The Top 15 Packing Essentials for Your Next Walt Disney World Vacation
I hate packing. I do, I hate it. I hate packing for overnight trips, I hate packing for long trips, I hate packing to move. I. Hate. Packing. That said, it is a necessity, and it is especially important for Disney vacations. Walt Disney World, especially, is a MASSIVE place. You will be far from home and far from many things, like cheap groceries and clothes that don’t cost the same as a mortgage payment. Of course, now you can order things, which makes things a little easier, but if you’re like me, you’d rather just do it right the first time. May I present 15 Packing Essentials to help make your Walt Disney World vacation more comfortable!
15. Lysol
How to say this….many of your hotel situations will involve just one bathroom. And in close quarters. Disney generally involves a lot of eating. And….. so anyway, I’ve always brought a travel can of Lysol to store in the bathroom. Everybody does it….
14. Hand Sanitizer
Honestly, if you weren’t already using this in the parks…..EW! Have you ever thought about what you’re touching?!?!?!?
13. Extra Deodorant
I like to throw this in my bag and take it into the park with me. Sometimes, you smell people. I like to make sure that I never walk by someone and become the topic of their conversation (well, because of my scent, at least).
12. Travel Face Wipes
Along those lines, I also like to put these in my bag. Washing my face throughout the day makes me feel SO much better as I continue to sweat.
11. Light Jacket/Sweatshirt/Hoodie
While it is 300 Kelvin outside, some of the restaurants and shows are -400F. Initially this can feel really good. Then, once your sweat freezes to your skin, you’re shivering and miserable and you cannot enjoy your $59 steak at Le Cellier. Stick a hoodie in your bag and you’ll always be fine!
10. OTC/RX Medications
Don’t forget your medications. Prescriptions can be a little challenging to deal with away from home. And don’t forget the OTC things, like Advil, allergy meds, etc. Yes, this is all free at First Aid Stations (HIGHLY endorse them, they were incredibly helpful during
someone’s unexpected lady days), but what about when you have aches and pains in your hotel room at 3am? Having these in your room will be a life saver, especially when you see that 20 pack of Advil in the hotel gift shop for $57.99. And don’t forget moleskin/bandaids in case you get blisters!
9. Epsom Salts/Compression Socks
Sometimes you might swell up from dehydration and the heat (don’t drink Dasani, they add salt to the water which then dehydrates you faster. Oh and Disney sells Dasani). A nice soak
in some Epsom Salt can make feet go back to normal size and also feels really good! Unfortunately, though, a lot of the latest refurbishments have eliminated bathtubs. Not to worry! Just get some knee-high compression socks! Put these beauties on and put your feet up.
8. Extra Plastic Bags, Assorted Sizes
Stick some baggies in your park bag to keep electronics dry on water rides (or through heavy rains, RIP Halloween candy), stick wet bathing suits
in a baggie to get them home without them getting everything else wet, pack your toiletries in giant baggies so your conditioner doesn’t get all over your favorite tank top you JUST got from Etsy.
7. Cooling Towels/Personal Fan
The summer in Florida is the surface of the sun. I know this because we usually go in July or August. Teenagers can’t miss school as easily as younger kids, so there ya have it. Anyway, so you get these cooling towels, get em wet, ring em out, and VOILA! You have a cooling device! The towels we currently use can double as a headwrap/bandana, which is really nice because keeping your head cool helps the rest of you out. BONUS TIP: a cheap personal fan also is nice to have.
6. Reusable Straws
So Disney is trying to do the right thing and reduce their carbon footprint. YAY DISNEY! Unfortunately, this means paper straws. I don’t know
about you, but paper straws just don’t cut it for my super thick milkshake. So bring some reusable straws! There are tons of them: metal, silicone, bendable, straight, bamboo, whatever you fancy. Get them in many colors and each family member can easily keep track of which one is theirs. You can also get a cleaning brush and wash them in the sink in your room each night.
5. Sunscreen/Sunglasses
The Sunshine State, y’all. It’s not ironic. The sun is bright, the sun is hot, and there is really not that much shade at Hollywood Studios or World Showcase. You need Sunglasses. And probably extra sunglasses. I left my prescription sunglasses in the hotel one morning and ended up dropping $25 on Mickey Mouse sunglasses. My mom’s sunglasses grew legs and walked away one morning, so she, too, had to get some Mickey sunglasses. And you should wear sunscreen anyway. Cancer is bad.
4. Body Glide/Gold Bond
So this one, you may be saying “what in the world?” Why is this one of the 15 packing essentials? But listen, not all of us have been blessed with a thigh gap. And some of us just don’t enjoy the boob sweat and boob chafe. Body glide is GREAT to keep the thighs from starting a friction fire and Gold Bond keeps certain areas cool and dry (your unmentionables). The Gold Bond powder also provides cool relief at the end of a day of walking and sweating. Trust me, you’re going to need it.
3. Extra Shoes/Flip Flops
Like I said, it’s going to rain. The last time I went to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, a tropical storm rolled through and those shoes were soaking wet for a
week. Thankfully, I had two more pairs of shoes and a pair of sandals in my suitcase.
2. Cheap Ponchos/Light Foldable Umbrella
So many thoughts. First of all, they DO sell ponchos in the parks. But for the price of one pretty poncho with Mickey Mouse, you can get a 20-pack on Amazon. It pretty much is guaranteed to rain at least once on your vacation, especially in summer (it will literally rain every single day in the summer) but it usually (NOT ALWAYS) passes by quickly. When you get yourself a 20-pack, you can use it, take it off when the rain passes, and just throw it away. NO CARRYING WET PONCHOS. Me, personally, I hate ponchos. So I stick an umbrella in my bag. If it is raining REALLY hard, I will pull out a cheap poncho, but not usually.
1. Portable Battery Pack
You’re gonna use your phone. You’re gonna take photos and videos, you’re going to post to social media, you’re going to buy things, you’re going to use My Disney Experience. Your battery will last about 15 minutes. Get a charger. You won’t regret it!
So there you have it. My tried and true top 15 packing essentials! Did I miss anything?!