The Ultimate Disneyland Packing List (2023)

As Disneyland out-of-state (even out of the country) annual pass holders we pack for trips to Disneyland a lot throughout the year.

However, we still realise how difficult it can be to figure out what to pack for your trip.

So in this post, we’ve broken down each of the items you’ll want to consider packing for Disneyland, from clothing and accessories to the park essentials you really shouldn’t forget.

Things to consider when putting together your Disneyland packing list are:

• The time of year you’re visiting
• Who you’re visiting with – kids / adults
• Where you’re staying – a hotel / private villa / apartment

The time of year you visit will have one of the biggest influences on what you need to take with you to Disneyland.

Generally speaking, southern California has pleasantly warm and sunny weather year-round.

While average temperatures in the summer usually sit around a toasty 80°- 90°F (27 – 32°C), winters temps can drop down to between 50 – 70°F (10 – 22°C), with chilly evenings and occasional rain. As such it’s good to be prepared for the season you’re visiting.

Clothing

The first, and perhaps most important, thing to consider on your Disneyland packing list is clothing.

What are you going to wear to the parks and on your vacation in general?

There isn’t a super strict dress code at the Disneyland theme parks. However, there are a few simple rules and guidelines you need to follow, these include;

Character T-Shirts

Adults may not be allowed to wear a full costume in the Disneyland parks, but that shouldn’t stop you from showing off your favourite character with a character t-shirt.

Whether it’s Mickey or Moana, Ariel or Aladdin, a character tee is a fun and simple way to add some Disney magic to your park outfit. Bonus points if your family rocks up in coordinated tees.

You can pair your Disney character t-shirt with shorts, a skirt, leggings, or trousers. So it’s perfect no matter what time of year you’re visiting.

Plus, if you buy your Disney t-shirts in advance and take them with you, you won’t end up spending crazy prices buying them in the parks.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: This funny graphic t-shirt (buy it on Amazon) is available in multiple different colours.

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: This Lion King Hakuna Matata t-shirt (buy it on Amazon) is available up to 3-XL in either grey or red.

Shorts & Skirts

With Disneyland’s warm year-round weather, you’re going to want to pack a couple of pairs of shorts or skirts regardless of when you plan to visit.

Denim shorts aren’t ideal for wearing to the parks. If you go on a water ride, get particularly sweaty, or get caught in the rain, denim takes a long time to dry.

We usually go for something cotton instead. Even better if they have zipped pockets to keep loose items safe when going on rides.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: These leightweight casual drawstring shorts (buy it on Amazon) are perfect for women.

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: These Wrangler Classic Cargo Shorts (buy it on Amazon) are ideal for men and come in a range of colours.

Trousers & Leggings

We’d also recommend packing a pair of trousers or leggings, especially if you’re visiting Disneyland during the winter months.

Even if it’s warm and sunny during the day, evenings can get pretty chilly. So it’s great to have something to throw on later in the day. 

And if you’re simply not a fan of shorts or skirts, long pants are also suitable to wear in the parks all year-round.

On hot summer days, consider a loose lightweight fabric such as linen rather than anything too heavy or restrictive.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: These high wasited leggings with pockets (buy it on Amazon) are perfect for inside the parks.

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: These affordable athletic fit pants (buy it on Amazon) are ideal for men and come in a range of colours.

Dresses, Jumpsuits & Playsuits

Dresses, jumpsuits, and playsuits are great alternatives to t-shirts and shorts for women.

They’re stylish, comfortable, and versatile. You can wear them to explore the parks during the day, then dress them up for dinner or other activities in the evening.

For jumpsuits and playsuits, go for something lightweight, breathable, and will dry easily if it gets wet on a water ride. 

We’d suggest a knee-length dress or midi dress for exploring the theme parks.

Maxi dresses may look pretty in photos, but they’re difficult to move around in and may get caught or tangled on rides.

Meanwhile, anything too short may risk flying up in the strong Cali winds.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: This casual crewneck one piece (buy it on Amazon) provides shoulder coverage, comes in a range of colours and has pockets!

