If you’re heading to Disney World with your family, especially if your family consists of younger kids, what you pack for your trip is going to be a LOT different than what solo travelers, smaller groups, or families with older kids may pack.
Cinderella Castle
If you’ve been feeling lost, don’t worry, we’re here to help! We’ve done the research for you and have created the ultimate list of what those traveling with families should be packed for your upcoming vacation. We’re covering backpacks, park bag essentials, rainy day must-haves, and so much more, so get ready!
A Good Park Bag
Large and Durable
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Since you’re traveling with your whole family, you’re likely going to need a larger backpack. Something durable, has lots of pockets to hold all your essentials, and one that’s also comfortable on your back all day. We recommend the High Sierra Loop Backpack! There are five different pockets just on the front and top of the bag, not to mention the pockets inside each of those, as well as the side pockets to help you organize all your essentials.
Keep Those Larger Backpacks Comfortable
VentaPak
If you’re concerned about your back when you carry around one of those larger bags, and you want to make sure you keep good posture, or perhaps you don’t want that uncomfortable patch of sweat that forms on your back on hotter days. In either case, we highly recommend grabbing a VentaPak and having it on your backpack for the duration of your trip! It’s made our days walking thousands of steps around the park way easier, and we know it’ll do the same for you.
Park Bag Essentials
Keep Cool Without Taking Up Much Space
JISULIFE Handheld Mini Fan
We talk about this one all the time, but it’s because we truly DO love it. The JISULIFE Handheld Mini Fan is fantastic at keeping us cool on those warm days, and it’s small enough to easily fit in your pocket or into a small corner of your packed bag. Not to mention, it also acts as a portable charger if you find yourself in a bind, and there’s also a flashlight installed inside of it as well.
If You Prefer Cooling Towels
Sukeen 4pack Cooling Towel
If you know your family members will each want a way to keep cool and you want to avoid fighting, the Sukeen 4pack Cooling Towel is calling your name! You basically get four for the price of one, so everyone gets their own, and there’s no confusion on whose is whose since they’re all different colors.
Get That Cooling Right on The Pressure Points
JISULIFE Portable Neck Fan
If you don’t want to hold a fan, and you want it blowing on you constantly instead, the JISULIFE Portable Neck Fan is a great choice. It’ll keep the air blowing right on your neck, which is a powerful pulse point to keep the rest of your body cool. If you have long hair, while we haven’t dealt with ours getting stuck before, we do warn you to be careful!
Get a Good Reusable Water Bottle
Rapunzel Owala
It’s incredibly important to stay hydrated in Disney World no matter what time of year you’re traveling, but if it’s summertime, it’s also essential that the water stays as cold as possible to help keep you from overheating (and to be refreshing!). We’ve found that many members of our team absolutely love their Owala water bottles, and we think you will too! They’ll keep you water cold all day, they’re easy to carry around the park, they lock shut, and there are so many different colors and styles available, you’ll never have to worry about accidentally mixing up who has which bottle. It’s also super easy to refill your water bottles at the Refillable Bottle Stations around the parks!
A Portable Charger That Won’t Cause You Stress
FuelRod
We’ve seen firsthand how much a FuelRod can save the day in the parks (yes, it’s saved us MANY times). While there are lots of great portable chargers out here, we appreciate the size of these, as they’re not too big, but you can also replace them with fully charged FuelRods at the stations around the parks for no extra charge. So, even if you run out of charge, no worries, there’s a fully charged one just a few minutes away, and the ease of that is invaluable.
Avoid Getting Sunburnt!
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Having sunscreen in the parks with you is WILDLY important, because even the most powerful sunscreen will NOT last all day. You’ll want to have some with you to reapply throughout the day, especially on your face. We personally really love the Blue Lizard SENSITIVE Mineral Sunscreen since it’s made for sensitive skin, has aloe inside of it to keep skin happy, and is water resistant.
Reapplying Sunscreen For Littles is No Longer A Battle
Solar Buddies Sunscreen Applicator
Many parents know the struggle of trying to reapply sunscreen on their littles — it’s HARD. We’ve tried out the Solar Buddies Sunscreen Applicator ourselves and really love it. It makes reapplication much easier for everyone, older kids and parents included, and you can fill it with whatever your favorite sunscreen is.
