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

[Dragontears]

I will also be bringing the monkey backpack (leash for lack of better terms) for my 18 month old because he will want to walk around, but boy they are so fast. I don't care if I get strange looks for harnessing my child!

I never realized that people give you dirty looks for this. (I guess I must have ignored them back in the day)

But now I think I might just go out of my way to give a to those parents considerate enough to use these.

Because that is what you are doing. - being considerate of your child's feelings while insuring their safety. For that matter, it is considerate to everyone around you as well; you know where your child is and what he/she is doing. IE: not running into folks or getting dangerously underfoot.

When DD was “too big” for the “leash”, we got the bracelets for her and me that have the little squiggly bungee thing in between. That way I always knew when she got “sidetracked” so as not to keep walking while she stopped to check things out.

She loved the freedom, I loved the piece of mind.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[Dragontears]

I bring a wireless router so I can have the wireless in my room which is only hard lined right now.

Oooooh ... great idea.

 

[taymaesmom]

I take those cheap plastic hangers that shorts usually come on at the store, the ones with the squeeze clips on each end. I love them to hang up beach towels and wet bathing suits on the shower rod. They dry so much faster that way! But beware because housekeeping through them away in the middle of our last trip!

 

[dsnyrn]

Thank you all so much for the great tips. just purchased 2 bobbles, lysol spray and wiped for room and packing binder clips. Just love this forum!! the best on the web!!!

 

[Simba22]

Wow THANK YOU to everyone who posted their suggestions to this thread!

We're leaving next Tuesday for WDW and now I have to go home and repack!

I was going to bring my Brita water pitcher but we were concerned that it wouldn't actually remove that sulphur taste from the water. The Bobbles are a perfect alternative!

Also - the vinyl/flannel tablecloth! I can't believe no one ever mentioned that before! We somehow always manage to find ourselves sitting in something so this will, literally, save our backsides!

 

[KC78]

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!

ABSOLUTE GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[drewsmomslp]

I am loving the suggestions on this thread and have a nice little list going. Thought I'd add one. On our first trip our daughter was 3 and scared to death of the automatic flushing toilets ... which are of course the only kind in the parks. She was too little to block the sensor. Someone on a list like this suggested keeping a mini-post it pad in your pocket. The little squares are the perfect size to put up on the sensor then pull off when shes done!

 

[melnbil]

We had the monkey backpack for my DS, when we went, when he was 2 1/2.... He'd much rather have the freedom of the "leash" than have to hold my hand or be strapped in the stroller. We have the best photo of him and Aladdin chatting about his pet monkey!
Hmmm.... it would be handy to have it this trip (he doesn't run away anymore, but does get easily distracted still) , but at 6 1/2 I think he'd refuse!

My son will be 6 almost 7 in May when we go. My husband and I have seriously considered taking it just because he hates to hold our hands constantly, and we don't feel comfortable just letting him walk in his own.

 

[fireman1996]

I read back for months. My wife has done most of these but now I can suggest some to her this time, thanks everybody.

 

[mwmom]

I liked the idea of the Dollar Store divider, so I got one of those (a canvas holder with dividers that folds flat when not in use) and put all of the little things I take with me in it. I was able to get nightlight, 2 small flashlights, small kleenex pkgs., small bottle of spray sunscreen, travel lysol spray, and many other "little items" and then I put that inside a medium size packing cube I ordered from ebags. This keeps everything upright, even though I have things that are twice as tall as the canvas divider thing. When I get there, I can just take it out and leave it on the desk. I can put my room key and other little things in there so they aren't all over the place. (BTW...I am planning on shipping this to the resort so it doesn't take up space in my luggage).

Also, I have to have my Poly Envelope (a type of plastic envelope I got at Target in the office supply section). I put a set of 5 dividers in there labeled: Airline/Car, Hotel, Dining, Maps/Directions, and Parks. I put all of my information in there and keep it in my backpack so I have everything handy and easy to find when I get to the airport, car rental counter, and hotel. I hate fumbling for papers at all of these places and this keeps me organized. I don't carry it around with me, so I just take the papers out that I might need for the park once I get there.

