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Our family is getting excited about our Disney land and sea adventure (going to both to Disney World and a Disney Cruise on the same trip)! As our first family vacation as a family of six, you know I’m going to be very strategic about what I’m bringing with us. Let’s face it, packing everything is definitely not a possibility.
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My worst fear is us becoming the scene in Home Alone 1 and 2 where the McAllisters are running through the airport. In addition to that, I’ve read horror stories about having kids get sick on vacation, so minimizing the potential to having my kids getting sick is super important, especially during cold and flu season!
After soliciting tips and tricks from my worldly traveling friends and family who have skipped across Disney and the globe, I’ve curated the ultimate packing list for families with littles to make sure we have everything we need so that we don’t have unnecessary baggage AND so we don’t have emergency trips to stores while on vacation.
I’ve broken this guide up into four distinct categories: first day bag, family bag, parents bag, and kids bag in an effort to help you “capsule pack”.
The Ultimate Disney World and Disney Cruise Packing List
FIRST DAY TRAVEL BAG
You’ll want a bag/purse that you know all your essential documentation is in AS WELL as some of your first day’s activities. There will be a delay when you first arrive at Disney World or to your Disney Cruise to when your luggage will be delivered to your room. With luggage being delivered later, you’ll want to pack some items so you can be prepared for having fun as soon as you get there, but before your room is ready.
Travel Documentation
I would suggest getting a small accordion like binder to store all of these documents for ease of reference! I would never rely on wi-fi, especially ify ou are doing a Disney Cruise and have foreign ports you are arriving at!
- Passport and/or Birth Certificates for Kids (and copies of them)
- Drivers License
- Online Check-In Documents
- Flight Boarding Passes
- Travel Insurance Info
- Hotel and Transportation Confirmations
- Pen
- Coins for potential toll roads
- Small bills for tipping
First Day Activity Essentials
You will definitely want a set of “fun wear” so that you are able to hit the resort or cruise quickly without having to worry about where your bag is.
- Swimsuits for everyone
- Beach towel
- Gum (they won’t have any at Disney World)
- Reading materials
FAMILY PACKING CHECKLIST FOR DISNEY
This is a list of things to pack for the entire family and is not specific to a single individual!
Baby Specific
- Baby diapers, wipes and creams
- Sippy cups or bottles
- Baby food and formula
- Baby carrier
- Favorite stuffed animal
- Baby nausea and fever remedies
Toiletries
- Sunscreen
- Sea sickness remedies
- Daily lotion and moisturizer
- Lip balm
- Small hand sanitizer
- Feminine products
- Razors and shaving cream
Non-Essentials
- Refillable mugs and water bottles
- Ponchos
- Water Shoes
- Plastic Bags
- Alcohol
- Snacks
- Shoe Organizer
- Fish Extender
The Fish Extender is an amazing Disney fan created/managed gift exchange where other passengers sign up to deliver and exchange gifts throughout the cruise. I would look up to see if a Facebook group has been created for your specific cruise line date and sign up immediately! It’s a really fun and special way to get your kids more excited about the trip!
MOM/DAD PACKING CHECKLIST FOR DISNEY
Clothes
- Outfit for Palo or Remedy on Disney Cruiseline
- Pirate Night Outfit
- Outfit for every day
- Swimsuit
- Flip Flops, Dress Shoes, Sandals
- Costumes
While you may be tempted to pack just shorts and t-shirts, there are various restaurants in Disney World and the Disney Cruise that require a little dressier clothes. I would recommend taking just a single set of nice slacks or a dress to wear.
Toiletries
- Toothbrush / Toothpaste / Floss
- Deodorant
- Makeup and makeup remover
- Hair Products and Styling Tools
- Feminine Products
- Wrinkler Release Spray
Electronics
- Camera (DSLR, GoPRo)
- Laptop with Charger
- Cellphone with Charger and Portable Charger
- Headphones
- Extension Cord
I would highly recommend the portable charger. You are going to be using your phone a lot to grab FastPasses in the parks, so having 2 sets of this would make it very convenient for you to not worry about draining your battery while at the parks!
KIDS PACKING CHECKLIST FOR DISNEY
If your kids are three and older, you should consider rolling luggage for them as check-ins! My goal is to avoid checking any bags as much as possible.
Clothes
- Shirts and Shorts
- Pants and Sweaters
- Socks
- Underwear
- Sandals and Sneakers
- Pirate Night Outfit
- Disney Costume
- Hat and/or Visor
- Mickey Ears
There are a ton of places online where you can get custom Mickey ears. Trust me when I say everyone will be wearing them! In addition, Disney fans are literally fanatics, so you’ll see A LOT of people dressed up. Make sure your kids don’t feel left out, get them a costume of their favorite Disney character to wear in the park and on the cruise!
Accessories
- Toothbrush / Toothpaste / Floss
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen
- Hairbrush
- Hair ties/Headbands / Clips
- Sunglasses
- Hat
Electronics
- Tablet
- Headphone and headphone splitter
I hope you enjoyed this comprehensive guide on what to pack for a Disney World and Disney Cruise ship! There are so many posts on this topic, but I wanted to share one coming from a mom of four. What tips do you have on traveling with little ones to Disney? Check out my other post if you are “gifting” to someone who is Disney bound!
