CLOTHES
Here is a list of things that we take and I will explain a little about each item. These are things other than your normal vacation wear.
-Formal night~ there is 1 formal night and 1 semi-formal night on 7 night sailings (may differ on shorter sailings). We dress in gowns, suits (jacket, tie, etc) on formal night and on semi-formal the boys wear dress pants, shirt and tie. Us ladies wear a gown but we go down a scale from formal night. I always use a clutch to match my gown as well.
-Casual night~ the remaining nights are cruise casual. This can be anything but a swimsuit. Shorts and tops and usually a sundress or capri pants for the ladies.
-Pirate night~ Pirate night is awesome when you join in on the fun and dress up. You dress in your best pirate attire and head to dinner. After dinner there is a pirate show on the top deck and then fireworks. (keep an eye out for Jack Sparrow.) There is photo ops throughout the ship as well and character meet and greet with everyone including Mickey in a pirate costume. Once all that is done, head to Cabana’s for the most awesome buffet...desserts galore, turkey legs, etc. Oh, there will be pirate bandanas for everyone in your stateroom.
-Swim gear~ I usually pack a swimsuit for the kids for everyday but there is a washing machine on board where you use at your own leisure for 2 bucks a load (you won’t see this on other ships). I usually pack little Tide travel packs, you can find them in Walmart and throw in some bounce sheets in a baggie. Cheaper than buying them on the ship.
-Cover up~ On sea days, we dress in our swim gear, throw on a cover up and head to the buffet for breakfast. After breakfast, we head to the pool.
-Comfy shoes~ we wear comfy shoes when we get off the ship, sometimes there can be a lot of walking.
-Sweater~ the theatres are sometimes freezing. We like to take in the shows and also the movies and sitting in there for a few hours being chilly is not my idea of enjoyment. Pack a light sweater or hoodie for nights like this. Also, some nights on deck can be a little chilly depending on the time of the year you are sailing.
-Pajamas~ I know this is an obvious one but be sure to pack some cute Disney theme ones for the kiddies for Pluto’s Pajama Party that happens in the kids clubs. My kids LOVED it and they got a Pluto pillowcase to bring home!
-Pants~ I always pack at least one pair of pants or jeans for each of us, you never know if you will want to watch a late night movie on the top deck and sometimes it can be a little chilly. (Again, depends on the time of year).
-Princess Dress~ Every little girl needs a Princess dress when she is meeting her favorite Princess. There is will be a Princess gathering 2 mornings on board that happens in the Atrium usually at 10. Get there early to line up because this is a popular event. There will be 5-6 princesses, you get to meet each one, autographs and pictures..it’s so cute. Also, lots of kids wear their Princess gowns to dinner. Check the Navigator to see the timings. (Navigator is your daily schedule of events, your stateroom host will leave it in your room the night before so you can plan the next day).
-Poncho~ it rains even on vacation!
Toiletries
Other than your normal things that you pack for vacation, here are a few other’s I love to throw in:
-Baby Powder~ this is a MUST for the beach. I take baby powder and a paint brush on every beach we hit. When its time to go and you are covered in sand, sprinkle some powder on and brush it off with the brush..trust me, this works and you will thank me when you are trying to get the sand off the kids.
-Shampoo, conditioner and lotion~ Just an FYI that these items are provided in your stateroom and very well stocked. Its Disney H20 series and we found it excellent.
-Hairdryer~ I always take my own hairdryer and that way me and Bria can dry the same time, don't have to wait for one to finish. Always a time crunch getting ready for dinner.
-Sunscreen(lots), Aloe vera Gel~ I use spf 60 for the kids and always use lotion. The spray don’t cover like the lotion do and I have seen kids burn from using spray sunscreen. For us adults, I start with a 30 the first day because trust me, if you burn at the beginning of vacation, IT SUCKS. I then go to a 15, I tan nicely using these.
-Pop up hamper~ great way to keep all the dirty laundry together and just take the hamper to the laundry room when its full.
-Downy wrinkle release~ this works amazing to get the wrinkles out of your pants, dresses etc.
-Baby wipes~ great for the beach bag, kids always get sticky from the self serve ice cream station.
First aid kit
I always pack a first aid kit because you don’t want to visit a doctor on board…$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
-Antacid
-Tylenol/Ibuprofen
-Bandaids
-Bug repellent
-insect bite relief
-sunburn relief
-sinus/cold medication
-sea sick meds (I wear patches faithfully).
-sore throat logenzes
-Allergy meds
-Benadryl for the kids
Writing department
You are probably thinking..ok she is nuts. Yes I am but you will thank me on this one too.
-Magnetic dry erase board & Markers~ This is fun to stick on your stateroom door for people to leave messages, say hello, or friends that you have met may want to send you a note.
-Highlighters~ You know the Navigator I talked about earlier that you get in your room each night with the daily events, well I use highlighters to mark the things we want to do. I even color code them by importance. Yellow..its a must, pink..like too but if time permits, Orange..if we are bored (lol yeah right?). You get the idea, it just helps plan your day. You will understand when you see the schedule and ALL the things that happens in a day..unreal and don’t think you will see and do it all on your first vacation.
-Notepad & pen- I like to carry these in my bag around the ship, you meet people, they want your room # to call, or kids may want to find a friends room #, etc, just nice to have!!
-Post it notes- we have used these to stick a note on people's door and also to leave little notes for our stateroom host.
