I spend hundreds of days in Disney World a year filming YouTube videos, and that means sweating, getting blisters, draining my phone battery at a speed that is shocking, and (unfortunately) surviving the many, many, MANY mood swings of Orlando, Florida.
The same way you probably have a foolproof survival kit for your commute, your office, the 30-minute lunch you get where you hide in your car, or your work from home desk, I have a foolproof survival kit for Disney World. You might not be going to the parks 200 days this year, but this list will make your trip dramatically more comfortable. So, I bequeath it unto you — the same way I would hope you would give me your office survival checklist if, for some reason, I was visiting your work for the day.
Of course, I didn’t come up with this top-tier survival kit alone. This is the result of the whole AllEars team suffering in Disney World and then fixing that suffering ?. Moral of the story, we have your Disney World-going behinds COVERED. Grab something from this list, or a couple of things… or everything really. No one else can see your Amazon cart.
Surviving Florida Rain
Look, they aren’t kidding when they say Florida weather is crazy. I’ve lived here for 5 years, and I still regularly call my fiancé to tell him that it’s pouring rain 10 feet from where I’m standing, not a drop is falling on me, and also the sky is somehow clear??? It doesn’t make sense, and it never will. If you’re in Disney World in the rainy season (which is most of the year), you’ll see one of those freak Florida storms. So, here are the items that the AE team tries to remember to bring to Disney World to stay dry.
First up, the holy grail of ponchos. Don’t buy a poncho in the park unless you have to — they are overpriced and easy to rip. Instead, bring a reusable one. Our choice is the Frogg Toggs Ultra-lite2 Poncho.
And yes, I swear by a poncho over a rain jacket. I used to think that was silly, but the number of times I’ve had to quickly whip one of these bad boys on or off made me cross to the poncho side.
If you are lucky enough to be showing Disney World off to a stroller-needing kid, you DO NOT WANT a soaked stroller when you leave it parked during a downpour. Keep it dry AND thematic with this Mickey-pattern Stroller Rain Cover.
Of course, this won’t help at all when your kid goes absolutely buck wild in EPCOT’s Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, like my goddaughter did, and then clambors their soaking wet toddler body back into the dry, clean stroller. But you can’t expect me to have a solution for everything.
Perhaps the most difficult thing to keep dry in Disney World is a shoe. I wear waterproof hiking sandals a lot for this reason, but nothing truly beats the support and comfort of a sneaker — except when it’s sopping wet. Don’t laugh, but these Waterproof Shoe Covers are worth every wobble while you stand on one leg trying to get them on.
One time, Emma and I got caught in an emergency-level rain event in Disneyland, and we put Disney shopping bags over our socks and inside our shoes, and then tucked them into our pants. It worked (kind of). These are better.
I was SO jealous when one of my friends was testing out a BAODINI Mini UV Umbrella. You mean to tell me it blocks rain AND sun? Have y’all seen how pale I am? This is a dramatic need.
I ALSO used to be anti-carrying-an-umbrella. I’ve changed my tune. I quit lying to myself that a rain jacket keeps me just as dry. Plus, this one is smaller than a water bottle and has a little case, so I really can’t complain.
And you know what? Ol’ reliables are ol’ reliables for a reason. Bring some Ziploc Bags.
You never know when these will save your electronics (or the two corn dog nuggets you want to keep for later.
Foiling the Florida Sun
Ok, so we’re dry. But the sun is a nightmare and WILL make you sick. So, let’s get protected.
I personally am not loyal to a sunscreen. I like creams over sprays (because user error with sprays means I ALWAYS miss a spot), and my dermatologist tells me to use mineral instead of chemical, so I do. That said, the general consensus on our team is that the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 70 Spray is the one we keep going back to.
I’ll also take this time to tell you to REAPPLY. Any sunscreen wears off, and even if you are the kind of person who never burns, you CAN get skin cancer.
If you’ve ever had sunscreen in your eyes, you know that it’s horrible. If you haven’t, either you’re a wizard (very cool!) or you’re not wearing sunscreen (very bad!). This Sun Bum Mineral Face Stick SPF 50 will help.
And it’s easy to reapply while you’re on the go or in a line.
And, GUESS WHAT? Your lips burn too! My team loves this Coola SPF Lip Balm…
…which, not gonna lie, is a lot smarter than putting your regular sunscreen on your lips as carefully as you can just to make your Mickey Bar taste like chemicals later.
If you wear makeup (and honestly, this is great even if you don’t), you can simplify the reapply (that sounds like a cringy sunscreen company motto, but I’m leaving it) with Supergoop (Re)setting Powder SPF 35.
It can go OVER makeup without ruining it. In fact, it even makes your makeup last a bit longer. Used alone, it can help keep your skin from getting weird and oily — and from getting burned.
And if you do goof and burn? Aloe Vera.
Keep it in your resort fridge, you’ll thank me later.
Saving Your Feet
Disney World is secretly a marathon. And unless you are one of those people who “for fun” runs Dopey every year (I admire you; I am more the kind of person who loathes cardio with a deep and unwavering intensity), your feet are going to revolt around hour six. Here’s the stuff that keeps the AE team functional and not hobbling back to the parking lot.
