Disney Diaper Bag packing: a review w/pics

[Meredith'sMom]

Hi all!

Since I wanted to do a trial run of diaper bag packing for our trip to next week, I thought I'd make a comparison between my hot-off-the-presses Skip Hop Dash and my almost-brand-new LL Bean diaper bag. After much deliberation, I've decided to take the LL Bean bag for the following reasons: (1) it is slightly bigger, hence leaving a smidgen of wiggle room with the packing (2) it is black and I won't mind if it gets shoved here and there and smudged (3) DH will carry a pink bag, but why make him if I don't have to?

With that said, I am MIGHTY impressed that the Dash managed to hold everything the LL Bean did, although it did have to strain and take a deep breath here and there to do so. I never pack like this for everyday life, so I should be fine with the Dash and can save the LL Bean for longer trips.

By the way, DD is 7 1/2 months, gets formula after her daytime nursing sessions, and is up to two meals of solids per day (with sippy of water offered after).

Here's what I managed to squeeze into each bag:

1 Hotsling (for waiting in lines)

1 burp cloth

1 cloth bib (might take disposables, though I generally loathe disposable stuff I will be indulging at Disney!)

1 Bumkins bib for solid meals (we'll just wash this each meal)

6 size 3 Pampers Cruisers

1 Fleurville wipes case w/ baby wipes

1 extra outfit

Spare Wet One individual pack

Tiny size Aquaphor

Small-Medium Purell bottle

Hyland's teething tablets

Avent sippy cup

4 Avent 4 oz bottles (will have powdered formula in them)

1 16oz+ bottle water for bottles

2 "meal kits": ziploc with the following inside: Take n Toss bowl containing 2.5 oz. Tender
Harvest fruit or veggie, 2 wet ones (one for high chair before meal, one for Meredith after),
Take n Toss spoon.

3 teethers/toys

Swiss Army "card" MIL gave me (has scissors and other stuff, size of credit card)

Cell Phone

Wallet

Keys (won't need these last two items at the park)


And now for the pics . . . First up is the LL Bean packed, a few close ups of the insides. Next we have all the stuff that was packed into it (forgive the mugging ham of a kitty cat). Finally, the Dash containing all the same stuff.

Is there anything I'm missing that would spell disaster for us during a day at the parks? Any critiques welcome.

BTW, the Dash retails for $64 and the LL Bean for $36. Pretty affordable in the world of diaper bags, I think.

HTH someone.














Joyce
DD Meredith Sophie, 12 August 2004http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5dd08b3127cce90b3b2928a2300000016108Hatmrdpw http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5dd08b3127cce90b3b3d54bcc00000016108Hatmrdpw http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5dd08b3127cce90b3b07b8acb00000016108Hatmrdpw http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5dd08b3127cce90b3b0a80b2800000016108Hatmrdpw http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5dd08b3127cce90b3b0918a2100000016108Hatmrdpw

[SqueakyMouse]

I'm impressed by your organization. This must be your first child - right?

[Meredith'sMom]

Not only is it my first, but it's our first vacation with her. Hence the crazy "trial" packing. :teeth:

[MichaelsMickey]

Very impressed--the only thing I have found that I really like are the Huggies wipes that come in the disney packages with the resealable top it has about 65 wipes in it. I always buy a new one before leaving for my trip and as I use the wipes the package get smaller and smaller and It's not the hard plastic so it squeezes into the space eaiser

Leaving on Mothers Day--

:cheer2: :cheer2:

[lynetteSC]

NO advice ... can you run down to SC when you get back from your trip to help me pack???? ... lol! I just had off topic question ... do you like the hyland teething tablets?

[grlpwrd]

Are you planning to take a medical kit with you with baby medicines and supplies just in case?

You're very organized. I think you did a great job! :flower:

[Meredith'sMom]

LOL LynetteSC!!!

