What is your not so normal item to pack, which is helpful while at WDW ?

[pooh2001]

I will start a list of not so normal items to pack for use at WDW.

We bring a McDonalds takeout cardboard 4 cup holder. We bring plastic Disney cups in 4 different patterns, whcih fit into the McDonalds 4 cup holder. What we use it for is a tooth brush holder. Everyone gets a cup assigned to them, to place their toothbrush in. The toothbrushes are organized and do not touch the counter.

We also bring a power bar with at least 8 outlets in it. We use the power bar to plug in our 4 cell phones, camera batteries, ipods, and anything else which needs charging. It helps when there are only 2 or 3 plus available to charge things at night.

We bring ziplock bags in quart and gallon sizes. We use them to store any food we bring back to the room (no bugs please) and our cell phones & camera's when it rains.

What do you bring and use at WDW which are not normal items like a brush, clothes, extra sneakers ?

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

Thanks for reminding me about the power cord! Good idea about the McDonald's thing, but we use the toothbrush covers.

We bring the over the door shoe racks with pockets. Keeps everything neat and organized in the room.

Find ourselves packing extra quarters and pennies for laundry and penny presses. Apparently we only do laundry while at Disney lol. This year we're gonna try the Purex all in one sheets.

 

[delaneyc52]

Large plastic cups w/cover so I can bring wine down to the pool without paying large bar bills...

Moleskin for the handling of hubbie's predicted blisters.

Pool noodles because yes I am too cheap to pay double the price at the resorts that sell them.

 

[Shih-Tzu]

This year we're gonna try the Purex all in one sheets.

I took some of these last year after reading about them on the DIS boards - the only problem was they weren't in Canada yet, so I literally drove to the States one weekend to get some to pack....I just put 4 into a zip lock bag and they were marvelous (plus, when we arrived at CBR, all our clothes came out of the suitcase smell marvellous!!!)

Something I take that I normally don't take when I travel anywhere else is Crystal Lite in the little individual serving tubes - if I don't like the taste of the water...I use one of those and if you take them out of the box, they take VERY little room when travelling.

The pool noodles look like a great idea, but I can't see me trying to get down the aisle of a couple of airplanes with them and during our plane change at JFK I'm sure there would be a couple of people staring at us in December

I always have zip lock bags with me - and I make sure I have a couple of the big ones so if there's time to swim on the day we leave, I can put the bathing suit in it without getting everything else wet.....

And I pack a sewing needle...and if we run into a "problem" I use dental floss (we take the clear kind) as thread because it goes with anything and it is probably stronger than any type of thread you can probably buy....

I'll probably think of something else at about 2:00am (but I'm not going to get out of bed to post it ...but if I remember in the morning....I will)

 

[Shih-Tzu]

After reading my post, I noticed that I used the word "probably" a lot - sorry about that...that's what happens when you read, type and watch Doc with Billy Ray Cyrus all at the same time. I'll do better my next post.

 

[baileysp]

good tip on the crystal lite.

 

[delaneyc52]

The pool noodles look like a great idea, but I can't see me trying to get down the aisle of a couple of airplanes with them and during our plane change at JFK I'm sure there would be a couple of people staring at us in December -

Silly...they easily bend and are very light....just curl them up in your checked luggage!!

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I get a lot of mockery for always having shout wipes in my theme park backpack, but how QUICKLY the tune changes when one has a ketchup incident!

 

[Shih-Tzu]

Ahhhh, Shout wipes! Fantastic idea. I used to always carry a Tide pen in my purse, but there were a couple of white things that it turned "yellow" where I used it.....thanks for the suggestion!

Reference the pool noodle...the ones that I have must be a different size than you have - (mine are about 5 feet long and about 5 inches around and quite stiff foam so I never imagined they would fit in a suitcase) ...but we actually pack pretty light and have managed to travel with suitcases that can be used as carry on although we've always checked them - but yes, they might fit into a bigger suitcase - and now that you suggest that, I'm going to dig out the 26" suitcase and see if I can get them in there and how much room I'd have left....I was just having this picture of us dragging this neon green and pink things through an airport where there was snow on the ground outside....must cut down on the coffee

Another suggestion is postage stamps so you don't have to chase everywhere to find some to mail post cards back home - of course that doesn't work for me because I can't buy US stamps here, but I remember trying to find a place that sold some when I was there.....I thought I'd have some fun this year and mail all my Christmas cards from Disney...

