Disney World and Dollar Tree? Yep. I know, we've heard all the complaints about dollar stores - how they can be a little dirty and messy, and how sometimes it is impossible to find what you are looking for.
But have you been to Dollar Tree? It's like the Neiman Marcus of the dollar stores. They're usually clean, organized, and they have lots of great stuff to pick up before your Disney World trip.
Here are some ideas...
In this article
Before your trip
Whether your vacation is just a few weeks away or a few months (or more!), you can find lots of stuff at Dollar Tree to help build anticipation for your trip.
Countdowns
Things like stickers and construction paper can be used to make countdown calendars and chains. Or, if you have a child working towards earning something special for a trip (like souvenir money), stickers can also be handy to use on homemade behavior or chore charts.
One of our favorite countdown calendars is quick and easy to make and uses a frame like these...
Take a frame, add some Disney flair (we used a piece of Disney-themed scrapbook paper), and then use a dry erase marker to easily keep track of how many days left until your trip. Here's an example of a finished version...
Want more countdown ideas? Make sure you're following the WDW Prep School Counting Down to Disney World board on Pinterest.
Disney-themed movie nights
Another fun thing to do before your trip is to have Disney-themed movie nights, and you can find all sorts of cute things at Dollar Tree that you could use for that, like these items in the party section...
Even something as simple as adding a themed napkin or a $1 color-coordinating tablecloth can make it feel more festive, and if you want to go all out, try theming a meal or snack around the movie (for example, you could serve spaghetti and watch Lady and the Tramp or serve something with apples and watch Snow White).
Disney-fy your PB&J
These little bags are super cute to put some snacks into or maybe some crayons to throw into a backpack for the plane. There's a space to write on the bag ("personalize your bag" the box says), and they come in several different varieties and in both snack and sandwich size. These are perfect for lunches or snacks or to hold crayons, etc. As an added treat, if you're using these cute bags for lunches consider adding in one of these fun Disney trivia lunchbox notes, too.
These little cups are cute, too, and could be used for lots of different things like drinking incredibly small amounts of liquid. Or you could use them for...hmm. Ok, maybe they can't be used for lots of different things but they ARE cute.
Keeping kids occupied on the journey
Whether you are driving or flying, when it comes to Disney World and Dollar Tree, you'll find lots to keep your kids occupied.
Travel friendly craft supplies
Depending on your child's age, pipe cleaners can be fun and will keep kids occupied while they twist and shape the fuzzy wires into shapes.
Activity books & coloring books
Activity books and coloring books are another great find at Dollar Tree.
Crayons aren't always car-friendly (speaking from experience of having to clean up melted wax more than once), but if you're flying, they usually don't cause much of a problem.
Stickers
Stickers and things like these activity packs would be good options for both cars and planes. Never underestimate the amount of time a toddler can be kept occupied with a simple notebook and a pack of stickers.
Movie theater-sized boxes of candy
Fun to put in a backpack to enjoy on the trip to Disney World.
Tinker Bell Gift ideas
Looking for items to use as Tinker Bell Gifts? Look no further!
Gift bags
If you want something to put your little gifts in, you can find all sorts of gift bags in a variety of sizes and colors...
Figurines
These little figurines are cute and would be great for kids 3+...
Stickers, activity books & crayons
Stickers and activity books, crayons - they all make great Tinker Bell Gifts.
Flashcards
These flashcards are fun!
Beach toys
Most of the resorts have areas where kids can play in the sand. Beach toys like this are great because you can bring a couple to play with, but if you don't have room to bring them home you aren't out a bunch of money.
Magic towels
Magic Towels are always a lot of fun. It's a towel. That's magic.
Pirate gear
How about some pirate gear? Perfect for both Disney World trips AND for cruises on Disney Cruise Line!
GLOW STICKS!
Kids love them. Buying glow toys at Disney World costs about a bajillion times as much (rough estimate).
Is this where people shop before going to a rave?
Are raves still a thing?
Puzzles
Maybe not the smartest for when traveling, but at $1 each if you lose a piece (or 3) it isn't a huge financial loss.
Fun twist: if you have older kids that find these puzzles too easy, to make it more challenging try buying several puzzles and mixing up the pieces. This is also a fun activity to do while at home and watching Disney movies in preparation for your trip!
Small toys
Disney-themed yo-yos, tops, paddle balls, stamps...
Chalkboards and paddle balls. People on the plane would LOVE it if you were paddle balling in your seat I bet.
