A day at a Disney World Theme Park is a magical event. But it also means dealing with heat, humidity, lots of walking, possibly rain, just to name a few. To make the most of your Disney World Theme park day, we’ve compiled a list of our Disney World Theme Park Must-Haves! From Ears, to Towels and more, we’re giving you a list of our FAVORITE things for a Disney World Park Day!
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A Day in a Disney World Theme Park
When considering your Disney World Theme Park Day it’s important to consider all of the Gear that you’ll need. We’re breaking down our Disney World Theme Park Must-Haves into two categories:
- Theme Park Gear – fun items to add theme or character to your visit
- Hot Weather Essentials – items to keep you cool and comfortable in the Florida heat.
Theme Park Gear
Theme Park Gear is what we consider the Fun Stuff! The things you WANT to bring to make your trip extra fun! Below is a list of all of our favorite types of Theme Park Gear. We’ve included it as a check list for easy printing off so you can decide what’s important to you. Once you have, be sure to capture these expenses in our Free Budget Template. If you haven’t already grabbed yours, you can get instant access to it here.
- Mickey/Minnie Ears – probably everyone’s favorite accessory! There are TONS of options now for you to showcase favorite characters, rides, shows and more! You can even get Interchangeable ones 😲 which means less to carry (and more room for souvenirs😅!). Our favorite Interchangeable Ears are from Aloha Ear Design.
- Ear Buddy – If you’re an Ear Lover than an Ear Buddy is a must! Ear Buddy’s allow you hang multiple ears on your bag to use during the day, they even become a cute style icon. For example, say you’re starting the day at O’Hana for Breakfast you might want to wear a Stitch themed set of ears, then later switch to an Ariel Themed Pair when you meet her at her grotto. Our favorite Ear Buddy’s are from Sheri Godmother Designs.
- Themed Shirts – If you’re like us, they you need a themed shirt for each day of your trip. Even if you’re not like us, then a few themed shirts is still a requirement. There are SO MANY options out there, so think about your intentions and decide what you need. Maybe you need a shirt for a specific character meal that can also double as a park themed shirt for the day? Here’s a fun idea – we love going to Garden Grill for Breakfast in Epcot which features Chip N Dale, so I might look at finding a Chip N Dale themed Epcot shirt or having one made. Need help setting intentions? Then definitely check out our Intention Setting Work Sheets to help you set your trip intentions.
- Back Pack – this is must, especially if you’re aging out of stroller life (I’m going to miss all the storage!). There are a few things to consider when choosing a Back Pack: Sturdiness (you want a good quality material), Color and pattern (you don’t want it to be too dark in the sun), Pockets (both interior and exterior for storage), Bottle Side Pockets (at least one to carry a water bottle) and straps or bands (to click things onto, like your Ear Buddy). A great way to get a quality back pack for cheap is to add one on when purchasing souvenirs! Disney Parks Shops often run a special where you can add-on a Disney Themed back pack for $19.99!
- Fanny Pack – for those not carrying much, consider a fun themed fanny pack! They allow your arms to be free and your bag never leaves your side! We love the designs from The Hitchhiking Ghouls!
- Stroller – If you’re in need of a stroller for your littles, we love renting from Kingdom Strollers! It’s easy, convenient and inexpensive. We loved not having to worry about our expensive stroller and packing it. To rent or see there offerings, click here. PRO TIP: Be sure to ask for a light colors stroller, the black ones get super hot!
- Stroller Tag or Banner – These are both fun and necessary, they make finding your stroller (in a vast sea of strollers) a breeze! Search Etsy for some fun personalized banners or get creative and make your own! Even a simple bandana tied to the middle is helpful, especially when your Stroller gets moved by Cast Members and you have no idea where it went in the Stroller Parked area 😱
- Magic Bands – with Magic Band 2 coming soon, we’re super excited to see this park staple re-imagined. But there are several ways to personalize your Magic Bands beyond just buying one off the shelf. I love getting my favorite color as the band base and adding decals of characters or icons to it. Another fun way is adding charms or bands, we love all of the charms from Mouse on Main and keychains and stickers from Wish Upon Magic.
- Accessories – There is SO MUCH you can do to theme your outfits and gear so get creative! Think about what you wear on a daily basis and Disney-fy them! Think earrings, watch bands, shoes, headbands, you name it! Etsy has tons of sellers for all of these thing, but if you need a recommendation, be sure to drop us an email and we’ll share some fun accounts!
Hot Weather Essentials
Hot Weather Essentials are items to help keep you cool and comfortable in the Florida heat and humidity. While optional, we consider these more necessity than Theme Park Gear. You can get through your day without them, but it’ll make it easier, especially with children and during summer months. Below is a list of our favorite Disney World Theme Park Must-Haves for Hot Weather. We’ve included it as a check list for easy printing off so you can decide what’s important to you.
- Cooling Towels – These are so helpful on those super hot days! They’re microfiber towels that you dampen and leave on your neck or pat yourself to cool you. My husband sometimes ties them to his head to like a pirate 😅 Be sure to have a wet bag to store them too and use cool water to dampen during use. We’ve even kept them in cooler🥶 Our favorite Set is from Amazon, each comes with a hanging clip and storage bag, click here to check them out.
- Spray Bottle – this handy extra is great for a quick cool down, especially when waiting in line. We got some cheap ones in our local drugstore but you can also splurge for ones with more functions.
- Portable Fan – There are so many options, some even Disney themed. You can even get a spray bottle with a fan attached to create a cooling mist! We tied ours to the stroller while our son was sleeping for a cooling mist.
- Extra Clothes – this is always helpful for many reasons, at the very least an extra shirt. You can get soaked on a ride or just get super sweaty, either way an extra shirt or outfit can be a helpful way to keep dry and cool.
- Towels – We like to bring a medium size microfiber towel to quickly dry off if we need to. We chose microfiber so it dries quickly, but honestly a beach towel works well too and the hot sun will typically dry it quickly.
- Mommy Hook – OK this is a HUGE must! Especially if you have a stroller. We use multiple hooks to hang larger water bottles to refill smaller ones we drink out of, towels, cooling towels and bags. You can even use these on backpacks to carry extras.
- Ponchos – with hot weather inevitably comes rain and in Florida, it tends to pour. Be prepared with ponchos at the ready. There are lots of options, but anything that you can fold up into a bag is easy to carry. If you have a Stroller, be sure to have a cover at the ready and do not underestimate the random rain storm. If your stroller is parked for a longer stretch of time, put your cover on, you may return to a soaked stroller without even knowing it rained.
- Scheduled Breaks – while not something tangible, breaks are helpful and important during hot days. This can be taking time to hit a ride or shop with air conditioning, returning to your hotel to relax and swim or just some downtime in the park in a shady spot. Some parks have great rest areas or even water play areas, like in Dumbo’s Circus in Magic Kingdom.
We hope you found these Disney World Theme Park Must-Have checklists helpful to plan your next trip! We’ve put both lists into a easy to print off Checklist, click here to download or Print. If you still find yourself overwhelmed or unsure what to bring we offer planning tools and services to reduce overwhelm and empower your decisions. Book a free Discovery Call to find out how we can help you plan the most magical trip ever 🌟
