Disney Cruise Packing List, from an “Expert”:
Four boys, two adults, five nights on a Disney cruise! Need I tell you that I was stressing out (in a big way) over the prospect of packing for our recent trip? I had never been on a cruise, so I had no idea of what to expect, which added another level of stress. My husband is very laid-back and could easily have left with a small duffle bag with his swim trunks, a few shirts – and oh… wait – that is exactly what he did!
I am, on the other hand not as easy going, especially when it comes to being out of my comfort zone with four little boys. Thankfully I am resourceful, so I reached out to my friend, Carol who is not only a travel agent, Disney cruise veteran and expert, but also a mother of four boys. This is Carol’s ultimate (expert) Disney cruise packing list. I have also added a couple of items that I happened to throw in my bags – and they came in handy.
(Post was updated September, 2018 to provide you up-to-date and accurate tips and information.)
[bctt tweet=”The ultimate (expert) #DisneyCruise #PackingList from a mother of four boys. Don’t bring the kitchen sink!”]
Don’t miss The Best Disney Cruise Secrets, Tips and Hacks before your trip.
The “Don’t Leave Home Without These Things” Packing List:
- Large cup with lid for filing at soda drink station. (Tove’s note: we brought [easyazon_link identifier=”B004RLNF00″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]these refillable cups[/easyazon_link] and loved them for every member in our family.)
- Hair dryer. Some complain about the hair dryers and bring their own. (Tove’s note: hairdryer? Who even has time to use one of those with a packed agenda and busy little kids.)
- Envelope of $1 bills for room service.
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B002A1SE5U” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Ziploc baggies[/easyazon_link], various sizes. If you see something at a buffet and want to save it for later it’s nice to have something to put it in. (Tove’s note: I whole-hearted agree that this is a must-bring along. I used our bags for snacks – all.day.long)
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00006JNN7″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Sticky notes[/easyazon_link]. We leave notes on the mirror for our room steward – if we need something, or want the beds made up differently.
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B0017P0LLA” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Hi-lighter[/easyazon_link] to use in the daily newspaper, the Navigator, so you can keep track of activities for the day.
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B000BJ7WHE” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Lanyard with small pouch[/easyazon_link], but not too small. (Tove’s note: You need to carry your room key most of the time and this is one thing I wish I had brought with us. You have to remove your card frequently to have it swiped, so try to find a pouch that is over-sized.)
- Wear a watch so you don’t have to carry around your phone (we turn ours off and lock them up). There are very few clocks on board.
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B0007CXQQ6″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Pop up hamper[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B001DROJGU” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]laundry bag[/easyazon_link] or plastic garbage bag. We prefer a bag and we hang it in the closet. That leaves the floor of the closet for shoes. (Tove’s note: Bring this! You will be glad you did! Bring a couple of bags – one for dry laundry and one for wet.)
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B004S6EG0C” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Stain stick[/easyazon_link] and Downy wrinkle releaser.
- Wire hangers, cheap ones. There are some hangers in the closet but I hang everything I can. There is limited drawer space. You can ask your room steward for more hangers but sometimes it takes a while to get them and I like to get unpacked.
- Wear shoes with good traction. The decks are slippery when wet. Trust me, I know this.
- Light jacket – it might be cold in the evenings or in the theaters.
- A small night light. The rooms are dark at night. We leave the bathroom light on at night or you can use a nightlight.
- Air freshener. The bathrooms sometimes have a strange smell. Plus the bathrooms are small and I have boys- if you know what I mean. (Tove’s note: I brought a [easyazon_link identifier=”B00K0KEDXA” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]battery operated essential oil diffuser[/easyazon_link] – and LOVED it!)
- Clothing: Disney says no shorts in the dining room for dinner but you will see everything!
- My boys have worn khaki shorts and polo before.
- You can wear jeans but please no holes.
- My husband usually wears khaki pants and a short sleeve polo shirt.
- I wear either a casual dress or capris.
- On 7 night cruises they have formal and semi formal night. The dress is not required. My husband will wear a long sleeve button down shirt for semi formal and a suit (or sometimes a tux) for formal. But again you will see all things. Some people just like to dress up!
- The tendency is to over pack-especially with clothes. On a 4 night cruise my boys and David will usually take one pair of khakis and either a pair of jeans or dressier pants (if they are going to Palo for dinner) and then a shirt for each night.
- If they get something dirty that needs to be worn again you can always send it to be washed for a few dollars.
- You can NOT bring an iron or a steamer for clothes. They do have an iron in the laundry room if you need to iron something. Or you can send something out to be ironed.
