The month of July falls during the summer season in California. So if you’re planning a trip to Disneyland, you can expect hot weather all day long, but that shouldn’t make it any less fun than it should be! On the contrary, with the right preparation, you can make your Disneyland trip much more enjoyable.
To help you with that, we’ve created this list of the essential items you should pack for Disneyland in July.
Summer in Disneyland can get crazy hot, so it’s crucial to bring essentials that will provide you with enough sun protection. Long story short, you want to include these items in your bags:
- Lightweight clothing
- Sunscreen
- Hat/cap and sunglasses
- Bottled water
- Backpack and/or fanny pack
- Comfortable shoes
- Ice pack
- Stroller
Since July will mainly consist of hot weather, most items included in this list are designed to provide proper sun protection and comfort during your stay in Disneyland.
8 Things To Pack for Disneyland in July
There’s no such thing as overpacking when it comes to visiting Disneyland, especially if you are with your family. So many situations can play out, and since July is generally bound to be hot, you must ensure you keep yourself adequately protected from the sun’s heat.
It’s important to note that July is often Disneyland’s peak summer tourist season. This means you can expect an even larger crowd than you would in other months. Of course, the crowd gets even larger during the Fourth of July, but at least you get some extra entertainment and impressive fireworks displays.
Regarding the weather, temperatures can range between 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. So for your trip, you must remember that the weather won’t be as pleasant as you might expect.
But as long as you pack these essentials, you’d be good to go:
1. Lightweight Clothing
Let’s start with one of the essential things, lightweight clothing. We’d recommend long-sleeve clothes that are made of lightweight material. This way, you can keep your arms and shoulders adequately protected from sunburn, even if you wear sunscreen.
You have to keep in mind that covering your arms and shoulders is essential. After all, you’ll be spending most of your day in Disneyland outdoors, walking around and hopping from one attraction and ride to another.
If you don’t like wearing a long-sleeve or find it uncomfortable, your next best option is a cap-sleeve shirt. As long as it’s lightweight, comfortable, and breathable, it would help if you didn’t have to worry about any discomfort soon.
2. Sunscreen
We can’t stress this enough: you need sunscreen when visiting Disneyland in July or other months. The sun will always threaten your skin, even on a cloudy day, so your best option is to protect yourself and your family from the harmful UV rays with sunscreen.
If there’s one thing you absolutely must not forget to pack, that would be sunscreen. Without it, you’ll be in for a world of pain during your entire stay in Disneyland, as the summer sun won’t be cooling down any time soon. Worse, you’ll get sunburns and even skin cancer.
You don’t want any of that to happen, so save yourself the hassle. Pack a sunscreen lotion with an SPF of at least 50 to protect you and your family from the harsh and blistering heat of the sun during your adventures.
3. Hat/Cap and Sunglasses
Apart from applying sunscreen, you also want to protect your head by wearing a hat or a cap. Either of them works; what’s important is that they can cover most of your head, including your ears, nose, lips, neck, and forehead. Then, you want to pair it with sunglasses to protect your eyes from glare and sunlight.
At this point, style should be the last of your worry. Instead, we highly recommend going for a cheap pair of sunglasses so you can replace them quickly if you lose them or get damaged.
As for the hats, you’d only want to go for those with a wide brim, and for caps, baseball caps are an excellent choice due to the coverage they offer.
Remember that Disney will require you to remove them and any other loose articles before you get on a ride. You can keep them inside their lockers for safe storage, though.
4. Bottled Water
You don’t want to undermine the importance of bringing a bottle of water during your Disneyland trip. Not only will it keep you hydrated throughout your adventure during the summer season, but it can also help you save a lot of money.
That’s because the bottled water you can buy at Disneyland is quite expensive, usually around $5 per bottle. Since you’ll end up drinking a lot of water throughout the day, this could easily translate to hundreds of expenses on water alone.
Besides, you can fill it in any of their refillable water stations. So, pack enough for you and your family instead of buying one in the park.
5. Backpack and/or Fanny Pack
This would depend on the total number of stuff you want to carry while walking around the park. But, for good measure, bring a backpack with you if you bring a lot of things, such as water bottles, extra clothing, snacks, smartphones, cameras, and more.
However, if you only plan to bring some light items you want to access quickly, such as lip balms, tickets, lotions, and medications, then a fanny pack will do just fine.
Better yet, you can bring both of these to have plenty of storage with you, especially if you visit Disneyland with your family. We highly recommend using a lightweight backpack that’s also compact so you can store it inside one of Disney’s lockers.
6. Comfortable Shoes
You might think that wearing flip-flops to Disneyland on a warm summer in July is a good idea. However, that’s not the case. Since you’ll be spending most of your time walking around the park, wearing flip-flops will only cause your feet, ankles, and toes to hurt.
Instead, you want to use comfortable walking shoes that you have already broken in a few weeks before your visit. Walking at least 20,000 steps per day during your stay in Disneyland is typical, so give your feet the support and comfort they need during those times.
Aside from that, wear a pair of breathable socks to prevent blisters. Bring an extra pair so you can change your current socks just in case they got wet from the water rides or due to sweat.
If you don’t want to wear shoes, full-foot sandals are an excellent alternative. Make sure they have a strap at the back of your heel or some form of enclosure for that extra protection.
7. Ice Pack
July is a hot month in California, so it only makes to bring with you an ice pack or a cooler to keep your drinks cool and refreshing at all times while in Disneyland. While Disney doesn’t allow people to bring loose ice, they allow ice as long as it’s kept inside an ice pack or cooler.
With this essential, you can place your refillable water bottle or a soda can/bottle inside and grab it whenever you need a cool and refreshing drink. Make sure it doesn’t exceed the size restrictions set by Disneyland, which is 24 x 15 x 18 inches.
8. Stroller
The last item we have is applicable only if you have a baby or toddler. And if you do, then this becomes a must-have. Even if your young child no longer needs it, it can still be helpful when they have to rest and get a few minutes of nap.
We also recommend using a stroller that comes with shade so you can provide extra protection to your little one from the sun.
Disney also has strollers you can buy, though we don’t recommend them as they are expensive. Instead, buy one from a third-party store before your trip, or use the one you have at home as long as it’s not broken.
Conclusion
You don’t want to visit Disneyland in July, thinking the weather conditions would be similar to the other months of the year. However, the weather in July is hot, and you don’t want you and your family to suffer from sunburns and skin cancer.
As such, it’s always best to prepare them in advance to protect yourself and your family. So don’t forget to bring any of these essentials and pack them in your travel bag before you head out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Disneyland Events Can I Look Forward to in July?
Two popular events will take place in Disneyland in July. One of them is the Fourth of July celebration, where you can celebrate America’s Independence day and expect decorations with blue, white, and red decorations.
The other is Disneyland’s birthday which falls on the 17th of July. You can expect an even larger crowd here, as tons of exciting stuff is bound to happen. Special souvenirs will be available throughout the park, with unique forms of entertainment and a lot more.
Is It Worth Visiting Disneyland During the Summer?
Disneyland remains a magical place to visit regardless of the time of year, so the short answer is yes, it’s worth it. The summer season is an ideal time to visit the place due to the pleasant summer weather and some special events.
However, it also means that you’ll have to deal with long wait times and larger crowds as people will also be flocking to the place.