A day at Walt Disney World is more complicated than some might think. For those of you that have gone in the past, you understand all the little things that are essential to have a productive and relatively stress free day. Those of you that are first time Walt Disney World visitors will soon find out what we mean! We have learned a lot of things on what to bring to the parks for a full day of fun!
A couple of caveats: we don’t have kids, we like to go as just the two of us, and we prefer to do the Disney Dining Plan. That being said, most of these essentials apply to just about anyone wanting to go to the parks!
Minnie Ears
Normally these are on my head, but we make sure to keep room in our backpack to stash them when we get on an intense ride. I am a die hard fan of the Shop Disney ones, though Etsy has more if you are looking for a specific theme. These classics are my favorite!
Backpack
Mitchell bought our hiking backpack before we were dating, and we use it for every vacation we go on. It’s got two drink pockets, and different sized zippered pockets to organize! It is also waterproof, so that one time a full Diet Coke exploded in the backpack during the Beauty and the Beast show at Hollywood Studios, it wasn’t ruined.
I don’t own a Loungefly backpack, but this one is first on my list to get. If you are looking for a backpack that is a little more stylish to carry around, the Loungefly ones are so cute!
Personal Misting Fan
We visited Disney in September 2018, and our Hollywood Studios park day came with a real feel of over 100 degrees (thank you Florida humidity). Having this fan would have saved us, we ended up leaving the parks for the day around 5:00 P.M. just so we could sit in our air conditioned hotel room! My brother ended up buying this fan in the parks on our family trip this past year, and it was amazing. There is a carrying strap so you can hang it around your neck too!
Mini Hair Brush, Hairspray, and Hair Ties
I have a very specific strategy when it comes to my hair and being a ride lover. I have naturally straight hair, but it holds a curl very well. Well, I thought it held a curl well….until our 2018 trip when i found out that humidity is NOT my friend. So, I came up with a system! Now, I do my hair in the morning and spray with a generous amount of hairspray. Not so much that my hair is hard feeling, I still make sure to be able to run my fingers through it. When I get on a ride, I throw my hair in a loose pony/bun. When I get off the ride, I take my pony out, quick brush, and quick hairspray. Boom! My waves last all day!
Wallet
I have a big, bulky wallet when we are at home. When we go to Disney, it’s much easier to have a small, sleek wallet like this one. It can hold your ID, cards, cash, and change. I normally downsize to only carrying my ID, Disney gift cards, and my debit/credit card in the parks. Plus change for pressed pennies! Anything else, I make Mitchell carry in the backpack!
Pressed Penny Book
On my family Disney trip when I was 10, I bought a Disney Pressed Penny Book and started a collection. 13 years later, I am still collecting pressed pennies! They have Disney themed pressed penny books in the parks, but here is a basic starter one. It’s so fun to hunt for the machines!
Autograph Book
Of course, you need a good autograph book for when you meet characters! Here is the one I ordered for our 2020 trip.
Pen
This jumbo Disney character pen makes it easy for characters in costume to sign your autograph book! Plus, the books come with an elastic pen holder so you don’t have to hunt through your backpack for a pen.
Lanyard & Pins
If you’re interested in pin trading, try to buy your Disney pin trading starter set before you arrive! This way, you can start the second you enter the parks. All Cast Members have pins to trade, along with other guests!
Deodorant
While mini deodorant can be more expensive than regular sized, I find it worth it for our vacation. It saves room, and we always end up reapplying midday! Here is my favorite deodorant, it is all natural!
Setting Powder
I get very oily about halfway through the day and I HAVE to help my poor forehead. This is the powder I use! I apply it to set my makeup in the morning, then pack it in my bag to put some more on later in the day.
Sunscreen
One of the only full size products we bring in our backpack is sunscreen. This fits in one of the drink pockets, and we normally use quite a bit on a sunny day!
Baggies
This may be strange, but we always bring one or two ziploc baggies just in case. If we go on Splash Mountain, Kali River Rapids, or even PIrates (we got very wet on this last time during the drop!), we put our phones in a ziploc bag. Our backpack is waterproof, but we make sure to play it super safe!
Band-aids
You can get band-aids at First Aid in the parks, but we bring some just in case. Blisters normally happen to at least one member or the group, and they’re handy to have! Getting band-aids with Disney characters can make it extra special for the little ones.
Disney Gift Cards
Don’t forget your Disney gift cards! You can use them anywhere in the park.
Food
Many people don’t know that you can bring food and beverages into the parks, as long as they aren’t in a glass container and don’t require heating or refrigeration. Our February 2020 trip was with my family. Being a typical Midwestern dad, my dad brought sandwiches, chips, and pop into the parks to save some money. It’s a good option for a family, paying for every meal in the parks adds up!
Your Thoughts
Do you pack anything else in your backpack on a Disney Parks day? Drop a comment and let us know! We love learning new things that make days at the park a better experience. If you disagree with one of ours, also let us know!
