All the things you need to pack for a great trip!
(Last updated February 2, 2025)
We have made many trips to Disney World and Disneyland over the years with kids and after a lot of trial and error, I finally feel like we have our Disney packing list down to a science! Every family has different needs, but hopefully seeing our packing list will help you put together your own perfect list and avoid over or under-packing.
1. A good suit case
This is not at all specific to Disney, but having a good suitcase matters! We have been through a lot of suitcases, partly because our cat pees in them if we leave them open and partly because we are rough on them! My favorite durable suitcase that isn’t overpriced is the Samsonite Winfield 2. It’s hard-sided, has 4 spinner wheels that don’t get stuck, the retractable handle doesn’t get stuck, it has a lock, the interior is large and easy to organize, and it’s lightweight. This one really holds up!
2. A good bag to carry into the parks
You will want a bag to carry into the park with you. I recommend carrying the smallest and most comfortable bag that will fit all the things you need to take with you. Even if you will be using a stroller and can put the bag in the stroller, you will often be parking the stroller and leaving it for a while and you’ll probably want your bag with you. If you can get away with a fanny pack or cross-body bag – great! That will be the easiest on your shoulders. If you have younger kids you will probably have more to carry so you’ll want a good backpack. If you can get away with a small backpack, many people like carrying Disney-themed Lougefly backpacks. As your kids get older and they want to carry their own bag, Lougeflys or fanny packs are a good option.
Disney allows you to keep your bag with you on most attractions. There aren’t often places to put your bag to the side while you ride something like there are at other amusement parks. Having a smaller bag makes it easier to take with you on attractions and is easier on you who is carrying it around while walking miles.
You can often find more affordable Lougefly backpacks at Hot Topic.
3. A stroller if you have kids under age 7
Even if your kids don’t use a stroller anymore at home, they may want one at Disney! You will literally walk MILES each day at a Disney park. You can either bring your own stroller or rent one. We recommend getting one that reclines in case kids want to lay back and nap, has a compartment for storing things, has a canopy, and folds easily so you can easily bring it on a bus or pack it in your car.
If you don’t have a smaller compact stroller already, it is sometimes cheaper to buy one than to rent for multiple days. These are my favorite of the cheap but good-quality lightweight strollers:
Single: Kolcraft Cloud Plus Lightweight Baby Stroller
Double: Baby Joy Double Lightweight Stroller
If you have older or larger kids, a lightweight easy-folding stroller isn’t going to cut it. Bring or rent a stroller with a larger weight limit like a B.O.B. jogging stroller. You can rent strollers from Kingdom Strollers or many other 3rd party companies that are typically cheaper than daily rentals from the parks.
4. Good shoes
Disney is not the time for cute shoes, even if they’re Disney-themed. You will walk MILES at Disney and your feet will get hot and swell and you need good shoes! Make sure everyone in the family has at least two pairs of good shoes.
I recommend one of your pairs of shoes be running/walking shoes. My current favorite walking shoe is the Nike Motiva. The unique curved shape propels you forward and feels like you’re walking on air. View on Amazon >
I also recommend having a pair of shoes that let your feet breathe more. My kids like Crocs for this purpose. During hot times of year, I like cushioned Reef flip flops or a sporty sandal. My favorite women’s sport sandal for lots of walking is the Teva Tirra. For kids, I like a closed-toe sandal like KEENS Newport sandal.
5. Disney-themed clothing
This is not at all necessary but it is fun! You can find Disney-themed clothing at multiple retailers. If you want to do some matching family Disney shirts, check out Etsy! There are many Etsy sellers that make matching and customized Disney shirts. Just make sure what you buy will be comfortable and fit the weather. If you’re visiting in the summer, don’t buy black t-shirts.
