It’s been a couple of years since I wrote about my Disney packing list. As our family grows and changes, so too does our packing list. One thing that hasn’t changed is that I try to pack as little as possible. I don’t like to lug tons of stuff around “just in case.” I’d rather pick up a random item at an exorbitant Disney price than pack everything we might need under every possible permutation of what could possibly occur while we’re there. Also, the fact that we have become Disney Vacation Club members has impacted what we pack, as you’ll see.
Disney packing list
Suitcases: Make sure to use Disney’s Magical Express luggage tags!
- outfits for # of days (Note that we don’t need extra outfits since our 1-bedroom DVC villa has laundry facilities right in it!)
- pajamas
- swimsuits
- flip flops
- toiletries for each of us, 2 travel-size bottles of shampoo & body wash, 1 travel-size conditioner (DVC doesn’t provide daily housekeeping, so we now bring extra shampoo, etc.)
- sunscreen
- ponchos & umbrellas
- fuelrod
- air mattress, pump, sheets (Our 1-bedroom villa sleeps up to 5 people in 3 sleeping spaces. My wild-sleeper boys each need their own space!)
- any special items, such as Halloween costumes
Carry-on: This is for me; the boys each pack their own carry-on.
- MagicBands
- light jacket (I get cold on planes)
- shorts (if it’s cold here and warm in Florida)
- my little umbrella (fits in my purse – love it!)
- 3 each: gallon bags, quart bags, sandwich bags, snack bags, plus bag clips
- kindle
- wipes (for wiping down airplane tray tables)
- quart bag with travel size: sunscreen, hand sanitizer, lotion
- ziploc bag with any needed meds
- Magical Express tickets
- Boarding passes
- Print-out of our Disney schedule (I create a word document to keep track of things in case the MDE app gives me trouble.)
- Disney purse containing: earbuds, reading glasses, sunglasses, band-aids, chapstick, oil absorbing sheets, powder mineral sunscreen, ID, credit card, DVC card, Annual Passholder card, Tables in Wonderland card, AAA card, health insurance card, a little cash for tipping, phone & charger.
For cruises, make sure to have:
- passports
- magnets to decorate door (no names brands except Disney)
- fish extender
- pirate attire
- fancy attire
- make sure the bag I carry onto the ship has our swimsuits, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and any needed meds
That’s it! Having a list tailored to your needs makes for simple and easy packing. So, what do you pack? Are you an over-packer or a lean, mean packing machine? And how far ahead to you do it?
I have learned that almost everything can be purchased at Disney (cruise or land) if needed so you really just need to make sure to pack the things that can’t be purchased quickly (prescription glasses, medications that are prescribed, cell phones, etc).
Exactly! I know it’s much more affordable to bring things than to buy them in the Disney bubble, but I really hate to overpack.