Never Worry About Getting Lost
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This one is optional, but Disney World is a BIG place. While Cast Members are fantastic about getting families back together, in case someone gets separated, for parents who are extra concerned, we do recommend grabbing an Apple AirTag to add somewhere into your child’s clothes, or into something like a stroller or bag you want to ensure doesn’t get lost. This way, you can look at the location of the AirTag at any time and know exactly where your child or item is!
Keep The AirTags Secure!
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And if you want a safe and cute way to keep the AirTags in place, especially if it’s on an item rather than a child (or you can put it on a lanyard or bracelet that they’ll wear at all times), the Silicone AirTag Holders are perfect. Plus, they’re shaped like Mickey and Minnie, which is beyond adorable!
Never Get Annoyed By Paper Straws
A Sunseeke Silicone Straw inside our Frozen Coke!
Here’s the thing — Disney World uses paper straws all throughout the resort to help reduce plastic waste. We love the idea, we really do; however, they are AWFUL to actually drink anything out of. They fall apart easily, which is then gross to have in your mouth, and if you want a different kind of straw, you’ll have to find a Joffrey’s location to grab one of their sugarcane straws (which we think are fantastic). However, if you want to avoid the issue as a whole, just grab yourselves a pack of the Sunseeke Silicone Straws!
Never Struggle to Find Utensils Again
Reusable Travel Utensils Set
While finding plastic utensils around the Disney World parks may not seem like it would be an issue, especially since they should be right close by where you’re dining, sometimes they run out of a particular type, and then you’re wandering around just looking for a fork while your food is getting cold. We love bringing the Reusable Travel Utensils Set along with us, so not only do we not have to worry about finding our own silverware, but we also aren’t feeling wasteful using plastic utensils just to throw away after one use.
A Good Pair of Sunglasses
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Disney World can be BRIGHT, even on a cloudy day, because you’ll never know when the sun may peek out from behind the clouds and blind you. That’s why having a good pair of sunglasses (that ALSO aren’t too expensive, in case they get lost) is essential to have in your bag. We love the Retro Oval Sunglasses online, especially since they come in a pack of two, so we can keep one in our park bag, and the other in our car, back at the hotel, in another bag, etc.
Keep Your Head Protected!
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Lots of people don’t realize how important it is to keep your head protected from the sun, too, and we love doing that with a cute hat like the Mickey Mouse Character Art Unstructured Baseball Cap! This way, you won’t get sunburnt, and it also helps keep your eyes protected from the sun a bit as well!
Quickly Fix Bumps and Bruises
First Aid Kit
We also really love bringing along something like the KeepGoing Travel First Aid Kit to have in case someone in your group falls or otherwise has a small injury and needs a bandaid, something to clean the wound, etc. It’s small, everything is packed into one small bag, but with 130 pieces, you’ll be ready for nearly anything. You can always head to First Aid inside the parks as well, but sometimes if you’re far away, having one of these makes life a little easier.
Snacks That You Know Your Kiddos Love
Goldfish are a great pick!
We don’t have any particular links for this, since you know what your kids love more than we do, but it’s 100% important to get those snacks and have them in your bag. Yes, you may want your kiddo to try a Mickey Pretzel, or to eat their dinner at Chef Mickey’s, but you know how it is with kids — oftentimes, they don’t eat when you want them too, and they’ll be hungry later, likely when you’re in a line and can’t get anywhere. Avoid any potential issues by having those snacks in your bag for them when they ask for a little something!
Carry The Snacks Easily
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Packing snacks that you know your kids love is SUPER important to avoid potential hangry-induced tantrums, and an easy way to carry them is with the Whiskware Frozen Stackable Snack Containers. It’s themed to an iconic Disney Princess, is easy to take apart inside the park, and you can also wash it easily in the dishwasher!
Keep Those Little Hands Clean
Touchland and Disney Special Edition Hand Sanitizer + Mist Case
It’s hard, especially since little ones are often intent on touching everything they can, but we also love to bring along the Touchland & Disney Special Edition Hand Sanitizer so that when they are eating those snacks, you can try and clean their hands at least a bit before they have them in their mouths. This easily clips onto your bag for easy access, and hey, it’s Disney themed!
Rainy Day Essentials
The Perfect Poncho
Frogg Toggs Poncho
When it’s raining outside, the last thing you want is to get soaked. Grab everyone in your family a FROGG TOGGS Poncho to make sure you all stay dry! The best part? They easily fold back up into the bags they come in, making it easy to bring them around and not get your other items wet.