I like the Hyland's teething tablets. I must admit, though, that I couldn't *swear* that they are working. Meredith seems to calm down after I put a couple on her tongue. One good thing is that they do seem to help and you can give them without too much wondering; that is, I hate to go giving tylenol if she's just cranky and not necessarily from teething.

:sunny:

[MrsPete]

I knew this was your first child! I did the same thing when my first was an infant. It wasn't long until I was down to carrying just a couple diapers, a pack of wipes, a jar of baby food, and a spoon.

You left out the one item I always considered most important though -- even more important than extra diapers: a camera.

[Meredith'sMom]

grlpwrd -- I'm bringing Tylenol and our thermometer but think I'll leave them in the resort. Is there anything else I should bring? DD has never been sick (knock on wood). I'll also be including her sunscreen in this bag too.

MrsPete -- Don't give me that much credit! I am very devil-may-care in my packing for DD normally. :earboy2: When I take her to the supermarket a block from our house (in stroller) I don't even bring a diaper or burp cloth. I'm an exceedingly light packer normally, but I'm thinking that I need to be a little more prepared since we're not sure if we'll go back to the room during the day (DD loves to nap in the stroller still).

Oh, and I forgot . . . there is a camera in it's case packed in both bags!

[jckdisneybound]

My question is how often is she taking bottles? 4 just seems like an awful lot, to me a small child at any age should have a break during the day. Bring 2 in the bag, then have the other two at the hotel. Also, I pack my wipes in a big gallon baggie, very mushable which is nice. You want a sun hat for her (didn't know if you had one). And as much as you don't like them, I seriously consider the bibsters, will be much easier than trying to clean a dinner bib or any bib for that matter. Also why do you need the bowl feed her out of the jar. All that little stuff takes up space. And after a day in the park it gets tedious.

[Colinsmom]

Hi Joyce!

I'd suggest splitting all that between two bags. You don't need to haul all that on every ride, every time you get her out of the stroller (often, at Disney). We carried two diaper bags - one we left with the stroller (Skip Hop Duo) with diapers, wipes, etc. and one we carried with us on rides (held camera, wallet, one extra diaper, snacks for standing in line, etc.). Plus, you don't want to have to dig through all that each time you need something.

I also agree about the squishable Disney packs of Huggies wipes - perfect for a one week trip, and I love that it squishes! Colin loved his "Buzz poops".

I don't see any sunscreen on your list. And your "solids packs" look bulky and like a headache (will you be refrigerating the food after opening the jar? you should) - does she really need such a small amount of solids twice a day while in the parks? Or can you give them at breakfast at the hotel and again close to bedtime?

Have fun!!!

Lori

[Meredith'sMom]

jckdisneybound -- 4 bottles would be for the WHOLE day, including the before bed (after nursing) bottle. So, I probably wouldn't need them all. I'm just worried that events might turn such that we don't go back to the room for longer than I expected. Meredith really loves to nap in the stroller and actually has a harder time napping in the crib (but not sleeping in the crib at night--she's a work in progress :teeth: ). We will certainly take her back to the room if she needs it. It's all about her schedule. As for the bowls for the food, they take up marginally more space than the jar itself (the jar fits precisely in it w/no room to spare) and I mix baby oatmeal in her food for a little texture. I think it's a little easier to mix the oatmeal and food in the bowl than to try to fit the oatmeal in the jar.

Colinsmom -- I have thought about doing 2 bags. I read that on another list that I'm on. I was wondering though (and not that I'm normally this paranoid), but what's to keep a true thief from nabbing my bag? Would they know that there were only diapers and no camcorders in it? I don't think this is a big problem at Disney; guess as a former New Yorker I'm always on guard. :)

I do have sunscreen in there, just forgot to list it (I tried it out on Meredith's inner arm a few times too). And the sunhat will be on her head, so I didn't count it as a bag item. LOL.

One solid will be eaten at Roaring Forks while we have breakfast, so that won't be coming with us! I'm getting small jars so no need to save the rest of the jar (which wouldn't work w/o a fridge anyway).

