There’s a LOT to think about when planning your Disney World vacation!
You have to choose a resort, book your dining reservations, and make your Park Pass reservations all ahead of time! But on top of that, you have to think about what to pack for your trip. Today we’re sharing a list of items that you should bring with you — NEVER buy these things in Disney World if you can help it!
First Aid Supplies
Between all of the walking and overindulging in sweet food, it is likely you may need some first aid items on your Disney trip.
Sure, you can find bandages for blisters and knee scrapes, medicine to settle your stomach after “just one more bite”, or aspirin for the inevitable headache — but it will be expensive. You will pay as much for a travel pack of bandages, aspirin, etc. in your resort’s gift shop as you will for a “normal” size at home.
Pack a basic first-aid kit and you’ll be prepared for most incidents on your trip — and save some money!
Poncho and Umbrella
Florida may be the Sunshine State, but it rains often and randomly. It is likely you will encounter at least a few showers on your Disney vacation.
Bring, or buy, a light raincoat or poncho and umbrella that fit in your park bag. You will save more than a few dollars by bringing these from home instead of buying the Disney ponchos and umbrellas in the park.
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Sunscreen
Pick up a bottle of your favorite sunscreen at home. Sunscreen is another overpriced item in the resort shops. Plus, the brand and strength selection is lacking.
We’ve also seen occasions in the past where Disney World has completely sold out of sunscreen, so it’s best to be prepared!
Sweatshirt or Jacket
In the fall, winter, and spring the mornings and evenings can get chilly in Florida. Pack a jacket or sweatshirt so you don’t have to buy one “under pressure” because you are cold.
Sure, we have all bought sweatshirts in Disney to wear at home, but unless you consider it an expensive souvenir, buying the first one you see just because you’re freezing doesn’t make sense! I mean, you may not even LIKE Frozen — you don’t want to have to wear that sweatshirt forever, right?
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Water Bottles
Bring your favorite water bottle from home. There are water fountains all over the Disney Parks that you can use to refill your bottle. You can save a significant amount of money using your own water bottle over purchasing a $3.50 bottle of water every time you need to rehydrate. Plus, you’re being eco-friendly!
We’ve started to notice more bottle refill stations popping up in Disney World, especially in the newer areas of the parks, like Galaxy’s Edge.
Bagged Snacks
Bring snack packs of your favorite crackers, chips, pretzels, etc. or a large bag and plastic bags to pack your own snack packs. You can find snacks in the resorts and parks, but will pay as much or more for a smaller size bag as you will for a full-size bag at home.
Disney Parks Souvenirs or Park Essentials
Many of the Disney Parks souvenirs or park essentials (such as autograph books) can be found on shopDisney. The bonus — shopDisney has sales on a regular basis. Before your trip watch the site for sales and offers to get your park essentials and save money.
During your trip, if you see something you want, be sure to check these two sites first. You may be able to get them online, have them shipped to your home (no need to cram that last souvenir in your suitcase), and maybe even save some money!
Don’t Forget to Pack These Walt Disney World Essentials — Click Here!
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What items are on your must-pack and never buy at Disney World list? Let us know in the comments below!
If you happen to have transportation, go to WalMart for Disney shopping. A huge part of the store has a pretty decent selection, especially clothing, but other things as well. We always go, buy snacks and food items to pack lunches to take to the park. Then do a little souvenir shopping as well. They have some really cute things that I have loved. It also helps slow down that gotta buy feeling we get at the parks.
#8 Balloons. Absolute waste of money
Take an Uber to the local Walmart. Many official Disney items are available and the discounts will make up for the cost of the trip.
I like to pack a little detergent for qanat laundry loads. It is much cheaper to slip a little in my bag!
Friend of mine worked at a dry cleaner/ Laundromat and brought me some packets of laundry detergent to pack. The Disney hotels have a laundry right near the pool, so no big deal to do a load while we swam. Then you don’t have to pack as many clothes!
We did purchase the Disney ponchos, and we bring them with us every year. They’re stronger than some of the others.
if you have kids, go to the dollar store to stock up on glow bracelets, wands, and necklaces. then you don’t get pressured or nagged into dropping a small fortune on nightly glow items. bonus is that your little can make a friend by sharing with a nearby child 🙂
Rather than bring water bottles from home, I purchase one at the park and then refill it throughout the trip. The quick service will give you a cup of ice water that I just pour into the water bottle. I will also fill it with water in the morning at the drink machine in the hotel. The water from drinking fountains is not good at WDW. Throw away before I head home. Don’t need to worry about losing a metal or plastic nice bottle from home and no need to pack heavy packs of bottled water.
I take a little off the top of a bottle of Dasani or whatever brand, and then pop in freezer for the morning. Pack it and it stays cold a long time. Also, freeze a wet facecloth in a baggie for quick mop ups.
#8 – DVC
Here are a few better tips: instead of bringing first aid items from home or purchasing them from a store.. there are first aid stations in every park and will gladly provide you with basic first aid supplies including tylenol and bandaids completely free of charge.
Also instead of using a water fountain while in the parks, you can ask any counter service restaurant for a cup of ice water and they will be happy to free of charge. That water is much better filtered and often much colder than the fountains. Also there are much more drink stands then there are water fountains.
Over the counter items you might consider. Pepto-bismal tablets. Benedryl has a single dose liquid. easier to carry than a bottle if you have a kid or adult with allergy issues. Small bottle of pain relief tabs ( Advil, Tylenol). Also, I found many of the retail stops have a bunch of sample packs of pain tabs, allergy etc behind the counter! I went in one to see if they had some Advil and they pulled out a tray full of individually packed medications.