Hi Everyone!
So Kristin and I leave for our next Disney vacation in less than two weeks and we spend most days reminding each other of the countdown! Kristin has already started packing and continues to add things as she sees fit. Because of her constant enthusiasm, I thought it’d be the perfect time to write a post on packing for Disney World. You’d think that packing for this vacation would be the same as packing for any other, but trust me when I say it isn’t. We’ve experienced so many changes in weather all in one trip, that we feel it best for you to be prepared in some way for every kind of temperature fluctuation or sudden slam of precipitation.
As I mentioned in our planning post, it’s really important to check the weather before you pack. When my best friend and I went a zip-a-dee-doo-dahing down to Florida in May of 2009, I did NOT check the weather forecast. Subsequently, I spent the whole 5 day vacation soaking wet from the rain; let’s just say I should not have brought that white skirt. So if you’re like me and enjoy keeping a bit of mystery about your under garments, I suggest checking the weather. For this up-coming trip, Kristin went a bit all out and consulted the Farmer’s Almanac. If you’re not that dedicated, I suggest checking your online weather service of choice a few days before leaving. Always remember that Florida is subject to radical changes in weather and nothing puts a damper on a vacation faster than being grossly unprepared for the elements.
Regardless of what the weather predictions are for your trip, there are a few non-essentials that suddenly become necessary when you’re going to Disney World.
1. Bathing suit: Yes, you will want to bring one with you even in the winter. Some pools are heated. Most resorts have hot tubs. And nothing feels better than relaxing in a soothing pool after a fun-filled day, morning, or evening in the parks. The best thing about WDW pools? Your hotel may have more than one pool: one main pool with all of the hulabaloo of a water slide, and a second “quiet” pool. The “quiet” pool means that there are generally less people in the pool and they may remain open when no life guards are on duty; you swim at your own risk, but you can swim at any time of the day. I like getting up early at least 1 day of my trip to swim laps with the ducks. It’s a great way to start your day.
2. Sweatshirt: Say what? You call “crazy”? Well, hear me out. During the winter months, the temperatures drop significantly at night time. While on most days you can walk around in a light sweater and a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt is going to come in useful after the sun goes down. And yes, bring one in the summer. I cannot count how many sweatshirt my parents purchased for me in the middle of July. Rainstorms pop up so frequently in WDW and the air conditioning is constantly on full blast. If you don’t mind carry the extra item and the weather forecast calls for rain, lug it along. Even if you don’t bring it to the parks with you, the hotel rooms can get pretty chilly. You, or your always cold, “should have been born on the surface of the sun” companions, will be happy for the cozy addition to your suitcase.
3. Umbrella: This is an arguable “always bring” item. Carrying an umbrella through the parks can be very annoying and I do not recommend bringing one with you every day. However, Disney umbrellas purchased in the park are on the expensive side and carrying an umbrella with you on a day that a storm is predicted will come in handy. If you hate getting caught in the rain, or if you’re traveling with someone who hates getting caught in the rain, this is a must have. If you don’t care about being wet all day, cold after ducking for cover in a heavily air conditioned shop, or about your hair and/or make up getting messed up for the day, leave the umbrella at home. Save the room in your suitcase for something more useful to you.
4. Extra socks: Are you a sneakers person? Do you have kids? Then this is an essential item for you! Nothing bites the big one more than walking around in wet squishy socks (unless it is walking around in wet, squishy underwear). Stick an extra pair in some one’s bag when you go to the park; water rides, unexpected rain storms - you’re going to want those dry socks.
So Kristin and I leave for our next Disney vacation in less than two weeks and we spend most days reminding each other of the countdown! Kristin has already started packing and continues to add things as she sees fit. Because of her constant enthusiasm, I thought it’d be the perfect time to write a post on packing for Disney World. You’d think that packing for this vacation would be the same as packing for any other, but trust me when I say it isn’t. We’ve experienced so many changes in weather all in one trip, that we feel it best for you to be prepared in some way for every kind of temperature fluctuation or sudden slam of precipitation.
As I mentioned in our planning post, it’s really important to check the weather before you pack. When my best friend and I went a zip-a-dee-doo-dahing down to Florida in May of 2009, I did NOT check the weather forecast. Subsequently, I spent the whole 5 day vacation soaking wet from the rain; let’s just say I should not have brought that white skirt. So if you’re like me and enjoy keeping a bit of mystery about your under garments, I suggest checking the weather. For this up-coming trip, Kristin went a bit all out and consulted the Farmer’s Almanac. If you’re not that dedicated, I suggest checking your online weather service of choice a few days before leaving. Always remember that Florida is subject to radical changes in weather and nothing puts a damper on a vacation faster than being grossly unprepared for the elements.