Useful ideas if traveling with babies or toddlers
Pre-soaped disposable dish cloths
If you travel with a supply of sippy cups and child-sized silverware or if you always have your lucky coffee mug with you, then you have probably spent some time washing things out in hotel sinks.
At Disney World, lots of people get the cute reusable mugs, but if you toss yours into a backpack or into the basket on the bottom of a stroller you may wish you had a way to wash the dust and grime (and milk - yuck!) off.
To make it easier on yourself, take some of the towels like the ones below, cut it into smaller pieces (big enough to wash a cup out with, for example. You could also do this with a sponge, if you prefer), and then add some dish detergent to the pieces you've cut and let them dry completely.
Once dry, stick the pre-soaped pieces in a baggie (like one of the Disney ones above!) and you'll have everything you need to wash that sippy cup without having to pack a bottle of soap.
If you can find white disposable towels (white works better so you don't have to worry about colors transferring), you can also make your own stain wipes to use on clothes. Just make sure you use heavily diluted laundry soap or something gentle like Woolite.
Stroller cover
If you have a stroller but you don't have a cover for it, a shower curtain and some heavy clips like the ones below work very well!
Bandanas for strollers
Another great idea for strollers are bandanas like this one. Tying something on your stroller handle can help make yours stand out in a sea of identical strollers.
Post-its for automatic flush toilets
The automatic flush toilets can wreck havoc on the nerves of little ones. Toss a pack of these post-it notes in your purse to cover the sensors on the toilets.
Hotel room organization & everything else
Pop-up hampers
Keeping organized in a hotel room is always a challenge, but things like these pop-up hampers can help keep things neat. Plus, they fold up flat and take up little to no room in a suitcase.
Liquid soap
Liquid soap is a good idea for your hotel room since only bar soap is provided.
Many people asked why this is on the packing list. Bar soap doesn't work well when you wear contacts, plus you can use liquid soap for washing dishes, swimsuits in the sink, etc
Shower puff
Shower puffs are handy to take and at $1 each you can toss it when it is time to come home.
Wet wipes
Wipes. All sorts of wipes. Wipes for your hands. Wipes for the nasty TV remote...
Hooks
When this gigantic packing list was created, some people suggested that these should be on it for hanging up wet things to dry.
Ponchos
The ones from Dollar Tree are fantastic for rides where you might get wet because you can use them once and toss them. If you are going during the summer when it rains a lot, check out our post on how to handle the weather and our recommendations for ponchos to use during the rainy season.
Finally, don't forget to pick up some classy ocean-themed home decor while you're finishing up your Disney World shopping.
Or not.
Dollar Tree also sells even more Disney stuff online. You can have it shipped for cheap plus you can have stuff sent to the store closest to you for free.
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See! We told you Disney World and Dollar Tree go well together! Have you discovered any great finds for Disney World trips at your local Dollar Tree? Tell us about it in the comments.
I see a lot of recommendations to bring ponchos, but how many ponchos do you recommend bringing? 1 per person per park? Or is 1 per person enough for the trip?
Thank you very much for this list! I really appreciated the idea of the post it notes to cover the sensors in the washrooms! My 4 year old has a really hard time with those toilets!
always love this list! Just looked on Dollar Tree’s online Disney selection and the nightlights are a great idea – always good to have one of those in dark hotel rooms/bathrooms. The ponchos are not only good for wet rides like Splash Mountain but also good to sit on for wet pavement for parades, etc.
I don’t go anywhere without my anti bacterial hand gel. Not sure if you can get at Dollar Tree but love the travel size ones (some with clips for backpacks/purses) at Bath and Body Works. Always stock up during their semi-annual clearance sale.
A couple more thoughts: glow bracelets are good to have kids wear on the dark rides when they are afraid. Also, I love the sandwich containers with the characters on top. I put 4 silicone muffin cups in a sandwich container to make sections and then put different kinds of food in it — usually it’s salami or cubed ham, cut up fruit, goldfish and cut up bell peppers. Just make sure to put a large rubber band (like the kind that comes on a bunch of asparagus from the store) around it so it doesn’t pop open.
A couple of cute things I’ve found at Dollar Tree are crayons that are actually shaped like the characters (they have a primary set with Mickey, Goofy and Donald and a girlie set with Minnie and Daisy. Also 3-packs of little tape dispensers with decorative tape, I’ve seen Frozen and Mickey themed. I’ve also gotten really thick cardboard Sofia stickers there.
I used this post for my family’s 2016 Disney trip and the ideas were great. However, the pop up hamper idea is the Best!!! I still use it on any trip I take! It’s a great tip for those people (like me) who like to stay neat and organized even on vacation!!
