Disneyland summer packing list

[Khokhonutt]

A few new items I discovered in the past year: Frog Toggs Chilly Pads, a portable battery for keeping your electronics alive and for running a small battery powered usb fan https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-USB-Powered-Portable-Solution-Gooseneck/dp/B003XN24GY

Those fans are awesome! I've been running one for years on my computer at work.

 

[VandVsmama]

Anyone have a packing list or must bring list for summer stay at DLR?
I didn't find a thread on this but I assume people have mastered this art and would like to share their wisdom!

Thanks!

I forgot to mention in my previous post that my #1 thing to "bring" is a hotel reservation at a hotel that's within walking distance of the parks. So when it gets super mega crowded and you've all got Theme Park Fatigue, you can escape easily to your hotel to relax and swim in the pool.

 

[kkmcan]

I have all the items mentioned on my packing list as well as wet wipes and hand sanitizer and Dramamine or motion sickness pills for DD20. She gets nauseous on every roadtrip and we never seem to have any meds for her.

 

[krispin41]

I echo most of what is listed here, but for at the hotel I bring an inflatable foot bath and small hand pump to blow it up with so I can soak my feet in ice water comfortably every night. I also bring some small bags of epsom salt to do the same thing if I take a bath. I also bring a plastic bowl and utensils. On this past trip, I brought one of the shelf stable cartons of almond milk and cereal to snack on.

Also, the big two gallon zip lock bags. I usually bring home turkey legs for my Dad, and I double bag them in these.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Ziploc bags are always a good idea. My kids are forever eating half a churro ...

 

[BobearQSI]

I'll add my list - it duplicates some stuff here already, but this in its entirety is what we pack in suitcases for flying. This list does NOT include standard stuff like clothes, makeup, hair products, things like that.
Of course, there are some things others have posted that we personally don't care about, like swim spray, so this certainly isn't a complete list for everyone, but it is for us. We also don't plan to do laundry on the trip.
We usually do one grocery stop the first night via bus down Harbor to Target, for other things we want (mostly food/beverages/snacks).
And since we've only gone in the summer, this is our summer list!

Swimwear, Water shoes, Swim diapers, Life Vests
Extra Clothes (in case you get soaked on Splash, or need to change mid-day for any reason)
Walking Shoes
Cooling towels and hats

Glasses/Contacts/Contact Solution/Eye Drops
Prescription Medications
Medical devices/items, such as retainer, sleep mouthguard, knee braces, whatever you personally need
Tylenol, Ibuprofen
Moleskin, Liquid Bandage, Bandaids, Gold Bond Friction Defense/Bactroban (aka Neosporin)/Hydrocortizone
Sunscreen, Aloe, Sunglasses

Cameras, all Batteries, Memory Cards, Card Reader for them
Phone chargers
Laptop/Kid's Video Games/Portable DVD Player/AvOut cords
Chargers/Batteries/Headphones for above

Sitting Blanket
Emergency Ponchos (World of Color, for kids on water rides)
2 Large Garbage Bags (For all dirty clothes)
Big pile of Ziploc Bags - Quart and Gallon - These always get used in unintended ways
Favorite Toys
Travel reading material
Kids Cups
A Power strip - always bring one when staying in hotel
Nightlights
Disney books

Ground Coffee and Filters - Hotel stuff usually makes 1/2 cup
Snacks + small soft-sided cooler

Autograph book + pens
Quarters/Pennies for pressed pennies

Cash
Printed copy of all vouches - Disneyland ticket vouchers/Photopass+/Shuttle
Printed copy of all Confirmations - Hotel, Car rental, etc

Lastly, we bring the kid's birth certificates and our passports (alternate ID for us). I know people have different feelings about this. We keep them stowed away the entire trip, they are just in case of emergency or lost main ID. Fortunately, we've never had to use them.

 

[KimberMama]

For summer in particular, I add a sunhat to the usual sunnies, sunscreen, and SPF lip balm. I French braid my hair so that the sunhat doesn't give me hat hair. I skip makeup in the heat, but I do use a brush-on sunscreen powder over my usual sunblock. Easy hair and no makeup means I'm not spending precious Disney minutes primping at the bathroom mirror. I tuck a handkerchief or bandana into my bag for dabbing away perspiration. I don't bring a fan; you can use a park map, lol. I switch from my super comfy running shoes to a pair of super comfy sandals (Birkenstock or Merrill). I take a sweater or jacket every time I go to the parks, year round.

This year we started bringing an insulated water bottle (Hydro Flask) and it is awesome for keeping water super cold, which can help you stay hydrated when it's hot (I don't love the taste of Disney water from the water fountains, but can drink it ice cold). The ice lasts for hours and hours, but we also add more by asking for a cup of ice water at QS restaurants (or filling up with ice and water at the Coca Cola Freestyle machine at DCA).

