Our family has been to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida on over 40 separate trips. I've taken all my children when they were as young as 6 months old. I'm constantly asked what to bring which I posted last week. This week I'm going to share my list of what NOT to bring. These are things I've brought over the years and decided they were not worth packing.
Like I mentioned last week, I don't bring reusable diaper changing pads. Not only are they too small to cover the changing table surface but who wants to put that dirty thing back in their bag? I always use disposble covers.
In addition, I don't bring Diaper Bags. They are too uncomfortable to tote around all day. Then I got into the habbit of leaving them hanging on the stroller (which gives thieves temptation). So now I just put all my baby items into a good travel backpack with drink holders for bottles/cups.
I stopped buying Disney rain ponchos and bringing disposable ones instead. I learned my lesson the hard way TWICE. I bought a really nice $20 rain poncho with Mickey on it. Then after the ten minute rain shower, I rolled it up and stuffed it into the stroller. And it sat. For days. In hot, humid Florida. YUK. When I opened it up to pack, it was moldy. The second time I bought one, I spread it out in the hotel room to dry. We wore it once. Not worth the money. Just bring the cheap ones and toss when done.
Don't bring a cheap folding umbrella stroller. I did this once and swore never again. First, it can't hold all your stuff. Second, they tip over ALL THE TIME. It's a real pain. Either bring a decent foldable stroller with some storage or rent a stroller.
Don't bring a cheap stroller. I did this also. The thing was so hard to move or to turn. I ended up leaving it near the trash at the hotel.
Don't bring a stroller with bad wheels. I brought a huge double-stroller which did not have good wheels. It was SO HARD to turn especially in tight places like crowded stores. If you can't turn easily with kids sitting iside, leave it at home. Believe me, you will be so frustrated you will feel like dumping it in the trash.
Back to the Floriday heat. Even though the weather app shows mid-80's, add in humidity, the intense sun, the cement, and the crowds, it will feel like over 100 degrees. Don't wear jeans. Don't wear thick clothes. If you plan to visit December - March, you might want to bring the warm clothes for night times since the temperature does dip a bit after sunset. I've worn multiple layers during the MMVCP (Christmas Party) several times and still felt cold.
Going to Disney is not the time to break in new shoes as you will walk thousands of steps a day (unless you rent a scooter). I don't recommend anything that will get ruined by water or rain. Or anything that will make your feet sweat.
You might want to leave your hard shell sunglass case at the hotel or in your car. The security guards always pull visitors aside to investigate those (I'm guessing the machines don't like them). Bring soft fabric covers or pouches instead.
Drones are not allowed to be flown within the Disney World bubble without specific permission. They will confiscate them.
Have suggestions? Please feel free to add them in the comments. Enjoy your trip!
Travel Tips - Walt Disney World (Orlando, Florida) - What's in My Luggage?
As a family of frequent travellers, explorers and visitors to major theme parks, I get asked all the time "What is in your luggage?" or "What are your favorite travel accessories?" or "What should I take on my vacation to (some amazing destination)?"
So I thought it would be fun to share some of the things that I have purchased, taken, and used on my recent trips.
For this week, I'm going to tell you some of the things I have taken on my recent Disney Park vacation
First, I use the Delsey softside luggage from Costco. It's currently on sale for $149.99. If you're reading this and it's not on sale, just wait a few weeks. They seem to go on and off sale all the time. What I love the most about the luggage beside the ease of moving due to the large spinner wheels but the interior lining is washable (which is pretty rare in luggage sets). Love, love this set. Right now they have Blue or Black. If you can find the Green set, get that one because it will be easy to pick out on the luggage carousel.
Why softside luggage? I like the ability to squash my bags into the overhead bins (as opposed to the hard shell types). It can mean the difference between carry-on and last minute checked bags.
Tens of thousands of guests visit Disney. That's a whole lot of germs. So I stopped using portable baby changing pads. Think about it. You are placing the pad down on a changing table that is never cleaned, that is poo'ed and pee'ed on and whatever else. Nasty. And then you put that pad back into your bag. Ewww. I now use disposable changing pads that are large enough to cover the table. Keep a few in your diaper bag and pull them out when you're ready to change. This set has 50 pads and they last quite awhile.
Unexpected rain showers occur all the time in Orlando. You will check your weather app in the morning before setting off to the parks and it shows sunshine. Later in the day, a brief rain storm swoops in and drenches your party in five minutes. I've been through that enough times to finally always pack a set of disposable rain ponchos for those brief, unexpected storms. This particular set has both Adult and Children sizes in one box. They are a bit better than the ones you will find at the dollar store.
If your child is old enough to sit at the table, you will definitely want some disposable placemats. Disney eateries never have enough tables and you will jump at an open table which means it may or may not be properly cleaned. Wiping the table down yourself doesn't get it sanitized. Next best thing, cover the table as best as you can. What I like about this set is there are 4 different designs (most sets only have one single design). They stick to the table surface. They are individually packaged so you can toss them into your bag.
