Lets help each other save money at WDW!

[kimsuenew]

It is VERY expensive to buy items at the parks or resorts. I figure that if we can help each other by reminding one another of valuable items to have we can save money!

What are some things you pack/bring from home to help limit this cost?

I always pack/bring:

IN MY PARK BAG:

Shout wipes
Dramamine
Small bottle of Tylenol
All size baggies
Antibacterial wipes (indidual pakaged ones)
Kool-Aid/Crystal Light Packets
Extra Memory Cards
Mini M&M container (2... one for already rotated penny and two quarters and one to put pressed pennies in)
Over the door shoe hanger
Small packages of tissues
Lipbalm with SPF
Compact that has a mirror
Travel sized deoderant
Splenda
Sunglasses
Gum
Hairbrush
Fresh washcloth daily
Glasses wipes (individually packaged)
Trading pins (for both my DS and myself)
A couple of large bags... to cover my park bag when it pours!
An extra shirt for myself "just in case"
A few band-aids and antiseptic wipes
My glucose meter
Alcolhol wipes
Glucose tabs for when sugar unexpectedly drops
Cell phone
Inhaler
KTTW Card(s)
Photopass Cards
ID
Contact solution
Contact case
Pair of glasses
Day by day ADR Reservation list for the entire vacation
Pen and paper

FOR THE ROOM:

We ALWAYS take our own pillows (others drool... no thank you)
Lysol Wipes to clean knobs, light switches, handles, the telephone, ect...
An over the door shoe rack to organize everything
Our own beach towels for the pool
"Freebie" samples of laundry soap
A few fabric softner sheets in a baggie
A pump bottle of handsoap for sink
Bottled water/cooler for the room
Snacks (healthy and portable ones)
Lotion
Sunscreen
Spare batteries
Chargers for everything... cells phoes, cameras, camcorders, I-Pods, PSP, laptop
A flashlight
A sampling of tools and "car supplies" (we drive down from Ohio)
All of our meds of course, making sure to get any refills filled before leaving home!
And of course... every H&BA we might possibly need, LOL!

What items do you bring so you do not have to purchase them at WDW?

What must you have at WDW that we might not think of and should take with us?

I look forward to the replies and am guessing that I will find items to add to my list!

 

[LoriABil]

I might add I take a disposable camera (the kind that's safe for water) for ds along. The ones at the parks are expensive, and he always ends up wanting one!

 

[Justsyd2]

Actually, things aren't that expensive at Disney. We saw all of the lists of items to take to save money and didn't even use half of it! It costs more money to buy everything to save money than it does to just go and have a great time!

We found that we only needed an over the door shoe holder and pop-up hamper for the room.

We only used sunscreen and carried an umbrella in the parks. Didn't need to take all of the other "necessary items".

We ended up giving away the food, water, snacks, hand soap, and the dish soap for refillable mugs for the room.

Next time I'm leaving "the list" at home!

 

[Dizneydaz]

For waterparks and pool-an underwater disposable camera (or 2)

For us, a fan for the room. We rent a car so we stop off somewhere (WM or Target) and pick up one. It's a life (and sleep) saver! Then when we leave I add it to my fridge swap. It usually last a few swaps before it disappears. If you won't have a car, even the small, clip on types (about 6-7") is better than nothing.

Oh, and I bring one of my Wallflowers from B&BW.Makes the rooms smell great! Also a small can of room spray for the bathroom.

 

[jerseygirl81]

I'm not sure what it's called but it has a hook top with a circular piece on it with clips all around it I bring two of these for hanging up the wet bathing suits, the line in the shower is good but does'nt hold as many and you have to take them down and put them back up every time someone showers. I also keep a mini M&M tube for quarters for the tolls if you drive or rent a car and for the laundry machines. Twice DH had to buy sunglasses so it would'nt for us to bring an extra set of sunglasses and magnifiers from the dollar store. If you already have your park tickets make a copy of the back in case you lose them you can get them replaced. Linda

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

A very helpful tip I read here on DIS was to bring glo-sticks for the kids. They sell them and other elaborate glow in the dark toys while waiting for the parades or Fantasmic and it was great to have brought our cheap ones from home.

Another thing I do is buy us all some Mickey or Disney apparell from the Disney store or even Wal-Mart. Much cheaper than getting it in the parks.

 

[csmommy]

For us, a fan for the room. We rent a car so we stop off somewhere (WM or Target) and pick up one. It's a life (and sleep) saver! .

I must be missing something very obvious here, but why would I need a fan for the room if it has a/c?

 

[Justsyd2]

I must be missing something very obvious here, but why would I need a fan for the room if it has a/c?