Our personal hill to die on is that the HOKA Clifton 10 is the closest thing to cheating when it comes to theme park walking. These have walked us through 12-, 14-, and even 18-hour filming days.
I did not want to buy these — they are expensive and I can get sneakers for a third of the price! I was wrong. These are worth it. I’ll admit my mistake. They have them in men’s and women’s sizes.
Chafing is evil. It ruins vacations and moods. If you’re vulnerable to it (if you aren’t, what magic do you know?), then Body Glide Anti-Chafe Balm is your new best friend.
One swipe. No pain. No regrets. ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IF YOU ARE GOING TO A WATER PARK.
And if you do get a blister (because sometimes we learn the hard way, unfortunately), these Dr. Scholl’s Blister Cushions are magic.
They are the closest thing to replacing your entire heel, which we can’t do because, unlike cool Spaceship Earth computer room lady, we are not animatronics.
When the day is done and your feet feel like somehow they are full of rocks, these CEP Recovery Compression Socks should be waiting for you at home.
Sleep in them and wake up like you didn’t walk 14 miles yesterday. Lie to yourself! It’s fun! Plus, these are great for the plane ride.
And last but not least, Biofreeze Gel. A smell that says, “I have made choices today.” It’s a pain-relieving gel that kind of stresses me out because I don’t understand how it works, but it does.
It hurts and then it helps, and then you forget your feet ever had bones. Oh, that was a weird way to say that, but it’s kind of true.
Beating the Heat
If you haven’t felt Florida heat turn you into what my friends lovingly call me, “a damp Victorian orphan,” are you even in Disney World?
This Hydro Flask 32 oz Insulated Bottle keeps water cold like it has a personal vendetta against the sun. Of course, I also will never stray from my beloved Owala. But as long as it’s insulated, I think you’ll be happy.
Fill it with ice and you just might actually stay hydrated.
The Mission Cooling Towel is another one of those things where I was like, “Is it REALLY worth carrying?” And it’s another case where the answer is an emphatic “YES.”
It’s so helpful to have a cold towel on your neck. Seriously. And this one just stays cold? They are doing crazy stuff with products nowadays.
This JISULIFE Neck Fan looks like headphones, but actually it’s like if you could put your A/C unit around your neck instead of waiting to get home and then sitting on the coolest vent with it blowing up the back of your shirt.
Just me? Don’t lie. I know you know where the good vent is.
Hydration packets like Liquid I.V. are the difference between “I’m thriving!” and “I might cry outside Pirates of the Caribbean.” I have been both of those people, although USUALLY when I cry, I am wise enough to get to a bathroom.
One time, I was crying in a park because I didn’t get enough sleep, and I was dehydrated and sick, and they made me the rebel spy on Star Tours, and you could see me wiping my tears away in the picture that Kylo-Ren showed to the whole ride vehicle. So, basically, I could’ve used a Liquid I.V. packet that day.
Resetting Your Disney Hotel Room
Disney hotel rooms look adorable in photos, but after like… an hour with your kids (and adults, honestly) letting their suitcases and wet socks explode all over the place? Yeah. These are the things that keep it more like the pictures.
Florida tap water tastes… how do I say this nicely… like it was filtered through a wet pool noodle. Ok, so maybe I bombed on saying it nicely, but the Brita 5-Cup Slim Pitcher fixes that.
MAYBE I’ve been forged in the fires of living here, and I don’t taste the weirdness anymore, but I DO have to keep bottled water for when my mom visits. So, I get it. We aren’t all lucky enough to have to deal with the weird water all the time.
Resort room coffee is… not good. The way Breedlove put it in his video, it’s there so you have the illusion of drinking a cup of coffee. If you’re like me and need at least one cup that tastes like actual coffee, bring a Travel French Press with some pre-ground coffee from home.
Is it extra? Yes. But if you can fit it into your suitcase or car, why not make your morning a little less sad and full of vaguely coffee-flavored water from the room’s machine?
Laundry chaos? Not on my watch. This SimpleHouseware Pop-Up Hamper weighs nothing and keeps your clothes from somehow migrating all over the room like poltergeist activity.
TBH, I’ve only recently become an unpacker, and this has been my newest addition. This is definitely one that you’ll probably need car space to bring, though.
If you’ve ever stayed in a Disney resort during a cheer competition weekend or a RunDisney race weekend, you know that silence can be hard to hope for. The Marpac Dohm White Noise Machine at least fakes it.
Drowns out hallway noise, stroller folding, and families debating Lightning Lanes at midnight.
I love Disney resorts. But sometimes the room has that “we cleaned this, but it’s still humid” smell. And even when it doesn’,t YOU might ruin the smell after sweating your way through EPCOT. A Febreze Plug-In could make things a lot more pleasant.
Suddenly, it feels like home instead of like someone hung their wet socks on the AC unit. Which, maybe they did.