They Have Youth Sizes Too!
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If you’re concerned about the poncho being too big for your kids, not to worry — FROGG TOGGS Youth Ponchos are on the market too, and they’re just as great in quality as the adult ponchos. Again, they fold up easily to go back in their bag, and you won’t have to worry about them ripping easily and needing to buy another one super soon.
If You Prefer An Umbrella
BAODINI Travel Mini Umbrella
If you’re not a fan of ponchos and are more of an umbrella person, we recommend the BAODINI Travel Essentials Mini Umbrella. Not only is it MUCH smaller than normal umbrellas, so it’ll fit into your bag way easier, but it also bounces UV rays back at the sky, so you can use it on a sunny day to keep yourself cooler as well. We love a product that we can use multiple different ways!
Don’t Let Your Stroller Get Soaking Wet
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There’s truly nothing worse than realizing it’s pouring down rain and your stroller has no way of being protected, so you’ll either need to wipe it all down before your kiddo gets in again, or they’ll just be sitting in a wet stroller for the rest of the day (gross and uncomfortable). Snag yourself the Graco Universal Deluxe Weather Shield to put over any time there’s even a CHANCE of rain, that way you know your stroller will be protected!
Reliable Shoes and Comfortable Socks
The Time is Now to Grab Some HOKAs
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You’ve likely heard a lot about HOKA shoes, and while it’s most important that you just find ANY pair of shoes that’s comfortable, supportive, and has been broken in so they won’t cause blisters, we really recommend a pair of shoes like the HOKA Clifton 9s. We’ve heard RAVING reviews about these, as well as tried them out ourselves, and even if this particular design isn’t for you, the company has so many available, it’s worth it to check them out and see if they’re a right fit. Don’t let feet hurting after day one of vacation get in the way of having fun!
Kiddos Need Great Shoes Too!
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It’s also important that your kiddos have shoes that are comfortable and supportive for them, because they’ll potentially be walking more miles than their legs are used to as well! We love the New Balance Kids’ Rave Run V2 Lace-Up Running Shoes, not only because of their design, but because the brand has very rarely let us down.
Good Socks Are JUST As Important
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While good shoes are incredibly important for the parks, it’s also essential that you get good socks that will also support your feet. We love the BAMBOS Women’s Solid Ankle Socks because they come up high enough over your ankle to prevent blisters, and they also have reinforced toes and heels to avoid holes.
Stroller Essentials
Keep Your Kiddos Cool in The Stroller
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When your kiddo is lying in the stroller, even if the sun isn’t directly on them, it’s entirely possible that they could still overheat. Avoid that with the J.L. Childress Disney Baby Mickey Mouse Stroller Fan! It can easily wrap around any section of the stroller that you’d like, and you can angle it to blow directly on them, which is perfect. Plus, no one has to hold it in their hand, so that’s another bonus!
Never Lose Track of Your Stroller
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Many strollers look identical in Disney World, especially as it gets dark in the park, so we recommend avoiding any possible issue by grabbing a Personalized Stroller Name Tag. You can have it say whatever you’d like, and this will keep you from accidentally grabbing someone else’s stroller, as well as avoid someone else grabbing yours!
Keep Everything Organized
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Sometimes, no matter how big your stroller is, you still don’t feel like you have enough room for everything. With the Momcozy Universal Stroller Organizer, you’ll know that you’ve got enough room for two drinks, your phone, and other items you may need to grab quickly. We love the different ways you can attach it to the stroller, or you can wear it over your shoulder if you need to bring it with you into a line.
More Storage Under The Stroller
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If you know you’ll need lots of space underneath the stroller, too, or on the back of it, the J.L. Childress Disney Baby Side Sling Stroller Cargo Net is something you’ll want to bring with you as well. This one won’t stay as organized, since it’s just one bit net, but it can be great for jackets, additional larger snacks, bubble wands, and more.
A Few Extras For The Parks
Ask The Characters To Sign Something Special!
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Instead of just using a normal character autograph book (not that there’s anything wrong with that), you could ask them to sign something extra special, such as the Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Disney Little Golden Book! This one is especially fun for kiddos, since you can read it to them as a story after your trip and remember who signed the book.
Carabiners Can Fix SO Many Things
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Sometimes you need a little something extra to hook something onto your bag, such as your water bottle, an extra bag, or something else that just requires a little extra support, and that’s why we love the Aluminum Mouse Ears Ring Carabiners. You’ll find a use for them, we’re sure, whether it’s in the parks or back at home, and they’re cute as can be.
