disney packing list (and a few tips)
My husband and I took our oldest son to Disney World for the first time in 2011, when he was 18 months old. We had both been as children but going as a parent was a whole different experience. Since then, we have been back so many times I’ve lost count. We’ve traveled with one kid, two kids, three kids, four kids, newborns, babies, toddlers, kids, preteens, and teens, just the two of us, with extended family, I’ve been on a Disney girls’ trip, once I took three of my children to Magic Kingdom for a day without my husband, and of course I have feedback from all my Disney clients. Each trip teaches me something new about what to pack and what not to pack. Here is my most updated packing list for a great Disney experience (linked items are underlined):
Real (waterproof) rain jackets for each family member- This is a newer item on my list but one of the most important. It rains frequently in Orlando. You will almost always encounter a short rain shower at some point in your trip and a poncho (or waiting out the rain on a ride, in a show, or in a restaurant) will definitely work for that situation. BUT, if you happen to be there on a day where it rains from sun up to sun down with no breaks (this happened to my family in November 2021), a poncho won’t cut it. On days when there is constant rain, Disney requires guests to remove ponchos any time they are entering an indoor space. I won’t soon forget a day of taking soaking ponchos off of four soaked kids and carrying them on every ride, in every store, show, and restaurant, and then putting wet ponchos back on wet kids to walk a few feet to the next ride and do it all over again. Ponchos were ripping, kids were crying, adults were thinking about crying, etc. All the while, people with real rain jackets were doing as they pleased because there are no rules about wearing real rain jackets in indoor spaces. On our next trip, we were prepared and much happier running in and out of the rain.
Waterproof shoes- As you can imagine, this list item was also inspired by our experience in 2021. We each only took one pair of tennis shoes on that trip. After our day of torrential rain, everyone’s shoes were completely soaked and we had to dry them all individually with a hairdryer the next morning before we could go on with our day. On our next trip, we each took a pair of waterproof shoes (Keens) to wear on rainy days. I cannot begin to express the difference in a rainy day when you’re wearing a real rain jacket and waterproof shoes vs. tennis shoes and a poncho.
Comfortable and tested shoes- I love a cute pair of shoes but your Disney trip is not the time to try out a new pair or to choose cute over comfortable. Twice, I have purchased brand new tennis shoes the day before a Disney trip and both times ended in disaster (horrible blisters) for me. I chose shoes that were super cute and that felt comfortable in the store but in the store is not nearly enough time to test a shoe for Disney status. If you do plan to get new shoes, I would get them a few weeks before you go and wear them enough to really know if they’re going to get the job done. If you feel any discomfort or potential discomfort at all, change your shoe plan.
Sweatshirt or light jacket- No matter the season, the temperature often drops quite a bit in the evenings. We always take an extra layer- even when it’s blazing hot outside. Depending on your choice of rain jacket, this could be one item that doubles for both needs.
Blister care and bandaids- I never go to Disney without plenty of blister care and bandaids. If anyone in my family is feeling any foot discomfort, I want to be able to take care of it immediately before it gets worse. And I have four kids so someone is bound to get a scraped knee or some kind of small injury that requires a bandaid. Of course Disney has first aid stations, but it’s much easier to grab a bandaid out of my own bag and move on with the day. This is my favorite blister care product.
Chafing cream- We’re getting really personal now but Disney is a TON of walking and sometimes chafing can be an issue. If you haven’t done Disney before, I would recommend having a chafing product on hand in case you discover that you are one who deals with this at Disney. Even if you have never chafed before, trust me and plan ahead. Better safe than sorry.
Portable Charger- Disney days are long and there are lots of reasons you’ll need your phone. Even the best phone usually doesn’t make it all day and outlets to charge your phone are few and far between. A good portable charger is a MUST for a successful Disney day. I like this one for size and power. (Don’t forget this item- but if you do- I can tell you where the very very few outlets are located and I can tell you the few locations where you can purchase a small fuel rod.)
AirTag bracelets- We AirTag our kids at Disney. We have these little bracelets and they work great (AirTags not included). We do have one kiddo who can never stop messing with his bracelet so we tie his into his shoelaces. It’s also not a bad idea to AirTag your stroller as Disney cast members are constantly moving them around to maintain order and accessibility in the stroller parking areas.
Stroller- Speaking of strollers, Disney walking is a different level. This may sound crazy to you but my personal policy for my kids is- if they still fit the height and weight requirements of a stroller, they get a stroller- no matter their age or how long it’s been since they’ve used a stroller at home. They may not use it most of the time but I promise there will be times where it is helpful to both you and your child. On our most recent Disney trip, I rented a double stroller for my 7 year old and my 1 year old. Yes, my 7 year old occasionally used a stroller. Trust me, it’s just different at Disney. Because of this unique need, you may need a stroller that you do not have and there are several stroller rental companies in Orlando. They will deliver the stroller to your resort and pick it up from your resort at the end of your trip. If this need applies to you, let’s talk. I am happy to give advice and even facilitate a stroller rental for you.
