Anything I just absolutely must not forget to pack?

[Hunnybee]

We leave in less than 2 weeks for WDW with our almost 3 year old DS and 2 sets of grandparents and 2 aunts. We can't wait!!! However, we'll be gone for 6 days -- quite a long time to pack for. Is there anything you would suggest I should for sure take along? I've found several packing lists online but just wondered if there were one or two things you wouldn't go without or wished you had taken once you were down there. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[travelitis]

Take child meds and a thermometer just in case. My then 18 mo old started running a fever the last day at WDW, and their prices for Tylenol were very high. I prefer to take certain things like Benedryl gel, pain relieving triple antibiotic cream, bandages, moleskin - the medicine cabinet stuff we use fairly regularly. I much rather already have it than have to go hunt for it. If you have a car rather than transfers only, then anything you might need is nearby.

If you're taking a camcorder, make sure you have at least 2 batteries and the charger. Our new battery shorted out the 1st day at WDW, and although they normally stocked it, they were letting stock run low for inventory. I didn't have a car, so I was stuck with no battery. Guess the most important thing to me to take is a car. I'll never rely on transfers and the Disney transportation system again.

 

[susy]

I completely agree with the medicines!!! Last trip my DS started to get an earache and was very warm (OH NO) in the MK. I had to go hunt for tylenol (which I had back in the room). Best thing: in your fanny pack take a small ziploc with different meds (just the pills, but remember which are which). Tylenol makes chewables for kids, which I'm sure your kids are big enough for, since my son is four and has to take three of them. We had everything BUT in our fanny pack that day!

I plan to bring my humdifier. I know it sounds silly, but we brought it one time because we were all getting over colds. It kept the room nice and humid and drowned out any outside noise. I could have used it last trip when everyone and their brother was walking past our door at 1am! And those toilets!

Masking tape and scissors! You always need them for something!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Take twice as much film as you can imagine using and extra batteries too. We ran out and had to pay WDW prices for them. I agree with the meds, and for the two year old, take fruit snacks for waiting in line. No mess, and gives them a little boost.
Take less clothes! We go in winter and I try to pack for two seasons. I have learned that you can even wash a t-shirt out in the sink at night and it will dry over night. Doing a load of clothes is not a big deal either. OH, always take downey wrinkel release! It saves ironing and your can pack tighter with out wrinkle worries. What a great family trip this will be. Have a blast.



Jordan's mom

 

[TLHB70]

I pack a Homedic Sound Spa machine to drown out the noise in the hotel. I got it at Walmart for only $19.99. It is wonderful and my family cannot sleep without it!
I totall agree about the medicine and film.
I also suggest that you pack mosquito repellent since someone has posted here about the mosquito bites she received on her recent trips. I have never packed it before but I will for this upcoming trip. Especially with the West Nile problem going around.

 

[Barb D]

A night light! This way you can find the bathroom in an unfamiliar hotel room, but you don't have to leave a light on all night.

Another vote for the meds and thermometer, and moleskin.

Don't forget your cell phone charger!

I'm bringing my baby sling for my 3yo. You can't take the stroller in lines, and they get tired and antsy quick. It's probably too late for you if you haven't been using a sling so far, but if your child is used to one (even if you haven't used it for a while) it could come in handy.

A squeeze breeze.

Did you see the suggestion to use Zip-Lock bags to pack matching outfits with socks, underwear, hair doohickeys etc.? That way everything for each day is together and coordinated.

I like the new tablet-style laundry detergent. It's much easier to pack than powdered detergent, and much cheaper than buying it from the machines in the laundry room.

 

[Hunnybee]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I hadn't thought of the tablet detergent -- I was wondering if I could buy trial size detergent, now I don't need to try to find that. The medicine is a great reminder! I do have some first-aid things in with my toiletries, but it's a good reminder to make sure everything is stocked.

Please keep posting more suggestions as you think of them. Thanks for taking the time to help out a fellow DISer!

 

[crisi]

Nothing.

Seriously, there is absolutely nothing you won't be able to live without.

There are a lot of things you may want to bring, because getting it in Orlando if you discover you need it will take either time or too much money (or both). Children's medicines (and cold medicines for yourself) fall in that category. In addition to film, sunscreen at Disney is very expensive (by the way, we moved to a digital camera and bring a laptop, so no more film for us). If it will be "that time of the month" I wouldn't want to pay Disney hotel gift shop prices for supplies.

