What is in your Disney Hope Chest?

[ateam79828592]

While our trip is 6 months away, I've already starting gathering and purchasing things for our trip. Along with obsessive planning and disboard-reading, this gathering of items is part of the fun of a dinsey trip. I keep all the items together in a box/tote and go through them occasionally. So anyone else have a Disney Hope Chest? What's in yours? (not that i should be really getting anymore ideas.... )

Ours has...
* little things for activities bags for the kids as I spot them
* clearance items from disney store - new t-shirts, small stuffed animals, etc
* stroller fans
* mickey ears
* glow sticks
* pop up hamper
* over-the-door shoe organizer

 

[southernprincess1]

Sticker sheets, we get these in the mail from the Disney movie club. Also my boys attended a Mickey Mouse theme b-day party and I kept the favor bags and put it away. They never even knew they had it. DH got these cheap free backpacks as a giveaway at work and those are for the boys to have in the car. They are the backpacks with the drawstrings. He also got at work these smalll zip up pouch like things that go around your neck, sorry don't know they are called, perfect for a camera, money, etc... Oh, and I found some really cute plastic cups on clearance at the Disney store. We're going to keep those in the hotel room.

What kind of fan are using for the stroller? Is it a fan that is made for a stroller? We're going in Sept. so we might need one.

 

[ateam79828592]

What kind of fan are using for the stroller? Is it a fan that is made for a stroller? We're going in Sept. so we might need one.

They are usually at CVS in the summer section when it comes out...so in a few months. They are clip-on fans with foam blades...like $5 or so. We used them last year when we went in September. We kept getting asked where we got them.

If you get them, be sure to try them out right away. We had several that did not work and needed to exchange them. They aren't high quality. But are pretty cheap and they do help. We will be getting a few more when we see them come out.

 

[-Hope-]

Ponchos, pressed penny money tubes, Disney envelopes, Mickey crocs, pieces of the kids Halloween costumes, pens for autograph books, a few activities for the plane. That's it so far!

 

[CrazyaboutCinderella]

My sis and I have a Disney tote too. We put t-shirts, little lanterns for the young ones who are scared of the dark walks up to some of the rides, and lots and lots of samples from all different places. We don't like taking full size bottles of shampoo and such, so we go to walmart.com and get their free samples and also to the specific websites of our favorite items to use and get free travel size items to take with us.

 

[Perditamarie]

In mine:

* 3-in-1 laundry sheets
* umbrella
* to-go coffee cups
* stuff for plane (sticker books, books, dvds)
* goggles

 

[MinnieVanMom]

We keep a plastic bin with all our Disney clothing in it because I make custom clothing. We put in our lanyards, pins, samples of laundry detergent, glow sticks, fans, water bottles, noodles for the pool at SAB. It is things we only use at Disney. We find it is better to have it all in one spot then to keep going around trying to find and pack the same items.

 

[Fantasmic23]

Our trip is eight months away and I'm already stockpiling! I only have three items so far, but it's a start: Mad Libs on the Road for the kids for the drive down, a Mickey and Minnie tee for DD (that I bought at Walmart for $3.00) and a Winnie the Pooh tee that I designed for DD. I just bought some iron-on transfer paper so I'm ready to make a few more shirts.

 

[lizzyb5280]

Not going until November, and this is our first family trip to WDW, so I'm just beginning to collect things. A couple weeks ago we were in Cabela's and picked up three new Nalgene water bottles and carabiners to clip them with, so those are the beginnings of my Disney box. Over the next few months I'll collect things like fans, ponchos, glow sticks, stuff for DD in the car. Our toiletry kit pretty much stays packed under DH's sink in the master bath.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

We are going in November. I don't have much in mine yet. I want to use the 3 in 1 laundry sheets this trip, anyone tried them yet? I started my list as to what I would like to put in.

 

[ateam79828592]

We are going in November. I don't have much in mine yet. I want to use the 3 in 1 laundry sheets this trip, anyone tried them yet? I started my list as to what I would like to put in.

I like them a lot. If you pack your washer really full (like DH always does), you'll want to use 2 sheets.

 

[caegan]

I love the idea of a Disney Hope Chest! I have a Disney Hope Drawer for our trip in May. In it you would find:

-glow sticks
-sticker book and other little toys for DD2 for the plane flight
-ponchos
-hand sanitizer
-some new tank tops from Target for me and DD

I love being able to put things in that drawer! It makes our upcoming trip more real.

 

[ajh88]

I don't think I can recall everything in our tote, but some things we have include:

a) Misting fans (from past Disney trips)
b) Matching t-shirts that we only wear at Disney - they are getting ready for their 4th trip
c) Travel games for the car
d) My Baggalini (only used at Disney)
e) My DH's behemoth belly bag (only for Disney)
f) Ponchos
g) Ziploc baggies
h) Pins for trading (bought on ebay)

I also have our toiletry bags packed already - they pretty much stay packed all the time but I just went through them the other day to throw out old stuff and replace it with new. We leave for Florida on May 27th officially, but I'll be spending the 2 weeks prior to that in Omaha for school, so I won't have a chance to do my "normal" pre-trip packing at home.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

My park bag which always has:
Ziplocs for extra grapes from CS meals (we always have leftovers) and other things
WS Passports made from our most recent trip's pictures
DS's autograph book made from our most recent trip's pictures
12-pack of retractable Sharpies
Bag of stickers
Bag of extra pin backs
Tissue
Wet wipes
Shout wipes

Disney Christmas window clings for the windows/mirrors
Disney Christmas door decoration (in case we decide to decorate our door)
Disney-only clothes (things I've made for trips)
DVC coloring books
Planning guides from a travel agent friend
Blank shirts for tie-dying, transfer-ironing, etc.
DS's pin lanyard
Mickey (or Tink) gifts (right now I just have some Cars annoying light-up, sound-making phone things and a Tink sticker book)

I actually just cleaned out that box today.

 

[Peanut Giggleface]

Nothing so far. Our trip is 8 mos out and it is a surprise trip so I'll have to do this on the sly. I guess I should start thinking about it now. I hate doing things at the last minute and it shows.

 

[mollybug2]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I am planning a surprise trip for my daughter, her first visit! I have not started a Hope Chest yet but will and your lists will be SO helpful!

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I like them a lot. If you pack your washer really full (like DH always does), you'll want to use 2 sheets.

Thank you for the info. We rented a house for this trip, staying offsite this time, I want to get the dishwasher tablets too. I may buy most of what i need when we get there, but I want to waste as little as possible. Last trip I had to leave my laundry soap and a few other things behind because I just couldn't fit it in my suitcase. It may sound silly but this stuff adds up quickly in price.

I have some things that i leave in my bag all the time. I have a nice small container for swabs, its just the right size and you can refill it. Same thing for bandaids.

 

[sydneysmom]

Holy cow!! THIS is why I love the boards! I would never have thought to make a "hope chest" for vacation, but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. This way, it's not a huge expense for everything all at once. Seriously, kudos to all of you that have done this. I'm going to make my list of what to bring and start chipping away at it each time I go food shopping. Thank you for this terrific idea!

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

I was just in my "hope chest" (aka a bedazzled Mickey bag), I found a Disney Playhouse color wonder activity set today at BJs and yesterday I bought a generic magna doodle set which came with a large magna doodle and a small/travel size one. The travel size immediately went into my Mickey bag in the closet

 

[jacksmom]

I have found lots of Princess stuff for dd 3 1/2 at The Dollar store and Target for our upcoming trip! i have also been buying stuff from out Disney store (costumes and acces.) since Oct!