I'm Going to Disney World! Now What Do I Pack?

You've booked your trip, paid the final deposit and you're crossing off the last of the Mickey Heads on your "How Many Days Until Vacation?" countdown.  Now you're thinking about what to pack and take with you to Orlando....what do you take, and what do you leave behind?

Just think, after all the packing, you'll be driving through these gates!

Here are my suggestions for what should take up your valuable suitcase space, and what you can leave at home.

What to Take:

* Weather-appropriate clothes: Before you start packing, check a weather site such as weather.com for the current temperature, as well as the projected temps while you're in Orlando.  Yes, it's Florida but that doesn't mean every day is sunny and 90 degrees.  I'm leaving in a few weeks to be there in late December / early January and am planning on packing a pair of long pants, and a sweatshirt or light jacket.  A little pre-planning beats having to hit up the stores and spend all your souvenir budget on a jacket because all you packed were shorts and tank tops.

* Comfortable footwear: This is a MUST.  In 2003, I went to Disney World with my cousin and because I was trying to be all cute and fashionable, I packed a pair of cheap colored flip-flops to coordinate with each of my outfits (that was back in the day when I cared about such things ).  About 1/2 way through the first day, I had had enough, gave up on my dream of color-coordinated footwear and bought a pair of Mickey Mouse Keds and some socks.  You will walk a LOT at Disney - even if you're not trying to see and do it all, you'll walk at least 3-4 miles per day so please pack shoes that allow you to walk that distance comfortably.

* The chargers you'll need for your phone, iPad, etc:  There are many things that you can buy at the resort or even get at the front desk if you forgot things at home (like a toothbrush) but it would be a giant pain in the you-know-where to have to take time out of your vacation to go and locate those items, especially if you don't have a car.  I found inexpensive iPhone and iPad chargers and cables at my local Walgreens store, near the checkout.  I bought an extra charger, and have it in my vacation supplies so I don't have to worry about forgetting mine at home.

* A small bag with a few bandaids, Tylenol, etc: Each time I travel anywhere, but especially at Disney, I always pack a small first-aid kit.  In case someone scrapes a knee, gets a blister, a headache, you have those supplies ready.   You can buy these items on property but of course you'll pay a premium, so a little planning ahead here goes a long way.   (If you have devices with you that take batteries, pack a few extra of those as well - batteries are pretty expensive when bought on property).

* Sunscreen and aloe vera:  The sun is no joke, and it's no fun to get a sunburn on your vacation.  Be sure you apply sunscreen every few hours, even when it's cloudy.  Bring some aloe vera lotion with you just in case you get a sunburn; I burn pretty easily, and I find this provides relief.  If you have a fridge in your room, store the aloe in there so it's cool when you apply it.

What to Leave at Home:

* Every piece of clothing and every shoe you own: I understand the compulsion, believe me.  I like to have options when I go on vacation; I'm not good at saying "On Monday I'll wear this, on Tuesday I'll wear this", etc.  But I have learned that in packing clothes and shoes, less is definitely more.  Make your packing piles, then edit those down.  My general rule of thumb is 1 outfit per day, with 2 extra outfits just in case.  I also usually bring two pairs of shoes; one pair of sandals and a pair of tennis shoes.

* Dress clothes:  The atmosphere at Disney is very casual; at the parks and 99% of the restaurants, the dress code is "vacation casual." There are a few signature restaurants where a dress code is in place, such as Victoria and Alberts at the Grand Floridian, but if you're not eating there, leave the suit coats, dresses and heels at home.

* Lots of toys and "things to do" for the kids: By all means let them bring their special stuffed animal they sleep with, or their "lovey" that they like to have with them.  But I bet you'll be so busy having fun at the parks, going in the pool and hanging out together that you won't be spending time in your room and needing toys for the kids to play with.  (I do sometimes bring a deck of cards to play with if we have downtime in the evening.)

What items do you take on vacation, and what do you leave at home?