16 Disney Cruise Essentials

While Disney provides a packing list of what to bring for each cruise destination, here are some other items that we have found to be Disney Cruise essentials.

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1. Cups with lids and handles

One thing that came in handy over and over again was cups with a lid and handle. Unlike other cruise lines we have sailed with, Disney Cruise Line includes soft drinks in the cost of the cruise. We would fill these suckers up and take them with us everywhere. We brought Disney souvenir mugs from the park. They were gifted to us by our friends who went on a previous Disney vacation. It was fun to have something Disney themed and free. But next time, I will probably bring my Yeti with one of these holders. The most important thing is to have a way to carry several cups back to the room at once. We often would send one person for drinks, while someone else went for snacks. We used these every single day.

This is the tumbler carrier for a Yeti.

2. Strong Magnetic Hooks

The walls and doors are magnetic in the stateroom. There is limited space and so putting up hooks gave us extra storage. We hung our Key to the World cards up every night to keep them from getting misplaced. You can also use the hooks to hang a purse or a light sweater. Another idea is to hang up a shoe holder for extra storage. The over-the-door hooks can damage the door, so Disney doesn’t allow it, but you can use the magnetic hooks instead.

3. Magnetic White Board Sheet

A magnetic whiteboard is great for leaving notes or writing out your to-do list for the day. It is great to be able to schedule things and make sure everyone knows who is where. There is so much to do on the cruise. You don’t want to miss something because you forgot. You may also want to bring regular magnets to hang up the Navigator, which tells you everything that is going on on the ship. Highlighters come in handy for marking the events of interest. And these Disney Food Magnets make me want to go to a Disney park and eat! They are sure to make your stateroom more festive.

4. Lanyards With a Plastic Holder

On your second cruise, Disney will give you lanyards. You will want to bring your own if this is your first cruise. You use the Key to the World card for everything, and the pouch you hold it in is also great for stashing a credit card or some cash. That way, you don’t have to always carry a purse with you. Pro tip right there!

5. Water Shoes

If you are going anywhere with rocky beaches, these are a lifesaver. There is nothing worse than having your kids not want to go into the water because it hurts their feet. The experience is 100% better with water shoes. These are a must have.

6. Towel Clips

It can get quite windy on the ship while you are at sea. Towel clips help to keep the towel in place while you relax on the lounger. You don’t have to worry about your towel blowing off of your chair if you get up to grab a delicious beverage or some soft serve… which you should definitely do.

Sea Sickness Disney Cruise Essentials

I am the motion sickness queen. I have a terribly sensitive stomach. It’s so bad that I can’t even go on swings anymore without feeling nauseous. These items have made it so that I can enjoy cruises without feeling miserable. The only time I felt seasick on our Disney Cruise was the night we did the mixology class and then ate a restaurant at the end of the ship. As a person who doesn’t drink often, this probably wasn’t the best idea, but it was fun. I took my dinner to go and put on the sea bands. I felt better within minutes.

I have included all of the things I bring with me just in case. I start with the least invasive and move up depending on how I am feeling. Usually, the Sea Bands do the trick, but just in case I bring lemon ginger candies and some Bonine. Others swear by the patch. Although I haven’t tried that one yet, I included it here too.

7. Sea Bands

These wrist bands are my favorite, and probably my top Disney Cruise Essential. I used to think these were just a placebo. I mean, come on, it’s just a bracelet. But I’m telling you, these suckers work for my son, who gets motion sick quickly, and me. He and I will not get on a ship without them.

8. Lemon Ginger Honey Drops

It’s always a good idea to have candy… if they soothe your tummy, even better!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. These are over the counter medications, but you should consult your doctor about the best remedies to use for motion sickness.

9. Bonine

This one makes me sleepy. I bring it with me just in case we hit some rough water, and I am miserable. I only had to take this once, on a cruise off the coast of California. We were on a smaller ship, and the waves were rough. Having a room toward the middle of the ship that I could retreat to was also helpful.

10. Motion Sickness Patch

I have not tried these, but lots of people love them. If you try them, let me know what you think.

11. Reef Safe Sunscreen

We brought eight bottles of sunscreen and used almost all of them. Yep, Eight! Our cruise was in the Caribbean, and the sun can be brutal, especially on my family’s pale skin. It was suggested that we bring a bottle per day for our family of four. That is about the amount we used. You don’t want to be miserable on vacation because you got fried in the sun on your first day. We also chose to use a brand that claimed to be reef-friendly to keep the ocean’s beauty and protect the sea life. Some places, like Hawaii, have banned sunscreen that is not reef safe.

12. Go Pro

For us, videos make remembering the trip more fun. A good adventure camera will help you capture the excitement, in and out of the water.

13. Waterproof Camera for the Kids

We got these for each of our kids since they often don’t treat our things the way we think they should be treated. The boys took some of the best videos of our trip. Underwater, waterslides, and just plain silly fun. This was a great purchase!

14. Wet Wipes

I always bring wet wipes on airplanes and to hotels. Even though Disney Cruise ships are immaculate, these still come in handy. With the current state of the world, wet wipes are even more essential. You can find them individually packaged, so I put a stash in everyone’s backpacks to always have them handy. You can even stick them in the sleeve with your Key to the World card.

15. Magnetic Door Decorations

The stateroom doors are magnetic. Many people decorate theirs, and you might feel left out if yours is plain and boring. Don’t worry, if you are okay with that, you won’t be the only one. I, on the other hand, am ridiculously fun and give in to Disney Cruise peer pressure! So I made door decorations by laminating party decorations and putting magnetic tape on the back. I wrote nicknames on each of them. I felt weird about writing my kids’ actual names on our door. If you are not feeling crafty, you can purchase some on Amazon. Please note that using regular tape is not allowed as it can damage the door. The magnetic tape took care of all our door taping needs.

16. Poo-Pourri

Since everyone is sharing the bathroom, it’s a good idea to bring along some Poo-Pourri when you go number two. You will definitely have to drop a deuce, and there is nothing worse than your entire stateroom smelling like someone just took a ginormous poop. Being that I am in a family of boys, this was an absolute Disney Cruise Essential! Our poop smelled like citrus for our entire vacation. It was magical.

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