Pre-Disney Checklist

Packing for our recent Disney World trip required a little more than throwing things into a suitcase. I knew Disney World would be a magical vacation, but I wanted to cut out any stress and make sure we were fully prepared. Disney World also requires a little more than booking a hotel room and buying a few tickets. I don’t think you have to have a strict itinerary for DW, actually I think it’s best if you go into the trip a little flexible (especially if you’re traveling with a toddler). I do think it’s important to become familiar with the parks, and decide which attractions you don’t want to miss. This way, you can head straight to those attractions and get a Fast Pass, first thing.

Of course, none of these things are required, I just thought I would share a few things that made our trip special.

Dining Reservations (as soon as you book your trip or 6 months in advance):

• Call a Disney Vacation specialist and make reservations for dining. The parks can be crowded and the lines for restaurants can be long and sometimes reservations are required to even dine. Here are a few of our favorite spots:
  • Character Dining
    • Tusker House (Animal Kingdom)
    • Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary Resort)
    • Hollywood and Vine (Hollywood Studios)
    • Akershus, Royal Banquet Hall (Epcot, Norway, dining with the Princesses)
    • Ohana (Polynesian Resort, character dining with Lilo and Stitch at Breakfast)
  • Non Character Dining
    • Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom, you will get to meet the Beast after dinner)
    • Rainforest Cafe
    • Pizza Planet (Hollywood Studios, from Toy Story)

Disney Welcome Bag

Once we arrived at our resort, I quickly went to the room and planted a little surprise for BK, I told her the princesses had left it for her and she was ecstatic. DW offers welcome packages for the room, but they can get a little pricey, this is an easy way to get the same experience and save a little money.

Here’s what I included:

• Disney shirts (I picked up at my local Target)
• Glow Sticks (for late nights at the park and fireworks shows)
• A new swimsuit
• A fan with water sprayer
• Autograph book (purchased here)
• Water bottle (purchased here)
• Backpack (purchased  here)
• Princess stickers
• Sunglasses

Stroller Rental

We didn’t want to worry about taking a stroller along with us, so we used a local rental company, Kingdom Strollers, to rent from. They delivered the stroller to our resort and we left it there at the end of our stay for the company to pick up. We rented a BOB Revolution and it was fantastic. You can rent strollers from Disney, but don’t expect anything great, they are very basic. I ultimately decided to go with something nicer since we would literally be pushing it all day long.

Customized Maps

Disney offers free customized maps that are a great addition to your trip and an excellent souvenir when your trip is over. Just be sure to order them a few weeks before your trip. You can create a map that highlights areas of that park that are perfect for you and your family. The best part? They’re free! You can check that out here.

 Disney Outfits

Since most custom clothing has a turn around time, don’t forget to order your childs special Disney outfits several weeks before the big trip. I actually ordered things here and there along the way, until our collection was complete. I’ve linked to the creator of each outfit below, each of them offered excellent customer service and a great product.

•  Turquoise with black and white polka dot Minnie outfit, Lil’ Bugs Clothing on Etsy.
• Princess Crown dress, Lil’ Bugs Clothing on Etsy.
• Blue and pink princess carriage applique dress, SheShe Made.
• Black and red Minnie outfit, Sew Close To Home.
• Animal-themed Mickey outfit, Sew Close To Home.

A few other things to remember:

• Take a backpack that you can use in the park. I recommend a cross-body bag, like the Kavu bags. They hang on the stroller well, and you won’t have to carry it around the park all day. 
• Small cooler (insulated bag) for water. We just froze a few bottles the night before and put BK’s cup in the cooler to keep it cool all day.
• Poncho’s/Rain Cover for stroller, be prepared!
• Put your name or something distinguishable on your stroller. You’ve never seen so many strollers in your life, until you come out of a popular attraction at Magic Kingdom. If you rent your stroller, they will take care of this for you.
• Wear comfortable shoes! I swear by Chaco’s.
• It’s going to be fun, no matter what. Go with the flow and don’t be so dependent on a schedule that changing plans puts you in a tailspin. Sometimes things won’t go according to plan, enjoy your day anyway!