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If you’re heading to Disney World, Universal or Sea Word this summer, you’ll need to know what to pack. Airlines impose strict guidelines on luggage, and if you go over your allotted amount, you’ll pay a hefty baggage fee. There are a few things you can do to streamline your packing, and still have everything you need.

When you are visiting Florida in the summer, you will only need hot weather gear and possibly a compact, lightweight poncho. You can pick up disposable plastic ponchos at most dollar stores—these are very thin and cheap, but they’ll keep the rain off of you, and they take up next to no space in your luggage.
Must haves: Include the following in your summer travel bag:
• Bathing suit
• Comfortable clothing suitable for hot, humid weather
• 1 outfit that Is “resort casual” if you plan on dining at a fine restaurant
• COMFORTABLE walking shoes
• Prescription or over the counter medications you regularly take
• Glasses or contacts and supplies
• Makeup and hair products you can’t live without in mini or travel sizes (you’ll find shampoo and related items in your room, but you may prefer to bring familiar products.
• Camera and memory card
• Phone and charger
• Other items you use daily and can’t live without.
• sunglasses/sun hat
• cash/credit cards/debit cards
Possibles: Bring these if you have room:
• Sunblock : This will be cheaper to bring from home, but only if you aren’t adding an additional bag to haul it. Sunblock can be found just about anywhere in the resorts and parks, its just more pricey than it would be at home.
• Water shoes for the water park
• A second bathing suit (if you plan to spend a lot of time swimming
Don’t bother: Leave these items home
• Mutiple dresses or outfit changes: bring one good staple instead
• Fine jewelry that you don’t wear daily: risk of losing pieces is high
• Winter coat or sweater : it will be hot even at night
• Full size products; these take up too much room and may not be allowed on the plane

An Orlando vacation can be a fun time for everyone, even the youngest member of the family, provided you choose the right place to stay and the right time to visit. Read on for some of our favorite baby friendly tips for visiting the Orlando area:

Watch the weather: If you are traveling with an infant, be aware that the heat and the bright Florida sun may affect your little one before it bothers you. Use sunblock, a sun hat and keep baby well hydrated for best results.

Rides: While you won’t want to take your baby on a roller coaster, there are plenty of rides and attractions that are baby friendly. Sea World, Epcot and the Magic Kingdom offer plenty of baby friendly shows, attractions and rides, and may be the best bets for your first visit.

Baby swap: If you want to ride a coaster like Space Mountain, you can still do so, provided you have another adult along for the trip. Disney offers a child switch program, allowing one parent to ride while the other stays with the baby. Once mom waits in line and rides, dad can use the child switch pass to go right to the front of the line. Ask for the cast member at the ride entrance for this pass at any Disney theme park ride.

In your room: Most Orlando hotel and resort rooms offer pack and play baby cribs for sleeping and playtime. Even the smallest resort room will fit one, and these are usually provided free of charge. Select a villa, condo or rental home if you need a lot of room, or if you want a kitchen to prepare meals for your little one–and the rest of the family.

Getting around: You can rent strollers in any theme park, from a service or bring your own from home.

The highly anticipated Turtle Trek attraction opens in Sea World Orlando this Friday, and promises guests a one of a kind experience. Since the movie is completely inside, expect Turtle Trek to be a big draw for visitors seeking to escape the summer heat–and check out the park’s newest residents.

Turtle Trek at Sea World Orlando will combine a 3D movie experience with a pair of marine aquarium exhibits. Turtle Trek is more than a traditional 3D movie–it is an immerse experience designed to give guests a “turtle’s eye view” of the ocean floor.

The 3D screens extend all around the domed theater, and onto the domed ceiling itself to create the feeling of total immersion. You’ll see water and marine scenery no matter where you look, and the film is shown from the point of view of a sea turtle.

The movie experience is accompanied by two marine life exhibits. One, a salt water tank, includes sea turtles, fish and other marine life. The other will be home to huge but gentle manatees and an assortment of freshwater species.

Visitors to Sea World can begin enjoying Turtle Trek this Friday.

You probably already know the basic items you should bring for your Orlando vacation, but some of the items below may surprise you! If you are heading to the Orlando area this spring, make sure you bring along the following items:

Comfortable shoes: The number one, most important thing on your packing list should be comfortable shoes for every member of the family. You will spend a lot of time on your feet, so comfy shoes are a must.

Prescription medication: Pack any medication you take regularly, and any you may need to take on vacation. Put any essential medicine into your carryon; it is worth the extra time at security checkpoints to be sure you have what you need. Leave a prescription behind? There are several 24 hour pharmacies in Orlando, and you can have your prescription transferred as needed.

Spare contacts or glasses: Forget your glasses and you may not be able to see Mickey at all! Bring along an extra pair, if you have one, and don’t forget to pack sunglasses as well.

Souvenirs: It may sound like a crazy thing to do, but you can pick up some Disney or Universal character related merchandise before you leave home, then distribute it at the park. You can usually find dollar bin items at discount stores that feature the Disney princesses, Pixar characters, Dr. Seuss characters and even the minions from Despicable Me. Pick these up and stash them in your suitcase, and pass them out at the right time, and you’ll save a bundle on your souvenir budget.

Rain poncho: While you’re shopping at the dollar store, pick up a few cheap rain ponchos. These are small and thin enough they won’t take up any space in your luggage; forget to pack these and you’ll pay about 8 dollars each for ponchos in the parks.

Traveling with a baby or toddler? The type of hotel you choose can make or break your vacation. Choose a site with lots of room for a playpen or crib and stroller; at the very minimum you should select a spot that has an in-room fridge, even a small one. An elevator or first floor room will keep you from dragging baby and gear up and down multiple fights of stairs. We’ve brought each of our oldest three girls to Orlando at around 6 months of age…number four will visit for the first time at 7 months, so by this point, I know exactly what works for us! Here are a few of my favorite options for staying in Orlando with an infant:

Luxury Vacation Home:

A vacation home give you plenty of space to spread out and relax with your little one.

Staying in a private home gives you plenty of space to spread out and set up a crib and other items in comfort. You  won’t have to worry about waking the baby if you get up at night, and because the home has multiple bedrooms, you can watch tv or relax after the little one goes to bed — no tiptoeing around a hotel room, trying to avoid waking the baby! Having a full kitchen is handy as well, even if you just use the refrigerator and microwave for necessities. Luxury homes are professionally decorated, come with everything you need (you may to rent specialty baby items), and are quiet and private, making them an ideal choice for visiting Orlando with an infant.

Hotel Villa or Suite:

A vacation villa can give you all the comforts of home and allow you to enjoy multiple bedrooms and plenty of space in a hotel-like atmosphere. A studio or one bedroom may be all you need if you are traveling with one baby; larger families may need more space. If you are staying at a Disney Vacation Club Villa (you don’t need to be a member to stay), your room will come with a Pack & Play, microwave and minifridge, regardless of the room size.

Deluxe Hotel Room:

Choose a room at one of Orlando’s fine resorts. Splurging on a deluxe or luxury resort can make your stay with an infant more pleasant. You’ll find interior room entrances and elevators, more room space, and more on-site amenities that will allow you to pick up food and other essentials without leaving the resort. There are plenty of high end resorts that work well for families with an infant–any of the Disney Deluxe resorts will work, the Portofino Bay at Universal Orlando, the Gaylord Palms and the Waldorf Astoria are all good options.

by Samantha McNesby for Orlando Vacation