A Life Hack is “an uncommon solution to a common problem.” For this list, I’ve tried to stick with actual hacks, and not things that could be simply tips. It was harder than I thought to find good ones, but I’m going to keep looking. So here are the 10 Best Life Hacks for your Disney Vacation that I’ve found… for now.
The Less-Mess Mickey Bar Life Hack
Enjoying a Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar is a must-do, especially while you’re sitting in the heat waiting for the afternoon parade to start. In addition to being delicious, it’s also almost guaranteed to be incredibly messy, especially in the case of the little ones. So while keeping the napkins and wipes handy is always advised, here’s a hack that is useful:
1. Grab a beverage lid from a nearby counter service restaurant.
Turn the lid upside down, and insert the popsicle stick of your Mickey Bar through the lid. Instant Drip-Catcher!
The Disney Shopping Bag Life Hacks
Ask and you shall receive, even without making a purchase. Handy for carrying items in the park, and for helping to keep your things dry on the water rides, sprinkler areas, or in the sudden downpours. Sounds obvious, right? Well, here’s two more things you may not have thought of.
2. Seat Cushion
Stick that sweatshirt you’ve been holding onto for the evening inside a bag and then use it as a seat cushion for sitting on the hot pavement while waiting for the afternoon parade. Your butt will thank you!
3. Poncho!
In a pinch, a large shopping bag just needs a hole ripped in the bottom, and two holes (one on each side) to become a kiddie poncho. It sounds ridiculous, but I’ve actually done this with my child to keep them dry until we could get a real poncho.
Disney Ponchos are pricey, so using the shopping bags or bringing your own dollar store ponchos can save you money!
*Tip from Allison in the comments: the dye in the bags could run, so turn the bag inside-out if it’s going to be up against your clothing.
Storage Bag Life Hacks
Handy for packing snacks or lunch to bring to the park (Yes, you are allowed to bring your own food!) Zip-loc bags come in a few different sizes and are so versatile that you should bring them even if you have no idea what you’ll use them for! Unfinished meal at a restaurant? Stash the leftovers into your Zip-loc bags for snacking later. Wet clothes? Stick ’em in a bag to keep them separate from everything else!
Here are two more of my favorites:
4. Water-proof your tech!
Protect your phone and camera from getting wet. Now, if you’re daring, rip a small hole in a storage bag, (I find the quart-size bags are good for small cameras) and stick your video camera inside. Align the hole with your camera’s lens, and poke the lens through, stretching the hole for a tight fit. Now you can take your camera on those water rides or into the midst of that splash area without fear!
*note: this is great for the main theme parks, but for the resort pools and water parks, I’d invest in a waterproof case or a waterproof camera.
5. Organize your clothes.
Lisa has done this for the past two trips and it’s great! She packed outfits for both kids into individual gallon-size storage bags and even labeled them with a sharpie to note which day she thought they should wear each. Then each morning of the trip, it was a snap to grab that day’s bag and get the kids dressed!
Hotel Life Hacks
For most of us, space is at a premium on our vacations when it comes to our hotel rooms. To save money we often cram our families into smaller spaces than we normally enjoy at home. Factor in the lack of drawer and cabinet space in your room, and that’s a recipe for one big, disorganized mess!
6. Toiletry Organizer
Use an over-the door shoe organizer as handy pockets for all your toiletries, accessories, and things you need to grab ‘n go when heading out! It keeps them off the sink and counters and floors.
Potty Time Life Hack
7. Post-It Flush Control
Is your child afraid of the potty automatically flushing? Well, then those automatic, industrial strength flushers at the theme parks are a nightmare! Simply stick a Post-It note over the sensor before sitting down on the toilet and the flush will not occur until you remove it!
If you don’t have a Post-it, almost any material will work. The Post-it is handy because it sticks easily and removes easily as well. But when pressed, your inner-MacGuyver might make this work from chewing gum and a park map, or water and some toilet paper…
Lost & Found Life Hack
I lose something every trip. Usually it’s just my sunglasses, but sometimes it can be something more important and not as easily replaceable. Use your camera and/or phone to record things to help jog your memory.