Thanks everyone for the critiques. I'm off to think this through some more.

[SylviaL]

You are so organized! I also pack a few Huggies disposable changing pads to put under my own in case the changing area is gross. I also bring baby nail clippers and a few small toys to distract the baby when I'm changing a diaper. Have fun!

[Mellie0119]

On our last trip, DD was still using formula, we bought a little compartmented container that held 4 "servings" of formula powder and only took one bottle. Much less space that way. Another option- (noticed you were a fellow Avent user). Have you considered buying a disposable liner bottle for the trip? We put the correct amount of powdered formula in each bag (different brand- Medela, I think) that had a ziplock style top then added the water to that. No washing bottles, just wash the nipple and dump the liner. I also buy the huggies soft pack of wipes for the trip, they pack much better than the hard cases, and you have less of a chance of running out, the small cases just don't hold enough for us. We liked using a back pack for our trip, having to lug around a bag on one shoulder and a baby on the other didn't fly, the back pack was far easier to balance. We packed everything in ziploc bags too, made going through security faster. I'd go with the bibsters, we used them and loved them. Another thing you might want to pick up are the disposable changing pads. Those were a life saver for us. Don't forget sunscreen and bug repellant!

[lynetteSC]

LOL LynetteSC!!!

I like the Hyland's teething tablets. I must admit, though, that I couldn't *swear* that they are working. Meredith seems to calm down after I put a couple on her tongue. One good thing is that they do seem to help and you can give them without too much wondering; that is, I hate to go giving tylenol if she's just cranky and not necessarily from teething.

:sunny:
Ok, I have seen them in the stores, just didn't know anyone who had used them. DS doesn't do well (read ... hyper and up ALL nite long) with red dye in tylenol, so I may give those a try! Thanks!

[Msslaydbug]

Joyce -
What a great thread. I have been debating what to take to Disney World with us this year as this will be our daughters first trip as well and she will be 8mo. I don't think I am 100% decided yet either. but I do have a Skip Hop Duo that I am going to keep baby things in (Diapers, Wipes, formula, bottles, baby food , ect). i am contemplating keeping this on our stroller at all times. I just keep coming back to the fact that you brought up about it being stollen. I don't know if I want to take that chance or not ?
I have a Timbuk2 small and medium messenger that I could take as well. Either way these will be used as carry on for the airplane. I would love to hear how other mother do their diaper bags as well. The other one I am looking into is the Baby Sherpa
Also - what made you choose the New Skip Hop Dash vs the Expo. I love my Dup and I just can't decide between the new ones.

[dismom9761]

Hi! I am glad I am not the only one trying to decide on what to put in the bag.I leave in five days for my first trip. I have 4 kids-youngest is 12 mths. One thing I got for my bag was a pen flashlight to hook on diaper bag. That way if we drop something(pacifier,toy) on a dark ride or at night.
Baby got up with a 103 temp.Oh No!!

[Meredith'sMom]

SylviaL Good point about the changing pads. I wonder if I'll be able to handle all that stuff in the bathroom, though. At the mall I usually just grab my pad, a diaper, and wipes, and head in there with DD while DH waits outside. I wonder if it'd be hard to get a disposable pad unfolded with DD in one arm. Probably not. Are they much bigger than diaper bag changing pads?

Mellie0119 I have thought of some of those ways to take fewer bottles. I even have some Avent Via disposable bases that came as a free sample; DH and I were figuring that we'd have to wash the nipple anyway (and hence bring Palmolive dish soap pads and maybe the bottle brush) so the bottle itself wouldn't be a big deal. Where would you wash in the park though, the baby care center? Our plan was to take 2-3 bottles (she'll have the first one at the hotel in the morning and maybe the last there) to the park and at night wash all four in the room.

Do you think we need bug repellant in April? I am a native Floridian (7th generation even!) and I can't remember how bugs are in April. It has been 15 years since I lived there, though. :-)

lynettesc Hyland's also makes a teething gel that's good.

