The first rule when packing for a theme park trip is "less is more." The less stuff you have to keep up with, the more fun you'll have. Keep in mind that everywhere at Disney is vacation casual. So, leave the dressy clothes and shoes at home and pack with comfort in mind.
Make a packing list and check off items as you pack. You don't have to list every single item. But do list important items like medications or tickets. You don't want to leave home without anything essential.
Pack light and dark. Consider wearing your jeans, slacks or shorts for more than one day and bringing a lot of tops. Dark clothing won't show the dirt that you'll inevitably pick up in the park, so white pants or skirts are not the best choices for Disney. Roll up your clothes in your suitcase. They travel better that way.
Select your shoes carefully. Wear your bulky athletic shoes so you don't have to pack them. Pack sandals or flip flops for wearing to the pools and beaches, but wear those athletic shoes around the park if you want to keep your toes smushed-free. If you have room, pack a spare pair of comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes. Wet athletic shoes can take forever to dry.
Pack a few extras. Extra socks and underwear won't take up that much space, and you'll need more than you think.
Bring a handful of plastic bags. Store your dirty clothes in these bags and keep them separate from your clean clothes. If you have wet bathing suits at the end of your trip, seal them in the plastic bags, too. Wrap breakable souvenirs in one of those dirty T-shirts for the trip home. Just take care when you're unpacking those clothes from the suitcases.
Pack rain gear only if you have something lightweight, portable and that provides good coverage. Nearly every souvenir stand in the park sells rain ponchos. These are cheap and will easily cover most folks from the head down.
Pack a sweater or hoodie year-round. Even Disney can't control the weather during the cooler months. And if you're cool-natured, you'll want to keep that hoodie with you even in the heat of the summer. Air-conditioning in many of the theaters and restaurants can keep things quite chilly.
Bring a waterproof backpack to carry snacks, cell phones, cameras, towelettes, water bottles and anything else you think you'll need during those long theme park days. The key to comfort is thinking small: small water bottles that can be refilled, packs of peanuts, a to-go container of towelettes and a camera. Remember, you're going to be adding souvenirs to that backpack. So the more lightweight your backpack is, the better. And you probably won't need nearly as much as you think. (The park has first aid kiosks, water fountains, and bathrooms galore.)
