Stroller Graduate - now what to do with our stuff?

[WDWstu]

Sadly, this will be out first trip in 10 years without needing to bring a stroller. The stroller was the best thing because we used it to store all our stuff. We would leave our backpack, towel, souvenirs, popcorn, drinks, etc etc in the stroller whenever we went on a ride. We are just coming to the realization that we are going to have to scale back big time what we bring to the parks. We always brought snacks, water bottles, a towel, first aid stuff, sun block, light sticks, hair brush, other things in our backpack. We would leave the bag with the stroller with the towel over it an go on a ride. All the little things the kids were given by cast members or bought throughout the day would stay with the stroller. We would bring those squirt bottle fans and hang them on the stroller. Now I don't know what to do! Without resorting to fanny packs... ... does anyone have an advice or strategies they use to deal with your stuff throughout the day?

 

[waffles77]

LOL! We are running into the same situation for our next trip!

We're obviously going to have to scale down with the amount of things that we bring.

Hoping it will be liberating...

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Scale down and use a backpack.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

Share one water bottle and one mist-fan...fill as needed through the day.

Try to bring snacks that are compact, like fruit leathers or granola bars.

Pack sunscreen, but ditch the first aid (you can get bandaids etc throughout the park).

Leave the towels behind and do any water rides just before you plan to leave the park.

 

[PlutoPony]

Wow - you have been fortunate to have left all those things in the stroller for those many years and not had them bothered or taken. If your kids are big enough to not need a stroller they should be able to handle a string bag or small backpack with their things. Scale back what you take and divide it up between all of you. My guess is you will quickly find out you don't need to take everything into the park if it means someone (besides mom) has to haul the stuff around!

 

[Mousemommy1]

When we went stroller-less, we rejoiced at just being able to stuff our belongings into a back pack and call it a day. Be happy, it's a wonderful thing!!!

We just had another baby this year, so we are back to many years of stroller ahead, lol.

 

[SmallWorld71]

We bring one backpack and carry it in shifts of about 1 hour. We just make sure it's one that everyone will be comfortable carrying.
In it we typically have: autograph books/ pens, ponchos (depends on time of year), sunblock stick and/ or small sunblock, ziploc baggies to hold phones on the water rides or in case it rains, and sometimes breakfast on the go.
There is no need to carry first aid products - they have them at first aid in each park. I've never brought a towel or brush?
Souvenirs can either be sent to the resort (if you don't need them right away) or sent to package pick-up and picked up on the way out of the park. Or, we just shop on our way out.
While I am a huge proponent of bringing little ones to WDW, I am always amazed at how much a stroller slows you down. Once you are used to not having it, you will love it!

 

[InStitchesinNE]

I'm in the same boat! I trialed using a cross-body Vera bag at a local theme part this summer and HATED it, too small and heavy. Tried a backpack on the next trip and it was great! DH and oldest DD took a turn carrying it, and I loved not needing to worry about a stroller. I plan on getting one or two filter water bottles (like Brita) so we can refill as needed and not carry heavy waters around. I will also bring lightweight snacks, a portable charger for the phone, and my camera. I will put a few of those very light string backpacks inside the backpack, so if the kids want souvenirs/popcorn/etc. they can take out a bag and carry it themselves. I may rent a locker for sweatshirts/hats/gloves if we need them at night in December.

 

[WDWstu]

Lots of good advice here. I wasn't think of the aspect of being freed up by not having the stroller. Guess I was too focused on what to do with my stuff! lol.

We've been going to Disney for 10 years now and always left our stuff with our stroller. We've never once had an issue with anything being taken. Not that it doesn't happen, we've just never experienced it.

After reading some of these responses, I think we have a good plan now. In my head I was thinking on some of the rides we would not be able to bring a bag, but after reviewing this, I guess there really isn't any ride that I can't do that on. So now we just need to figure out if we bring one backpack and share carrying duties or if we each get a small drawstring type bag and are responsible for our own stuff.

Thanks for the input everyone! Time for a new way to experience the parks stroller free!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Lots of good advice here. I wasn't think of the aspect of being freed up by not having the stroller. Guess I was too focused on what to do with my stuff! lol.

We've been going to Disney for 10 years now and always left our stuff with our stroller. We've never once had an issue with anything being taken. Not that it doesn't happen, we've just never experienced it.

After reading some of these responses, I think we have a good plan now. In my head I was thinking on some of the rides we would not be able to bring a bag, but after reviewing this, I guess there really isn't any ride that I can't do that on. So now we just need to figure out if we bring one backpack and share carrying duties or if we each get a small drawstring type bag and are responsible for our own stuff.

Thanks for the input everyone! Time for a new way to experience the parks stroller free!

