Disney Packing List: What to Pack for Day at Disney With Kids
When looking for family travel ideas, be sure to add a Disney park to your list!
A Disney Packing List is a must when you visit the park with kids. Planning a Disney vacation with kids can be overwhelming. There is so much to see, do, eat…and pack!
I’ve been to Disneyland hundreds of times. I’ve visited in every sort of weather, from torrential downpours to 100 degree heat. Sometimes we are at Disneyland for less than an hour… and sometimes we do 16 hour days.
Our family has also visited Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. I’m pretty experienced at packing for just about any type of Disney trip.
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Disney Packing List With Kids
This Disney checklist is a complete list of things to bring to Disney when you visit with kids.
It covers all the basics of what to pack in your Disney park bag so you can relax and have fun knowing you haven’t forgotten anything.
Strollers at Disney
We have always traveled with a lightweight stroller to use at each Disney park we’ve visited. Waiting for a stroller rental is the last way you want to spend the first half hour of your Disney day.
If you have children age five or younger, you’ll want to take a stroller to the Disney park you visit. A long day at Disney will leave even my 10 year old begging for a stroller turn, so you will definitely want one with younger kids.
We have a sturdy lightweight stroller that’s perfect for a day at Disney or other amusement parks.
If we’re taking the kids late at night for a special event, we use a double stroller so multiple kids can sleep or rest.
Be sure to check the Disney stroller rules before you go! A stroller is worth adding to your Disney packing list even if it’s just to hold your backpack and other stuff.
Baby Carrier or Sling at Disney
If you have a baby, you must add a carrier or sling to your packing list for Disney.
Use the carrier to contain a toddler in line where a stroller is not allowed, let baby nap on rides without disturbing, and keep your hands free for eating churros!
The baby sling is also helpful if an older child wants a turn in the stroller.
I use a carrier for young babies, and a pouch sling for older infants and toddlers.
Many rides such as Mad Tea Party, King Arthur’s Carousel, it’s a small world, and Casey Jr. Circus Train let you wear the baby while riding. Perfect for naps!
MUST READ: Tips for breastfeeding at amusement parks
Bags & Backpacks at Disney
Use a backpack or tote bag as your Disney Day Bag to carry the packing list items I mention below.
Stuff it full and leave it on the stroller while you wait in line for Disneyland rides and watch shows. This way you don’t have to haul it around.
Disney-themed totes are fun and easy to hook onto the stroller handles.
Stroller Lock and Hooks at Disney
I have never had an issue with a stroller at Disneyland (out of hundreds of visits), but it does happen. If you’re worried about it, add a simple stroller lock to your Disney packing list to keep your stroller in place.
You may not lock your stroller to Disney property, but you can use a lock to secure the wheels, or your bag to the stroller, which may deter theft.
Stroller hooks come in handy to hang bags or water bottles:
- there are specific hooks if your stroller has two separate handles
- or use a carabiner type hook if your stroller has a bar handle.
Small Cross Body Bag at Disney
To allow you to leave your Disney Day Bag on the stroller, you’ll need a separate bag with your valuables.
Use the separate bag for your wallet, keys, tickets, camera, phone, and anything else you need immediately handy.
They have room for an in-line snack chosen from the backpack, and some baby wipes, just in case. One of my friends uses a tiny cross-body cell phone purse just big enough for her cards, tickets, and phone.
Blankets at Disney
A blanket may seem like an odd item to put in your Disney day bag, but it’s invaluable.
You can use it for stroller shade, a nursing cover, to snuggle up tired kids at the end of the night, or to help save seats for parade.
I usually bring a muslin blanket for shade and nursing, and a heavier fleece blanket if we plan to see a parade or outdoor show. → Check out the fun Disney blankets you can get!
Small Insulated Bags or Coolers at Disney
In addition to your backpack, you may want to pack cold items in a small insulated bag.
Coolers larger than 6-pack sized are not permitted into the Disney theme parks.
I have several sizes – a bag that fits into a backpack, and a bigger tote if we are bringing lunch for the whole family.
