What to Bring to Disney World ~ Park Bag Essentials

Your Disney vacation is almost here! You thought you were ready, but then you remembered the dreaded “park bag”. Now you’re wondering if you’ve thought of everything you should include in it. As parents, we can totally relate and are here to help answer the question, “What to Bring to Disney World?”.

Planning a Disney vacation can be very stressful. We all want the most memorable, magical, personal experience possible. (Am I right?!) Most often, families (including ours) find themselves planning and saving for their Disney vacation, months and even years in advance.

With so much Disney Magic to experience together, you’ll definitely want to make the most of your family’s day at the park. Packing essentials in your park bag is one way to maximize your time spent enjoying the magic, rather than fretting about the small stuff.

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We’re excited to share with you our list of “What to Bring to Disney World~ Park Bag Essentials”. These items have helped our families have a more enjoyable time at the Disney’s parks… and they’ve made us look like “mom pros” too.

Plus, we’re sharing our favorite Disney planning resources (see bottom of post), including our PRINTABLE 30 DAY DISNEY COUNTDOWN CALENDAR featuring a fun, different Disney themed activity to do together each day!

We hope this information helps you with planning your family’s Disney vacation!

WHAT TO BRING TO DISNEY WORLD~ Park Bag Essentials

FANNIE PACK

Yes, I know…”they’re not a backpack” and “they’re touristy” but… they’re also practical storage for the items you likely grab for most often during the day.  We keep our hand sanitizer, phone, and park tickets in our Fannie Pack for quick, easy access.  I’m the gal who worries about a wallet or car keys getting lost, so I toss those in my Fannie pack too for safe keeping and my sanity! Plus, did you know Fannie Packs can be worn on all the rides and come in a variety of sizes including kids?

HAND SANITZER

For us, our list of What to Bring to Disney World just wouldn’t be complete without hand sanitizer, a definite must in our park bag. We prefer the spray-on options, as they’re faster and much less messy then gels.  We actually keep ours inside our Fannie pack to be able get to it quickly, as we use it frequently throughout our day.

MICKEY EARS

If you’re trying to do Disney on a budget (like us!) then you should consider bringing your own Mickey ears to the park, especially if that is an item you are thinking about buying.  A basic, “mouse ears” headband will set you back $30 or more at a Disney Park… no kidding!  If you’re a family of four that’s $120 + just on headgear!  Save yourself a ton of cash and purchase those ahead of time to put in your Disney Park Bag. (Check out the Mommy/daughter ear sets too!)

CHANGE FOR COIN PRESSING MACHINES

Throughout Disney Parks, you’ll see a variety of coin pressing machines.  Pressed coins make great, inexpensive souvenirs!  Problem is, most people don’t carry cash on them to be able to get change.  Be prepared and toss some pennies and quarters in your Disney Park Bag, because you know the kids are definitely going to ask!

There are lots of fun ways to show off your pressed penny collection. Disney themed pressed coin books are a popular choice. If you’re looking for something more unique, there are a variety of fun silicone options such as wristbands (pictured above), necklace holders, magnets, keychains and picture frames.

TRAVEL FIRST-AID KIT

Pocket-sized Travel First Aid Kit. If you’re travelling with small kids, a pocket size first aid kit is a great idea to keep in your park bag, for minor cuts and scrapes. As we know, kiddos tend to be a tad clumsy when they’re tired or distracted by their environment. Tripping accidents happen and sometimes you just need a band-aide to help make things better. There’s no need to bring the entire medicine cabinet with you, as there are always Disney Cast Members nearby to help get you medical attention.

**(Be sure to check park guidelines regarding medical scissors/razor blades found within many first-aid kits. You may want to leave those at home.)

AUTOGRAPH BOOK AND PENS

Be prepared for those Disney “meet and greets” by having an autograph book and pen already on-hand! Sure, you can buy autograph books in the parks, however, they will likely cost you a whole lot more. We prefer the autograph books that have photo sleeves (like the one pictured above), so we can add our photo with each character too. Autograph books are a great gift idea too, if you are surprising your kids with a Disney trip!

What to Bring to Disney World ~ Park Bag Essentials

SUNSCREEN

Sunscreen is an obvious “must” for a day at a Disney Park. We love Badger Balm broad spectrum sunscreens, which come in a variety of options: kids, sport, and baby. Their 2.9 ounce size makes them a great choice for backpacks and their ingredients make them great for the earth. Our favorite is the Kids’ Tangerine Vanilla Clear Sport Sunscreen Cream!

Also, don’t forget to reapply sunscreen throughout the day and take advantage of shaded areas for a quick rest. Nothing says “we’re leaving the park early” louder than a sunburn and/or heat exhaustion.

