Disney Cruise packing list words with ship underneathe

Disney Cruise Packing List to Enhance Your Cruise

ByKristin

Heading on a Disney Cruise? The packing list for Disney Cruises below will make sure that you are prepared and have everything you could possibly need to get the most out of your Disney Cruises.

After spending a lot of money to book the cruise, you want to make sure you’re not short of things that you need to pay extra for while on board. I promise that this list will ensure you’re prepared and will even save a few bucks, and will enhace your cruise experience too.

I’m a simple packer, and don’t like to go overboard. I like to have as few things on me as possible, so that its easy to move through airports and transit. However, after three Disney Cruises, I’ve identified some really important things that could make a huge difference in your trip – plus some things that you can leave behind.

Ultimate Disney Cruise Packing List

The Items to NOT Come Without

  • Passports
  • Your Embarkation documents that show your port arrival time, and boarding group number
  • Phone and/or camera for pictures. You’ll want to take lots of them!
  • Insect repellent. Some kind of insect repellent is very important for doing a port adventure in the Caribbean that includes a rainforest, or even if you’re staying somewhere warm before your cruise. We stayed on Merritt Island on Cape Canaveral before our last cruise and were bitten by no-see-ums which made us very itchy during the Disney Cruise. I wished we’d brough repellent
  • Sunscreen
  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Clothing – bring a set of underwear for each day. There are self-serve laundry services on board. Look up the weather for the places you’re visiting, and bring appropriate clothes
  • Pullover /cardigan/zip-up hoodie. Even if its hot in your cruise destination, you definitely should have something to throw on during cold nights
  • Decent walking shoes. The newer ships such as the Wish and Treasure are especially, are HUGE and you could easily get 10,000+ steps per day walking around.
  • Swimsuits. Even on colder climate cruises, the pools on DCL are heated

Optional (But Useful) Additions to Your Packing List

  • Driver’s licence. Some ports require an extra ID to be shown, and some port excursions require you to show a driver’s licence (usually ones where you’re going to be operating any kind of vehicle, or buying drinks to prove your age)
  • Reusable water bottle. Water bottles aren’t free on the cruise
  • After bite, to soothe any insect bites
  • Snacks (if you want) like chips, trail mix and candy. There is so much food included on Disney Cruises, but one thing you won’t see a lot of is snacks. Be sure that your snacks are factory sealed and unopened, as they’re not allowed on the cruise if they’ve been opened
  • Sandals, to throw on for the pool area or a verandah
  • Laundry detergent sheets if you want to do laundry on the cruise
  • An e-SIM. You can get an eSIM that will allow you to connect to the internet and use data at the different cruise ship ports. I bought an e-sim from Truely on my last cruise, and have a discount code: use TINYSTEP10 at check-out to get 10% off one of their e-SIMs
  • Autograph book, or something else for characters to sign (optional of course, I’ve been on cruises where I didn’t ask them to sign anything.)
  • Pens (if doing autograph book). Guest services has lots of pens they will give you if you ask but it saves a trip there if you have your own
  • Make-up remover. In the staterooms, there is a cloth for removing make up, but if you want to use a solution to remove makeup, then you should bring your own
  • Gifts for other passengers if you’re doing fish extenders or pixie dusting
  • Hair elastics
  • Themed outfits for formal night, pirate night (optional of course, you can go all out if you want or just bring some subtle accessories)
  • US dollar bills. Bring US dollars in small denominations, preferably. This allows you to pay tips for ordering room service. If you’re not prepaying tips, then you’ll want to bring larger denominations ($20, $50 or $100 bills) for tips for the stateroom host and dining team
  • A fish extender bag. If you’re participating in fish extenders, you want a bag for people to leave gifts in. Pixie dusters may leave little gifts or treats in here too
  • Magnets to decorate your door. They can be Disney-themed, or not. I bought these under the sea ones from Amazon, and these general cruise ones as well
  • Thank you cards for stateroom host and dining servers, optional of course but a nice touch. Disney provides small envelopes (palm-sized) with the amount of tip that you prepaid, you could put these little envelopes inside a card if you wish

Things You Can Take Out of Your Suitcase Right Now

If any of these things are sitting in your suitcase, then I would take them out right now and save yourself the weight and space in your luggage!

  • Towels. Towels are provided in your stateroom, plus more at the pool area. Definitely don’t bother bringing towels
  • Home-made food. They won’t let you bring any food on the cruise that isn’t factory sealed
  • Shampoo and moisturizer. You could pack a small moisturizer to carry around the ship if your skin gets especially dry, but a large bottle of free moisturizer is provided in your room so you don’t really need it
  • Goggles for snorkelling or diving. I brought mine with me to snorkel at Castaway Cay, however – they provided snorkels on the island. They weren’t as nice as mine, but goggles take up a lot of space and I should have just left them at home
  • Maps of the ship’s guides. I made a detailed guide of the Disney Treasure for our first sailing on it, and we didn’t need it because everything is so well marked that its easy to get around the ship
  • A laundry bag. They provide one in your stateroom
  • A pack n’ play, or most other baby items. Disney Cruise Line is very baby-friendly and they provide pretty much anything you can think of (high chair, booster seat, baby food, etc)

Specialized Items (That Only Some Will Need or Want)

  • Stroller for kids 3 and under. I think umbrella strollers are a bit better for pushing around the ship, but I have seen all types of strollers
  • Disney bands, if you have them (if not, they give you a Key to the World card)
  • Go Pro
  • Contact info and name for your travel agent if you booked your cruise through a travel agent
  • Scuba diving certification. If you’re doing any of the diving excursions, don’t forget to bring your logbook and/or scuba diving certification card
  • A princess dress for younger kids. You’ll see lots of girls wearing their princess dresses around the ship and it’s a fitting place to wear it. As it is most staff member call girls “princess” when they talk to them (princess dress or not.) Also bringing your own dress can save a lot of money on a Bibidi Bobiti Boutique appointment.
  • Phones that connect to the internet for older kids. Whether or not your older child or teen has a phone, it is useful for them to bring one that connects to the internet on the cruise because then they can message you through the Disney Cruise navigation app
Disney Treasure ship docked at Castaway Cay

Final Thoughts

I know that this packing list will leave you prepared for your Disney Cruise, whether its a shorter 3 night cruise, or a longer one. Having travelled on Disney Cruise Line with a variety of ages, and between 3 and 7 nights, I have a pretty good handle on what you should pack, and what can be left at home.

Wishing you a fun, and amazing Disney Cruise experience! For additional information, check out my Disney Cruise tips to get the most out of your cruise.