If you google “Walt Disney World Packing List” you can find hundreds of blog posts, articles, and printable lists. Most of these will list similar (and sometimes obvious) items to pack away in your suitcase.
When coming up with our Disney World packing list, we figured we didn’t need to remind you to pack underwear and socks. Therefore, we divided our list up into some new and exciting categories that you may not think to cover.
We have also linked as many of these items as possible in an Amazon list, found here.
Packing to Go Green at Walt Disney World
This section of our packing list is dedicated to the traveler who likes to be as “green” as possible while traveling. Walt Disney World is known for their focus on sustainability and environmental awareness. For instance they use solar panels, no plastic straws, buses that run on clean energy, the list goes on and on. So it’s fun to feel like you are doing your part while visiting the parks.
Here are a few items to remember to bring with you:
- Refillable water bottles- There are water fountains and bottle refill stations throughout all 4 parks. Make sure to bring a water bottle if you want to avoid purchasing plastic water bottles. Refillable is definitely the way to go and it’s a great money saver.
- Re-usable utensils- We find these especially awesome to have during any of EPCOT’s festivals (Food and Wine, Festival of the Arts, Festival of the Holidays, or Flower and Garden Festival). You can use them as you hop from food booth to food booth instead of using a new set of plastic cutlery every single time.
- Reusable Straws- Disney only uses paper straws, so if they are not your favorite, we recommend bringing your own to the parks. We love the ones on our list because they come in a super convenient carrying case.
- Reusable Grocery Bag- If you want to avoid the single use plastic bags while purchasing your souvenirs in the parks, we love the convenience of a re-usable grocery bag. This works especially well with the ones that are foldable and can easily fit into a small purse!
Don’t Forget to Pack Tech Necessities
Here are some of our favorite tech accessories to pack for your day in the theme parks!
- External battery pack- When in the theme parks you’ll be using the “My Disney Experience” app, taking photos, or playing “heads up” to pass the time while waiting for an attraction. Most guests tend to run their phone batteries down rather quickly.
We recommend a small but powerful external battery pack to make sure you don’t lose your battery while in the parks. There are a variety of chargers available out there. Make sure to remember to charge them in the evening with your mobile devices after a busy day in the parks.
Additionally, Walt Disney World does have Fuel-Rod brand stations throughout each park (and some resorts). You can exchange your empty Fuel-Rod for a fully charged one for a small fee.
- Night Light- If you are traveling with little ones, we recommend bringing a small plug in night light to help everyone see better in the middle of the night.
- Waterproof Phone Case- If you are planning on capturing some footage on Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids, we recommend bringing a waterproof phone case. You can easily stick your phone in the case to capture that footage without damaging your phone!
- Disposable Cameras- This low-tech option is a fun twist on capturing your Disney memories. Give each family member a disposable camera at the beginning of the trip and enjoy those awesome candids when you get home!
Pack to Stay Comfortable at Disney World
There is nothing worse that trying to make your way from Frontierland to Main Street U.S.A. with a brand new blister from your sneakers. This could also easily happen when walking around in wet clothes after a particularly soaked ride on Splash Mountain. Here are a few suggestions for staying cool and comfortable in the parks:
- Cooling Towels- If you are traveling to Walt Disney World any time from Spring through late Fall and want to beat that summer heat, a cooling towel can make a huge difference.
- USB rechargeable fan- We love this rechargeable personal fan to help stay cool.
- Moleskin/Band-Aids- We always keep both of these in our park bag in case of a sudden blister!
- Change of Clothes- No one likes to walk around in soaking wet clothes after a ride on Kali River Rapids! We like to pack a change of clothes in plastic bags to they are easily transferrable from one bag to another.
The other alternative is to always pick up a couple of cheap disposable ponchos to throw on before boarding the water rides. You can usually pick up a few at a local dollar type store to keep in your backpack.
- Bug Spray and Sunscreen–Whatever you do, don’t forget the sunscreen. Even on cloudy days you can easily pick up a nasty sunburn before you know it. This could easily put a big damper on your vacation.
- Flip Flops- In case your sneakers get wet!
Packing Food and Drinks to Take to the Disney Parks
We all know that Disney has the food and drink thing covered. But here are a few things we think you still may need to bring with you
- Gum- There is NO gum sold on Walt Disney World Property (to help keep the parks looking perfectly polished and clean!). So if you like to chew gum, make sure to pack it!
- Favorite Kid’s Snacks- We all know that children can be picky when it comes to food. Therefore, we suggest packing some of their favorite go-to snacks with you to avoid a low blood sugar meltdown
- Foldable Cooler with Ice Packs- If you want to keep your drinks or snacks cold in the parks, make sure to bring your own foldable cooler. And even more importantly, bring a few ice packs. Walt Disney World does not allow coolers with loose ice in the parks.
- Wine/Bottle opener- If you plan on having beer or wine delivered to your hotel from your favorite grocery delivery company, make sure to pack an opener. Most standard hotel rooms do not come equipped with one!
Pack Your Own Souvenirs to Bring To Disney World
While its fun to shop and maybe splurge on some souvenirs at the Walt Disney World Resort, there are a few items that we like to bring from home. These items can be a big cost saver versus purchasing expensive comparable items in the park!
- Autograph Books (don’t forget your clickable sharpies for character autographs!)
- Bubble Wands
- Glow Sticks/ Glow Wands
It’s really hard to say no to your children when they roll out the carts of glowing toys or every other child around you has a bubble wand. And when character meet and greets return you don’t want to be that one parent in line without an autograph book. Buying these things in advance will not only make you more prepared, but it will save you money in the long run.
Well, there you have it, from bottle openers to Band-Aids and bubble wands, those are a few of our must-haves for your packing list at Walt Disney World. We hope you find this list helpful when getting ready for your own trip to the Disney parks!
This article was contributed by our very own Jessica Streeter. If you would like to learn more about planning a Disney Vacation, she will do an excellent job. Not only will she work hard to get all of your must do reservations secured, but she’s got plenty of insider tips as well! Contact Jessica here to learn more.
For other articles by Jessica check out the following:
- Tips for Traveling with Toddlers to Disney World
- Packing Tips to Simplify Your Disney Vacation
- Kid-Friendly Restaurants at Disney World
For more Walt Disney World planning check out our other resort reviews:
- Disney’s Copper Creek Deluxe Studios
- Deluxe Studio Room at Animal Kingdom’s Jambo House
- A Review of a Deluxe Studio Room at Disney’s Riviera
- Disney World Resorts List
We hope you enjoyed our Disney packing list that included a few items that you probably wouldn’t think about! Leave a comment and let us know your must pack items for Disney!
