In case you couldn’t tell, I love to plan! I’m a planner. It’s super fun for me.
To think about all the little details and to be prepared for all the contingencies that most people never even think could occur, gets my blood pumping. And this includes what I’m packing for Disney.
I love to pick out what I’m going to wear and what my fellas are going to wear. I make sure we have enough outfits for the trip (including a spare set of clothes just in case). Or if we need to do laundry while we’re there, I make sure to pack laundry detergent and dryer sheets, because who wants to shop for those when you’re on vacation?
Along with planning, I love to make lists. Lists upon lists, in notebooks scattered throughout my home, car, on my phone, and in my locker at work. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as checking (or crossing) things off my to-do list.
So I like to make my packing list well in advance of my Disney trips. I do this because it gives me lots of time to think about what I’ll need and then add it to my list. When I wait until the last minute, that’s a sure sign I’m going to forget something. And even though I know I can always purchase whatever I’m missing once I get to Florida, again, who wants to be doing that while they’re on vacation?!?
That’s why I like to plan so far in advance and why I love to do it in list form. Then in all the excitement that comes the closer you get to your travel date, I don’t have to worry about forgetting anything because I’ve got it all on a handy-dandy list that I can put my little checkmarks next to, so I’ll know I’ve got everything I need.
I’m going to devote a whole other blog post (and perhaps even a more permanent spot on our website) to what to pack in your “Park Bags” (for when you actually go to the parks). But for now, I’ll give you some helpful things I always take, that maybe First Timers (and even some more experienced Disney travelers) don’t think to pack.
- An easily identifiable tag for your suitcases. (This helps distinguish your bag from the other 87 black suitcases that come out on that one luggage carousel. Trust us, this is a game changer.)
- A light weight jacket. (Both for the plane and any building in Florida. Especially in the summer, they usually have the air cranked super cold.)
- Clorox Wipes. (Plane and airport surfaces are super germ-y. You don’t want to start your vacation off by catching someone else’s cold.)
- Small First Aid Kit. (There’s just something about traveling that always requires bandaids or other small first aid products. If you’d like a cute Mickey box to put your supplies in, you can purchase one from our SHOP.)
- Printed copies of your ADRs and other reservations. (We’ve come to rely so heavily on our phones. I’ve seen them quit on people when they needed them the most and they didn’t have paper back-ups. It wasn’t a good start to their vacation.)
These are just some of the things I like to pack that most people don’t think to bring. I’ll also be doing something soon on the planning binder I use for planning my trips, so keep an eye peeled for that. Not sure if it’ll be a blog post or a video over on our YouTube channel – Dole Whip and Castle, so if you haven’t subscribed to that yet, do that now so you don’t miss any of our great Tips and Tricks!
And because I love you all so much, I thought I’d end this post by giving you access to the checklist I use when I’m packing for Disney! You can print this bad boy out. And there are plenty of lines, so you can add your own items to it as well. The one that says “Adult” can actually be used for older children too. The “Child” list is more for babies and toddlers.
Adult Packing List
Child Packing List
So there you have it! Hope you found this helpful and that it got you at least a little excited to pack. 🙂 If you have any questions or want to offer some suggestions for what you like to pack for Disney, please leave them in the comments below. And be sure to share this post with anyone you know who is planning a trip to Disney!
Be sure to also check out our other great Disney content. We’ve got lots of videos up on our YouTube channel Dole Whip and Castle. We also have lots of great info on our other pages here on our website. We’ve got Treats and Eats for all things tasty at Disney. And Magical Homents where we show you how to bring the Disney magic home!