10 Tips For Travelling Carry-On Only To Disney World

When we first started planning our trip to Disney World, I knew I wanted to travel carry-on only. I’m sure you’ve seen travel horror stories on TikTok about lost or damaged luggage. We recently flew to Orlando with Air Canada, and one of my biggest fears was losing our luggage along the way.

We also didn’t want to spend extra time at the airport waiting for checked luggage. The airports are stressful enough to navigate without added things to do.

With careful planning and savvy packing, you too can embark on your Disney adventure with just carry-on bags in tow. Here's how:

1. Embrace the Essentials: When it comes to packing for Disney World, less is more. Focus on essentials such as comfortable clothing, versatile footwear, and any personal items you can't do without. Remember, you'll be spending long days exploring the parks, so prioritize comfort over fashion. A part of me really wanted to pack pretty sun dresses and dressy outfits “just in case” we went somewhere fancy, BUT I knew it wasn’t practical or likely that I would need them. I basically lived in t-shirts and biker shorts the entire week. Still cute, but comfortable.

You don’t need a different pair of shoes for every outfit. We each had the sneakers we wore there, and one pair of crocs.

2. Plan Your Outfits: Streamline your wardrobe by planning your outfits in advance. Choose mix-and-match pieces that can be worn in different combinations to maximize versatility. Don't forget to include a waterproof jacket or poncho for those sudden downpours. We opted for the small foldable disposable ponchos, and didn’t even end up needing them.

3. Use Packing Cubes and Maximize Space: The ones that compress! These were a lifesaver when it came to saving space in our luggage. Amazon has a ton of different ones to choose from. Use every bit of empty space you can! We had socks rolled up in our crocs, the park backpack I packed was full of stuff, etc.

4. Shop For Toiletries When You Arrive: When we got to Florida, I did an Instacart order with all of the necessities that I didn’t want to pack. When you travel carry-on only, you have to abide by TSA’s liquid rules. For liquids, we had one Ziploc baggie each with my make-up, polysporin, skincare, etc. I used as many Sephora samples as I could, and bought shampoo, sunscreen and other necessities when we arrived. Our resort has a pass-it-on Facebook group, so we were able to gift the leftover items to another family when we left.

5. Utilize Technology: Take advantage of technology to lighten your load. Instead of packing bulky guidebooks or maps, download digital versions onto your smartphone or tablet. Use apps like My Disney Experience to plan your itinerary, make dining reservations, and access real-time wait times for attractions. I LOVED the My Disney Experience app, but hated the Universal one. Ironically enough, Universal is the only park we went to that doesn’t offer paper maps. I would reccommend getting paper maps IN the parks, but there is no need to bring actual guidebooks on your trip.

6. Leave Room For Souvenirs: We purposely packed items that we knew we would be leaving behind, so we would have room for souvenirs on the way home. For example, we packed two costco sized boxes of protein bars to eat on the plane, at the parks, at the resort, etc. We knew we wouldn’t be bringing any of this home, so we had room for souvenirs. We also left some of the smaller toiletries behind that I packed, so the ziploc bags weren’t as full, leaving more room in our backpacks.

7. Maximize Available Allowances: Each airport has allowances for carry-on and personal item size. MOST allow you to use a backpack as a personal item as long as it fits within their guidelines. You can find guidelines for your airline on the airline’s website. Air Canada has some of the smallest guidelines, but we were still able to each take a hardsided carry-on suitcase, and a travel backpack. It took me a while to find a hard-sided suitcase that fell within Air Canada’s guidelines because most suitcase sizes are listed WITHOUT measuring the wheels. When measuring your suitcase, make sure you include the wheels, otherwise your suitcase may not fit in the sizer, and they may make you check your luggage. I was able to fit almost all of my clothes into one backpack in a packing cube, and then we still had the suitcases to put things in.

If you have little kids, this is not the time to use those cutesy little kid suitcases. One adult can easily roll two carry-on suitcases with backpacks on top. We switched off rolling Mason’s when he got tired, and it was a breeze. Make sure to get suitcases with FOUR wheels, not two.

THIS is the travel backpack we took! I bought one for each of us, and they were PERFECT. They open like a suitcase, and have a trolly strap to attach it to your suitcase handle. They also have a TON of pockets and compartments!

TIP: If you’re travelling with family members, put a little bit of your clothes in all of the suitcases. That way, IF they make you check your luggage and it gets lost, no one is left with nothing. We also tried to fit as much clothes and necessities as possible in our backpacks, because if they made us check anything, it would have been the carry-on suitcase. Luckily, we did not have to check any luggage on our trip.

8. Get Airtags & Use Luggage Tags On Everything: Even though we travelled carry-on only, I was still afraid of them checking our luggage and losing something. I ended up putting one air tag in each of our carry-ons and personal items. When we got to Disney, I used one of the air tags for my son at the parks. We also made sure to have luggage tags on everything. Don’t assume that just because you are travelling carry-on only that you don’t need luggage tags.

9. Stay At A Resort With Laundry Services: We stayed at a Disney resort that had several laundry rooms available to use. Do a load of laundry halfway through your trip, and you only need to pack half a trip’s worth of clothes.

10. Make A List Of Your Absolute Essentials & Make Room For Those First: I’m a list maker, and made probably a dozen packing lists leading up to our trip. Figure out your MUST HAVE items (Tip: a good power block was one of ours!), and go from there.

Airport bathroom selfie! I LOVED my Bandolier case for this trip! I could wear it as a crossbody, but it did not count as an extra personal item.

We will DEFINITELY be travelling carry-on only everywhere we go from now on! If you have any questions, let me know!

D