Packing Items - What strange/helpful items do you pack???

[ljb9539]

We are starting to pack for our vacation in a couple weeks and I am reading so many great ideas from the boards I wanted to see what other items people would mention.

This is our first trip with a child - DD will turning 1 at the park. Since we have never traveled with a little one - I wonder - what kind of items helped you during your trip.

Someone mentioned clothes pins to hang wet bathing suits (would never have thought of that). Or traveling with wire hangers to hang lots of clothes so not just living in the dressers.

Any other cool ideas on what non-traditional items to pack?

Thakns in advance.
Laura

 

[tjmw2727]

My kids are older but I have a few things in quart szie ziplock bags that we always take along when traveling. The zip locks are packed with like items to make things easy to find. Off hand, one has several binder clips - can be used used as clothes pins but smaller and have more uses, a roll of tape, rubber bands, some safety pins in various sizes, a mini flashlight, caribener clips etc. Another has laundry items, travel size wrinkle away stuf and a tide to go stick, a few dryer sheets, a travel size of All small and mighty (does many loads) and a roll of quarters. Another has a travel size lysol, a nightlight and a glade plug in. I don't bring hangers (a good idea though) but we have always been able to get as many as we need from housekeeping upon request. I also bring along extra ziplocks in gallon and quart sizes.

Since you have an infant I would put together a bag with baby proofing equipment and maybe bring a monitor so you could sit on the balcony. With a child that age, in addition to the obvious, I would probably bring some dish soap and a bottle washer thingy. I think I would spend $ on disposable bibs, placemats and even the take and toss type cups and bowls, not something you may normally use but great for a vacation.

I also bring along two dollar store over the door shoe holders, they are great for keeping things neat but handy. Things like sunscreen, sunglasses, lanyards, and kids toys can be easly put away and then found for a quick am departure.

Not directly in reply to your OP but when my kids were babies a sling or snugly was a lifesaver for lines and in the pavilions where a stroller isn't allowed. We also bought a clip on umbrella for our stroller for extra coverage and a clip on fan for comfort and while noise while sleeping.

eta - An extension cord, I always bring one and more times than not I need it
Have fun,
TJ

 

[stacy6552]

ziploc quart bags, keep a box with you.

A package for table toppers (babies r us) for baby's finger foods. A total must.

SHOES! for baby. I saw this little girl once bearfooted, rolling a cigurette butt between her toes. And my new white shoes got totally black, so bring something for baby's feet. Bleck!

A front baby carrier. There are places the stroller cant go that baby can. If its a front carrier baby can stay in it on rides and in shows.

 

[james'mommy]

I always take lots of ziploc bags and duct tape. Since you're staying within the states duct tape isn't as crucial. Never ever buy duct tape outside the states. Oh and I always take new unopened bottles of liquid meds and throw them out at the end of the trip. For some reason if I fly with open bottles they leak like crazy even through the ziplock bags.

 

[kirstiebird]

Tummy medicine (just in case) and cherios (or whatever you usually munch on) -- food may be too rich for a 1 year old. And wet ones for the whole family!!!

And for any trip to DW, I cannot live without a collapsable laundry hamper -- everyone seems to generate much more laundry than at home and if you don't have a way to keep it together, your room will be a total mess!

 

[sandiegosusie]

One of the best tips that I have come across is putting together a dining cup...1 disposable (take and toss) cup with sippy seal. Add 1 table topper, 1 bibster and a few wipes in a ziploc bag. Keep the cup with all of the neccessities in your diaper bag or back pack. Your can either throw the whole "pack" away after or meal or keep the sippy and replenish in your hotel room. I thought that was a nice, compact way to have everything all together.

I would probably add some Cheerios to it to keep your daughter happy as well...

 

[ljb9539]

All of these ideas are wonderful - thank you so much. I have some shopping to do this weekend

Hope all of you have a magical Disney vacation.

Laura

 

[coolbeans]

Someone mentioned clothes pins to hang wet bathing suits (would never have thought of that). Or traveling with wire hangers to hang lots of clothes so not just living in the dressers.

I am using both of these ideas this trip!! I bought the big plastic clothespins to hold a towel on the stroller too.
Also caribiner clips, they hold everything! We use one on the backpack to hang hats from, to keep shopping bags on the stroller, to hold an extra pacificer, tons of uses!!

 

[Disneylush]

I just returned today and all I can think of is liquid hand soap! the soap is bar soap and it got stuck under my wedding ring and I now have a huge infection ring on my finger rather than my wedding ring.

This was also my first trip w/o my over the door shoe rack (a cheap one from the dollar store) and I wish I would have had it for all the bathroom stuff (tooth brushes, hairbrushes, hair clips, q-tips, su screen, bandaids, etc.)

