Our packing guide summarizes what travel essentials you should pack to have a comfortable vacation at Disney, or anywhere else you choose to go! Included is a downloadable list as well as a guide to other recommended travel necessities.
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Packing Cubes
I love using packing cubes. They keep everything organized and save room in your suitcase. Once you arrive at your hotel, they can slide right into drawers keeping your clothing clean and organized throughout the trip. For the kids, you can organize cubes by individual outfits, or by clothing type. Our favorite brand of packing accessories is Eagle Creek, but you can find less expensive options like the ones shown here as well. Some types of packing cubes offer the option of compression, which squeezes all the air out of the bag and makes more room in your suitcase.
Power strip
Hotel rooms never have enough charging ports for our family, so we always bring a charging strip or tower. Just don’t forget to bring all the charging cords necessary for all of your devices.
Good walking shoes
Almost every Disney park day we have had, we track 8-10 miles. We are a non stop -rope drop until closing sort of family, but most visitors will walk at least a few miles every day. So be prepared with the right footwear.
My favorites have always been Sketcher memory foams. but my teen daughter loves her hightops. My husband and son wear regular gym shoes. Just avoid sandals and flip flops unless you’ve worn them for multiple miles without issue in the past.
Pro Tip: Ladies, don’t get a pedicure right before your trip, unless you ask them to skip the part where they file the calluses from the bottom of your feet and toes. I finally discovered why I was always prone to blisters despite wearing my best walking shoes – I always got a pedi right before vacation. Now I either do it myself or ask them to skip that part.
Visor or Ball Cap (and/or mouse ears!)
Whatever your preference, it will be helpful to have some sort of hat to block the sun on your face. I prefer visors, but I know many of you will want your mouse ears on! If you chooses to have ears, I would still bring a visor or hat for pool days and/or if you’re getting too much sun. Either way you will be well prepared.
Sunglasses
My favorites are Maui Jims. They are super lightweight and comfortable and never cause me headaches. They are high quality, scratch resistant and also polarized. Of course there are always less expensive options available, but I always find they give me headaches and I end up replacing them so many times, I should have just purchased the better quality ones. Most of the time you get what you pay for. But I will say for younger children it makes sense to buy the less expensive options.
Autograph Book
Even if you have already gotten signatures from all the princesses and the Fab 5, we have found that every time we go to the parks, we see someone new. Be prepared with your autograph book, as well as a larger sized pen – some characters have trouble gripping small pens.
Pressed Penny Book
One of our visits, our kids had so much fun finding all the pressed penny machines throughout the parks and loved to sit and examine their collection and organize them in these books. They are great memorabilia items and cost a lot less than most souveniers in Disney parks.
Cooling Items
We always bring a portable fan; the ones that hang around your neck are ideal. If you have a stroller, remember to clip one to the stroller frame and point it into the stroller. Also, a cooling towel could be beneficial especially during the summers.
Laundry Bags
We like to bring one for each of us so that all of the dirty laundry at the end of the trip isn’t stuffed into one bag. Pop up hampers work well in hotel rooms too.
Rain Jacket/Poncho
We have recommendations for both. For the rain jacket, we recommend Charles River. We purchased a different colored one for each member of the family a few years ago when we went camping and white water rafting down the Grand Canyon and these are the best. Ponchos are also a great option as they take up less room in your bag, but also can go over your backpack to keep that dry as well. These mini-umbrellas take up the least amount of room, but provide the least amount of protection should a heavy, blowing rain storm arrive. Whichever option you choose, purchase it ahead of your trip. If you wait until you need it in the park, you will pay a premium, or get very wet.
Water bottles
We always recommend these as we are not fans of the taste of Florida water. The Brita filters keep the water tasting perfect and we just refill them with free ice water from counter service restaurants, or refill them at the water bottle filling stations throughout the parks.
Wipes
So, not a very exciting item, but very useful to have on hand. My kids are teenagers, and I still always carry antibacterial wipes, as well as regular wipes in my bag. I’m known to be the lady passing them out on the plane to passengers sitting next to us. The trays and seatbelts are never cleaned. And in the parks, the tables at quick service restaurants almost always need a wipe down, especially during the busy seasons. In addition to hand sanitizer, wipes are portable and beneficial to have in your park bag.
Children’s Activities
When the kids were younger, I loved to put together activity bags for the kids and surprise them on the morning of our vacation. I would include themed toys and activities like these that would provide hours of entertainment. For less expensive options, we have found that the Dollar store often has Disney items, like coloring books and toys. They also sell glow sticks, which are great to hand out at fireworks time. The key is to keep kids occupied during down time, and purchasing just a few new items for kids before a trip can help. Also, make sure to have plenty of snacks on hand as well. You can have groceries delivered to your hotel room and even Amazon delivers.
Pro Tip: Download the Play Disney Parks App before your trip. There are tons of interactive park experiences and games for all ages. It can make standing in line more bearable and adds to the fun.
Pro Tip: In Epcot, our kids loved playing the Duck Tales World Showcase Adventure (formerly Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure), which can now be accesssed through the Play Disney Parks App. In 7 of the 11 countries, they can choose a mission, where they will be directed to various locations scavenger hunt-style, where, if directions are followed, they will unlock an interactive component in the park. It’s a great way for kids to learn and have even more fun in the park.
Backpack or park bag
Find all my recommendations for best backpacks here.
Downloadable Packing List