Most helpful but unique item you pack??

[over50visits]

What is the most helpful item you pack, that isn't a staple item?? I like to hear what people pack that I wouldn't necessarily think of on my own.

The 99 cent raincoat you can get anywhere (dollar stores, walmart). Sure beats spending $12 or whatever the current cost is for a disposable raincoat in the parks.

 

[DizFanSLD]

This thread has some great ideas!

I bring:
1. Stainless steel straws in a ziplock for Animal Kingdom

THIS! I don't know what it is, but the paper straws at Animal Kingdom absolutely make my skin crawl. Some kind of sensory problem I guess, but I just can't stand them. Since I don't want to break the rules by bringing in plastic straws, I brought these last trip and they worked great! No muss, no fuss, just have to remember to pull them out before you toss the drink. It was such a relief!

 

[Willa]

Plastic lids (from McDonalds or some other fast food restaurant)... Great for sliding on the stick of Mickey Bars in case they melt. We used to use them for the kids only but they help the adults too!

Genius!

A Swim Towel in a ziploc bag. It is great to wipe down seats after a sudden Florida rainstorm, and they hold a TON of water and wring out easily. When you are done, just pop it back in the ziploc!

Also genius!

 

[FreeThinker]

My must-have items are
1. Sharpie to mark drinks or snacks, and also for autographs
2. Meds- for in the park I have Neosporin, bandaids, bug bite cream, Advil for adult and children, Benadryl and one DD is on Claratin and Allegra everyday, so will add those. I have more stuff in the car, a full first-aid kit.
3. Extra clothes for everyone in the car (I got throw up on last time, and had to borrow DH's shirt to get home )
4. Nail clippers and emory board
5. Mints, I keep a whole sack of them in the stroller.
6. 3 in1 sheets, I have a few left from the last trip, but probably should order another set if they aren't making them anymore!

I like the idea of the little Pringles cans! Great idea! I may try that, we take snacks in everyday, thus the sharpie to mark what belongs to whom.

We stay off-site at Bonnet Creek, and we stop along the way at rest stops to eat. I have a list of things I take for that: Roll of paper towels, bread knife, spoon and tomato knife in a large zip-lock, and stored inside the inner role of the paper towels. Extra ziplock baggies, salt/pepper shaker in the camping section, picnic table cloth, dishwasher tabs, aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

 

[eblackmon85]

Really great ideas!! Will definitely be using some of these suggestions!

 

[hgeisler]

Nail clippers-really good thing to clip tags off of new items
Ziploc bags-I pack a change of clothes per day for each child. They also great to use to put small items all together in the parks, or to put autograph books in so they don't get wet.

 

[ZoZo]

Someone mentioned bring extra wire hangers. FYI, you can call Mousekeeping after you arrive, and ask them to bring you extra hangers for your room. They'll bring you as many as you want. And they have both "regular" and pant/skirt hangers (with clips).

Items that I always take are:

Moleskin/Bodyglide
White noise machine
Nightlight
Clothespins
Sunglasses
Poncho
Battery operated mini-fan (Coleman brand is the best by far!)
Power strip
Chargers for phone, iPad, Kindle
Sunscreen (spray and lotion)
Small sewing kit (once spent $9 for one at WDW gift shop for needle/thread to repair swimsuit!)
Extra contact lenses
Ziploc bags in different sizes
At least three pairs of shoes (switching often to prevent blisters)
ID, medical insurance card

 

[tinkrebell]

Mine are all for health inconveniences:
- Blister band-aids (the Band-aid brand makes a great, super cushy variety)
- Pre-cut, small strips of moleskine in various sizes
- Band-aids

ANNNDDDDD ... not sure if these have been mentioned before, since I skipped to the end of this thread ... HEAT PACKS. I always travel in early February and it's either mild and lovely or freezing cold. I'm a fan of the Thermacare brand, as I don't think the CVS version (haven't tried any other generic) heats up as well/stays on as well, and I buy them both in the classic wraps (use them around my torso) or the new stick-on variety (they work really well if you tend to get uncomfortable with a band around your stomach). Also of in the same line - hand warmers are great.

Hope this helps!

love Thermacare

 

[cgattis]

Bobby pins!!!! They are not sold anywhere on Disney property, evidently! First trip, we needed some to help secure our mouse ears--couldn't find one pin in all of MK. Then, last year for SWW, knowing full well I needed them for DD's Leia buns, forgot them!!! Realized it that morning, and scrounged 4 from my makeup bag. Searched AKL (like, asking every female CM if she had any in her purse LOL), then all over DHS. No pins. I re-rolled those buns 100 times that day! Ha!

