What to Bring…

OK, you now have your tickets, airline, hotel all booked.  You have setup any tours, dinning or reservations.  So what is next. What to bring…

Well, you should still be a few weeks out from your vacation so you still have time to get some more things.

Packing, or rather, what to pack can be very difficult and time consuming.  You will forget something… I guarentee.  The following is a list of what I try to pack when going to Disney World.

Florida for most of the year (other than a few weeks in January and February) is usually quite warm, if not downright hot.  So if you are visiting from just about anywhere in the United States, if not the World, you are going to need to get some Summer apparel… Shorts, t-shirts, etc.  Also, Florida is a Tropical Climate, so that means a lot of humidity and rain.  During Summer months, there is either rain or thunderstorms every afternoon, so be prepared to get a little wet.

Below is what I usually pack for my trips to the Orlando area.  Some products may not be available to those that live in colder climates during Winter and the early Spring seasons.  Any products that I am not able to purchase in my area, I wait and visit one of the many Walmart and Super Target stores in the Kissimmee, FL area which are much, much cheaper than purchasing at Disney.

1. Shorts, T-Shirts, Socks – Usually about two weeks before my vacation I purchase any clothing that I want to bring on my 7 day vacation.  I usually plan on:
   • 10 T-Shirts
   • 7 pair shorts
   • 2 pair pants/jeans – It can get chilly during the evenings
   • 10 pair socks – Very important to have good, clean and dry socks for the amount of walking that you will be doing.  If you do not take care of your feet during your visit to Disney, you will have a miserable time.
   • 10 pair underwear – Same reason as socks.
2. Comfortable Shoes – I usually make sure that my sneakers are in good shape about 4-6 weeks before the vacation.  You will be doing an incredible amount of walking while in the parks (my last trip, I averaged 13 miles A DAY!).  If you purchase new shoes, make sure that you break them in way in advance of your trip.  Your feet and legs will hate you if you try to do Magic Kingdom in brand new shoes…  Your blisters will have blisters.
3. Sunscreen – Going to Florida, this should be a given, but you would be amazed how many people you see walking around the parks that look like lobsters.  When my family goes on vacation, it is very difficult to find sunscreen in our area so we usually wait and visit one of the Kissimmee/Orlando Walmarts.  Nine times out of ten, sunscreen is much cheaper in the Florida stores than those up North due to the shear volume that they sell of it throughout the year.  One mistake not to make is to wait until you get to one of the parks to purchase sunscreen, it is usually three times the price of Walmart.
4. Rain Gear – This is one category that I will not use “if”.  You are in Florida and it WILL rain.  Make sure to purchase rain ponchos or something that will keep you somewhat dry during an infamous Florida downpour.  You can purchase ponchos in the parks, but they are about $20/each.  Most stores sell the same quality poncho (without Mickey Mouse on them) at about 5 for $10.  Also, if you have a rental car, you may want to keep dry socks there while in the park.
5. Sunglasses – Just as with sunscreen, you will need to protect your eyes.  When the sun shines at Disney World, it gets very bright!  You can damage your eyes in a very short time, so make sure that you have a comfortable pair with UV protection.  As with everything else, make sure that you get them before you get to the parks.
6. Prescription Medicines – Make sure that you prepare well ahead of time.  There are pharmacies in the area, but having to call your Doctor and have to wait for a prescription to be filled can be time consuming and a pain-in-the-butt.
7. Over the Counter Medicines – Ibuprofen, Antacids, bandaids, etc are a good idea to carry while in the park.  Not everyone’s stomach’s are going to be able to handle the BBQ Pork Sandwich that you had for lunch.
8. Insect Repellant – Disney does an excellent job with pest control on all of their properties, but no protection is perfect.  Even with the slightest chance of the Zeca Virus on Disney property, $5 for a can of Deep Woods Off® may be worth the investment.

I’m sure that there are many other things that people pack for a trip to Disney World, but these are the things that I would most recogmend for a 7 day stay in Florida.  If you have any other suggestions on what to pack for Disney World, please visit my Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/disneydawgs or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyDawgs.  Watch for upcoming videos on our YouTube Chanel.