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

[Ariel Wanna-be]

The Monistat Anti-Chafing gel mentioned a few pages back also works as an AWESOME makeup primer. Just spread a tiny bit on your face before you put on your base and eyeshadow, and it will make them go on much smoother, and they will last longer. Really, it's like a liquid powder.

We also use the over-the-door shoe holder, but instead of actually putting it over the bathroom door (where it blocks the mirror), we bring a couple of those plastic tie-wraps and DH hangs it from the clothes rod. Works fine.

A couple of things that we used to bring when DS was little was a container of bath confetti and some colored bath tablets. After we had run his bath, we'd drop a colored tablet in the water then sprinkle a handful of the soap confetti on top. When he came in the bathroom to bathe, we'd tell him that Tinkerbell must have visited his bath! He loved it. Sigh. He's 13 now, and I think if Tinkerbell visited his bath at this age he'd have a stroke.

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[reelmom]

The first picture I take with a new memory card is of a piece of paper that I have written:
If found please call_____________ or
please mail memory card to (your address).

That way if someone finds your camera and looks at your pictures, the first one to pop up will be your information. And maybe if they decide to keep your camera, they will at least send your memory card back.

 

[debsters41]

When he came in the bathroom to bathe, we'd tell him that Tinkerbell must have visited his bath! He loved it. Sigh. He's 13 now, and I think if Tinkerbell visited his bath at this age he'd have a stroke.

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Thanks, that made me chuckle!

 

[MegaMater]

My BF and I just got back from our first vacacation together in DISNEY and all of your suggestions were great. It def made for a smooth sailing trip! So THANKS everyone!

 

[Megkel]

This might sound petty or silly but I hate the soap that is left by mousekeeping. It's a circle bar of soap that always makes my hands feel gross after washing. I take my own hand soap. I actually don't use any of the products mousekeeping keeps stocked in the rooms.

 

[housetomouse]

This might sound petty or silly but I hate the soap that is left by mousekeeping. It's a circle bar of soap that always makes my hands feel gross after washing. I take my own hand soap. I actually don't use any of the products mousekeeping keeps stocked in the rooms.

I have 3 different soaps set to bring with me (see my thread about needing help packing light lol!): my special bar soap, another bar soap for my family, and a liquid antibacterial soap with a pump. Geez I really can't bring all of these can I? I wouldn't bring the pump soap back home with me though. Maybe I can cut the bar soaps in half? I think I need a packing intervention

 

[ratlenhum]

Just a quick thought on the personalized towels and/or shirts... Generally, due to "stranger danger", most experts will advise against putting your child's name on shirts. Maybe monogramming (initialing)the towels or shirts would be a better idea.

We have found that bringing our towels from other places really makes them stand out. Everyone has Disney towels, and I agree with not putting your kid's name on something clearly visible.

We bring our Sesame Place or Great Wolf Lodge towels with us. Easy to spot and we have yet to see anyone else with them at the pools or water parks

 

[ratlenhum]

I know it is not exactly "green," but we carry regular McDonalds straws when we go to Animal Kingdom. The paper straws-- only kind available in AK-- are impossible to drink through. Don't worry. We are very careful with the plastic straws and always dispose of them properly so they do not harm the animals.

At home we use stainless drinking straws for my son. He has autism, we avoid all plastics (toxins) for him, plus he chews the plastic straws. The paper ones at AK do not last more than 10 seconds for him. he takes pills several times a day and needs to drink from a straw to take them.

I bring a sandwich ziplock with several other clean ones in it. The straw fits in a sandwich bag. After he uses it, I go to the bathroom and rinse it out with bottled water (yuk to Disney tap water) then put it in a clean bag for next time.

Since I pay $10 for 4 of them I never forget to take it with me when I leave an establishment, so I don't feel bad bringing these in with me.

 

[Jedana]

Oh, too many to name, but...

I take Anti-Monkey Butt powder. DS and DH get this...funk...when out in the sun all day. A sprinkle on the feet and on the butt, and no more funk!

My Keurig. We drive down, so it's easy to take. A gallon or two of water (filtered) from home and we're off...for coffee, hot chocolate, oatmeal or cup o noodles! I don't like the coffee in the rooms, so this is my special must have item!

We take a camelbak that is in a backpack, fill it with ice and let it melt. We also have a couple of water bobbles--they really do work filtering out that nasty Florida water taste!

