When I have a trip coming up where I am going to be gone for two or more nights I like to start packing the week before. I find myself forgetting fewer things when I lay out all the clothes and items I need to bring before putting them in my suitcase. This allows me to go over everything one additional time before zipping up my suitcase and heading out and also makes me less rushed right before I am due to leave.
For our upcoming Disney trip, I started packing mine and my sons’ clothes a little more than a week early whereas my husband has yet to start packing. We will be gone for six nights and despite the dress at Disney being extremely casual, there is still a lot to pack especially when there is a small child involved! If you read my previous post about traveling with a child then you know I love to make lists of everything that I need to bring on my upcoming trip. Not only does it keep me sane but also almost guarantees I won’t forget anything.
Below you will find three different packing lists: one for myself and my husband, one for our son (who is almost two), and one miscellaneous list for things needed for the plane, hotel room, etc.
I am bringing a copy of our sons birth certificate because he will be one when we travel to Disney but will be two when we travel back. I do not want there to be any issues with our airline in regards to his age either way and also don’t want to take a chance with park admission or anything like that. I also just think it is generally always a good idea to travel with identification (and medical cards!).
As far as clothes go, I am keeping everyone’s wardrobe very casual. I am bringing myself a couple cotton Lilly dresses in case my husband and I can sneak in a couple hours to ourselves at night and have an impromptu date night. Perks of traveling with your parents 🙂
For all the miscellaneous items, I have been collecting and organizing those on our dining room table and will put them in various bags where room allows, and whether or not we need to have that item on the airplane or just when we get to Disney.
The basics are pretty straight-forward: comfy shoes, comfy clothes, lots of water, sunscreen and sunglasses. Oh, and gum! Disney does not sell gum inside the parks so if you love chewing gum, don’t forget to pack it.
The number of outfits you pack will vary on how long your trip is. I am packing two outfits per day for my son because I want to have a change of clothes for him at the park just in case he gets too sweaty, spills on himself or does something else that small children love to do.
Of course, the above lists might look a little different than what you need to pack and some categories, such as snacks, are very broad. For instance, I am bringing an extra carry-on bag filled with pouches, pretzels, goldfish, chewy bars, and other snacks. However, these lists should give you a good starting point and cover the most important things. Feel free to print these out and use them for your packing adventures!
Is there anything missing from my lists that you suggest bringing to Disney? Let me know in the comments!
I will be following up this blog with a series of Disney blog posts throughout the next couple months (or as time allows) about air travel with a toddler, Disney do’s and dont’s, review of restaurants and extra experiences and of course, an overall Disney review!
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