegasnative

I have a few of the Disney snow globes and no they do not have a hole to drain them. The globe of water itself probably isn't very fragile as Gretchen mention, unless of course it is dropped or in a bag that gets tossed around. But, it's the items surrounding the snow globe that are very breakable. We are getting ready to move and I have packed mine up already and (for example) I am afraid that Dumbo's ear is going to break off during the move.

Gretchen

Oh, that part would be fragile. I haven't seen them so didn't know--the outer stuff, I guess.

J_Correa

Yeah - seriously. Not that snow globes are generally in my thoughts, but if I had purchased one for some reason on a vacation, then no - I do not think it would have occured to me that it would be a problem in carryon luggage. As someone else mentioned, the ban on liquids is to prevent the mixing of harmful liquids disguised as run-of-the-mill toiletries so as to create a bomb. Perhaps snow globes have a drain. I don't know.

Gretchen

Or disguised as run of the mill snow globes?