I agree. I still use my pop up hamper on all trips where I have access to washer/dryer – so easy to fold up in suitcase!
This is pretty genius!
Great ideas! 🙂
I have read this post over the months/years since you first posted it and I crack up every time. “Are raves still a thing?”
Thanks for the help!
Ziplock baggies for your phone (not to get wet), leftover food, snacks, wet undergarments.
A towel to dry the seat (Fantasmic, Splash Mountain, Kali River Rapids) or a spot saver for a parade.
Cheap luggage tags for your park bag (just in case you lose it or you don’t use the American Traveler ones Disney sends you!)
Walmart has an even better deal now on glow sticks. Instead of the 5 packs at DT, you can get a 40 pack for $5. I recently bought a set for my 8 year old’s Star Wars birthday party.
Hey there! Take it from someone who live an hour-ish from The House of Mouse – there are great deals to be had OUTSIDE of the parks. My faves are Walmart and Walgreens, but even the Publix supermarkets nearby have a great Disney section. I found the cutest pajamas at one! Oh, and Publix is a really good supermarket here in FL. We found Star Wars rain ponchos at Walgreens, I think, and they were cheap. Kid sized, but plain ones for adults. A good thing to know at all the parks: Any restaurant or kiosk that gives drinks in… Read more »
How does flying with glow sticks work? Do they have to be checked? Or be in your liquids bag in your carry on?
i always bring a mesh pop-up hamper on my trips. I have one that has big handles and pockets (for my soap!) that doubles as my laundry basket. Toss your dirty clothes in (then they don’t make your clean clothes gross) and when you have enough for a load, drag it to the machine. I love it! It also means I can pack less and save baggage fees.
Wow! Great list! I was already planning on making a Dollar Tree run for our trip but there are some great ideas in here that I wouldn’t have thought to get. Thanks Shannon! Love your podcast and website!
So funny story — took this list to the dollar store last night in preparation for our trip. I was at the dollar tree I think. They said they haven’t sold rain ponchos for years!! Any idea where else cheap to buy them?
Going to The Dollar Tree is the key. Much better selection. 🙂
Thanks for the quick reply! I was actually at the Dollar Tree, and they did not stock any ponchos. I tried their website too, and you have to order a case to ship to store, and they now only have single packs available. I’ll have to find another place to buy. Target has emergency poncho’s for $1.42 each. I just like to bring cheap multi-packs with us on trips like this!
Rain ponchos are $.98 in the camping section of Walmart.
Don’t know if anyone added this or not. We are going to Disney on fall break. This is a once in a lifetime trip so I want to make it extra special. I am buying disney things ahead of time (tee shirts, stuffed animals, candy, toys, beach towels, etc) and each day when we leave for the park I’m having my step mom “sneak” into our room at put out special stuff for my boys to find when we get back to our room in the afternoon. They will each have a little card with a different character on them… Read more »
My parents did this for us on our first trip to Disney World as a whole family, is was so much fun to go home late at night and see “Mickey” left us a surprise. A huge hit for us was 18″ plush Disney character dolls, even for the boys. Also Disney Keychains with Disney pins(you can buy in any park), you can trade them with any cast members whenever, and it was super fun.
We did something similar, but put out a little wrapped gift each night after kids were in bed. In the morning they were so excited to see Mickey had come. Some things Mickey left were lanyards and pins I bought ahead and they took to the park. Water bottle with fan, etc.
The glow sticks/jewelry are awesome! I got more than enough for our group of 15 for one night plus glow wands for three nights for the three 6 yos that are going for the price of ONE of the glowing spinning things that they sell in the parks. Bonus: they had Disney & Marvel character glow wands! Many of the packages have more than one necklace or bracelet in them, so it’s even more bang for your buck. You can cover each arm in glow bracelets for the cost of one item in the park. And just a head’s up,… Read more »
oh my gosh i’m not even an adult and i’ve been obsessively stalking your page for days now to make sure i don’t forget anything for the trip were taking in June 🙂 thank you so much!! my slight OCD was soothed by your extensive lists and tricks
Shannon, you are hilarious, and I feel pretty sure we are destined to be friends someday. Thanks for the awesome tips! Mwah!
I brought a bunch of the ponchos and the cheapo gloves when we went in February one year. My hubby just rolled his eyes, as the weather was usually pretty good then. Well, our first 2 days were rainy, cold, & miserable and my cheapo gloves and DT ponchos saved the day!
One thing though: those ponchos are very flimsy. If you’re very careful, you can re-use them the same day (put the wet side in when you fold ’em), but it’s best to have enough for each day if you have room.
