65 Unique Things You are Forgetting to Pack According to Experienced Disney Travelers!

Think you have everything you need for your next Disney vacation? Think again! We asked our readers “What are some of your must-have items when you travel to Disney World?” and they didn’t disappoint! You might be surprised just how much you are forgetting to pack. Check out these amazing hacks that need to go on your next packing list. You’ll thank us later!

Disney Travel Experts Best Packing Advice

I don’t know about you, but when I travel to Disney it looks as if I plan to move in forever. On an average day, I somehow manage to select one single outfit to wear the entire day, but when going to Disney, I need at least 3 different options per day at the minimum.

I’ve had to learn the hard way on several occasions that I needed something I didn’t think to pack. You eventually learn what to leave behind and what you can’t live without.

We asked our readers who travel to Disney all the time to share with us the must-have items in their suitcases. Some of these are genius hacks I never would have thought of and others are just essential basics that perhaps the novice traveler may not be thinking about. There’s something for everyone on this list and we hope it helps spark additional ideas for your next Disney vacation!

Luck Favors the Prepared

Pharmacy & Health Needs

So many things can go wrong when you are miles away from home. It can be easy to think that in the Most Magical Place on Earth nothing bad will happen, but that just isn’t the case. Life happens when you’re making other plans as they say, but with these health essentials, you can save yourself a trip to the drugstore during your vacation.

Illness Protection and Prevention

Illnesses can put a damper on a Disney vacation. One way to help protect your family from picking up a stomach bug, flu virus, or anything else is to pack sanitizing wipes and lots of hand sanitizer for the whole family. Sanitize major touch points in your room when you check-in.

Many say they also use wipes in their park bags to wipe down tables or ride joy sticks for some extra protection. You’ll never regret packing a mini clip-on hand sanitizer bottle for your park bag either.

I like to clip mine to my backpack strap so that it’s easily accessible when I need it. Just remember that everyone in the park has to use those same finger scanners as you! Bleck!

If the dreaded moment does come and you find yourself dealing with a bout of food poisoning or norovirus, many of our readers say Imodium is your new best friend. It’s the item you absolutely need to have and hope you never have to need. One reader swears she never travels without Borax to treat vomit-stained clothing and vinyl or latex gloves to protect hands from touching soiled garments.

Physical Aches & Pain Treatments

Foot Problems

Besides viruses, nothing can quite take you down faster than sore muscles and feet. Disney requires a LOT of walking and standing all day long. By the end of the day, your feet will be swollen and painful.

To combat tired achy feet, our readers say you should consider packing Epsom salts and ice packs to reduce swelling. Quite a few readers say they even pack an inflatable or collapsable foot spa with them so their feet are refreshed and ready to withstand another full day in the parks.

If you are like me and suffer from plantar fasciitis, tennis balls or plantar fasciitis balls are a fantastic way to help relieve pain after a long day of standing around. Some even suggested going one step further and bringing a portable massager along. You know your feet best, if you are prone to any kind of foot pain, it will only multiply in Disney. Be prepared!

If you suffer from blisters, be sure to have patches of Moleskin on hand. One reader suggested her favorite way to prevent blisters in the first place is to rub Vaseline on her feet before putting on her socks in the morning.

Injuries and Pre-existing Condition Issues

Bandaids are also essential must-haves, not only in the hotel room but also when traveling in the parks. You never know when you might need one and having a few on hand could save you or a nice stranger from a trip to First Aid.

If you tend to fall victim to the dreaded “Disney Rash”, one way to help combat it is to pack some breathable compression socks. The “Disney Rash” is actually called exercise-induced vasculitis (EIV) and is activated by prolonged exercise in hot temperatures.

If you have poor blood circulation or lymphedema you can be prone to getting the “Disney Rash”. Basic NSAIDS and elevation can also help to reduce symptoms at the end of the day.

If you suffer from any kind of muscle or joint pain in your daily life, you may also want to pack a brace or KT Tape. I personally never travel without KT Tape. I suffer from a mal-tracking knee cap, and this tape is my best friend.

Park Bag Must Haves

I know we all like to keep our park bags as light as possible, but It’s a long way back to the hotel if you forget something and being prepared can save you from a potentially miserable day of suffering.

Physical Maintenance

Some absolute necessities are chafing prevention tools, electrolyte drink packets, and travel-sized deodorant so you don’t become like Pumba and lose all your friends.

Repairs

it is super helpful to carry a small sewing repair kit with safety pins in case a backpack strap breaks or a zipper bites the dust. If you wear eyeglasses, bring a small repair kit for those, as well. As a contact lens wearer, I always have a bottle of solution and a backup pair in my bag. You never know when one could rip!

Electronic Must-Haves

With Genie+ requiring guests to be on their phones more than ever, it’s important to carry a backup phone charger or power bank. I love my Anker charger, but many readers are suggesting solar-powered chargers now, too!

