Are you wanting to know what to bring with you on your Disneyland trip? How about what are the best items to purchase BEFORE going to Disneyland? Finding the right balance of what is most important to not wanting to carry too much all day. In addition to how to save money on the most needed (or wanted) items while inside of the park.
15 Best Items to Purchase Before Going to Disneyland
Today I thought that I would share what my top 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland are. These are items that will help you out during your trip to Disneyland as well as items you can get ahead of time to save money in addition to convenience.
Hand Sanitizer and Wipes
First, on the list of 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland is hand sanitizer and wipes. While there are restrooms all over the park that you can wash up at, it is not always handy to go and wait in line. What is handy is having a bottle of hand sanitizer just in case. With thousands and thousands of people, every day visiting the Disneyland Resort… that can be a lot of germs lying around on ride restraints, handrails, walls, tables, chairs, etc. Trust me, you will appreciate having hand sanitizer on hand!
Another great tip is to get some sort of wipes. Either baby wipes or sanitizing wipes. Disneyland is great at keeping the park clean, however, sometimes you beat the Cast Members to a table and it may not be so clean. This is where the wipes will be handy. You can wipe down the table and any mess on the chairs before sitting down with your food.
Ziploc Bags
Second, on the list of 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland is Ziploc Bags. Whether you are going on a wet ride (for example, Splash Mountain or Grizzly Peak Rapids,) or if you have a storm roll through during your trip, Ziploc bags are a great way to keep your valuables dry. For years I have used Ziploc bags to keep my camera, batteries, phone, and camcorder dry. If you have paper tickets, you will want to put them in a bag too!
Spray Fan
Next on the list is a spray fan. This is an item that will really help you out when it is hot out. Disney sells one in the parks, however, it is extremely expensive. If you are planning to visit the Disneyland Resort during a hot time of year, you may want to look into getting a spray fan before your trip.
First Aid Kit/Band-aids
Another item on the list of 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland is a small first aid kit or band-aids. Disneyland has a first aid area at the park to help out with any mishaps inside of the parks. However, you may not be near it if you end up with a minor injury in your party. Therefore, to save time walking to the First Aid Center, have some band-aids on hand so that you can take care of it yourself!
Sunblock, Sunglasses, and Sun Protection Hat
Next on the list of 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland are some very crucial items. Sunblock, sunglasses, and a sun protection hat. These items are not just for the summer! There is a very good chance that you will need these for the wintertime as well! No joke!
I have been to Disneyland in the middle of November with it being in the ’90s every day! On the flip side, I have also been there during the same time and needed a poncho. During our last family vacation to Disneyland, we didn’t pack sunblock. Thinking that we wouldn’t need it. Come to find out we did! (We also needed ponchos one day during that same trip. It dumped on us!) Weather can be very unpredictable. That was a very expensive lesson. Make sure to bring some just in case!
Tip: Travel size sunblock is also a great item that you can carry through the park and it won’t take up much room in your bag.
Cooling Towels
Another item to help keep cool is cooling towels. I wish I would have known about these before! All you have to do is wet them down and the towels will cool down 30 degrees. Therefore, Frogg Towels are on this list of best items to purchase before going to Disneyland.
Water Bottles
Staying hydrated while you are at the Disneyland Resort is very important! Therefore, next on the list of 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland is a water bottle. While you can purchase a bottle of water pretty much at any food place at the Disneyland Resort, the price for purchasing these bottles throughout your trip can be very costly! Therefore, I recommend getting a compact water bottle before your trip.
Disney allows you to bring in water bottles. This way you can refill your bottle all day long and save some money. Disneyland has water fountains all over the park. (Find a map of water fountains here.)
Another way to get water is when you get food at the restaurants you can ask for ice water. While it is not bottled water, it is free water.
Tip: If you don’t mind using a disposable cup, Disney offers one for free at their restaurants and snack shops so that you can fill up at the water fountain.
Poncho’s
As I mentioned above, the weather can be unpredictable sometimes. Therefore, you will want to be prepared for anything! Next on the list of the 15 best items to purchase before traveling to Disneyland is ponchos!