Great idea about rain gear for each day. I don’t want to carry around wet things all day and take a chance of other things getting wet like cameras and cell phones. Thanks for the tip.
Every time, before going to Disneyland or Disney World we stop somewhere Dollar Tree, especially to buy a bunch of glow sticks. °o°
I always pack these pop up hampers where ever we go even if its just a weekend trip. It’s nice to keep some order in your snug little hotel rooms.
Thank you so much for all your wonderful ideas. I am sure I will find many more ideas as I go along reading your http://www.wdwprepschool. I am off to the $$$ store!
We do numerous family trips and never enough clothing storage. I purchased the soft plastic closet shoe organizers and sweater storage organizer and hang them on the closet rods. great place for the childrens clothes. Roll the clothes up individually and insert in the plastic pockets. We take them on every family vacation. No more luggage cluttering the floor
Since we booked our trip to Disney this upcoming January, The Dollar Tree and the dollar section at Target have become my two favorite places to shop for pre-trip goodies. I love that they have a lot of Disney products and so many things to put in my son’s activity bag for our trip (since we’re driving) and stocking stuffers for Christmas. We’re going to try really hard not to break the bank on souvenirs (though I can’t speak for his aunt) since this will be my son’s first trip to WDW. I especially like the Mr. Potato head tip,… Read more »
Dollar Tree is a 7 minute drive from Disney World. Why would I drag it when I just pop over when I grocery shop in Kissimmee?
Thanks for all the great pictures and tips!
🙂
We also do some sort of chip clip or clothespin to keep the curtains closed tight when needed.
YOU ARE HILARIOUS! Seriously, this was so refreshing! 🙂
Love the dollar stores. I buy the portable battery powered fans. We have 2 and they have lasted a year now. A great toy and great for Disney summers and for the beach. I also buy the generic huge ziplock bags. When going through security at Disney I usually put all our stuff in them and security can just see through the bag instead of opening a backpack and searching the inside. Of course this depends on the person. Some will still open it and search it. And they are just great for packing outfits And toiletries in the suitcase.… Read more »
I have done a couple of Dollar Tree runs since seeing this post on pinterest. I’ve picks up some great things for our trip. Glow wands with Disney Junior characters, plastic silverware for my toddlers, foldable water bottles with princesses and Minnie, hand wipes with characters on the outside, and magic towels! I couldn’t fund the pop up hampers either but will be getting some at another store because I like the idea of having them. Thanks for the info!!!
These are ideas! I am definitely going to go get a hamper and ponchos for our week long visit in August! I still have 72 days but I want to start shopping now. Another place fire cheap stuff is Michael’s and sometimes Joann craft stores. They have the character stuff and glow sticks. Thanks for the great tips!
Thank you for posting this. We leave for Disney on June 2nd. Im so glad I seen ur blog. I went to Dollar Tree and bought stuff today while the kids were at school. You are awesome.
Love this idea and ran with it! Went to the dollar tree and made the kids a goodie bag to give to them before we leave on the trip. It’s a surprise! They don’t know we are going! So I bought all kinds of Disney stuff… puzzles, glow sticks, stickers, crayons, Disney antibacterial wipes, and even a Mickey puzzle they can color! This will be perfect for the plane ride. I also bought them Mickey shirts online, so they can wear it while we are there and that will be there soviegner and it will be a fraction of the… Read more »
So I stumbled here via Pinterest and kind of love the Dollar Tree. Depending on your location, you can find name brand toiletries. So grab a bottle of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash for the parents. It’ll be loads cheaper than your Wal-Marts or Targets. They tend to have the kid friendly toiletries (like Spiderman toothpaste or princess soap), too.
OMG!!! It’s almost 9 o’clock on Sunday evening and I want more than anything is to go to DT! I love all the great ideas. We have a trip coming up and it’s our 4th with our kids. Definitely looking for more ways to save that $$.
After waiting a long time for the fireworks, the children sitting next to us work quite cranky after a long day in the park. Just sitting with nothing to do, they managed to create a little chaos without much effort. I will makes trip to the DT and p/u a few tubes of glow items. It will make them happy (and calmer), in turn making our wait a little more pleasant. As annual pass holders, we are there quite often and see the tired & bored kids quite often! TY for the reminder DT sells these items!
