Random yet useful items to have for your trip.

[chelynnah]

A word of caution for those packing each outfit in Ziploc bags...I did that years ago for my dd. Then TWA opened her suitcase and a couple of the bags fell out and they must not have noticed. When we arrived at Disney 2 of her outfits were gone

Oh that's a shame. Maybe to avoid this people who pack this way could then put the bags into packing cubes. I swear by those in addition to the vacuum storage bags

 

[bluezy]

A word of caution for those packing each outfit in Ziploc bags...I did that years ago for my dd. Then TWA opened her suitcase and a couple of the bags fell out and they must not have noticed. When we arrived at Disney 2 of her outfits were gone

Ugh, that stinks. We drive to Disney so we shouldn't have to worry about that but I do always recommend that little trick to any one I know who travels with little kids. Now I'll make sure to tell them that if they're flying, they should probably put the individual bags into a larger Ziploc travel bag. Thanks for the warning!

 

[JudieB]

I love this thread! I'm adding some of the ideas above to my packing list. Here are some that my family use:

• When our DD19 and DD15 were little, we would use the Mickey stickers that the cast members hand out as the toilet auto-flush sensor covers. I'd stick a few on my shirt and a few on the girls' shirts and we'd be good for the day!
• Travel scale - this one is a new addition for us and we absolutely love it. Nobody wants to be 'that person' repacking their luggage at the airline counter.
• Poo-Pourri - love, love, love - we buy it on Amazon and keep a small bottle in the travel bag.
• Febreeze - some hotel rooms can smell funky. Between the poo-pourri and travel sized febreeze... you get the picture.
• Suction cup toothbrush covers to hang the toothbrushes on the vanity mirror. Everyone in the family has a cover with their initials printed on the side.

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

I had to chuckle at this. I have the same affliction, but DW would probably bail if I posted a schedule and instructions. I've learned to keep the plan to myself and diplomatically guide things along.

I pretend it's for the kids but you know.....

 

[TAK]

It's a small thing but I am a color coded spreadsheet making, ADR adherent, tour plan abiding planner so I pack a few plastic sleeves and bring suction cups with hooks and post the master plan on the inside of the door. With spares to take along, of course. Under it is a "Today's Agenda" sheet with the schedule for each day and it says has tips like - Animal Kingdom Today. Make sure you have a poncho if you want to ride Kali and extra dry socks. We Need to be out the door at 8:20 am. We are eating at ... You wanted to try the ... And do you have your hat, sunglasses, spending money, back up charger etc. etc- Did you set out out the Mousekeepimg envelope? and a prompt like Tomorrow is Epcot. It helps set up the day and saves me from answering "What time do we need to leave? Where are we eating? Check the door is an easy answer. It keeps everyone in the loop and shifts some responsibility off mom

Love it. We have a spreadsheet (my husband is a CPA. He lives for spreadsheets) on the computer.
Your posting the spreadsheet on the door is a great idea -- I'd do that if we had kids. Since it's just DH and I we both access it digitally.

Before we leave for our trip, I make an abbreviated tiny version of each day's itinerary that fits on a square the size of a business card, and carry them around with me during the day. (I wanted to laminate them, but was glad I didn't -- changes on the fly!)

 

[Original Amber]

Love it. We have a spreadsheet (my husband is a CPA. He lives for spreadsheets) on the computer.
Your posting the spreadsheet on the door is a great idea -- I'd do that if we had kids. Since it's just DH and I we both access it digitally.

Before we leave for our trip, I make an abbreviated tiny version of each day's itinerary that fits on a square the size of a business card, and carry them around with me during the day. (I wanted to laminate them, but was glad I didn't -- changes on the fly!)

I think I will do both for ALL our vacations.
I've loved spreadsheets since Lotus 123, so I can't believe I didn't think of this. Having a list of what's happening today, tomorrow, and the next day will help everyone. I may even do that at home
Have you seen the folded sheets that have as many as eight pages? That might be better for us than just a square.

 

[TAK]

I think I will do both for ALL our vacations.
I've loved spreadsheets since Lotus 123, so I can't believe I didn't think of this. Having a list of what's happening today, tomorrow, and the next day will help everyone. I may even do that at home
Have you seen the folded sheets that have as many as eight pages? That might be better for us than just a square.

I'll have to take a look at those!

Do you use a spreadsheet for planning? I quite frankly adore mine. I've got a workbook with sheets for rides, for dining, for ideas, for packing, and so on. I can happily spend a few hours each day (I don't get a chance to, but I would if I could) playing around with it. I feel like a total geek for saying this, but the spreadsheet is one of my favorite things about the trip. It gives me months of fun!

 

[5kidsmommy]

Love these ideas. We usually travel with our trailer so we have everything we need but I swear when we go to a hotel we have so many things we need. I did the suction cup hooks last time we were in a hotel and they worked great.

 

[larryz]

• When our DD19 and DD15 were little, we would use the Mickey stickers that the cast members hand out as the toilet auto-flush sensor covers. I'd stick a few on my shirt and a few on the girls' shirts and we'd be good for the day!

I hope they peeled off cleanly...

 

[JudieB]

I hope they peeled off cleanly...

...peeled right off - I don't know if they're different now, but they weren't all that sticky 15 years ago... LOL

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

OMG all of these are so amazing.

