I've been a Disney World travel planner for 11 years. Here are 12 things I never buy in the parks.

I don't think anyone should be buying bottled water in any of the parks or resorts.

You can get free water from any quick-service dining location, resort pool, or fountain around the parks. Why waste $4 a bottle when you could spend nothing?

Before you leave home, put fresh batteries in your camera, portable fans, and whatever other electronics you may use on vacation.

I've found that the markup on a pack of standard batteries in the parks is almost 50%.

It's not a Disney trip for the little ones (or young at heart) without getting autographs from their favorite characters. But it's cheaper to purchase your autograph book before leaving for the parks.

I always buy my daughter's on Etsy. They're personalized with her name and can cost half as much as Disney charges ($10 to $25 a pop).

I certainly always want hand sanitizer around after touching so many shared surfaces in the parks. Disney sells small bottles with cute characters on them, but they cost $12.

I recommend going to the dollar store and stocking up there before your trip.

The $14 to $18 Mickey balloons last maybe a week, and they're more of a hassle than they're worth.

If you want to take a fun photo with the bundle of colorful balloons on Main Street, just ask the attendant.

Save this purchase for your county fair and opt for a more unique Disney sweet treat instead.

I suggest the Skool Bread in the Norway Pavilion — it's my favorite snack in Epcot, and it's around $5 as opposed to the $10+ funnel cakes.

There are novelty cupcakes all over Disney World, but they aren't worth the $5 or $6.

I've tried a few and found them kind of dry, plus they don't have much flavor.

You're heading to the Sunshine State, so don't forget to bring sunglasses. There's no reason to purchase them for $17+ in the parks unless it's an emergency.

A bottle of sunscreen typically costs at least $14 in the parks. I buy a cheaper bottle before my trip and make sure to pack it in my bag before we leave.

It gets hot in Florida, but I don't think there's any reason to buy a gimmicky $22 misting fan. It's more of a novelty item and not worth the cost.

Cooling towels are another item you can purchase for less before leaving home. They really do the trick on a hot day, but I don't buy the $25 version in the parks.

I don't buy novelty snacks in the parks, mostly because they cost nearly $10 a bag.

If you're driving to Disney World, pack a ton of snacks to have for the trip. If you flew into Orlando, you can do an Instacart order and have it delivered to your hotel.