MsLadyBug Ah, another 8 mo old visitor to Disney! Meredith will be 8 mo two days after we return. I loved my Skip Hop Duo but sold it to make way for a couple new bags. I've had to adopt a "one in one out" rule, or maybe more like "two in one out." I liked the fact that the Dash was a little larger and had the flap in front. The Expo is expandable though, so that's cool. It's hard when you don't see them in real life to choose. Now that I think about it, if you had your Duo clipped to the stroller with the diapers etc, it would be very unlikely that a thief would take it--they wouldn't be able to figure out how to get the bag off the stroller, or at least wouldn't waste the time to figure it out!!! From what I hear the only things that are (rarely) stolen from strollers are bags of souveniers, or obvious valuables.

dismom I hope your baby's fever has come down. Let us know!

[cocowum]

I just wanted to say Meredith is beautiful :flower:

[Meredith'sMom]

cocowum Thank you. You are so kind! When DD was a couple of months younger, several people told us she should be a model (I'm sure lots of people hear that, though, since babies are all so cute!). Then the very first thing I read about baby modeling was "unless your baby is extremely laid back, don't even think about it!" Thus ended Meredith's short-lived modeling career. ROFL

[justhat]

Something we did at Disney when Madison was 9 months old (1st trip eating solids) was buy the jars of baby food that are cereal and fruit. That way I didn't have to mix in powdered cereal, plus I didn't have to carry anything other than the jar and spoon, no bowl necessary. We had tried them at home first to be sure she liked them and she ended up liking it lots more than the powdered cereal mixed with a jar of fruit.

Also, it's super easy to unfold the disposable changing pads while holding your baby, diaper, and wipes. I no longer use my 'real' changing pad anymore, jus tthe disposables. I started thinking-how hygenic is this thing? It either touches my daughter's butt or the gross changing table (well, both, but I mean either side). So now I use the disposables and just throw them away when I'm done. I have reused them a couple of times if it's just a wet diaper and I don't have an extra in my bag.

I also 2nd the disposable bottle liners. Madison was (well still is) breastfed, but when I did use bottles, I loved the convenience of the disposable liner style. We used Playtex bottles, but not always their bags as sometimes I already had breastmilk in a Medela bag. Not only was it easier to only have one thing to wash (the nipple), but it also save lots of space. We never carried any bottles around in Disney, but we used the baby care centers many times and would have cleaned my bottles there. In fact, the AK baby care center has an Avent sterilizer, which we used once to clean the pacifiers, nipples, and breastpump pieces. Great idea cause I'm sure I don't clean them with a dishwipe as well as I do at home with all the normal kitchen supplies. Not sure if they all have a sterilizer cause I didn't look, but I'm sure someone else will know.

[PrincessasMommy]

I have never seen someone practice pack! First baby I can tell! That's cute! And actually very helpful! :flower:
I was actually looking online at the SkipHop bags (in Canada and can't find them) and was wondering what they would fit - thanks for showing me!
I have a 9 years old, 2 year old and 8 month old and need something HUGE (both little ones still in diapers). It seems alot of us are going end of April, see you there!

BTW, about the modelling (she is a cutie), I modelled for Cover Girl Magazine as a child (in the ads where they need the cute kid beside the glamourous model) and it's not all it's cracked up to be. My middle daughter has been stopped by a agents too and they offer $50-75 per hour but is it worth it to drag your baby out of bed at 6am to drive downtown to put them in wardrobe for an hour and make them sit still for another 2 - Just had to say Good Choice! My friends think I'm insane to choose not to put her through that for the $$.

[Mellie0119]

Not sure about the bugs in April, but better safe than sorry- at least have some on the hotel. KWIM? I used the hand soap in the baby care center to wash the bottles, second baby for us, so I'm not as anal (no offense meant) as I was with DS. :goodvibes Another option on the disposables is to bring (in a baggie) extra clean nipples, then you wouldn't have to mess with trying to wash them in the parks. Just a thought! :flower:

[mistaroo]

Wow, those bags hold a lot! I am in the market for a new diaper bag so I'll have to check out the one from LL Bean- thanks for the info.

