Are you feeling overwhelmed trying to think of all things to pack for your next Disney parks vacation? No problem! Let me help you start your list of must have items. These are all things that we packed on our last trip and were really glad that we did. I personally purchased a majority of my list from Amazon and I’ll share those links below. Here are 8 things you’ll be glad you included in your suitcase….
*Please note* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may earn a commission from a purchase made through an amazon link. You are not going to pay more for the product through this link, the price is exactly the same for you regardless of how you get there. I will only suggest products that I have personally used or have researched and would use with my family on our travels.
1. External battery/charging pack for phones– While it’s handy using the Genie+ system when visiting the parks, visitors are also finding their phone batteries are depleting faster than expected with the increased usage. My personal preference for a portable charger is a Fuel Rod (commissions earned). These chargers are slim and come with an extra set of cables and adapters. Are you ready for the best part?! Once you’ve used up the battery on your portable Fuel Rod, you can swap it at a designated kiosk (looks like a vending machine) for a fully charged Fuel Rod….FOR FREE! There are a few of these kiosks in each of the parks and at Disney Springs. We had a pack of two that we recharged each night and we never ran out during our park days.
2. Bit Belts (commissions earned)- If you plan on using Magic Band+, you’re going to need one of these little guys! These things are the only reason we didn’t lose any of our magic bands. The biggest complaint that visitors have for the Magic Band+ is that it comes unbuckled so easily and falls off your wrist. There are countless reports of people losing their magic bands while at the parks. These little bit belts will hold your magic band in place even if it comes unbuckled. I looked down countless times to see my magic band was loose and only being held on by my bit belt. These are an absolute must!
3. Charging Station– We brought our charging station from home and found this super helpful when trying to charge all of our devices back at the hotel room. Remember, if you’re using Magic Bands+, you’re going to need to charge them as well!
4. Moleskin– These handy dandy little pads are great for covering over blisters or areas that may be rubbing on your shoes. If you buy the strip of Moleskin(commissions earned), make sure you bring scissors (not allowed in parks) to cut pieces off. It’s a little bit more expensive, but you can also purchase Moleskin that is already cut into individual pieces.
Keep in mind that you will probably be walking close to about 20,000 steps per day. There is a good chance that your feet are going to HURT. Remember to pack comfortable shoes and perhaps a second pair of shoes to change it up in case the original pair start to bother your feet.
4. Backpack– You’re definitely going to want to have a backpack of some sort to hold items for the park. My favorite bag to carry is the WATERFLY crossbody sling backpack(commissions earned). I’ve carried this bag through national parks, playgrounds, festivals, and now at all of the Disney parks. It’s small, but big enough to carry the essentials. It held a couple of water bottles (one on the exterior and one on the interior), my wallet, keys, etc., and my cellphone in the chest pocket. I had no problem going on all of the rides with my backpack, I usually placed it on the floor next to my feet. This of course is all about personal preference and what you’re comfortable carry items
5. Poncho(commissions earned) -These are great to throw on if it begins to rain, no one wants to walk around in wet clothes. They’re small and more compact than dragging rain gear with you to the parks. On a side note…we also wore these when we went to visit Universal Studios. It did not rain that day, but we did ride on Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges and Dudley-Do Right’s Rip Saw Falls. In case you haven’t been warned…you will get SOAKED on those rides. These ponchos did a great job at helping keep us dry and they’re cheaper than having to buy ponchos in a park!
6. Hand Soap– Some of the best packing advice I received for our last trip was to bring some hand soap with us for the hotel room. The soap they offer is just a small bar of face soap to wash hands with at the sink. It was so much more convenient to have some pump soap for the kids. If you don’t want to purchase before you get to the parks, you can buy some at a nearby Walmart or order it with your Instacart order that is delivered right to your hotel.
7. Glow Sticks– These actually served two purposes while visiting the park at night. The kids loved making glow bracelets and necklaces to wear in the evening hours, but it also made it super easy to keep track of our children when they were glowing in the dark. They were also kind of heroes when they wore these on Space Mountain. Everyone in line loved the idea!
8. Rope Lights(commissions earned)- If you’re bringing a stroller, these are great! We wrapped the lights around the sides and front of our stroller to assist others in seeing it in the dark. It definitely helped us be seen and prevented people from tripping over the stroller. We were also able to find our stroller in the dark after we parked it for rides. This handy version happens to come with a remote to turn it on and change the light modes.
I know it can seem overwhelming and there are hundreds of “must have packing lists” out there, but try not to stress too much over what to pack. All of these items are suggested items to help make your trip easier, but they aren’t necessities. There’s pretty much a place to buy anything that you forget or realize you need while you’re visiting Orlando. There is a Walmart near by as well as drugstores like Walgreens and Instacart will make deliveries to your hotel for groceries and other items that you need (they may deliver to bell services). Pack what you know you have to bring (clothes, shoes, medications, etc.) and the rest is all extra. Relax and enjoy your trip!
