101 things you MUST take with you every trip

[jennie3675]

So much helpful info what is gold dust?!

 

[jennie3675]

Gold bond, silly auto correct!

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

What other people said and Imodium or pepto bismal. Between the traveling , rides and food, this is a must.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

Easily recharge the phone without having to find an outlet....

 

[CollenGetty]

lots of great things already mentioned! We bring an over the door row of hooks for suits/towels as inevitably there is no hook or one on the back of the bathroom door. For a family of 5 that doesn't cut it!

Great suggestion

 

[KelleyK75]

Easily recharge the phone without having to find an outlet....

Do you remember where you bought that at? I have a iPhone 4 that I am looking for a portable charger. Thanks!

 

[Tink575]

For us, the "etc." is cold medicine, just in case, and papaya enzyme. We've always used M&M Minis tubes. If you can't find precut Moleskin, make sure you pack scissors in your checked bag because you cannot tear that stuff. My contribution would be air freshener of some type...for the bathroom.

The small plastic tube that my diabetic test strips come in, Bayer Contour Test strips holds quarters perfectly, so do some other brands. I am just throwing this out there, if you have a diabetic in the family you can ask them to save the containers for you, they are 2+ inches high and no purchase required. I have these with quarters in the glove compartment of our car, since some ST parking spots by my physical therapy office have meters that require quarters.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

Britta water filter bottles.

$7 a piece for unlimited free water. Water bottles in the park are like, what $2.50? It adds up.

 

[RogueKnits]

I want to think the Cold and Sinus medication debacle isn't the norm. I may have had to show my I.D. to a cashier but that's it. It isn't behind a counter and I've definitely never had to sign for it. This is in Georgia, though.

It's a state-by-state law. NY keeps many of the better cold/sinus meds behind the counter and you need to show ID (they enter your ID# into the computer) and sign for it. Presumably there is a limit on how much you can purchase in a given period. It's because these meds are used in the illegal manufacture of meth, sadly.

 

[siskaren]

Gold bond, silly auto correct!

Gold Bond is a brand of talcum powder.

 

[leebee]

I do a lot of pre-trip shopping at Dollar Tree; here're some of my travel favorites:
Glow stick bracelets: These come in a tube (so they don't crack in the suitcase) with 12-15 glow sticks per tube. The kids make bracelets and necklaces while waiting for evening shows/parades, and share some with kids sitting nearby- new friends! I also use one per evening as a nightlight in the bathroom. DD's now almost 21 but we still take glow sticks to Disney!

Medications: I buy blister packs of things like anti-diarrheal, sinus medications, allergy pills, etc. I like this because I can put one sheet of each in our park bag and not have to sacrifice space/weight to bottles. I also fill small prescription bottles with ibuprofen and tylenol so I don't have to lug around the big bottles.

Ziplock baggies: I get a box of quart sized and a box of freezer size. Take them out of the boxes and pack them flat in your suitcase.

Bathroom spray- put this in a ziplock bag in your checked luggage. Leave it when you head home.

A few other things I always take are moleskin, a small zip pouch with blunt nail scissors, nail clipper, nail file, and bandaids. Ponchos. These go in the parks with us.
What else… power strip, masking or duct tape, individual fans ($2 on clearance at walmart; they look like iPhones that hang around you neck, blowing air UP at your neck and face… yes we look like dorks, YES we are cool!), individual stick packets of crystal lite to add to water bottles (although might try the drops… Mio?).
NEW sunscreen (not expired, like last time), prescription meds, nyquil/dayquil gel caps in the blister packs, antibiotic ointment, BONINE (some for the room, but some goes into the park bag- I take one every morning but want it with me just in case I forget).
Pop-up mesh laundry basket (it packs flat on the bottom of our suitcase). Our own colorful pillowcases (because in the value resorts, the pillow cases are too small for the pillow- this "plumps" up the pillow but we find it uncomfortable to sleep on).

Mickey antenna topper for the rental vehicle. If there's an antenna on the car it's way easier to identify OUR rental in the sea of white rental cars!

I dream of the day when going to Disney means packing a suitcase and heading for the airport. It takes days of planning and preparation to get all this crap corralled, but I know if I don't bring it, I'm GOING TO need or want it!

 

[leeholmes1]

light up toys from previous visits

 

[Chuckers]

Do you remember where you bought that at? I have a iPhone 4 that I am looking for a portable charger. Thanks!

Kelley, I use a Mophie. They have case options and portable battery options. Click on the link below.

Mophie for 4/4s

 

[VikingInMouseEars]

Body Glide anti-chafe. prevents that painful chafing and blisters. I swear by it and use it every day when at WDW.

 

[EasternShoreGal]

A shoe organizer. I hang it in the closet and put all of the little stuff in there that would normally clutter the counter.

Wow...why didn't I think of that? Will be added to our list. Thanks for the tip.

We keep a running list on an excel spreadsheet of items we like to have. Includes any item we come up,with for all our trips. A couple weeks ahead, we review the list, hide what isn't relevant for that particular trip, and print. It is our checklist and then we don't forget anything.

Most of the items mentioned are on our list but a couple of items I didn't catch that might be useful were:

-bottle of hand soap for the sink (hate the bars they give you)
-plastic wine glasses
-throwaway cups
-knife
-zip id and lanyard from Vera Bradley (to hold id, cc or money in case those fancy MB's don't work). I like this better than a wallet.
-single pack laundry detergents and some dryer sheets in a ziploc
-Softpack cooler

Hubby also swears by the duct tape!

 

[jennie3675]

Hand soap.....that's one to go on the list

 

[KelleyK75]

Kelley, I use a Mophie. They have case options and portable battery options. Click on the link below.

Mophie for 4/4s

Great, thanks so much! I will check that out.

 

[ekendall2]

These things are all so awesome. Cant wait to go in 80 something days!!!!

 

[trinaaron]

Body Glide anti-chafe. prevents that painful chafing and blisters. I swear by it and use it every day when at WDW.

Bodyglide (or Gold Bond Friction Defense which you can find at most drugstores) is a must have.

And as a non-disney related tip, it is amazing for little kids at the beach. My kids (especially my son) always used to get horrible friction rashes from the combination of sand and a wet bathing suit. We could always tell it was starting because he would begin waddling around. Putting this stuff on him a couple times a day completely stopped it from happening. I wouldn't go to the beach without it anymore.

 

[ChimneysweepGeorge]

Proper socks.
Glide and moleskin are just ways to deal with improper sock choices. Most people think a good sock is big, fluffy and absorbent. You don't want socks that absorb water, you want socks that evaporate it. Assuming your shoes fit, blisters happen because your socks are damp and then rub.
Go to a proper running store, not a general purpose sporting goods store...Google will help in this and get socks that distance runners wear. They are built to keep your feet dry and cause as little friction as possible.