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

[CityGirlLost]

Seriously, there is nothing wrong with the paper straws.

I print a sheet of small labels that say "If lost, please call ..." with my cell number. I stick one on the back of each of my kids' shirts in the morning before we leave.

I stick them on our cameras and backpacks and water bottles.

Essentially, everything.

 

[ILoveMyGirls]

that's a good idea about the labels. have you lost anything and had it returned?

Seriously, there is nothing wrong with the paper straws.

I print a sheet of small labels that say "If lost, please call ..." with my cell number. I stick one on the back of each of my kids' shirts in the morning before we leave.

I stick them on our cameras and backpacks and water bottles.

Essentially, everything.

 

[cuches]

Got this idea from another thread but I am using it for our trip this October! I am a BIG water drinker, especially at night....always have water on my nightstand and by morning it is always empty, I must drink all night long in my sleep. I used to send DH every night to the vending machine for my water fix (too much $$$) I thought about having a case of water shipped to our room but never did it because it would also be kind of pricey. This other DISer said she brings the same small Britta water filter pitcher every trip for her water fix. She puts t-shirts inside it to save room in the luggage. STEALING this idea makes me smile

Tina

 

[cuches]

Paper straws don't bother us and I don't like the idea of bending this rule because the animals are at risk of being hurt. I even go as far as cutting up the plastic soda can holders as to not harm some innocent animal from getting its head stuck in it (saw this happen once and left me stunned)

Not really sure if you were encouraging the use of the plastic straws at AK but you can get slammed by the moderators of these groups for suggesting breaking the rules at WDW.

Tina

 

[ChelleMouse]

-Swimmers Ear drops
-Garlic Mullein drops in case anyone's ears start hurting - perfect way to keep an ear infection away
- Boiron Arnicare Cream - works like a dream for pain - including sunburn
- Boiron Bitecare Gel - stops itching from bug bites
- Vitamin C and/or magnesium for those who tend to get constipated when away from home
- Capsules of Olive leaf extract should anyone catch a bug/virus
- Digestive enzymes to help digest eating way too much

Love the ideas I picked up in this thread! Thanks!!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

The last two years I've been taking a folding potty seat for my DD4. It folds in 4's and easily fits in a gallon size ziplock baggie! It's also very lightweight. It keeps her little hiney from falling into the potty! Plus, we don't have to worry about wiping the toilet! Every night I clean it really good and put it in a new baggie for the next day!

Got some great ideas for our next trip! Thanks to all for sharing!

AWW!! I had one for my kiddos too! I brought it everywhere..put it in a large ziplock and stuck it in the diaper bag...forgot about it till you mentioned it!!

Love the ideas!!! I do the pop up hamper, over the door organizer, tiny ALL detergents (we have skin sensitivity to detergents), clothespins, Ziplocks for EVERYTHING...
I put our toothbrushes in one of the cups that are on the counter....I have a box of stuff that I put stuff in before it runs out...for example, if a tube of toothpaste, or a bottle of shampoo is almost out, but you know it's got a week or 2 left in it,...it goes in the Disney box. Then about a week before we leave, all my toiletries and snax go in a box that i ship to our resort. When we finish the product off, I toss it and don't have to worry about repacking for the journey home! We fly, so I try to keep it to clothes in the suitcases. I am getting some of the packing cubes for our next trip--I am getting the folder/sleeve for dh. He packs a ridiculous amount of stuff and I am hoping to get him more organized! Thanks again OP for starting this thread!!!

 

[carone0318]

We bring carabiner clips, 2 for each of us. We all carry our own backpacks and we clip a clip to each strap and clip a flip flop to each clip, so when it starts to rain, we change into the flip flops and put our sneakers & socks into the bag until the rain stops.

I bring all different color sharpies for autographs, except for the color green. For some reason that is the only color that they can not get off of the costumes.

When my kids were young & in a stroller, I would bring safety pins and a receiving blanket or towel. I would pin the blanket to the shade of the stroller. When the baby/child fell asleep, I would put the shade up and pull the blanket down over the bar/table to keep the sun out. While they were sleeping I would clip a fan to the stroller and have it blowing on them while they slept. It worked perfectly.