Don't forget to pack dishwashing liquid and a bottle brush to clean the bottles. Enjoy!

[KristinU]

I'm also a huge Skip Hop fan - we've done WDW with our Duo twice now, great organization! (and I also practice packed!) The first time my DS was just shy of 8 months, just like Meredith. Instead of putting any of his feeding stuff in the diaper bag I made a "meal kit" using a toiletries bag from Wal-Mart (similar to a Fleurville Escape Pod concept) I stuffed this small bag each day with a couple of jars of food (with little containers of cereal to thicken it up just like you do! although I just gave him a couple of bites first then mixed it in the jar), take and toss spoons, bibsters, plastic placemats, a washcloth in a zip-loc (for me nohing works as well as a good old wet washcloth for face clean-up), a bottle with three disposable liners filled with formula powder and an extra nipple, clorox wipes, wet ones, and some cheerios. Our first trip with DS was very relaxed and we really took it at his pace. We rarely spent more than half a day at the parks since he was crawling, pulling up, and starting to cruise at that age - we felt like he needed some decent time outside of the stroller every day and spent some fun family time back at the room and around the resort. Oh, and another thing to remember on the changing pads, and on the bowls for that matter - there are great baby centers at each of the parks that have changing tables with paper liners and paper bowls (and other necessities including bottled water at all except MGM). I think between our two trips so far we have only changed DS once in a public bathroom, otherwise we just head for the baby center.

Have a great trip!

[justhat]

Kristin your post reminded me of something. I forgot to mention that on our trip at 9 months, my daughter was getting ready to walk on her own so she wanted to be mobile whenever possible. What we did was find places in the park where Madison could move around a bit-like Playhouse Disney at MGM, Innoventions, Imagination Lab in Epcot, etc. We rarely went back to the room on that trip (actually we've rarely gone back to the room on any trip with her so far, at 3,4,6, and 9 months) and she was okay as long as we switched from keeping her in the stroller, to the Baby Bjorn, to a bit of playtime on the ground in a safe place.

This time we're going to try out the playground in Toontown for kids under 40 inches (I think that's the height limit). I never knew it was there before as we hardly ever that far into Toontown, but I read about it on this board when we got back from our last trip and I want to check it out on this trip. Madison's 13 months now and a pretty good walker/runner, so I've ordered a fanny pack for her that can attach to a fanny pack I can wear so tha she can walk a bit on her own when it's not too crowded. She's good about holding my hand most of the time, but occasionally she wants to let go and walk on her own so I thought this would be a safe way for her to do it.

[Colinsmom]

If you use disposable bottle liners, just carry four clean nipples in a ziploc bag (rather than a bottle brush and dish detergent) each day. Wash them out each night at the hotel.

I'd definitely do disposable changing pads, but then I find the reusable ones to be incredibly gross (put it on a public changing table and then shove it back in the diaper bag?? ewwwww). They are easy to unfold one-handed. Though we didn't do many changes in public bathrooms at Disney, we usually just did them in the stroller, turned away from the crowds for privacy.

And I used a Duo at WDW for diapers, etc., and figured that if it was stolen, oh well - we'd buy a few diapers at the baby care center and we'd be set. Like I said, we carried all valuables with us, just left behind the things that were pretty replaceable (wouldn't ruin our day or our trip if they disappeared).

[KristinU]

Justhat - thanks for the tip on the playground in Toontown! I had no clue it was there, admittedly we hardly ventured into Toontown when we were doing Disney as a couple. We're going back down in May, so we'll for sure check out Toontown this time! Theo is like Madison - walking and running everywhere now, climbing too - so he should like it!

I gotta say - I love this board! Thanks!

