Things I didn't pack but wish I had!

[CrzyforPiglet]

cold medication!! My sister and I both got a cold on the 3rd day we were there. Medication from the store at the WL was 8.00 for 1 pack and we had to buy 2 to get us through the rest of the week. I'll be packing some to be sure next year!

What did you not think of packing but found out you needed?

 

[kaabost]

Well, I didn't forget this item, but.....

I took a tube of wet wipes and each day took several of them, put them in a ziplock, and took them to the parks with us. They were very nice to have when we started feeling especially dirty/grimey. I suppose these are even more useful in the summer.

 

[Tig]

Oh man, lots of things!

Moleskin
Little scissors for the moleskin MUST PACK THOSE!
Safety pins
Needle and thread

You might not think you need needle and thread, but you never know when a button pops off your fav shirt and when you have a tear in something. MAJOR PROBLEM when you are on vacation.

EXTRA BATTERY FOR CELL PHONE so you dont have to charge it all the dern time.

 

[simba2]

Bengay! One year DH woke up with a terrible stiff neck and we had to go to the hotel giftshop for a tube of Bengay. It was very expensive. Every trip since then we've packed our own just in case (and luckily haven't needed it )

 

[SuzyQue]

A small umbrella... we brought ponchos so I figured we didn't need the umbrella, but it was a pain putting on and taking off the poncho just to run to the food court for a cup of coffee. ~~

 

[ReneeQ]

Sunscreen! We have needed it in January before when it was unseasonably hot, in the 90s. Never thought we would need it and didn't pack it. I think we paid about $10 for a 4 oz. bottle in the gift shop!

 

[IowaGirl]

TANK TOPS!

We went last May and it was hot! I knew it would be hot, but not so bad that i would not want to even wear a t-shirt and bra! After our first day in Orlando (we had just a half day at gatorland) we went to Wal-Mart and I bought enough tank tops to get me through the next 9 days. Except for that, we had everything else we needed.

If you know the weather will be 85 plus while you are there, wear men's swim trunks, tank tops, plenty of sunscreen, a good fitting cap, and a great pair of sports sandals. Then you wil be Happy and not Grumpy while at WDW.

Pack extra caps bought cheaply, kids lost a few of those over the vacation, plus buy a bunch of cheap sunglasses at Dollar Tree to replace lost or twisted ones. Make sure whole family has shades!

 

[Princess49]

Personally I never forget anything, I am a chronic over-packer!! I pack anything & everything. I just went out to the store yesterday & bought the "must haves" --
- I always pack any kind of medicine we might need & put in in a ziploc bag from cold medicine to stomach cramps & put it in my bag that I take to the parks with me-- on New years eve in Epcot my boyfriend got a toothache & we had to wait at the heathcare facility in epcot to get some advil- even that was better than going back to the hotel & getting back in before midnight!
- warm clothes! on that same new years trip the weather was 80 degrees the week before & the day we flew down, that night it dropped to 30 degrees & didn't climb above 40 the entire time we were there, until OF COURSE, the day we left! Our whole photo album is in coats, hats & scarves but our last day of pictures was in tank tops!! WDW was COMPLETELY sold out of hats, gloves & scarves. They actualy brought in boxes of just plain black gloves, no disney, no nothing, a CM said they were from a walmart! You could buy non disney gloves on main street in the MK!! People were buying socks for their hands & on new years eve in epcot, righ on the water, it was FREEZING! Mexico & Norway were ENTIRELY sold out of blankets, some of those things are really expensive too!
-aloe! nothing like paying $15 yes $15 for a teeny tiny bottle of sunburn cream, & you couldn't find it anywhere, my hotel & the 2 water parks we went to were sold out. We had to go to the market place to buy it! (& boy does it go fast!)
-an extra set of contact lenses! Not wanting to miss out on the fun sights, I wore my lenses to typhoon lagoon & lost one in the wave pool-- good thing I had a spare!
-MORE than enough film. I'd rather come home from WDW with 10 extra rolls than not have enough. The very first time we went, we brought 7 rolls, thinking it would be MORE than enough.We took 23 rolls of film (we spend more on picture developing than the actual vacation!) at around $9 a pop for advantix film-- you do the math! We wer very stupid that year, we were so excited to get our pictures that we had them developed IN the hotel. WOW was that a mistake-- I think we could have waited a few days to save the almost $7 extra PER roll!
Well I won't go on & on ( as if I haven't already!) I'd rather be safe than sorry & I find that all the things you MIGHT need will fit nicely into an overnight sized bag! I am actually starting to pack my bags tomorrow & I just remembered all of the things I still need to get! They should start up a support group for over packers, it's pure insanity that I will be away for 2 weeks and everything that I own is shoved into my bags! I'll need the advil for the back pains from carrying my luggage!!