If you are planning on getting a henna tattoo, bring a small jar of Vasoline because you need to put the Vasoline on the tattoo while you are showering or swimming, it's not supposed to get wet. When we did it, I couldn't find any Vasoline on property to buy, so I ended up using triple antibiotic ointment cause it was gel-like.

 

[brewhome]

We were at Disney in February and here are a few things that worked for us. Some have been mentioned before.

- My boys are 9 and 7. Before we left, I made up some labels on my computer with my and my husband's cell phone numbers on them, and then each day I stuck one label inside each of my boys' shoes. They knew they were there, but no one else saw an "if lost, contact" bracelet or anything else that would be embarrassing to an older kid. It gave them (and ME!) peace of mind to know that Mom and Dad's cell numbers were right on them at all times in case they got separated from us. I also made sure they knew that if they got lost, they should immediately find the nearest cast member to help them. It made them feel better to know that they could go to anyone with a Disney name tag for help.

- We also brought glow necklaces from the dollar store. The kids put them around their stuffed animals' necks at bedtime - a bit of a nightlight without being too bright.

- I love, love, LOVE ziploc bags for the camera, extra batteries, cell phones, etc. etc. We were there in a soaking rain one night, and our backpack was drenched - but the stuff inside was safe because of the ziplocs. You can use these for anything! Throw a few baby wipes in one for a refresher in the hot weather or for sticky ice cream fingers and faces. I also packed one with band-aids, ibuprofen, a few Tums, a small tube of sunscreen, tissues, Chapstick, etc. to take to the parks with us. It's much easier to grab one ziploc out of the backpack instead of digging around in a big bag for a little Chapstick.

- Pre-prepared envelopes for Mousekeeping. I prepped an envelope for each day with the tip and a quick thank you written on the outside of it, and left it by the sink each day before heading to the parks. It was simple to grab one each day and I didn't have to scrounge around for the tip money. We got some really nice towel animals for doing so.

- Disney gift cards for each kid (one from Santa and one from their grandparents). They knew how much money they could spend - once it was gone, it was gone - and I let them spend it as they wished. I told them I would buy them each one t-shirt, one toy, and one pin with my money, but the rest was up to them. That way, we had no fights about one getting more than the other, etc. etc., and I spent a set amount on each - no going overboard.

We're getting ready to go back, and here are a few things I will take next time:

- Coffee! Disney coffee stinks - plain and simple. I'll be taking a can of Tim Horton's with us for the mornings in the hotel. It will make my hubby a much happier camper.

- Collapsible water bottles. We carried regular ones with us last trip, but I really like the idea of the collapsible ones. Check out www.vapur.us. You can fill these, stick them in the freezer, and then when they're empty, roll them up to save space (and the environment, while you're at it!). I just ordered them so I'm not sure yet, but I have a feeling they won't sweat much, either.

- A deck of cards will keep the kids busy while waiting for the parades to start - they love to play War.

- Flip flops and a swimmers towel for water rides - whoever listed those on here - brilliant!! No sloshy shoes all day and a quick way to dry off.

 

[dduckfan1]

Love the idea of packing a canvas duffel bag for souvenirs! I'll definitely use that idea. Tide on the go pens also are a must!!

 

[LadybugMomma]

Love the ideas. Can anyone tell me if the cubes are better than the space saver compression bags? We use the compression bags all the time but I am just wondering if the cubes would be better.

Thanks for all the great ideas. I too have started my list for our October trip.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Love the ideas. Can anyone tell me if the cubes are better than the space saver compression bags? We use the compression bags all the time but I am just wondering if the cubes would be better.

Thanks for all the great ideas. I too have started my list for our October trip.

I have done the bags...I would assume the cubes and envelope/folder things are better....haven't used them yet,but that's what I will be getting for our next trip!

 

[heather13]

Love the ideas. Can anyone tell me if the cubes are better than the space saver compression bags? We use the compression bags all the time but I am just wondering if the cubes would be better.

Thanks for all the great ideas. I too have started my list for our October trip.

