What To Pack For Disneyland // Grab Our Disney Packing List
Ever wonder what exactly to pack for Disneyland? Check out our detailed Disney packing list, along with specific ideas for packing with kids and toddlers!
I cant help it. When someone asks me a question about Disneyland my heart lights up like the dang Electrical Parade and I launch into a heartfelt diatribe about my favorite place.
So when a few people recently asked me what to pack for Disneyland, naturally I wanted to write a novel!
I guess a blog post will have to suffice.
When it comes to what to pack for Disneyland, weve basically gotten it down to a science, between all of our trips and the fact that I used to be a cast member! So heres exactly what you need to know.
Speaking of your next Disneyland trip, youll want to check out these posts with my very best secrets and hacks, learned during my time as a parades cast member!
And if youre into Disneyland, you dont want to miss my free Disneyland Resort Guide, below! Its filled with some of my very best insider tips to help you plan your most magical trip ever.Sign up below.
What To Pack For Extra Disney Fun
Yes: the Disney Parks are the happiest place on earth. But after 45 minutes of standing in line or 14 hours of running around, you might be thinking this is getting to be more exhausting than fun. We have totally been there, yall and everything included in this guide is aimed at keeping you in the Fun Zone rather than the hangry/dehydrated zone, if you get my drift.
But what about going above and beyond those cranky-attitude prevention techniques? What about some good old fashioned grown-up Disney parks FUN!?
Being a Cast Member taught me an very important lesson about how to turn a frown upside down even when its a rainy 50 degrees day and youre working a 16-hour shift and theres like 86 screaming babies and Guests have been total d**ks all day long and all you want to do is go home and sleep forever but instead youre at Disney World earning minimum wage. Oof, too real?
But seriously: I learned a few tricks that will turn that wah poor me mentality into wide-eyed Disney wonder again. One trick that does NOT work: when your Manager sprinkles imaginary Pixie Dust on your head after telling you that a Guest complained about your frowny face. You can take your Pixie Dust and stuff it, Cheryl, I AM JUST HAVING A BAD DAY. Ahem.
From games that will put you in brutal competition with your travel companions to mood-lifters that are sure to put you in that Disney magical mindset, here are our best tips for maximizing the fun of the Disney parks!
Disneyland Packing List Necessities
When planning for a trip of this size, it can be intimidating to find a place to start. and not only are their services FREE, but they will save you both time and money.)
Here is a list of all the necessities you will need for a trip to Disneyland. Some of these, you may not have even thought of! Keep in mind, the list below is for a week-long stay at Disneyland. Be sure to plan accordingly for longer or shorter stays.
First off, we will start with clothing. This category is probably the easiest to plan for! If you are more of the efficient type, we recommend bringing clothing items that are versatile and easy to mix and match to get more life out of your outfits while bringing less. California is known for being comfortably warm during the day, but the nights can still be chilly, especially when waiting for parades and fireworks! A light jacket or sweater is a good idea no matter what part of the year you are visiting.
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Play Basketball Inside The Matterhorn
Listen: you very likely will never accomplish this. There’s only one conceivable way to get to what’s referred to as “the fifth floor,” upon which there is indeed a small court, where years ago mountain climbers took breaks to shoot hoops. That way is to actually work at the Matterhorn. And at a high-enough clearance level that you won’t get fired for entering this minimalist man cave. Pulling off that feat is equivalent to checking off the rest of this list combined.
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Ben Wener, who still has more than half of this list to complete, is the former pop music critic at The Orange County Register and also has written for The Hollywood Reporter, Consequence of Sound, and more. Find him on and .
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What To Skip In Adventureland
- Tarzans Treehouse If youre particularly fit and can get up and down the stairs quickly with ease, add in this attraction. The view at the top overlooking Disneyland is pretty nice.
- Tropical Hideaway I adore this dining oasis alongside the Jungle Cruise. Yummy bao and lumpia snacks with specialty Dole Whips with beautiful waterside seating. But the downside is theres no mobile ordering, the line is often long and it can be hard to find a table. Use the Tiki Juice Bar to get a Dole Whip fix instead.
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I Love Disneybounding As My Favorite Characters
Disneybounding is using your normal clothing to resemble a character you love, and if you haven’t tried it, you definitely should.
You can dress it up or down as much as you want and completely make it your own.
It’s a fun way to interact with park employees as well I know I’m always on the lookout for a great bound at work.