Protecting Your Phone (& Your Entire Trip)
Your Disney World vacation runs fully on your phone these days. Lightning Lanes? Phone. Restaurant check-in? Phone. Getting into your hotel room? Phone. Taking a picture of your child finally smiling after a meltdown? Phone. Looking at pictures of my dog while I’m stuck in a line? Phone. So when your phone battery tank hits 9% at 1 PM? Forget Tower of Terror, that’s when I feel real fear in Disney World.
The first thing you should bring is a power bank and cords — and there are options. One that might bring you some peace of mind is a FuelRod. Yes, they’re more expensive than other chargers. Yes, the output is… not powerful. But the whole swap it out at kiosks around the parks for free or low cost thing is kind of genius.
Breedlove is king of the FuelRod machines. I swear he can sense every one within a one-mile radius. They also have a new, more powerful, and more expensive FuelRod option with the FuelRod Max 10 — also swappable!
If you want a charger that doesn’t make your phone wheeze while it’s charging, the Anker 737 Power Bank is the one you want. It is a brick. Like an emotional-support brick that will charge EVERYTHING.
And you wouldn’t believe how many videos we take in a park day, LOL. It keeps charging WHILE we’re doing that. This thing could probably charge my patience if I plugged it in long enough.
And listen, if your hotel room looks anything like mine during filming weeks, there are CORDS everywhere. This Bellroy Tech Kit is so good for keeping it together.
This little organizer has saved me from desperately digging for a USB-C cable at 6 AM before a shoot more times than I want to admit. I use it at home too!
Packing Snacks
There is a moment — usually between lunch and dinner, usually in EPCOT, usually when someone suggests “Why don’t we just wait for a table at Via Napoli?” — when you can feel your blood sugar leaving your body. This is when you realize: the smartest people in Disney World are the ones with snacks. It also happens when you watch your best friend magically eliminate a tantrum from her kid with Goldfish.
First and foremost, the Stasher Silicone Bags are elite. They’re basically the cooler, more responsible cousin of Ziplocs. They don’t leak, they don’t tear, and they make me feel like a cool mom of four kids who are never late to their extracurriculars, even though the closest thing I have to kids is you guys, and I regularly lose my glasses and find them on my face.
Great for granola, gummies, or the stray Mickey pretzel piece you swear you’re saving for later. And gird your loins before I say this, they’re dishwasher-safe.
If you want to be even more organized (or just have kids who get weird about their snacks touching), the Bentgo Bento Box is your friend.
Plus, it’s great for keeping leftovers, too.
Paper straws… dissolve. Immediately. It’s not their fault — Disney is doing their best — but if you like smoothies or slushies, bring Silicone Straws.
I hate cleaning these, but I DO hate trying to drink through a half-dissolved paper straw even more.
Let’s talk germs. Disney is relatively clean, but I have personally watched a child put his entire tongue on a handrail and walk without removing it. So, I will always have Touchland Spray Sanitizer and some wipes in my bag.
There are horrors we ought not think about when it comes to germs. Just use some hand sani instead.
And because Disney does not sell gum (it’s a Walt thing), bring some Extra Gum for ear-popping on the Skyliner or Frozen Coke breath.
Just don’t do the thing Walt wanted to avoid and leave it stuck somewhere weird and gross.
Finally, if you’re traveling with kids, teens, adults, whoever, something simple like a deck of cards saves the day in ride queues.
Some of us are a little too old school for Heads Up! Ok, maybe I’m just bad at it.
Adding the Little Things
You know how every Disney meltdown starts with something tiny? A broken strap. A sticky hand. A phone that almost fell into the Pirates of the Caribbean water. A sudden downpour, plus a stroller, plus a toddler who is somehow covered in ice cream, and no one knows where it came from. Maybe the toddler is melting down, maybe it’s you. This section is about weird little stuff that has helped!
Listen. They are not glamorous, but they are mighty. This pack of Carabiner Clips has saved more Disney days for me than some REALLY good Lightning Lanes.
Hang your water bottle, your popcorn bucket, your Loungefly… whatever!
This JOTO Waterproof Phone Pouch is exactly how my friends and I film absolutely nightmarish footage in the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon. Now, you can too!
Also great for water rides, rainstorms, and cruises!
Bring a Sharpie. Yes, a Sharpie. Characters sign better with them, and honestly, you never know when you might need one.
Bonus: it makes you look VERY prepared in character lines.
You also want a Tide to Go Pen. Disney snacks are delicious, but structural integrity is NOT their strong suit. I tend to get about as much Mickey Bar chocolate on my shirt as I do on my face.
It works fast, too. Like Disney magic but for chocolate stains.
Safety pins. I’m not joking. These Wenrook Safety Pins can fix broken stroller canopies, popped bag straps, clothing mishaps, and the universe’s sense of humor.
If you’ve ever tried pinning a hem together in a bathroom stall before a dining reservation, I have been there.
The Real Secret to a Good Disney Trip
You don’t need to pack your entire home — just the things that keep your trip running on your terms, not Disney weather’s or your feet’s or your children’s extremely chaotic whims. I hope that at least one thing on this list helps — even if you already own the thing and it just reminded you to pack it! Love y’all, talk to you next time!
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