10 Items You Must Bring To Disneyland With You In 2021

Now that Disneyland has officially reopened, I am getting a lot of hits on my Disneyland planning posts again, and I have not posted about Disneyland in a year because I haven’t been there in over a year. It is time for an update.

Because my husband has gone back to work and my son is hearing from his Cast Member friends that are back, I have useful information that they’re relaying to me. I have come up with some ideas to make your trip a little easier by telling you some essential things you need to pack in your park bag.

There are a lot of you who probably don’t carry a bag, and that’s okay because most of these items you can fit in your pocket without a problem. The only suggestion I have for you is to designate a pocket that’s just for items (like masks) that were worn already, so you don’t cross contaminate anything. For example, my husband and I both remove our masks when eating and fold them with the outside part out in half and put them in our left back pocket. This way, the part of the mask that touches our faces stays clean.

Also, some of these items are not essential; I suggest them just to make your day a little easier, and make you a little more comfortable. Having the right items with you while you’re at Disneyland can make a vast difference in your comfort.

The first item that is essential is extra face masks. This is especially true if you’re going to be going on water rides because your face could get wet. Nothing is more uncomfortable than wearing wet clothing, but think about wearing a wet mask all day. I would skip using hand dryers to dry them. The hand dryers in bathrooms are one of the dirtiest things in the world, so bring an extra mask or two. Just put it in a Ziploc bag in your pocket of your bag to keep it dry.

Bring your own straws. I encourage you just to buy some plastic straws that are washable and bring them in your park bag, the paper straws are terrible and get mushy fast. Ralph’s sells Life Made earth friendly straws that are compostable and biodegradable. I carry some in a reusable bag for myself. I do plan on buying some plastic Disney straws on our next trip and carrying those instead of the disposable type.

Hand lotion. This is a must, especially because you’re going to be using hand sanitizer and washing your hands a lot. Your hands can get dried out. There’s a lotion called Gloves In A Bottle or Avon Silicone Glove lotion that forms a barrier over your hands to protect them from frequent handwashing. Any travel size hand lotion will make your day much better, trust me.

Sunscreen. Even if it’s not hot and sunny outside, you need to reapply your sunscreen every two hours, especially if you’re sweating or if you get wet. You can get travel size sunscreen at any Target or Walmart. Sunscreen is one thing you don’t want to leave at home.

Proof of residency. For most people, that’s a driver’s license. I wouldn’t worry so much about your children because kids don’t get a utility bill or drive, just make sure you have your ID with you.

A cell phone charger and cord. I do not know if the Fuel Rods are up and going. The website itself hasn’t updated in quite some time and many of us who were pass holders before have one. I would suggest that you just charge it and bring it with you, and if you get to swap it, that’s great, but if you can’t at least you have a working charger with you.

Alcohol prep pads. These are going to be a lifesaver and these are going to help you sanitize things you might not want to touch, like the outside of your Fuel Rod if you swap one or to keep your phone clean between rides. They’re small, so they don’t take up much room.

Hand sanitizer. While I’m sure there are places where you can get hand sanitizer throughout the park, having some of your own is always a good idea.

A couple of bandages. The simplest reason, even though you could go to request them at first aid, is sometimes you get a terrible blister on your foot. If you are at Splash Mountain you will have to walk all the to Main Street. If you have a Band-Aid in your pocket, it makes things a lot easier. Walking on a new blister that far can be painful.

If you’re bringing a park bag, bring some snacks. I don’t want to discourage you from buying food at Disneyland at all, but time in the parks is precious. You don’t have as much time as you used to, and not all the restaurants are open. If there’s a picky eater in your party, or you end up standing in line longer than you wanted to on a few rides, and you have to choose between waiting for cooked food or being able to do everything you want that day, having a snack could help. Remember, you could always patronize the restaurants in Downtown Disney when you’ve left the park. Eating snacks throughout the day and then dining at Naples after the park closes is a smart option.

A light jacket or a sweater. I know it’s still spring, and it can be extremely warm during the day here and then at night the temperature can drop, and you will feel chilly so a light windbreaker or light jacket is always easy to carry around your waist and always worth having.

And please remember the employees in Downtown Disney and Cast Members work hard and are just doing their jobs, so please wear your mask properly if asked, and remember that we should tip the servers, especially at Downtown Disney. They were out of work for a long time and have to tip out the runners, bussers, host/hostess, and bar at the end of the night. If you do not tip, they lose money waiting on you.

So is there anything crucial I have left out? What do you carry in your park bag? Comment below. I will be at Disneyland next week so check back to see if I add any more items to the list!