Top 10 Things To Pack For Disney World

When preparing to go to Disney World, we've always found that the preparation work we do in advance is directly correlated to how much we enjoy the trip. Having a wonderful time in Disney World is easy. But having a wonderful, stress-free, non-painful trip is just as easy if you prepare and pack everything that you need.

Here's my own personal list of the Top 10 things to pack for Disney World. I'm sure everyone's list will be a little different. This is just what seems to work best for us.

Top 10 Things To Pack For Disney World

1. Your patience. Seriously, this is the most important thing of all. While not a physical item that you actually pack, start preparing yourself to be patient long before your feet hit Disney soil. There's a lot of waiting in Disney World. There's also a lot of time spent indulging the kids. But that's what Disney's for, so be prepared for that in advance. (On that note, you should probably be sure you go ahead and pack your appetite too!)
   
2. Sunscreen. No matter what time of year you go to Disney World, sunscreen is a must. So much time is spent outside and you (or the kids) can easily get burned before you even realize it.
3. Good shoes. I can not stress the importance of good shoes enough, for both big feet and little feet. The average person walks between 10 and 15 miles per day while at Disney World. That's a lot of walking for anyone, but it's pure torture for someone wearing flimsy, non-supportive shoes. Although I'll admit, we did notice quite a bit of painful looking shoe option. Eric and I were baffled by the woman wearing knee-high boots with 5 inch heels. Seriously, how did she do it?
4. Extra shoes. Just as important as good shoes is bringing a pair of extra shoes. If your go-to shoes start to rub your feet in the wrong way, or if your feet are just plain exhausted, it's a good idea to have a back up pair. That way, you can throw them on for a day, or even just a half a day, and give your feet a bit of a break.
5. Ben-Gay or other sports ointment. There's a good chance you'll get to your room at the end of the day with aching calves and a sore lower back, especially if you are pushing a stroller or carrying kids around. Applying some sports ointment before bed is a great way to end the day.
   
6. Pain relievers. If you're squeamish with the sports ointment, popping a tylenol or two might just give you the relief you're looking for. It's also a great quick cure for the I've-heard-this-song-500-times-already-today headaches.
7. Extra clothes. I pack two outfits per day for each of the kids and one or two additional outfits on top of that. When we stop at the room at the end of day and get ready for a night in the parks, just changing into a new pair of clothes is a great refresher. Obviously, it's also just a wise idea to have extra clothes on hand whenever you're dealing with little kids. But, I'm sure we all know that.
8. Cloth tote bags. I had 3 extra bags that I took with us on our trip. One was my carry-on, one clips onto my purse and the other was folded up in the suitcase. While we were at Disney World, I had the two bigger bags packed and ready to head out the door. They were filled with water bottles, snacks, extra sunscreen, a change of clothes for the youngest three, jackets for night time chill and whatever else I grabbed as we headed out the door. We used one bag for daytime outings and one bag for night time outings. The bag clipped to my purse came in handy so many times for leftovers when we ate out, souvenirs, or whatever other miscellaneous stuff one of the 13 of us picked up throughout the day. (I used my awesome BlogHer swag Blue Avocado bag.)
9. Swim Diapers and Extra batteries.. If you have little ones still in diapers, make sure to remember the Swim Diapers! You can buy them at most of the Disney Resorts, but for $1.94 each, it's probably a better idea to just stuff a few of your own in the suitcase. Just like the swim diapers, you can find extra batteries everywhere, but you'll definitely pay for the convenience. And if you use your camera a lot, there's a good chance you'll need those batteries before you head for home.
10. A good travel book and/or your own mapped-out agenda. Have a plan right from the start is the best way to make the most out of your Disney World trip. And whether you've been one or one hundred times, a travel book is a great resource you'll turn to over and over again throughout the planning stages and the trip itself. My favorite is the Passporter because it's a great resource and a great keepsake all in one.

Stop by one of the newest members of the Disney Moms panel, Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.