But you are going to Orlando, not the Amazon Basin. Especially if you have access to a car, there are a lot of stores that real people (not tourists) shop in with reasonable prices within minutes. Forget to pack underwear?.... Wal-Mart is only a few miles away. (If you shuttle into WDW, the logistics of getting things are much more difficult and you need to pack more carefully, because you won't find underwear at the hotel gift shop).

There is ONE exception to this. If your child is particularly attached to some sort of "lovey," or can't sleep at night without his Pokemon nightlight, or needs the same book read to him every night, DON'T forget it. Don't give it to a three year old to carry on the plane (or it will be left under the seat at the airport terminal).

 

[crisi]

TWO exceptions -

Perscription meds. Easy to forget, too, since your meds are probably out, and you'll need to pack them at the last minute.

 

[CRCrazy]

Just a little aside, the resorts actually DO sell underwear - On our March trip to WDW, I let my five year old pack her own socks, gave her a Ziploc, and told her to put in six pairs (Her big sisters were packing for themselves with my direction, so she wanted to as well.) I figured she couldn't get into trouble with socks - wrong. She didn't take them out of her sock bin. She went digging in the spare room, and pulled out 6 pair of embroidered (full foot) Christmas socks! Of course, I didn't check - till we reached Disney. If I had let her wear the socks she brought for a full day in the parks, she would have had blisters everywhere.

Quick trip to the Concourse Level, and voila - 5 pack of Pooh themed, day of the week socks, and marked down 50% to make room for the newer Princess socks!

On our last day, DH said, I bought you these in memory of our CR honeymoon (17 years ago) - a 3 pack of Sorceror Mickey panties - I love them!

I think the only thing you absolutely can't buy on Disney property is GUM. Guess they got tired of scraping it off the seats!

If you use one of the packing lists posted on the boards, you should be fine - the only other thing I regretted not having was feminine protection. I brought pretty much my whole medicine cabinet - I took a Rubbermaid plastic tote with lid for all that stuff - tummy medicine, Children's Motrin, grown up Motrin, etc. But I knew I wouldn't need any stuff for me - Of course my 13 year old daughter started for the first time on our last day! Luckily, the gift shops were open - but a little embarrassing when all five of us were staying in the same room - Don't Tell Daddy!

 

[travelitis]

THREE exceptions -
Make sure you have your photo I.D., credit cards, cash, travel documents including every confirmation number.

Your comment that 6 days is a long time makes me suspicious that you might be geared up to overpack. A popular mantra among cruisers is "Take half the clothes and twice the money."

I do the ziplocks for my 3 kids, and it insures the boys wear clothes that match.

For detergent I just scoop some powder into small ziplocks. Each is portioned to do a load. I'd want to do laundry only if I were staying off-site in accomodations where I had W/D. Six days is too short of a trip to burn any of it babysitting laundry. If all you need to do is rinse out 1 or 2 items, baby shampoo works great. I got that tip from a drycleaner.

What is necessary and what is extra is really up to you. If you have transportation then the only necessities are the ones you wouldn't want to have to go pick up should the need arise (i.e. child meds, tampons). If you have transfers only and stay on-site, that list gets longer.

 

[ABCMom]

Absolutely do not forget to pack your clothes....they won't let you into the parks without them.....




Sorry...not feeling too well today and that was the first thing that came to my mind

I agree with whomever said that there isn't too much that you can't find down there. I was just thinking the other day about all the "essential" stuff that we took on our last trip and how 90% of it stayed in the suitcase or the drawer the whole week. Next trip I'm going to try to forego all that stuff. It will be that much more room we'll have to bring stuff back!!

 

[Local_Girl]

LOL, ABCmom!! I will make it a point not to forget our clothes.

The tip to put kid's outfits in ziplocs is great--we did this and it was a great time saver. DH thought I was so clever ! I would recommend bringing a few extra ziplocs and/or plastic grocery bags--they take up minimal space and always come in handy.

I believe that "Murphy's Law" is inevitable when it comes to packing (at least this has been our experience). If you think you MIGHT need it and pack it, you won't use it...but if you don't think you'll need it and DON'T pack it...you'll wish you had! It happens every trip.