DD is a pin collector, so we bought her a pin bag, instead of a lanyard. Gets a bit heavy for her sometimes, but we figure at 17, she can figure out whether or not to bring it on her own.

 

[donaldsgirl]

I think that is a horrible "tip". While your family may be very careful, there are others who would not be. Why encourage them to do what you do, when it can cause a huge problems for the animals at Animal Kingdom?

To me, that is like saying you sneak glass jars into the parks. It can cause injury to others, and shouldn't be done. Honestly, if you can't follow the rules of the park, you shouldn't go. I don't think it would be so hard for your family to either use the straws provided or to just not use a straw.

Seriously??? You really need to get off your soap box.

 

[donaldsgirl]

Great ideas!! Thanks to all of you super smart peeps!! We ALWAYS bring a single sized blow up mattress and a set of sheets. Both of my kids COULD be in the same bed but NO ONE would get any sleep. In the morning we either slide it under the bed or stand it up between the wall and a bed. We also take a mesh laundry bag vs a pop up laundry hamper. They are a $1 and easy to drag to the laundry room. I have to say that the shower curtain and cloths pins saved my stroller, park bag and several items that we had purchased that day from being completely drowned in a down pour. We are leaving for our next trip in 4 weeks and I am making my shopping list now!!

 

[earljam]

Great thread, I am sitting getting all rev'd up for Disney just reading through it!!!

 

[matkensgirl2000]

We love how much money we save by bringing our own strollers, but hauling them on and off the busses was a pain. Our solution? We pack the bags that come with the foldable camp-chairs. They hold an umbrella stroller well enough that we can carry them on our shoulders in and out of the parks. When you get into the park and are ready to use your stroller again, just fold the chair-bag into your park bag.

 

[atmooney]

Due to a nightmare situation during a Florida downpour, my husband and I swore we would bring non yellow ponchos to Disney. Using bright orange ponchos with a star symbol name system we eliminated the sea of yellow and the frantic feeling when one of your children dissapear ( DS has autism and was a runner). Instead of writing thier names on the back, we draw stars on their backs representing their birth order.
After the rains, strangers would walk up to us and call us the orange star people! It is truly the most helpful item we pack.

 

[atmooney]

my new addition to my must haves is a hole punch and a carribeaner. I punch a hole in our photopass on the first day and attach it to my backpack with the carribeaner. The cm's love holding up their scanners easily to it and have commented on how handy it is.

genius!!!

 

[bearlyanne]

ooh, I like that idea too!I might have to adopt that idea, because I usually would get the "shrunken" fairysized passes (on the bracelet) that they gave out in Toon Town on my first day and use that as my photopass all week, but with the move of the fairies, I doubt that they still exist.

 

[bearlyanne]

Glowsticks and light up wands...lots of them! you can't light your stroller or kid up enough at night! and for that matter yourself. Make it easy for your group to find you in the darkness and make it easier on your wallet if your kid already has lightup toys

 

[southern_redhead]

eta: Also, any of the places that serve fountain drinks will give you glasses of ice water for free. On hot days, they even have a bunch already poured waiting for people to ask for them.

Um, okay, at the risk of getting flamed, I want to ask a question:

How big are these cups of water? I was thinking of bringing a sleeve of smaller cups if they are large that way we could just divide it out amongst us. If they are pretty small - do you usually get one for everyone? There are six of us, I guess I might feel sort of.....what? I don't know, like I was asking too much? But I for sure don't want to share backwash with anyone

 

[erbeaman]

I buy my kids beaded bracelets with my cell phone number on them (think name ID bracelets with numbers in place of the name. They are about $4 each (search etsy.com) and can be used any time we go somewhere with a crowd. There are styles that even my DS8 is willing to wear. His looks like a Hawaiian shell jewelry piece.

 

[Rekenna]

Um, okay, at the risk of getting flamed, I want to ask a question:

How big are these cups of water? I was thinking of bringing a sleeve of smaller cups if they are large that way we could just divide it out amongst us. If they are pretty small - do you usually get one for everyone? There are six of us, I guess I might feel sort of.....what? I don't know, like I was asking too much? But I for sure don't want to share backwash with anyone

Really, it isn't a problem. We have a family of 5 and have never had a problem with getting ice water for everyone. I do have a sippy for DS3 and will pour his in there-just b/c he is messy. They usually come in small or medium sized cups. I am more interested in the ice than the water-especially on a hot day!