Minimalist guide to Disneyland

[Diznygrl]

I have to admit, I do roll my eyes at the ever-increasing instances of guests pushing around tank-sized strollers that are absolutely LOADED with crap. Like, 'homeless person living out of a shopping cart' loaded with crap. The best part being that the kid is hardly ever actually IN the stroller. However I have no problem with people bringing a reasonable amount of supplies to get through their day, which is more than just a wallet and a few diapers. Personally I bring a small backpack with wallet, camera, phone, tissues, hand sanitizer, a bottle of water and a snack. It would all probably fit in a purse but I prefer to have it in a small backpack for comfort vs. having it all hang on one shoulder all day.

 

[tinklvsu]

I drink almost 1.5 gallons of water per day myself.

That's a lot of water

 

[NannyBeBe]

Last year, I saw an elderly lady pushing a stroller designed for a dog. She sat down next to me and I was able to see that there was no dog in the stroller - just a lot of stuff. I wonder how she got through security.

 

[tdhickey]

This was a page or so back, but someone mentioned adults buying maybe 2 bottles of water per day and each kid getting one bottle with each meal purchased. But in what world is that enough water? I drink almost 1.5 gallons of water per day myself. I would rather carry one around in a bag and refill in than spend $20 just on my own water, let alone beverages for everyone else in my party.

I'm not saying it's bad to go the buy it all there route because in some ways, I prefer just that, but there are some items that is just doesn't make sense to spend that much money on unless you have a ton of extra money lying around.

that is a lot of water, you must know where all the restroom are lol!

 

[PHXscuba]

We bring sweatshirts for the whole family and get a locker once it warms up. We can stuff 5-6 into a small locker. I figure the $7 is way cheaper than replacing one left-behind sweatshirt once ($50+). We get a larger locker the last day as we buy souvenirs then.

I usually wear a smallish cross-body bag. It holds:
-- water bottle inside that we refill
-- Elph camera
-- travel wallet downsized to credit card, license, tickets, FPs, some cash
-- small snacks -- dried fruit, granola bars, etc. It's convenience of eating in line as much as cost
-- small sunscreen tube for re-applying to faces, plus bandaids and meds
-- sunglasses and phone

My sons and husband wear cargo pants/shorts. My daughters usually share a small backpack or drawstring bag with water, phone, and some more snacks distributed.

My goal is to not be dragged down, but not spend a fortune or go hungry.

PHXscuba

 

[ten6mom]

I don't go around whacking anyone with my backpack, but if you're standing close enough behind me that you're pressing into my backpack, you're standing too close!

 

[Gisele]

Last year, I saw an elderly lady pushing a stroller designed for a dog. She sat down next to me and I was able to see that there was no dog in the stroller - just a lot of stuff. I wonder how she got through security.

No pup. Only stuff.

 

[Gisele]

that is a lot of water, you must know where all the
restroom are lol!

God I hope so! Lol
However just to be safe, jumbo size pull ups work like a charm! Not that I'm speaking from experience of course. And that's because my bladder is trained like a Royal Marines!

 

[LizzyS]

I don't go around whacking anyone with my backpack, but if you're standing close enough behind me that you're pressing into my backpack, you're standing too close!

In my experience, it's the people whose backpacks are STUFFED and sticking way out. It's not that I'd be standing too close because I hate that and do it to no one, it's that they turn around quick with no concept of where their backpack is going to swing and where people are located around them.

 

[violentlyserene]

While I have to roll my eyes a bit at these kinds of discussions becauswe there's so much judgement implicit in the idea that not having a backpack or stroller of stuff somehow makes people better, I do like to see the stuff that people find they need most. Believe it or not, I don't actually enjoy being a pack mule for my two year olds. Carrying a lot keeps the peace for everyone, including those within ear shot of my very upset children. Same goes for the double stroller I'm sure will earn many glares. despite assumptions, I'm perfectly aware of who is around me and how far, there's just not much that can be done about it.

 

[lovebug33]

I brought very little until I had kids. My girls have to be changed every two hours due to a medical condition. That's a lot of diapers. Add in an extra outfit, extra shoes when I take my daughter's leg braces off, snacks they will actually eat so we don't have breakdowns because they didn't like their lunch, and four sweatshirts, takes a lot of room.

 

[Sherry E]

I don't wear a sweatshirt when it's 60 degrees outside (some people do!), but you can be darn sure I am wearing a jacket or coat when it is 30 degrees. I live in SoCal -- have lived here my entire life -- and when it drops down to certain temperatures I have to grab some kind of warmth.

And I always have at least one bottle of water in my bag on a day trip -- there is a compartment for the bottle, right there on the side of the bag -- if not two. If I am staying at a hotel, I bring at least 12 bottles of water with me and load up the mini-fridge. I use every last one of them too -- nothing goes to waste. In my daily life, I really only drink water and black coffee. I might 'splurge' and drink a Coke or some juice every 3 months or whatever. So it makes sense for me to have a lot of water with me on DLR trips.