Watch Mickey And The Magician
For me one of the best things to do at Disneyland Paris is watch the Mickey and the Magician Show at the Walt Disney Studios. This show isnt all year but usually runs February September and in my opinion is one of the best things to do if you are visiting Disneyland Paris in August.
This spectacle is conducted in French and English simultaneously. It follows Mickey as he meets some of Disneys most magical characters as he tries to learn the secrets of magic.
Top Disneyland Paris tip: The queues for this gets pretty long especially if you are there in summer. Id get there at least 20 minutes before show time to ensure you get a good spot.
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What Else To Bring To Disneyland
For additional packing tips, check out these additional articles and free printable Disneyland packing lists! These Disney packing printable checklists are specific to traveling with a baby, pregnant women and children who want to pack for themselves. They offer additional items that vary slightly from the essentials checklist.
What Do They Sell At Disneyland
Some of the items I mention in this article are available for purchase at Disneyland. This may make you wonder what to actually bring to Disneyland. If you can buy it there, do you really need to pack it from home?
While a few items on the list arent available for sale inside the parks, most everything else is. However all things come at a price! The cost will be significantly higher inside the parks.
Before packing your Disneyland trip bag, be sure to assess your needs for the day. If youre planning to return to the hotel midday, you may be able to skip on packing a days worth of snacks. You dont want to be shorthanded once in the parks.
However, you also dont want to be lugging around a heavy bag of stuff that you arent going to need either! Consider renting a locker to store essentials for the day until you need them.
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Want The Best Price On A Disneyland Hotel And Tickets
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Save $10 on any Southern California vacation package at Get Away Today when you use our exclusive coupon code: Tips10Trips.
Read more about our partnership with Get Away Today here.
Things To Do 60 Days Before Your Visit
Make dining reservations starting 60 days before your visit. At Disneyland you can make reservations on the website or call 714-781-DINE. For more dining tips and how to get FREE dining alerts search here.
Also if meeting characters is on your priority list then keep this tip in mind. You can locate them in the Disneyland app. More about that here. Character hugs are back and you can get autographs again. Many of the characters wander around its fun to spot them in the parks. Consider character dining experiences where the characters come to your table, its pretty magical. Make those character dining reservations 60 days before you arrive for the best times. Check out my review of the best character dining on property The Plaza Inn.
Check park hours before you arrive. You can see hours up to 60 days before your visit. Find out what time the park youre visiting opens. And take advantage of the 30 minutes Early Entry into either park if youre an onsite Disneyland Resort guest.
Check for refurbishments to see if any rides will be closed on your trip. Look at the Disneyland calendar. I also put the refurbishment schedule in my newsletter. So make sure youre signed up so you dont miss out on important information for planning your trip! Sign up for the newsletter on the home page. I only send emails when I need to share news or updates about Disneyland.
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Replace Your Popped Balloon For No Cost
Disneylands signature balloons are iconic. The clear balloonswith a Mickey Mouse-shaped balloon nestled insideare a guest favorite. Everyone wants one the minute they step into the theme park. Although the balloons are $9, theyre worth it for the smiles and they make great photo props, too! It would be a shame if your relatively expensive balloon popped before you had the chance to fully enjoy it, though! Fortunately, Disney lives up to its title as the happiest place on Earth. Instead of paying for a new balloon, all you have to do is show your popped balloon and ask for a replacement . Thats rightyoull get one for free!
Food Snacks And Hand Sanitizer
Disney offers an amazing variety of world-famous food, but these meals and treats are expensive! If youre bringing kids, you dont want to pay $4.50 every time someone says Im hungry!
Pack your own favorite snacks in your backpack instead.
Some of our favorites are baggies of pretzel sticks, containers of fresh vegetables or cut up fruit, fruit snacks, applesauce squeezes and granola bars.
Ive found that waiting in line gives a container of vegetables a captive audience of hungry kids it almost always gets all eaten.
Can I bring outside food and beverages into Disney Parks?
Guests are allowed to bring outside food and nonalcoholic beverages into the parks for self-consumption, provided they are not in glass containers, do not require heating, reheating, processing or refrigeration and do not have pungent odors. We always recommend you check guidelines on the Disney website.
Be sure to pack travel wipes and hand sanitizer to clean up dirty hands and faces before eating.
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How To Visit Walt Disney World
You must first check the availability of the date you wish to visit any of the parks, then purchase a ticket, and also make a theme park reservation for the date you purchased your ticket. You need BOTH a ticket AND a reservation to enter the park. If you purchase a park hopper, you may visit the other park after 2pm.
