Disneyland Packing List
By the NanoPack team · Updated on · Checked against official sources
What to pack for Disneyland: California is dry, sunny and walkable, so you pack differently than for humid Orlando. Comfortable, broken-in shoes come first, because Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure sit a two-minute walk apart and you cover them on foot all day. Bring a park bag no larger than 61 by 38 by 46 cm, sun protection for the strong dry sun, a refillable water bottle, a power bank, and a light layer for the evening once the sun drops and the temperature falls. Download the Disneyland app, not My Disney Experience, for mobile order and Lightning Lane. You can bring your own snacks and drinks, so leave selfie sticks, wagons and glass at home.
Disneyland essentials at a glance
- Broken-in comfortable walking shoes
- A park bag within 61 x 38 x 46 cm
- A light layer for cool evenings
- Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses
- A refillable water bottle and power bank
- The Disneyland app downloaded
- Your own shelf-stable snacks
- Blister bandages and a small first-aid kit
Disneyland rewards a different pack than Walt Disney World. Southern California is dry rather than humid, the sun is strong, and the evenings turn genuinely cool once it sets, so a light layer matters more than a poncho. The two parks share one entrance and sit a short walk apart, which means you are on your feet all day with no buses to wait for. Pack for your feet, the dry sun and the cool night, keep your bag within the size rule, and run the day from the Disneyland app.
On your feet and body
- Broken-in comfortable walking shoes · two parks, all covered on foot
- A second pair or supportive insoles
- Moisture-wicking socks
- Blister bandages and tape
- Comfortable, breathable clothes
- A light jacket or hoodie · SoCal evenings cool off fast
The park bag
- A backpack or crossbody within 61 x 38 x 46 cm
- A refillable water bottle · free water at quick-service counters
- A power bank and cable · the Disneyland app drains your phone
- Sunscreen SPF 30+ · the dry California sun is stronger than it feels
- A hat and sunglasses
- Hand sanitizer and wipes
- A small first-aid kit and any medication
Sun and the marine layer
- High-SPF sunscreen · dry sun is deceptively strong; reapply
- SPF lip balm
- A cooling towel for hot afternoons
- A light layer for a gray morning · May and June mornings often start overcast, then clear
- A poncho only for a winter visit · summer rain is rare in Southern California
Food and drink
- A refillable water bottle
- Your own shelf-stable snacks · allowed; tell security at bag check
- A soft-sided cooler with reusable ice packs · for cold snacks
- No glass, no loose or dry ice, no alcohol
Tech and planning
- Your phone with the Disneyland app · mobile order, Lightning Lane, maps and wait times
- A power bank · the app drains your battery fast
- A charging cable
- A lanyard for tickets or passes
- Headphones
For families with kids
- A stroller within 79 by 132 cm, or rent one at the parks
- Snacks and comfort items
- An autograph book and a fat pen for characters
- Spare clothes for toddlers
- Glow items for the night shows
- A stroller rain cover for a winter trip
What not to pack
- Selfie sticks · not permitted in the parks
- Wagons, including stroller wagons · turned away at the gate; a standard stroller under 79 by 132 cm is fine
- Any bag over 61 by 38 by 46 cm · it will not pass the bag check
- Loose or dry ice, and glass containers · use reusable ice packs and non-glass bottles; baby food jars are the exception
- Alcohol and cannabis · cannabis is legal in California but banned inside the parks
- A heavy rain kit in summer · Southern California summers are dry; save the space
Packing tips and mistakes to avoid
Pack for dry sun and cool nights, not humidity
Unlike Orlando, Southern California is dry, so you can leave the poncho-and-humidity kit at home. The trade is a strong, deceptive sun by day and a real chill after sunset, so a high-SPF sunscreen, a hat and a light layer for the evening shows do more work here than rain gear.
It is a walking trip, not a transit one
Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure share one entrance esplanade a couple of minutes apart, so you move between them on foot with no buses or monorail. Comfortable, broken-in shoes and blister care matter more than anything else, because you are walking from morning to fireworks.
Download the Disneyland app, not My Disney Experience
Disneyland runs on its own Disneyland app for mobile food orders, Lightning Lane and live wait times. My Disney Experience is for Walt Disney World and will not work here. Set the Disneyland app up and sign in before you go, and pack a power bank, because you will live in it all day.
Bring your own snacks and water
Disneyland lets you bring shelf-stable outside food and non-alcoholic drinks; just tell a security cast member at the bag check. A refillable bottle and a few snacks save money and line time, but leave the glass, loose or dry ice and alcohol behind.
The things people forget
- A light layer for the cool evening
- A power bank for the app-drained phone
- Blister bandages, taped on before the blister
- The Disneyland app, not My Disney Experience
What people wish they had packed
- A hoodie for the chilly night parade
- A second pair of comfortable shoes
- Your own snacks and a refillable water bottle
- A cooling towel for a hot August afternoon
Frequently asked questions
What should you pack for Disneyland?
Broken-in comfortable shoes, a park bag within 61 by 38 by 46 cm, a light layer for the cool evening, sun protection, a power bank and the Disneyland app, a refillable water bottle, your own shelf-stable snacks, and blister bandages. Add a stroller and autograph book if you are traveling with kids.
How is packing for Disneyland different from Disney World?
Southern California is dry, not humid, so evenings turn cool and summer rain is rare, which means a light layer beats a poncho. The two parks are a short walk apart with no buses between them, so comfortable shoes matter most. And Disneyland uses the Disneyland app, not Disney World's My Disney Experience.
Can you bring food into Disneyland?
Yes. Disneyland allows shelf-stable outside food and non-alcoholic drinks; tell a security cast member at the bag check. Glass containers (except baby food jars), loose or dry ice, and alcohol are not allowed. You can refill a water bottle for free at quick-service counters.
What is not allowed at Disneyland?
Selfie sticks, wagons including stroller wagons, bags larger than 61 by 38 by 46 cm, loose or dry ice, glass containers other than baby food jars, and alcohol. Cannabis is legal in California but banned inside the parks.
What do people forget to pack for Disneyland?
A light layer for the cool evening, a power bank for the app-drained phone, blister bandages, and the Disneyland app itself, which people confuse with Disney World's My Disney Experience.