8. Take pictures of everything to help you remember.
- your family – you’ll have a pic of what you’re all wearing if anyone becomes lost. (Lisa wrote about this hack as a way to keep your kids safe at the parks)
- where you parked your car – sometimes committing it to memory is just not good enough!
- your various park media: Tickets, Room Keys, PhotoPass cards, Gift Cards.
- Your name, address, and phone number. Write this down and then snap a pic. Now it’s on your phone and in your camera should those items become lost.
Penny Life Hack
I love to collect pressed pennies. Every trip, I scrounge up my loose pennies and quarters and stick them in bag or small container so I can bring them to the park. There’s a better way.
9. Use a M&M mini container to carry your coins.
Stack them, 2 quarters, 1 penny, 2 quarters, 1 penny, etc. No more fumbling in bags or pockets for the right change.
*bonus hack. Got a penny that isn’t as shiny as you’d like. Ketchup will shine that penny right up. Ketchup can be gotten for free at any counter service restaurant. That a few napkins will help get your penny shiny again!
Refreshing Life Hack
Drinking lots of water while at Disney is very important. It will keep you cool, and keep you hydrated, and bringing your own can save you a few bucks too! And while it’s a well-circulated tip that you can get free ice-water at any counter service restaurant in Disney just by asking, I came across this little hack for those of us who like to bring some cold water with us to the park.
10. Freeze your water overnight… ON ITS SIDE!
I was always aware of the frozen water bottle trick. But until that ice melts, you don’t have anything to drink. Thanks to this hack I found, that’s not a problem anymore. When freezing it at night, make sure it’s only half full, and lay the bottle on its side. In the morning, you’ll be able to pour more water into the free space in the bottle, which will reach from the bottom to the top. Instant cold water. That ice will last you a good while, even on a hot day!
Maybe you knew about some of these tips, but I’ll be very impressed if you knew all 10! What are your favorite Disney Vacation Life Hacks? Please let us know by leaving a comment, especially if we don’t have it on our list!! And be sure to check out our 10 Best Life Hacks for your Day at the Beach!
These were great James! I have always done the zip lock for the kids clothes each day. It is such a time saver AND makes packing for the park a breeze. I always had one bag with a change of clothes for Emily when she was young and I would just toss it and go!
I don't know if this counts as a hack, but another one I have done is pack five or six clothes pins and use them to make a sun /shade cover over the stroller. You can use a towel from your resort or bring a light receiving blanket, use a sweater and just clip the sides of the stroller and away you go!
Suz
Thanks, Suz! I think your clothes pin idea qualifies as a hack. It fits the definition of an uncommon solution to a common problem! That one just might be in the next edition! (provided I can compile a whole new list!)
To add to the last hack… Take a towel and dip in ice bath or sink. Soak and wring out. Put in ziplock Baggie of ice. Then when it gets hot, you can pin it to the stroller for shade and keep baby cool. You can also do this for adults and older kids. As they get warm, ask for ice and refill ziplock.
Great hacks here, James! Some are tried & true, while others were brand new to me. They're all worth trying out during my next trip! Drink lid to catch drips? Water bottle frozen on its side? Genius!!
Thanks, KJ!
Great tips! We also use Ziploc bags for everything!! I am also glad to see I am not the only one who organizes their children's clothes by the day! 🙂
Thank you, Beth! It really is a time-saver when you're getting up to head out to the parks!
Wonderful tips – some I've done, others were new to me & I plan on using them – especially loved the shoe organizer to hold your toiletries. It always seems that the counter gets cluttered with all of this stuff, it will definitely help with organization! Thanks so much.
Thanks! We first heard about that tip for our cruise, and it makes sense to use it at resorts as well!
My favorites are the water bottle and automatic toilet ones. I wish I would've known about the automatic toilet thing about 7 or 8 years ago… A toilet flushed and I wasn't ready, and I was scared to death! Even today when I see that those are the only kind of toilet available I cringe. O_o
LOL! Yeah, that can be an unexpected surprise when you're not ready for it! As our littlest starts potty training, post-its will become something I carry around all the time!
These are terrific hacks! I will definitely save this for our trip in LESS THAN A MONTH! 😀
PS I love ziplocs too 😉
Thanks!
