10 Things you don't want to forget to pack!

10 Things you don't want to forget to pack! All of these items are most relevant for trips to Disney, but most are important for other destinations as well.  I also make a note if this is something you should keep in your carry on - if you are traveling via air, sometimes it's a while before you'll have access to your checked luggage.  Save yourself a headache and make sure you keep these items close by!   1. Camera/Camera Phone - no matter where your destination is, you are going to want to capture those memories!  If you are using a trusty standard Camera, make sure you bring a memory card that has been wiped clean so you have plenty of room to store more photos.  If you are relying on your Camera Phone, before you leave home download all of your photos from the phone to your computer and then free up as much space as possible on your phone for those new memories.  You don't want to be right at the perfect moment trying to capture a photo, only to get the dreaded 'memory full' screen!   2. Sunglasses/Hats - If you are planning to hit the parks for 12 hours each day or lay out on the beach somewhere tropical with a fruity drink in your hand, you are going to need your sunglasses and some protection from the sun on your face.  A hat or visor will help keep those rays from shining directly in your eyes.  With Sunglasses, pack a spare if you have them!  Buying sunglasses from your resort or in the parks will mean you'll end up spending quite a bit more than you would have otherwise.   3. Snacks - I don't know about your family, but my family gets HANGRY!  Even if we're on a dining plan at Walt Disney World, I need to keep snacks with me all the time.  One thing I LOVE about Disney parks is they allow you to bring snacks into the parks.  As long as it isn't in a glass container (unless it's baby food) you can bring a small selection of snacks with you.  I like to keep the squeezable apple sauce pouches, fruit snacks, single size chip bags, crackers, Capri Suns, and trail mix on hand in my backpack.  You can even bring in small cooler bags!   4. Hand Sanitizer - let's face it - there are germs everywhere.  The one souvenir I don't want to bring home with me is someone else's cold, flu, or any other kind of germ we could pick up.  It's not always convenient to find a restroom to wash your hands before digging into one of those snacks I mentioned above - so bring a couple small bottles of Hand Sanitizer.  Bonus Tip - bring a small pack of wet ones to wipe down stroller trays, tables that haven't been wiped down yet, etc.  It helps and saves time!   5. Sunscreen - No matter what time of year you travel, sunscreen is a must.  If you are spending extended periods outside - even if it feels overcast, you need to protect that skin!  Don't make a rookie mistake like me and have to buy sunscreen once you're in the parks.  On my trip this last summer when I was doing some training, I forgot my sunscreen in my checked suitcase, and when I went straight to the parks I totally forgot about needing my sunscreen before I was going to see my bag again!  I had to fork over $14 for some sunscreen in the parks.  If you do forget, there is sunscreen available inside the parks and many gift shops - but you're going to spend double or triple what you would have spent at home.  If you are heading to the parks right away before you can get into your checked baggage, buy yourself a travel sized bottle along with the full sized bottle so you have something you can tuck into your carry on! 6. Poncho - Ponchos are great for a variety of reasons.  If you are at Disney World or Disneyland, having a poncho to wear while riding Splash Mountain, or Grizzly River Run can come in handy!  Especially if it's not a super hot day where you'll dry up pretty quick.  Ponchos are also great for those quick storms that blow through and dump a ton of rain in a little bit of time.  Ponchos are available for purchase in the parks, but again, you'll spend a ton more there than you would if you had planned in advance.  You can pick up ponchos from your local hardware store, the Dollar store, even on Amazon!  Pack a couple because if you buy the cheap ones, they tend to be single use Items.  I like having a poncho on hand to be able to sit on when I save a spot for a parade or the fireworks.   7. Pain Relievers/Medicine - Raid your medicine cabinet and make sure you take a variety of items.  Stock up on Tylenol, Advil, Imodium, Motrin, Tums, Excedrin, etc.  You don't want to let something like a headache or heartburn get in the way of your vacation.  Have the comforts of home with you by planning ahead.  A friend of mine gets a daily pill organizer and keeps something different in each one, this makes it easy to have in her backpack - and she doesn't have to keep track of several different bottles floating around in there!  Keep the bottles with you in your suitcase back at the hotel so you can refill each night as needed.   8. First aid kit - it doesn't have to be a huge first aid kit, but it should include bandaids, Neosporin or other ointment, alcohol swabs to clean up any cuts, and I keep some swabs that ease the pain of bee stings in mine.  You can grab travel first aid kits in most pharmacy stores like Riteaid, or at Target/CVS, etc.  I have one that hangs on a key chain, so it fits really easily in my backpack.  Bonus Tip:  Moleskin for your feet helps protect from blisters!  You can get Moleskin pads you can cut to shape, or roles of tape you can cut to size.  I've seen it in the pharmacy stores I listed above, and on Amazon.  The resort gift shops also have blister care as well.  But it's better to prevent them than to have to treat them!.  9. Autograph Book & Pen.  If you have kids you are travelling with, collecting Autographs is a fun part of the experience at Disney.  Autograph books are available in the parks, and at the Disney Store online.  I have found the ones in the parks and on the Disney website are actually sometimes cheaper than the ones on Amazon - so if you want to wait until you get there, it's not a terrible idea.  For the Pen - make sure you have something that easy for those big character hands to use.  The Click Sharpie Markers are great, but not always easy to find.  The standard Sharpies work well too - but make sure you take the lid off before handing it to the character!  If you want to do something different, I've seen people bring Photo Mats for the characters to sign - then when they get home, they put their favorite photo in the center and it's the perfect souvenir!  Other fun things characters can sign - autograph dolls, T-Shirts and bags.  Make sure they have a hard surface to write on and a good pen - you're good to go!  Also note, some characters are not able to sign - usually the handler will let you know before getting up to the character.  Most can, but there are a few that cannot.   10. Daily Plan - I will end this list with a reminder to bring your list! ha!  (See what I did there??)  It's important to have a plan - especially if you are traveling to Disney.  Know what your schedule is, what time your dining reservations are, FastPass Times (For Walt Disney World) and park hours.  You don't have to map out every second, but having a general plan will put you on the path to a very successful vacation.  Of course, you may have to deviate from the plan at times, but a plan will help.  If you are traveling to Walt Disney World, make sure you have a back up of your plans - something other than the WDW App on your phone.  The App has been known to have issues, and you don't want to be stuck in the parks during an App outage and have no idea when your next FastPass is, or what time your dining reservations are. . Bonus Item:  If you are headed to Walt Disney World, don't forget your MagicBands!  These need to be packed in your Carry on Luggage - you will need to scan it when you arrive at the Magical Express counter inside the Orlando Airport.  Anything you will be needing within the first few hours of your trip, make sure it's inside your carry on!  If you are using Disney's Magical Express to retrieve your luggage and deliver it to your hotel, it can take several hours to be reunited with you.