Walt Disney World Vacation Packing List

You booked your trip, made your dining reservations, started your countdown clock, and made your itinerary. Now it’s time to get packing! But what should you pack? Let me help you out with that by sharing my Walt Disney World Vacation Packing List.

Now, I won’t go into too many details about a lot of items on this list because I imagine you already know you need to pack clothes and toiletries. (But if you don’t, um, here’s a reminder.) I will share a few quick tips on the types of clothes you should consider and offer some suggestions on different places to buy Disney merchandise.

But there’s also a lot of things you might not think about but will make a day at the parks much more enjoyable!

Pssst…I’m including a link for you to download a free copy of my packing list!

Clothes

Let’s just get this one out of the way, shall we?

Obviously, you’ll need to pack clothes. I advise planning out your outfits for each day of your trip and packing a couple of extra for contingencies. Maybe the weather changes or something gets dirty, or you just change your mind. It never hurts to have a backup!

And no matter what time of year you decide to visit, you’ll probably want to pack shorts or other warm-weather clothing. Even in January, it’s not uncommon for the temperatures in Orlando to be in the low 70s during the day. If you’re visiting in the winter months, bring some long sleeves and pants for the evenings or in case the temps take a dip. But chances are, it’s going to be fairly warm. You can find Disney-themed shirts, accessories, and more at tons of stores like Kohl’s, Wal-Mart, Target, Hot Topic, or online at Etsy and Amazon.

Also, keep comfort in mind! The parks are huge and you’re going to be doing a lot of walking. Don’t let an uncomfortable, itchy, problematic outfit ruin your day. Speaking of comfort…make sure those shoes are up for walking a few miles. My friend Hali has a post with some great recommendations about what shoes to wear to Disney!

Safety First

This goes for pretty much any vacation, but don’t forget to take care of your health and safety! Walt Disney World does a great job keeping their parks and resorts clean and safe (after all, it’s what Walt wanted) but you can’t be too careful these days.

Always remember to pack any necessary medications or dietary supplements as well as some basic first aid items. If you forget them, however, and feel a headache coming on or your little one falls and scrapes an elbow while you’re in the park, find a First Aid center and they can fix you right up.

I also definitely recommend bringing hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes to keep in your park bag. Again, keeping the parks clean has always been a priority at Disney so they take a lot of care here. (Fun fact for you, in the parks you’re never more than 15 steps from a trash can!) But, these days, it doesn’t hurt to be a little more mindful of basic sanitary practices.

Another item you might not think of but should think about keeping in your park bag is an anti-chafing stick. Did I mention you’ll be doing a lot of walking? And it’s hot? And humid? That can all add up to a pretty uncomfortable situation. (In a pinch, deodorant can also help with chafing.)

BYOF (Bring Your Own Food)

Did you know Disney lets you bring your own food into the parks? That’s right, you won’t be forced to choose between being hungry or forking over cash for every meal. Just make sure to read over the park rules because there are some limitations on what and how you can bring food into the parks. For example, you can’t pack a cooler with ice cubes but you can use ice packs.

It’s also nice to stock your hotel room with some basic items you might need during your stay, like a particular type of coffee creamer. And, if you don’t want to travel with food items (especially if you’re flying), there are a few options for grocery delivery you can check out.

Park Necessities

Now here’s the really important part…what should you take into the parks themselves? Because, trust me, you’re going to want to be prepared. I’ve talked about a few of these in other posts (like my Disney budgeting post) but it bears repeating. First of all, you’re going to want a backpack or similar bag to carry around the parks. Make sure it’s big enough for your own personal needs. I take a smaller daypack for me and Scott but if you have a bigger group, you may want a larger bag. Also, I advise getting one that you won’t mind getting wet.

Ponchos

Did someone say something about getting wet? Oh yeah, that was me. Because, in all honesty, you probably will at some point. It could happen on some rides but, more likely, it’ll be because of rain. Pop-up rain showers are pretty common in Florida, especially in the spring through early fall. They can be fairly short but intense, so you don’t want to get caught unprepared. Bring some ponchos to keep in your park bag so when one hits you’re not scrambling for shelter or running for the nearest kiosk to buy one. Bonus tip: Because a lot of people seek shelter when it rains, some queues will clear out during a short storm. If you’ve got a poncho and don’t mind a little rain, you can hop in line and enjoy a shorter wait. Keep in mind though that some rides may pause operation during inclement weather.

