A practical Disney World packing list for taking your little princesses to Disney World, with money-saving tips and sanity-saving hacks
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You’ve booked your Disney World trip and now comes the overwhelming part – figuring out what to pack for your little princesses. If you’re anything like I was before our first Disney trip with my three-year-old daughter, you might be wondering how to balance the magic (those adorable princess dresses!) with the practical (Florida heat and lots of walking).
After many Disney Trips, I’ve learned what’s actually worth packing – and more importantly, what’s worth buying before you go to save money once you’re there. Because let’s be honest, there’s nothing magical about spending $35 on a bubble wand that you could have bought for $15 at home (yes, I learned this one the hard way!).
In this guide, you’ll discover:
- Exactly what to pack to keep your little princesses comfortable and entertained
- Which items to buy before your trip to save money (and which ones are actually worth getting at the parks)
- Clever alternatives to expensive park merchandise that your kids will love just as much
- Real mom-tested tips for managing everything from princess meet-and-greets to nap times
Whether you’re planning your first Disney trip or you’re a regular visitor looking to make your next trip smoother, this packing list will help you prepare for a magical (and meltdown-free) Disney World experience with your girls.
Why Strategic Packing Matters for Disney World with Girls
Let’s talk about what makes packing for Disney World with little girls unique. Between the Florida heat, the extensive walking (we’re talking 20,000+ steps a day!), and the excitement of meeting favorite princesses, your typical vacation packing list just won’t cut it.
When we took our three-year-old daughter to Disney World for the first time (she was two at the time), I quickly learned that success lies in balancing the magic with the practical. While the enchanting atmosphere might tempt you to focus solely on princess dresses and tiaras, experienced parents know it’s the thoughtful essentials that prevent those dreaded mid-park meltdowns.
What to Consider When Packing:
Weather Realities:
Disney World’s Florida location means you’re dealing with intense heat, sudden afternoon thunderstorms, and humidity that can challenge even the most enchanted princess. Your packing choices need to prioritize comfort without sacrificing the magic. Things like rain ponchos are a must. Seriously, this is one you will regret buying when you get caught in an infamous Florida rainstorm.
Princess Meet-and-Greet Prep:
Character interactions are often the highlight for little girls, but they require some planning. You’ll want items that make these moments special (and photogenic!) while being practical enough to wear all day.
Park Logistics:
From stroller parking to quick outfit changes, understanding how you’ll navigate the parks helps inform what you really need to bring – and what you can leave at home.
Budget Considerations:
Disney World is magical, but it can also be expensive. Strategic pre-trip purchases can help you avoid inflated park prices while still ensuring your little ones have everything they need for a memorable experience.
While every family’s needs are different, this guide focuses on items that have proven essential for making a Disney World trip with little girls both magical and manageable. Let’s dive into exactly what you need to pack – and what you can skip.
Must-Have Items to Buy Before Your Disney World Trip
1. Comfortable Princess Dresses That Won’t Break the Bank
When I saw the $80+ price tag on princess dresses at Disney World, I was so glad we came prepared. While the dresses in the park are gorgeous, you can find beautiful, comfortable alternatives for a fraction of the price before your trip. Look for lightweight, breathable fabrics that can handle Florida’s heat and humidity.
What to Look For:
- Cotton-blend fabrics that breathe
- Loose-fitting styles for easy movement
- Machine washable options (trust me on this one!)
- Built-in shorts or pair with bike shorts for comfort
- Easy on-and-off design for bathroom breaks
Little Adventurers dresses are my daughter’s absolute favorite (and honestly, the only ones that don’t itch). They are adorable and capture the Disney magic but SUPER comfortable and perfect for the Florida heat.
2. Bubble Wands (A Surprising Must-Have!)
Can I confess something? I never thought I’d be the mom excited about a bubble wand. But during our Disney trip, watching my daughter’s face light up as bubbles floated through Fantasyland made that simple toy pure magic. Here’s the thing though – park bubble wands can cost upwards of $30-35. Buy one before your trip for around $10-$15, and you’ll still get all the magic without the premium price tag.
Pro Tip: Look for bubble wands with an easy-to-grip handle and leak-proof design. Pack extra bubble solution in your park bag – you’ll be glad you did!
My daughter absolutely loves this one.
3. Minnie Ears That Stay Put
Here’s a practical tip I learned with my three-year-old: traditional Minnie ear headbands don’t always work for little ones. While they’re adorable, they can be uncomfortable and often end up in your bag instead of on their head. Here’s what worked for us:
For Toddlers:
- Minnie ear clips that attach securely to hair
- Lightweight and won’t slip off during rides
- Perfect for fine baby hair
These are the ones we used.
