Disney Packing List for Babies + Travel Must Haves

Packing for vacation with little ones can be stressful, especially for new parents visiting Walt Disney World. This Disney packing list includes baby travel essentials and vacation must-haves to keep in your Disney bag. This isn’t a generic list. We own, use, and recommend every item mentioned.

Disney is expensive enough without buying things you don’t need. Having been to Disney World several times with my now four-year-old grandson, we’ve learned a lot about traveling with infants and toddlers. There are a few things you absolutely should have, some optional items that can make your trip easier, and others you can skip entirely — so let’s dive right in!

Save this packing guide for your Disney trip, then scroll to the bottom to print a FREE packing checklist. You can use this list for ANY travel destination – not just Disney!

Welcome to our Disney Baby 101 series, where I, as a first-time mom, discuss the ins and outs of preparing for a Walt Disney World vacation with our baby! We’ve also included a printable Disney Packing List for Babies for you to print at the bottom of this post!

Disney Packing List for Babies

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I have been to Walt Disney World many times, but never with an infant in tow, and if I have learned one thing so far by being a mom, it is that I am a planner. I brought a LOT. There were things I never needed and others that I will highly recommend to other parents, and that’s what I’m sharing today!

Sleep

Sleep – the most precarious thing for our little cuties! Personally, the foundation of a great trip is getting decent shuteye, and this momma needs her sleep, haha! My husband and I have worked hard to create a successful bedtime routine for our baby that we try to maintain while on vacation. For us, that means:

• Sheets, sleep sacks, pajamas, and pacifiers from home.
• We requested a crib from our Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Although you can always ask for a crib or pack-n-play when staying at a Disney hotel, they are not guaranteed. Between that and the fact that our little guy likes to move a lot, we plan to also bring our Joovy Room² Playard. It’s larger than most standard pack-n-plays, and he has slept in it successfully on other trips.
  • If you want to request a crib or pack ‘n play during your Walt Disney World stay, visit the My Disney Experience page under your reservation or call (407)939-1936.
• A dark sleep spot. We love portable blackout curtains that can be suctioned onto any window. We have two sets: one that accommodates multiple windows and one that accommodates one large window.
  • We also bring a blackout cover that goes over the pack ‘n play – just in case!
• White noise! We use our Apple HomePod at home and Frida Baby 2-in-1 Portable Sound Machine when we travel. It can also be used while traveling!
• Earplugs—those are for me, haha! I have become such a light sleeper that I wake up to every cry, moan, and squeak. Earplugs have helped me sleep through those little sounds.

Mealtime

How much and what kind of food you will need to bring depends on your child’s age. For us, our little guy was nearly one. Packing-wise, I included the following:

• Bottles and burp clothes
  • I am somewhat neurotic about washing bottles. I will bring a small bottle of baby dish soap, a spare drying rack (we like this one), a washing basin, and a drying mat from Dollar Tree. I love this setup when traveling because I know everything being washed is free from other dirty plates and dishes, and it’s so inexpensive.
• For the reason above, I pack these bottle liners to use while we’re in the parks.
• Containers for small snacks and formula.
  • TIP: If you are going during the hotter months or have perishable items, consider bringing a small, portable cooler like this and some lightweight ice packs.
• Bibs (both reusable and disposable) and baby utensils. We used these on our trip, and they worked perfectly.
• A highchair/cart cover. I love these things—they’re such an easy and quick way to sanitize! I recently bought these Disney-themed disposable ones.
• A portable high chair to eat in the hotel room.

