Pack with Me: What I Bring to Disney World Every Time

See what is in my suitcase, including my Amazon must-haves.

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My family travels to Disney World in a few weeks and I have already started filling my Disney bin with packing essentials.

What’s in my Disney bin?

For most of my vacations, I pack the day before I leave. But for Disney trips, I start gathering items a month ahead of departure. This helps me inventory what I already have, replace expired products and plan out my outfits with time to stock up on some new items. 

My bin is just a large, plastic storage bin that I keep in my bedroom about 30 days before my departure. As I think of things for the trip, I toss them into the bin so I know where to find them when it’s time to pack them into suitcases.

Curious what I have in my bin? Let’s take a look.

Backpacks

The first item is the backpacks that my family will carry in the parks. I have one backpack, my trusty Grogu Loungefly, and I have a small Minnie Mouse clutch Loungefly. My child will carry their own backpack. 

I tend to use the Grogu bag most days in the park. For an event like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, I will carry the Minnie one so I can reduce what I am hauling around. 

Ears and pins

Mouse ears are a packing essential for Disney Parks accessory; you can’t leave home without them. Pin trading is an activity my family enjoys. We have pins from previous trips that we are willing to trade with the various pin boards located throughout the parks and at the resorts. 

Pin trading is a great way to meet other Disney fans and trade pins with each other. The mystery boards add an extra level of surprise as you don’t know what you will get. There is no obligation to trade once you reveal a pin.

Magic bands

While I can access my hotel room and the parks through a mobile app or my Apple Wallet, I like the convenience of the Magic Bands. I don’t have to pull out my phone or keep my watch from going into screen saver mode. The Magic Bands make it so easy to use. 

The Magic Band+ does require nightly charging, so that is a downside. However, they allow you to participate in the Bounty Hunter scavenger hunt in Galaxy’s Edge. Unlike other scavenger hunts in the parks, this one does not lead to a prize at the end. If you are going to the Bounty Hunter activity, you will need the Play Disney Parks app. Plan to have charging capabilities, like a power bank. It can drain the batteries while playing.

You can also use the Magic Band+ to activate the Fab 50 character statues at the parks. If you use the Play Disney Parks app along with it, you can track how many you have visited and get some extra AR features.

Water bottles

I am from a dry state. I drink a lot of water throughout the day and carry a water bottle. Same when I visit Disney. I carry a water bottle for my husband and me to share. Our child carries their own. We fill it with bottled water in the morning and some ice from the ice machines. I wrap a washcloth around it to catch any moisture or leaks while it’s in my bag. 

Every park has some bottle refill stations, so it is helpful to know their location before you go. Also, quick service locations will provide a cup of water (or ice).

Weather essentials

Late October is one of my favorite times to visit Florida as the daytime temperature is in the mid-80s and the nighttime temperatures are in the low 70s. There is also less chance of rain. That being said, you can’t depend on the weather to be perfect every day. So I pack some cheap ponchos in case it rains. I throw in an extra pair of shoes. And, of course, lots of sunscreen. I also have a neck fan for those long lines in the sun. 

Health care

I get motion sickness easily, so I use these patches in the parks to prevent any issues. I also pack some moleskin and Band-Aids to take care of my feet. Pain relievers to help us sleep after all that walking. And I always bring a pack of COVID tests, just in case.

Power and charging

I use the MyDisneyExperience app throughout the day. I watch ride wait times, schedule ride reservations, look for PhotoPass spots, find character meets and mobile order food. I have never had an issue running out of power on my phone, but I want to avoid it. So I carry a power bank and a long charging cord to keep my phone powered up and ready.

Autograph book and journal

My child has an autograph book we made for our first trip. Our plan was to bring it for every Disney trip, but the COVID restrictions were in place during our last trip. This will be our first year back in the parks with character interactions.

I also bring a bullet journal that has all of our plans noted down. Sometimes we want a quick glance at our plans without using technology, so this book comes in handy. I print out the schedule and hang it in our room to keep our travel party informed on the planned activities. Each night, I journal some of the highlights of our day. After our trip, this becomes part of our memories.

Trinkets to share

My child loves to spread their own Disney magic. We purchase party favors, like bubbles or ball mazes or slider puzzles, that they use to entertain themselves in longer lines. They also like to share them with other kids. 

This year, we will also visit Universal Studios, so we have stocked up on Harry Potter-themed trinkets to share with other kids. We will be at EPIC Universe and I will share my full review soon. Sign up for the newsletter so you get it as soon as it comes out.

Outfits

I love to wear Disney-themed outfits in the parks. I don’t go full Disney-bounding, but I love to have tank tops and t-shirts featuring my favorite sayings, from Encanto (We don’t talk about Bruno), to the Tiki Room (Where the birds sing words and the flowers croon), to my favorite quotes from Hocus Pocus. Packing for a Disney vacation is also about comfort. So I bring plenty of shorts, lightweight sport pants and a hoodie in case it gets cold. Toe socks are an essential for me as I find they help minimize blisters between my toes. 

And finally, since we are going to the MNSSHP, I also have my Minnie Mouse-themed outfit ready for our family costume. I always travel with a mini sewing kit. That has come in handy at Disney when I have needed to alter or mend an outfit. 

Anything else?

Yes! Food. 

I take one small suitcase and fill half of it with dry foods, and take them with me. It’s one less thing I need to think about once I am there and I likely have stuff already at home that I don’t need to pay Disney prices to get. 

My family prefers to eat breakfast at the hotel on most mornings. We are also midday break people, so we eat lunch at our room. For this, we pack granola and fruit bars. Bread and peanut butter. Oatmeal packets. Ramen bowls. Goldfish crackers. 

By the end of our trip, we use up all the food we brought and have space in the suitcase for souvenirs. 

We also order groceries to our room for those refrigerated items. That includes juice, yogurt and fruit. We know that drinking water isn’t the best in Florida, so we purchase jugs of drinking water to use for food prep and staying hydrated during our stay. There are several services that provide grocery delivery. Groceries are delivered to the bell services.

And that’s my packing essentials that end up in our suitcases for our Walt Disney World vacation. 

What do you pack for a Disney vacation? Share your essentials in the comments below.