10 Things to Pack in Your Bag for Walt Disney World

Other than the temporary inconvenience of having to go through the bag check lines, taking a bag with you into the parks can solve a multitude of problems (and save you a great deal of money)! Here is our list of the ten things that you’ll want to pack in you bag the next time you head to one of the four Disney theme parks!

1. Ponchos

Florida is a tropical climate meaning that at any point in time the skies can darken and you can be caught in the middle of an intense thunderstorm. Disney is well prepared with a bevy of ponchos available for guests — at a hefty markup of close to $10.  We recommend heading to your local drug store before leaving on your trip and investing in a handful or two of disposable ponchos — you can get them for $1.  They are compact and can easily fit in your bag without taking up too much space. And given their price, you won’t feel bad disposing of them after the sun has come back out!

2. Sunscreen

Tropical climates include both rain and sun and Florida has a lot of it!  Even on overcast days, guests can get a bad sunburn if you aren’t applying sunscreen at regular intervals.  Nothing ruins a vacation faster than a sunburn, so make sure to bring some from home because even though Disney has sunscreen available at the various kiosks and gift shops, you’ll want to avoid the markup that comes with these products!

3. Roll of Pennies/Quarters

There are few experiences at Disney World that still requires old fashioned cash to be able to partake, but taking two rolls of coins will enable you to take part in some great things.  First, over in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom, little kids will love being able to take advantage of shooting their rifle at interactive targets (parents will enjoy being able to get out of the sun, and maybe taking a shot or two to make sure everything is working OK)!  Guests can also use their roll of quarters and pennies to be able to collect pressed pennies throughout the parks — however, on a recent trip, it appears that you no longer are required to provide your own as some of the machines are being updated to allow guests to collect these souvenirs using a credit or debit card!

4. External Charger

Between checking FastPass+ selection, making dining reservations, and making sure your photo with you favorite character came out perfectly, you’ll be using your phone A LOT!  Make sure you bring a charging cable and an fully-charged external charger so you can keep your battery levels up.  Nothing takes you out of the fun like having to find an outlet and being tethered to the wall for thirty minutes while your device charges!

5. Extra Pair of Socks

During the summer months, you’ll be much more tempted to hop onto a water-based attraction like Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom or maybe Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom.  It is always possible that you come off of these attractions drenched!  If that happens, you definitely want to change your socks (or maybe even your shoes), so you’ll want to keep an extra pair available in your bag!  Even if you skip the water rides, you still may want an extra pair since it is very humid and you’ll be doing a lot of walking!

6. Refillable Water Bottle

Disney provides water fountains throughout the parks, so bring a water bottle or two to help you beat the heat (and avoid having to pay $4 for a bottle of water)!  Disney is coming around and accommodating guests who bring water bottles as they slowly install refillable bottle stations so you can fill your bottle to the brim (as opposed to 7/8 of the way full with the traditional water fountain)!

7. First Aid Kit

Things happen when you exploring the Disney theme parks and you may find yourself in need of a bandaid or some burn cream and it is always better to have some readily available.  While Disney does have first aid stations in every park, it may not be convenient to wherever your emergency happens.  Disney goes above and beyond in making their parks safe, so this is just a precaution, but we’ve found having a bandaid around is great in case you get an unexpected blister!

8. Wet Wipes

With the variety of delicious snacks, desserts, and beverages that Disney offers, there is always the possibility that you can end up with food over your hands and face — having wet wipes available make it much easier to clean up after your Mickey Bar melts all over the place in the hot sun!  You’ll also enjoy having these available if you get very hot and want to wipe away some of the sweat!

9. Hat

As the day drags on at the parks, you may want to put a hat on to keep the sun out of your eyes and off your face to help prevent any bad sunburns.  Again, Disney has them available in the parks, but you’ll pay a premium, so it is always easier to thrown one in your bag or clip it on one of the straps on your bag!

10. Snacks

Disney still allows guests to bring outside food into the parks, so we always recommend throwing some easy to eat snacks in your bag for when you are standing in line for your favorite attraction or waiting for the nighttime entertainment to begin. Again, a box of granola bars is about equal in price to one Mickey pretzel or bucket of popcorn, so even just replacing one snack a day this way will save you a bunch of money (and get you back to Disney even faster)!

Taking a bag into the park can inconvenience you briefly when you enter the park, but the ease that it provides throughout the day will more than make up for it!  Do you take a bag into the parks?  What must you have in yours?

$7.96 with discount
$7.96 with discount
$10.36 with discount