I like to use frozen Capri Sun as ice packs and let the kids drink them on the way home (or back to the room) to cool off.
Food, Snacks and Hand Sanitizer at Disney
Disney offers an amazing variety of world-famous food, but these meals and treats are expensive! If you’re bringing kids, you don’t want to pay $4.50 every time someone says “I’m hungry!”
Pack your own favorite snacks in your backpack instead.
Some of our favorites are baggies of pretzel sticks, containers of fresh vegetables or cut up fruit, fruit snacks, applesauce squeezes and granola bars.
I’ve found that waiting in line gives a container of vegetables a captive audience of hungry kids; it almost always gets all eaten.
Can I bring outside food and beverages into Disney Parks?
Guests are allowed to bring outside food and nonalcoholic beverages into the parks for self-consumption, provided they are not in glass containers, do not require heating, reheating, processing or refrigeration and do not have pungent odors. We always recommend you check guidelines on the Disney website.
Be sure to pack travel wipes and hand sanitizer to clean up dirty hands and faces before eating.
Lollipops and Disney Treats
Bear with me here. Lollipops are a parent’s best friend at Disney. They’re easy to stash in your valuables bag and instantly quell tantrums, miraculously perk up tired legs, and keep kids holding out that last five minutes in line.
Buy some cheap Dum Dums lollipops or buy a bag of Goofy’s Candy Co candy to put in your Disney Day bag.
The best place to purchase the Mickey pops at the park is at the Candy Palace on Main Street. They are a much better deal than the bunches of Mickey lollipops also sold there, or the enormous round lollipops.
Baby Food at Disney
If you have a little one on baby food, bring your own. It is available for sale at the Disney parks’ Baby Care Centers, but it isn’t cheap and they may not have your preferred flavors.
My 18 month old is still addicted to squeeze pouch food and I always pack plenty in my day bag for a trip to Disney.
Water Bottles at Disney Parks
You will be doing a lot of walking at the Happiest Place on Earth, so don’t forget stay hydrated.
Can I bring a water bottle into the Disney parks? Yes! Non-alcoholic drinks are permitted, as well as reusable water bottles.
You can refill them at water stations throughout the parks AND you can get free cups of ice water at any counter service restaurant in Disney parks.
Sunscreen, Sunglasses & Hat at Disney
When most people think of visiting a Disney park, they think of sunny skies. I see a lot of sunburns around Disneyland. Add sunscreen to your Disney Packing List….and use it!
Whether your hat has Mickey ears on it, or not, you’ll appreciate having the sun out of your eyes. But even more so, project your kids’ faces and eyes from the Southern California or Florida sun.
Purchase a Disney hat before you go, or wait to get one at the park. A hat makes a great – and useful – souvenir.
Mini Water Misting Fans at Disney in the Summer
If your Disney trip is during a time when it’s hot, you’ll be happy you packed a mini fan with a water mister. We bought these for our first trip to Disney World, and they were lifesavers.
Not only does a mini fan cool you off, they also entertain the kids! I definitely recommend adding a mini fan with water mister to your Disney day bag Packing List.
Disney Autograph Book and Fat Marker
If you want to collect character autographs with your kids, consider ordering an autograph book before your trip.
Adding the autograph book to your Disney day bag Packing List is a great way to save money.
VALUABLE TIP: Pack a fat marker for the characters to write with, and remove the cap for them. It’s hard to sign with paws.
Glow Sticks at Disney
Add glow bracelets, wands and other glow items to your Disney Packing List.
You’ll save $10+ over buying these items at the Disney parks. If you can hide these from your kids until time to use them, you get parenting bonus points.
Sweatshirt or Jacket at Disney
On the flip side of the weather, eventually the sun will go down and even in the summer, it cools off. Add sweatshirts and jackets to your Disney Packing List. Have one for everyone stashed in the bottom of the stroller.
Disney Outfits for the family are a fun way to capture the vacation. Our friends at Maune Legacy have compiled outfit ideas that include comfortable clothing items and shoes in full Disney style!