Bath/Potty

This is a relatively easy category to prep for. We needed the following:

• Diapers. I love using our tracking app to see how many diaper changes we do on average—this helps me know how many diapers to pack. I take that average, multiply it by the number of days we will be gone, and then tack on some extra!
• As for wipes, I KNOW we will be going through a lot more than usual. My cutie wants to touch anything and everything, so I will be wiping ALL the things. I highly recommend these baby-safe sanitizing wipes for cleaning tables, high chairs, or anything else the baby may touch when you’re on the go.
• Disposable puppy pads for makeshift changing liners. They’re plastic-lined on the bottom and absorbent on top, and help protect babies from unsanitary surfaces. I always lay one down on the diaper-changing tables in public restrooms. Use them anywhere you need to set your little one down that doesn’t look clean!
• Travel-size containers of diaper cream, Aquaphor, and baby shampoo.
• Baby brush and baby washcloths. As of now, I am okay with using the resort’s towels and bathtub for bath time.

Clothes

No Disney baby packing list is complete without the most obvious item – clothes! When packing clothes for your Walt Disney World vacation, the time of year is crucial! In this post, we discussed how unpredictable the weather at Disney World is. Disney World in summer is much different than Disney World in winter, and packing for baby will look much different. We were there in December, which meant warmish midday weather (around the low 70s°) and chilly evening temperatures (low 50s°).

• Various tops and bottoms: long- and short-sleeved, thin and thick materials, sweatshirts, and baby joggers for extra comfort. We dressed our guy in layers in case the temperature varies wildly.
• Both a lightweight infant jacket and a winter coat. I was prepared because we’d been at Disney during a freak cold snap and were freezing!
• Cute socks, soft shoes, and “walkable” footgear. (for a 12-month-old)
• Swimsuit and swim diapers – those pools are heated year-round!
• Multiple days’ worth of pajamas! I love these Disney-themed onesies, and I have found cute Disney-branded baby clothes at Walmart, Target, and H&M. Tell us in the comments if you have a favorite store for Disney clothes!
• Baby sunglasses. Even babies need sunnies when in the Sunshine State, right?!

Stroller

Usually, strollers wouldn’t need their own category – but when visiting Disney theme parks, there are many things to consider! Here is what I have thought of:

• A stroller, of course! Since we are driving down, I’m leaning towards bringing both our lightweight umbrella stroller and a more heavy-duty one.
  • TIP: If you’re flying and can’t bring multiple oversized items, consider renting from one of the numerous companies in the Orlando area!
• A portable and rechargeable fan that attaches to the stroller.
• A lightweight blanket to drape over the stroller’s sunshade, with clips to secure it.
• A rain cover for the stroller. You know it rains nearly every day in Orlando, Florida, right?!
• Toy straps are excellent for keeping your baby’s toys and pacifiers nearby and NOT on the ground!
• Extra ways to add storage to our stroller:
  • Jumbo carabiner. I love to clip these to our stroller handlebars and attach bags. This will be convenient when browsing the gift shops!
  • A cargo net that attaches to the stroller’s side. I picked up this Disney-themed one recently. I think it will be a perfect spot for toys and smaller items!

Miscellaneous

We also have to factor in items needed for theme park days, hanging out in the hotel room, visiting Disney Springs, etc. Here is what I have thought of so far:

• Baby sunblock and a hat. Even though the weather will be milder when we visit, the sun’s rays can be intense year-round at Walt Disney World.
• Carrier/sling to baby wear in the parks and around the resort area.
• Favorite toys from home! They entertain and soothe our baby on the drive, when we travel to the theme parks, when we wait in ride queues, and when we eat at restaurants.
• We’ve already purchased souvenirs before the trip. I have been picking up Disney items at Target, Walgreens, and even Dollar Tree. I plan to divide them up by spreading them out throughout our vacation. This is an easy way to save at Disney World!
• Several grocery store bags from home to hold wet clothes, dirty bottles, etc.
• Big and small diaper bags to accommodate all-day visits to theme parks and quick trips to restaurants and shops.
• Case of water bottles. The free water at Disney can sometimes taste a little sulfury. This will help Mom and Dad stay hydrated and easily make baby bottles!
  • TIP: If you want to be more eco-friendly, Walt Disney World Resort has several refillable water bottle stations!

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it covers most bases when traveling to Walt Disney World with a baby. If you’d like to print this for your next trip, click the link below for your free checklist!