If you are headed out on a Disney Cruise, you’ll want to make sure that you have a good Disney Cruise packing list for your trip. Imagine opening your bag after arriving at your vacation destination, and you realize that you have forgotten to pack something essential. If you are on vacation in a city or suburban location, it should be fairly easy to replace most items by stopping at a local store.
But, if you are on a cruise ship, it can be pretty challenging. Shops on cruises only stock the most basic supplies, and the stores aren’t always open. Even if you do find what you need, it’s likely to be more expensive than you’ll want to spend.
Be sure to go through everything you are packing more than once so that you have everything that you need for your trip. Here are some things you’ll want to include on your Disney Cruise packing list.
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Be Prepared With Our Disney Cruise Packing List
When I get ready to start packing for a Disney Cruise, I make a list for each member of my family. Looking at the weather forecast for our destinations, I decide what type of clothes we should bring (shorts, pants, etc). Now that my kids are a bit older, they pack their own clothes and I review everything before it goes into a suitcase.
Tip – spread everyone’s clothes among each suitcase. That way, if a suitcase goes missing, there will be other items in the other bags. Make sure you label each bag with your identification, as well as the tags that Disney provides.
I also recommend putting an AirTag in/on your bag if you are flying. In 2022, when flying into MCO for a Disney Cruise, our luggage was left at Boston Logan Airport. The AirTags showed us that the bags were still in Boston, not on the next Orlando-bound flight the employee assumed.
What you need for your Disney cruise will vary depending on what your itinerary is. If you are traveling on a warm-weather vacation, you’ll need more swimsuits and sunscreen, while you’ll need warmer clothes for a cooler-weather cruise.
This list just includes suggestions – be sure to go over your list completely to ensure you have exactly what you need, even if it’s not listed in this post. Make sure you review the weather at each of your ports of call before you start packing. Even if you know weather averages, you’ll want to see the exact forecast before you go.
A note on the pirate night – pirate night on the Disney Cruise Line can be a BIG deal. Lots of families go all out in dressing up. But don’t feel obligated at all. We never dress up and it’s not unusual. If you do want to dress up, consider bringing anything along like bandanas, eye patches, full costumes, glow sticks, hats, etc.
For a Warm Weather Cruise
For a warm-weather cruise, you’ll want to include the following for each member of your family:
- Day outfits (several – if you plan to wear your swimsuit most days, you can re-wear many of these outfits)
- Evening outfits (for dinner, evening activities)
- One formal night outfit (more if you plan to eat at Palo, Enchante, or Remy – review their dress code before packing)
- At least one sweater for cooler nights and air conditioning in the dining rooms
- Passport and other cruise documents
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Toiletries
- 1-2 bathing suits with cover-ups. I like to have more than one in case it doesn’t dry right away. Also, pack flip-flops or other beach shoes.
- Pajamas (something I always seem to forget)
- Medications, including prescriptions and over-the-counter medications you may need on your trip as well as motion sickness medication if needed
- Pirate night gear, if your itinerary includes a pirate night
- Lanyard to hold your Key to the World Card, unless you are in the Castaway Club (you’ll receive a complimentary lanyard if you are)
Also, pack the following:
- Stateroom door magnets (if you want to decorate your Disney Cruise Line door)
- Fish extender gifts
- Beach bag/ day bag/ backpack (this is my favorite)
- Beach toys for Castaway Cay if your itinerary includes it
For a Cooler Weather Cruise
- Day outfits (at least one per day)
- Evening outfits (for dinner, evening activities)
- One formal night outfit (more if you plan to eat at Palo or Remy – review their dress code before packing)
- Warmer clothing (sweaters, coats, etc)
- Gloves and hats
- Passport and other cruise documents if you are traveling out of the country
- Sunscreen (if you’ll encounter any sun)
- Bug spray (depending on destination)
- Toiletries
- 1-2 bathing suits with cover-ups. I like to have more than one in case it doesn’t dry right away. Even if the weather isn’t warm, you may want to use the hot tub and/or spa. Also, pack flip-flops or other beach shoes.
- Pajamas
- Medications, including prescriptions and over-the-counter medications you may need on your trip as well as motion sickness medication
- Lanyard to hold your Key to the World Card, unless you are in the Castaway Club (you’ll receive a complimentary lanyard if you are)
Also, pack the following:
- Door magnets and other stateroom door decor (if you want to decorate your Disney Cruise Line door)
- Fish extender gifts
- Day bag/ backpack
You won’t need to pack a hair dryer, iron, or power strip. The room includes a hair dryer, and irons and power strips aren’t allowed. If you do need to iron an outfit, there are laundry/ironing rooms located on the ship. You can do laundry on the ship yourself if you need to.
Day Bag
When traveling on the Disney Cruise Line, you’ll want to pack a day bag for your first day on the ship. Your luggage won’t be delivered to your room until later in the day on embarkation day. In the day bag, you’ll want to include:
- Bathing suits (if you plan to go to the pool deck before you set sail)
- Valuables (don’t leave these in your checked bag)
- Medications (just in case you need them or your bag gets lost)
- Sunscreen (if you are going to be in the sun on that first day)
- Basic toiletries
- Magnets to decorate your room
- Evening clothes for dinner (in case your bags don’t arrive in time)
- Baby products (if you are traveling with a baby)
- Cruise documents and passports
- Chargers for your phone in case you need it before your luggage arrives
Depending on when you embark, you won’t be able to access your room right away on embarkation day, so make sure you can actually carry your day bag around. You won’t want it to be too heavy.
If your kids are older, you may want to have them carry small backpacks with their own essentials. Some families choose to put their kids in their swimsuits under clothes so that they can head right to the pool. If you do this, be sure to pack some dry clothes in the bag so they can change, especially if your bags don’t arrive before dinnertime.
Before you leave, it’s also a good idea to load the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to your smartphone. With the app, you can see activities, load a deck plan, and communicate with your friends and family on the ship.
If you won’t have WiFi on the ship, you’ll want to do this before you set sail so it’s all set when you leave. The app works on the ship’s WiFi, and you won’t need to pay to use it.
Have you been on a Disney Cruise? If so, would you add anything else to this Disney Cruise packing list?
Want to use our starter packing lists? Start out with these packing lists to get a general overview of what you may want to pack. I like to print one of the child lists for each kid, and the master list for myself. They are available exclusively to subscribers.
More Disney Cruise Ships Resources: Click to read more about the Disney Cruise Line ships including restaurants, tips, itineraries, activities, and more.
