You've booked your resort, you bought your tickets, and now you're headed to Walt Disney World! It's time to start packing. The suitcase is easy, but what about your in-park backpack? What exactly are you going to need for the day? What's the weather like in Florida? Can we even bring our own snacks into the parks? These are the top 10 things you absolutely should have in your backpack for a successful day at Walt Disney World!
1. Rechargeable phone battery
While you're snapping hundreds of photos of the castle, special snacks, and parades, your phone battery can die pretty quickly. FuelRod has recently partnered with the Disney Parks to have kiosks all over the parks and resorts to swap out a dead FuelRod for a fully charged FuelRod battery. Prebuying your initial FuelRod for $20 on the company website will save you $10 vs. buying your initial one in the parks for $30. After you buy your first battery, you get unlimited swaps, and it's super convenient since the kiosks are spread throughout Walt Disney World.
2. Disposable ponchos
Carrying a few disposable ponchos from the camping area of Walmart or Target is a great idea. They are about $1 and very convenient for those splash-and-dash showers and thunderstorms Florida is known for. These are packed into really tiny bags so they won't take up much room in a backpack. Then, when the rain is done, you just throw the poncho away because it was a dollar and you don't want the inside of your backpack getting all wet. A good rule of thumb is to buy two per person per day you're going into a park.
3. Refillable water bottle
Buying water in the parks is expensive, so bring in a refillable water bottle. Not only will this save you money, but you won't be searching for a stand that sells water each time you're thirsty. You can get free water from any quick-service restaurant or Starbucks location at Walt Disney World, or there are water fountains scattered around each park.
4. Snacks
Let's be honest for a second: waiting in the lines for attractions can make just about anyone hungry! Bringing a few mess-free snacks into the parks is a great way to save money and keep everyone from getting hangry between lunch and dinner. Some of the best mess-free snacks are Goldfish crackers, any type of trail mix, and granola bars.
5. Personal fans
It can be hot in Florida no matter what time of year you come except for two glorious weeks of "Spring" in late February. Bringing a personal fan that's battery operated is a great idea. There are some pretty inexpensive ones from Amazon, and they can easily fit into a backpack.
6. Hand sanitizer
With people from all over the world coming to one central location, it's really easy to catch a cold or something worse when you head to Walt Disney World. Bringing hand sanitizer will definitely cut down on the amount of germs you're spreading.
7. Extra t-shirts
You never know when a drink spill or tragic ice cream accident is going to happen. Bringing an extra t-shirt per person into the parks is a great idea. With the extra shirts, there will be no need to head back to your resort to change or buy something brand new from the parks. Bringing an extra shirt is also a good idea when it's really hot over the Summer. Sometimes a change of clothes is the refreshing thing you need to keep you going on hot days.
8. A small carry-all pouch
Having really small items floating around a backpack is rather annoying and makes them hard to find, so putting them into a pouch, like something you might find from the dollar spot at Target, is a great idea. Items that might go in this pouch include pens for character autographs, hair ties, gum, mints, and anything else that's really small.
9. Sunscreen
Even though you're inside or covered in most of the queue lines for attractions at Walt Disney World, getting from one side of the park to another multiple times a day can add up to a lot of time in the sun. Sunscreen is always a necessary in Florida, especially at Walt Disney World!
10. Walt Disney World tickets
Yes, your tickets are automatically linked to your Magic Bands (which you won't want to forget either), but having the actual plastic ticket with you is a great idea. Sometimes technology just doesn't want to work, and having a backup to show you've purchased your ticket into the parks is needed.
With these 10 necessities, you're bound to have the best time ever!
Image Source: Megan duBois