This isn't something we bring with us, but when it's hot we eat lunch at Rancho Del Zocalo so that we can get free drink refills while we dine. My guys usually drink two cups full while eating and then fill the cup one last time before we head out. They also fill the water bottles with ice and water. Disneyland is the only place we drink soda, but a lot of times we opt for iced tea since it is delicious fresh brewed iced tea at Zocalo.

We also bring cheap flip flops, dry t-shirts, a microfiber towel, and ziplock bags for water rides. My guys have gone under the geyser in jeans on GRR, so now if it is warm enough they wear quick drying shorts (Patagonia).

Someone mentioned bringing patience -- right on! Everyone is a little crankier when it's hot, and when it's hot and crowded the cranky factor can max out. I never go on a hot, busy day without having plans for all meals, whether they are QS or not.

I've never stayed overnight at the DL resort, so I am of no help planning that part of a summer packing list

 

[griffin123]

I'm following your post and making my list. I already had chap stick on my list but didn't think if getting one with sunblock in it. Sounds like I need to get some cooling towels too.

 

[LSUmiss]

Can anyone tell me how DLR heat in the summer compares to WDW heat? Is it about the same or is it less humid so a little cooler at night?

 

[dina444444]

Can anyone tell me how DLR heat in the summer compares to WDW heat? Is it about the same or is it less humid so a little cooler at night?

It's nowhere near as humid but the sun here can be brutal during the day. It usually cools down as soon as the sun goes down excepts the handful of heat waves we get. It can sometimes drop 20+ degrees when the sun goes down so that's why I recommended bringing a light weight jacket/sweater for nighttime.

 

[disneyxica20]

looks like everyone covered pretty much everything, but one thing i suggest is a usb fan. they're not too bad on your phone battery and they come in super handy. any time i use it (in the parks or elsewhere) people always ask me about it and think it's the coolest thing.

 

[LSUmiss]

It's nowhere near as humid but the sun here can be brutal during the day. It usually cools down as soon as the sun goes down excepts the handful of heat waves we get. It can sometimes drop 20+ degrees when the sun goes down so that's why I recommended bringing a light weight jacket/sweater for nighttime.

Wow! That's fantastic! In WDW you never get a break from it during the summer & sometimes nighttime can feel more oppressive. I'm from Louisiana & the idea of ever needing a jacket from June-Sept is absurd! This is good to hear! Let's hope there won't be a heat wave!

 

[dina444444]

Wow! That's fantastic! In WDW you never get a break from it during the summer & sometimes nighttime can feel more oppressive. I'm from Louisiana & the idea of ever needing a jacket from June-Sept is absurd! This is good to hear! Let's hope there won't be a heat wave!

Our hottest weather in the past few years doesn't start until mid to late July and can go into October. Since we don't have the kind of humidity you see in Florida it will cool down without the sun.

 

[BriannaRuth]

I'll add my list - it duplicates some stuff here already, but this in its entirety is what we pack in suitcases for flying.

Moleskin, Skinpaint, Bandaids, Gold Bond Friction/Bactroban (aka Neosporin)/Hydrocortizone
Sunscreen, Aloe, Sunglasses

Ok I googled "skinpaint" and still couldn't figure out what it was ...

 

[theluckyrabbit]

The light jacket or sweater can come in handy if you will be waiting for nighttime entertainment. Sitting immobile for long stretches of time, especially if you will be by Paradise Bay or ROA, can make you chilly quickly. We've seen folks in shorts and tank tops shivering while waiting for WOC because they never thought it would be so cool at night in the summer. But the difference between moving almost constantly going from ride to ride and sitting still for a prolonged period is a big one.

 

[StormyCA]

Ok I googled "skinpaint" and still couldn't figure out what it was ...

Me, either. Maybe it's some type of paint on blister barrier or that 'second skin' liquid band-aid? I'm just going by where it's placed on the PP's list.

 

[Winnowill]

The jacket also comes in handy for WOC even if it isn't that chilly anywhere else, because the water does cool things down significantly.

 

[Rabb it]

Personally for a full summer day at Disneyland I'll bring:

Sunblock
Flushable Wipes (Thank me later)
Moleskin
Portable Charger
Headache meds
Portable Hand Sanitizer

 

[BriannaRuth]

The jacket also comes in handy for WOC even if it isn't that chilly anywhere else, because the water does cool things down significantly.

This is so true! We never wore jackets when we were there last August ... it was hot ... but sitting at WOC dessert party we all got cold.

 

[cdunn03]

Such great info for a Disneyland newbie!!! Love the flip flop idea for water rides