1st Time What to Bring

[Mbg98]

My DW and I have been to Disney a few times and we joined DVC this past April we are taking our DS(6) and DS(3) for our first of many family trips. We are staying at WLV in a studio. My question is for our first trip as DVC'ers what tips does anyone have that maybe they wish they brought for their first DVC trip or something that you brought and didn't need. We will be eating 3-4 breakfasts in our room otherwise we will be eating out. Thanks in adanvce for you help.

 

[slp87]

We eat cereal and like something more substantial than the paper bowls, so we pack cheap gladware bowls to eat out of. We can also use them to store any food and bring home breakables. I buy them at Dollar Tree, so if we decide not to bring them home, I don't feel bad.

We also bring a small collapsable cooler to take some of our drinks to the waterparks.

This will sound crazy, but I got this tip from someone on the DIS. My husband is a crazy sleeper, so we bring a fitted sheet. I bought a really cheap floral one, so we would remember to take it home. I cannot stand waking up on the bare mattress and those sheets do not stay in one place. When we arrive, we just slip the comforter and flat sheet off and put the fitted over their sheet.

 

[starbox]

My DW and I have been to Disney a few times and we joined DVC this past April we are taking our DS(6) and DS(3) for our first of many family trips. We are staying at WLV in a studio. My question is for our first trip as DVC'ers what tips does anyone have that maybe they wish they brought for their first DVC trip or something that you brought and didn't need. We will be eating 3-4 breakfasts in our room otherwise we will be eating out. Thanks in adanvce for you help.

Call me a germ-a-phobic - but I always bring Clorox wipes and Lysol and lots and lots of instant hand sanitizer.

Also, I am a big fan of Benadryl for the kids/Tylenol PM for the grown-ups. We always have trouble sleeping on vacation. I also carry the special blister band-aids in my fanny pack and carry ginger pills for upset or motion-sick tummies.

 

[mikayla73]

Does anyone bring dish/dishwasher soap or anything like that? I think I read there is a one time use box there, but that may have been the laundry detergent.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

If I remember correctly, there was a small bottle of Palmolive dish soap by our kitchenette sink - I would say 2-3oz - enough to wash several rounds of dishes.

 

[RunningthruDisney]

Bring the dishwasher tablets from home. We wash all the dishes before we use them 2 loads plus one for each day we will be there. We order groceries unless we have rented a car to get the laundry det. water, juice boxes, soda, milk, snacks etc. We usually just eat breakfast but get cold cuts we usually have one or two lunches or light dinners in the room.

 

[dis-happy]

I always pack:
laundry soap and softener sheets
coffee filters (basket) and premium coffee and splenda
disposable travel coffee cups to take with me in the morning and then toss

 

[tjkraz]

OP is staying in a Studio, which doesn't include either a dishwasher or laundry facilities. Public laundry facilities are available for free member use somewhere at the resort. Detergent is $1 per load, so bring your own if you don't want to pay.

As for those staying in a 1B or larger, dishwasher detergent and liquid dish soap are provided by the resort (as is toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex, bath soap, etc.) If you run out, call housekeeping and they will happily deliver more. The only standard consumables I can think of they will not replenish for free are laundry detergent and coffee.

 

[nzdisneymom]

My DW and I have been to Disney a few times and we joined DVC this past April we are taking our DS(6) and DS(3) for our first of many family trips. We are staying at WLV in a studio. My question is for our first trip as DVC'ers what tips does anyone have that maybe they wish they brought for their first DVC trip or something that you brought and didn't need. We will be eating 3-4 breakfasts in our room otherwise we will be eating out. Thanks in adanvce for you help.

We've found that generally everything we need / use has been provided. The only extra I bring is extra shampoo as the one little bottle isn't enough for us for more than a day and I've never bothered to find out if we could get more just by calling.

There will be a microwave, toaster and small refrigerator for your use in the Studio. Think of it like a regular hotel room only a little larger.

Oh, we've also considered taking extra washcloths as you only get four, but so far I've managed to be in charge of washcloths so we haven't needed extras

Ziploc baggies are always nice for leftovers (like one person eats a poptart so that leftover one doesn't get stale).

 

[Mahusky]

Buy a case of water at the supermarket.. bottled water prices are ridiculous at the parks...

I bring a small jar of Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Fabric softener sheet and a small bottle of laundry detergent. (Tide use to have these neat littel concenrated square.. can't find them any more but if you can they pack easy).

Gallon Bags and Quart Bags.. to pack those PB & J sanwhichs
Coffee
Coffee Filters

 

[wisbucky]

First let me say CONGRADULATIONS AND WELCOME HOME.

Dh and I have found that when we stay in a studio having a crock pot works great. I dont know if the OP is flying in and if so the crock pot may be out of question. But I do see that the OP stated they will be eating out and only eating breakfast in the rooms.

But here are a list of things that DH and I always bring regardless if we stay in a 1br or studio. Some of these have already been mentioned

Fitted sheet
Pillow (I have a stiff neck and the pillows at the resort are to thick for me)
Additional laundry detergent and fabric softener
Quick disposal wipes for clean up
Zip lock bags
Couple dispoable storage containers for eating out of or storing food in.
Mole skin for blisters

You may laugh at this one but my friend who has two young children about the age of yours brings bubble bath with her and lets the children play in the tub each night before bed. It gives her a break and the children usually get tired out from playing in the bubblebath and go to sleep quiet quickly.

 

[Mbg98]

Thanks for all of the help....Keep them coming

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Probably the most useful item we bring is a canvass shoe holder that we hang on the bathroom door. It has about 20 compartments that we put everything from the electric razor, to sunscreen, to band-aids, etc. in it. It really helps keep the countertop clutter to a minimum.

 

[DVC Grammy]

For a studio, the extras we bring are:
coffee filters (8-12 cup, flat bottom)
better coffee than what is provided
Splenda for cereal (they do give some Equal, but we don't use it)
a decent cutting knife (in case we get anything that a plastic knife won't cut)......obviously, we pack it in checked luggage
small amount of detergent if we plan on using the resort laundry
plastic wine glasses
bathroom spray (guess I don't have to explain why )
some snack stuff for the room (microwave popcorn, nuts, raisins, etc)
and....................
lots of gratitude that we're lucky to have DVC for many, many magical trips!

 

[Dina]

This is a great thread! We're new DVC members, so I really have nothing to add-- but I wanted to subscribe.

One thing we bring (Villa or not) is liquid handsoap-- everyone using the same bar soap all week grosses me out. Usually before we go on a trip, I take a trip to bath and body (actually I stock up when they have sales and save for our trips). I get a handsoap and shower gel in the same scent-- then that scent always reminds us of our trip.

 

[mom2alix]

Oh, we've also considered taking extra washcloths as you only get four, but so far I've managed to be in charge of washcloths so we haven't needed extras

Just a thought, they had those little magic towel washcloths at my Disney Store on clearance for 99 cents. If you need extras, those might be fun little souvenirs for the kids. I usuallu get a couple and keep them in my diaper bag for those messes that baby wipes just can't handle.

Other tips:
Stain stick - I have messy kids
Clothes pins (for hanging swimsuits to dry, there is a retactable clothesline in the tub. They're also great for closing snack bags! )
My other favorite tip is an address book for the kids. My kids loved sending postcards to their friends and we also had email addresses so they could send the free e-cards in Epcot.
OP - since you have a 3 year old, I'll add that I also usually bring a nightlight to put in the bathroom for the kids. I don't want to have accidents since they're in a strange place to find the potty at night.