If you're a Disney addict like I am, or if you regularly partake of the magic that is a Walt Disney World (or Land) vacation, then you probably have one. You know what I'm talking about: a Disney box. The Disney box is where you store all of those vacation "essentials" that you'll need when you visit the World (especially if you're traveling with small children!).
My Disney box, as evidenced by the above picture, is overstuffed with fun and excitement awaiting our next vacation. In fact, now that we're DVC members, I'll probably need a bigger Disney box! Or, maybe we'll have to consider an owner's locker....
I actually started my first Disney box sometime in late 2011 when I found out I'd be traveling to WDW with my husband, daughter, sister, brother-in-law, 2 nieces, and my mother. Phew! We had a trip scheduled for June of 2012, and we were taking 3 little girls, ages 5, 2, and 15 months for their first ever trips to the most magical place on earth. Now, I had been to WDW before (on 5 previous visits), but I had never taken 3 small children with me. Needless to say, I was more than a little excited and more than a little concerned. That being said, I began my research process. It was while I was exploring the Disney Mom's Panel that I discovered the importance of the Disney box. I discovered two quick videos, one on "Traveling With Small Children," and one called, "Packing 101." (Note: you'll have to scroll down on the Disney Mom's panel page to find both of these videos.) Both of these videos, by a WDW mom's panel expert, emphasized the importance of planning ahead and packing carefully. This is where the Disney box comes in. The Disney box is a convenient place to stow all those things you'll need (or want to save) for your vacation to WDW. Mama of all Trades also has a useful video post about a Disney box, but here's the scoop on mine:
Here are some of the things you can find in my Disney box:
I actually started my first Disney box sometime in late 2011 when I found out I'd be traveling to WDW with my husband, daughter, sister, brother-in-law, 2 nieces, and my mother. Phew! We had a trip scheduled for June of 2012, and we were taking 3 little girls, ages 5, 2, and 15 months for their first ever trips to the most magical place on earth. Now, I had been to WDW before (on 5 previous visits), but I had never taken 3 small children with me. Needless to say, I was more than a little excited and more than a little concerned. That being said, I began my research process. It was while I was exploring the Disney Mom's Panel that I discovered the importance of the Disney box. I discovered two quick videos, one on "Traveling With Small Children," and one called, "Packing 101." (Note: you'll have to scroll down on the Disney Mom's panel page to find both of these videos.) Both of these videos, by a WDW mom's panel expert, emphasized the importance of planning ahead and packing carefully. This is where the Disney box comes in. The Disney box is a convenient place to stow all those things you'll need (or want to save) for your vacation to WDW. Mama of all Trades also has a useful video post about a Disney box, but here's the scoop on mine:
Here are some of the things you can find in my Disney box:
I buy things for the Disney box whenever I find something Disney-themed in the dollar section at Target, like the Play Packs that come with a small coloring book, crayons, and stickers. I also add other Disney-themed trinkets that I find inexpensively, either on clearance, or at a place like the dollar store. Most of the things in the Disney box are designed to help entertain my daughter on our trip: during the long car ride to the airport, on the plane, waiting in line, waiting at restaurants, on the trip home, etc.
Some essentials your Disney box should include:
*glow sticks (You definitely want to purchase your glow sticks ahead of time, instead of purchasing a $20 dollar light up toy at any of the nighttime parades or shows at WDW.)
*a night light (Especially if your child is used to sleeping with one at home)
*big Sharpie pens (To get character autographs with - you ideally want the thicker ones, because the characters can better grasp the pens to sign with.)
*pipe cleaners (Or, I guess they're called "chenille stems" nowadays. Anyway, they're perfect for packing in your park day bag because they're very small and very versatile - you can twist them into a myriad of shapes and use them to play any number of games with your child while you're waiting.)
*ponchos (You can purchase them at the dollar store at two for a dollar - much more affordable than buying them at the parks!)
I just made a trip to the local dollar store to add a few more things to my Disney box for our upcoming trip:
Some essentials your Disney box should include:
*glow sticks (You definitely want to purchase your glow sticks ahead of time, instead of purchasing a $20 dollar light up toy at any of the nighttime parades or shows at WDW.)
*a night light (Especially if your child is used to sleeping with one at home)
*big Sharpie pens (To get character autographs with - you ideally want the thicker ones, because the characters can better grasp the pens to sign with.)
*pipe cleaners (Or, I guess they're called "chenille stems" nowadays. Anyway, they're perfect for packing in your park day bag because they're very small and very versatile - you can twist them into a myriad of shapes and use them to play any number of games with your child while you're waiting.)
*ponchos (You can purchase them at the dollar store at two for a dollar - much more affordable than buying them at the parks!)
I just made a trip to the local dollar store to add a few more things to my Disney box for our upcoming trip:
At the dollar store they had some small packages of tissue that were Disney Princess and Fairy themed. I always carry tissues in my park day bag, so these were perfect. They also had some Disney themed flashcards (note: I always hole punch the flashcards in one corner and use a binder ring to clip them all together. That way, you can bring the flashcards with you in the car or in your park day bag, and they won't get lost!), stickers, coloring books, and small board books that would be perfect for helping keep my daughter entertained. In addition, I found some of those magic washcloths that expand to full size when you put them in water. I picked up a few of those to help make vacation bath time a little more fun. Oh, and you can never have too many ponchos or glow sticks!
My Disney box also includes some essentials for toddler dining: disposable bibs (Disney Princess themed, of course), and disposable placemats for the table - the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse placemats are perfect for practicing color and shape recognition, and the Disney Princess placemats come with stickers for a fun matching game.
My Disney box also includes some essentials for toddler dining: disposable bibs (Disney Princess themed, of course), and disposable placemats for the table - the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse placemats are perfect for practicing color and shape recognition, and the Disney Princess placemats come with stickers for a fun matching game.
On eBay, I purchased some lanyards with zipper pouches that are perfect for keeping your Key to the World cards, FastPasses, ADRs, etc. in. I always keep these in the Disney box, too. Mine's the red one :)
The Disney box is also where I keep a copy of the Ultimate Packing List for Disney. I also keep a copy of the Disney Diva's packing list, too. I made a few modifications to these lists to fit our needs, and I added some notes after our last trip about things we don't need, or things we need more of. In addition, I keep 2 expandable folders (they're green). Each of the sections is labeled so that I'll always remember to include copies of some of our important travel paperwork:
*printouts of our Disney Dining Revervations
*a printout of our DVC reservation
*a printout of our flight information
*a copy of Eila's birth certificate (since she's under the age of 2)
*copies of our annual passes or other park tickets
*a copy of Eila's shot record and our insurance cards
I keep the folders in my airplane carry-on bag, and then lock them in the hotel safe when we get to WDW.
Anyway, as we get closer to our upcoming vacation, I'll be posting more packing tips and ideas. If you think I've forgotten something, please let me know! Or, if you have a Disney box, tell me what items are must-haves for you!
*printouts of our Disney Dining Revervations
*a printout of our DVC reservation
*a printout of our flight information
*a copy of Eila's birth certificate (since she's under the age of 2)
*copies of our annual passes or other park tickets
*a copy of Eila's shot record and our insurance cards
I keep the folders in my airplane carry-on bag, and then lock them in the hotel safe when we get to WDW.
Anyway, as we get closer to our upcoming vacation, I'll be posting more packing tips and ideas. If you think I've forgotten something, please let me know! Or, if you have a Disney box, tell me what items are must-haves for you!