Jackets & Cardigans

If you’re visiting Disneyland during the winter months such as over Thanksgiving and Christmas then it’s a good idea to bring a light jacket or cardigan to the parks with you, especially if you’re planning to stay in the parks until closing time.

However, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be wearing a jacket all day and will need to store it either in your backpack or a locker at points, so make sure that it’s small and compact enough to be packed away.

During the spring and fall, a light jacket or cardigan is probably enough.

During winter, you’ll want to bring a lightweight raincoat too / instead.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: This thin zip up jacket (buy it on Amazon) is ideal for throwing on over your outfit if it gets a little cold.

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: This affordable Hanes pullover (buy it on Amazon) is simple, stylish and comes in a range of colours.

Bathing Suit

While Disneyland California doesn’t have its own dedicated water park, you’ll still want to bring a bathing suit to wear in your hotel pool or to hit a nearby beach (Disneyland sits 30km from the coast and Cali’s many beaches).

Bathing suits and beach shorts come in a variety of different designs and styles, depending on what you find the most comfortable.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: This incredible womens swimsuit (buy it on Amazon) is available in a range of different colours and styles.

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: These swim shorts (buy it on Amazon) are simple, stylish and comes in a range of colours.

Comfortable Shoes

When you’re spending long days walking around the Disneyland parks, it’s important to have a pair of supportive and comfortable walking shoes. You can easily walk more than 10,000 steps in a day at Disneyland.

We prefer a sturdy pair of trainers to flip-flops or sandals as they’re less likely to rub after too much walking. They’re also less likely to fall off on the rides.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: These low-rise Converse (buy it on Amazon) are super comfortable and come in a range of colours.

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: These Sketchers classic fit sneakers (buy it on Amazon) are both incredibly comfortable and stylish.

Flip-Flops

Even when wearing trainers to the parks, we still always pack a pair of flip-flops for our Disneyland vacation too.

Flip flops are small and lightweight enough that they won’t take up too much room in your luggage or backpack.

However, you’ll be grateful to have them in the hot weather when walking to the pool or heading out for lunch in the Downtown Disney District.

🧍‍♀️Best choice: These unisex Birkenstock (buy it on Amazon) although those looking for more support may opt for a pair of Tevas instead (buy it on Amazon)

Rain Jacket / Poncho

Depending on the time of year that you’re visiting, you may also want to pack a rain jacket or poncho.

Rainy days and sporadic showers aren’t uncommon during the winter months. So it’s always best to have something light on hand in case of a sudden downpour.

Rain ponchos are small and compact enough to fit into your backpack when wandering around the parks.

Some guests like to have a poncho with them all year round to wear on water rides to avoid getting soaked. Personally, we find splash rides a welcome relief from the hot Cali sun.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: This Columbia Switchback III (buy it on Amazon) is fantastic choice for women.

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: This waterproof mountain jacket (buy it on Amazon) is a popular choice for men.

Accessories

As well as clothing, there are a few accessories that you really shouldn’t leave off of your Disneyland packing list.

Sunglasses

One of the most essential items for your Disneyland vacation is a good pair of sunglasses.

The sun in southern California can be pretty intense, and sunglasses will protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and reduce glare.

And don’t forget a sunglasses strap and/or hardshell case for protecting your sunglasses while on motion-heavy rides.

They can easily get squished or broken in your pocket or bag.

🎒 Best choice: These unisex Raybans (buy it on Amazon) are a sleek and stylish option for both men and women.

Hat

If you’re somebody who really feels the heat and gets easily sunburnt, make sure to pack a hat.

A simple baseball cap is our favourite for protecting your head and face on hot days in Disneyland. But you could also go for a bucket hat, visor hat, or floppy sun hat.

A hat is also a stylish accessory to round off your outfit. You could even treat yourself to a Disney-branded hat to match your character t-shirt.

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: This winter beanie (buy it on Amazon) is a great choice for the cooler weather. While this distressed baseball hat (buy it on Amazon) available in multiple colours, is perfect for summer.