Great tips!
Thank you!
we used to live 8 miles from Disneyland, so we were always there…all of our kids had their own drawstring backpack. that way mom NEVER had to carry their stuff. they had their own chapstick, sunscreen, water, snack…whatever they wanted. I loved that I wasn't always digging through MY pack for their stuff!!
That must have been awesome to live so close! I wish we were closer so we could go more often! And I also look forward to trips when the kids can carry their own things and I won't have to carry as much!
This was a great post. Very insightful. Will definitely be using some of these life hacks in the future. However, I should just point out that if you really want to make life easy in the parks, take a huge ziplock bag for your bag while at any park, Disney or otherwise. The ziplock saved my husband and I from having to pay in Universal Studios (both Florida and California) for a locker while going on Jurassic Park. Also, make sure you take a bag made out of quick drying martial.
Thank you so much for these tips! We're headed to Disney World in 3 weeks with our 4 kiddos! I especially liked the idea of the cup lid to control the mess of an ice cream bar!
No problem, Joanne! I hope they are useful!! That Mickey bar trick is really cool. You can even double up on the lids for extra support if a big piece falls on to it! Thanks for reading, and have a great trip!!
A few more hacks…
1: bring along a hanger clip. (You know what pants clip from)). They fit perfectly on the stroller bar and come in handy for bags, wet sweatshirts, etc.
2: critter country is empty after fantastic. You can get right on Splash or Haunted mansion.
3: ride mr toads wild ride after splash…. It will dry your clothes.
4: don't leave right after fireworks. Crowds are overflowing.
5: E tickets go faster at night
6: On
Thanks, Kellie! Some good tips for sure, though I think only the first qualifies as a "lifehack". I've been keeping an eye out for more hacks to add to this list or to write a "part 2". The hanger clip can be used in a lot of ways!
I use hanger clips when we go to the beach so our suits can dry better. I’m going to bring some shower curtain hooks to Disney so they don’t take up so much room.
If you’re driving to a park area; bring an expanding shower rod. You can add it to the shower or between the walls in the sink area to hand things to dry over night. Sometimes I pack a a hanging shoe bag (the kind that hangs in the closet with cubbies)(not the over the door pocket kind) so everyone can put their shoes in it at night that way you’re not tripping on all the shoes when in the hotel room. Those take up very little space in a suitcase as well.
You can also bring one (or a hanging sweater cubby) to hold other things like snacks and you refillable water bottles. Anything to keep the space in your hotel rooms looking organized will help you feel relaxed when you come back to the room.
Used the ziploc bags for the kids outfits for every day and the over the door organizer worked great. We got back last week and had a blast!! Thanks for the tips
You're welcome!! So glad you had a great time!
Fantastic! I haven't seen a few of these, so I'll be making a few adjustments as we prepare for our trip in January. By the way – the water bottle on its side? From a girl who lived through some hurricane seasons, it's a great way to see if you've lost power while you're out of town. Freeze the bottle on its side, and then turn it right side up in your freezer when you leave town. When you come back, check the bottle. You'll be able to check to see if you've lost power by checking for water (that may have refrozen) on the bottom.
That’s a great life hack. Because about the last 2-3 vacations we have been on we have lost power. Only to find out from my neighbor once we return a couple days later.
Theses are great! I am glad I ran across this. We are leaving for Florida in two months and the Ziploc bag idea for the clothes is genius! My the suitcases and drawers are always a mess by the second day of vacation and we always end up with miss matched clothes my the end lol! This is perfect!
Great ideas! We usually drive to WDW and will bring a pop up hamper. It stores flat when traveling but allows up a dedicated space to put laundry in once we're in our hotel room. We usually stay at a value and the rooms can be tight so this helps save drawer space!
Our laundry would always end up in the closet or in a suitcase! A pop-up hamper is a great idea. We just took a road trip and ended up taking some extra large storage bags for laundry. They also helped split up our smaller clothes bags by destination.