Regardless of what the weather predictions are for your trip, there are a few non-essentials that suddenly become necessary when you’re going to Disney World.
1. Bathing suit: Yes, you will want to bring one with you even in the winter. Some pools are heated. Most resorts have hot tubs. And nothing feels better than relaxing in a soothing pool after a fun-filled day, morning, or evening in the parks. The best thing about WDW pools? Your hotel may have more than one pool: one main pool with all of the hulabaloo of a water slide, and a second “quiet” pool. The “quiet” pool means that there are generally less people in the pool and they may remain open when no life guards are on duty; you swim at your own risk, but you can swim at any time of the day. I like getting up early at least 1 day of my trip to swim laps with the ducks. It’s a great way to start your day.
2. Sweatshirt: Say what? You call “crazy”? Well, hear me out. During the winter months, the temperatures drop significantly at night time. While on most days you can walk around in a light sweater and a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt is going to come in useful after the sun goes down. And yes, bring one in the summer. I cannot count how many sweatshirt my parents purchased for me in the middle of July. Rainstorms pop up so frequently in WDW and the air conditioning is constantly on full blast. If you don’t mind carry the extra item and the weather forecast calls for rain, lug it along. Even if you don’t bring it to the parks with you, the hotel rooms can get pretty chilly. You, or your always cold, “should have been born on the surface of the sun” companions, will be happy for the cozy addition to your suitcase.
3. Umbrella: This is an arguable “always bring” item. Carrying an umbrella through the parks can be very annoying and I do not recommend bringing one with you every day. However, Disney umbrellas purchased in the park are on the expensive side and carrying an umbrella with you on a day that a storm is predicted will come in handy. If you hate getting caught in the rain, or if you’re traveling with someone who hates getting caught in the rain, this is a must have. If you don’t care about being wet all day, cold after ducking for cover in a heavily air conditioned shop, or about your hair and/or make up getting messed up for the day, leave the umbrella at home. Save the room in your suitcase for something more useful to you.
4. Extra socks: Are you a sneakers person? Do you have kids? Then this is an essential item for you! Nothing bites the big one more than walking around in wet squishy socks (unless it is walking around in wet, squishy underwear). Stick an extra pair in some one’s bag when you go to the park; water rides, unexpected rain storms - you’re going to want those dry socks.
Bags: Carrying a purse gets heavy and annoying; a smaller bag will allow you to carry only the absolute essentials into the parks and it will help you get through security faster. OR if your party is into sharing, bring 1 or 2 small drawstring backpacks that everyone can toss their stuff into. Pass the bags off during the day so that everyone gets a few hours of bag free fun. Just a word of advice, each park now has security check points at the entrance. Everyone has to open every compartment of each bag they are carrying and allow a security officer to examine it. Take the smallest bag you can carry, if you don’t need it, don’t bring it. Not only will it speed up your time at security, but come late afternoon, you’ll be happy you aren’t lugging around a huge bag.
Cosmetics/Hair Care: BE FRUGAL! Take only what you will absolutely need. Try and aliquot your hair care products, moisturizers, facial cleansers and other liquid cosmetics into smaller travel size bottles (you can find them at any beauty supply store). This is will save you time and luggage space. Also, if you must bring large bottles of liquid products, put them in a secondary Ziploc bag. I brought a bottle of heat protector a few years ago. It opened in my suitcase and not only did I have to wash everything, it ruined my favorite red cocktail dress.
I have been blessed with perfectly straight, unfrizzable hair, so all I take is a small bottle of styling spray, a hair tie, bob pins and a comb. Hair dryers are provided in all rooms. I am a makeup person. I collect it, wear it, play with it, I just love it. However, you do not need it! Here is what I carry in my Disney makeup bag: tinted moisturizer (with SPF); under-eye concealer; a fine particle finishing powder; one or two eye shadow quads; eye liner; bronzer/blush; lip balm (with SPF), lip gloss and mascara…THAT’S IT! For all you makeup lovers, I know this may sound minimal; you will be thanking me at the end of your vacation when you don’t come home with a face full of blemishes. One more tip…dental floss! You will be eating and drinking all day. Carrying a tooth brush and tooth paste is not always practical, but dental floss will not only help you remove bits from between your teeth, but in the event you feel your mouth is stanky, try chewing a small piece then tossing it. GUM IS NOT SOLD ANYWHERE ON DISNEY PROPERTY!