Indoor mask-wearing is required and enforced, includong on buses, monorails and the Disney Skyliner. Some restaurants, attractions or experiences may be modified or closed at this time. You can find all about making a theme park reservation here, as well as other important information about visiting the resort here.
Coolest Things To Do In Disneyland California
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You might think that the coolest things to do in Disneyland California would be pretty obvious, but actually, there are a lot of hidden treats in and around the parks that add that little extra magic to your trip. From the more obvious rides and attractions, all the way through to sitting for a portrait!
Were going to run down our best things to do in Disneyland so that youll be able to have the best plan of what to see and do while youre there. There are a huge range of things to take your fancy so dont worry if you dont like rides or arent a big fan of musicals. Theres something at Disneyland CA for everyone. After all, it is the happiest place on earth!
Get a FREE printable 30/60/90 day Disney countdown by joining our private and share your photos and ask for tips and tricks!
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Order Food From Secret Menus
Starbucks isn’t the only place with a secret menu! Disneyland has some pretty great food and treats, but there are even greater options on their secret menu . These items all combine certain ingredients from the current menu items and the results are fantastic.
One of the most mouth-watering items on the secret menu is the Mac n Cheese Bread Bowl. This cheesy delight can be ordered at Pacific Wharf Café in Disney California Adventure Park. Other notable items include a Main Street float made of rainbow sherbet in orange soda and the Galactic Burger at Tomorrowland. They all sound delicious, don’t they?
Final Thoughts & Tips On Disneyland:
- If you need a break , stop and see the shows.
- Dont forget to splurge on some of Disneylands well-known treats: Dole Whip and Corn Dogs are always a hit.
- Be sure to pack the perfect items for Disneyland, plan your trip well so you can make the most of your time there.
Is Disneyland crowded all the time? Unless you are in Club 33 you will have to deal with the crowds. So yes you can pretty much always expect large crowds at the Disneyland Resort since Disneyland is The Happiest Place on Earth and we all want to be there! Not to worry even if you take your Disneyland park vacation at a super crowded time, your family will have an amazing experience at Disneyland if you know where to go to beat the crowds!
Special thanks to Carissa Houston for sharing so many tips today! Carissa is a Disneyland regular.
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Print A Free Attractions List
Last tip to help in your vacation planning. I have created a checklist with ALL the attractions in both parks. You can use it to plan your visit. Print each list and mark the attractions you want to do. You could even add the order you want to go on the attractions. .
These are my suggestions and not a guarantee but its best to go to the parks with a PLAN. And dont forget to have a magical day!!!
Looking for a plan to do Disney California Adventure in one day check here.
Make sure youre following along on where I share daily tips to help with your trip.
Traveling With Children You May Need These Extra Things
- Snacks
- Strollers its much cheaper to bring your own or rent one from a third party to avoid paying Disneys exorbitant rental fees for strollers.
- Stuffed animals, road trip games, iPad, etc.
- Diaper bags
We like and Residence Inn at Anaheim Resort/Convention Center due to their proximity to the park entrance.
- Extra points for the Residence Inn because they offer FREE hot breakfast, Mickey-shaped waffles included!
For another awesome hotel offering free hot breakfast , go with Cambria Hotel Anaheim Resort Area. This is a relatively new hotel which is a huge plusits so clean and so modern. We stayed here on our most recent trip to Anaheim and loved our stay.
- Do note that it is located a 7-minute drive to the parks, but there are shuttles thatll get you to the parks in a jiffy.
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Mini Water Misting Fans For Summer Days
If your Disney trip is during a time when its hot, youll be happy you packed a mini fan with a water mister. We bought these for our first trip to Disney World, and they were lifesavers.
Not only does a mini fan cool you off, they also entertain the kids! I definitely recommend adding a mini fan with water mister to your Disney day bag Packing List.
Choosing The Best Day For Your Vacation
Disneyland fluctuates the hours their park remains open throughout the year. Before you book your reservation, check the Disneyland calendar to ensure youll have a full day in the park. Often times the parks close early due to special events or during off-peak seasons. Fireworks, parades and some shows may not operate during weekdays.
The other thing youll want to be aware of is the refurbishment calendar. Disneyland lists on their website which rides will be closed on certain dates. Double-check ahead of time to see what attractions will not be operating during your visit.
If its expected to be a crowded day at Disneyland, use this itinerary to plot out your day ahead of time. Figure out a loose plan on where youll eat and view menus online before your trip to speed things along.
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