This was a very difficult trip to pack for. For one thing, we were going for two weeks, which meant it would be really impractical to take enough clothes to have a new outfit every day. Also, I loaned my big suitcase to Madeline, so I had to make everything work in my new carry-on. There was also the fact that we were staying in three different hotels, so I was going to be re-packing a lot. Somehow, I made it work.

Carry-On The best part of packing was my new Briggs & Riley suitcase. I did a lot of research before buying this thing. I ended up choosing the International Carry-On Expandable Spinner. It was a splurge, but I really think this will be the last carry-on I ever purchase. The lifetime guarantee helps with that. I wanted an international carry-on because we plan to travel internationally a lot. Spinner wheels were an absolute must to me, and I wanted pockets on the inside, but those were the only requirements, really. I read so many reviews and looked at dozens of carry-ons. In the end, I chose the Briggs & Riley because of the fancy expansion/compression system. Basically, you can easily expand the suitcase from the inside. You fill it (but you can’t jam-pack it), close it, and then push down on the top. The suitcase compresses and squeezes your clothes together. It’s really handy!

I actually took a bit too much on this trip for the compression to go all the way back. It was ok, because I was checking the bag anyway. That little bit of room made a huge difference. I’m extremely happy with this suitcase. It’s well made. The wheels work like a dream. And I love the color. A good suitcase makes such a difference!

Wet Bag On my last trip I really wished I had a bag to hold my liquid toiletries, so I didn’t have to worry about something breaking open and ruining my clothes. I found a cute one on Amazon. The description seemed like it was really designed for a wet swimsuit or wet clothing, but I decided to try it anyway. And it’s a good thing I did. On the way to Orlando, something leaked, and there was slime inside the bag and on other bottles. Inside the bag, but not on my clothes. I will always use a wet bag from now on.

Ponchos Absolutely every list of things you should pack for Disney includes ponchos, for a very good reason. You really should pack ponchos for Disney! At least if you’re going in the summer/wet season. Since there would by five of us going for a total of seven park days, I bought a 20-pack from Amazon. We didn’t use all of them, but we used them a lot. We’ll take the leftovers with us when we go back to Orlando next month.

Comfortable shoes We are big believers in wearing athletic shoes to amusement parks. Parks include so much walking that you really should have walking shoes. Somehow I ran out of clean socks one day, and I wore my Clarks sandals to the park instead. They were as comfortable as my running shoes, and I didn’t develop any blisters.

Oi Oil My hair stylist sells Davines products, and I have grown to love them. The most multi-purpose product is the Oi Oil. At home, I use it after my hair dries, to make it shiny and keep the frizz away. But when I travel, I use it in my hair when it’s wet and dry, so I don’t have to pack a second product. In the Florida heat, keeping away the frizzies was a serious battle. The Oi Oil really helped.

Hair Mask The water park and the sun really baked my hair. After about a week, it was feeling dry and damaged. I did a deep conditioning treatment of a Davines hair mask, and it was like having my regular hair back. I was able to use the leftover as conditioner for the rest of the trip. The little packets are TSA-friendly, too, at only 1.69 ounces. Brilliant!