Packing for Disney Part One – Touring

We’ve all done it — arrived in the Happiest Place on Earth only to realized we’ve forgotten that essential item we promised ourselves we WOULDN’T. In the interest of preventing it for reader’s traveling in the near future, today’s post will focus on what to pack for park touring.

Obviously the list will vary depending on your touring style and who exactly you’re accompanying. For instance, a family of four with a toddler planning to commando the Magic Kingdom in one day is going to have a completely different idea of “essentials” than the honeymooners aiming for Animal Kingdom before lunching at EPCOT at 1p.m. But the most basic items to take with you to the parks every day are typically:

– Key to the World (or in the case of off-site guests, Park Passes)

– ID/cash/credit card (unless you have your Key to the World, in which case you’re fine without those things)

– Camera/phone capable of photography

Now, for those of you traveling strictly with adults, consider the following:

– Sunglasses

– Rain ponchos (the folded up kind that fit into your back pocket) in case it rains – and even if it doesn’t, you can always sit on them when you find wet seats on water rides

– A lightweight water bottle, preferably one that clips onto your belt loop

And for those of you with young children:

– Small bottle of hand sanitizer

– A stroller (anything that folds can go on the buses to and from resorts, or you can rent them in the parks)

– Change of clothes, for kids plus necessities like diapers, snacks, etc

Now, what to pack it in…if at all, try to keep your hands free. The lanyards that pin traders use are perfect for those who pack light; those clear envelopes on the end keep your Key to the World easily accessible. I’ve seen fanny packs, totes, and of course backpacks — the best kind of backpack for all day touring, if you’ve gotta go that big, would be the ones with the extra strap that belts around your front. It should be big enough to keep all your essentials in plus any kind of souvenirs the kids might pick up, park maps, and other items that’ll somehow appear during your day in the parks.

And optionals: baggies are great for wet ponchos, keeping your camera or snacks dry on water rides, and saving leftovers from restaurants. Wet wipes are great for wiping down stroller handles, kids’ faces, and spot cleaning things like ice cream on clothing. And a travel size suntan lotion is never a bad idea for reapplying throughout the day.

The most basic items aren’t necessarily the most important, though…next topic in the packing series will be Part Two – Before You Leave Home. See you soon!

Nicole Courson
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
MickeyTravels, LLC
412-735-6151
ncourson@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
“Making Magic One Vacation at a Time…”