Most strollers do not have enough storage space, IMO. So I purchased two of these side bags for each side of my stroller. I stuff snacks, fruit, maps (in ziploc bags in case of rain) in these bags. Don't weigh them down too much or the stroller might flip backwards. You may or may not have to remove them when folding up your stroller (depending on your brand).
I've purchased two sets of these Stroller Hook sets. So easy to use. Sturdy. I like to hand umbrellas on these (off the stroller) as well as popcorn buckets or drink cups with handles. So handy!
I have mixed opinions on this stroller sun shade that I bought. The Florida sun can be extremely hot so I add this cover (and it does cover a bit during rain showers too). The reason I'm iffy on it or others like it is that they are a pain to take on/off because you cannot fold the stroller with it attached. I haven't found a cover or an umbrella that I love, so I keep using this one for now. At least it will attach to most strollers and the price isn't too bad.
Speaking of the blistering Florida sun, you MUST apply sunscreen even if you have a base tan. The sun is just too intense. This lotion is safe for reefs and children (I use a different baby brand for babies). It applies pretty well and can be placed into carry-on luggage thanks to their small 3oz size.
Any purchase made through Amazon may earn this site a very small commission which goes right back into the site's maintenance and hosting costs. Thanks for your support!
So I thought it would be fun to share some of the things that I have purchased, taken, and used on my recent trips.
For this week, I'm going to tell you some of the things I have taken on my recent Disney Park vacation
First, I use the Delsey softside luggage from Costco. It's currently on sale for $149.99. If you're reading this and it's not on sale, just wait a few weeks. They seem to go on and off sale all the time. What I love the most about the luggage beside the ease of moving due to the large spinner wheels but the interior lining is washable (which is pretty rare in luggage sets). Love, love this set. Right now they have Blue or Black. If you can find the Green set, get that one because it will be easy to pick out on the luggage carousel.
Why softside luggage? I like the ability to squash my bags into the overhead bins (as opposed to the hard shell types). It can mean the difference between carry-on and last minute checked bags.
Tens of thousands of guests visit Disney. That's a whole lot of germs. So I stopped using portable baby changing pads. Think about it. You are placing the pad down on a changing table that is never cleaned, that is poo'ed and pee'ed on and whatever else. Nasty. And then you put that pad back into your bag. Ewww. I now use disposable changing pads that are large enough to cover the table. Keep a few in your diaper bag and pull them out when you're ready to change. This set has 50 pads and they last quite awhile.
Unexpected rain showers occur all the time in Orlando. You will check your weather app in the morning before setting off to the parks and it shows sunshine. Later in the day, a brief rain storm swoops in and drenches your party in five minutes. I've been through that enough times to finally always pack a set of disposable rain ponchos for those brief, unexpected storms. This particular set has both Adult and Children sizes in one box. They are a bit better than the ones you will find at the dollar store.
If your child is old enough to sit at the table, you will definitely want some disposable placemats. Disney eateries never have enough tables and you will jump at an open table which means it may or may not be properly cleaned. Wiping the table down yourself doesn't get it sanitized. Next best thing, cover the table as best as you can. What I like about this set is there are 4 different designs (most sets only have one single design). They stick to the table surface. They are individually packaged so you can toss them into your bag.
Most strollers do not have enough storage space, IMO. So I purchased two of these side bags for each side of my stroller. I stuff snacks, fruit, maps (in ziploc bags in case of rain) in these bags. Don't weigh them down too much or the stroller might flip backwards. You may or may not have to remove them when folding up your stroller (depending on your brand).
I've purchased two sets of these Stroller Hook sets. So easy to use. Sturdy. I like to hand umbrellas on these (off the stroller) as well as popcorn buckets or drink cups with handles. So handy!
I have mixed opinions on this stroller sun shade that I bought. The Florida sun can be extremely hot so I add this cover (and it does cover a bit during rain showers too). The reason I'm iffy on it or others like it is that they are a pain to take on/off because you cannot fold the stroller with it attached. I haven't found a cover or an umbrella that I love, so I keep using this one for now. At least it will attach to most strollers and the price isn't too bad.
Speaking of the blistering Florida sun, you MUST apply sunscreen even if you have a base tan. The sun is just too intense. This lotion is safe for reefs and children (I use a different baby brand for babies). It applies pretty well and can be placed into carry-on luggage thanks to their small 3oz size.
Any purchase made through Amazon may earn this site a very small commission which goes right back into the site's maintenance and hosting costs. Thanks for your support!
Review - Texas - Grapevine - Prehistoric Park
Prehistoric Park in the gorgeous lake-side Meadowmere Park in Grapevine, Texas is a limited-time dinosaur walk-through experience. Open daily until April 16, 2023. There are lots of hands-on activities and if you can manage to come in the evening of April 15th they have a Dinos After Dark experience from 7pm-10pm (which might be a little scary for younger kids who don't like being in the dark).