Useful Protective Tools

One of the most talked about items from almost everyone was that Ziploc bags are now a member of your family. They hold phones on water rides, water bottles, ponchos, wet swimsuits, snack leftovers, autograph sharpies, sunscreen and so much more.

Some unique items that I never thought to pack were personal neck fans for the hot afternoons, inflatable ring cushions to prevent wet or cold bottoms and plastic tablecloths and clothes pins to cover scooters and wheelchairs during rain storms (this is genius!).

Souvenier Hacks

To save money from having to buy expensive souvenirs in the parks, guests also bring their own small food trays for Epcot festivals and glow sticks or light-up wands to keep the kids from asking for the pricy Disney versions.

Bathroom Needs

Staying in a hotel room is not as comfy as being at home, especially when it comes to bathroom amenities. You’re most likely working within smaller spaces and using inferior-quality products. To solve this problem, many guests say they bring their own preferred brand of toilet paper.

Also, because you are in a much smaller space and possibly sharing that space with more family members than you prefer, bathroom spray is the key to keeping everyone happy. Some guests have learned from their past experiences and bring packable toilet plungers and disposable toilet seat covers, too.

For keeping everyone’s hands squeaky clean, a lot of our readers say they pack a bottle of antibacterial pump soap or Hibiclens rather than relying on Disney bar soap.

If you are traveling with little kids, one parent suggested bringing a small foldable step stool so that kids can reach the sinks in the hotel room and save mom and dad a chiropractor visit.

Packing, Hotel Room & Organizing Must-Haves

Basic Travel Essentials

When it comes to basic packing essentials, our readers say scissors are an essential tool that you never realize you need until you don’t have them. We keep a travel pair in our First Aid kit and use them regularly throughout our stay.

If you are traveling in a big group with multiple electronic devices, power strips are a great way to save a fight over outlet plugs. Also, bring plenty of batteries for electronics and a multi-tool device with a screwdriver for opening the battery compartment in new toys!

At least two pairs of shoes per person are also highly recommended. Sometimes, you just need to rotate your shoes to avoid blisters. Other times, you might find yourself stuck in the rain and maybe those first pair didn’t dry enough overnight.

Laundry & Clothing Hacks

A genius idea of many was to pack clothes pins or clip hangers. These are a great hack to hang up wet bathing suits and laundry. If you don’t want to do laundry on vacation, pack dryer sheets for laundry bags and save your suitcase from the smell of dirty clothing.

You can also pack your clothes in air-tight bags to save space and keep the smell of laundry away from clean clothes. For those that do like to wash their clothes before going home, they bring a mini bottle of detergent with them. A great way to save money if you have some extra suitcase space is to pre-pack costumes and accessories for kids. One parent said:

When my kids were younger we packed a suitcase full of costume accessories and toys we picked up at yard sales… Saved so much!

In-Room Essentials

Some unique items that should become your new hotel room staples include a blow-up cooler to fill daily with ice from the ice machine. This is a great idea, now that most Disney mini-fridges don’t come with a freezer compartment.

If you despise the taste of Florida water many guests say to pack a Brita filter for the hotel sink. To clean out resort mugs in your hotel room, a genius hack is to pack cut-up sponges presoaked in dish soap.

For nighttime comfort, be sure to bring your sleeping aids if you are accustomed to them. Box fans, white noise machines, ear plugs and night lights can help your hotel feel like a home away from home.

For our readers who have encountered bed bugs in the past, they remain steadfast in their quest to never have them again.

One person said:

I pack my own sheets and pillowcases. I travel so often and it’s absolutely disturbing how often we’ve stayed at places with them. Horrendous.

Organizing Tools

To keep your room looking less like a rock star band lived there, bring a pop-up hamper to keep dirty laundry off the floor. Hanging shoe organizers over the door can help to keep everyone from tripping over sandals, sneakers and other items, too.

If you like to have snacks on hand in your hotel room, pack a fold-up organizer box to neatly display and maintain snack bags and on-the-go breakfast items.

And because there is never enough drawer space for everyone in Disney hotel rooms, a genius hack is to pack pop-up hanging sweater organizers for the closet. That way everyone has a place to fold and store their clothes.

Funny (but necessary) items

There were a couple of suggestions that I thought had to make the list simply because they made me smile. One reader pointed out the obvious and said:

I bring my children, I guess they’re not really a need but they’re the weirdest things I bring.

Another pointed out that the most important thing to pack is your Patient Pants. Disney is after all a very crowded and stressful place to vacation so packing some extra patience and kindness will go a long way to making everyone’s day more magical.

For more Packing and Planning Tips be sure to check out our related articles below!

What do you think of these vacation essentials and hacks? Let us know in the comments below and check out more advice from Disney fans HERE!