What You Should Pack for a Walt Disney World Vacation

Whether you pack light and travel solo, or have a family caravan, there are some definite do’s
and don’ts when it comes to packing for a Disney vacation. Before you sign off on your luggage
and head to the airport, here are some helpful packing tips you might not have thought about.

Packing for the room

The room will not include a clock. You might be surprised how often you look for the time and
won’t be able to find it. It can also be very inconvenient to look around for your phone to use
the clock. Consider packing a small alarm clock, especially if you already have one. You
should also pack USB cords for charging your phone. A bottle opener is also nice to have on
hand in case you decide to enjoy some wine in your room. The coffee machine uses pods. If
you don’t want to use the housekeeping service but want coffee in the room, consider packing
single serve pods of a coffee you prefer.

Packing for the parks

Of course you will want to pack weather appropriate clothing. Pack a lot of casual wear, and
maybe something more business casual for a fancy dinner. You will need comfortable shoes, in
soles are a great idea. Weather can be shifty, so be prepared with an umbrella and a poncho.
Packing sunscreen is an absolute must. It’s also a great idea to pack water bottles. You can
bring a pack of 24 bottles for the price of one bottle you buy in the parks. Plus, by the time you
head back home, you have all that room for souvenirs.

Packing for the travel

Good things to have on hand throughout your trip are pain reliever and cash. You never know
when you’ll want to have a few dollars handy to tip a driver or a bellhop. Pain reliever is not
something you want to be buying in the gift shop. If you are flying, don’t forget earbuds for the
in-flight entertainment.

Packing for the phone

Packing your phone with the right apps will make your trip a lot smoother and more fun. Most
airlines have an app you can download and use to store boarding passes, manage seat
selection, view entertainment, etc. You should also pack your phone with a ride sharing app,
like Uber or Lyft and a weather app to keep you in the know on what to expect from day to day.
Most of all, you should have the My Disney Experience app downloaded with your tickets,
reservations and hotel accommodations connected. For more interactive Disney entertainment
download the Disney Play app to use while you wait in attraction queues.

Read These Next

The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is important throughout Mexico and other parts of the world. Her feast day is Dec. 12, and the celebrations honoring her appearance to Juan Diego in 1531 begin a few days before that.

Whether you celebrate yourself or just want to share about the celebration at home or in your classroom, Las Mañanitas: The Beautiful Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a good place to start. The book, by Ernesto Joel Vega Rosales and Jeanette Gonzalez Seneviratne, with illustrations by Dana Sanmar, tells the story of a family’s celebration of the feast day in both English and Spanish.

They prepare with a novena, which is nine days of prayers and preparations. The children, Lucia and Pablo, are given special outfits made by their grandmother that look like what Juan Diego might have worn when he saw Our Lady. The book describes the prayers that are made each day, such as a prayer for respect for life, for families and for the indigenous people of the Americas, to name a few.

As told in the book, Juan Diego was a native Mexican born near modern day Mexico City. His given name was Cuaauhtlatoatzin, which means “He who speaks like an eagle.” When he converted to Christianity his name was changed to Juan Diego, and as he walked to church he passed a hill called Tepeyac. One day he heard the birds singing especially beautifully and a voice called him to go to the top of the hill.

There he saw Our Lady of Guadalupe, who asked him to tell the bishop she wanted a chapel built in her name at the foot of the hill. The bishop asked for a sign that Juan Diego really saw her, and later she had him collect flowers that she blessed and take them to the bishop. When Juan Diego dropped the flowers, an image of Our Lady could be seen on his cloak, which is still on display in her basilica to this day.

The feast day is celebrated as mañanitas, which includes singing, indigenous music and dancing, and children presenting flowers to Our Lady. Juan Diego is remembered today as being humble, brave and faithful, and was the first indigenous American made a saint.

The book is colorful and tells the story in a clear way, and it’s fun to have it both in English and Spanish if you teach Spanish or speak Spanish at home or in the classroom. It’s a great way to learn the basics of the celebration and the story of Juan Diego and why he is still remembered today.

About the book: 40 pages, paperback, published 2024 by Loyola Press. Suggested retail price $14.99.

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Have you read?