Another inexpensive place to get LED and glow stuff is http://www.coolglow.com I got light up mickey necklaces, Light up Minnie Bow, LED glow wands and LED light and sound swords and light up pirate hats for our Pirates and Pals fireworks cruise for pretty cheap. The kids were all decked out for the nighttime entertainment and we didn’t spend a fortune! http://coolglow.com/LED-Flashing-Mickey-Mouse-Necklaces-Assorted/c3563/
http://coolglow.com/LED-Minnie-Mouse-Headband-Red~6358/c7472/
http://coolglow.com/LED-Pirate-Sword~5519/c3160/
http://coolglow.com/LED-Pirate-Skull-Hat/c8411/
Nicole, thanks for sharing that glow stuff website!!
Walgreens – every holiday/season has Disney themed do-dads. I have gotten great light up whirly toys, bubbles, etc. My favorite was one summer they had AWESOME Cars pool stuff. They had this Lightening McQueen float for my 2 year old. I had him in the pool at the Grand Floridan and multiple moms asked me where I got it. I just smiled and internally laughed my tush off. Not nice I know but those ladies had on swimsuits that would have made one of my car payments. That trip was a 40th birthday gift that took multiple years saving money.
Have you seen the plastic water bottle with the snack cup screwed on? People are selling them with names and characters painted on for $40 for 5 :/ To me that too much when the cup is from the dollar tree and the paint/sharpie isn’t that much! So instead make your own~! It will be a nice treat and suprise for anyone and it holds a decent amount of water and snacks to me.
We used a few of these ideas on our trip and it was great. The girls loved that I surprised them with glow sticks and bracelets every night and it saved us the
“I want one”. In addition we used the pop up hamper and ponchos (one single packs at our store).
I got super excited about the option to order online, but if you got to the dollar tree website via the link you posted, you have to buy items by the case. The exception seems to be the washclothes, but you need to buy 4 of those. But unless you want 24 cinderella puzzles, going into the store is going to make a lot more sense. The Dollar Tree tips are still great but they are pretty much limited to in the store.
I love this information! I also bought tons of glow sticks at the Dollar Tree and took them to Disney with us. We had glow sticks, necklaces, and even Magic Wands in our backpack to pull out at Magic Kingdom fireworks, Epcot Illuminations, and Hollywood Studios Fantasmic. Another tip – the best kind of candy to keep in a backpack is anything that is not covered in chocolate. Chocolate candy bars of any kind usually melt and just make a mess. M&Ms are our favorite. I buy the small multipacks – that saves us from having to share (or as… Read more »
I have just downloaded ALLLLLL of your disney files for my disney binder and now reading each post you have made by disney. Sadly, I go to the Dollar Tree at least 4 times a week. LOVE that store. SUCH GREAT DEALS. LOVE YOUR IDEAS. I actually use the pop up hampers in our home. As I am folding clothes, I have one for each family member. Their clean clothes go in there and then when they clothes are put away, guess what I DON’T HAVE, LARGE hampers to find a spot for. LOVE THEM and LOVE the idea to… Read more »
I found some great little hardcover “journals” with Mickey on them that will be PERFECT for autograph books!
Another SuPER Idea – I love our Dollar Stores!
I just did a dollar tree run for our upcoming trip in May. Purchased some glow items for our little girl and some extra to hand out. They actually had some Disney wands, Sofia the first, Princesses, Mickey & Minnie. They had also restocked the magic towels so I picked up some of those. They had packs of anitbac. wipes in Ariel, Monsters INC, Toy Story & Minnie. Picked up a couple packs of those. Oh and I got 3 of the Play packs, the include a small color book 3-4 crayons and stickers. I thought these would be great… Read more »
Instead of buying and packing liquid soap, I use the hotel’s shampoo as hand and dish soap. 🙂
A warning about the glow stuff: I bought 16 22-inch necklaces, 2 kids, 1 for each night, +2 extra. Thinking I would save money over getting sucked into the Disney glow stuff on the parade cart! …well, just about all of them cracked in the suitcase, which activated them, and they ended up lasting exactly 1 day! So I guess, next time I will wrap them up inside packed clothes as though they were fine China, or else skip it and cave on the Buzz Lightyear, spinny, glowy, noisy thing at the parade, that will at least last! LOVE all… Read more »
I’ve bought glow sticks that come in a super sturdy tube. If you can’t find that same thing, I would think you could use a paper towel tube. Maybe even reinforce it with a second paper towel tube if one isn’t sturdy enough?
Another thing that’s helpful is one of those shoe bags that hang on the door – great for shampoos, other hair care products, cosmetics, etc. They save a lot of counter space when traveling with one or more princesses.
Ooh, I love this idea! Is that at the dollar store, too?
That is a FABULOUS idea.