We like to keep our luggage light and travel with only a carry-on whenever we can. Here is how we pack light when visiting Disney parks: our top five tips for keeping luggage to a minimum and traveling light to Disneyland Resort.
Think About What You Can Get at Disneyland Resort
Anaheim is a very popular destination and a heavily populated area. Many people live there and, they get the things they need nearby. Do not pack for your visit to Disneyland Resort as if you are going to be stranded at sea! To pack light for Disneyland, get some things when you get there.
First, do not pack a bunch of extra items “just in case.” Make reasonable choices based on weather, your health needs and other practical considerations, and then leave the rest behind. If an unexpected scenario arises, know that you will be able to get what you need.
Second, consider which items you can reasonably buy after you arrive in Anaheim. If your luggage is packed to bursting with disposable diapers, consider only packing the diapers you will need for the flight. Then, buy the rest when you arrive. If sunscreen for your visit is putting you over the liquid carry-on limit, pack just enough for the first day. Buy the rest when you arrive.
Yes, the stores within walking distance of Disneyland Resort might charge higher prices than your stores at home, but if it means the difference between paying for another checked bag or not, you might find that the savings work out in your favor.
Pick-up and Delivery Services
Additionally, there are ways to avoid the resort-area premium. When we are on a trip, we frequently place an advance order for pick-up at a Target. We choose a Target that is on the way to our destination and place our order hours before arriving. If we are driving, we can pull-up, get our supplies and get to vacationing. If you are using a ride-share or taxi service, you should also be able to arrange an extra stop. Prices at a large store in a “regular” part of town are likely going to be cheaper than a gift shop across the street from Disneyland.
Alternatively, you can use a grocery delivery service and have them deliver to your hotel, or simply have non-perishable supplies mailed directly to your hotel or other lodging. We suggest calling your hotel in advance to make sure they will accept these deliveries and to ask how they should be labeled. Then, you can look into InstaCart, UberEats, Amazon or a store you like.
Leave the Fancy Clothes at Home
Our next piece of advice is to save some extra space and leave your formal clothing at home. Unless you are combining your trip with a business trip or wedding, you can stick to casual clothing. The Orange County area, while fashion conscious, tends to have an overall casual approach to dressing, and Disneyland Resort is definitely a casual environment.
If you enjoy dressing up for something like Dapper Days or a fancy dinner, go for it. Just know that even the fine dining environment of the Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa has a fairly casual dress code. This is how Napa Rose explains the dress code on their website:
Dinner at Napa Rose is an elegant yet laid-back dining experience. Guests are requested to dress in a manner consistent with the restaurant’s ambiance.
Examples of appropriate dinner attire include dress pants, jeans in good condition, collared shirts, dress shorts, sweaters, blouses, dresses and lifestyle shoes. We kindly request no hats, swimwear, tank tops, cutoffs or distressed jeans.
For general advice on dressing for Disneyland we have: What to Wear to Disneyland: Part I, Base Layers, What to Wear to Disneyland: Part 2, Cold or Wet Weather and What to Wear to Disneyland: Part 3, Shoes
Pack Smaller Alternatives to Disneyland Princess Clothing
Some kids like to wear full princess costumes to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. If you know your kids will want to get into the dressing-up, consider some alternatives to the full poofy dress and rigid crown. We have some suggestions in How To (Comfortably) Dress Like a Princess in Disneyland.
We think our suggestions are both comfortable and practical. Our little princesses wear these things all day at Disneyland Resort, and they take up minimal space in our luggage. So, we can be royal and still pack light for Disneyland.
Pack Solid or Stick Toiletries
One tip that can generally help you pack lighter is to switch from liquid to solid products where you can. When you switch from liquid to solid shampoo, you can save on excess size, weight and packaging. Just add water. Packing solid toiletries also helps you meet the TSA restrictions for liquid in carry-on bags, so you can possibly avoid checking luggage.
We use solid shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion and sunscreen at home as well as when we are traveling. You could always rely on hotel toiletries for your needs, but if you prefer to bring your own, we are sharing a list of products we have used. Some of these links lead to Amazon product pages. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. If you use the product links below, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Ethique has so many different products we have used and liked. Here is a link to a selection of their solid hair products, all in travel size.
Here is a sampler pack from Ethique with face cleanser and deodorant as well as soap.
We like to pack stick sunscreen and then throw it in our day bag for reapplication at the parks. Here is one stick sunscreen we have used and found easy to apply.
If you prefer to use mineral sunscreen, here is one we have used. We have not used this one from Aveno, but it is on our list to try next.
In general, we like to solid products from the company Lush Cosmetics.
Pack with a Plan to Do Laundry at Disneyland Resort
If you are taking a longer trip, or even just to avoid packing “just in case someone spills” clothes, plan to do laundry at Disneyland. Every Disneyland Resort Hotel has a guest laundry room as do many other hotels in the area. You can save a lot of space by packing half as much clothing for your Disneyland trip.
We have done laundry at Disneyland, and we have a whole article about it here: We Do Laundry At Disneyland, Here’s How We Make it Easy. Check-out that link for our tips and product recommendations.
Thank you for reading our advice on how to pack light for Disneyland Resort.
We hope you have found this article helpful. For general advice on what to pack for Disneyland, see Disneyland Travel Essentials: What You Need to Pack. That article is part of our complete guide to planning a Disneyland visit: Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep. Finally, please consider subscribing to our free newsletter below to get the latest articles in your inbox.