[ninaeve]

justhat - Where did you find the child fanny pack connecting set?
Is it sold online?

TIA

[justhat]

Yep. I got it at Inventive Parent (http://www.inventiveparent.com) . It's called the O Pair (https://www.inventiveparent.com/opair.htm) . It actually hasn't arrived yet cause I just ordered it Monday, but they called to say it's on it's way to me yesterday so it should be here soon. They have 3 styles, and they're really cute, so I figured it's better than one of those leashes/harnesses.

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Wow, you are organized.

My 3rd child is lucky if I remember his diapers. :rotfl2: Our last trip was 9 days and I never even carried an extra change of clothes. (He was 2 1/2)

ETA: I'm laughing at myself. It's amazing how much I have changed during the last 10 years as a mother. Thanks for the smile.

Lori

[ptslp]

We are going April 6-11 with a 2 1/2 year old and 6 month old. The only thing I am planning on bringing that you didn't mention was a light blanket to cover over the stroller if the canopy doesn't cover her enough to protect her from the sun (probably mostly when she is napping!).

I love the two bag idea. About the disposable changing pads- I never used them, but very rarely change a diaper on a restroom changing table. I usually will find a quiet corner or go in the restroom with my stroller and recline the seat and change the diaper- then I don't have to touch the changing table.

I am going to look for those fruit and cereal jar foods- anyone know what brands have them? I usually use Earth's Best and Tender Harvest, but will use something else for a few days if it makes it easier. Also, what is a good store to buy baby food, diapers, etc. in near WDW? We are planning to buy most of our disposable baby stuff there, rather than carting it in our luggage!

Thanks!

[tjmw2727]

Wow, you are organized.

My 3rd child is lucky if I remember his diapers. :rotfl2: Our last trip was 9 days and I never even carried an extra change of clothes. (He was 2 1/2)

ETA: I'm laughing at myself. It's amazing how much I have changed during the last 10 years as a mother. Thanks for the smile.

Lori

Wow, I am with you - the biggest I ever carried was the lands end daytripper, very small. A couple diapers, a change of clothes in a zip lock, one bottle with many disposable liners, sectional powder formula dispenser and some palmolive squares! Maybe, a few envelopes of cereal, I probably7 could have fit this in my fanny pack! I was a pro at finding applesauce, mashing a bananna or cutting some melon - much better than any jar. At least in my day (my kids are a ripe 8 and 10!).

To the OP - go for it an have a great trip, but whatever you don't use on day 1 ditch it and whatever you don't use on day 2, ditch it. Worked for my sil and she still thanks me now, her dear ones are 1 and 3.

Now my must have list includes: A raincover for the stroller and a clip on fan - great for hot days and white noise. Those two things worked wonders and saved us many a day.

TJ

[dismom9761]

I bought Gerber and Heinz fruit and cereal.Also if you can't find 2nd foods the third size is the same texture.I would just feed half to her.

[mary174]

One thing you might want to consider is a plastic bag or two to hold soiled clothes or used nipples if you use that idea. You might want to reconsider carrying tylenol with you. We ended up buying some tylenol for my 4 y/o at the Grand Floridian, right before cancelling our ps for 1900 Park Fare. He had fallen asleep in his stroller at MK. When he woke up on the monorail we realized he had a fever. We were a monorail and then a bus ride away from Pop Century, and that seemed too long a wait for us.

[grlpwrd]

grlpwrd -- I'm bringing Tylenol and our thermometer but think I'll leave them in the resort. Is there anything else I should bring? DD has never been sick (knock on wood). I'll also be including her sunscreen in this bag too.

Yes, baby Tylenol and thermometer plus a nasal aspirator in case of congestion, bandaids/neosporin and other supplies like that, tweezers, phone numbers to the clinics/hospitals/doctors nearby, learn CPR/1st aid if you haven't yet, etc.

