While at Disney, I received so many questions about what I brought into the parks each day. Let me start by saying that during our trip my kids were 9, 6, and 4. So This post is really geared towards that age group. We also traveled to Disney World in February, so it was not hot and humid during our visit. If you are going in the spring and summer months (good luck my friend!) be prepared to bring cooling towels and small misting fans to help you stay cool. The one day that reached a high of 82 degrees during our trip was HOT! It wasn’t humid and it quickly cooled down for us, so I didn’t need to bring those items. Just be warned.
PRO TIP: Let’s talk about security at Disney. As of the time this blog post goes live, Disney has you walk through a security metal detector and they do not search your bag if you do not set it off. But if it beeps, you have to have your bag searched by a cast member. While we were there, here are the items (I think!) set it off: insulated water bottle, sunscreen spray bottle, and a hard case for glasses. The first two days I kept setting off the alarm, and at Disney, every minute counts! I hated spending time getting my bag searched. Since we had a stroller (more on that below) each morning whatever I thought might set off the alarm I removed from my backpack and placed in the lower basket of the stroller, then walk through security with my backpack with no problems. If you are NOT bringing a stroller into the parks I recommend a plastic water bottle and leaving anything hard metal at home.
Alright, so here is what I brought into the Disney World parks every single day:
#1 Backpack. I got asked a ton if you really need a backpack and I honestly cannot imagine going to Disney without it. You need a place to hold your sunscreen, water bottle, snacks, phone, and phone chargers. My husband wore a fanny pack (love you babe!) each day and was fine with just that EXCEPT he stored his water bottle in our stroller or put it in my backpack. You will get stuck in lines and need a drink, or your kid will suddenly need a bandaid or a snack….so a backpack for at least one member of your party is a must. It really didn’t bother me to wear my backpack every day. As a mom of three I’m used to carrying ALL THE THINGS. Also, all of the rides either have a compartment where you can place your bag during the ride to secure it or you have space to hold it by your feet. Loop the strap around your leg if you are nervous about it falling out. I really like the particular backpack I brought, especially the small front zip section and the water bottle holders on each side.
#2 Sunglasses. Bring back ups. My husband lost a pair at Disney and my 9 year old and I each broke a pair.
#3 Insulated Water Bottle. Isn’t this one cute? You can get cups of water at any quick service restaurant at Disney for free. I recommend bringing one water bottle per person filled with ice water and then re-filling it with quick service water as needed. Our family of 5 drinks a TON of water so I had several water bottles in the bottom of our stroller.
#4 Sunscreen. Don’t forget this! We wear sunscreen year round (and you should too). This is my absolute favorite go-to brand. We have a child with sensitive skin and this is the best. I love this travel pack because there is something for everyone. I prefer the Play Everyday lotion on myself and my kids like the mousse.
#5 Portable Phone Chargers. Thanks to Genie+ and mobile ordering, you will be on your phone a lot! These re-charged my phone super fast!
#6 Gallon Sized Ziploc Bags. I tossed 2-3 of these in my backpack each day to hold any uneaten snacks and lollipops while we were there. Super helpful!
#7 Lip Balm with Sunscreen. In several of the parks there isn’t a lot of shade, so you MUST wear sunscreen….so don’t forget about your lips!
#8 Masks. At the time this post goes live, Disney World and Disneyland require you to wear a mask whenever you use Disney transportation (bus, skyliner, boat, monorail). If you are unvaccinated, you must also wear a mask any time you are indoors at Disney. While we were there we had to wear them any time we were inside. We wore these and found them to be the most comfortable of the KN95s we tried.
#9 Mask Lanyard. While you are at it, grab a lanyard for your mask for easy on and off.
#10 Hand Sanitizer. Plan to bring your own because the Disney sanitizer stations were often empty.
#11 Baby Wipes. Even if you don’t have a baby, you NEED these. I always have wipes with me for sticky hands and faces. Bring double what you think you’ll need.
#12 Rent a Stroller. The number one thing I was asked was “do I need to bring a stroller?” And my answer is yes, for kids ages 6 and under you absolutely need a stroller. We flew to Disney from Michigan and didn’t want to bring our stroller with us, so I rented one and it was really easy. We walked 20-25k steps per day in the parks and there was no way my 4 year old would have been able to keep up. And my 6 year old really couldn’t either. We had a great experience renting a stroller from Kingdom Strollers. They dropped the stroller off at my hotel (at a time I picked…you do have to be present to pick up) and it included a drink caddy, rain cover, and an insulated cooler for snacks/drinks. They also picked it up from my hotel. It was so easy and seamless! HOWEVER. You have to break down your stroller if you are riding on a Disney bus…so prepare yourself. This was a hassle. We did not have to break it down to ride on the friendship boats and it was awesome. I cannot speak to policies for the other Disney transportation services since we didn’t use them with a stroller. You can rent a stroller from Disney once you arrive to the parks…but they didn’t look very comfortable to me. The seats were hard plastic. Plus, that’s another line you’ll need to wait in! I also attached these to my stroller to make it stand out a little bit in a sea of strollers.
#13 Hydro Seal Bandaids. And regular bandaids too (these are my favorite!). I brought these with me in case anyone got a blister on their heel or toe. Thankfully we only had one blister (toe) for my 6 year old and she said these bandaids were awesome!
#14 Foot Glide. This was something that was recommend to me and I think it helped! I rubbed it on my feet and on the kids feet before putting our socks on to help prevent blisters.
#15 Snacks! Pack your own snacks to save a little time and money. When my kids were hungry they wanted a snack RIGHT NOW so it was helpful to have some of their go-to favorites packed in my bag. A lot of people recommend packing your own lunches too. We didn’t do that and found it was fine as long as we had snacks.
#16 Glow Sticks! These are so fun for kids once the park gets dark. I highly recommend attaching several to the handle bar of your stroller so you can easily identify your stroller at night. Cast Members often move strollers around and these make it super easy to find in the dark.
#17 Rain Ponchos for Kids and Adults. I had these in the bottom of our stroller just in case it ever rained. We were SO lucky and didn’t even need to open them, but they are a MUST if you are traveling to Disney. Orlando weather can be unpredictable and it rains frequently. The ponchos in the park are crazy expensive. I like that these were lightweight and could be tossed in the trash at the end of our trip. But again, we didn’t end up even opening them.
#18 Not Pictured: A change of clothes. If you plan to ride any rides where you get wet (splash mountain) either plan to wear your poncho or bring a change of clothes. I also recommend bringing a complete change of clothes (undies, shorts, shirt, socks) for any child under the age of 5….accidents happen.
So that’s it! I’ll share later this week what I wore in the parks (including my amazing shoes!) so stay tuned!