This is a great way to help you stay dry should a rainstorm come through. The Disneyland Resort sells ponchos for around $10 a piece. If you have a good size group, this can eat up your funds fast! Therefore, check out some cheaper options to get before your trip. (Although, if you are wanting one with Mickey Mouse on it, then get it in the parks.)
Snacks
Did you know that you can bring snacks into the park with you? This can be a great way to save on snacks between meals. In addition to keeping the kids happy with snacks, they are familiar with.
If you are concerned about space while you are traveling, you may want to look into having some groceries delivered to your hotel. Here is a recent article I did on tips to make your Disneyland trip easier if you are at a Disneyland Resort Hotel. If you are at a Good Neighbor Hotel, just ask them if it is possible to have them delivered there too.
If you would like to know more about what items you can and can’t bring into the parks, check out my post of Banned Items here.
Glow Toys
Next on the list of the 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland is glow toys. Disneyland at night is a big deal! It is also a very pretty time of the day at the Disneyland Resort. With all of the nighttime entertainment around the resort, (find articles on what to do at Disneyland and California Adventure) it is a great opportunity to have some glow items!
Earmuffs
Disneyland is fun and exciting! However, the fireworks, parade, and shows can be unbelievably loud! If you have small ones, you may want to look into getting some sound-reducing earmuffs to protect their ears.
Autograph Books and Pen
Another fun item to get ahead of time is an autograph book and pen. This is something I have NEVER done myself. However, I am planning on getting one for my next trip. Because why not? Right???
Autographs can be a great souvenir and a wonderful way to interact with Disney characters. However, books can be a bit spendy in the parks. Therefore, check out some of these options before your trip.
Tip: When you are getting a pen, you will want to get one that is on the bigger side. It is easier for the characters to hold while signing your autograph book. Sharpies are a great one to get. If you are worried about keeping track of the cap, they have Sharpies with a click button on the top.
Hidden Mickey Book
Next on the list of the 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland is a Hidden Mickey book. If you would like to know more about Hidden Mickey’s, here is an article I wrote about it. Looking for hidden Mickey’s is a fun way to pass the time during your trip. This Hidden Mickey book helps you out as to where you can find Hidden Mickey’s all over the Disneyland Resort.
I.D. Bands
Losing a child during your trip is a frightening time for the parents and the kids! Disney Cast Members do their very best to help out both parties in the unfortunate event that you get separated. With all the people at the parks and the crowds, it is an easy thing to happen.
Therefore, I recommend getting I.D. Bands that you can fill out your phone number in the event of separation. Another item is an I.D. Bracelet. In addition to these options, another item is a Bluetooth tracker. This works with your Bluetooth on your phone. It is like a GPS in a way and it will send you an alert if your child gets too far away from you. Even if you go with the high-tech route, I recommend still putting an I.D on your little one just in case. You never know when that would be the moment your phone battery dies.
Tip: Before you begin your day, take a photo of your little each day. This way you have a current photo of your child as well as what clothes they are in. Another tip is to talk to your kids about what to do when they realize they are lost. Make sure they know how to identify a Cast Member and have them find the nearest one. Any Cast Member will be able to help them.
Mommy Hook
Finally, the last item on my list of 15 best items to purchase before going to Disneyland is a Mommy Hook. I discovered this item years ago and I have purchased it for a baby shower gift for all my friends ever since!
With this hook, you can have it hanging on your stroller handle and then put your bags, backpacks, shopping bags all on one hook! This is a great way to cart your items around.
Tip: Don’t think this tip only works on strollers. It can also be used on a wheelchair. I used this on my Mom’s wheelchair all the time when she broke her ankle. It was a huge help!
Here is the Mommy Hook on Amazon.
Here is the Mommy Hook on Target.
In Conclusion
I hope that this list of the 15 Best Items to Purchase Before Going to Disneyland helps you out while you are planning your trip to Disneyland. Here is a recap of the items:
- Hand Sanitizer and Wipes
- Ziplock Bags
- Spray Fan
- First Aid Kit/Bandaids
- Sunblock, Sunglasses, and Sun Protection Hat
- Cooling Towels
- Water Bottles
- Poncho’s
- Snacks
- Glow Toys
- Earmuffs
- Autograph Books and Pen
- Hidden Mickey Book
- I.D. Bands
- Mommy Hook
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