Stroller Identifier- As I said above, Disney cast members are constantly moving strollers around in stroller parking areas. When you come back for your stroller, it definitely will not be in the place you left it. Also, tons of Disney guests rent strollers from the companies I mentioned above so most of the strollers in the parks look alike. The rental companies do put your last name on a sign near the bottom of the stroller but that doesn’t do much for finding your stroller in a sea of matching strollers. I would recommend tying a brightly colored ribbon or something of that nature (there are also Etsy shops that do custom signs) on the handle of your stroller. Something you can spot from far away when you’re searching for your stroller. (As a side note, this is also a helpful trick for your luggage in airports. People are less likely to grab your luggage by mistake at baggage claim if it has an identifier they know is not theirs.)
Stroller Fan(s)- It gets so hot in Orlando. Stroller fans are so helpful- especially for teeny tiny babies or toddlers. If you don’t bring one from home, you’ll be buying one with Mickey ears and it will cost you a lot more. While we’re talking about fans, neck fans and handheld fans are also popular choices for adults and kids not riding in a stroller.
Baby Carrier- This is very specific for a certain age of child and obviously based on parent opinion but I’ll just share my experience. I have taken two of my children to Disney World as newborns and if you are doing the same, I’m happy to talk about this in more detail, but a baby carrier made both of those experiences manageable and enjoyable. With one of my children, I used an Ergo, and with the other, I used a Solly Wrap, and the Ergo is definitely my preference for that much baby wearing. But it’s not my newborns that caused me to add this to the list. We recently went to Disney with our one year old and I didn’t take the Ergo because I assumed he would either ride in the stroller, walk, or be carried for short amounts of time. But, there were times when he was asleep or needed to be contained and our stroller was in stroller parking or folded up (in lines, or restaurants, or on Disney transportation) and I really wished I had thrown it in the bottom of the stroller. We’re headed to Disneyland soon and I will be taking our Ergo.
Sunglasses- This seems obvious but after forgetting my sunglasses and paying a stupid price for a pair in a Disney gift shop on way more than one occasion, I feel like they should be on the list.
Sunscreen- Also seems obvious but if you forget it and have to buy it on Disney property, you’ll hate the price tag. Trust me. ha!
Hand Sanitizer- No one wants to get sick at Disney (But if you do, call me. I’ve been there and I can help with that.) so having a small hand sanitizer in your bag is always a good idea.
Prepackaged snacks- Disney is GREAT about letting you bring in your own food and drink. They don’t allow you to bring in alcohol or loose ice cubes (you can use ice packs instead), but other than that, you’re good to go. I love to have a few snacks in my bag to hand my kids while we’re waiting in a line or to hold them over until a dining reservation, etc. (If you want to have snacks but you don’t want to pack them, let’s talk about getting you set up with a grocery delivery straight to your resort. This is great for snacks, drinks, diapers, feminine products, even toiletries- anything that might take up too much room in your luggage.)
Power Strip- You’re going to have lots of things to charge in your hotel room- phones, portable chargers, magic bands, etc. Maybe too many things for the number of outlets in your room. A power strip really is a game changer.
Ziplock bags- It’s a good idea to throw a few of these in your bag for each park day. Your kid hasn’t eaten their chicken tenders but it’s time to go? Throw them in a ziplock. You bought one popcorn but you want to split it between three kids? Ziplocks. Your kid buys a toy with a bunch of little parts? Ziplock. I could keep going but you get the idea.
Extra Batteries and Bubbles- Stroller fans, bubble wands, and souvenir toys often run out of batteries and send you searching Disney gift shops for a new set. Though you can find them, they’re hard to find, they cost a pretty penny, and they’re a brand that doesn’t last long. I would recommend having a few AA and AAA batteries in your bag. Also, if you think your child will want a bubble wand (they are everywhere and have been the top souvenir choice for all four of my kids at a certain age), you should throw a bottle of bubbles in your bag. Those wands run out very quickly and buying the refill container (you guessed it) costs way more on Disney property.
Straws- Disney loves the environment so they’ve gone to all paper straws. If you’re like me and any other reasonable person, you may love the environment but you don’t love drinking from mushy paper. ha! Tons of people take reusable straws to Disney but I like to take a bag of disposable plastic straws.
Water bottles- This is a personal preference. Tons of people recommend taking a water bottle to Disney but with six people in my family, I feel like they take up too much space. Most Disney quick service restaurants and food kiosks will give you as many free cups of water as you need. We prefer to stop for free water when we need it and then toss our cups so we don’t have to keep up with them.