For Older Girls:
- Comfortable headband-style Minnie ears
- Look for padded bands to prevent headaches
- Fun alternatives to park options at better prices
These are our faves.
4. Mini Minnie Purse for Autographs
Skip the traditional autograph book and opt for something more special – a small Minnie purse that characters can sign! This was one of our best discoveries with my daughter. Not only does it serve as an autograph book, but it becomes a cherished souvenir she can actually use after the trip.
Look for:
- Flat surfaces that are easy to sign
- Durable material that won’t smudge
- Small enough for little hands to carry
- Big enough for characters to sign
Here’s the one we used.
Rapunzel Princess Dress
Belle Princess Dress
Minnie Clips
Minnie Headband
Bubble Wand
Minnie Purse
Comfort & Convenience Essentials for Park Days
5. Battery-Operated Portable Fans with Water Mist
Florida heat is no joke, especially when you’re navigating Disney World with little ones in princess dresses. A good portable fan with a misting feature can be the difference between a magical day and a meltdown. While you’ll find these in the parks, they’re significantly more expensive there.
What to Look For:
- Rechargeable battery or long battery life
- Soft, flexible blades for safety
- Water mist feature
- Durable enough to survive drops
- Compact size to fit in your park bag
6. Insulated Water Bottles
One of the best money-saving tips at Disney World is bringing your own water bottles. There are water bottle filling stations throughout the parks, and any quick-service location will give you free ice water. We learned quickly that staying hydrated is key to keeping everyone happy!
Pro Tip: Pack an insulated water bottle for each family member. Look for:
- Easy-to-open lids for little hands
- Leak-proof design
- Fits in stroller cup holders
- Keeps water cold for hours in the Florida heat
My daughter loves this one. After a lot of trial and error, this is the one we take with us everywhere because it doesn’t spill!
7. The Right Stroller Strategy
Even if your little one hasn’t used a stroller in months, trust me – you’ll want one at Disney World. During our trip, our daughter wasn’t a big stroller fan at home anymore, but with over 20,000 steps in an average park day, it became our saving grace. Not only did it give her tired legs a break, but it also provided the perfect spot for an afternoon nap and carried all our park essentials.
Choosing Your Stroller
If you’re debating between bringing your own stroller or renting one, consider your travel plans. We opted to bring our own single stroller – a lightweight one that made transportation between parks seamless. When taking the Skyliner (Disney’s aerial gondola system), we could wheel our single stroller right in without folding it, which was incredibly convenient during those sleepy end-of-day rides back to our resort.
For our upcoming trip with both girls, we plan on using a double stroller like this one. While tandem strollers (one child in front of the other) can also be wheeled onto the Skyliner, side-by-side double strollers need to be folded. Keep in mind that regardless of your stroller type, all strollers must be folded when riding Disney buses – something to consider if your resort relies heavily on bus transportation.
Making the Most of Your Stroller
One of the best pieces of advice we received was to make our stroller easily identifiable in the stroller parking areas. While a bright ribbon or balloon works well, we found that a personalized tag with a unique pattern helped us spot ours quickly among the sea of similar strollers. Remember, stroller parking is available throughout the parks, and we found ourselves regularly parking and retrieving our stroller as we moved between different attractions.
For sunny Florida days, good sun coverage is essential – we learned this lesson quickly during our afternoon walks through Magic Kingdom. If your stroller doesn’t have adequate shade, consider a clip-on fan or a UV protective cover. And don’t forget to pack a lightweight rain cover; those infamous Florida afternoon showers can pop up without warning!
8. Emergency Kit & Hair Care Essentials
Nothing ruins the magic faster than uncomfortable kids! Our emergency kit has saved the day more times than I can count. Here’s what we pack in a small, easy-to-access pouch:
Hair Care:
First Aid & Comfort:
Portable Fan
Insulated Water Bottle
Single Stroller
Double Stroller
Hair Ties
Mini Hairbrush
Entertainment Essentials for Wait Times
9. Special Disney Coloring Supplies
One of our smartest pre-trip decisions was packing special Disney coloring books and crayons that our daughter hadn’t seen before. While we always keep basic coloring supplies in our diaper bag for restaurants at home, having new Disney-themed options created extra excitement when we stopped for meals in the parks. The key is to save these special items just for the trip – the novelty goes a long way in keeping little ones engaged while waiting for meals or in longer attraction lines.