It really depends what you're packing. The compression bags are great for sweaters, ski gear, really anything that takes up a lot of space but could take up less without air. The packing cubes don't remove any air - in fact they take up a nominal amount of more space I think just because you're packing extra fabric. But they're fantastic for organization. If your goal is organization the cubes are best (I put my girls' clothes in with mine, so the cubes help sort it). If your goal is stuffing more items into a bag the compression bags are best (DH loves these even for t-shirts and is convinced he can put his stuff into a smaller bag as a result). Compression bags can also be used to organize stuff but I don't think they fit as much as the cubes because they're not meant to be overstuffed.

Sorry so long - HTH!

 

[livvylivvie]

Night light - good idea....(I cheated last time and left the light on in the bathroom and then just left the door open a crack......when I woke up in the night at least I knew what direction to head in ...

and of course, I take a few bags of King Cole Tea - can't get that down there but if you're from Atlantic Canada, you understand why

Hey!!! From one Canadian to another, I LOVE KING COLE TEA!!!!

 

[livvylivvie]

My Enjo Cloths!!!
I couldn't go without them! They Clean 6 times better then any chemical cleaner and you use JUST water!! I go over any surface that needs it! and NO Chemicals are used! and the clothes remove 99.99999% of Bacteria!!! (I just wash my cloth in the sink after our day at the parks and they are ready to go for the next day) My family has been chemical free for about 3 years, and I try to keep it that way even while on Vacation. My 4 year old has many allergies, (skin and food) and I can't believe the difference Enjo has made!

If your curious about this product Google it!! It's great!!

 

[mousescrapper]

have to come back and read more....

 

[mavdav]

We are AP so I have a running list of what we pack for Disney. Disclaimer, we drive and we stay in POP

FEBREEZE - they sell a small portable size. Great for spraying down those sweaty clothes and smelly sneakers at the end of the day.

SHARPIE - the click kind, with a retractable tip. that way, you don't have to keep track of a top when getting autographs.

Over the door shoe holder - we use it for sunscreen, lotions, hairbrushes, etc. anything that is usually kept on the bathroom sink.

Hanging collapsible shelf - I got it at Walmart and hang all my kids clothes on it. They are 6 and 4, so their clothes are small. I also leave one shelf empty for them for their clothes that we pick out for the next day.

We pick out what pins we are going to trade the night before, put them on the lanyards, so they are ready to roll in the morning. We have lost many of pins, so now we only let the boys wear pins they want to trade and 1 or 2 that they like.

ZIPLOC bags - We use them to pack our snacks and to pack our frozen water bottles and juice boxes. That way nothing gets wet inside the backpack.

Booklight - I have small children so after they go to bed, I like to read a little bit at night.

Clothespin - for hanging wet clothes in the shower and for closing the curtain at night so the early morning sun doesn't creep in!

Light up Mickey and Buzz-we bought the boys light up buzz and Mickey almost 4 years ago and all i do is put in new batteries and they bring them to Disney every time! Its a toy that stays in the Disney bin.

GREAT IDEAS DIS friends!!! Keep them coming. I'm always learning something new! aka - backpack cooleR!

 

[It'sJustPoints]

We're packed.. ready to go.. waiting for our ride to the airport. I sat down to scan the boards one last time and stumbled upon this thread... and I jsut ran out to the store to get a powerstrip!! Thank you!!!

OK.. now I am ready to go...

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

We're packed.. ready to go.. waiting for our ride to the airport. I sat down to scan the boards one last time and stumbled upon this thread... and I jsut ran out to the store to get a powerstrip!! Thank you!!!

OK.. now I am ready to go...

You are a true Diser!!! LOL Have an awesome trip!!

 

[mickeygirl14]

thanks everyone for the great tips! i've got two small notebook sheets full, front and back...i'm sure my DH is going to love me when he's packing the van.

this is my first posting - i've just discovered DIS in the past week preparing for our trip in september. there's a lot of great info here - thanks!

 

[WAHkoMom]

I am so glad I found this thread!! I've added several items to my packing list: shout wipes, power strip, over the door shoe holder (worked great on the Disney cruise!), crystal lite single servings, soft-sided cooler, glow-bracelets, clear ID badge holder with clips, caribiner clip to attach to purse (love that idea for hats!).

I have been thinking hard for something unusual that we bring, but anything that might qualify has already been mentioned!

Keep 'em coming!!!