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: This stylish Carhartt beanie (buy it on Amazon) is great for winter. While this Under Armour baseball hat (buy it on Amazon) is ideal for summer.

Backpack / Fanny Pack

As well as your main suitcase, don’t forget a small backpack or fanny pack to use as a day bag and take into the parks with you.

For couples, a fanny pack is probably enough to hold your phone, money, and essentials.

However, if you’re travelling with kids and need to carry more, a small backpack may be better.

If you’re travelling in winter and want to carry a jacket and/or light raincoat with you, you may also need to bring a backpack. 

🧍‍♀️Best choice for women: This is our go-to diaper bag for a day at the parks (buy it on Amazon)

🧍‍♂️Best choice for men: This Eastpack waist pack (buy it on Amazon) is a great option. However, for those looking for more space we reccomend the Ultra Armour Hustle 5.0 (buy it on Amazon)

Mickey Ears

Mickey and Minnie Ears are a Disneyland staple. It’s impossible to visit any of the Disney parks without seeing countless adults and children alike sporting their ears of choice.

There are plenty of different Mickey and Minnie Ears to choose from, from the classic ears to princess and movie-themed ears and even exclusive special edition ears for some events.

🎒 Best choice: These third-party ears (buy it on Amazon) are a great alternative for those travelling to Disneyland on a budget

Park Essentials

Once you’ve arrived on your Disneyland vacation, don’t forget to pack these park essentials in your day bag or fanny pack.

Sunblock

Sunblock is a must-have item for any outdoor adventure, especially when you’re spending a long day wandering around a theme park in hot Californian weather. 

Packing a small bottle of sunscreen in your day bag is the best way to make sure you have it on hand when you need it.

Apply some before you leave the hotel for the park and reapply it throughout the day.

🎒 Best choice: We love Banana Boat sunblock (buy it on Amazon) and this 88ml travel size bottle is perfect for a bag

Autograph Book & Pen

When visiting Disneyland with small children, an autograph book is a must-have.

The book can be filled with signatures and messages from their favourite Disney characters that you meet throughout the park. 

Not only is it a fun activity for kids, but it also serves as a unique souvenir from your trip and a way to create lasting family memories.

Plus, don’t forget to pack a pen too. Characters don’t always carry their own.

🎒 Best choice: This Disney inspired autograph book (buy it on Amazon) is an affordable option for capturing signitures in the park.

Magic Band+

The Magic Band+ is a wearable device that can be used to access your park tickets, FastPasses, and even your hotel room.

It can also be used to purchase food, merchandise, and other services if you’d rather not carry cash around with you.

You’ll need to purchase and activate your band when you arrive at the Disneyland resort. It’s vital not to forget it when heading to the parks each morning.

Cell Phone

Most people don’t go anywhere without their cell phones these days. But we thought we’d include it in this list anyway.

Your cell phone is essential for taking photos, using the Disney Genie service, programming your Magic Band+, and calling other members of your party in case you get separated.

Portable Phone Charger & Phone Cable

The last thing you want is to be about to snap a photo with your favourite Disney character when your phone suddenly dies.

This is why a portable charger and phone cable are must-have items in your backpack or fanny pack when exploring the parks.

And don’t forget to recharge your portable charger each night when you get back to your hotel or accommodation.

🎒 Best choice: This compact portable phone charger (buy it on Amazon) can bring take your phone from 0% to 100% twice on a single charge.

Credit Card / Debit Card / Cash

If you’re not using a Magic Band+, you’ll need to pay for things around the parks, such as food, drinks, and souvenirs, with your credit card or cash.

Make sure to put your cards and cash in a secure wallet or purse. And if you’re travelling with two or more people, ensure each person has access to some money in case the group gets separated or one item gets lost.

Reusable Water Bottle

It’s important to stay hydrated while enjoying your time at Disneyland. A good way to ensure you always have access to water is by packing a refillable water bottle in your day bag.

