SURVIVING DISNEY ESSENTIALS KIT

Here is our definitive list of absolute must-haves for those Disney World days.

  • Ponchos
  • Stoller Ponchos
  • Umbrellas
  • Great Walking Shoes
  • Solar Cell Phone Charger
  • Stroller Fans
  • Sunscreen
  • Diaper Bag with Clips
  • And More!

Be sure also to check out our BEST DEALS AND ATTRACTION TICKETS page for a full list of the best prices on all of the top Florida theme parks and attractions.

THE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! Check out this fantastic list of Florida attraction passes to get the most out of your Florida trips for the least amount of money!

Get the Disney® Visa® Card. You can earn up to a $300 Statement Credit after qualifying purchases. Learn more.  

https://www.referyourchasecard.com/m/200f/6L5/GDRL/1574871237

KEEP IT LIGHT!

So you’re packing for Disney world with a toddler, preschooler, or small children and you want to know what you should bring. Of course you know that you should pack clothes, and underwear, and socks, and shoes, and all the essentials, but in addition to those, here are some things which you might not have readily thought about.

By the way, this list is fairly short compared to the packing lists that some people put out, and that’s because we like to carry as little as we can possibly get away with and still accomplish the things we aim to accomplish in a particular park day.

By the time that you pull into the parking lot, unpark everything from your car or minivan, pile it all on the stroller, push it to the parking lot tram, pile everything onto the parking lot tram, unload everything from the parking lot tram, take everything apart for security and get inside the park, do you really want that process to take three hours?  I think not!

On top of that, some of you are not taking your own transportation to and from the parks every day, so whether you’re doing Uber, Lyft, a shuttle bus, or some other service, you need to think about how rearranging this big pile of garbage you’re lugging around is going to play out each day.


PONCHOS

Did you know that it rains in Florida? Yeah, like a lot Orlando alone receives 52” of rain fall annually, and this is fairly challenging to predict. Although it rains less frequently during the winter months, if you are in Florida during the hurricane season, then you can be fairly certain that it will rain during your trip, and could quite possibly rain at some point every single day.

The positive thing is that it will usually only rain for a few minutes to an hour or two and be done, and this can even be a welcomed relief from the absolutely oppressive Florida heat.

Did you know that Disney can still be absolutely magical during the rain? That is—if you’re prepared with the right equipment. Keep the ponchos on-hand. Make sure to check the weather app each day (conditions predictions change regularly and are rarely accurate in Florida), and keep a watch on the sky.

STROLLER PONCHOS

We didn’t even know this was a thing until we became Disney annual pass members with children, and saw people spreading these genius devices over their strollers when they knew that rain was coming! We are so thankful that we discovered this!

Although, pro tip—make sure that you pay attention to the direction the poncho is supposed to be placed on the stroller.

Oftentimes, these mid-summer thunder storms can be accompanied by strong gusts of wind, and on one occasion, we were so proud of ourselves for the thrifty foresight we had to bring a stroller poncho and protect all of our belongings from the impending tempestuous storms.

We went and stood in an incredibly long line (also, a great tactic for braving the storms at Disney, go stand in a long, sheltered line for a popular ride to stay dry). When we completed the ride and returned, much to our great chagrin, our stroller poncho had been blown off our stroller and some of our vlogging equipment was ruined (CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL RUN-DOWN OF VLOGGING EQUIPMENT)

Once we figured it out, however, the poncho was perfect and perfectly protected our stroller.

UMBRELLAS

Did we mention that it rains? In addition to ponchos, it can be helpful to have some umbrellas on-hand just in case as well. Try to find one that is the perfect combination of folding down nice and small, but also opening up big and wide.

ALSO, and don’t miss this—it can be helpful to carry your own shade with you. Did you know that Florida is also the sunshine state? The shady spots in Disney World can be fairly limited, and the places that do exist can quickly become crowded and occupied on those especially sunny days. Consider bringing an umbrella that you can pop open to enjoy a little shade when you have to take a break on the park bench, or if you just want to walk around the park like that—go for it! You do you, Boo!

GREAT WALKING SHOES

This is a simple tip, but a very important tip! It’s important that you think seriously and hard about your foot wear before you go to Disney World. Disney World is about the size of Manhattan. As you dart from ride to ride to ride, you will be having a wonderful time and making memories with your family. Initially, it will be easy to forget that you have feet until, inevitably, your feet will remind you that they are there and that they are angry—VERY ANGRY! Do your feet, knees, and back a favor and pack some comfortable shoes!