Find custom Disney shirts on Etsy >
Find Disney shirts on Amazon >
6. Other clothing needs
Look up what the weather will be when you’re visiting and pack appropriately. Don’t make assumptions about the weather – I have been roasting at Disney World in December and freezing in the mornings in March. I have also been both freezing and hot on the same day in April at Disneyland. Always pay attention to both the high and the low because you will be at the parks for long stretches of the day and 8am and 3pm will not be the same. During some months of the year, you will need layers, during other months you will want to dress to sweat.
Dress for comfort! If you find jeans comfortable, good for you! Personall,y if I’m going to be walking all day I want to be in athletic shorts, leggings, or a dress with biker shorts underneath. If you have thighs that rub together, make sure you choose bottoms that will prevent chafing. Dress your kids for comfort as well. The adorable Disney dress you bought may look cute for photos, but will not be cute if it’s hot or itchy and your kid is complaining all day.
SUMMER CLOTHING
If you’re going to the parks during a hot time of year, wear moister-wicking clothing that can get wet. Even if you normally don’t like getting wet, you may reach a point where you are so hot you don’t care anymore and will savor any opportunity to cool down. I have been that adult playing in the splash areas just to cool down. I have also gone to the bathroom, taken off my shirt, run it under water in the sink, and put it back on. (With no shame at all – actually I inspired some other women to do the same. It’s THAT hot!)
My typical summer Disney outfit (women):
- Moisture-wicking loose-fitting tank top (Just make sure deodorant is in your park bag)
- An unpadded, wire-free bralette (as little material as possible while still doing the job) or a cooling bra like this one from Warners.
- Running shorts with built-in underwear (eliminating all layers and material possible, plus it dries fast). These from Old Navy are my personal favorite.
For the boys and men:
- Wear moisture-wicking boxer briefs to help prevent chafing and keep things cool.
- Moisture-wicking shirts and athletic shorts
7. Rain Gear
If you see rain in the forecast – don’t fret! The only day I have EVER seen it actually rain ALL day at Disney World was during a hurricane. It is almost always scattered and doesn’t last long.
I recommend buying a pack of disposable ponchos. I normally don’t love disposable stuff, but we have learned over the years that it is so much easier to throw a poncho out than to try to dry them off and repack them into a bag that is too small and then try to get them back out to use again. Disposable ponchos are small and easy to pack in your park bag. You can also use them to ride water rides if you don’t want to get too wet. These family packs contain both adult and kid sizes
If it is seriously going to rain a lot, like 90% or higher chance for a large portion of the day, I recommend buying a full rainsuit. When we realized we would be at Disney World during a hurricane, we ordered Frogg Toggs rain suits for pick up at the Kissimmee Walmart and they were a lifesaver! They will truly keep your whole body dry and won’t blow around in the wind like a poncho. They are the cheapest at Walmart: Womens, Mens, Kids.
You can also bring along your nice raincoats if you want, but these typically take up a lot of room.
Shoe Covers: Another great tip is to order waterproof shoe covers. Walking around in wet tennis shoes can ruin your day! But walking in wet flip flops or crocs can cause you to slip. Tennis shoes with shoe covers work great!
HAT TIP: I recommend brining a baseball cap to the parks on rainy days because it’s very helpful to have a visor that keeps rain out of your face. You can also put the cap over the hood of your poncho to keep it from blowing off.
8. External Phone Chargers
You will be using your phone quite a lot during a Disney trip. You can use your phone to check wait times, mobile order food, purchase and select Lightning Lanes, you can use it as your park ticket, and of course you’ll want to take photos, and possibly entertain yourself in lines. That’s a lot of phone time! Your phone battery will drain long before you want to leave the park so you’ll need an external phone charger and the correct cord to plugin your phone into the charger. Or try one of the ones with built-in chords so you’re never without one.
Something like this photo charger with built-in cables would work well >
9. Essentials for Your Park Bag
- Ibuprophen and Non-drowsy dramamine are my biggest essentials for being able to ride all the rides with my kids. You may also want chewable kids pain medicine on hand.
