Wow! we could've used that...

[cm8]

Antibiotics? I bring Macrobid...I take it prophylactically... so on vacation I defnitely need it..not to mention all the wet swimsuits, etc.

QUOTE]

So true! Thank God for Macrobid! I always bring some Uristat too just in case I forget to take the Macrobid.

Some other must haves:
1. Collapsible cooler. We buy a case of bottled water and keep them in the freezer. They keep other drinks cold (box juices) and feel great when it's really hot. Your drink stays cold even if you leave it in the stroller pouch while on a ride.

2. Toothbrush holder. I skeeve putting my toothbrush on the counter. We got these from Chick-Fil-A kids meals. My kids were so disappointed compared to Happy Meal toys, but I kept them and just pop it in the dishwasher when we get home. BTW, I always get dollar store toothbrushes to pack in advance so I don't have to worry about forgeting my regular one from the bathroom that day. They're so cheap, it's one less thing to repack to go home too.

3. Paper bathroom cups. I don't want to worry about kids sharing cups or worse, broken glass.

4. Mickey ponchos. We got stuck buying them in the park a few yrs. ago so I just pack them. It's only the times I forget to bring them that it rains!

5. KY. someone had to say it!

, I so know what you mean!! I even bring the "toys"

 

[floridianer]

Not sure if someone said this, but this is my best TIP for Disney...

If you arrive with your own car in the parking lots, make a pic of the Row and the section of the lot with your digital camera.
Specially if you switch the parks it can become stressy to remember all the sections and numbers

Never happened to me, luckily, but I don´t want it to happen... Saw too many looking for their cars at night!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Not sure if someone said this, but this is my best TIP for Disney...

If you arrive with your own car in the parking lots, make a pic of the Row and the section of the lot with your digital camera.
Specially if you switch the parks it can become stressy to remember all the sections and numbers

Never happened to me, luckily, but I don´t want it to happen... Saw too many looking for their cars at night!

Yes we do this too. Along those lines we also take a dig picture of our rental car: license plate (in remote chance that car gets stolen) any damage or scratches while we're still in the airport garage. This imprints the date and time on the photo in case they try to tell me later that it wasn't there before we rented the car.

 

[MickeysFans]

Great tips!

Thing I'm glad I brought were Zip loc bags - I have two small boys and I packed each of their outfits into a zip loc bag - shorts, top, underwear and socks. Made the mornings roll so quick. Just tossed them a bag and they got themselves dressed!

I bought a blinking colored flashlight for each of them in their favorite colors. And one extra incase one got lost (which it did). This stopped them from asking for one of the $25 huge light up things Disney sells. They would have been devastated if they couldn't get it in their suitcase to bring home....

I brought little surprises - figurines, pjs, Mickey shirts, flip flops, bath toys etc. for daily surprises.

While we were there during our last trip we bought the Mickey Mouse squirt fans. The boys LOVED them... they will be coming back with us on the next trip. I'd recommend bringing one from home if you can fit it... they are expensive down there and they were great for the hot weather.

Mickey straws - I bought a bunch and brought them with us. This made keeping them hydrated much easier. Everything tastes better through a mickey straw.

If you're taking the Magical Express - pack sunscreen in your carry on. It has the be 3oz or smaller to make it through security - but you may not get your luggage for a few hours when you get there and then you wont have to buy a small bottle for 10.00 at the gift shop.

Stroller Markers - Decorate your stroller!! It will make it a lot easier when you try to find it. I made a sign and stuck it in a ziploc bag (to keep it from getting worn or wet) and attached it to the stroller with zip ties. Made it easy to find it in the parks and at the airport!

Disney trivia! - Helped keep everyone (including the adults) from getting antsy in lines, at the airport or waiting for dinner. I have a huge list if anyone's interested.

My order from Garden Grocer - we got breakfast things and snacks. Made a big difference eating in the room in the AM. Saved a lot of time and we got to use our dining credits for lunch and dinner.

Little things like: a cup to rinse soap out of the kids hair, flushable wet wipes for the bathroom, air freshener, sented airfreshener balls you can stick in the kids shoes, a night light, Clothes pins to keep the shades closed at nap time, cheap toothbrush holder for the sink to keep toothbrushes/sink clean, travel Shower caddy (canvas one from LL Bean) keeps things in the bathroom cludder free.

IPOD TOUCH!!! This is always a life saver no matter where I am. Load it with games for the kids, quick shows in case there's a long wait for dinner (even with reservations), a playlist to play for the kids (and Mom) at bedtime, movies for the plane, Applications that help with Disney Dining and Wait times. These are great!!!

ok, my fingers are tired.
Hope you all have a great trip!

After reading some of these posts I'm goig to need a new suitcase!

Wonderful ideas! I am stealing a bunch of them
We play the A-Z game with Disney characters: A- Aladdin, B- Belle, etc. We stick with one letter until we run out of ideas.

 

[SFD]

Great info, Thanks.

 

[SoCal Belle]

Great thread. I've enjoyed reading it all. I didn't know about "cups" before either. Special thanks to the poster who compiled a summarized list.
smithmom, i would love your Disney trivia list, but I can't send private messages yet, suggestions?

 

[hsmamato2]

We will only have a few days at the parks and the crowd calendar has the first couple as 7 or 8! That doesn't seem slow to me, and I want to make the most of the time we have.

Maybe you are right, but I am one of those people who wants to be prepared! Thanks for weighing in tho.

not anymore- now due to marathons and some other stuff happening including MLK weekend- crowds are pretty big thru after MLK weekend now- we've done January for years,this past year was the busiest we've ever seen! not HUGE,but still way busier than in the past. Things like less shows on different days impact it too....plus after New years the Brazil tour groups visit,plus some cheerleader groups etc......