 

[mbh106]

• Extra eyeglasses- I always took an older pair of eyeglasses on our trips for the kids before they wore contacts, in case theirs got lost. We never needed them until we went to Universal for the first time last spring and my youngest had his glasses go flying on Revenge of the Mummy. Even though they were a slightly old prescription, at least he could see the rest of the trip

• Lysol/Clorox wipes and Lysol spray- to wipe down all surfaces and spray all bedding when we arrive (my kids think I'm crazy and laugh when I give them the "Don't touch anything yet!" when we first arrive at the room)

• Kitchen garbage bags- we DEFINITELY overpack clothes! We keep our unworn clothes in our suitcases and clothes that have been worn, but may be worn again (pajamas, sweatshirts) in the drawers. I keep three kitchen garbage bags in the closet for laundry (whites, mediums, and darks). At the end of the trip I condense all the clean, unworn clothes into one suitcase, put any worn clothes from the drawers into the laundry bags, and put the laundry bags in other suitcases. When I get home I have all the clean, unworn clothes in one suitcase ready to be put away, and all the laundry in the others, sorted and ready to be washed

• Plastic Target bags - for wet swimsuits when hanging out by the pool on the last day before a late flight. I just throw the bag into one of the laundry suitcases before we leave for the airport. Also good for shoes or anything else you might want to keep separate from your clothes

• Luggage scale- on longer trips we always max out our bags and definitely need to do some rearranging

• Ziploc bags- I know this has been mentioned, but I can't stress enough how handy these are! I fill a gallon size bag with snack, sandwich, and more gallon bags to keep in the room and take a few each day to the parks. Great for leftover snacks or pizza in the room, a few trading pins for the park, wet items (or to keep things dry), any small items my kids might collect at the parks, if something breaks at the parks and you don't want the pieces to get lost, and spare change and receipts that my DH used to throw on the table and dressers when he emptied his pockets in the room

• Quarters and pennies- we fill a couple of small prescription medicine bottles by alternating two quarters and a penny for the pressed penny machines. We never have to dig for change, it's sealed tight and won't spill in our bag, and it lasts the whole trip. One tip if you're flying: keep the bottles in your pocket, put them in a bin at security, then put them in your bag after security. Every time we forget to do this, my husband has his backpack searched for the strange metal cylindrical objects. As soon as the bag gets flagged we remember "the coins!"

One item I never thought to pack, but thanks to this thread I will definitely be bringing - duct tape! Great suggestion!

Reading this back, I guess I'm saying I'm big on bags!

 

[5kidsmommy]

I love this thread! I'm adding some of the ideas above to my packing list. Here are some that my family use:

• When our DD19 and DD15 were little, we would use the Mickey stickers that the cast members hand out as the toilet auto-flush sensor covers. I'd stick a few on my shirt and a few on the girls' shirts and we'd be good for the day!
• Travel scale - this one is a new addition for us and we absolutely love it. Nobody wants to be 'that person' repacking their luggage at the airline counter.
• Poo-Pourri - love, love, love - we buy it on Amazon and keep a small bottle in the travel bag.
• Febreeze - some hotel rooms can smell funky. Between the poo-pourri and travel sized febreeze... you get the picture.
• Suction cup toothbrush covers to hang the toothbrushes on the vanity mirror. Everyone in the family has a cover with their initials printed on the side.

Post it notes work for those auto flush sensors too.

 

[KaSe]

We always bring glow necklaces and bracelets, etc. because kids love them!

Our DDs are 17 & 14 and they STILL request glow necklaces & bracelets for evenings in the parks. LOL! That's one of the things I love most about Disney -- no matter how old they are or what they're "too cool" to do IRL, they turn into 10-year olds as soon as we go through the gates.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

A can of corn.

 

[brookstu]

The portable battery pack for cell phone/ipad is a must these days. DW is on the MDE app all day long and now that you can add new fast passes from it you don't want to be without power.

 

[terri33inne]

Now that she's a size 8 I find I have to upgrade to the bags that are a size up from gallon. I forget the name they give them. I even include her panties in the bag, and socks if it's chilly season. And you can squeeze most of the air out of the bags so they take up less room while packed too.

I do the same... have on every trip. I learned the importance of scissors after our first trip & she bought a Buzz Lightyear all boxed up with those horrible hard plastic ties!!! Had to bring it down to the front desk to get Buzz out. I actually have a small plastic bin I keep on a shelf in my closet with my Disney essentials... scissors, manicure kit, basic meds for adult/child, band-aids, etc.

 

[MissKIA]

Pop up hamper dryer sheets and laundry soap pods,
pump hand soap for the bathroom (I hate washing my hands with bat soap!),
air freshener spray,
ziplock bags,
sugar cubes or packets (they always only leave A couple of packets with the in room coffee and my hubby needs way more than that),
nail clippers,
Power strip
Brita water bottles

I'm sure there's more, but that's off the top of my head. I'm always prepared!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Our DDs are 17 & 14 and they STILL request glow necklaces & bracelets for evenings in the parks. LOL! That's one of the things I love most about Disney -- no matter how old they are or what they're "too cool" to do IRL, they turn into 10-year olds as soon as we go through the gates.

My "kid" is 20. He still likes glow stuff too.

Heck, I'm 50. And I like the glow stuff.

 

[Alice777]

I don't think this was posted but "bounce sheets". They are great to keep your drawer or luggage with clothes fresh.