- Have a few first aid basics like band aids and antibiotic ointment
- Hand sanitizer
- Sunscreen – like like buying small sunscreen sticks or roll-ons. You don’t want to deal with lotions that could leak in your bag or sprays that are big and could both other guests. Banana Boat Sport Stick is great and dosen’t leave a white cast like others do.
- Lip balm with sunscreen in it
- Sunglasses
- Chafing stick (in case anything starts to rub)
10. Thing to keep kids entertained in lines and at restaurants
Waiting is part of a Disney trip. I actually think it’s a really important part of the trip and helps teach kids patience and the reality that they are one of many people trying to enjoy Disney and everyone gets a turn. With that said, waiting in long lines or waiting for your food to arrive may be more enjoyable with a few things to help.
- Suckers – put a few suckers in your park bag. If your kid is bored, needs a snack, or needs a drink, and you don’t have one on you – stick a sucker in their mouth! They last a while and it keeps them happy.
- Disney Bitzie – I don’t like to just hand kids phones (although that battle is often lost now that I have teens), but these toys are great for interactive play that isn’t a traditional screen. Kids can interact with Disney characters and earn more characters by doing different little games. Hours of entertainment in a small container. Check out the Disney Bitzie on Amazon >
11. Magic Bands
These are NOT required but they are nice to have. The benefits of Magic Bands are:
- Use them to open your door if staying at a Disney resort
- Use them to enter the park (instead of having all your kids tickets on your phone and having to scan through each one)
- Use them to tap into Lightning Lanes (much faster than scanning through lots of barcodes on your phone and holding up the line)
- Attach them to a credit card and use them to purcahse anything in the park
- They light up during nightime shows and as you pass interactive areas
- They activate interactive elements like the 50th anniversary statues found around the parks
- They keep you from having to use your phone for everything
- They give your kids the power to tap into things on their own and they think they are super fun!
- They are rechargable
- They work for years and work at both Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruises, so you can get multiple uses out of them.
Disney will occasionally have sales on Magic Bands, so watch for that on disneystore.com.
PRO TIP: If you purchase Magic Bands, I highly recommend purchasing these little things that keep them from detaching. The bands can detach and get lost pretty easily and these little rubber things keep that from happening!
If you don’t purchase Magic Bands – that’s ok! You can use your phone for most of the same functions (opening your door, park tickets, lightning lanes.) Buy you must remember to keep your phone charged and have an external charger. They will also still give out plastic cards if you ask for them. These can easily get lost though so be careful with them.
12. Extra outlets and USB plugs
Many hotel rooms don’t have enough charging areas for all you may need to charge overnight. Especially if you have mulitple kids and everyone has a phone and a magic band, plus you’ll need to charge external phone charger, smart watches, and anything else you typically charge. We like to travel with a power strip and/or power blocks like this to maximize our ability to charge all the things. Make sure you think about how many USB-A vs USB-C you need, or if you have any other port needs like old iPhone ports.
13. Duck Tape and Chip Clips
Ok I know this sounds weird, but we frequently bring some Duck Tape and chip clips with us when we travel to help block light in hotel rooms. There may be a morning where you want/need to sleep in during your Disney trip, but if the curtains aren’t blocking all the light around the edges, your kids may be up with the sun, and there goes your plan to sleep in so you can stay up later to see the fireworks show. Use duck tape to pin the curtains to the walls so the light isn’t seeping in on the sides, and use the chip clips to clip the curtain panels together. This also helps block out light if you’re near a sidewalk light or other exterior lightning.
You can also use the duck tape to put a small piece over any annoying lights the room coming from TVs, microwaves, clocks, etc.
14. Swim Stuff (weather permitting)
Especially at Disney World, the majority of the year is swimming weather. Swimming at your hotel pool is a great activity during a resort day (a day in between park days where you relax – I highly recommend this!), or on your arrival day. Make sure you pack swim suits and anything else your kids like to swim with like goggles, small floats, pool toys, etc. The Disney resort pools provide life jackets but you can also bring your own floatation devices for your non-swimmers.
