If you vacation in Disney like me, you are in the Parks and out of your hotel room from the early morning hours until late at night. Therefore, it is important to have a bag with you to keep all of the essentials you will need for the day. A Disney day more often than not contains at least 20,000 steps, extreme heat, likely rain, shopping, eating, and more. You need to be prepared for whatever comes your way. My blog is all about Disney adults, so I won't mention anything about strollers and young children here. Just note that you already need a lot for a Disney adult, so I can only imagine the bags you need to pack with children in tow.
1) The Bag
There are a lot of different bag options out there. A very popular choice at the moment is the Loungefly bag. This is a backpack with lots of different Disney themes you can choose from. They are sold all over the Disney resort and you can also order them online. They are pretty roomy and it seems like you can fit a lot in them. I have not gotten one yet, but I am keeping my eye out for one with a design that is suited to me. If you go to Disney, you are guaranteed to see a lot of people wearing them.
Another option is the new waist bag, which is very much in trend right now. This is the "fanny pack" that is essentially worn like a cross body bag. It on the smaller side for a bag, but is efficient to carry. The pouch is on the front of your body so you can easily take items in and out of the bag without actually taking the bag off, and it is small enough that you can wear it on the majority of rides.
Another good option is a normal backpack or drawstring bag.
2) Magic Band
One of the neat things about Disney World is that you can do almost everything with your Magic Band. A Magic Band is not required, but I think it is super convenient and I would always recommend wearing one while in Disney World. The Magic Band unlocks your hotel room door, grants you entry to the Parks, and lets you tap into lightening lane and virtual queue lines. Also, you can link your credit card to your Magic Band so you can conveniently make purchases across Disney World with a tap of the Band. This saves you from having to carry cash or credit cards around the park
3) Phone
For most people, this is a given. No one goes anywhere without their phone nowadays. However, you need your phone for more than texting and social media while in Disney World. There is the obvious photo taking that I am sure you would like to do. But also, you will need to utilize the My Disney Experience app to have a successful day in the parks. The app lets you check wait times, shows maps of the parks, lets you book dining reservations, lightening lanes, and virtual queues, and shows locations of character meet and greets. Besides your Magic Band, access to the My Disney Experience App is truly the most important thing you need with you in Disney World.
4) Portable Charger for your Phone
As I mentioned above, you will be using your phone a lot during your park days. The last thing you need is for your phone to die half-way through the day and have no way of charging it. I recommend bringing a small portable charger in your bag so that you can juice up while eating a meal or waiting in line.
5) Water bottles
I try to bring at least a couple of water bottles into the park with me. It is so hot in Florida and it easy to get dehydrated. Water bottles cost around $5 each in the parks and can add up fast. The ones you bring in with you can be refilled at refill stations around the park, which truthfully is not the best water (usually warm and strange tasting) but at least it's free. I sometimes have to cave and buy a new, cold water bottle in extreme situations. You can also get free cups of ice water at most quick service restaurants in the parks, but those cups are too small to actually be beneficial.
6) Travel size hairbrush
A lot of the rides at Disney World involve whipping wind, which equals knotty windblown hair. I like to keep a mini hairbrush in my bag. There are Disney photographers all over the Disney parks and you never know when you might want to get a nice photo taken.
7) Body Glide
This is for the ladies who like to wear skirts or short shorts in the parks. The combinations of a lot of walking along with sweat unfortunately can lead to chafing. I like to throw a mini Body Glide in my bag. A few swipes can really help and lead to a more comfortable day.
8) Poncho or Rain Jacket
It's a well known fact- it rains in Disney. There is rarely a Disney day where you don't see a single drop of rain. Fortunately and unfortunately, the Disney parks do not close in inclement weather (short of a Category 5 Hurricane). That means you will be roughing it in the rain. Outdoor rides will close until any lightening/thunder clears up, but all dining, indoor rides, and shopping will remain open. Tickets cost a lot of money, so you don't want to waste the day. Thankfully, a lot of Disney World is indoors. Just throw on your poncho to walk from indoor attraction to indoor attraction. It's not so bad, you're still in Disney World afterall...
9) Change of Socks/shoes
On that note, you should also bring a change of socks or shoes with you. There is nothing worse than walking around with soaking wet feet all day. This leads to painful blisters which will affect the rest of your vacation.
10) Hand Sanitizer
This is pretty straight forward. There are a lot of germs in Disney. Don't get sick and ruin the rest of your vacation.
11) Allergy Meds
Speaking of getting sick, I will never forget the time I visited Disney World in the spring and could hardly breathe due to seasonal allergies. It ruined the whole trip. Now I never forget to bring allergy meds with me to Disney World. If you don't live in Florida, you are not use to the pollen and allergens in the air there. Be prepared and don't let something this small, and yet so big, ruin your trip.
12) Advil
Staying consistent with the small pharmacy we have growing in our Disney bag, you should bring a small travel sized Advil bottle with you to the parks. Some of the rides may give you a headache, and you don't want to spend the rest of the day wishing you had some Advil.
13) A snack
I should really start following this particular tip myself. Often times in Disney there is no time to stop and grab a snack, particularly in the morning when you are rushing around for Rope Drop and taking advantage of the low early morning crowds. I can't tell you how many times I got "hangry" while running from ride to ride, not taking the time to eat. A quick snack in your bag can save you big time. However, in no way am I advocating for bringing enough food so that you don't have to buy park food. I love getting Disney treats in the parks, and I still think that is a huge part of the magic of your trip!
14) Quarters and Pennies
This one is more niche and won't apply to everyone, but it is a must-have in my Disney bag. I collect pressed pennies around the Disney parks, and in order to do so, you will need quarters and pennies. It is extremely dissapointing that Disney is starting to replace the old-school hand cranked pressed penny machines with credit card purchased, automatically pressed penny machines. If you find one of the new machines, you will not need physical coins. However, Disney needs to immediately stop this and go back to the old version.
15) Sunglasses
Just like you should always expect rain while in Disney World, you should also expect the sun. There is no shortage of sunshine in Florida and you don't want to spend the day squinting against the sun. Be sure to throw a pair of sunglasses in your park bag, so you don't have to go back to the room and grab them mid-day, or worse yet, buy an overpriced pair at a gift shop in park.
There you have it. This list is in no way exhaustive and I'm sure you can think of additional items that are more specific to you. However, if you have the items above in your Disney bag, you should be covered for whatever Disney throws your way. You'll have no worries, or should I say "Hakuna Matata!"
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