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

[Southern Bell]

I hope this hasn't been mentioned but my husband always takes with him traveling and to the parks a pack of peanuts in his pocket and I ususally take a pack of peanut butter and crakers especially if I have my grandson. We have to have water! Last year we took the packets of lemonade. We had bottled water but our fridge would not get them cold enough. I read somewhere to ask for the water and add these packets. So I thought I was being very smart and insisted my husband just ask for a cup of water. What was I thinking! You should have seen my husbands face after gulping that down with his thirst. It was awfull! I would rather have drank my water hot or paid 5 dollars for a bottled water than to have drank that stuff! He went and got us something to drink afterwards! LOL! When we have taken our camper we have also taken our water frozen and that does work very well.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have allergies to most detergents. I use a cotton, lint free hanky (very cheap at discount stores) and dip them in liquid detergent and let them dry. I throw one in with the wash and it then goes straight into the dryer. It takes up almost no room in the suitcase (I do put them I a zip lock baggie). Hope this helps those with sensitive skin!

Love this idea! My whole family has sensitive skin, and we have to watch what laundry detergent we use. Do you use one hanky per load, or can you use the same hanky a couple of times?

 

[Crazy Mother of Two]

Love it all! Still reading

 

[jenners351]

Here's my weirdest one: I cut off a piece of a flannel-backed vinyl tablecloth. It folds up very small, and packs into a ziploc bag. So nice to have when you want to sit on the ground (in case it's wet, dirty, sticky, etc.). Sit on it flannel-side-up! You can get those tablecloths at dollar stores - I keep one in the trunk of my car.

A swimmer's towel. They're also really small, but soak up so much liquid. If you're going on a ride after a rain shower, or on a water ride like Kali, you can wipe off the seat and wring out the towel.

Bandanas to keep cool. Soak in cold water, wring out, then wear around your neck.

I'm not sure where to get a swimmers towel, but when we went I just packed a face cloth. It was enough to wipe down after wet rides, and goes in a sandwich ziplock easy.

 

[MADnNOLA]

This may not exactly fit here, but I discovered this little bit of packing and savings.

I went to replace my travel size toothpaste and discovered it was as much or more as a regular size tube of toothpaste! Since I still had my almost empty tube, I just refilled it with my tube in my bathroom cabinet. I was able to line up the opening of each tube and gently squeeze. Worked like a charm and no wasted $$ on another travel size!

 

[jenners351]

I have allergies to most detergents. I use a cotton, lint free hanky (very cheap at discount stores) and dip them in liquid detergent and let them dry. I throw one in with the wash and it then goes straight into the dryer. It takes up almost no room in the suitcase (I do put them I a zip lock baggie). Hope this helps those with sensitive skin!

Awesome! Thank you everyone! My dh is surprised I haven't packed yet, he doesn't know that I kinda make discrete piles now.

 

[jenners351]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that!!

DD would complain that there was no blood left in her arm from holding my hand so long. But for your piece of mind and their safety you can’t just turn them loose when they want to stretch their legs. DD always preferred to walk.

Back in the day it was a harness and “leash”. The little animal back packs are soooo cute.

Keep your son happy and safe and ignore any dirty looks.

Hope you have a great trip!

I have to agree, anyone who has kids gets it I'm sure.

 

[Canooknic]

For anyone hitting the Lego store and buying multiple sets....bring a Sharpie marker.

You can take the Lego out of the box, write on the bags which set it is and then collapse the box so you have more space in your case.

 

[I Am Flynn Rider]

So, I have a couple weird things that I bring... I'm a packing and gear nerd:

I love my Sitka over-the-shoulder sling bag from Maxpedition. It is designed so that when you go to sit down, or access the bag for that matter, that it slides to your front and sits across your abdomen-perfect for riding rides and great for getting at stuff without taking the bag off! It is not terrible large, but you can pack enough in there if you don't go too crazy. Besides, if you pack too much, it will be too heavy for one shoulder anyway. (Ladies, if you want to get your DH to carry stuff, this might be a great bribe-looks cool, works great, very manly... )

I keep a "dry sack" in my bag because Florida rains are notorious for popping up out of nowhere! My "dry sack" is big enough to hold my Sitka inside it, so when rain happens, I step inside somewhere dry, pull my dry sack out, and drop my whole backpack in there, and voila!, we keep going and ride those rides with short lines while everyone is hiding from a little rain!

I have a MSR Paktowel Original in my bag. These things are amazing. They hold almost 10x their weight in water. Wring it out, and it's almost completely dry again. Great for wiping down wet seats, drying off somewhat from rides or spray... Lots of uses...

