When people plan their trip to Disneyland Paris and what they need to buy, thoughts often go to things like cute outfits and Minnie ears. The more prepared will also think of things like battery packs for charging mobile phones and other devices, and comfortable shoes. But there’s still some things that we see people forgetting to buy for their Disneyland Paris trip, and having troubles on their trips as a result. In this blog we’re sharing 8 things that people don’t want to buy for their Disneyland Paris trip – but probably should.

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Travel insurance

This one I think is so important that it was worth putting first. No one wants to buy travel insurance, as all being well it’s one of those things you end up spending money on that never gets used. It’s easy to feel like travel insurance can be money down the drain, and you may feel that with coverage from your credit card and travel guarantees, you’ll be ready for whatever your trip throw at you. And yet…

The recent civil unrest in France, including notably Paris, is a reminder that the unexpected can and does happen. While the riots did not spread to Disney itself, and security is very good on site, for people travelling to and from central Paris this was understandably a concern. And this is not the only thing that could happen. Bad weather could be another issue, meaning that you’re unable to travel to your destination, or get stuck in Paris and unable to get home! (This is more likely in the winter but could happen at other times too). Someone in your group could get ill either before the trip, meaning that you can’t travel, or during the trip, meaning that you need to seek medical help in France – and there will be a cost attached to that. And while Disney can be very understanding at last minute disruptions to plans, for their packages the official line is if you cancel with less that seven days notice you’ll lose what you’ve paid! (Although typically you can at least move your dates, although that might not be ideal depending what’s happening at your end to cause the disruption in the first place.)

So despite it being one of those expenses that you hope you’ll never use, we still think travel insurance is something everyone should book for their Disneyland Paris trip. Disney themselves do offer optional insurance you can add on to their packages, but before you add this make sure it works for you. Your travel insurance should cover significant delays, cancellation, curtailment (ie your trip gets cut short), medical expenses and if necessary repatriation expenses (getting you back home from your trip). It should also cover your luggage, at least to an extent. Note that for expensive single items (typically worth over £1000) you need to tell the insurance company about it separately. Also note that most off the shelf travel insurance does not include any coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. That causes a problem for us because we know if something is likely to happen to us health wise that will impact our trip, it will likely be because of these pre-existing medical conditions! So in this situation, buying insurance that covers such conditions is important (even if it does mean it costs more). Our go to provider for our travel insurance that can cover our conditions is StaySure – click here to be taken to their website to get a quote for your group. Or you can try shopping around to get the options and price that suit you best!

‘Just in case’ medicines

No one goes on holiday planning to be sick or in pain. But it can happen, especially at Disneyland Paris.

With thousands of people passing through handling railings and the like, or in close proximity to each other in queues and shows, it’s no wonder that bugs can spread easily.  Also, over 20,000 steps a day is not unusual in Disneyland Paris, causing foot, back and joint pain. Early days and long nights plus stress can bring on headaches. And eating what can be richer food than you’re used to can bring on indigestion.

Are any of these things guaranteed to happen? No, and that I think is why most people don’t bring any medicines to prepare for this. Because I think a lot of people probably assume if the worse happens, they’ll easily be able to pick up something on site. Right? Actually not! We’ve mentioned this before plenty of times on our blog and in our videos, but I still see people getting caught out by this so often that I feel it’s worth repeating: you cannot but medicines onsite at Disneyland Paris! This isn’t Disney just being awkward, it’s French law. Any medicine can only be sold from a pharmacy, and that’s something Disney just don’t have. There is one nearby at Val d’Europe if need be, but of course heading there to grab some will cut into your park time (especially if you weren’t planning on going to the shopping centre for a spot of retail therapy!)

So our strong recommendation is, to bring some with you. You don’t need a whole pharmacy in your bag, but we feel having some common remedies on hand could really help prevent health issues escalating and impacting your trip. We’d recommend bringing:

• Painkillers – either Ibuprofen or Paracetamol as you prefer, or as you can take. If you’re prone to pain you might want to think about something stronger that you can get from a pharmacy. Also pack children’s ibuprofen or Calpol if needed.
• Pain relieving gels – Voltarol or Ibuprofen gels can help with aches and pains
• Cold remedies – for everyone in the group, adults and children alike! (Of course only get what’s suitable for your group’s needs) Sore throat sweets are also a good idea
• Indigestion remedies like Gaviscon or Pepto Bismol. You might also want to take something like Immodium as a precaution.
• Antihistamines – just in case anyone suffers from allergies while you’re away, particularly in the spring
• A selection of plasters / band aids, in case of minor cuts and grazes.

Note that you’ll be able to get single doses of many remedies in First Aid in the parks, but that will be one dose only so having your own can save you a lot of trouble!

Thick socks

When people plan their Disney outfits, socks don’t tend to appear much in planning. After all, they’re not the most attractive part of most outfits. However, while a lot of people know they need good shoes for Disney, they don’t realise that a good pair of socks can be just as important!

Socks provide some much needed extra cushioning for your feet. They also help wick away sweat and prevent rubbing, and can also add some much needed extra warmth in the winter month when chilly temperatures are not unusual.

So when planning your Disney outfits, do add some decent thick socks to your packing list, not some little thin fashion ones. I’m very fond of the Dr Scholl socks as I’ve found they give good padding and comfort. Ken likes Bridgedale and Injinji socks. Of course you need to get what make works best for your feet, but I beg you – make sure good socks are on your packing list!

And as a side note on feet, we’d recommend packing some blister plasters too. Even good shoes and thick socks can’t always prevent the blisters that arise from 20,000 step days. Having some blister plasters on hand means that if a hot spot or blister occurs, you can cover it up and be ready to continue on with your day with minimum discomfort.

