The Disney Parks have just about everything you need available for purchase, but it also comes with a price sting when you’re caught off guard and make an unexpected purchase. While some of the options in the parks I find quite competitive and reasonable, such as food and beverage pricing (which is not that bad!), there are clearly some everyday items that guests are being penalized for needing at the last minute. Here are ten items you can bring from home to avoid the rip-off in the parks.
REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLES
Yes, water is free at quick-service locations in Walt Disney World, but that doesn’t always mean it’s convenient. Nothing beats a collapsible water bottle you can pull from your backpack and rehydrate with it at any attraction queue, especially when they can be refilled for free. Instead of grabbing an overpriced bottle of water just for the bottle, or becoming parched between food stops, be sure to bring a light water bottle with you. It’s worth it!
WET WEATHER PONCHOS
We’ve all made that mistake in thinking we wouldn’t mind getting wet in the hot weather of summer at a theme park. However, seeing that family come off Tiana’s Bayou Adventure drenched down to their socks is a good reminder that no one enjoys the misery of squelching wet shoes throughout a hot Disney afternoon! If your last-minute reassessment of the need for ponchos could lead your large family group into a $100 spend, be sure to bring a few $2 ones from home instead. Remember, it’s not just the rides; these are also useful for other purposes. Covering backpacks in a sudden downpour, covering a stroller, or placing them over a wet surface to be seated can be just as valuable!
PORTABLE CHARGERS
Even using all your best battery-saving tricks, most guests will need to charge their phones at some point during the day. If you are the designated planner, everything from Lightning Lane reservations to wait time map updates will drain your battery, not to mention the hundreds of photos you will take along the way. Don’t get stuck searching for an expensive FuelRod to save the day. Instead, bring a portable charger from home that you can recharge every night and take to the parks, ready to go, for half the price. NOTE: You can purchase a FuelRod for less money online than you can in the theme parks, so plan ahead!
EVERYDAY SNACKS
Even though I like to have my meals and fun snacks the Disney way, there are some occasions where I prefer to grab something from home out of my backpack. From my zip-lock bag of bribery M&Ms to that protein bar that hits the spot more than any other sugary treat, I prefer to save money by not buying the smaller bits and pieces in the parks and bringing them from home instead. Plus, as you eat through them and discard the rubbish, your bag gets lighter throughout the day!
TOTES & BAGS
Have you ever gone to a Disney Park, so sure that your hands-free plan would play out beautifully, only to be faced with the opposite? In my younger days, I would always end up carrying kids’ jackets and hats, plus any purchases we made during the day. When the plastic shopping bag would break near the handles, I would give in and buy a proper bag or tote. They don’t cost a fortune, but everything adds up during your stay. If you can save on that extra bag by carrying a small, light, foldable tote in your backpack, you’re winning in both the budget and convenience game!
MEDICATION BASICS
When a headache strikes, allergies hit, or your stomach just doesn’t feel quite right, you can grab most of the supplies you need from your Disney Resort shop; at a price! Like everything else, guests are punished for those last-minute needs, and you will end up paying much more than you need to. Bring a few sheets of each of the medication basics with you, and save the money. I cut down the sheets to only take a few of each thing into the parks, replacing them in my backpack when needed. That way, no matter what someone in my family experiences, I’ve got them covered without even leaving the Haunted Mansion queue.
PERSONAL FANS
Ah, my favorite summer hack: personal fans. Grabbing a handheld fan or a neck fan from a discount store before you visit the Disney Parks in summer feels like the makings of a MasterCard ‘Priceless’ commercial from the 90s. It’s an inexpensive way to cool down without the exorbitant price tag of buying a Mickey-shaped version in the parks.
AUTOGRAPH BOOKS
Yes, they are cute. However, bringing one from home can serve two purposes. Not only is a notebook from home a low-cost alternative, but it can also become a little family project in the lead-up to your vacation. Take the kids to pick out their notebook and decorate it with stickers and characters before they arrive. The kids will have a more genuine connection to the book and enjoy showing it off to their favorite characters for autographs. Don’t forget the Sharpies!
GLOW TOYS & NOVELTIES
If you are bringing the kids to the parks for after-dark festivities, you might love the idea of snapping a few twinkling shots of them around the park in glowing merchandise. I’ll admit, these photos are some of my favorites in our family albums, but the secret is that you can’t even tell if they’re wearing Disney-branded glowing novelties or not. It’s all about the light and the colors, so do yourself a favor and bring some glow sticks from home to make all those fun accessories while you wait for the parade. Bracelets, necklaces, crowns; connect your glow sticks for a fun activity, a great photo series, and a few dollars versus the high price tag of the ones in the parks. Added bonus: When the night is over and you discard the used glow sticks, you aren’t left with that unexpected guilt that you will likely never have a use for that $35 wand ever again.
SWEATERS & PULLOVERS
“I won’t need a jacket.” If you are spending a full day/night in the Disney Parks, these can be famous last words. The temperature and weather conditions can change significantly throughout the day; it’s essential to be prepared with layers that you can easily strip off or put on. Don’t make the mistake of staying out after dark and finding out the expensive way that you should have brought an extra layer for everyone in your party. Sweaters and pullovers are pricey. Even if they are beautiful, you likely won’t end up with the perfect one when they are bought on a desperate whim. Save your Disney apparel for considered purchases of love rather than out of necessity.
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