I would bring these along, especially the baby Tylenol and thermometer. We were on a ski trip in the mountains when my oldest was 18mo and it was not fun trying to look for a store open at such a late hour. Be prepared. :goodvibes

[KerriMc]

When we went with our DDs' last year (at 3 yrs and 8 mos) the youngest came down with RSV while we were there. She had very high fevers and the fastest relief for her was Feverall suppositories. It was very easy to use them on her as she was so young. This year she again became sick (vomitting and high fevers for four days). I used the Feveralls again, but this time she resisted them and it wasn't as easy! As well, I had brought liquid Gravol (Canadian) just in case, but she couldn't keep it down. I went out to see if I could buy Gravol suppositories, but in the US they don't sell it. You have to have a prescription to get an anti-nauseant for a child. So anyways ... next year I will have these with me (the Gravol supp. JUST IN CASE).

As with all of your other stuff ... you are WELL prepared! Boy do you change when you get a second one, but I'm still too highly organized for my own good. I try to remember each and EVERY thing ... but dh TRIES to remind me that we aren't going to another planet ... if I do forget something we can BUY it!!

Oh ... loved the cereal mixed with fruit already in jars, as well as those little cereal treats that Gerber has. Easy snack for little ones. We don't get them here so I used to stock up on them in the US. Loved the bibsters too ... but Olivia now pulls them off as the velcro isn't strong enough. Also I LOVE those placemats that you can carry with you and stick them to the table and then toss after as they aren't eating there food directly off a table (I didn't have them this time as again they seem to only be found in the U.S. ... I worry she picked her bug up this way, despite wiping her area down before she ate ... but it was more than likely on the airplane that she came in contact with it).

Don't worry about a bag with diapers in your stroller. There are hundreds of strollers everywhere with bags. We left the diapers, change of clothes, some snacks, etc in the stroller and just kept the absolute essentials with us for lines as you'll get sick of lugging stuff really fast!

Have a great trip :flower:
Kerri

[justhat]

We are going April 6-11 with a 2 1/2 year old and 6 month old. The only thing I am planning on bringing that you didn't mention was a light blanket to cover over the stroller if the canopy doesn't cover her enough to protect her from the sun (probably mostly when she is napping!).

I love the two bag idea. About the disposable changing pads- I never used them, but very rarely change a diaper on a restroom changing table. I usually will find a quiet corner or go in the restroom with my stroller and recline the seat and change the diaper- then I don't have to touch the changing table.

I am going to look for those fruit and cereal jar foods- anyone know what brands have them? I usually use Earth's Best and Tender Harvest, but will use something else for a few days if it makes it easier. Also, what is a good store to buy baby food, diapers, etc. in near WDW? We are planning to buy most of our disposable baby stuff there, rather than carting it in our luggage!

Thanks!

We used Earth's Best, Tender Harvest, and Healthy Times, but they don't make the cereal and fruit mixed. Gerber and Beech Nut do, so we'd be the jarred cereal by them. Plus, they didn't have Earth's Best or Healthy Times at the Publix we stopped at so I was glad we had given her other types before the trip. They may have had Tender Harvest, I'm not sure . We just got one jarred cereal for each day and then a vegetable for dinner since at that point she was much happier eating whatever we ate for dinner rather than her jarred stuff. But then again, she was never a huge fan of the jarred stuff.

[long4disney]

We have traveled many, many times with little ones, and the best advice I can give is to forget the nice bag to take with you to the parks. I always felt funny leaving my stuffed diaper bag with my stroller, thinking someone would take it. What we have done the last few trips was still bring the regular diaper bag on the plane with you with all your stuff. When you are ready to start your day at the park, we would just pack a big ziplock bag with diapers, the pampers size convience pack of wipes, and the Huggies disposable changing pads, and just put it in the bottom basket of the stroller. We used another zip lock bag and put the empty bottles with the powdered formula in them, and some bottled water, and a few jars of baby food with the disposable bibs and spoons. By the end of the day, we didn't have anything to clean up, except to wash out the bottles. We also just placed another zip lock with a change of clothes, sun hat, and sun screen and every day that bag stayed in the stroller since we never needed to use the change of clothes.