15. Snacks and Breakfast foods
I highly recommend having some snacks and breakfast foods in your hotel room. I don’t recommend always doing breakfast out at a restaurant or even grabbing breakfast a quick service location because it can eat up precious time if you’re trying to get to a park early. You can bring food with you if you’re driving, or arrange a Walmart, Target, or other grocery delivery service to bring these items right to your hotel.
16. Mouse Ears
The classic Disney parks accessory! You can find a wonderful assortment of Mickey or Minnie ears at the parks themselves, but you can also purchase them online in advance and bring them with you. The official Disney ones can be a bit pricey but there are many other retailers that sell very similar items if you want to find a cheaper version. Some of the knock-offs are actuall more comfortable. Here’s one of the mouse ear knock-offs that gets good reviews >
17. Pricess Dresses, Disney Stuffies, Disney Toys
Your kids will be bombarded with all the Disney things to buy at the parks. But you probably already have some Disney stuff at home, or can buy Disney stuff cheaper from online retailers in advance and then bring them with you.
Our girls had almost every Disney princess dress imaginable and wanted to wear them all, but they are not the most comfortable to wear all day. During our stroller days, we would have a bag under the stroller full of dresses and they would put the dresses over their other clothes before they met princesses. The princesses always commented about their dresses and they loved it!
Our kids also have a ridiculous collection of stuffies and since we can drive to Disney, they sometimes bring too many on our trips, but they would absolutely love seeing the way the room service staff would arrange the stuffies each day while we were out.
Another thing your kids may want in the parks are the fun light up toys or bubble shooters. Again, if you want to save you could buy these or knock-off versions in advance. If you buy a bubble wand, I recommend bringing some cheap bubble solution with you. Disney will sell you crazy overpriced bubble refills that are very small.
18. Fans (if going during hot weather)
Having a fan can make a big difference when standing in a hot line or waiting for a parade. I like these affordable neck fans so you can stay hands-free and point the fans toward your face. They are rechargable and last for hours. I also like that you can adjust the fans and keep them away from hair, unlike some of the more expensive ones.
The only downside to these is they are just fans and not air conditioned. There are air conditioned neck fans out there but I’ve had issues with hair getting caught in them and they don’t have adjustable fans. I do like the handheld versions that you can stick in a pocket. I found one similar to this fan but significantly cheaper Temu that has worked great so far.
19. For families with Toddlers: Backpacks with a Leash
This one might be controversial but these were really helpful for us when we took two-year-old twins to the parks! It give toddlers freedom to roam a little but they can’t suddenly see something cool and take off running into a crowd (like when my 4 year old saw Elsa and took off running and we lost her Disneyland for the longest 20 minutes ever). Which leads me to my next recommendation –
20. Watches, Apple Air Tags, Tiles – anything with location tracking
We have lost all 3 of our kids at Disney parks. Yep. I’ll admit it. A 4-year-old at Disneyland, a 5-year-old at Blizzard Beach, and a 6-year-old at Animal Kingdom. It’s terrifying to search for little kids among so many people! Cast members will help you and are amazing, plus we taught our kids to find a nice looking grown-up to ask for help if they get lost, which they all did. BUT….now that there is amazing technology that can track location, I highly recommend getting something and putting it on them. There are many options out there such as:
Apple Air Tags and a waterproof wristband to hold it like these cute Disney-themed ones – great if you use Apple products and have a Apple account.
Tiles by Life 360 and a waterproof wristband or pin holder – great if you use Android or a mix or Apple/iOS and Android devices. Life 360 is great for tracking all your family members.
Or you could go for an actual GPS watch like a Gizmo or an Apple Watch, but these are obviously more expensive and may have service fees from your phone carrier.
This post contains some affiliate links. We include affiliate links in some but not all of our content to help keep this small family business going. If you click on any of the products above and purchase them, we get a very small percentage of the profit. Thank you for supporting us!