 

[HermanTriplets+1]

Yes we do this too. Along those lines we also take a dig picture of our rental car: license plate (in remote chance that car gets stolen) any damage or scratches while we're still in the airport garage. This imprints the date and time on the photo in case they try to tell me later that it wasn't there before we rented the car.

And on these lines - take a digital photo of the back of your PhotoPass card/cards! If they get lost, the number will allow you to get them back!

 

[pattibehan]

Thank you for all of the tips! I am going out to buy my shoe organizer! I keep all of my reciepts, park maps and all kinds of memorabilia for scrapbooking...this will be perfect!

I never forget to start my DH on colace the day we leave home - sorry if that is TMI, but it saves a lot of ....problems!

I never forget handiwipes - so useful and you throw them away at the end of the week. Also on my never forget list are a power strip/surge protector for the laptop, extra batteries for cameras, extra tapes for our old school camcorder, and if you are driving - your pillows!!

 

[momminnie]

MOLESKIN! MOLESKIN! MOLESKIN! I can't say it enough. I have never had problems before, except sore feet the next day. On our last trip (sept.09) I took my 2 pair of good walking shoes. I alternated everyday. On our 4th or 5th day there I thought I would die. We stay in the parks until closing everyday. Well this day I thought my feet would fall off. I was praying they would. I got back to the room I even cried(that didn't help) The next day I remembered the MOLESKIN! I lined my feet really good and no more problems the rest of the time we were there. So I will never forget to take my MOLESKIN! It cost too much there. I checked. So make sure to carry it with you.

 

[3princess mommy]

Rain ponchos and Stroller covers We were there last May enough said

 

[skx1122]

We buy light up necklaces and toys from the dollar store before we go - then I pull them out to avoid buy the super expensive ones at every parade.

 

[santa's surpriz]

im mostly a day trip person, but ill share a few tips, mainly revolving around electronics:

1. Bring all of your charging cords--it sounds really obvious, but in the rush to get out the door, it's easy to forget. and it is very, very, very annoying to have to ration your phone, iPod, ect.

2. Charge everything the night before you depart and the night before you return.

3. Get a new book, a new movie on your iPod, or a new DS game to entertain everybody during line waits and such. for my last weeklong vacay, i downloaded a new swac, 2 new iCarlys, a a movie (fame) plus a new book, and used every cent i spent.

I have lived and learned...Now I always pack 2 phone chargers. I went on three consecutive WDW trips and each time my cord went kaput on me.
# additional items I have not seen posted that I always pack:

1. Lysol or some sort of disinfectant/germ killer around the bed, bathroom and other surfaces.
2. 2 Journals. I bring dd and I each a journal that we write in before we go to bed to tell about our day. I started this tradition our very first trip. We are not really journal keepers everyday but it is a nice way to remember he magic.
3. Pre-printed labels with name address & phone #. Saves a ton of time at the airport and when shipping.

 

[kmccartney]

1. Bring all of your charging cords--it sounds really obvious, but in the rush to get out the door, it's easy to forget. and it is very, very, very annoying to have to ration your phone, iPod, ect.

I not only pack all of ours along with a power strip, but I take a piece of masking tape and label each cord. It is total chaos to keep the cords for three cell phones, one iPod, one netbook, one Sony eReader, one digital camera charger, one camcorder charger, and three Mp3 players all straight.

 

[FamilyShortyAJP]

For our last trip in 2007 (our first with kids), I got engraved ID tags made at a pet store (the machine at Walmart never works) for my kids who were 2 and 5. I put only their first names on the front and my and my husband's cell phone numbers on the back. They were shiny pink.

I worried that if they somehow were separated from the 4 adults following them around, the 5 yr old wouldn't have spoken even under threat of death, and, of course, the 2 year old couldn't have given a phone number.

The necklaces I put them on broke before we even got into WDW, and we bought stretchy hairbands to put them on.

We still have them and use them whenever we're going to be a really crowded public situation.

The writing is also small enough that a stranger couldn't read it at a reasonable distance and lure the kids by calling their name.

I heard this idea and am planning to make them for my 4 year old for our trip but instead of putting it on a necklace, hooking it to her shoe. We will have our cell phone on us so if she gets lost someone can easily reach us. Good idea to use a bright color so it would be easily noticed if needed.

 

[FamilyShortyAJP]

I love that you have a pile, I have a tote bin, and yes, it is already accumulating items that I intend to pack for our August Disney trip!

On another note, you said you really couldn't find a place to hang the over the door shoe organizer at WL? We are staying at WL in August and I have already bought one from Walmart to pack, will it fit over the top of the bathroom door?

We are staying there as well and I was thinking of bringing some removable hooks to go with the shoe organizer to hang it in case there is no door to fit it on or it doesn't fit correctly. I think someone previously in this thread mentioned this idea so thanks to them for it!

 

[chrissycassie]

I take a small sound machine to block out the "hotel noise".

 

[Tricia's mom]

Sorry to say but we like to be complete jerks and put a horn/bell on DD's stroller to alert the dummies who just....stop.....or people who are lolly gagging.....It's very helpful in the parks.

HONK HONK get out my way ....LOL

 

[pattibehan]

I think I had to jump out of your way !!

 

[RandFamily]

Here's my latest "Must-Have": a water bottle with a portable filter. That way I don't have to buy water, and yet I don't have to drink the nasty chlorinated water in the park water fountains. I don't know how I lived without it!!!

Here's where I got mine: http://www.************.com/bottles.html