Packing: What *Must* Your Bring

Comfortable shoes.

Another vote for the comfortable shoes from me.

a day bag for the parks that you don't mind carrying around all day.

I also vote for comfortable shoes, although sunscreen is right up there on my packing list. We usually go in late fall, and I skip the sunscreen on those long-pants-and-jackets days. But comfortable shoes are a necessity no matter what the weather.

As for the day bag idea, I usually stuff my pockets with the minimum necessities and go bag-free.

Camera with spare batteries or a battery charger.

I would say comfortable shoes also but my family is full of red heads and fair skin so sunscreen is a close second.

I will go with comfortable shoe as well. And not a brand new pair!

I think trying to break in a new pair of shoes on a Disney trip has the potential for bad news. If you plan to get new shoes for the trip, do it at least a month ahead and wear them as much as you can before you leave. Your feet with thank you!

Id say shoes.... but something is telling me I don't need to. So I'm going to say a smart phone like an iPhone for apps. Disney apps for wait times, maps, what places have to eat are great to have on the go. I know you can grab a map and what not, but if your already carrying a phone... its one less thing to worry about. So ill say a smart phone with apps for Disney.

Another one for comfortable shoes! And moleskin! Such a lifesaver for me!

Chapstick! I think I'd die without it...and a camera of course!

I thought of another one...A ziploc bag for your phone & wallet on water rides!

Spare Sunglasses. My kids were both careless with theirs and we had two broken pairs by day 3 of our 8 day trip. Dollar store spare sunglasses would have saved the day. We had to spend 30+ dollars on disney ones at the park since we stayed at the resort and no rental car to buy less expensive ones.

a rain poncho and umbrella...got caught last october in the heaviest rain I have ever seen..it started Friday afternoon and ended Sunday morning. I have never seen rain like that before!!

Sketchers Shape Up Shoes - sneaker/casual/ or sandal... the BEST shoes EVER for walking around in. (I own 10 pairs... yeah.. I love em.)

Dual lined socks.. available at sports stores, used a lot by runners - they make for totally blister free walking.

Johnson/Johnson sells a small deodorant stick type thing, that name I can't remember, that you're supposed to put on your feet to stop blisters forming on tight shoes. This stuff works on any part of the body that might "rub raw" or chafe. It's not greasy and lasts longer than the other stuff people have told me to buy.

I haven't tried moleskin so I don't know what it is.

Cargo pants/shorts with lots of pockets that close so I can go in the park bag free.

I always try to pack a variety of OTC medicine - cold medicine, sinus pills, pepto...
The DH and I got pretty sick last time - probably from someone on the plane - and we would up having to take a day off and moped around the room. He has some sinus issues which is always irritated by the plan trip down there. We got got some OTC stuff from the gift shop - and since it only had a few doses, we wound up have to get more - almost $50 worth!

I see all of these votes for shoes, has anyone made the mistake of wearing uncomfy shoes? Last time I went I had bought some new sneakers I found on sale that were a half size too small... Let me tell you I will never do that again.. Thank god I had brought my old sneakers too because when all you can think about is how much your feet hurt it really ruins the experience!

I know what you mean about when your feet hurt, it ruins the experience. Last time we went, I had a stress fracture in my foot that I didn't know about until I walked on it for a day straight at HS. The next couple of days I just sucked it up and walked the other 3 parks. My boyfriend almost had to carry me back to the hotel by the end of the last day.

I had bad shoes that ruined my feet the first day. I ended up buying Mickey crocs and they helped ALOT, but I still had blisters the size of quarters.

The johnson/johnson stuff I was talking about before is called "Friction Block" and I find it better than "Body Glide."

I wore Birkenstock sandals to Cedar Pointe one time thinking "its not Disney I don't need my tennis shoes" boy was I wrong. I had blisters on my feet and couldn't stand socks and anything to touch them for days. And these were over $100 shoes! Lesson learned I always wear my Nike tennis shoes for all parks, sandals around the resort and pool, and nicer shoes to my signature dinners.

Comfortable shoes
Sunscreen
Small first aid kid (with headache tablets, antihistamines etc)

Something a little less obvious - a small notebook and pen. Great for keeping track of the ins and outs of your trip if you're planning to write up a trip report or do some scrapbooking. Also great for if you see that must-have gift, you can make a note of where it was, price etc - if I don't write it down I can never find it again!

I've written notes about my trips but never thought to keep track of gifts I may want to buy later. I have on occassion went back to buy something and not remember where I found it.

Ooh, good idea! After 2 weeks at WDW, I'm not going to remember everything that happend, once we have gotten back to Oz. So jotting little notes down as it happens or that night, is a great idea!!

I have a pair of Air Jordans, and there not the type you think. They were more skater style type of shoe, not the basketball type. Well... I thought they would be fine... oh no. It was a long week lets just say. My feet hurt SO BAD. So this past year a week before we went I bought a new pair of Nike's that were for running. My only regret was I wish I had bought a month in advance because they weren't totally broken in. At the end of the week... had an AWESOME blister! lol

Yep comfy shoes, chap stick, sunscreen and an extra pair of contact lens! You just never know when they're going to act up.

Band-aids! You can get them at the first-aid centers, but sometimes it's a long walk to get there if you have a blister!

A small first-aid kit in general is always handy, and I always include an "afterbite" pen. I don't know what you call those little bugs (not mosquitoes) that bite and leave you itching for days, but they always find me.

Extra glasses (if you wear them) - contacts if you wear those. I had a pair of glasses self-destruct on a trip once - thank heavens I had my spare pair with me, 'cause I'm just blind without them!

A nightlight for the hotel room. Waking up in a pitch dark room usually leads to a lot of bruises and nasty words! I try and find a place in the bathroom, or the sink area, to plug it in. If it's low wattage, it gives just enough light to find your way around, without having to turn on the overhead lights. (which also leads to nasty words from whoever you're travelling with!)

Learned this the hard way.....I usually wear contacts during the day but if my contacts bother me I will wear my glasses and I can't sleep in my contacts so I will wear my glasses after I take my contacts out cause without anything I'm blind as a bat. Well last year i wore my contacts down...and had another pair of contacts and my glasses in my suitcase...which ended up lost....Luckily it was found and delivered the next day....but I was definatley in panic mode about it.

Power strip for the techno junkies like me, Cargo shorts/pants for the no bag lines, I have a hanging pouch that is water proof for my iPhone. It's big enough to carry KTTW cards and cash too also has external speaker plug so on my solo trips while waiting in line I can enjoy music and play games or I can take it in the pool/water parks. They just made one for the iPad as well...tested them both out at the Y pool and they work great.
Dee

I know this is a old thread but I want to share too

My baggallini. I can wear it on my hip like a purse or I can move the padded strap across me and wear it like a back pack. It is big enough to hold all of my cards, cash, camera, medications, room for 2 water bottle. The water bottles makes it heavy but the room is there. It is big enough for all the stuff I need, but small enough so you can't over stuff it and make it heavy.

http://shop.baggallini.com/baggallini-mes160-messenger-bagg/121602/285128

My vote.