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00P21M7A8″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Princess dresses[/easyazon_link] for little girls. You will see a lot of little girls dress like princesses for dinner. This is of course not a requirement. But the dresses on board the ship are expensive, so it’s better to be prepared.
- Every cruise has a Pirate night. There is a special menu and they give you a pirate-themed bandana at dinner. There is a pirate deck party at night. Many people dress as pirates (including us). You can find some awesome [easyazon_link identifier=”B00NUDB206″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]pirate shirts[/easyazon_link] on Amazon.
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00CR60HLM” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Sandtoys[/easyazon_link]. It is really nice to have your own set of molds, shovels and buckets for the days that are spent at port on a remote beach. You can also buy them there, but of course at the “special” Disney rate of “you want WHAT for this pile of plastic toys”.
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00JTGH0ZO” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Batteries[/easyazon_link]! (Tove’s note: I packed several AA and AAA batteries – and thank God for my foresight. We bought a toy that was sold without batteries. My little stash prevented numerous epic toddler meltdowns from happening.
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B0014KMDZ0″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Small screw driver[/easyazon_link]. (Tove’s note: you know – the kind you need to change batteries in kids’ toys! Yeah – THAT kind – I didn’t bring one – but I wish I had.)
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B000ST1EW6″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]String[/easyazon_link]! (Tove’s note: we used my twine to hang our many wet bathing suits and to tie the doors open between our adjoining rooms. My husband even applauded the fact I had string in my suitcase!)
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00J6P9U2Y” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Seasickness bracelets[/easyazon_link]! (Tove’s note: I wore these during my pregnancies with much success, but I didn’t bring them on the boat. Thankfully my sister-in-law did – and saved the day! They are very effective and 100% medication-free.)
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B001XQ7LOS” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Dish soap[/easyazon_link]! (Tove’s note: those big cups you brought for soda could stand to be washed every day in something other than Mickey Mouse shampoo!)
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B0128ZFI1A” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Baby carrier[/easyazon_link] and/ or Single stroller! (Tove’s note: I MADE my husband bring our double umbrella stroller, because I had visions of sleepy kids needing to rest their little legs. We brought the stroller and never once used it. The aisles are too narrow and it is not just conducive to maneuvering a stroller up and down the various decks. Instead I carried our toddler in his carrier and the other kids lived high on their 3rd and 5th winds – so there was never a need to carry them. A single stroller might come in handy though, depending on the age of your kids.)
As you can see – there are lots of things to bring on your next Disney cruise! But most importantly bring your relaxed and carefree attitude. If necessary lower your expectations – your family will not suffer if they have to wear dirty socks for a day. It is also not the end of the world if you buy over-priced sand toys because you ran out of suitcase room while packing at home! Take a deep breath, enjoy disconnecting from the mainland and reconnecting with your family!
Don’t miss The Best Disney Cruise Secrets, Tips and Hacks before your trip.
This is a great review of the Disney Magic cruise ship. This review is comprehensive and leaves you longing for your next cruise. I realize how much fun we had on our cruise when I read this review.
If you are interested in more information about booking a Disney cruise, please email Carol Davis at mousetravel@sbcglobal.net. She has a great attention for detail, and she will make sure your vacation is filled with Disney magic!
maria says
All this is sooo cute and sooo handy and interesting indeed. I hope you enjoyed your stay…Happy New Year by the way?
Mama in the Now says
Thank you!!! We had a great time – lots of memories made. It was a lot of work before we left – just because I didn’t know what to expect. I will be a little more relaxed next time. Happy new year!
Rachel says
This is very helpful as we are taking our first ever Disney Cruise in May! Thank you! Now, can you do a post on how to pack it all? LOL We have to fly, and boy, oh boy, is this going to be a challenge! °o°
Holly says
We find a power strip handy for all of your items that need to be recharged
Mama in the Now says
Awesome tip!!!! thank you!
Becca says
On the Disney website, they all but state not to bring carseats because on shore excursions/foreign taxi cabs, they will be useless. Did you find this to be accurate? I’m usually a safety stickler but I don’t want to lug that much weight unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Mama in the Now says
We never needed our car seats – at all. Actually, we didn’t even use our stroller on the trip either. (This was one of those “I told you so” moments between my husband and me – because I INSISTED on bringing it.
Terry says
Dear Mama in the (k)Now,
I want to bring a hydroflask or drink bottle which will fit into the cup holder in the Walt Disney Theater on the cruise. Do you know what diameter it is? Thank you
Terry