I never leave my Unofficial Guide behind (or my iphone with my Lines app and My Disney Experience on it!)

I have a portable (battery-operated) charger so that we can recharge our phones while we eat lunch/dinner. It is great. It's about half the size of my UG, and will fully recharge my phone battery from 30% to full in about an hour.

I bring a Camelbak bladder that fits inside my Sitka (that also has a bladder compartment made for it). The low profile Omega fits perfectly (and holds 3L). Fill it up with ice and water/lemonade/crystal light, and it keeps your back cool and gets lighter the more that you drink!

I bring a surgical tube clothesline that I got from Amazon (It's braided with three tubes, so no need for clothespins). It has loops on either end. You can attach carabiners to them or loop them around shower heads. It's only 7 ft long, but great for what it does, and it stretches a bit longer.

I put luggage tags on all my bags, especially the one I bring into the park. Disney customer service is awesome, and they will return something if they can figure out who it belongs to!

I think that's all that may not have been said already (and sorry for anything that's already been posted!). Thanks for all the tips! I'm a huge fan already!

 

[gracer9977]

I have a portable (battery-operated) charger so that we can recharge our phones while we eat lunch/dinner. It is great. It's about half the size of my UG, and will fully recharge my phone battery from 30% to full in about an hour.

I put luggage tags on all my bags, especially the one I bring into the park. Disney customer service is awesome, and they will return something if they can figure out who it belongs to!

Welcome to the Dis!!!!

I just found out about the battery operated phone chargers. I found them on Amazon for about $15.00. I am totally getting at least 2 of these to bring with us next trip so that anyone in our group that is running low can recharge their phones. I am always running my battery down into the red zone so this will be great to have.

We always have tags on all the bags we bring to the parks as well.

 

[mommy2_3]

dont know if this has been said but i am bringing lavender shampoo and bubble bath for my kids. nothing like relaxing in a nice warm tub filled with lavender to make the kids go to bed right away! plus i will use some of that bubble bath after the kids are sleeping!

 

[erynsmom]

For anyone hitting the Lego store and buying multiple sets....bring a Sharpie marker.

You can take the Lego out of the box, write on the bags which set it is and then collapse the box so you have more space in your case.

Great idea!

 

[jenners351]

We can't go any where that my husband and son will be walking a lot without "body glide" an anti-chafing stick. It helps prevent a rash you may get on your inner thighs. It looks like a deodorant stick, runners use them a lot. You can get them at most sports stores. My husband wouldn't even think about going to WDW without it!

I always forget to pack something for chafing and end up buying a tiny bottle of baby powder, it works but if you've waited until the rash appears you need to reapply quite often. Thank you everyone for your fabulous tips, my hubby already thinks I pack too much...oh well what he doesn't know I've packed may help him lol!

 

[QueenQueso]

Wow, definately subscribing to this thread so I don't lose it. I have a list of over twenty new ideas added to my vacation notebook. It took me three days to get through it all!

There was a post earlier about using different folders for flight paperwork, rental car papers, hotel info, park info, etc, but what we do is instead of get different colored paper clips/binder clips for the different types of paperwork and keep it all together in a large plastic envelope with a velcro closure. I label the outside of it with what color goes with flights or hotels or what-not. It's easy to keep the important papers organized and all in one place that way.

 

[almburr]

joining the group. I need tips for this trip.

 

[prayx]

I was so happy that I bought a set of battery operated lights to decorate my dd's stroller. I was always able to spot it in a crowd and my dd loved having her stroller lit up in the dark

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[msande]

I have a Disney box that I keep things in to pack for the next time. Some of my favorites;

1. Leatherman tool
2. Several battery candles so I can take a relaxing bath in candlelight (with a nice glass of wine) I used to bring very small candles but read about the fire hazard and changed to battery type.
3. A plastic 12"x12" scrapbookers storage case to bring home ride photos, maps, menus and other items I don't want bent.

Michaelle

 

[HappyGal]

3. A plastic 12"x12" scrapbookers storage case to bring home ride photos, maps, menus and other items I don't want bent.

Brilliant! Adding it to my list!

 

[jenners351]

Why a leather man tool?

 

[jenners351]

Wow, definately subscribing to this thread so I don't lose it. I have a list of over twenty new ideas added to my vacation notebook. It took me three days to get through it all!

There was a post earlier about using different folders for flight paperwork, rental car papers, hotel info, park info, etc, but what we do is instead of get different colored paper clips/binder clips for the different types of paperwork and keep it all together in a large plastic envelope with a velcro closure. I label the outside of it with what color goes with flights or hotels or what-not. It's easy to keep the important papers organized and all in one place that way.

Awesome!