Things you don't think of until you're there...

[brittsmum1998]

We never forget our small sound machine.

 

[crusin'minnie]

My own pillow. I have neck problems if I sleep more than 1 night on a foreign pillow, Mousekeeping envelopes, Tums, email addresses (I always forget these),

 

[leahannpen]

Priority seating confirmation numbers.

* I TOTALLY AGREE ABOUT MAKING COPIES OF YOU PASSES! THIS CAME IN HANDY LAST TRIP WHEN I LEFT MY 7 DAY HOPPER SOMEWHERE (FASTPASS MACHINE AT POOH MAYBE) AND HAD ONLY USED 1 DAY OF THE PASS! EEK! TALK ABOUT PANIC! * I make a few copies now and keep some with me in different places, and one or two copies at home and/or at work!

 

[weregoingtodw]

Priority seating confirmation numbers.

* I TOTALLY AGREE ABOUT MAKING COPIES OF YOU PASSES! THIS CAME IN HANDY LAST TRIP WHEN I LEFT MY 7 DAY HOPPER SOMEWHERE (FASTPASS MACHINE AT POOH MAYBE) AND HAD ONLY USED 1 DAY OF THE PASS! EEK! TALK ABOUT PANIC! * I make a few copies now and keep some with me in different places, and one or two copies at home and/or at work!

Also email/phone/send a copy to a relative at home - or even to your voice mail, if you can check it remotely - in case you lose your entire bag containing both your tickets and copies of your tickets. If nothing else, email it to yourself at a web-based email address.

 

[Daisy'sMom]

What do you do though if you don't get your tickets until you check into the hotel?

 

[weregoingtodw]

What do you do though if you don't get your tickets until you check into the hotel?

We did that very thing last year, and did what I described - I hand-copied the numbers to the passes directly onto our receipt (which I then put into the in-room safe), then I phoned my cell phone and left myself a message with the numbers .

 

[ryan840]

These are all soo great, I can't wait to get packing, its getting close! I have to bring up the blankets again- How can that be legal?? They have no idea what people do on/to them, or if they have lice or other contagious stuff, it has to be a heatlh department issue...please someone tell me I'm right!!! Can anyone tell me how much the Brita water bottles are and where you can get them? I don't think I've ever seen them.

 

[bgirldeb]

These are all soo great, I can't wait to get packing, its getting close! I have to bring up the blankets again- How can that be legal?? They have no idea what people do on/to them, or if they have lice or other contagious stuff, it has to be a heatlh department issue...please someone tell me I'm right!!!

This is interesting. Seems there are no regluations on the blanket issue How Clean is your Room?

My sister ALWAYS brings her own quilt/blanket on her vacations, even on her last cruise (they drove to the port) for this very reason.

Can anyone tell me how much the Brita water bottles are and where you can get them? I don't think I've ever seen them.

There is a thread going about the Brita water bottles and alternatives here

This thread is awesome! Keep 'em coming

 

[Daisy'sMom]

The Brita bottles are becoming scares because they have been discontinued. I got mine at Wal-Mart in the plumbing section. Other disers have found tham at other kinds of stores, but I'm just always at Wal-Mart. Alos, check the interent, maybe even ebay, but keep in mind that filters are being discontinued too so effentually all of our bottles will be useless. I've read someone else say they found a similar item made by a different company that makes water filter bottles. I'm sorry that I don't remember the name of that other company.

 

[jenr812]

What a great thread!!! *scribbling away in my Disney book*

 

[Steffi]

Scissors for snipping tags off of all our new Mickey stuff!

A folder for saving things like resort maps, resort info, park guides, stickers, pony express certificates, etc.

 

[all4fun]

I just skimmed thru so forgive me if any of these are a repeat:

I like to bring a simple cheap plastic over-the-door shoe holder to put all our toiletries in. That way, they're not all over the counter but they're "out" where they are easily accessed.

travel-size First Aid kit

outlet covers (for our toddler)
also those things you put on the door to prevent them from closing all the way and crushing little fingers. We got some cheap at the dollar store.

 

[DIS NURSE]

Definitley 2 pairs of sunglasses per person
A fanny pack for all adults
cell phones
my own (good) coffee/filters if access to coffee maker in hotel
..and one of the best hints I have ever gotten from these boards...if you have small children, go to PET-CO (or other pet supply depots) where they have the dog/cat tag machine right there in the store. Get them tags made with their full names and your cell phone number(s) on them. This made me feel MUCH better about their safety if they were ever "lost" or separated from you. They had fun getting to pick out the colors/style and watch them be etched in the machine!
Then buy a plain chain of some sort to put it around their necks.

We (they) were stopped several times by WDW employees and tourists asking about them and saying what a good idea they were.

DIS NURSE from Oregon

 

[jnrrt]

Okay, this is not directly related, but it's my favorite thing I ever did for trip planning - I bet a lot of you do this too.

One year, I made a list on the computer of every thing I could think of to bring with a little place to check when it was packed going and coming home (now we don't leave stuff). I left empty spaces in every section. There's a section for each member of the family, a misc. section, and sections for time of year (winter trip, summer trip, etc.). Every time we take a trip of any kind we print this out and just cross off anything unneccessary for that particular trip (we don't need skis for a beach vacation). Every time we've used it, I've added anything I've thought I needed or forgotten to the blanks on the list during the trip (how come you always think of it while you're there?)

At this point, we've been traveling for several years now, and there's really nothing that hasn't made it to the list. So I know now that I won't be forgetting anything because I will have seen it from a previous trip. And it's always the same list, so I don't maintain it, just add one or two things every once in a while, or change a kid's section when they don't need diapers anymore or whatever. It has really allowed me not to spend so much time planning every time, or worry about what I might be forgetting.

And it's also the reason I always remember ziplocs and random missing kitchen utensils when we're staying somewhere other than Disney!

 

[jnrrt]

I forgot - it also has a section for all the stuff you do before you leave the house, lock up, make sure everything's turned off, make sure someone's watching the dog, watering your plants, taking in your mail, stuff like that. It cuts down on the freaking out trying to get out of the door with everybody and all their stuff.

 

[NotUrsula]

The small-child hair-washing kit: a small bottle of no-tears shampoo, and a large 32 oz plastic cup for rinsing.

Also, if you have long hair yourself, a couple of ponytail holders and some barrettes that you won't be embarrassed to wear; even if you never wear your hair up, you may decide to in the Florida heat.

 

[laurenalexis]

thanks for all of the great ideas I have a hand cramp from all of the writing!

 

[Alysa]

I need my pillow from home.
Familiar books and bath toys for our little one to wind down with.
A fat marker for characters to sign autograph book with.

Something we brought and didnt need: life jacket - you can get nice new ones at almost every pool...

 

[Sazzo'sMommy]

antibacterial hand wipes to wipe off the high chair and table area of every restaurant we eat in with DD who is 2 1/2!

I also solve the comforter problem by bringing two quilts with us whether we are flying or driving. I stow the comforter in the closet and mousekeeping makes the beds up with the quilt from home as the comforter!

We also take DD a fun blanket for each day...some material that I got with Princesses and Pooh and ran a seam around the edge to keep from fraying... that we take with us to the parks and leave her good quilt/blankie at the resort for the day! We also bring her pillow from home, as well as mine!

 

[vhoffman]

Here's a tip for staying in your hotel room with a little one. I read it on this board somewhere so I can't take credit for it. As soon as you enter your room, hang a towel over the top of the bathroom door. That way, junior can't close the door and lock himself inside the bathroom. Some have locks and some don't, but a small child can't figure out how to open one from the inside. Good idea to use at home, too.