Deciding what to pack for any vacation can be very tough. We provide you an essential Disney Packing List in this post to help you with packing for your trip!

Planning a Disney trip is half the fun — and packing the right things can make a big difference in how smoothly your trip goes. Whether you’re heading to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, or even Disney Springs, here’s everything you need to pack to stay comfortable, cool and be ready for magic all day long.

Park Bag Essentials:

These are your must-haves for a day inside the parks. You can bring a backpack or fanny pack (pictured above with Chad):

• Park tickets / MagicBand / Photo ID – Don’t forget these!
• Wallet or small card holder – Keep your important documents in here.
• Reusable water bottle – You can refill for free at hydration stations!
• Snacks – granola bars, fruit snacks, or goldfish for the kids. Protein bars are great too!
• Sunscreen – Florida sun any time of the year is no joke. Be prepared.
• Wet wipes / hand sanitizer – With touching handles, bars and other things these are great things to have on hand.
• Mini first-aid kit – Think Band-Aids, pain reliever, blister patches.
• Lightweight poncho or travel umbrella – Rain comes fast in Florida, so better to always be ready.
• Sunglasses and hats – Great for helping block the Florida sun.
• Phone charger or portable battery pack – Long days with a lot of pictures and videos taken you will need to recharge. We highly recommend Fuel Rod, as these are located in the parks and can be exchanged.
• Anything baby-specific – Long, hot days it is better to be over prepared with things like diapers, wipes, extra outfits, pacifiers, toys etc.
• Autograph book + Sharpie/Pen – Great Souvenir for when you are meeting characters!

What to Pack to Wear to the Parks:

Think comfy, breathable, and cute (especially for those castle pics!). Chad enjoys wearing shorts and themed shirts, and Jennie prefers cute tops and dresses. The key is to wear what you are most comfortable with on the long hot days at the parks:

• Lightweight tops or themed tees – Athletic Shirts are a great option, but don’t pass up on wearing your favorite character gear either!
• Shorts or athletic leggings – However you think you will be the most comfortable wear those.
• Comfortable walking shoes – Broken in ahead of time! New shoes are not a good option for all the walking.
• Extra socks – Trust us, wet socks are not enjoyable! Bring a pair to change.
• Hat or visor – Helps keep the sun at bay.
• Optional: A cute outfit for photos or character dining. The kids can dress in costumes or even you can do a Disney-bound style outfit. Masks however are not permitted.
• Sweatshirt or light jacket/rain jacket – These are needed in the early morning or late evening hours during the winter months. Having something to help keep dry from the rain is helpful as well.

What to Pack for the Resort/Hotel:

Make your stay more comfortable with some of these essentials for your room/resort.

• Travel-size laundry detergent – most resorts have laundry you can use/pay for, while some have laundry in your room.
• Sound machine or noise app – If you or your kids need some white noise to help go to sleep, don’t forget your sound machine or download an app on your phone.
• Mini first-aid kit – Think Band-Aids, pain reliever, blister patches.
• Pop-up laundry hamper – store your dirty and wet clothes in a pop-up hamper.
• Books, coloring activities, or tablets – Perfect for downtime, naptime, or resting from the long park days.

Packing for a Water park or pool day:

If you’re planning a day at the pool or a water park, bring these essentials:

• Swimsuits + cover-ups – The Florida sun is hot, so we make sure the boys wear swim shorts and shirts for extra protection. You do not want a sunburn during your vacation.
• Water shoes or flip-flops – Something easy to put on and take off when getting into the water.
• Sunglasses – Help protect the eyes from the sun.
• Extra sunscreen – It is very important to use sunscreen in Florida and apply often.
• Waterproof phone pouch – these are great for if you need to keep your phone on you at a water park.
• Plastic bag for wet clothes – Use a plastic bag for your wet clothes so they do not get everything else wet.

Optional items, But Nice to Have:

• Glow sticks or light-up toys – Buy them ahead of time to save money. Yes, buying souvenirs at the parks are part of the vacation, but you can save money here getting something from Walmart or Amazon.
• Stroller tag – Something to identify your stroller like a stroller tag or ribbon would be helpful.
• Small gifts for “Pixie Dust” gifts – Share Disney magic with people and leave small “Pixie Dust” gifts around your resort or even in the parks! Give gifts to cast members too!
• Camera – Phones are great, but if you want higher-quality pics beyond your phone maybe bring your own camera.

🎯 Chad’s Pro Tips:

• Keep a “last-minute packing list” on your phone for the morning you leave so you don’t forget things. (phone chargers, favorite toys, etc.).
• Pack a small Disney “starter kit” in your carry-on: ears, sunscreen, and one outfit for the first park day in case your luggage is delayed.
• If you’re flying, remember TSA rules for liquids — pack sunscreen and other large liquids in checked bags!

Packing for a Disney trip can be daunting, but hopefully this post helps you. We’ve been on a lot of trips both driving and flying, so we have a lot of experience on what is essential to bring. Enjoy your trip!

Check out some of our other posts for Tips for your Disney trip:

The Best Disney World Character Dining Guide – Here is our full list of The Best Disney World Character Dining. All the character dining experiences available in the Disney World area in one post!

The Best Rides at Magic Kingdom – Everyone asks what the Best Rides in Magic Kingdom are, so here is our list! This is our Top Ten of the Best Rides in Magic Kingdom!

Animal Kingdom Top Tips and Secrets – Here is our list of Animal Kingdom’s Top 10 Tips and Secrets. Use this to help plan out your perfect day at Animal Kingdom! Even if you don’t follow our recommendations exactly, have a great trip!

We hope you are enjoying sharing our Disney adventures and tips with you. We want you to have the best trip ever! Be sure to check out our other social media channels for more fun videos and posts FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, TWITTER.

Also, our Facebook Group Disney World Insider Info and Tips is a great place to meet and chat with other Disney World fans like us!