 

[JenniJ]

I am loving the suggestions on this thread and have a nice little list going. Thought I'd add one. On our first trip our daughter was 3 and scared to death of the automatic flushing toilets ... which are of course the only kind in the parks. She was too little to block the sensor. Someone on a list like this suggested keeping a mini-post it pad in your pocket. The little squares are the perfect size to put up on the sensor then pull off when shes done!

I hate the auto flushing toilets as well. What works just a good as a post it is draping toilet paper over the senor. then when done take it off and flush it with the rest. You don't have to carry something extra. If the senor is flush with the wall, take the section of paper, get it wet (condensation from toilet) and stick to wall. It should hold.

 

[DreamLiveLoveDisney]

OMG! The plastic lid tip is the best tip ever!! With 4 kids, how have I never thought of this?!

 

[DLB]

I wish I had something to add, but I think everything I add to offer was already mentioned! I did learn that there are some really creative and ingenius parents out there and I THANK YOU for it!

 

[disneydreaming4now]

I dont have a lot of new tips to add, you guys have covered a lot of it!!! However, one that wasnt mentioned, I bought information (id) tattoos online for my son. It has the information under a pic of Mickey Mouse. Has If My Parents get lost, Please Call them at......(with our cell phone #s). I put the tattoo on him and it lasts all week. We also use the dog tag on a chain but i feel much better knowing the tattoo is there and its not going to fall off or Im not going to forget to put it on him one day, like a sticker or the dog tag. Its perfect for us!!! Just a thought....

 

[DLB]

I dont have a lot of new tips to add, you guys have covered a lot of it!!! However, one that wasnt mentioned, I bought information (id) tattoos online for my son. It has the information under a pic of Mickey Mouse. Has If My Parents get lost, Please Call them at......(with our cell phone #s). I put the tattoo on him and it lasts all week. We also use the dog tag on a chain but i feel much better knowing the tattoo is there and its not going to fall off or Im not going to forget to put it on him one day, like a sticker or the dog tag. Its perfect for us!!! Just a thought....

I like the tattoo idea!

 

[nursesandy]

My idea isn't what we pack, it is how we pack it. I use my Food Saver and use the roll of bags. You cut the bag to the length you need, fill it with what you want and then suck the air out of it. When the youngest ones were babies, we did this with the powdered formula. We made packets with formula measured out for one bottle and when we needed a bottle, we would fill the bottle with water from the closest water source, pour in the pre-measured bag and shake. I know you can buy these pre-measured already, but it is much cheaper to do this as well. You could also use zip-lock bags, but I like knowing that it is sealed and that I don't have to worry about it getting wet or handled too roughly. We do this with the powdered laundry detergent as well. DH jokes that one day security will think we are trying to smuggle drugs or something.

Today, I was packing for our upcoming trip and the pull-ups were taking up too much room. I stuck these in there and sucked the air out. Greatly reduced the volume that they were taking up and since we will use most of them while we are there, I won't have to worry about the size of them on the way home.

 

[Readhed]

Don't know if it's been mentioned (haven't made it thru entire thread!), but one of the best things I think I took last time was a pack of long pipe cleaners in lots of colors. Kids (mine and ones around us) had a great time making "things" while waiting on parades and in long lines. Kept them quite busy! Lite wgt for park bag+little money=sanity-priceless!

 

[50sgirl12]

We're driving so we are picking up some of the freeze and serve daquiris they sell at wal mart or gas stations. Then we can just pour them into a cup and relax by the pool without buying the expensive bar drinks.

 

[Lilmattie13]

We're driving so we are picking up some of the freeze and serve daquiris they sell at wal mart or gas stations. Then we can just pour them into a cup and relax by the pool without buying the expensive bar drinks.

Thats an awesome idea.

 

[henderkm]

Since everyone in my family wears glasses we pack a small glasses repair kit. We've had to use it while at WDW before. We also pack a lawn and leaf bag for our dirty clothes to keep them off the floor. Since we fly and now have to pay for luggage, the bag takes up less space than the collapsible hamper.