The 10+ Best Summer Essentials to Pack for Disneyland, Walt Disney World Resort and More Theme Parks
Don’t be an amateur — pack like a pro for comfort and contingency planning ahead of your next visit to your favorite attraction-filled destination.
By Alesandra Dubin, Danielle Directo-Meston
July 9, 2025 12:54pm
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Jisu Life's portable fan and Lululemon x Disney 1L Belt Bag at the Tiki Room at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. Danielle Directo-Meston/THR
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Do you remember the days when you could head off to a day at Disney on a whim (and without taking out a second mortgage)? Those days are long over for most attendees now that parks demand reservations and tech connectedness, and the ever-soaring cost of admission requires an efficient strategy to make the investment count. To help you avoid buying last-minute essentials during your next theme park adventure, we’re helping you plan what to pack for Disneyland and other amusement parks.
Related: The Best Disney Gifts for Celebrating the House of Mouse’s 100th Anniversary
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Coming prepared means being comfortable for a long day and zillions of steps, sometimes in intense weather conditions. It also means saving on unnecessary expenses at Disney-level markup prices. Whether you’re heading to Disneyland or Universal Studios in California, or the newly opened Universal Epic Universe or Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, being prepared for the summer heat is essential for staying cool and comfortable under the sun.
From an ultra-powerful portable fan and style accessories to tech tools, here are 11 of the best items to bring to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios or any other fun-filled theme park — or leave behind at your peril.
Anker Nano Power Bank with Built-in Lightning Connector
$19.99 $31.99 38% off
Navigating Disney parks all but requires you to drain your phone battery — whether to check ride wait times, order food, join virtual queues or link your photos. A backup battery source is absolutely essential, and this one by Anker tucks tidily into the bottom of any iPhone with a lightning connector, so it spares you the hassle — and trip hazard — of trailing cables when you’re on the go.
Related: The Best Portable Chargers for Smartphones, Laptops and More Devices
Sojos Small Round Sunglasses
$12.73 $19.99 36% off
When you’re in a world that’s as immersive as Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom, a pair of polarized sunglasses — such as Sojos’ lightweight, looks-good-on-everyone pair — brings out the vibrancy of your surroundings while protecting your eyes from UV rays. These round frames come in a variety of colorways, including tortoise, matte black and more.
TakeToday Foldable Silicone Water Bottle
$14.39 $19.99 28% off
If you prefer to keep your gear light, look no further than our favorite collapsible silicone water bottle from TakeToday (also available in other colors and sizes). It’s the only foldable vessel we’ve tested that doesn’t accumulate mold (we can’t say the same for the accordion-style bottles we’ve tried), and it’s a cinch to rinse and clean.
Jisulife Portable Turbo Mini Handheld Fan
$53.19 $69.99 24% off
When the weather’s hot, navigating a Disney park can feel like Survivor Island. Mitigate the intensity of the heat with Jisulife’s handheld turbo mini fan, our new go-to device that delivers instant relief with its ultra-powerful motor. Easily adjust the wind speed from 1 to 100 with a simple scroll — this essential can fan you the equivalent of 9m/s (or 20mph). This fan was so strong, even our line buddies were impressed with its reach. Use it as a backup phone charger or as dramatic wind for your next photoshoot at your favorite Disney resort.
Ray-Ban x Meta Sunglasses
Live in the moment with Meta x Ray-Ban’s stylish glasses (available with sun and prescription lenses) that let you take photos and videos, make calls, send texts and more via voice command — all without touching your phone. The eyewear is equipped with Meta AI that can remind you where you parked, answer questions in real time, share details about landmarks as you walk by and more.
EltaMD UV Sport SPF 50 Body Sunscreen
If you’ve been to a dermatologist recently and asked for an SPF recommendation (or even if you didn’t ask), you’re likely to have heard about Hollywood insider-beloved brand EltaMD. Formulated with zinc oxide, this SPF 50 sunscreen is sweat-resistant and water-resistant for up to 80 minutes — so you’re well covered for hot days and water rides.
Totes Hooded Rain Poncho
Packing for any eventuality means being prepared for rain if the forecast looks dicey. This ultralight and portable rain poncho will keep you covered in inclement weather. It’s compact, reusable, and packs into an included mesh bag for carrying and drying. It also does double duty to protect your clothes, gear, and hair on those water rides. (Splash Mountain may be gone, but look out for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure coming in its place in 2024.)
YETI Rambler 26 oz Bottle
Don’t get caught at Disney without the hydration you need to sustain you through a long day — and don’t unnecessarily pay exorbitant prices for single-use plastic disposables when you get desperate. Bring your own water bottle — like this Yeti’s 26-ounce Rambler stainless steel vessel — and refill it at water fountains and refilling stations throughout the park. Just make sure it’s dependably leakproof to spare your stuff, as in this version with a leak-resistant straw cap as well as double-wall vacuum insulation to keep your drink cool.
Apple
Apple AirTag 4 Pack
$64.99 $99.00
You can alleviate a certain amount of stress at Disney (or wherever you travel) by hitching Apple’s teeny GPS AirTag tracker to all of your essentials. This allows you to track not just your bags, stroller, and other valuable material possessions — but any kids in the group, too. And thanks to a game-changing update in the newest iOS, you can share access to tracking among multiple people.
Got an Android? Try Tile’s Mate Bluetooth tracker, which has a range of up to 250 feet.
Dagne Dover Dakota Medium Neoprene Backpack
Even if you were so inclined, you’re not permitted to wheel a wagon around Disney parks to tote your cargo. So use a backpack to stash your gear on your body while distributing the weight evenly and keeping your hands free. Dagne Dover’s medium Dakota neoprene backpack is just a better mousetrap, with thoughtfully curated interior and exterior pockets, a key fob, and a cool-looking, durable neoprene construction. (Queer Eye star and interior designer Bobby Berk recently sang the carryall brand’s praises.)
Lululemon x Disney Everywhere Belt Bag 1L
Lululemon’s exclusive Disney Everywhere Belt Bag was literally made for your next House of Mouse adventure. The 1L carryall fits a surprising amount of essentials, and is the ideal accessory for theme park minimalists.
Related: The Best Belt Bags for Theme Parks, Festivals and Daily Errands
Disney x Touchland Power Mist Set
Line ropes, yellow straps, lap bars — need we say more? There are plenty of nasty potential bugs hopping through crowds, including the flu, RSV and the ever-unpleasant common cold. You’ll still want to hit the park with a travel-sized hand sanitizer for quick cleanups after handling high-touch surfaces and before eating all those appealing mouse-shaped snacks. We especially love Touchland’s pocket-sized Power Mist hand sanitizer — available in an exclusive Mickey-shaped case — for keeping the skin soft and hydrated.
MagicBand+
Serious Disney devotees will want to scoop up a MagicBand+ to take the experience to the next level. Available in a wide array of colors and prints, this wristband reacts to park interactions with lighting effects and gesture recognition. The band also lets you enter Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland (as long as you have a valid admission and reservation), check in at Lightning Lane entrances, and link PhotoPass snaps to your Disney account.
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