 

[cgcw]

Childrens Advil/Motrin. DS2 ended up with a 104 fever and tylenol just wouldn't cut it. Apparently it's not carried onsite. I looked several places and finally the front desk suggested we hike to the grocery store to get it. I can guarantee it'll be packed next trip - hopefully then we won't need it!

 

[disnaholic]

Eyedrops.

I never thought about packing eyedrops on our first family outing to WDW but I remembered for our Dec. 02 trip!

 

[SheriB]

EarPlanes. They help alleviate pressure during take-off and landing. I did not have them for our first trip, and my son, who was 10 at the time, had excruciating pain. A lady next to us on the plane suggested them. I pack them for every trip (actually carry-on). They make children and adult sizes. Definitely a must-have for anyone with ear problems on planes.

Sheri

 

[Chance's Mom]

I just want to second the Children's motrin. When a little one wakes up in the middle of the night with a fever--you need it right away!! Nothing works like motrin IMHO!

Also, We buy those cheap glowing light sticks in the camping section at Walmart for DS (6 year old) and put them in the backpack for nights when we are at MK after dark. He has a little Mickey light-up spinning thing, but we invariably leave it in the car or back in the room. The light sticks are small and easy to carry. (Also very cheap). He is happy with one of these to wave around.

Oh I almost forgot--no matter what time of year you go-take a swim suit--You never know! You might want to use the hot tub!

 

[wilderness01]

Thanks for all the great tips.

 

[travelbug]

A small flashlight to have in my backpack for the parks. There were a number of times while we were standing in line at night that we could have used it to look at the park map or something else printed. I actually did have it on my packing list, but thought I probably wouldn't use it so I left it home on purpose.

Guess I'll know better for my next trip!

 

[CRCrazy]

Sanitary napkins! I knew I wouldn't be needing them, so I didn't pack any. 2 days before we went home, we had stopped by the room to recharge before switching parks, and my oldest visited the rest room to take her Claritin - 15 minutes later, she came out to ask me to help her find it - I thought she was kidding - and she repeated, "MOM, please come in the bathroom and help me find the CLARITIN!" When I came in, I realized her dilemma, and she did NOT want Daddy to know - luckily it was daytime and the sundries store at the Contemporary was open - you don't want to know what I paid for a tiny box of pads!!

She will never forget her coming of age!

 

[girlsx2]

What great tips!! Some of them I would have never thought of. Glad all of the veterans are here to share.!!

Thanks All!!


28 Days until we go to the Lodge for the first time!!!

 

[Saffron]

An extra pair of shoelaces!

Nothing like getting ready to go out bright and early in the morning, only to have to figure out how to solve the "broken shoelace" dilema.

 

[RitaZ.]

I always take a regular size soap bar, I can't stand the tiny bars that the hotels provide. For toiletries like shampoo, toothpaste & hair gel, I buy a few travel size bottles. I always pack new toothbrushes when we travel, this way there is no forgetting them at home.

Anti-bacterial moist towelettes, they're individually wrapped which doesn't take a lot of room and are ideal for kids/adults if a restroom isn't close by.

Pepto-Bismol or equivalent. My DH and I went away for 1 night (not WDW) and that was the only time that I didn't take it. I figure nothing could go wrong overnight, well you don't want to know.

I take a thermometer and over the counter meds for everyone (Motrin, Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Dimetapp Elixir, small First Aid Kit ( found at Walmart for $1 at the checkout area), Benadryl ointment, Aveeno bath packet (good for sunburns, allergic reactions). As another poster said, Bengay.

When my kids were in diapers, I always took a lot of diapers. Instead of putting the whole bag in the suitcase, I opened the bag and lined the sides of the suitcases with them. Took up less room this way. Don't forget diaper ointment and wipes.

Most of these tips, I have learned from experience. Hope they help someone else.

 

[buzz2400]

With all the swimming at the water parks and leaving the bathing suits on all day, my son developed a rash. I had to buy a rash ointment at the all stars which cost me a fortune. I now pack a tube everytime we go just in case. I also bring lots of bandaids. The last time we went I got a very bad sunburn, went to the little store at all stars, saw how much they charge for sunburn lotion and walked away. I will be packing some of that when we go again.

 

[susy]

If your kids are prone to ear infections- alcohol and droppers. I also bring ear drops (I think Similisan makes over the counter drops). Too much pool water can breed bacteria.

I bring all kind of medications (all the ones mentioned so far) and I pak a small ziploc with a few from ecah bottle to go in my fanny pack.

scissors and tape

a nightlight for the bathroom

a humidifer or other "noise" machine to drown out nosie in the the room.

safety pins, sewing kit

nail file
extra shoes/laces