The only ride we don't take a bag on is Kali River Rapids. We put ours in the nearby free lockers. Before the lockers, we did put it in the compartment in the middle of the raft but the lockers are much drier. We do put anything important inside plastic ziploc baggies on Splash just in case.

 

[brymolmom]

I was like you back in my stroller days - brought everything under the sun. If you're like me - you will LOVE being stroller-less even though you don't think so yet. Each time since we've ditched the stroller I bring less and less 'stuff' and LOVE it. I purchased a SMALL backpack (not regular school sized) - that we sometimes use, but honestly don't even use that much anymore. We bring BASICS ONLY: 1 water bottle (either fill it up or just get cups of ice water for free at counter service places (unless it's summer not a huge deal either way)), small container with ibuprofen, son's glasses case, anti-back lotion (small), some animal crackers and/or pretzels in a baggie for emergency snack, extra baggies, phone.

We only bring ponchos if it is calling for rain all day long - in the summer we enjoy cooling off in the rain a bit. We occasionally bring an autograph book and a pen.

 

[brymolmom]

I was like you back in my stroller days - brought everything under the sun. If you're like me - you will LOVE being stroller-less even though you don't think so yet. Each time since we've ditched the stroller I bring less and less 'stuff' and LOVE it. I purchased a SMALL backpack (not regular school sized) - that we sometimes use, but honestly don't even use that much anymore. We bring BASICS ONLY: 1 water bottle (either fill it up or just get cups of ice water for free at counter service places (unless it's summer not a huge deal either way)), small container with ibuprofen, son's glasses case, anti-back lotion (small), some animal crackers and/or pretzels in a baggie for emergency snack, extra baggies, phone.

We only bring ponchos if it is calling for rain all day long - in the summer we enjoy cooling off in the rain a bit. We occasionally bring an autograph book and a pen.

 

[Melanie1437]

Do they have a spot for bags near the entry and exit for each ride?

 

[SheilaHeartsDisney]

You've got it made now!! I have the opposite problem. For the last 10 years my DH and I have been bag free and use to laugh at all those people in the bag check line. Now for the first time I'll be using the bag line with a huge double stroller with 2 one year olds in tow. Still hoping not to have much but not looking foward to it for the next 10 years.

 

[HotMama]

Haha! It is a sad day when they don't need the stroller in the park anymore for the sole reason to put your "stuff" in it! We just use a backpack now. We realized that we really don't need as much stuff as we liked to carry before. Make it light & take turns.

 

[ghtx]

Fanny packs work great what's wrong with fanny packs.

Or, a backpack.

 

[jensen]

I had the same worries when we graduated from the stroller. But, I cannot even describe the difference it actually made when we were FREED of the stroller. It was like a whole different vacation! DS and DD usually wear shorts with pockets, so they keep their phones. I carry a cinch sac with my phone, a bottle of water and maybe a couple of other things ladies need. DD wears her Vera Bradley backpack to carry her phone and whatever else she might need. When we didn't need wipes and all the xtra's little's require, it was easy to scale back. Add in the magic of magic bands and you're all set!

Now I tell friends and family... plan to go to Disney several times. But, if you are only going once, wait until after the kids are out of the stroller. It's amazing!!

 

[ErinInCT]

We got the Hikpro waterproof backpack. It is teeny tiny to fit in your suitcase and it unfolds into a backpack and then at the end of the trip you fold it back in to a teeny tiny package! It is lightweight and did not make our backs sweat. It has space for 2 water bottles and 3 zippered compartments. We brought a ziploc bag for phones for Splash Mtn, etc just to be safe. In it we carried - sunscreen; a pouch containing stuff like bandaids, aspirin, moleskin, wipes, kleenex, hand sanitizer, lip balm, extra ponytail holders; autograph books; pin lanyards; penny presser money; frogg togg cooling towels in a gallon ziplock; snacks and fruit for the kids. We attached our O2Cool mister to the outside zipper. Honestly, it really wasn't all that heavy! I also felt liberated not having a stroller!!

 

[crisi]

Our kids have been hauling their own backpacks since they left the stroller. Theirs had snacks for them and anything they couldn't live without for the day. Keeping track of a CHEAP backpack or bag will be good practice for when they have to keep track of the cell phone.

Once we got them out of diapers, we trimmed down a lot. My preferred park gear is myself and what fits in my pockets. Pressed its a bottle of water, a few quick snacks and some wet wipes. Sunscreen goes on it the morning and reapplied if we take an afternoon break.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Do they have a spot for bags near the entry and exit for each ride?

No. You can rent a locker at the park entrances, but I think only KRR has lockers to store your stuff while you are on that ride.