 

[DVCmom1960]

Brita water pitcher, and a video case with our favorite dvd's. Oh and laptop. PS I looove my owners locker

 

[cglaura]

I take a stack of lids from take-out drinks. If you turn it upside down and insert a popsicle or mickey bar through the straw x-cut, then the lid will catch any drips!

 

[WelovMickey!]

I take a stack of lids from take-out drinks. If you turn it upside down and insert a popsicle or mickey bar through the straw x-cut, then the lid will catch any drips!

One of the best tips I have read in a long time!!

 

[LisaCat]

I take a stack of lids from take-out drinks. If you turn it upside down and insert a popsicle or mickey bar through the straw x-cut, then the lid will catch any drips!

AWESOME tip! For anyone collecting the smashed pennies, the Mentos Gum containers are just the right size to put them in. You can get a LOT of them in a container and you can peel the labels off and glue on a piece of paper with each child's name on it if you have more than one kiddo collecting them. Also keeps Mom or Dad from having a bunch of loose, smashed pennies in their purse/pocket/pack at the end of the day and small collectors arguing over whose are whose!

And on the Crystal Lite packets tip.... they make some that are labeled "Hydration" that will help replace the electrolytes you lose sweating in that toasty FL sunshine! Pedialyte also now makes a powdered mix packet.

 

[Reto]

One of those thick, black sharpies for the character autographs. Most regular-sized pens are just too small for the fur characters to hold properly.

 

[pooh2001]

Stickerbells Mom - thank you for your idea, love it ... over the door shoe racks with pockets.


cglaura - thank you also for the way not to get drips from ice cream pops - stack of lids from take-out drinks.

delaneyc52 - Pool noodles -> can you use them at resort pools ? I did not know pool toys are allowed in resort pools

Shih-Tzu - Crystal Lite in the little individual serving tubes - wow a great way tpo make water taste better


evilqueenmindy - With my DD always seeming to get tomatoe sauce on her white shirts, your idea of shout wipes are wonderful !

DVCmom1960 - thank you for the media (laptop, DVD's) idea

Reto - thick, black sharpies, I will start to look for them.

 

[Shih-Tzu]

Ohhhh, I love this thread....lots of useful information.....the idea with the lids!!! I'm a little old for the character autographs, but I remember taking a great big thick pen when the boys were small so they could write with those great big paws....(but I'm still not too old to always end up with ice cream and popsicle drips)

I haven't seen the "hydration" Crystal Lite yet, but that sounds even better...of course we're always later getting the nifty stuff in Canada (like the Purex 3'n'1 sheets) but hopefully I'll be over to Houlton a few times before my trip so I'll check for those - if not, I'll try to remember to pick some up in Bangor the day before I fly out....

All the ideas are great so far..

 

[DisneySJB]

I also pack ziploc bags!!

Also, one of the best tips I've ever received on these boards is regarding water. Either bring or have a case of bottled water shipped to your room. Bring frozen bottle of water with you to the parks. Right about the time they are thawing, you will need a drink and won't have to pay park prices for a bottled water. I love it that Disney lets you bring in food and drinks.

 

[Greenfield1984]

LOVE the tip about the plastic drink lids. Pure genious!

We bring our pop up hamper. Keeps the room neater and easier for doing laundry.
I also soak cut up spnges in dish soap and let them dry so we can wash out our mugs at night.

 

[pooh2001]

If we all start to do the plastic drink lids for the ice cream pops :Mickeybar
then I bet others will start to use them too.

Maybe WDW will get the hint and have plastic lid type sliders for the ice cream sticks with Disney characters on them. They could even charge an extra 25 cents for each plastic lid type slider. I bet guests would buy them, children of all ages will keep and collect them, guests & the pathways will stay cleaner and WDW could make some profit.


We buy popcorn in the buckets and not the boxes, so we can keep the bucket as a sovenier.
So why not also keep Disney themed plastic slider pop holders ?

 

[TammiDZ]

wow....these are great! I've never heard of 1/2 of them. I'm definitely going to bring a power strip this year and the take-out cup lids for dripping ice cream.....BRILLIANT!

I know it's silly and not as clever as all the other posts, but I NEVER go to Disney without a waterbottle-fan.