General admission is $29/car. Children 12 and under will receive an activity sheet to punch/stamp as they explore the trail.
Please note that there are limited food options here. They did have a Kona Ice truck, a Funnel Cake truck, and (for a few hours) a Coffee truck. It's best to bring your own food/drinks and enjoy a picnic on the lawn. They do have restrooms (which were dimly lit and might be a little scary for younger kids) right inside the park.
After you pay the entrance fee, you will enter the parking lot on the left side to park before walking along the dinosaur trail.
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The dinosaurs are animatronic which means they move and many have sound effects.
As your walk along the dinosaur trail, you will find some hands-on learning exhibits. For example, here are exhibits on dinosaur talons and another featuring different types of eggs.
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Some of the exhibits have a self-punching device which you will use to mark your activity sheet. After you collect all the punches, you will turn in your sheet at the final tent (behind the restroom building in the market tent) to receive a free gift.
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The forest trail is across the street into the trees. The trail is well-marked and there are a few dinosaur props found there (they do feature fake blood which might be scary for some kids).
Be sure to stop by the Dino Photo-Opn in the market tent behind the activities featuring scientists opening fossils.
Details:
Address: 3000 Meadowmere Ln, Grapevine, TX 76051
Hours: 9am-6pm Daily (special night hours 7p-10pm)
Admission: $29.00 per vehicle
Get more information from the official website, https://gograpevine.com/
Overall Family Review:
- 18 year old - Liked the bean bag toss
- 13 year old - Liked the activities
- 8 year old - Liked the activities
- 2 year old - Liked the fossil dig site, bean bag toss, forest trail
Review - Oklahoma - Davis - Arbuckle Wilderness
My family enjoys visting zoos and animal parks (we try our best to avoid gimmicky places like Tiger King wannabe tourist traps). One place we wanted to visit was Arbuckle Wilderness which wasn't a long drive for us at all. We arrived on a Sunday after lunch and it was quite busy.
Arbuckle Wilderness Park is located in Oklahoma's Arbuckle Mountain area very close to Turner Falls right off Interstate 35. It's about 1.5 hours from Dallas and 1 hour from Oklahoma City.
For those readers who have not yet been to a drive-through wildlife park, here's what to expect: When you arrive at the park, you will pay an entrance fee (sometimes by car, mostly per person) and you can buy optional food cups to feed the animals. Some wildlife parks offer their own vehicle to tour the park, but usually you will stay in your own car and drive along a well-marked trail. Animals are spread out along the trail. Depending on when you arrive, the weather, how full, and the mood of the animals, they may or may not come to your car to visit. Late on a hot day, most animals will be hiding in the shade or wading in ponds of water so it's best to get there early.
When you arrive into the park, you will be greeted by a colorful sign and then you will enter a parking area. You can park and go into the visitor center where you will find restrooms, snacks, and a handful of caged animals (which we'll see a little later). At the end of the trail, you will come back to this area offering you another opportunity to park.
Now you will drive up the hill to the payment booth. Here you can purchase animal food. This is the only place you can purchase food. I think 6 cups was $11 which is enough to last you the entire drive.
Entry fees are $16.99 per adult and $14.99 for each senior and each child between ages 4 and 11. There are coupons on their website between October and February.
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One important note - this park is in a very hilly part of Oklahoma and the road winds up and down. There are portions that are a bit gravelly and steep. If your vehicle (or your driver) cannot handle that, you might not enjoy this drive. Be sure to fill up on gas ahead of time as there's no facilities here. There are gas stations in the nearby town of Davis (and food).
As you drive along, you will notice some animals are in gated areas especially the horses and larger cows.
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Here's a picture of the cup of feed that you purchase. You have to keep a good grip on the cup as a few of the animals will try to take the cup with them.
This bull ripped the cup out of a guest's hand in front of us and he nonchantly ate it all up. Sadly, you will see lots of discarded cups along the trail. I choose to roll the window up for this animal to keep our cups (and his belly) safe.
Here are some photos that show how the drive-through portion works - you drive along at a slow speed then you pull to the side of the road to feed the animals (allowing more impatient drivers to pass).
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Here are some of the animals that we fed along our journey. None of them were aggressive and our car never got bumped or hit.
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They had a nice white tiger behind some fencing.
These are a few of the animals you can see inside the gift shop. You will also find restrooms, tourist brochures, and merch.
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For more information about this park, click on their website, https://arbucklewildernesspark.com/
Address: 6132 Kay Starr Trl., Davis, OK 73030
Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm; Saturday-Sunday 9am-5:30pm; you need about two hours to drive through the park.
Overall Family Review:
- 17 year old - Enjoyed feeding the animals
- 13 year old - Enjoyed feeding the animals
- 8 year old - Enjoyed feeding the animals
- 2 year old - Enjoyed watching the animals
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