Sippy Cup- While I don’t personally recommend water bottles, I do recommend taking an empty sippy cup if you have a toddler. It’s so much easier to pour their free water (or whatever drink) into their sippy cup than to hand them a cup they’re likely to spill.
Backpack and/or Sling bag- When we go to Disney, we take two bags each day- my husband wears a backpack and I wear a sling bag (Kavu). We don’t like having to leave anything in our stroller so we take bags that we can easily and comfortably wear. If we can’t fit something in those two bags, we don’t take it.
Detergent Pods/dryer sheets- All Disney resorts have laundry facilities and though you may not plan to use them, you may run into a situation that changes your plans (rain storm, sickness, blowout, etc.) It is helpful to throw a few detergent pods and dryer sheets of your preferred brands into your luggage in case you run into one of these situations. They do sell laundry detergent on site but you don’t get a choice in brand and you’ll pay more than you prefer to pay.
Sound Machine- Whether you sleep with one at home or not, this can be helpful when multiple people are sharing a hotel room. If you don’t have space to pack your actual sound machine, there are apps for that.
Swimsuits- No matter the time of year, your kids will probably want to swim in your resort pool. Disney does heat their pools and it is often warm enough to swim even in the winter months. We have taken winter trips where we didn’t pack suits and I regretted it. Since then, I always take swimsuits and we have had great swimming experiences in November and February on our last two trips.
Medicine- Definitely definitely take Tylenol or ibuprofen for both adults and children in your bag to the parks. You will 100% need it for someone. But I’d also recommend taking as many over the counter meds (and obviously any prescription meds) as you can think of and/or can fit in your luggage. It’s so nice to have something for allergies or an upset stomach, etc. if the need arises.
MagicBand+- Now, you don’t have to have a MagicBand+ to have a successful Disney trip- I am happy to talk pros/cons and other options with you- but if you decide to buy them, please don’t forget them! You’ll be so sad! This is on the list as a reminder.
Bit Belt- If you do decide to order a MagicBand+ for everyone in your family, I strongly encourage you to also order these. They will help the MagicBands stay on and this is especially helpful (necessary) for children.
Labeled Park Tickets- If you decide to use physical park tickets (they look like gift cards) instead of MagicBand+ or your smart phone or watch, I suggest labeling them with each person’s name or initials so you will easily know which ticket matches which fingerprint when entering the parks each time. Now if you purchase your tickets separately from your room, you will receive them in the mail and you can label them ahead of time (remember to take them with you!) but if you purchase your park tickets within a resort package, you will not receive them in the mail. If you still want them, they will give them to you at the gate when you enter the park. In this scenario, I would recommend taking a sharpie in your bag so you can label them after receiving them. A few quick tips here: If you happen to forget your tickets or lose your tickets, let me know. We can fix it. And also, when you are scanning your ticket to enter the park each time, each person with a ticket will be required to also place one finger in a fingerprint scanner. This keeps people from using stolen tickets or MagicBands. As long as the same finger is used each time the ticket is scanned, it doesn’t actually matter who the finger belongs to. If you have small children or children who would struggle with this in some way, you can use your finger for their fingerprint. And finally, if you choose to use physical park tickets, you will need to access them frequently. In my opinion, the two best ways to do this are to dedicate one specific pocket to them on a sling bag (the top, front pouch on a Kavu bag is the perfect size) or use a lanyard and wear them around your neck. Either way, it seems to work better to have one person keep up with the tickets for the whole family.
Ears- Now this is just for fun but if you want to purchase Minnie or Mickey ears for your trip, I have an Etsy shop I love and highly recommend. Their ears are super cute and super comfortable- much more comfortable and significantly cheaper than the ones you can buy on Disney property.
My Phone Number- Memorize it! ha! 501-804-0444- If ANYTHING goes wrong or you have a question or need help in any way, please let me know. There is always a solution for every problem and I am more than happy to help.
And that’s my list! If you made it this far and there’s an item you expected to see on the list but didn’t, ask me about it! Maybe I don’t think it’s necessary- and I’ll tell you why- or maybe you’ve thought of something I haven’t! I love feedback from clients because it helps me to better serve both you AND future clients. And on that note, if you think of an item or tip after your trip, I’d love to know!
Last but not least, if you have a specific need in your family like food allergies or dietary restrictions, a disability or special need of any kind (even something like anxiety or ADHD that you might not think to tell me), you are traveling with a newborn, or if you will be pumping or nursing on your trip, I’ve been there. I have tips and lots of info for these scenarios. Let’s talk.
Have fun!
-Rachel
***Updated 5/11/23