Misting Fan

Did I mention that it gets really hot and humid in Florida? I did? Well, I’m going to say it again. You might think you’re prepared for the weather but take my advice, better safe than sorry! Bring a handheld misting fan (or neck fan or necklace fan) to help keep cool. You can always pop into a gift shop or restaurant when you need a break from the heat and there are plenty of air-conditioned attractions. However, you’re still going to be spending a lot of time outside walking around the park, waiting in line, or on an outdoor attraction. A small fan may make the difference between bearable and unbearable heat.

Sunblock

Do you know something that’d almost guaranteed to put a damper on any vacation? A nice, painful sunburn. Ouch! They don’t call Florida the Sunshine State for no reason so it’s best to be prepared and proactive. Bring that sunscreen and reapply it regularly.

Portable Chargers

 I can’t stress this one enough…bring a portable charger for your device! You’ll be using the My Disney Experience app a lot while you’re in the parks (if you’re planning a trip and haven’t downloaded it yet, do it). The app acts as a park map, gives you estimated wait times for attractions, lets you book and update dining reservations, gives you directions, and more. Plus, it’s vacation! You might be taking a lot of pictures and videos during the day. And while Disney has charging stations in the parks, no one wants to waste time waiting for their phone to charge. Throw a few portable chargers in your bag (and make sure they’re juiced up) and you’ll be good to go when your battery starts dying.

Waterproof Pouches/Ziploc Bags

You might think a Ziploc bag is a weird item to pack for a park day but, I promise, it makes sense! For starters, they’re waterproof. So, if you’re caught in a downpour or hop on a ride where you might get soaked (hello, Kali River Rapids) it’s nice to have somewhere to store your devices to keep them dry. I also like to have a waterproof phone pouch for this purpose. But Ziploc bags and waterproof pouches can be useful for other things too! Maybe you grabbed a giant pretzel but can’t finish it and don’t want to throw it away. Maybe it rained and now those ponchos you packed are wet and you don’t want to put them in your bag to soak the rest of your stuff. Or maybe your socks got wet during that rainstorm, so you changed them and don’t want to just toss wet, sticky socks in your bag. Speaking of…

Extra Socks

Think it might be weird to pack extra socks in your bag? I’ll bet you change your mind when your socks get wet and uncomfortable during a storm (or maybe just from sweating a lot, no judgment) and you get to change into a nice, comfortable, dry pair.

Masks…and Extra Masks

This one could change at any time as things shift in regards to COVID-19. As of now, Disney requires face masks to be worn indoors at all resort properties. This includes restaurants (when not actively eating or drinking), while on Disney transportation, indoor attractions, and indoor queues. It’s a good idea to have extra masks on hand as well, just in case you lose a mask or it gets wet.

Other Necessities

A few other things to note that may or may not be necessary for your trip:

Boarding Passes/Hotel Confirmation/Rental Car Confirmation

These might fall under the no-brainer category, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure you check them off the list. If you’re flying or renting a car for travel, make sure you have all of your travel documents on hand and easily accessible. The same goes for any hotel reservations whether you’re staying at a resort property or another hotel.

MagicBands

Once upon a time every guest staying on property received a MagicBand prior to their arrival. These days, because of increased capabilities in Disney’s apps, they’re no longer complimentary but you may still purchase them. Personally, I prefer having a MagicBand for a number of reasons. Mostly though, they’re just convenient. They can unlock your resort hotel room, act as your ticket to enter the parks, allow you to pay if you connect a payment source and more. All of these capabilities are, of course, now built into the app but remember what I said about draining your battery? Having a MagicBand is a little more reliable, in my opinion, in case your device does die. Plus, you can collect them to display from each of your trips.

Trading Pins/Autograph Books

Disney Park fans know that there’s more to Disney parks than just attractions, shows, and restaurants. One fun activity to partake in is pin trading. You can collect various Disney pins and then trade them at Pin Trading locations in the park or with cast members. You can purchase individual pins or starter sets at a Disney Story or at shopDisney.com before your trip or at gift shops throughout the parks and resorts during your trip.

Collecting autographs is another beloved Disney activity. During meet and greets around the park or at character dining meals, you can present the characters with an autograph book and get their signature. Keep in mind that character meet and greets are still currently suspended at this time due to COVID-19 but hopefully, they’ll be back soon!

Other

So, what else should you bring to Disney? Well, that’s up to you! I left a blank area on the packing list for you to add anything you don’t want to forget. For me, I’m picky about the pillow I sleep with so I’ll be making a note to pack my pillow.

Want more Disney fun? Check out the Disney Bucket List I included in this post!