Not only are the Holidays soon approaching, but even if you aren’t jumping on the bandwagon of getting into the Christmas/Holiday spirit as early as the day after Halloween (like Disney is), it’s inevitable that you are at least THINKING about what gifts to get the people you love. Even if you don’t celebrate the Holiday season with gifts, you will, at SOME point buy someone a gift throughout the year, and this list is for that, it isn’t just Holiday specific. Whether there’s an upcoming birthday or you’re just celebrating an upcoming trip, here are my Top 10 gifts aimed specifically for someone who is traveling to Disney in the near future!

 #10

Luggage accessories – $5 & up – Whether travelling by air or car (or on foot?), the person you are buying for is most likely bringing luggage with them. This is why I like this idea, everyone could use stuff for their luggage! This includes luggage tags, locks, straps to hold everything closed (some come with a lock), a scale, individual organizer bags, and more! Even though if you book through Disney they send you luggage tags, they don’t last forever and will probably eventually rip, so buying something that will last a lifetime is a great idea! If your gift-receiver doesn’t have a nice piece of luggage, buying them that is a great gift idea as well! You can find stuff like this everywhere, but if you are looking for Disney-theme specific merchandise, look on http://www.Etsy.com, , and The Disney Store.

#9

Travel First aid kit – $10 & up – These are really great especially since buying some of the items you might need on vacation can get pricey if you are buying them at a Disney Gift Shop. Stuff like bandages, aloe, antibiotic cream, and tweezers are handy to have in minor injury situations. (note: if they are flying, this cannot be in carry-on luggage if the kit has anything that could be considered a weapon, like scissors). You can find these kits at stores like Walmart, Targets, sporting goods stores, and online at stores like Amazon.com.

#8

Disposable Ponchos $1-$5 – You can buy ponchos inside the Disney parks, but they run around $10 each, which is pricey when it’s an unexpected expense and you have to buy for multiple people. I like getting the $1 ponchos you can find at stores like the Dollar Tree, Walmart, and sports stores and I will buy a couple each so that we can actually throw them away once we use them instead of carrying around wet ponchos after the rain stops.

#7

Mini Fan/ Spray Fan – $1-$5 – This is another thing people get trapped into paying way too much for inside the Disney parks because people often down realize how hot it will be until they get there. Disney sells spray water bottle fans, but they are expensive, so getting them ahead of time is more affordable. Dollar Tree and stores like Walmart and Target usually carry mini fans (don’t forget to buy batteries too!) or you can upgrade to the ones that also have a water bottle attached so you can mist yourself, too!

 #6

A Subscription to Touring Plans – $7.95 (Disneyland) or $12.95 (Walt Disney World) – I love Touring Plans for one main reason – the crowd calendar. Sure, other sites have crowd calendars for certain times of year, but Touring Plans has day-to-day crowd ratings. I like planning my trips using these day-to-day calendars, because going to the parks with the smallest crowds can often get you on more attractions on any given day instead of going to a park that is open later/earlier for Extra Magic Hours.  They also have other features, like up to date wait times on attractions, forums, and you can ask questions on the smart phone app and get quick answers from other app users while in the parks! Check it out at www.TouringPlans.com

#5

Trading Collectibles – $5 & up – Trading Disney Pins and Vinylmation figurines is something that has been going strong for a little while now. Basically you bring your collection around the parks and can trade with participating Disney Stores around the parks, Disney Cast Members, and other guests on vacation. The nice thing about these is if you aren’t a pin or vinyl trader/collector, these can still be fun to have, especially if you can get ones that are of your favorite characters, attractions, and movies! You may want to find out if the person you are buying for actually does this sort of collecting and trading before you buy these, though, to decide how much or how little to get them of these items. You can find Vinylmations and Pins on http://www.DisneyStore.com.

#4

A Countdown Calendar $10 & up – These are best found on Etsy. The  one in the picture above is one I actually made for me and Josh. The portion with the number is a chalkboard, so each day we change the number! It gets us excited about our trip and helps us keep our plans up to date. Of course ours is specifically Wedding themed, but you can find more generic “Disney Vacation Countdown” ones, which can be used over and over, each time they go on a Disney Vacation in the future. There are all kinds of designs and mediums out there to choose from!

#3

Vacuum Space Saver Bags $15 & up – These are great for packing as space-saving efficiently as possible! You just pack your clothing in these bags, then suck out all the air with your vacuum. You can find these online (search for “space saver bags”), or stores that usually carry As Seen On TV items.

#2

Foot Care Kit – $10 & up – You wont believe how sore your feet can get with all that walking around you do on vacation. A foot soothing care kit can be a life saver for this. I usually bring a minty-lotion for this purpose, but buying a kit with a pumice stone and foot soak would make a great gift!

#1

Disney Gift Cards – $Any Amount – Disney gift cards are the perfect gift for someone who is going on a Disney vacation. Not only can they use them to help pay for their vacation package (you can use up to 5 forms of payment!), but they will pay for anything inside of the Disney parks. This means not only souvenirs, but food too!

What items make your Disney Vacation gift wish list? Leave your answers in the comments below!

Angie Carreiro
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