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE

You should definitely plan on staying hydrated while at Disney, especially during those Florida summers. We always take advantage of Disney’s complimentary ice waters, and frequently fill up our own reusable container.  A stainless steel water bottle is a fantastic, durable, earth-friendly way to always have refreshing ice water on hand. Plus, you’ll save a ton of money while staying hydrated.

SUNGLASSES CASE

If you like to ride the thrill rides, I strongly recommend a hard shell sunglasses case to store your shades in while on the attractions. Thankfully, Disney does allow guests to bring their backpacks on it’s rides. Sometimes, though, the space your bag must fit in by your feet is a wee bit small, so your backpack is possibly going to get crunched a bit… along with whatever is in it. Save yourself the surprise of crushed sunglasses and take along a case to store them in.

** There are storage pockets on a lot of the rides for riders to store their small, loose items in… however those items are prone to being left behind accidentally when you depart the ride vehicle. I’ve actually left a pair behind myself on Slinky Dog Dash, even with the best intentions of “I won’t forget”.

PORTABLE PHONE CHARGER

I can tell you from experience, it is pretty tricky to find a place to charge your phone at Disney World. It is possible though, IF you’re lucky enough to score a dining table against a wall with an outlet, OR… you happen to find the outdoor outlet hiding behind the bushes out front of Sir Mickey’s shop in Fantasyland! While hide-and-seek with electrical outlets can be fun (I’m guilty of playing), I’d suggest saving yourself a headache, and time, by bringing a portable phone charger with you during your visit.

ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE KIDDOS

Let’s face it… its hard to be patient while waiting in lines, even for parents! Disney has actually done a fantastic job of making the ride ques interactive and engaging for people of all ages. There may be times however when its just difficult to wait and a distraction is needed. We enjoy the card game Disney Eye Found It!. Its small enough to toss in a backpack, but big on engaging minds!

SNACKS

We cannot say this enough… “bring your own snacks into the parks!”. Not only is this much cheaper than buying snacks at Disney… it also means you have snacks on hand anywhere in the park. There is nothing worse than being stuck in line for a ride and you hear the words “I’m hungry” from someone in your party. (OK… hearing “I have to go to the bathroom” is worse, lol). Thankfully, having snacks on hand can help when those tummies grumble.

You’re going to use a lot of energy exploring a Disney park. There is literally SO much walking done each day. Normally, we bring fresh fruits, veggies, crackers, and trail mixes to help fill our bodies up with needed nutrients and energy. We like to pack our fresh goodies in reusable silicone sandwich bags and toss them in our backpack (bento boxes are another great option) for snacking on-the-go.

What’s on your list of “What to Bring to Disney World”?

Do you have a “must-have” item that you didn’t see on our list of “What to Bring to Disney World ~Park Bag Essentials”?

If so, please comment below, we are always looking for new ideas and tips to pass on to our readers. We love learning from other Disney fans!

OUR FAVORITE DISNEY PLANNING RESOURCES:

We hope you found our list of What to Bring to Disney World, Park Bag Essentials helpful. If you’re looking for additional resources to help you plan your trip to Disney World, take a sneak peek at a couple of our favorites below.

For the complete list of Our Favorite Disney Resources click here.

Looking for a fun way to countdown to your trip to Disney? Check out our UNIQUE 30 DAY DISNEY COUNTDOWN CALENDAR, PRINTABLE CHAIN featuring a different Disney themed activity to do together each day!

Fodor’s Walt Disney World: with Universal & the Best of Orlando (Full-color Travel Guide)

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World, 3rd Edition: Over 600 Secrets of the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Check Out Our Other Florida Adventures:

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• Insider’s Guide to Planning Your Kennedy Space Center Tour (Titusville)
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• How Our Family Of 5 Flew Roundtrip To Florida For Less Than $325
• Our Top 3 Fascinating Outdoor Activities for Families – Florida’s Space Coast

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• The Ultimate Guide to ZooTampa at Lowry Park (Tampa)
• EVOS Restaurant (South Tampa)

Central

• Top 10 Toddler Friendly Rides at LEGOLAND Florida (Winter Haven)

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• Step Back In Time At The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature (Bradenton)
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• Sand & Sea Vacation Rental – Family Friendly (Anna Maria Island)
• Happy Paddler Coastal Island Kayak Eco Tour (Anna Maria Island)
• Bradenton Beach Marina Dolphin Eco Tour (Anna Maria Island)
• Anna Maria Island for Families Guide – Everything You Need to Know (Anna Maria Island)

Thank you for reading our post about “What to Bring to Disney World ~ Park Bag Essentials”!