-Thank-you cards- I use these to write letters to my crew (stateroom host, servers, etc.) They spend a long time away from their loved ones and apparently they love to receive letters.
-Autograph books~ Kids and adults (yes I have lined up to get an autograph) get the character autographs. In your Navigator, there will be a list of character appearances, timings and locations throughout the day. Take your book and get some pics taken. The characters usually have a different suit on every day too. SO FUN!!
You can buy these books on board but I always make them for the kids, makes it more personal and the characters LOVE homemade books. Also, a bulky pen for our Disney friends with bigger hands :)
-File Folder~ I get this at the dollarama, its vinyl and it has a little flap with a button to close it. I get red of course and decorate it will Mickey stickers, etc. I use it to keep all my Navigators in because I like to keep them to bring home. Its just a thing that keeps all the paper items in one place instead of all over the desk.
Paperwork
Here is a list of paperwork you don’t want to leave at home
-Passport
-Copy of passport (I make copies of it JUST in case of an emergency that you misplace it)
-Cruise documents~ print these off before you leave home from the Disney site. I usually make a few copies just in case and put them in different places. Your Travel Agent will also send you a copy.
-Hotel Confirmation
-Medical insurance Info
-Itinerary
-Tour Confirmations~ I usually book excursions myself and sometime with other companies other than Disney (Much cheaper). Be sure to read reviews on Trip advisors of any company you are looking at.
-Emergency phone numbers
-Print out of map for list of cabins
-Print out of names of fellow cruisers in your DIS group
-Fish Extender Exchange List of names and cabin #’s
-Car rental agreements
-Airline tickets
Miscellaneous Items
This may be a lot...I will explain as I go
-Binoculars~ Perfect for far off viewing while on deck or veranda
-CAMERAS~ Also remember that when you are getting photo’s done with the characters, the cast member will take one with your camera as well..again, only Disney. Just ASK!!
-Fish Extender~ Most likely there will be a gift exchange on your sailing. You can find your group on Facebook or by the Dis boards. If you need help, I can easily find your group in 2 seconds and send you the link. Just tell me your sailing date. If you have no idea about what this is all about, message me, I can help. (see also separate blog post dedicate to FE)
-Fish extender gifts~ You will receive a list of names, ages and cabin numbers of people participating in the exchange and you can buy or make a gift for each person, each cabin or just the children, but remember..us adults like surprises too!
-Lanyards~ this is a MUST. You can buy these on the ship, or dollar store or online but its so awesome. You will receive a card called Key to the World. This card is your main tool on the cruise. You will use it to open your room, to buy things at the gift shops, to get on and off the ship during ports of call, to use spa services, to sign kids in and out of kids club.. Literally anything on the ship, you need this card. Everyone will get their own, you get your photo taken at the port before boarding and its linked to your card only. We wear it around our necks and then we know where it is all all times and its easy access. If you misplace it, go to Guest Services and they will get you a new one.
-Magnets~ This is so much fun. You can bring magnets and decorate your stateroom door. You can get personalized ones on etsy or you can create your own. Be sure to use heavy duty magnets because the cheap ones keep flying off the door.
-Zap straps~ I use these to secure my fish extender the the fish hook outside my door. There are thieves everywhere these days
-Thank-you gifts~ This is of personal preference. I bring little gifts for my stateroom host, servers, kids club workers or any other cast members that go over and beyond. They like candy, mints, chocolates, etc. Just little tokens of appreciation.
-Beach Bag
-Waterproof camera~ we love ours for the beach days
-Tips for room service~ There is complimentary room service on most items on the menu. You can get pizza, salads, warm chocolate chip cookies and milk for bedtime snack, Mickey icecream bars (not on the menu, but just ask), fruit tray, cheese platter (great for when you are all getting ready for dinner), etc. When your server delivers it to your room, give them a tip..1 or 2 or 3 bucks, depends on how much you ordered. I get a bunch of 1.00 bills (American of course) and keep it just for tips.
-Sand Jars~ Although they say you cannot take sand from the beaches, you can..just NOT a lot. I buy these tiny sand jars at dollarama (6 in a pack) and we fill one for each kid at every port. I have not yet been told about it.
-Clothes Pins~ These is a clothesline in your shower and its a perfect way to hang up wet swimming clothes. I take clothespins because you can get more on the line.
-Watch~ I know you are on vacation and time isn’t suppose to matter, well it do. You don’t want to miss your favorite character meet and greet, be late for dinner or even miss the boat once you are out on an excursion. On the ship, clocks are very limited..wear a watch!!!
-Water bottles~ We take our tervis cups or water bottles. There is a free drink/water station on the top deck.
-Night Light~ when the lights go out..It’s DARK. Nice to have a nightlight for the kiddies.
-Ziploc Bags & lg plastic bags~ I swear by these especially the last night when your luggage has to be out by your door and you decide that a late night swim is a good idea, stick the wet clothes in a plastic bag and throw it in your carry on..easy. I also use zip locs for shampoo, etc.
-Lint Roller
-Sewing kit
-Scissors~ you would not believe how these come in handy
-Backpack for excursion
-Alcohol~ you are allowed to take on alcohol. It just has to fit in your carry on. You cannot put it in any checked baggage. Also remember if you have an early check in time, your room won’t be available right away and you have to take your carry on baggage with you wherever you go. Rooms are usually ready by 1pm. This goes for pop too if you desire a certain kind, Disney has all Coke products!
I hope this helps you prepare for your trip of a lifetime :)
Any Questions..give me a shout - DeeAna