I probably get more use out of a Sharpie (whose water bottle is whose??) and Ziploc bags (leftover snacks, keeping phones dry, etc.) than anything else I take.

 

[Thumper_Man]

Most of mine have been mentioned, but I will add some I didn't see mentioned or I missed them being mentioned.

Portable Pill Container.

Would just attach this to my backpack and go.

I never leave home without my Leatherman (multi-tool). One year I found myself needing pliers and a screwdriver to fix my luggage. This came in handy for that day. Just make sure to leave it in your room and not take it to the parks.

Small screwdrivers. Some portable fans and toys have a small screw that needs to be removed on the battery compartment

Eyeglass repair kit.

 

[larryz]

Good-bye rice cooker, hello...

Breakfast Sandwich Maker!!!

 

[kkayluvsdis]

Great Ideas Everyone! I read about the power strip on DISboards before our trip last winter and it was a "life saver". My dh was impressed that *I* thought of it!

One thing that we like to bring is window decals or some sort of Disney themed decoration for our room. The kids love seeing the decorations in the window as we come back from a busy day in the parks

Also, I didn't see it mentioned on this thread, but some sort of unique label/sign for our stroller has been super helpful. Last year we rented a stroller and were amazed at how many "Citi-Mini-Doubles" were in the parks. Having our homemade name sign really helped out.

-Kelly

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Nail clippers-really good thing to clip tags off of new items
Ziploc bags-I pack a change of clothes per day for each child. They also great to use to put small items all together in the parks, or to put autograph books in so they don't get wet.

I do the same thing for my daughter and it makes things so easy each morning. Before we leave, I plan out what outfit she will wear each day depending on which park we are going to or what dining reservation we have. For example she will wear her Sophia outfit if we are going to Hollywood Studios and eating at Hollywood and Vine. In the bag goes the entire outfit including under garments, socks, and hair supplies. That morning, we wake up,I grab the back labeled "Tuesday" and everything she needs for the day is right there.

 

[momof2disprincesses]

I haven't read the whole thread, but here's what we bring:

• Fitted sheet (I hate that Disney doesn't use them)
• Pop-up hampers - 1 in white (for whites), 1 in color (for colored clothes)
• Power strip and extension cord
• Over the door shoe hanger for little items
• Air freshener spray for bathroom
• Kit for feet that includes scissors, moleskin, foot cream and blister blocker strips
• Small fan (if room)
• Collapsible coolers and ziplock bags (keep them in the car with ice & water/soda for the end of the day)

 

[Eldon_Brasche]

For those that bring a small white noise machine, I found several very effective ones to download to my cell phone and this eliminates a piece of equipment to manage.

With the new MDE app on my phone I've discovered it is a huge battery drain so I purchased a portable cell phone charger that I carry to the parks which provides enough power for multiple charges throughout the day.

 

[cgattis]

Good-bye rice cooker, hello... Breakfast Sandwich Maker!!!

Is this an actual thing??? Cool.....where do I find it? Brand name? That would be totally awesome for our ski trips!!!!

 

[songkat]

Wine opener (don't judge )

Sound advice.

We went to Gatlinburg 2 years ago and bought a bottle of wine during our travels. We didn't bring a wine opener, so the only place we found to buy one was at Walgreens. It was made with a cheap plastic handle which promptly broke off as the corkscrew was in the cork. Three of us tried to get the cork either out or push it down into the bottle, to no avail. I joked, "how many people does it take to open a wine bottle?"

Finally my dad went to the front desk and asked if they had a bottle opener we could borrow. Success!!

So yes, we now travel with one.

 

[karaintn]

A few days before our trip I cut a kitchen sponge in thirds, wet it, and squeeze some liquid dish soap on them. Then let the pieces completely dry out and put them in a Ziploc. These are great for washing out mugs and waterbottles in the room. I use each one for a day or two then toss them.

 

[gardengalB4]

A few days before our trip I cut a kitchen sponge in thirds, wet it, and squeeze some liquid dish soap on them. Then let the pieces completely dry out and put them in a Ziploc. These are great for washing out mugs and waterbottles in the room. I use each one for a day or two then toss them.

We do a different version of This.
I use paper towels instead-just squirt on the dish soap & allow to air-dry-then bag them up in a ziploc. It's really great to be able to wash our mugs!

 

[DizFanSLD]

I still have one box left of the Dawn Wash & Toss sheets that they used to sell - perfect for Disney trips to wash our mugs. I have hoarded them for use only at WDW, but I am almost out. I didn't know that I could make my own. Thanks for the tip!