 

[cheerforchelsea]

Most essential - gallon size ziploc bags and a pop up clothes hamper (along with detergent and dryer sheets). I can always think of a million things that would make life a bit easier (extension cord, clothes hangers, my own pillow)- but then I have no room in my suitcase for clothes.....

 

[dbarker]

I read this tip on here somewhere...Take a regular sponge; get it wet; saturate it w/ dish soap; let it dry out; cut it into smaller pieces; pack in ziplock baggie: diswashing equipment w/o the liquid mess.

Pop-up clothes hamper (or 2). Great for dirty clothes and for toys.

Over the door shoe organizer

Whole outfits packed in ziplock bags. This really makes dressing time a breeze. (I also pack all my under garments in ziplocks. I don't want anyone touching them if my bag gets inspected)

 

[Diamondintheruff]

-Something to identify your stroller with ie colorful bandana or scarf.
-pool toys or babyfloat for pool.
-white noise machine or music that the baby likes to help calm them.
-nightlight

 

[Beehn]

Never ever buy duct tape outside the states.

Why?

 

[all4fun]

We never travel anywhere without the cheap plastic over the door shoe holder. It goes in the closet (since most often it won't fit over the door since they are too thick) and we put all our toiletry items and misc stuff in it. When ds was a toddler it kept things off the counters and out of his reach. It puts things where you can see them so you're not digging through a bag looking for an item, and keeps the clutter off the sink area as well.

Just curious, what do people use duct tape for?

 

[sully7]

The best thing for me was (as a previuos poster said) packing outfits in ziploc bags.

Put an outfit for each day (including socks, undies and any accessories)in a ziploc bag. Then each day pull out a bag get dressed and go. This worked very well for our last vacation with my four kids. My kids dressed themselves in cute outfits with no arguing! And my DH didn't need to worry about what would match for my 2DDs (or himself!)

Also, someone mentioned an extension cord! I used a power strip. I plugged in our phone chargers and the battery charger for my camera batteries all in the same place and used only one outlet in the room. Easy to find everything when you pack to leave, too.

The best thing to bring when you travel with kids is your sense of humor!

Enjoy!

 

[disfamily5]

on any trip my family goes on we always get a inflatable foot bathtub..its amazing after a long day in the park to soak our feet..my mom ,sister, and I get some of that peppermint foot lotion and scrub..and go down by the pool with the foot bathtub and give ourselves pedicures...there is nothing better than pedicures in Disney World!

 

[Bethy Lou]

We never go without the water mister fans that we bought at walmart. They were a blessing when we were at Disney Hollywood Studios waiting in a good spot for the High School Musical parade.

Also a portable first aid kid with pain relief, upset stomach meds, band aids for blisters and any scrapes, and individual pain relief and neosporin.

Extra batteries for cameras, they are so crazy expensive outside of the park.

We usually buy some Disney toys before we go, hide them, and surprise the girls with them either before we go to a park or while we are at the park. They help when you are waiting in line, and they also cut back on the expense of the gift shops.

 

[ljb9539]

Thanks again - I went today to the Dollar Tree near me and no shoe organizer Everyone raves so much about this - I have to hit a few more dollar stores around and see if I can find one. Thanks all!

 

[disneytab]

Man, I've been there, done that. . .more than once!!

-Be Kool patches, the thingys at the pharmacy to help kids with fevers. On the back of the neck or back feels so good in the heat!

-dum dum lollipops. Emergency 'mute button' in quiet attractions.



Stroller must haves for me:

-swim diaper. They want to play in the fountains, but cast members will ask you to remove them if they notice the diaper. This is particulary true at the Donald's tugboat area at MK, where kids often play for a long time.

-hand towel in zippy. To dry off with after the water fun! And, I suppose it goes without saying, an complete change of clothes. In a zippy. Ziploc Ziploc Ziploc. The official sponser of Moms Gone Mad at Disney.

-Those things they sell everywhere at WDW: The spray bottles/fan. I always fill mine with ice in the mornings. By the time we need it it's nice and cold. And she always enjoys playing with it.

-stick sunscreen. it gets so sweaty hot, the lotion on their face runs and gets in their mouth and eyes, which just sucks.

Good Luck!!

 

[wishtdream]

When traveling with kids it is very important to remember to throw your traveling plan out the window ( the best laid plan will go awry when there are little ones around) and bring the infants motrin because if you don't your child will get a fever. Try using a backpack for a diaper bag. A sling is priceless for waiting in lines and cuddling on the go. Small snacks are a must as is your child's favorite cup or bottle. we took our dd on vacation when she was 16mo old and she refused to drink out of the nifty convenient disposable sippy cups it was not pleasant. Power strips, pop up hampers and shoe oraganizers are all handy to have.