Avoid Expensive Ears
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If you know that those on your trip want a pair of ears, but don’t necessarily need them to be FROM Disney, we recommend saving lots of money and grabbing the Handmade Mouse Ears before your trip begins. These are only about $10, whereas most ears in the park are, at minimum, $35 — that’s $25 in savings per pair, and that adds up fast!
Don’t Drop a Fortune on Bubble Wands
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Similarly, if you know your little one will love the bubble wands in the park, save a ton of money and bring the Moana Light and Sound Musical Bubble Wand on the trip with you! It’s still Disney-themed, comes with a container of bubbles you can bring into the park with you, so you can refill in the park if needed at no additional charge.
A Good Stroller
Strollers in EPCOT
For little ones who are still in a stroller, it’s incredibly important to have a stroller that will hold your kid(s) comfortably and be easy for them to maneuver in and out of (or for you to get them in and out of). You’ll also want to pay attention to whether it’s easy for you to push around, as well as how easy it is to break it down if you plan to use Disney World parking trams or Disney buses.
However, many people often underestimate that their older kids, ones who on a normal day don’t need to be in a stroller at all, often also get VERY tired walking around the parks, and it’s great to have a stroller for them. If you haven’t brought one to the park, no worries — strollers are also available for rent at the parks!
Disney World Rental Strollers
They’re not the most comfortable, we’ll be the first to admit that, but they’ll do in a pinch! A single stroller will cost you $15 a day or $13 a day if you purchase it for the length of your stay, whereas a double stroller will cost $31 a day or $27 a day if you purchase it for the length of your stay.
Hotel Room Essentials
Make Sure You Keep Your MagicBand+ Charged
MultiCharger for MagicBand+
MagicBand+ bands are very popular in Disney World for a reason, especially because they unlock some special experiences around the park, and they come in such cute designs. However, charging them all each night can be hard when you’ve got a limited number of outlets in the room, so grab the MultiCharger for MagicBand+ to consolidate space and keep everything charging in one place.
Even MORE Outlets in One Place!
Flat Plug Power Strip
We’re also really big fans of bringing along a Flat Plug Power Strip. We love that this only takes up one outlet, but turns it into a space to charge SEVEN different items, whether they’ve got a regular three-prong plug, a USB, or USB-C. It’s saved our butts many times, especially when traveling with lots of people, so we highly recommend grabbing one!
Charging For Apple Devices
HICOBER 3 in 1 Charging Station
If you’re someone who has lots of Apple devices and you want them to all charge wirelessly in one spot, the HICOBER 3 in 1 Charging Station is perfect for your vacation. It’s important to note, though, that your phone does have to be a later model to be compatible with wireless charging, so we encourage checking on that before you buy!
Never Worry About White Noise Again
Dreamegg Portable Travel White Noise Machine
Traveling with the Dreamegg Portable Travel White Noise Machine is perfect for anyone who needs to have some background noise to sleep, but ALSO wants to drown out the sound of other travelers in rooms nearby (some of those Disney World hotels have THIN hotel walls). It’s got 16 different sounds to choose from, as well as 32 different volume levels to find what’s perfect for you.
For Little Ones Who Need Darkness to Sleep
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If you’re traveling with a kiddo who you know needs complete darkness to sleep, but they’re too young for a sleep mask, the SlumberPod may be a perfect fit. It easily folds up to fit in a bag, which makes it easy for travel, and it easily fits over the pack ‘n play that your kiddo will likely be sleeping in.
Organize Everyone’s Clothes BEFORE Each Day
Portable Shelves
Finally, we really love using the TABITORA Portable Hanging Travel Shelves to help organize our outfits for each day, but you can also use them to organize each of your family’s outfits the night before. That way, no one is confused about what they’re wearing come morning time, when you’re trying to get out the door to head into the parks.
And there you have it — our ultimate guide to packing the necessities you’ll need for your family trip this year. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest and greatest Disney packing news and tips, so stay tuned to DFB!
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I bought the multiple USB charger for magic bands and also Extension power strip after reading yalls articles. I did not once pull them out of our luggage. We stayed in AoA suite and there were enough plugs for 2 adults and 2 teenage daughters. We all had cell phones, magic bands, and charging blocks plugged every night. There were also enough plugs in bedroom for my wife and I’s CPAPs.