One last very VERY important note: BRING SUNSCREEN! You can buy it at every gift shop at the resort, however if you can bring it, then definitely supply your own. Even though it is in the United States, do not forget, Florida is a sub-tropical climate. The sun is very strong, even in the winter. Lather yourself and your kids up before you head out to the parks. There is nothing worse than a sunburn in Disney World…I speak from experience. If you ignore every single piece of advice we ever give you on this blog, please do not ignore this one…you need to protect your skin.
Dinner Clothes: When people think Disney World, they think long lines, fun rides, humidity, French fries and Mickey Mouse. But what about fine dining and a night life? WDW plays host to some of the world’s best cuisine and most beautiful restaurants. (It’s true! Just ask Samantha Brown.) Because of this, I highly recommend bringing “dinner” clothes: a nice dress, a pair of slacks, anything a little bit nicer or a little bit cleaner than the clothes that you’re planning on frolicking through the parks in. Some restaurants on prem have dress codes requiring more formal attire, while others don’t. However, taking the time to change from your “running around the park” clothes to your “enjoying some fine wining and dining” clothes can do wonders for your mood and energy. It gives you the time to cool down, and relax; taking the time to ready yourself for dinner can really let you determine how the rest of your vacation should proceed in order for you to thoroughly enjoy it.
Ok, ladies, here is a tip just for you: BRING DRESSES! The dress is a glorious thing in the hot, humid, Floridian weather. They’re light and airy, they dry quickly and best of all, they take up minimal space in your suitcase. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that there is no place for pants in WDW: getting in and out of the rocket on Space Mountain in a skirt can be tricky; however, when the rest of your party is complaining about their wet pants an hour after getting off of the Kali River Rapids, your dress in going to be comfortable and ready for another excursion through those twisty, turny water ways. Another great thing about wearing a dress to the parks is that it severely cuts down on sweating. With a dress, you minimize the extraneous layers of overlapping clothing. An added bonus: if you are not interested in taking the time to leave the parks to prep for dinner, wearing a dress to the parks is a sure fire way to be prepared for any dining experience on prem. Well, except for maybe Victoria and Albert’s.
Ok, ladies, here is a tip just for you: BRING DRESSES! The dress is a glorious thing in the hot, humid, Floridian weather. They’re light and airy, they dry quickly and best of all, they take up minimal space in your suitcase. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that there is no place for pants in WDW: getting in and out of the rocket on Space Mountain in a skirt can be tricky; however, when the rest of your party is complaining about their wet pants an hour after getting off of the Kali River Rapids, your dress in going to be comfortable and ready for another excursion through those twisty, turny water ways. Another great thing about wearing a dress to the parks is that it severely cuts down on sweating. With a dress, you minimize the extraneous layers of overlapping clothing. An added bonus: if you are not interested in taking the time to leave the parks to prep for dinner, wearing a dress to the parks is a sure fire way to be prepared for any dining experience on prem. Well, except for maybe Victoria and Albert’s.
Another great tip for women: BRING EXTRA PANTIES!!! Children's underwear and men's boxers are readily available for purchase in every gift shop. However, adult women's underwear is very hard to come by, so unless you are a free spirited bird who won’t mind going commando, bring extra panties!
All in all, try to minimize the number of “duplicate” items you bring: ie bras, shoes, purses. You can assign these things to different outfits and significantly lighten your load. If you’re particular about washing clothing between wears, there are laundry facilities in every hotel or you can always hand wash things in your bathroom sink and hang them to dry over night. Bring travel size cosmetics or plan to use products provided by the hotels. Bring only 2 or 3 pairs of pajamas with you and wear them multiple times. Lastly, be honest with yourself. We’d all like to think that we really are going to get up and work out before our day starts. You know yourself better than anyone else; if you’re really not going to make the effort to get up and exercise, leave the running shoes at home.
That’s all for now. If anyone has any additional tips for packing for WDW, let us know. We’d love to hear your ideas and expand our own pool of tips. TTFN!
All in all, try to minimize the number of “duplicate” items you bring: ie bras, shoes, purses. You can assign these things to different outfits and significantly lighten your load. If you’re particular about washing clothing between wears, there are laundry facilities in every hotel or you can always hand wash things in your bathroom sink and hang them to dry over night. Bring travel size cosmetics or plan to use products provided by the hotels. Bring only 2 or 3 pairs of pajamas with you and wear them multiple times. Lastly, be honest with yourself. We’d all like to think that we really are going to get up and work out before our day starts. You know yourself better than anyone else; if you’re really not going to make the effort to get up and exercise, leave the running shoes at home.
That’s all for now. If anyone has any additional tips for packing for WDW, let us know. We’d love to hear your ideas and expand our own pool of tips. TTFN!
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