Disney Packing Tips

What to pack when visiting Disney World

There can be so much involved when packing for your Disney World trip. Not only do you have to think about what to pack for kids in general, you now have to also think about what to pack for 12 hour days at an amusement park as well as spending your time in extremely humid weather. Yes of course time of year will add a few variables but let's face it, the majority of the year in Florida includes high levels of humidity and heat. So how to you make sure you include all things needed to make an enjoyable trip. Here are some essentials I pack for my family on our Disney World Trips.

1) Handheld fans - Even if it is not the heat levels of late summer, it can still be nice to have access to circulating air when you are in enormous crowds. I make sure to pack 1 fan for each member of the family so there is no fighting over them. You can find small sized, powerful fans on places like amazon. Here is a link to the one I use most:

2) Ponchos - Being that Florida is a tropical state, it can rain a lot of times throughout the year and unfortunately hurricane season can be quite long. Even if you check the weather report and it is not calling for rain, it is better to era on the side of caution and through in some ponchos, just in case. I personally prefer the thicker, reusable ones to the disposable cheap ones. The cheaper ones feel more like cling wrap and definitely seem to stick to everything.

3) Good water bottles - the nice thing about Disney World is they will give your free cups of ice water almost anywhere. You can go to quick service and ask for as many cups of water as you need. However, it is difficult to carry around open water cups and expect them not to spill everywhere...especially with young ones. I find it much easier to bring a good water bottle for each family member to dump the cups into. They will also stay cooler this way if you have a metal or some sort of cooling bottle. I also like to fill them and keep them in the mini fridge over night to have a cold water to start our day.

4) Quick drying clothes - With the humidity and potential for daily rain showers, it can be really hard for clothing to stay dry. If you end up wearing denim in the summer time, you can be in wet clothes the entire day and it can start to feel extremely heavy and hot. It can be ok some summer nights to where jean shorts if you head back to the parks after the sun goes down, but remember there is still always the chance for rain.

5) Extra pairs of shoes - Sometimes your shoes will always get drenched and will not dry over night. Nothing is worse then slipping your feet into wet shoes first thing in the morning. It can also be good to rotate shoes so that your feet have a rest from each pair. I also suggest bring some sort of water proof shoe that you can wear on a day with total downpour. This was an absolute lifesaver for me and my family when we happen to be there during a hurricane.

6) Extra clothes - if you are not staying in a villa with laundry in the room, it will most likely be really difficult to find time to do laundry unless you plan for rest days. We know that sometimes you have to change a kids clothes often so it is always good to have an extra pair on hand. If you take a mid day break, it can feel gross to go back out in the same sweaty, potentially wet clothes you wore the first half of the day. I know this will add to how much you pack but trust me, we will be thankful in the end. The biggest extra thing to bring of course is underwear!!!

7) Iphone card case - this one was a new one I used last trip and it was so great! I could keep my license, credit card, room key and even money in the slot on the back and just keep my iphone in my pocket instead of carrying a purse.

8) Fanny pack or side bag - This is a great alternative to or addition to the iphone card case. A small back that can sit on your waste or over your chest/back can be nice when you want to bring a few more things then your phone and credit card. I like to use this to keep sanitizer, small thing of wipes or tissues in there.

9) Autograph book - ok this is one you can buy when you get to the parks but you can also get one ahead of time online. Trust me when I say your kids will want to get autographs from the characters they meet. This is one of the fondest memories I have from my Disney vacations as a kid and something my kids always remind me about when we pack up for our Disney adventures. We even have to bring one to Aulani when we visit.

10) Iphone travel charger - This is a very key item to have on your Disney World trip. When you are in the parks you will probably being using your phone a ton and your battery will die quickly. It is very handy to have a personal charger to use just in case. There are stations at the park where you can purchase and swap chargers. This is definitely an option but I have found that they die much quicker then the one I purchased on amazon. It can also be good to have multiple chargers if you plan to stay from rope drop to close or you have multiple people in the party who might need a charger.

11) Mickey Ears - Yes you can absolutely buy these at the park. They do have a ton of options at the park and they are super cute but can be quite pricey. If you want to wear different ears everyday or you just don't feel like paying the Disney park prices then you can easily pick up a few pairs on amazon or another website.