One of my favorite hacks is to bring a cheap dollar store shower curtain and some heavy duty clips. (We used the black metal binder clips you find in the office supplies) Since Florida is known for its nearly constant rain odds are you will get caught in a downpour once or twice. The shower curtain can clip onto your stroller and keep it dry and is easily repositioned so that your child can still see. As a bonus it's so big you can sometime cover your stroller and the persons next to yours if you have to park it somewhere.
That’s an interesting one! the dollar store shower curtain made our list of hacks for going to the beach. We might have to add it to our next installment of hacks for the park! Thanks!
We take a pop-up hamper from the dollar store for damp clothes after the parks. Allows them to dry without mildewing. I also use the mesh "lingerie" bags (3 for $1 @ the dollar store) instead of ziplocks for outfit organizing. They pack better, no air bubbles, and are also usable for so many other things.
we’ll have to check out those mesh bags. Thanks!
All the parks have cold water fountains that are also filtered water. You’ll know them because they are attached to big stainless steel coolers. Otherwise you are getting plain tap water.
I wish the parks would get the water fountains that have the bottle filling option. We have those at work and I saw them at a zoo recently. It really makes it easier.
One caution about using the parks bags as cushions – the blue ink tends to rub off on clothing, so if you are going to sit on the bag I would suggest turning it inside out. Also, be careful how you carry the bag if you are wearing white or another light color.
We’ve been fortunate to not have any issues with this, but still a great precaution to take! Thanks for pointing that out!
Some of these are great ideas, but I don’t recommend taking leftovers from a buffet. I’m from Vegas, so I know all about buffets. When you take food from a buffet, that’s called stealing and it’s frowned upon.
Thanks for pointing that out. I certainly didn’t intend to promote stealing food. When I wrote this, a particular instance when we ate at the Crystal Palace (a character buffet) came to mind where the waitress asked if we wanted to take our daughter’s unfinished breakfast with us. Ziploc bags would have been useful for that moment.
We’ve been using the Zip-Loc bags for years! When my daughter was little we also included any hair ties, barrettes, etc. The plastic bags slide against one another to keep them from wrinkling! We even pack our own clothes like this. Thanks for the hacks! A few we shall try out during our December trip!
Ziploc bags really are a life saver! Hope some of these hacks help you out! Enjoy your trip.
I liked the idea of keeping your coins in the candy container. I used to roll the coins (paper rollers from the bank) until I kept getting pulled aside at airport x Ray. The inspector stated they couldn’t tell what they were and suggested a zip lock!
It definitely makes it easier when it comes time to get the coins out for the machines. The M&M containers do occasionally open up on their own. So I try to keep them in their own pocket of my backpack, or inside a ziploc bag if it’s in my luggage.
Love these tips. We went to Florida for our first visit last April and hope to return next year. The best hacks other than those you already mentioned were
1. A roll of patterned gaffer tape. We went through a whole roll in 2 weeks. Put it on all bags to identify them with. Put it on stroller handles and foot rest. Used to tape car booster seats together. My brother used it to tape a plastic bag over his hand when he had cut his finger but wanted to swim in to pool. Seriously the uses went on and on.
2. Water bottles with carbon filters meant we could refill with water anywhere and feel safe.
3. Food bag clips. Came in handy for resealing large bags of crisps, sweets, fresh food.
My kiddos are *THE BEST* at picking up random dropped stickers. I usually collect them in a tiny notebook I carry in my park purse. These discarded stickers work GREaT to block the sensors on the automatic potties too!! (And they’re FREE and plentiful! And don’t require you to carry anything separate –they’ll stick to anything- a WDW bag, wallet (be careful if leather, a stroller tag…..)
I honestly hadn’t thought of using the Disney stickers. Thanks for the idea!
I carry stick notes to cover the sensor, it doesn’t leave a residue.
Love these hacks! This is the best list I’ve found. I am dying to try shining up a penny with ketchup, lol! I use Ziploc bags for taking home our wet swimsuits since we often hot the pool on our last day at Disney.
Thanks! There was one time that we hit the pool before flying home and all our wet clothes went into a shopping bag and then into my carry on. Well, hours later security wanted to take a peek in my carry on at the airport. I tried to warn the guy when he pulled the shopping bag out… he got a whiff of some hot, wet clothes!