Our room at CBR had a ceiling fan and the A/C worked great! You might check the room before you buy a fan.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I think I must be less concerned about germs and sanitation than other people. I don't bring anything like wipes to clean the room or sanitizers, and I'm quite content using Disney's pillows and Disney's towels. The things I do find essential to bring from home:

conditioner (I find the Disney shampoo really dries my hair out)
body glide and band-aids (blisters really make vacations less fun)
sunscreen and aloe (in case I forget to redo the sunscreen enough)
painkillers, just in case
make-up removing wipes
zip-lock bags in various sizes. I always seem to find a use for these, whether it's bringing along a snack or leftovers from a meal, or keeping my camera dry on Kali River Rapids, or keeping coins in to use for pressed pennies.
nutritious snacks: homemade trail mix, homemade fruit and nut bars, things like that - to eat in the room or in the parks.

Teresa

 

[DawnM]

Maybe for white noise?

Dawn

I must be missing something very obvious here, but why would I need a fan for the room if it has a/c?

 

[squirrel]

I must be missing something very obvious here, but why would I need a fan for the room if it has a/c?

Since it mentions sleep saver, I will guess that someone snores and the fan helps at least one person sleep.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Somebody in the family is probably use to the white noise from a fan. I know my kids sleep better when they have their ceiling fan on.

 

[kimsuenew]

Great ideas everyone!

I love the idea to hang up the wet suits as well as the disposable waterproof cameras!

I tool pictures with our camera and cell phone last trip of our photopass (two different ones as we often split up) as well as our KTTW cards (just in case we lost one).

 

[Dizneydaz]

No, no ones snores, (as long as my DM uses nose spray before going to bed ) I just sleep with a fan on 365 days a year for the white noise and the coolness.

Unlike the moderates, the values don't have a ceiling fan. So if you want a fan at a value, you need to bring your own.

The A/C in the rooms (especially at POP?) shut down if they don't detect room movement. I can't stand the quietness and how quickly the room gets warm. If I don't have a fan I get up several (or more) times a night to get the A/C back on. I've tried the hints on other boards on how to get the A/C running during the night but it hasn't worked for us. The fan works great!

The fan really helps to block out noises from outside and other rooms as well as providing coolness.

 

[rebeccalb10]

If you're staying at POP consider getting a cheap balloon and hang it near the a/c -- then there is always motion.

Glow sticks from the dollar store are awesome.. it really brightens up the day for other kids/parents too if you can pass some around.

 

[mommy2_3]

We are bringing for our first trip (hopefully we can still go!)

a small first aid kit with extra bandaids
baggies of all sizes
hand soap (we like the lavander by soft soap)
our own beach towels and reg. bath towels
our own shampoo, cond., body wash
deordant
body spray
eye glass cleaner
facial wipes
a laundry bag
the purex 3-1 (got 6 free samples coming in the mail. i did one, hubby did one and my mom did one! plenty for laundry)
lots of little snacks for the plane, the hotel, parks and the plane ride back
sunblock for the kids and suntan lotion for me and hubby
lip balm with spf
glow sticks and those spinners for nighttime fireworks and shows
hats
of course tooth brushes and tooth paste
our chargers for the cells, and laptop
extra little things of kleenex
tylone, excerdin, baby tylone & motrin & my acid reflux meds
dvds
q-tips
clothes pins to hang up wet towels and bathing suits
my heating pad (just in case!)
lysol wipes
extra sheets/blankets for the pack n play
stamps
umbrella
little swimmers (no way am i buying those at the gift shop!!)
extra wipes & clean and go wipes
shout wipes
a double stroller rain cover and single rain cover
cups, spoons, and little bowls (for my younger DD)
little bottle of dish soap
drying rack
im sure there is more just cant think of it right now lol.

we are doing to grocery service so i dont have to lug baby food on the plane. they are allowing me only enough to cover the flight the rest i would have to pack in the checked luggage (last thing i need is baby food squished in my suitcase! even if it is in a bag and it gets squished or broke i will still have to throw it all out!) we are also getting a 24 pack of pop for hubby and bottle water to put in the freezer.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

I am adding a power strip outlet. I got it off another thread-- it makes perfect sense- we don't have to hunt down all the outlets in the villa to plug all the stuff into. Seeing we carry 2 cellphones. rechargable batteries for 3 cameras and a camcorder to recharge. I can plug it into one of the kitchen outlets and not worry about forgetting to take something w/us.

We also bring a squirt bottle - w/ frozen water-- DH squirts us down during the day-- feels great in Aug.!

 

[sukaryan]

two things i am glad i brought that someone on Dis boards suggest were glow sticks and moleskin. I especially liked being able to pass extra around to kids sitting near us. Both I and my daughter got blisters, even though i walked three to four miles a day for 6 months before we left to go to Disney. We cut the moleskin to fit the blister and kept on walking. It was great!
i just reread this and meant the glowsticks. No other kids were interested in the moleskin!!

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

Our room at CBR had a ceiling fan and the A/C worked great! You might check the room before you buy a fan.

Also, you can request a box fan from Housekeeping. We've done this on several trips - DH must have the white noise from the fan.

 

[judowoman]

Also, you can request a box fan from Housekeeping. We've done this on several trips - DH must have the white noise from the fan.

I just read your post to my husband and he said WOW!!! He was so happy! lol we cant sleep too well without one, neither can the kids so this will be a real lifesaver