Not only is this an environmentally friendly option, but it can also save you a lot of money on purchasing bottled water throughout the day. 

Disneyland has multiple water fountains and refill stations throughout the parks where you can easily refill your bottle for free.

🎒 Best choice: These character inspired Thermos water bottles (buy it on Amazon) are great for kids. While this Hydro Flask (buy it on Amazon) is great for adults.

Snacks

Bringing your own snacks is another great way of saving money at Disneyland. It’s also a good idea if you’re travelling with young kids with dietary requirements, who are fussy eaters or simply need regular snacks throughout the day.

Disneyland allows you to bring in food from outside of the park. The main exemptions are no glass bottles or jars (exc. small baby food jars & children’s medicinal bottles) and no alcohol.

We’d also suggest avoiding anything that will get easily squashed in your bag or will melt / go off in the California heat.

Some of our favourite snacks to bring to Disney are chips and crisps, granola bars, jelly sweets, carrot and cucumber sticks, and dried fruit.

First Aid Kit

Both Disneyland parks have first aid stations with nurses offering over-the-counter medications and bandages.

However, for smaller accidents (headaches, bumps and scrapes) we always like to bring our own small first aid kit too, especially when visiting with little kids who are prone to bumps and bruises.

A basic first aid kit should contain adhesive bandages, antiseptic cream, antihistamine cream, and over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

🎒 Best choice: This 110 piece mini first aid kit (buy it on Amazon) is perfect for minor accidents.

Lip Balm

Between the hot weather and salty treats, cracked dry lips are a small inconvenience that can put a real downer on your day at Disneyland.

So don’t forget to slip your favourite lip balm into your bag or fanny pack. Choose something with SPF in it to protect your lips from the Cali sun.

🎒 Best choice: This lip balm pack from Burts Bees (buy it on Amazon) is our go to!

Baby Wipes

Wet wipes are a park must-have for cleaning sticky hands, mopping up spills, or wiping down any dirty surfaces. 

Plus they take up next to no room in your backpack and are incredibly affordable.

🎒 Best choice: These plastic free, unscented and hypoallergenic wipes (buy it on Amazon) are perfect for sensitive skin

Hand Sanitiser

With thousands of people enjoying the same rides and attractions each day, there’s only so much Disney can do to keep each surface and touch-point clean and sanitised.

Hand sanitising stations can be found around the parks, but we like to have our own small hand sanitiser with us too.

This way, we can quickly grab it before enjoying a snack or stopping for lunch, without having to hunt down the nearest toilet or sanitising station.

An alcohol-based hand sanitiser will best help reduce the spread of germs.

🎒 Best choice: We love these kids friendly sanitisers by Babyganics (buy it on Amazon)

Stroller

If you’re visiting Disneyland with a baby or younger kids, you’ll also want to bring your own stroller. A day at the parks is a lot of walking for smaller legs (or a lot of carrying for you).

We’d recommend going with a stroller that’s lightweight and can easily be folded away when needed.

You’ll also want a large canopy for sun protection and a good-sized storage basket for holding your dag bag and belongings. 

🎒 Best choice: If you have a tiny baby then we'd reccomend the Doona (buy it on Amazon). However, for kids one year or older we'd reccomend this affordable travel stroller (buy it on Amazon)

Disney Trading Pins

If you’re a Disney pin trader, don’t forget to bring your pins with you. Disney pins are a fun souvenir and an exciting park activity for the entire family.

While they are expensive to buy from the Disney Parks, most pins purchased online are ‘scrappers’ and non-official.

As such we don’t recommend buying these in advance, and instead only bringing pins you’ve previously purchased from the Disney Parks or Disney Store.

Ziploc Bag

Ziploc bags have a multitude of uses when visiting Disneyland theme parks.

You can use them to safely store snacks, especially when they’re half-eaten and you don’t want crumbs all over your backpack. 

Ziplock bags can also be used to store your money, cell phone, and other valuables when going on water rides.

🎒 Best choice: This variety pack (buy it on Amazon) has bags four different sizes.