It’s happened to all of us — we get to Disney World and we realize we forgot to pack some necessities, like sunscreen, aspirin, rain gear, etc.

And sure, it’s SUPER convenient just to pick up what we need inside Disney World gift shops. But here’s the thing — those items will cost you a LOT more at Disney World than they would if you had remembered them or if get them from somewhere else. But it happened. Now you’re standing in that gift shop scanning for deodorant or toothpaste or underpants. So how much will this cost you??

First and foremost, the best rule you can remember is the rule of prevention — don’t forget to pack those essentials. (Not super helpful when you’re standing there without the stuff you need though, right?) We’ve put together a Packing List of things you will need, and you can add to that as you see fit. But we also do realize that, as humans, there will be times when you need something you didn’t think you needed or something you still forgot (we’ve had family members seriously forget underwear. For a weeklong trip. Yikes!). It happens!

So we’re going to start by telling you how much some of these necessities will cost at a Disney World gift shop vs. their real-world cost (we’re using Walmart prices for comparison).

What Necessities Cost at Disney World Gift Shops

Let’s start with medicines. Let’s say you get a bad headache or your allergies or acting up or you need to treat a sunburn. Here’s what you’ll pay for some of those items:

1. Benadryl  — $1.99 at Disney World for 2 tablets vs. $4.44 for 24 tablets at Walmart ($1 vs about .19 each!)
2. Advil – $2.39 for just 1 tablet at Disney World vs. $6.28 for 40 tablets at Walmart  ($2.39 vs about .16 each!)
3. Tylenol — $3.99 for 10 caplets at Disney World vs. $10.47 for 100 caplets at Walmart (.40 vs about .10 each!)
4. Solarcaine — $8.99 at Disney World vs. $6.94 at Walmart 
5. Baby Orajel — $7.99 at Disney World vs. $5.97 for two tubes at Walmart
6. Blink Lubricating Drops for Contacts — $6.99 at Disney World vs. $6 at Walmart 
7. Clear Eyes — $5.49  at Disney World for .2 fluid ounces vs. $3.24 at Walmart for .5 fluid ounces 
8. Sunmark Hydrocortisone Cream — $5.59 for 1 oz. vs. $3.45 at Walmart

What about other necessities? Here are the price differences we found:

• Degree Underarm Deodorant — $3.29 for trial size at Disney World vs. $4.98 for full size at Walmart
• Coppertone 30 Sunscreen — $13.99 at Disney World vs. $6.97 at Walmart
• Eyewear Repair Kit — $2.99 at Disney World for a small kit vs. $1.99 at Walmart

And whatever you do, don’t buy diapers at Disney World unless it’s an absolute emergency. There’s a serious markup happening here:

• Little Swimmers Diapers: $12.99 for 10 at Disney World vs. $9.96 for 18 at Walmart (that’s a 134% mark up per diaper!)
• Huggies Little Movers Diapers: $10.40 for 14 at Disney World vs. $24.27 for 66 at Walmart (that’s a 205% mark up per diaper!)

There’s also a reason we always recommend bringing rain gear to the parks. A poncho at Disney World costs $12. You can get ponchos by the dozens at your local dollar store (or for $0.97 at Walmart). Finally, we also recommend bringing your own mobile chargers — Fuel Rods at the parks run $30. 

So now what? What if you do end up forgetting to pack a necessity and need to get it but don’t want to pay the Disney World gift shop prices?

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Have What You Need Delivered

Well, you do have options. If you have your own transportation, you might just want to hop in your car and go grab what you need at the nearest Walmart, Target, drugstore, etc. But you can also have what you need to be delivered directly to your Disney World hotel! 

The first thing we need to note is not all of these services offer free delivery, and there is often a minimum order amount you’ll need to reach before you can get what you need delivered for many. Another consideration is if you already subscribe or have a membership to some of these services, it could be more convenient to use a delivery service you’re already familiar with. But if you don’t, that’s another factor to consider that you’ll have to set up an account, a method of payment, and plug in your Disney resort delivery information.

Instacart

Instacart promises grocery delivery in as little as one hour, so if you’re needing something fast, this might be the way to go. The service allows you to shop from specific stores near you (or in this case, near Disney World). Then a personal shopper will go fetch those items for you and bring them to your hotel.

The Instacart app and website allow you to track every step of the process along the way. Delivery fees start at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35, with higher fees for one-hour deliveries and deliveries under $35. There is also a $10 minimum for orders.

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Amazon Prime and Amazon Prime Now

If you don’t need the necessity right away, you can also order from Amazon and have it shipped directly to your hotel. But it will take a few days to get there (at least 2 days if you have Prime, but that does include free shipping).

Another option is Amazon Prime Now. You can visit the Amazon Prime Now website or open up the app, choose which stores you want to shop at, and then buy what you need. Then you just select your delivery window (and same-day is usually available) and wait for your order to show up.

The price is your Amazon Prime fee (currently $119.99 per year) plus $4.99 for delivery. However, if you choose Amazon or Whole Foods as the stores you’re shopping from, you get free delivery if you buy at least $35 worth of items.

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Walmart Delivery

You can also get groceries and necessities delivered via Walmart’s grocery delivery service. You can also get as soon as same-day delivery, which means you can get your items quickly. All you have to do is visit the Walmart grocery pick-up and delivery website or use the Walmart app. Shop for what you need (and note that you will need to order at least $35 to qualify for delivery), check out, and choose your delivery time.

There is a fee for delivery, though — it runs from $7.95 to $9.95, although if you have Walmart+, delivery is free.

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Other Options

Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list — if you don’t have a vehicle, you can always grab a taxi or rideshare to the nearest drugstore, Walmart, or Target. Or you could order all your necessities ahead of time and have them delivered to your hotel at a time that happens shortly after your arrival (saving you some packing space).

If you end up using a taxi or rideshare to a local store, it could be a good opportunity to also pick up some economical supplies to keep in your room like bottled water, granola bars, or other quick snack or drinks you can make good use of to help provide some convenience to your trip and maybe save you some cash from Disney-priced snacks. You might as well, if you’re there anyway, right?

Final Thoughts

Our biggest tip is to weigh the costs before you make a desperate purchase from the hotel gift shop. Disney charges a premium for that convenience, and you’ve already spent quite a bit of money on this Disney vacation. If you only need one item or if that item is time-sensitive and you need it RIGHT AWAY, the hotel gift shop might be your best bet. And it’s great that Disney has a good stock of those “never planned for it” situations that need a quick fix (like when the battery dies in our spray fan, a bandaid or two for those pesky blisters, or even a replacement phone charge cord!).

You might be able to save some cash through one of the delivery services or running to a local store, if you have several items you can also pick them up. But our number one tip is to make that packing list and plan ahead for any and all necessities you may need. Even if you think you won’t need it, bring it anyway. Your wallet will thank you.

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Have you ever had to buy a necessity at a Disney World gift shop? Let us know in the comments!