What to Buy Before Your Disneyland Trip (and What You Can Skip)

Knowing what to buy before your trip to Disneyland can make the trip go smoother. Below you’ll find trip-tested items that are must-haves and items that you can skip. This post contains affiliate links.

One of the most common Disneyland questions, especially in the weeks leading up to a trip, is “What do you wish you had bought before you went?”

The answers are rarely big items. Instead, they’re the small, practical things that prevent discomfort, overpaying, or a Target run you didn’t plan for once you’re already tired.

This list focuses on items worth buying ahead of time no matter when you’re visiting, and just as importantly, it covers what you can confidently skip.

Buy before you go

These are the items we’ve learned to bring after numerous Disney visits.

Item for your feet and body

Disneyland days are long and involve a lot of walking. When you’re walking 10 miles per day, small comfort items can make a big difference.

• Blister protection (moleskin or blister patches)
• Anti-chafe stick
• Pain reliever
• Pepto or Tums

These are inexpensive at home and annoying to hunt for at the end of a long day.

Health & hygiene

• Hand sanitizer or sanitizer wipes
• Wet wipes

You’ll use these more than you think during long days in the park.

Shoes & water strategy

• A second pair of already broken-in shoes
• Flip flops packed in a zip-top bag or shoe covers for water rides
• Extra zip-top bags (for shoes, phones, snacks, or water rides)

We learned to bring a second pair of shoes the hard way. During a trip in January, we went on Tiana’s in the afternoon when the weather was beautiful. Temps quickly dropped after the sun set, and we were left walking around in cold, soggy shoes all evening.

Tech & park survival

• Portable power bank
• Refillable water bottle or collapsible cup
• Ponchos

Phones are used constantly for photos, mobile ordering, wait times, and Lightning Lanes and dead batteries create unnecessary stress and missed moments. We reused our ponchos every day of our week-long trip without issue.

Disney-specific merch

• Some Disney merch bought ahead of time
  • Cheap pins for trading
  • Disney clothes so you’ll be in the spirit on day 1
• MagicBand keepers They help keep Magic Bands from falling off.
• Mouse ear holders These straps hold ears so you don’t have to try to fit them in your bag.

Buying a few things in advance saves money but leaving room for special in-park purchases keeps it fun.

What you can skip (or buy minimally)

Just as important as what to buy is what you don’t need.

• Umbrellas
  Crowds + umbrellas don’t mix well. If you’re already bring ponchos for water rides, ponchose are easier and more practical.
• Too much Disney merch ahead of time
  Buy a little, but you’ll likely want something meaningful from the parks.
• Brand-new shoes
  Disneyland is not the place to break them in.
• Oversized backpacks
  Bigger bags get heavy fast and are harder to manage in lines and with crowds.
• “Just in case” outfits for every scenario
  Many hotels have laundry centers, and comfort beats options. Plus, you’ll want that space in your suitcase for any finds you buy in-park.