I would only carry a fanny pack with our money, and tickets and camera so that was always with us. If you don't have a bag in your stroller basket or hanging on the handle, and all you have is baby items in the zip locks, you don't have to worry about leaving them while you are on the rides!

We saved ourselves a lot of aggravation!

Good Luck with your decision!

[justhat]

justhat - Where did you find the child fanny pack connecting set?
Is it sold online?

TIA

Just wanted to say that it arrived today and is super cute and Madison wore it with no problem! I was a little worried cause she loves to undress, and 'loose' items like bibs, hats, and socks are her primary targets! She didn't even seem to notice it anymore than her regular clothes, luckily. We walk a lot at home since we live in DC so driving is not that easy so it should come in handy a lot here too.

[tjmw2727]

We have traveled many, many times with little ones, and the best advice I can give is to forget the nice bag to take with you to the parks. I always felt funny leaving my stuffed diaper bag with my stroller, thinking someone would take it. What we have done the last few trips was still bring the regular diaper bag on the plane with you with all your stuff. When you are ready to start your day at the park, we would just pack a big ziplock bag with diapers, the pampers size convience pack of wipes, and the Huggies disposable changing pads, and just put it in the bottom basket of the stroller. We used another zip lock bag and put the empty bottles with the powdered formula in them, and some bottled water, and a few jars of baby food with the disposable bibs and spoons. By the end of the day, we didn't have anything to clean up, except to wash out the bottles. We also just placed another zip lock with a change of clothes, sun hat, and sun screen and every day that bag stayed in the stroller since we never needed to use the change of clothes.

I would only carry a fanny pack with our money, and tickets and camera so that was always with us. If you don't have a bag in your stroller basket or hanging on the handle, and all you have is baby items in the zip locks, you don't have to worry about leaving them while you are on the rides!

We saved ourselves a lot of aggravation!

Good Luck with your decision!

We did something similar, we used a backpack instead of a diaper bag and kept it simple. Without a bag what did you do about bus, tram et when you have to fold the stroller?

We found that by keeping things in order of when we would need them but in the bag we were always ready to go. I found the less I left in the stroller basked the better.

TJ

[justhat]

We did something similar, we used a backpack instead of a diaper bag and kept it simple. Without a bag what did you do about bus, tram et when you have to fold the stroller?

We found that by keeping things in order of when we would need them but in the bag we were always ready to go. I found the less I left in the stroller basked the better.

TJ


That's such a good point! It's so hard to have stuff in the basket and then not be able to close it when the bus comes. We also did a backpack. It was actually a diaper bag, but backpack style-pink with Pooh Bear from Target. We also tried to keep stuff in order, and overall kept stuff to a minimum. We also kept everything in clear plastic cases so that security checks were quick as possible.

One thing I keep in the bag at home that I took out at Disney after the 1st day is a small bag with toys. I found that my daughter was so entertained with everything around her that I didn't need any toys. At home/in the car that's not the case, but she definitely didn't need any toys. I do keep 1 clipped to the stroller harness, so I guess in a 'toy emergency' I could have used that!

[long4disney]

We usually stay at the GF so we take the monorail to Magic Kingdom and Epcot, so we never needed to fold the stroller. When we did take the bus to Animal Kingdom or MGM I would just bring a big Disney gift store bag and stuff my ziplocks in that and hold it until we got off the bus. Then when we would open the stroller back up, I would just throw the disney bag in the stroller basket. Worked great for us!

[bevon]

I didn't see where anyone mentioned this, but don't forget to bring some ponchos to cover you and the stroller up when it rains. We just went to the dollar store before we left and got a few packs. They are pretty expensive in the parks, although they sure are cute with Micket on them! I always like to carry extra ziplocs just in case! Have a wonderful time on your trip.

::MickeyMo :cool1:

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