Packing for a trip to Disney World in 2020 is going to look a little different than what we’re used to! Face masks are required in theme parks, and shopping and resort areas, with the only exceptions being in your hotel room, while you’re stationary and dining, or while you are swimming. There are also several “relaxation stations” located in each theme park where you may temporarily remove your face mask.

We’ve gone over how to find comfortable masks to wear in the Florida heat as well as what it’s like to wear a mask all day in a theme park. But, just HOW MANY masks should you plan on bringing with you? We have a series of questions you need to ask yourself to find out!

How many masks do you need in the parks each day?

Whether or not you prefer disposable masks or cloth masks, you’re going to want to plan on bringing multiple masks to the park with you each day, so plan for AT LEAST two per person, per day.

If a mask gets wet from a water ride or from RAIN (and it will likely rain, trust us!), the mask is rendered useless and you will want to swap it out for a clean, dry mask.

Your mask may also go missing! Like sunglasses, hats, or any of those other “loose items” Disney warns us about all the time, your mask could mysteriously vanish! Whether it somehow flies off of your face on a ride or you leave it behind at a restaurant, you will want to make sure you already have a backup in your bag, ready to go!

Another major issue we’ve discovered after hours upon hours in theme parks this past week is that not all masks are created equal. And sometimes that’s a GOOD thing! Masks are like shoes — some of them can get uncomfortable after hours of wear, pulling on your ears, or sitting weird on your face. Maybe they even steam up your sunglasses and just won’t quit. So we’ve found that it’s good to have several different styles of masks available so that you can switch them out if one becomes uncomfortable.

Finally, it can be really good to have a couple of masks in case you want to double up. If you’re not already using a medical grade mask, you may feel more comfortable doubling up on your masks if you’re in situations that aren’t as socially distanced as they should be for whatever reason. We tend to do this on the Disney World monorail if the two cars are full, and in enclosed spaces if they’re packed a bit too tightly for our liking.

Read more about what it was like to wear a mask all day in a theme park here!

How many days is your trip? 

The length of your trip will have a big impact on the number of masks you pack. This number may also vary depending on whether you prefer to use disposable masks or reusable cloth masks, so we’ll break down the numbers for BOTH.

Disposable Masks

If you are using disposable masks, you’ll want to multiply the number of masks you’ll need each day in the parks (at least two per day) by the number of days of your vacation.

So for example, if your vacation is one week long (seven days), and you bring two masks to the parks each day, then you will need to pack a minimum of fourteen disposable masks per person. If you are on a shorter trip, say three days, then you will need a minimum of six masks per person.

Remember, it’s always a good idea to bring a few spares, just in case!

Cloth Masks

If you use cloth masks, the number that you need to pack will all depend on how often you want to wash your masks.

According to the CDC, you should be washing your mask after every use.  This doesn’t mean you have to machine wash your masks every night; you can wash them with hot water and soap in your hotel room sink at the end of the day and let them air dry. They should dry overnight just fine!

If you don’t think you will have time to wash masks, you’ll want to consider bringing as many masks as you can pack for optimal safety and protection. By packing this way, you are essentially treating cloth masks as “disposable” masks that you only use once per trip. This way, you would do the same math that we recommend for those using disposable masks above.

If you prefer to disinfect and wash your masks EVERY night, then you COULD get away with only bringing a few masks per person — but we still recommend you bring more than you think you need per day, just in case you get back to your hotel room super late and the LAST thing you want to do is wash your masks, or they go missing, rip, etc.

Also keep in mind if you’re particular about the soap you wash your mask with, you can fill a travel-sized bottle with your preferred laundry detergent from home. Otherwise, you might be scrubbing those masks in the sink with your H2O Spa Disney shampoo (which is totally fine, btw!).

See what does and doesn’t qualify as a face mask in Disney World here!

What if I’m traveling with young kiddos?

Getting a young kid to wear a mask may be challenging, but Disney is requiring all guests above the age of 2 to wear face masks at all times.

You may want to plan on bringing EXTRA extra masks for the youngest travelers in your party and let them pick their favorite mask each day as a way to help them enjoy the process. Plus — you never can truly predict when a mask-related meltdown may happen in the parks. Having extra in a variety of styles can be a lifesaver if your kiddo decides they suddenly can’t stand that style of mask on their face and want a different option. We recommend being OVERprepared here, even if it means you have a bag full of kid masks each day!

There are TONS of masks out there for sale (including some cuties we whipped up!). Have fun with your young ones and have them select their favorite masks they can look forward to wearing.

How can you REALLY get a 2 year-old to wear a mask in Disney World? Find out here!

Are you planning on purchasing masks while you’re there?

Step aside Minnie ears, Disney-branded face masks are the new ‘hot’ item for sale in the parks and resorts! Disney World DOES sell masks in multiple locations, including the Marketplace Co-Op in Disney Springs as well as the resort gift shops, and gift shops around the theme parks.

If you have your heart set on purchasing Disney masks while on vacation, the gift shops SHOULD be well-stocked when you arrive. We haven’t really seen Disney’s masks fly off the shelves yet (with the one exception being the first time they went on sale in Disney Springs).

If you are planning on purchasing masks, you COULD pack FEWER masks with the expectation of getting more once there. We still recommend you pack enough masks so you aren’t stuck washing your cloth masks every day (meaning at LEAST one per person, per day). Also, while face masks have been well-stocked, we wouldn’t assume this will always be the case, so plan ahead!

Note that Disney’s face masks do run very SMALL. Adults will definitely need a size large mask. Most kids can do mediums. The “small” masks are definitely toddler or infant size.

Still looking for more masks to shop for? Check out our very own DFB face masks!

So, just HOW many masks do you need to pack?

Plan on packing enough cloth masks so you can go at least two days without having to wash them, so at least 4-5 masks per person. You can certainly pack more so that you NEVER have to wash them while on vacation, but we recommend you don’t bring only one mask. We also recommend bringing more than one style, and testing them out before you leave!

And always, always, ALWAYS have at least one spare mask with you in the parks each day! Pack more than you think you’ll need, and you shouldn’t have to worry. Check out ten more top tips when it comes to wearing a face mask in Disney World here:

Catch up on EVERYTHING you need to know about wearing a face mask in Disney World here!

Have you been stocking up on Disney-themed face masks? Let us know in the comments!