Rain Poncho for Disney Rides and Rainy Weather
Or Seven. If there’s a chance of rain during your Disney vacation, stock up on inexpensive plastic rain ponchos.
You’ll want these for yourself, your kids, your backpack, your stroller, the legs of the kid in the stroller… you get the idea.
January and February at Disneyland, and June-September at Disney World are the rainiest times. Even if it’s not rainy weather, you may want to stash a couple ponchos in your backpack to use on water rides.
A rain poncho is one of those items you will be happy you added to your Disney day bag.
Diapers & Baby Wipes at Disney
As with baby food, the Disney Baby Care Centers do sell diapers, but they’ll cost you.
Pack plenty of diapers and wipes and stash the extras at the bottom of the stroller.
You’ll need baby wipes not just for diaper changes, but for wiping off churro fingers and Dole Whip faces. Diapers and wipes are a essential Disney Packing List items!
Comfortable Shoes, Change of Clothes & Flipflops at Disney
If you intend to play in any of the Disney splash play areas, pack a change of clothes for after.
Add a pair of flipflops to your Disney Packing List. Shoes are required in the splash play areas.
Magic Kingdom has a Casey Jr. play area and Disney California has one in A Bug’s Land, but there are others.
Depending on the ages of your kids, an all day Disney trip may require a change of clothes any way – because of accidents, food spills, water rides, and more.
READ: Best Shoes to Pack for Disney
Disney Souvenirs from Outside the Park
BUDGET TIP: Besides autograph books and glow sticks, you may wish to purchase other souvenirs outside the parks to surprise your kids. This will save you both time and money inside the park.
Of course shopping in the park can be part of the Disney experience. But consider purchasing items like water bottles, jewelry, or hats in advance that could be used during your Disney trip.
Entertainment for Kids at Disney
As long as you’re shopping for Disney items before your trip, look for things like small sticker books and no-spill bubbles to keep kids entertained while waiting for parades or in lines.
It’s amazing what a small jar of bubbles will do for your children’s spirits, and everyone nearby.
That’s it! These are the items I recommend you consider packing for your Disney Day Bag.
This list covers the basics so you can relax and have fun knowing you haven’t forgotten anything.
What a helpful list for a visit to any Disney park! And so cute, too! Thanks for sharing at Tuesday Turn About… I’m so pleased to be featuring your post at this week’s party! Pinned!
Thanks for sharing Susie, great tips for parents going to Disney with kids in tow. I think I would be upset waiting for a stroller that long so wonderful idea to bring your own.
This packing list is SO HELPFUL! We’re heading to Disney in 2 weeks and I can barely get my mind around all the planning. You’ve helped greatly. 🙂
We hope you enjoy your Disney trip! Thank you for letting us know the tips and packing list were helpful in your planning.
Thanks “SUSIE CHADWICK” for your most informative recommended packing list for Disney tour. Definitely, this post will be very helpful for those parents who want to make a tour with their adorable kids. I think you can also add comfortable shoes, Emergency medicine, and sunglasses.
I don’t have kids, but my sister just had triplets and their grandma has a slight obsession with disneyland. These are great tips for kids of all ages I feel like, I can’t wait to take the triplets to disneyland and see their cute little faces light up when they see Mickey & Minnie Mouse.
Triplets at Disneyland – how cute will that be! And yes, these are good tips for any age 🙂
I love Disney Land and your packing list is so exhaustive and useful for parents traveling with kids. I don’t have kids but I am gonna share this with my mommy-daddy friends who would love it.
There are some good tips for visiting Disney on a budget, I remember visiting with my 3 year old in Florida and the stroller rentals were expensive. I didn’t mind carrying her when she wanted or when she took a nap, it makes for a great workout. Good tip about the ponchos because you get caught in the rain in the park they cost 10 times more! Your boy loved meeting Woody, was that in Hollywood Studios?
Every child (and adults) dream come true!! Disney World just never ceases to amaze one when being there, offering so many fun activities that allows you to travel back in time to ones childhood! All very good items you provided as to what to bring when going. Without these essential items, one will pay very overly overpriced items when being there. Glad you and your kids got to enjoy the home of all things Disney!