SOLAR CELL PHONE CHARGER

Counterintuitive as this may be from the rest of the article, the fact is that Florida is also known as the sunshine state. When it rains it pours, but it’s mostly pretty sunny out there—harnessing the sun’s energy for something other than burning your skin can be incredibly helpful during your day at Disney. No doubt, you will be using the Disney MyExperience app to navigate those ride lines and wait times and to order lots and lots of food, taking tons of videos and photos of your family to preserve those memories and sharing those all over social media simultaneously. Honestly, we all know that we live on our phones today and can’t really even remember a time when we didn’t have the internet in our pocket—you’re statistically most likely to be reading this article on your phone!

You’re going to need to recharge your phone throughout the day, and the places in Disney World with outlets are few and far between (although it doesn’t hurt to also bring a wall charger, and be on the look out for outlets along the way).

A solar cell phone charger is a great solution. You just lay it on top of your stroller, making sure that it is exposed to the sun, of course, and then go about your day. Plug in your phone every time you’re near the stroller and this will be a huge help!

STROLLER FANS

We always say that Florida only has two seasons: hot and hotter! It’s hot down here, and it can even be pretty hot during the “winter” months (although, it usually does cool off in the evening). It is especially brutal in August and September. Depending on where you’re from, it can feel relatively worse to you—our friends from the north, the UK, and Canada love the Disney parks, but it’s definitely a lot hotter here than it is where you live. This can be particularly challenging for your children. Stroller fans are a must-have to help keep the air moving for your child, and another bonus feature is that the white noise form the fan does help smooth out some of those theme park sounds for our baby and helps him to go to sleep during his many, many, many very necessary nap times.

You may also consider these fans for yourself. Goofy looking, I realize, but it’s up to you how much heat you can take… shrug…


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SUN SCREEN

Make sure to pack some sun screen and use it regularly. Florida is located in the subtropics and is about as close as you will get to the equator in the continental United States. The sun is mean and brutal here, and it doesn’t care who you are! Do you really want to be walking around a place nearly the size of Manhattan as red as a lobster? Sun rays are serious. People who live in Florida get skin cancer cut off their body every day.

I know! I hate sunscreen too. Consider a mineral sunscreen. Mineral sunscreens are typically hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic. They also typically have anti-inflammatory properties, and they are gentle enough for the most sensitive skin types. Since, they are free of those pore-clogging silicones, they tend to be a better option for those who are prone to blemishes, and I hate the white cast that sunscreen leaves on my face, so I usually get one that contains a tint to it.

When it comes to our children, we use a little extra caution and typically buy something which is designed and marketed for children like this sunscreen from Banana Boat, which is tear and sting free, and if you’re minimalistic enough, then just buy this one and share with your whole family:

For the fairer complexioned individuals in your party, you may even want to buy the strongest protection you can find–like this SPF 100:

DIAPER BAG WITH CLIPS

Of course you know that you need to bring a diaper bag. You are the parent of a small child, but give some serious thought to the kind of diaper bag that you bring. If you get one that can clip to your stroller, then you’ll find that to be an incredibly convenient place to access all the important things which you have brought with you to Disney World.

Or consider a stroller caddy–a super organized, easily accessible option. Also, stroller clips, are a great way to hang just about anything from the handles on your stroller!

Get the Disney® Visa® Card. You can earn up to a $300 Statement Credit after qualifying purchases. Learn more.  

https://www.referyourchasecard.com/m/200f/6L5/GDRL/1574871237

Cooling Devices

Did you know if gets hot in Florida? Did you know that the summers can be be pretty brutal? Originally, I would see people wandering around Disney world with these fans around their necks and cooling towels. Those things seemed pretty ridiculous to me at the time, but not any more.

Collapsible Water Bottle

Everything that you take with you needs to be as compact as possible or you’re going to be lugging a ton of stuff around the parks all day. You need to stay hydrated–here is the most space-efficient option. There are water fountains all around Disney World where you can easily refill this great collapsible water bottle!

Sunglasses

You’ll also need to protect your eyes from the sun. Click this image to check out a wide array of great options from Ray Ban.

But also, I’m totally into wooden frames right now, so consider these super trendy Ray Bans with wooden frames!

Sanitizer

Millions of people visit Disney World every year, and they’re all touching stuff. Frankly, that’s gross, and perhaps one of the few good things to come out of the pandemic was that all-important emphasis on everyone washing their hands! Here are some great, portable hand sanitizing options to include on your packing list:

CONCLUSION:

Have a magical time during your next trip to Disney World, and don’t pack too much, but make sure that you include these excellent items!

For our list of beach essentials, be sure to check out this article here.

Be sure also to check out our BEST DEALS AND ATTRACTION TICKETS page for a full list of the best prices on all of the top Florida theme parks and attractions.

THE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! Check out this fantastic list of Florida attraction passes to get the most out of your Florida trips for the least amount of money!


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