I find that I have an easier time spending money on food in the parks than I do on buying beverages. The beverage prices are crazy. If I want to buy a bottle of water or orange juice from one of the outdoor carts, I will be paying almost the same amount that I would be spending for a 12-pack or 24-pack of water bottles at the grocery store! That's just not right. I can justify the expense more if it is food -- or some sort of food item that I only eat at DLR and nowhere else.

Otherwise, I have to have a couple of different sunscreens with me at all times. I have to have a camera, back-up battery, extra memory cards, hairbrush, lip balm, money and ID, regular glasses and sunglasses, cell phone, Purell, breath mints or strips, Advil, Kleenex, Band-Aids, etc. It all adds up and takes up space in the bag. My bag has pockets for everything. I don't necessarily like carrying around a bag loaded down with stuff, but you can bet that I am glad that I have that stuff with me when I find that I need it. There have been many occasions when I have needed to pull something from my bag o' tricks -- an unexpected headache, an unexpected blister, my scalp suddenly getting sunburnt and in need of a spritz of sunscreen spray, mind-numbing pain shooting down my leg, etc. I am never sorry that I have these things with me.

 

[Cholula]

I find that I have an easier time spending money on food in the parks than I do on buying beverages. The beverage prices are crazy. If I want to buy a bottle of water or orange juice from one of the outdoor carts, I will be paying almost the same amount that I would be spending for a 12-pack or 24-pack of water bottles at the grocery store! That's just not right. I can justify the expense more if it is food -- or some sort of food item that I only eat at DLR and nowhere else.

I totally get this. My mind can justify the $4 churro but balks at the $4 water.

 

[tdhickey]

I totally get this. My mind can justify the $4 churro but balks at the $4 water.

Haha, that's where I differ in some ways as I don't see the difference. Same as most people who buy a $5 latte but won't buy a $3 water...I see those as both expensive, but things I enjoy there and am happy to pay for versus trying to carry around. To me, if I'm willing to drop $70 on a Blue Bayou dinner, carrying my own water around for 5 days seems not worth it and added weight that's going to slow me down after a long day. I have two kids and the kids meals are pretty good for keeping them hydrated, but I'm happy to drop $ water every day even if it adds up to $100 or more for the trip. Some may think it's silly, but really in the grand scheme of things it's not much and cuts the hassle of getting the water. Same with snacks, happy to just eat the park snacks when we want a treat. I find the meals pretty filling though, so those are few and far between.

 

[tdhickey]

Same goes for the double stroller I'm sure will earn many glares. despite assumptions, I'm perfectly aware of who is around me and how far, there's just not much that can be done about it.

This makes sense to have a double if you have two kids that need it. We brought our Phil & Teds for years, but kept the stuff we packed in it to the bare essentials only.

 

[tdhickey]

At bag check, every appreciates the minimalist traveler in Disneyland

 

[Gisele]

I've been thinking about double strollers since reading a pp.
Are there double decker strollers? If not, I think that would be a good idea to manufacture. Ok maybe. Lol
Think about it. Instead of two seats side by side, one tot would get the ground floor while the other gets the sundeck. So it's one seat above the other. Of course you may want the bigger baby in the bottom seat.
Lol

 

[rizzle64]

Haha, that's where I differ in some ways as I don't see the difference. Same as most people who buy a $5 latte but won't buy a $3 water...I see those as both expensive, but things I enjoy there and am happy to pay for versus trying to carry around. To me, if I'm willing to drop $70 on a Blue Bayou dinner, carrying my own water around for 5 days seems not worth it and added weight that's going to slow me down after a long day. I have two kids and the kids meals are pretty good for keeping them hydrated, but I'm happy to drop $ water every day even if it adds up to $100 or more for the trip. Some may think it's silly, but really in the grand scheme of things it's not much and cuts the hassle of getting the water. Same with snacks, happy to just eat the park snacks when we want a treat. I find the meals pretty filling though, so those are few and far between.

Not gonna lie, this blows me away... I hate packing a bunch of crap too, but water is the one thing I go out of my way to pack. We're a family of 5, I'll swing by Costco and buy a 35 pack of water for 4 bucks. If we're in Disney for 5 days and bring 7 bottles each day, throw them under the stroller in a small softsided Igloo cooler with a refreezable icepack, bam, I have cold water everyday for 10 feakin cents a bottle, versus your $100 bucks over the same 5 days. You must be a one percenter, because to me, if you go into the parks planning on spending $100+ on bottled water, that's just wasteful and ludicrous.

We'll be enjoying another full meal at the Blue Buyou while you're standing in line over and over again, shellin out the dough for all those water bottles...

 

[Angrose]

Whether you are buying bottled water in the park or at the grocery stores, it's still extremely wasteful. Yes, I know the bottles can be recycled, but recycling uses even more resources that could be saved if everyone just brought in a reusable bottle. I do just that and am able to fill up at Plaza Inn and Rancho del Zocalo. Both those places have walk-up drink dispensers which I think must be filtered because the water from there tastes 100% better than the water from the drinking fountains.

 

[Gisele]

I normally just bring one bottle of water, then yes refill at drinking fountains. Lol
For as long as the water isn't too warm, it tastes fine to me. But then I sometimes use those little drink mixes. No....not alcoholic lol Crystal light et al.