Thanks for this list. No more worries when visiting Disneyland with the kids.
What a great packing list. I have been so many times as well, rain and sun, and as an adult it can be tiring and trying to remember everything is hard. But I can’t imagine how much more challenging it must be doing it with small children. Props to you mama for making everyone’s experience so wonderful!
Sending this to my mummy friends because it’s super useful. I think this is perfect for relieving a lot of stress and anxiety from the whole Disney experience. You’ve got it sorted!! Great list.
I don’t have kids but would definitely use this if I did. Disney is already expensive so saving money anywhere you can helps, especially with kids. I use to live in Orlando so I miss going to Disney!
We’ve been going since before we had kids, and still occasionally make it there without them. I totally packed snacks for myself last time I went with my husband!
Very helpful tips on what to carry for Disney Park. According to me this list is must in all theme parks as all these parks are in outdoor setting, covering large areas. Lollies and small snacks are really must as inside sometimes there are huge Q’s on food stalls too. Rain ponchos are must in rainy and snowy weather.
The lines for buying snacks in the afternoon are crazy! Definitely saves time to bring your own.
I am not a mom but I thought it was pretty useful for my friend and her kids. She is visiting Disneyland next month and I am gonna share this article with her. I could have never thought about packing Autograph Book and Fat Sharpie.
She can get an autograph book cheaper beforehand, for sure. Thanks for sharing my article with your friend!
I love Disney and this is a great list. I think taking snacks is a must, the food isn’t cheap. I would definitely add a dry bag to the list along with a poncho. My SLR drowned in my bag while I was queuing for a ride at Tokyo Disneysea – devastated!
That’s a great idea! We keep our raincoats/ponchos in a plastic bag, and I use that to cover my backpack when we’re on water rides.
As soon as I saw the first pic, my immediate question was about the Pouch Sling and wanted to ask about it! And there you go, you already answered that!!! The Disney Tote bag looks cute! That’s a very useful, awesome list!!!
I am addicted to my pouch sling! So easy to fold up in a bag, no buckles or ties, not bulky to wear when you’re not using it.
Oh my gosh, YES! Bring entertainment! Even with a group of fellow adults, we got so bored waiting in line. The best thing ever are games you can play that involve everyone. Also snacks! So glad you touched on that too. It’s something a surprising amount of people forget!
Games for adults to play in line is a great idea!
Such a useful article! This will really help other families avoid the stress of taking too much\too little with them. It can be stressful experience and your article will really help!
It can be stressful, but you don’t have to worry if you’re prepared!
This is a great packing list. We went to Disney in France and were hit with the rain…without ponchos! Wish this list has been around at the time
We probably wouldn’t have packed ponchos for Disneyland Paris, but we had come from London. It rained the whole time we were at Disney, and no other time during our trip!
That is such a thoughtful post especially since you experienced and could bring out the important stuffs. Strollers are indeed a big help as you can dump the back pack in them when free. 🙂 The souvenir list too is good.
I love not having to carry thon backpack around, especially since I’m usually carrying a child!
This is such a fabulous post for parents! We just got back from our 2nd trip to Disneyland and I wish we would have brought Fubbles with us! I found a bubble gun at Target that we brought, not realizing that of course “guns” of any kind wouldn’t be allowed into the Parks. Our Tula baby carrier was a LIFESAVER. We wore the baby while pushing our 3.5yo in our umbrella stroller. And I agree that lollipops are a parent’s best friend at Disneyland 🙂
It’s a bummer about the bubble guns. We go to Disneyland so often that we finally invested in one of the bubble wands they sell now instead of the guns. It entertains everyone in line!
I don’t have children but I can see why all the items on your list are important, to keep everyone happy and enjoy the visit to Disneyland without any dramas. I think bringing lollies is a great idea to distract a child from a tantrum. Having snacks is also great, I have heard the food inside the parks is very expensive. Outside snacks can save you a lot of money.
I think most of the quick service meals are pretty reasonably priced, but he snacks are all $4-6. Too much for all day snacking!