My Disneyland Essentials | What to Pack

A few weekends ago I went to the Magic Kingdom with my boyfriend. We spent one day in California Adventure, and one day in Disneyland. While we were there, a few situations left me wishing I had certain items with me. Some other situations left me relieved that I came prepared. Here is a list of items that you MUST bring with you next time you take a trip to Disneyland-- or any theme park:

1.) Snacks and Water

Disneyland is expensive. Between the cost of a hotel (assuming you don't live nearby), meal costs, the insane gas prices in California, ticket costs, and the overpriced souvenirs, one almost has to take out a second mortgage to fund a Disneyland vacation.  That being said, most people do not want to spend $6 on a bag of overly salted popcorn and $4 for one bottle of water. However, if you do not bring your own snacks and beverages, the glorious smell of fresh popcorn and the feeling of dehydration after walking in the sun for hours WILL overwhelm you, and you will cave. Bring one plastic water bottle for each person in your group, and re-fill it throughout the day. The drinking fountains at Disneyland and California Adventure have surprisingly good water. Also, I recommend bringing plenty of snacks with you. Make sure they are light weight, satisfying, and something you will be happy to choose over the tempting treats in the park. We brought apples, almonds, and dried cranberries. This was a dumb idea, because they are dense, too healthy to satisfy the craving for corn dogs and popcorn, and not filling. Instead, bring something like these:
-Popcorn (Pre-popped and bagged in sandwich baggies)
-String cheese
-PB+J, Ham and cheese, your favorite sandwich 
-Granola Bars (avoid chocolate chips/coating, which can get messy)
-Cookies
-Goldfish crackers, pretzels, pringles, etc.
-Fruit/veggies (pre-sliced)

Basically, anything will work. Just make sure that your items are relatively light-weight, tasty, and mess-free. The last thing you want is to lug around a bag full of heavy apples that you don't even want to eat because everywhere you go there's a churro stand taunting you.

2.) Tennis Shoes with Shock-Absorbing Insoles

If you plan on being at the Magic Kingdom from open to close, this step is vital. Converse, vans, sandals, heels are a definite no. Even if you wear these shoes daily and think that they are comfy, you will hate yourself if you wear them. I wore tennis shoes and bought $15 insoles that were worth every penny. We walked for a total of fourteen hours with minimal breaks, and my legs, back, knees, and feet felt fine. I was mildly uncomfortable by the end of the night, which is priceless. 

3.) Medicine 

Speaking of being uncomfortable, do not forget medication. Space Mountain gave me a headache, and I was THRILLED when I remembered that I packed ibuprofen. After carrying a bag full of important crap all day, our shoulders were achy, so acetaminophen (Tylenol) and IcyHot were other much-appreciated items in the bag.  Just remember that pill bottles are heavy, so I recommend combining all the pills into one bottle or plastic bag (assuming they don't look identical). You only need a few capsules of each medicine, not an entire bottle. Here are some other medications that might be smart to bring: 
-Motion sickness medication
-Seabands (not actually a medication but helps motion-sickness, might be a placebo situation idk I still recommend).
-Allergy medicine
-Tums

4.) Autograph Book and Giant Pen

I bought my giant pen, which is easier for the characters to hold, at Dollar Tree. I also bought a small notebook at dollar tree instead of purchasing an official autograph book for five times the price elsewhere.

5.) Photo ID, Debit/Credit Card, Cash

Basically if you forget your wallet, you are screwed.

6.) Ponchos and Extra Socks
 
You know what goes great together? Chicken nuggets and french fries. You know what does not go good together? Water rides, denim, and human flesh. If you ride Splash Mountain unprepared, you will be wet for several hours, and you will hate yourself. Spend $1 at Dollar Tree on a poncho, or poke a hole in a kitchen garbage bag, and BAM you have saved yourself from a couple hours of misery. Also, bring extra socks. Just do it.

7.) Baby Wipes and Hand Sanitizer

Remember when I said that buying a churro or ice cream cone was inevitable? Well sticky fingers are also inevitable. Come prepared and bring baby wipes so you do not have to make a pit-stop at a busy bathroom every time you get a sweet tooth. Also, Disneyland is germ infested. Bring hand sanitizer.

8.) Sun Protection 

Sunscreen and sunglasses are a MUST. Bring a pair of sunglasses that are inexpensive so that if you lose, scratch, or break them,  it won't really matter. Also, place your sunscreen in a plastic travel bottle so that you save space in your bag.

9.) Lip Balm and Lotion

After hours of sweating, having your face blown into strange shapes by the high-winds on rides, and getting sun burnt even though you brought sunscreen, your lips and skin will get dry. Be prepared by bringing lip balm and lotion.

10.) Gum 

I am 99.9% sure that Disneyland does not sell gum. I am 100% sure that after several hours of  eating, you will feel unhygienic, and you will want to freshen up your breath. Gum magically fixes this problem without the mess of toothpaste or mouthwash! Who knew? Spit it out before you ride anything wild. Imagine Disney employees having to explain to your family that you died in their park because you choked on a piece of gum.

11.) Portable Charger

Your phone battery will probably die. Come prepared with a portable charger! TIP: turn your phone on airplane mode before entering rides. Most of them are underground and your phone will waste battery searching for service.

12.) Light Jacket

California can get quite chilly at night (and by chilly I mean roughly 50-60 degrees which is winter weather in AZ, but Summer weather in other places so maybe you could skip this), so bring a jacket/sweater/long-sleeve shirt. 

These are the items that you MUST bring to Disneyland and California Adventure. Leave any other recommendations that I might have forgotten in the comments!
xoxo,
Haylie Michelle