In case you hadn’t figured it out, we at Babes in Disneyland are always thinking about our next visit to Disneyland (probably much like you, if you’re reading this blog!) – and we are always planning ways to make our trip the absolute BEST it can be. Life happens, and life can sometimes make you feel miserable, but when you are in the Happiest Place on Earth that’s just not an option! So we’ve put our heads together to come up with our list of “kind of out there,”  not-your-basic life-saving items we pack with us for a full-day in the parks. And the best part is that all of these items are good for the whole family – not just the babes! (Click here for our complete packing guide.)

In no particular order…

1. Plastic Baggies –

 

What haven’t we used plastic baggies for?! We’ve often said we should buy stock in Ziploc! Zipping plastic baggies come in handy for everything from packing and organizing clothes so kids know exactly what to put on each morning, to keeping items dry on Splash or Grizzly River Run, to containing dirty or wet clothes and shoes, to saving leftovers for later.

*TERRIFIC TIP:  Pack a few of bags each size – snack, sandwich, quart, and gallon so you have the right size for the right situation – and sometimes they come in a Mickey Mouse print.

2. Body Glide or GoldBond Powder –

Thankfully I do not suffer from this problem, but I know several people that get terrible chafing on their
legs or blisters on their feet from walking a lot in the heat, and it ruins their day! To prevent this from happening you can use a BodyGlide stick or some GoldBond powder before you hit the parks and throughout the day.

*TERRIFIC TIP: If you find yourself without these products and suffering from some kind of minor (but annoying) issue, go to First Aid in either park – they will hook you up with band-aids, ointment, ibuprofen, or pretty much whatever you need to help you get through the day.

3. Ponchos –

While the water rides are a TON of fun, walking around wet for a few hours (especially when it’s not a blazing hot day) just isn’t, and for some it can lead to chafing (see #3) which is totally miserable. Check out this old Tip Tuesday, we may look silly, but we enjoy the ride and enjoy getting off a lot more than the folks who got soaked on the log behind us. Ponchos not only protect our clothes or hair, but if they are long you can also wrap them around your shoes to keep them dry and makes you feel better about your electronics you might have on your person.

*TERRIFIC TIP: Didn’t bring ponchos? Use large trash bags in a pinch!

4. Wet Wipes –

Gracious, what are wet wipes not good for? Wipes aren’t just for littles – everybody will want to use one on their hands before eating and on their face afterward, you can use them for spills on your clothing, or clean up a dirty table or chair at a busy restaurant so you can feel comfortable eating there, and just generally clean up any spills or messes that may occur.

*TERRIFIC TIP: Since you may already be carrying baby wipes with you, just use these instead of sanitizing wipes – they feel wonderful on a sweaty hot day to wipe off your face and neck and are more gentle.

5. Motion-sickness Prevention –

Consider yourself very lucky if motion-sickness does not affect you, because it is no bueno! But if If you don’t want that to get in the way of enjoying your favorite rides, pack your choice of motion-sick medicine, patches, bracelets, or oil to turn frowns upside-down! (I swear by the Motioneaze oil to prevent car-sickness in my kids and myself.)

*TERRIFIC TIP: We recommend not going on any wild rides on an empty stomach, but for that matter don’t go on a super full one either if you tend toward being motion sick.

6. Protein-Rich Snack –

You all know what hangry is right? I get this big time, and what makes it worse is when I’ve had a whole lot of sugar (I love me some churros and cotton candy). It’s always a good idea to have snacks ready to go, but particularly snacks that have protein in them – like nuts or protein bars. They really help to take the edge off my hunger and balance out some of the sugar I’ve eaten.

*TERRIFIC TIP: Any of the “fruit stands” around the parks sell trail mix and other healthy items if you just need a quick snack.

7. The Disneyland App – 

This might not be so surprising – but I bet there are a lot of people out there that don’t know just how life-saving the Disneyland app (for iTunes and Google Play) can be during a day in the parks! Everything you want to know from park hours, ride wait times, where you can find your kiddo’s favorite character, bathroom locations, mobile food ordering, to getting your FastPass/MaxPass/PhotoPass pictures all in one place… It. Does. EVERYTHING.

*TERRIFIC TIP: Before you enter the parks, make sure you have your Disney account and login created and all of the members / tickets in your group linked so that you are ready to go the minute you step inside those magical gates.

8. Water Misting Fan –

Because it’s hot, and kids and adults can get cranky in the heat, and a mister feels like heaven. Enough said.

*TERRIFIC TIP: WITH PERMISSION, if you see some worn out kiddos near you or in line, send a mist their way – I’ve never been sorry when a new friend shared their nice cool mist with me.

 

9. Portable Electronics Charger – 

Raise your hand if you’ve ever missed out on taking that perfect picture with Mickey because your battery died? Or you got separated from your group but couldn’t call or text because your phone was dead? Oh yes – it’s not our favorite thing to have the battery in your phone or camera die during a day at Disneyland. Packing along a small portable electronic charger can be a total life-saver! Especially because you’ll be using the Disneyland app so much (see #6) and taking so many pictures and videos – it definitely takes a toll on your battery. Don’t miss out on your selfie with Snow White!

*TERRIFIC TIP: If you don’t  have one or forget to bring yours you can purchase or swap a portable charging  system from stations found around the Disneyland Resort (search “charger” on the Disneyland app to find exactly where these are located) or you can bring your own power cord, find an outlet and relax at the Starbucks while your phone charges!

10. Pair of Back-up Shoes –

If you are like me, and you are at Disneyland from open until close, you know just how tired your feet can get. I always wear my comfiest shoes, but even then my dogs are barking after a while! Bringing flip flops, or just a different pair of shoes to change into can be a lifesaver for a few reasons: a) it feels amazing to change your shoe situation after walking for hours, b) it can seriously cool you off to let your feet breathe in sandals after they’ve been inside hot shoes, c) you can go on wet rides or play in the splash park without worrying about soggy sneakers.

*TERRIFIC TIP: If you don’t want to lug shoes (or any of these “life-saver” items) around the park with you all day, just rent a locker to store it all in and access it throughout the day!

 

Yep, we’ve lived through each and every one of these lame situations – but they’ve made us all a little wiser and hopefully a little more helpful to you, so you can avoid the grouchies and enjoy your magical day in the parks!

 

This post was updated 7/5/18