As I have previously mentioned, I like safe and “easy” for traveling with my little humans. Since yesterday marked the end of the pandemic (queue laugh track),

“If I were to be packing for a Disney cruise, here’s what my packing list would look like”

is my topic du jour.

Visit here for what Disney says NOT to bring (yes, they will confiscate your clothes steamer)

Okay, so basics:

It’s Disney, they are great with gluten free and other allergy-related food preparation. Speaking of preparation, don’t forget the sunscreen. The sundry shops on board have options, but best bring your own. Same goes for over-the-counter meds like advil, tums, and a decongestant.

Door decorations.

This is no joke.

You may have spent thousands of dollars and goodwill with your boss around midweek departure days, but if you don’t decorate your cruise door, you have failed as a parent.

Etsy has a lot of options, my favorite are the magnetic kind that incorporate the door “porthole” room number. There’s no secret to it, the doors are magnetic — so even those magnetic letters we all had for our littles at some point, work.

We do Disney (see references to safety first!) vacations fairly often. During Covid, until pretty recently, I think, guests weren’t allowed to hug the characters, so the autograph book was especially important for character experiences or meet and greets (said characters never speak, btw).

For my Littles it’s the competition factor of getting autographs that keeps me buying the books with every visit. I may not know where those books are, but I can confidently say having a little game out-of-the-vacation-gates is good for the brain. Amazon or Etsy have lots of options. As with all trip prep stuff, allow lots of delivery time. Then add more. And then time to pack it. You get the point.

You need not stick to the Disney theme, but portable poncho type rain gear is coming in the cutest packaging these days. I have never regretted bringing rain gear. May have invested in this for myself.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, just poor preparation. If it’s a scorcher, consider these options: cooling towel, neck fan; there’s actually a site totally dedicated to cooling products.

Ok, back to the door.

People like to leave messages, tinkerbell scatters pixie dust, all the things. I got a white board for the door on the Disney cruise app as part of “onboard gifts” (read: pre-departure part of the app that sells Disney shit that I don’t have to order from Amazon and schlep to Europe).

Whatever Disney experience you are about to embark on, there’s an app for that :) (for real, download it). It’s where you pre-order alcohol to your cabin, water, and other random stuff like birthday decorations.

In my Etsy deep dive on the cruise door sitch I came across a handy drink holder thing. All in for monitoring (perhaps “attempting to monitor”) the amount of vending machine sugar actually making it’s way to the meal.

A few other useful tools:

A lanyard for holding your personalized key card that provides access to EVERYTHING (meaning, a lanyard for each member of your group)

A light card for keeping the lanyards + personalized key cards in their respective spots, and still being able to turn the lights on in your cabin

Speaking of your cabin, pack a travel laundry bag. This is where you envision your cabin being pristine at all times in the cruise ad playing in your head! That scene of organizational bliss may not happen; having one one of these bags handy doesn’t hurt.

Mini flashlights provide an opportunity to reinforce good manners, and they feel like little Indiana Joneses with a flashlight in hand, for some reason

You will need an outfit for Pirate Night. It’s a thing, Google it. At least lean in to an eye patch, which I believe they give out for “free” onboard. In any event, you’ve been warned. Fun fact though … Disney is the only cruise line that does a fireworks night at sea. Guess what night that coincides with?! Starboard (right) side for best viewing spots.

Deck locator is a fun idea on brand with the Indiana Jones reference, have fun, within reason, little explorers

Pins. I have never participated in this with Disney but I am thinking about starting … see friendly family competition, above! The Google-hole on this topic runs deep.

I am a proud “helicopter mom” so I have been thinking a lot about safety and I have read walkie talkies work on board. Still working this one out before I go all-in on a family communications platform commitment (the wifi on board per device can get pricey). I have read that you can communicate via the app on board (without paying for a wifi package), but my kids don’t have phones and I don’t want them schlepping my iPad all over a cruise ship. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Click here for Disney’s official cruise comms site.

And don’t forget the ears :)

Questions? Disney help here.