We just returned from Disney World (during Memorial Day Weekend), and I thought I was well prepared for our trip. After spending five days in the heat and crowds, I’m sharing five things you definitely need to bring with you if you’re traveling to Disney World any time soon (including some things I wish I had packed).
1. Mask Chain: This trip to Disney World was our first since the mask rules changed. Currently, you do not have to wear a mask when walking through the parks outside, but you do need one when you are inside restaurants, hotel lobbies, stores, and rides (and ride queues). We didn’t bring mask chains, and it is something that I regret. At every ride or restaurant, we had to dig through the stroller to find masks to wear. If you are traveling to Disney while masks are still required, I highly suggest putting your mask on a chain or lanyard so that you can wear it around your neck and it’s easily accessible.
2. Refillable Cup: I always pack a sippy cup for Brooklyn when we are in the parks, but my friend Morgan gave us a Simply Modern water bottle on this trip, and it was amazing! Not only do the Simply Modern water bottles feature adorable Disney prints, but they are insulated and keep your water so cold. They fit in the cupholder on the stroller and made water bottle refills in the middle of the day easy. We will be bringing our Simply Modern water bottle on all of our Disney trips from here on out.
3. Phone Charger: As Disney moves away from MagicBands and towards MagicMobile service, one thing that you will need during your trip at Disney is a charged phone. We learned the hard way that if you don’t have a MagicBand, then you will probably need a charged phone to get into your hotel room at the end of the day. I now make sure to have a portable charger to get our phone batteries from dying. You can also purchase a Fuel Rod in any Disney parks or at Disney Springs if you need to recharge your phone.
4. Neck Fan: Fans at Disney are a MUST. We always bring a stroller fan for Brooklyn (which can also be great on airplanes or in the car if it’s too warm), but we also brought neck fans for ourselves on this trip. I don’t think I will ever travel to Disney, or anywhere warm for that matter, without a neck fan. These fans are rechargeable and help can cool you off when you’re trudging through a hot, humid theme park. I had one for myself and one for my husband, but Brooklyn loved the neck fans, so I will probably have to bring one for her next time.
5. Stroller: If you are traveling to Disney in the heat of the summer with kids, then it’s probably a no-brainer to bring a stroller. But I am going to recommend RENTING a stroller (and not from Disney). We traveled last year with Brooklyn’s UppaBaby Vista Stroller; we used the UppaBaby Stroller bag, packed everything carefully, and Southwest Airlines still managed to break the stroller seat in half. Luckily, we were on our way home from Disney when this happened, but it made me too nervous about flying with this stroller again. When we travel to Disney these days, I rent our stroller from Kingdom Strollers, and it is truly the best option. Not only are the strollers in really excellent condition and at a reasonable price to rent, but you can also pick up the strollers directly from the airport (or have the stroller delivered to your hotel).
One other thing that you should definitely bring with you to Disney right now is patience. This past trip felt like the most “normal” Disney trip we’ve had since Covid, but that also means that the crowds are getting bigger. There aren’t any Fastpasses right now, so you have to wait in long lines for rides, and restaurant reservations are currently hard to come by. When we found our patience being tested or felt that things were too busy or too hot, we would head back to our hotel room and take a break.
Let me know if you’re planning on taking a Disney World trip soon!
Sending love and magic.