Traveling To Disney World With Kids

• Pop Up Laundry Hamper: I always pack this, and it helps keep things organized in your resort room. We pop this thing up in a corner of the closet and pile in all of the dirty clothes. It also makes repacking easier since we already know what’s dirty and needs to be separated from everything else. It folds flat, so it hardly takes up any room in a suitcase!
• Ziploc bags in multiple sizes or grocery bags: or you can bring your reusable zip bags! We use these for everything! Parcel out snacks while at the parks, bag up food the kids didn’t finish and will inevitably want in 15 minutes. They can also contain wet or dirty clothes, hold phones while on a water ride, and MORE!
• Extra clothes: for everyone, including yourself! Pack at least one change of clothes for everyone in your party in your carry on. Also consider bringing a spare shirt for the adults while at the parks. The weather can change abruptly in Florida, so a hot afternoon can make way to a chilly evening. It’s always nice to have something dry handy.
• Travel-sized bag of medical necessities: nail clippers (can be used for more than your nails!), acetaminophen/ibuprofen/benadryl, lip balm, hair ties, travel-sized Tums/Dramamine or other stomach medicines, band aids. I keep a small bag with me and leave it fully packed at all times. I can pop it on my carry on for the plane and move it to my backpack for the parks. This will save you a trip to the First Aid stations in the parks, which are often out of your way. This also saves you the up-charge of buying these items at the parks!
• Snacks GALORE: Both for the drive or flight, as well as for the parks. Disney World allows outside food and beverages into the parks, so we usually pack a few rounds of snacks to keep those HANGRY tantrums at bay. Even the adults get HANGRY!
• Diaper wipes, even if your kids are not in diapers: They’re helpful for so much more than diaper changes!
• Portable Sound Machine: I swear by these for the hotels. We pack a small sound machine, put it on the nightstand in the middle of the two beds, and crank that puppy up. Our kids are younger and have an early bedtime so this drowns out the noise from hallway traffic. It also gives mom and dad enough noise cover to hang out in the room while the kids are sleeping.
• Reusable totes: particularly the kind that fold up small or lay flat. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled these out and it’s saved my sanity. These are helpful to keep your hands free when you’ve acquired one too many things while you’re out and about.
• Entertainment for attraction lines: waiting in line for a ride can be excruciating if you don’t have a way to keep the kids occupied. I know this from personal experience after we waited 70 minutes for 7 Dwarfs Mine Train with a 2 and 4 year old – it was a melt-down disaster. You don’t necessarily need to pack anything, just think ahead. Try having snack time or breakfast while waiting in line. Maybe playing a mobile version of popular games like Headbanz or Heads Up would keep your crew occupied. Maybe it’s as simple as naming all of the Disney characters you can think of, or blowing bubbles. Whatever it is, have a plan, and download your apps before you hit the parks!
• Patience: OK, OK, you can’t really pack patience, but it takes a hefty dose of this stuff. It also takes a few deep breaths to make it through Disney World with kids.

Don’t Forget!