Quick Tip – look for:
- Small, travel-sized coloring books
- Triangle crayons that won’t roll off restaurant tables
- Character-themed options to match the parks you’re visiting
We love these with these crayons and also recently discovered these which have “magic ink” so the markers only work on the paper.
10. Magnetic Travel Games
When you’re waiting in longer lines or need a quiet moment at restaurants, magnetic travel games are worth their weight in gold. They’re compact, don’t have pieces that can get lost, and can be played multiple times. We found that Disney-themed versions added an extra touch of magic to otherwise mundane waiting periods.
We love:
Magnetic Minnie
Frozen Magnetic Games
Dress Up Magnetic Princesses
11. Pre-Downloaded Shows and Movies
While we typically limit screen time at home, having favorite Disney movies and shows pre-downloaded on a tablet proved invaluable during our trip. Whether it was during an unexpected afternoon thunderstorm or while waiting for our character dining experience, having reliable entertainment ready to go helped prevent meltdowns during longer waits.
Pro Parent Tip: Before your trip, download:
- Movies featuring characters you’ll meet
- Shows about the parks
- Disney sing-along videos for restaurant entertainment
Remember to pack:
Having these entertainment options ready doesn’t mean you’ll need them constantly. We found that the natural excitement of being at Disney World often kept our daughter engaged, but having these backups provided peace of mind for those inevitable moments when extra entertainment was needed.
“Magic Ink” Princess Coloring Books
Magnetic Minnie
Frozen Magnetic Games
Dress Up Magnetic Princesses
Kids Tablet
Kids’ Headphones
Smart Money-Saving Strategies Beyond Packing
While bringing the right items from home can save you money, there are several other strategies we discovered that can help make your Disney World trip more budget-friendly without sacrificing any of the magic.
The Strategic Souvenir Approach
One of the best pieces of advice we received was to wait until the end of our trip to buy souvenirs. Here’s why: those adorable shops at the front of Magic Kingdom are tempting, but they’re just the beginning of what’s available. By waiting until the end of your trip, your little ones can make informed decisions about what they really want, and you’ll avoid ending up with multiple “must-have” items from each park.
We made souvenir shopping part of the fun by letting our daughter window shop throughout the trip, taking pictures of things she liked. This turned into a fun activity in itself, and by the last day, she had a clear favorite that became a truly special memento.
Character Dining: Quality Over Quantity
While it’s tempting to book multiple princess dining experiences, we learned that choosing just one makes it more special. Both Cinderella’s Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall offer similar princess experiences, and we found that spreading out character interactions throughout our trip (through regular meet-and-greets) actually created more memorable moments than rushing from one character meal to another.
Skip the Memory Maker (Here’s Why)
During our trip, we initially debated purchasing Memory Maker, Disney’s photo package. While it’s a great service, we discovered that Cast Members are happy to take photos with your phone or camera, and they do a wonderful job! Plus, we were so caught up in the rides and experiences that we didn’t end up taking as many PhotoPass pictures as we thought we would.
Photo Tip: Don’t be shy about asking Cast Members to take photos – they’re pros at capturing magical moments and know all the best spots!
Smart Snacking Strategy
Having groceries delivered to your Disney resort is a game-changer. We used Instacart to order:
- Breakfast items for quick morning starts
- Packable snacks for the parks
- Fresh fruit and yogurt for healthy options
- Water bottles and drinks
This not only saved us money but also gave us reliable options for those times when someone needed a quick snack but the nearest food stand had a long line.
Remember, saving money at Disney World isn’t about skimping on the experience – it’s about being strategic with your spending so you can focus on what truly matters: creating magical memories with your little ones.
Making Magical Memories (Without Breaking the Bank)
Preparing for a Disney World trip with your littles might seem overwhelming at first – between the packing, planning, and anticipating all those magical moments. But with some smart preparation and the right essentials, you can focus on what really matters: seeing the wonder in your daughters’ eyes as they experience the magic of Disney World.
Remember, you don’t need to buy everything Disney sells to create special memories. Sometimes the most magical moments come from the simplest things – like playing with a bubble wand in front of the castle, or watching your little one twirl in her comfortable princess dress during an afternoon parade.
By packing strategically and following these money-saving tips, you can create an unforgettable Disney experience that’s both magical and manageable. Your little princesses won’t remember how much you spent on souvenirs, but they will remember the joy of meeting their favorite characters, the excitement of their first Disney rides, and the special moments spent together as a family.
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