Reusable shopping bag

For many of us, particularly here in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, picking up some reusable  shopping bags to take to the supermarket is pretty much second nature now. But do you really need one for your Disneyland Paris trip?

Actually, we think it’s a good idea! As with shops elsewhere in France, Disneyland Paris don’t offer free plastic bags. They have reusable bags for sale that you can buy, and they’re quite fun. But they also don’t pack down that small, so being able to pack them (and remembering to do so!) isn’t that easy. And if you end up buying bags each time you’re in the parks on a multiway stay, it’s safe to say the cost adds up fast.

Our recommendation is instead to pack one of those reusable shopping bags that pack down extremely small, that won’t take up much space and will be easy to pull out when needed. We like nano bags, but there are also some cheaper options like these that you may want to consider. It may not be the most exciting thing you pack, but it may also be the most useful!

Vacuum storage bags and a pump

When most people think of vacuum storage bags, they think of them for storing things like bedding at home, reducing space in closets and safely sealing items away. But they can be very handy for a Disneyland Paris trip too!

Unless you have immense willpower (in which case kudos) you will probably end up buying some stuff. Maybe, a lot of stuff. And some of It could be quite bulky, like soft toys. It’s easy to exceed the amount of space in your suitcase without realising it! And that’s where the vacuum bags can come in – they can help reduce down the amount of space soft items like clothes and soft toys take, freeing up some much need space for other items. And you can also seal dirty clothes in their own vacuum bag, so they’re not coming into contact with anything else in your suitcase. Win win!

You can get some vacuum bags that you can roll to squeeze the air out – but we’ve found a set like this with its own small pump a lot easier on hands, and the small size still means it does not take up too much space. Leaving room for all those souvenirs!

Cash (a small amount)

It feels like pretty much everywhere accepts card these days, and Disneyland Paris is no exception. For the most part you won’t need cash on your trip. But we still recommend taking a little bit.

This is for a few reasons. Firstly, tipping in the table service restaurants. While tipping is certainly not as big a thing in France as it is in the USA, tips are still appreciated for good service, and there’s no easy option to add it on to the bill you’re paying by card. So we find having some euros you can leave for the server quite nice.

Another thing is to get change for the Frontierland Shooting Arcade! This is the only attraction that costs extra to do in Disneyland Paris – and it only accepts coins. While you can change up notes for coins in the shop nearby, it helps to have the cash to easily change up! Or better still, you may be able to get some coins yourself.

Finally, in case the card payments system goes down. This isn’t common by any means, but it does happen, and it leaves restaurants and shops only able to accept cash. And while there are some cash machines on site, as you can imagine in this situation they can get some very long queues! Having your own cash ready means that at least you can buy some food for your group if this happens.

So while you don’t need hundreds of pounds in cash, taking a little bit is we feel a good idea.

Lip balm

I suppose I could have included this with the just in case medicines, but is lip balm actually a medicine?!

For some reason, whenever I go to Disneyland Paris I end up with very sore and chapped lips. It could be for a number of reasons – cold wind in the winter, heat in the summer, drinking less that I should, immunity being a bit low… I did used to think it was just me, but I see a lot of people in the Disneyland Paris groups online saying the same thing! For whatever reason, Disneyland Paris just seems to chap lips.

So we’d recommend taking a lip balm – we’re fans of the Burts Bees and La Roche Posay options (the latter is a bit pricey though). You might also want to think about something like Blistex if you’re very prone to sore lips.

A final note for this point – if you’re prone to cold sores then I would add some cold sore cream like Zovirax on your packing list – you can’t get it on site, and if you’re like more sore lips can be a one way trip to a cold sore!

KT tape

There’s a surprising amount of damage people may do to themselves in Disneyland Paris. Overworked back and calf muscles from standing and walking too much. Tight neck from unfamiliar pillows or travelling. Sore arms and hands from hauling luggage or playing WEB Slingers too enthusiastically. Turning your ankle stepping off a curb. Or on the trolley car tracks. It would be impossible to pack supports for every possible injury. That’s where KT tape comes in!

KT Tape, or physio tape, is a bit of a Swiss Army knife for injuries, because the tape can be cut and applied to different parts of the body for where needed. You can look up taping recommendations on line for any particularly injury. The only folks who may want to avoid KT tape is those with a latex allergy or with sensitive skin. We like the KT Tape pro as we find it’s kinder on our skin than other types, but of course you need to do what’s best for you. We also like this because it’s pre-cut into strips, reducing the amount of cutting that may be required to get the tape ready for applying. However some cutting may be needed so packing a small pair of scissors also isn’t a bad idea, just be aware of flight restrictions if you’re travelling hand luggage only, and don’t try to get them through Disney park security! They should be fine to have in your hotel room though.

As a final note here, if you have a particular joint that is prone to strain and you sometimes need to wear a support for, bring that with you even if you have the KT tape – there’s no point suffering on your Disney trip when it could be alleviated with some planning!

So there we go – not the most exciting things you’ll buy for Disneyland Paris, but arguably some of the most useful. Anything you’d add? Let us know in the comments! And while you’re down there please consider subscribing to this blog, you’ll get future blogs directly into your email inbox, and a free copy of our Magically Different Guide to Disneyland Paris attraction accessibility (otherwise £3). We’d also love to see you on our YouTube channel. And if you’d like to support our work please consider leaving us a tip, shopping our Amazon storefront (you’ll find some of the above items on there!), and booking your Disney trip via the images in our sidebar and header. Thank you!