 

[crisi]

Anyone want to plan a trip? - we will pack only medication, our blankies, our IDs, tickets, paperwork, and bring lots of money.

But we will cruise right through the airport with a single carryon for the two of us. And buy our underwear at the resort gift shop.

 

[Local_Girl]

Pretty funny, crisi!

And pretty tempting, considering I have a 3 page packing list . I agree about having a car...very convenient and you can pick up just about anything you forgot to pack. My DH is refusing to fly, preferring to drive and thus have our own car on the trip. The car is his "lovey"!

Back to the original post--don't forget comfy shoes!

 

[MinnieGi]

LOL! ABCMom!!!! I'm doing my laundry right now so I can pack!!!

 

[laughinplace199]

If you're taking your own stroller, I would suggest also bringing one of those plastic raincovers. It would be a bummer to park your stroller and go into an attraction only to come out into rain and a soaked seat! Of course, I bought two for our recent trip for my 3 y/o and 1 y/o., and it didn't rain at all. I'm always going to bring them hoping that, if I'm prepared for rain, it won't rain.

Also, if your child still uses sippy cups, The First Years makes some that are reusable and/or disposable. I used them for both of my kids. Even though my 3 y/o can drink out of a regular cup, these are just neater, especially when drinking while riding in a stroller.

 

[Hunnybee]

Who, ME, overpack?????????

Clothes? You mean we need clothes? LOL

Travelitis, okay, how much clothes would you say would be enough. I was planning on a couple pairs of shorts and a pair of jeans for DH and myself and a shirt for each day and a sweatshirt, and one extra outfit. Plus 2 bathing suits each and PJs and underwear and socks. For DS, an outfit for each day (shorts and shirt and socks) and a couple extra shirts. He is a very neat little boy -- doesn't like to get dirty, so I don't have to worry about having a lot of extra for him. (He's the kind of boy that asks for a napkin instead of wiping it on his sleeve -- gotta love him!) Plus, bathing suits (2) and sweatshirt and jeans. Unfortunately, he's still in diapers, so I don't need to worry about underwear for him. Does that sound like I'm overpacking?

Also, we are flying down, so I won't have transportation. We have scheduled a grocery stop on the way from the airport to PO-R. So, I'll have half an hour to run in and grab a lot of the extras (diapers, wipes (other than diaper bag stock), snacks, etc.).

 

[epcotfan]

Dramamine (for motion sickness or nausea in general) Sometimes one too many rides on BTM makes me a little dizzy. These are a lifesaver. I always take one before getting on a motion simulator such as Star Tours. Also a lifesaver after eating something that doesn't sit well with you.

Rolaids/Tums, etc... (often needed after a few days of eating at WDW)

sanitary napkins (I didn't expect that to happen on my last trip and didn't bring any)

Tape and scissors (great for sealing up opened shampoo bottles for packing.

Bubble wrap...(Yeah I know it sounds crazy but when you buy delicate souvenirs it protects them nicely. Also great for keeping pins from scratching against each other.

Zip Lock bags to seperate dirty undies, socks, etc from clean clothing...

Extra Batteries for Walkie Talkies, digital cameras, etc...

A couple of paper plates. When we get take out at the Contemporary's Food And Fun Center we often share. I bring a couple of plates to divide up whatever we bring back.

Earplugs. Got a family member that snores? Definitely bring these!

Address Book. In case of an emergency for contacts.

I always carry a small container of pills (tylenol, antacid, gravol, etc...) so if I don't feel well I can remedy the situation right away instead of heading back to the room.

Travel Wipes. For sticky/dirty hands when a sink is not in the vicinity

Eye Glass Wipes. The heat and humidity can make for some dirty lenses. Anti-fog glass wipes are a snap for a quick clean up.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

We always bring our own rain ponchos. While they are reasonably priced at WDW, we don't want to lose our children in a sea of yellow ponchos! Ours our red, so we definitely stand out in the crowd!

Also, we bring rolls of quarters for the laundry

And...disposable cameras for the kids to use.....

The strangest thing I ever saw on someone's packing list was a SHOWER HEAD! Yes, they brought their own shower head with them and swapped them in the hotel for their visit!!

Oh - and we pack the kids walkmans so they can listen to music/books on tape on the plane and at night if they are having trouble settling in.