What do you bring to DL?

[modmama]

Okay, in a week we'll be checking in to the Anabella (a departure from our usual Portofino- fingers crossed that was an okay decision) and hitting DL and CA for a day each. My head is spinning with excitement! And for me, planning/plotting/prepping is a lot of the fun!

So as I'll be packing this week, I'm going to ask - what do you bring to the parks when you go? What do you wear? What kind of bag (if any) do you carry? What kind of shoes do you sport? What kinds of things do you do to prepare your kids? What do they wear?

I swear in the past I've seen everyone from people carrying giant coolers to people in stilettos , so I'm wondering what all of you experts do!

 

[aroseinwintr]

I used to start packing a week before, But now I pack the night before ( I leave tomorrow after work and have yet to start packing...LOL ). I Pack light due to the fact that I purchase a new sweatshirt every trip and a T-shirt or 2. I wear my most comfortable shoes ugly or not you will be on your feet a lot, I have a cloth purse I bought at WDW that I can carry water, camera, and anything else i need ( I only take the camera 1 maybe 2 days of the trip it just gets in the way. the other days I don't take a bag.

Well I guess I should go start packing and doing laundry...Have a magical trip....

 

[wvnative]

We generally go for 3-4 days in either Spring or Fall. T-shirts and jeans. Jackets and tennis shoes (2 pair). I alternate my tennis shoes and it seems to help my feet. As for the kid, well, she's 21 now and packs for herself. She generally wears the same kinds of things I do. I take one of those drawstring back packs.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I always wear comfortable tennis shoes- I bring several pairs on the trip.
Into DLR we bring:
water botttles
some snacks to eat in line- usually some sort of bar or fruit snack.
plastic baggies for electronics on water rides or loose snacks
hand sanitizer
DH carries the backpack with water bottles. I carry a small purse with the camera and hand sanitizer. I also usually hold everyones's APs and FPs.

 

[tlovesdis]

I usually wear flip flops unless it is extremely cold (I use an ECV for medical reasons so I am not on my feet much). I am a cold weather lover so I wear shorts and a t-shirt almost always, again unless it is super cold, but that rarely happen in LA! I bring a light jacket and always have a hat in case of rain (or just bad hair from wind, etc...).

Because the ECV has a basket, we bring in a colapsable cooler with water bottles and snacks.

I carry a very small bag that fits my wallet, phone, camera, sunglasses and chapstick in it. Less is more for me!

 

[colin25]

I like to bring as little as possible so I'm not lugging around a backpack for 10+ hours. I bring a small waist pouch for my wallet and camera so I'm hands-free.
I always wear my sandals so my shoes don't get wet on water rides. Plus I always wear shorts during the day, and sometimes go back to the hotel to change into jeans and my hoody if it gets cold in the evening.

 

[isisisme]

We go in fall, and there is only DH and I. We usually wear shorts and t-shirts or comfy pants and tshirts. We bring sweaters/long sleeve shirts if it is cold in the evening. My favorite shoes were these amazing flip flops that were the best. But this year I am taking a pair of Saucony walking shoes, a pair of Teva sandals, and a pair of men's Nike flip flops. I am hoping to give my feet many shoes to be happy with.

What we take into the park varies. Sometimes I take a backpack purse (I have a coffin shaped NMBC backpack purse) that will hold a bottle of water, camera, wallet, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, and chapstick.

Or sometimes, I just take DH with his cargo pants. Then it is just money, and chapstick.

 

[rentayenta]

Layers. Lots of layers. Even in mid summer, the mornings with their June gloom can be chilly. I usually wear shorts during the day, of course depending on the weather, and change into jeans at night. I usually have a hoodie wrapped around my waist as I feel cold when it dips into the mid 70's (how I ended up in Utah, I'll never know). I wear flip flops and when it gets chilly I change into UGGs. I hate running shoes at the parks for some reason.


As far as a bag, DH usually carries a back pack. Staying at the GCV enables us to go back and forth pretty easily so we generally just carry in snacks and water.

 

[StyledSugar]

I just wear flip flops during the day and have never had a problem. I bring runners for night but most of the time I don't even wear them unless it's really chilly.

I never take a purse into the park. My boyfriend carries a backpack and we put all of our stuff in there which comes in very handy. We also usually try to take a few drinks with us so we don't have to buy everything in the park. If we didn't the kids would cost us a fortune in pop or water.

If it's nice but not super warm then we usually take hoodies with us and just tie them around our waists.

 

[SilentFeline]

Well, I'm not exactly an expert since I've only been to DLR once as an adult so far, but I thought I would share anyway because my boyfriend and I managed to do pretty well the first time.

We went in May of '09 and we thought it would be hotter than it was, but we almost never had to take off our sweatshirts. No heavy jackets or anything, although we will be bringing jackets and ponchos for our upcoming January trip. For inside the parks, we brought a Raya Thermos backpack cooler for water and mini Gatorades. The bag was great and it will definitely be a necessity on our future trips. For our other stuff, we brought the much-raved-about baggallini, but I will not be bringing it again. For our planned trip in January '12 we'll be bringing a regular backpack instead to carry any lists/recommendations from the DIS boards and any other lists I make for the trip (stuff like dining plans and lists of foods we want to try with locations, fastpass info, WOC info, etc.), sunscreen, camera, camera batteries, pressed penny book, hand sanitizer/wipes, sunglasses with cases, carabiner clips for our hats when it gets dark, snacks, wallets, pain relievers/first aid stuff, and probably several other things I'm forgetting at the moment.

I have really bad feet after working on them for so long, and I still don't know what shoes to bring. I plan on bringing my Asics Kayano 17s (which aren't perfect but are the best I have right now), alhough I haven't figured out which shoes to bring in case it rains when we go in January. The search for comfortable shoes is endless and expensive!

I don't have any kids so I can't comment on that!

Utilize the info you find here on the DIS and you'll be just fine! That's what we did. Enjoy your trip!

 

[KateDrake]

Will you be taking a stroller for your kids? I find that allows me to take a lot more than I probably should We usually take a backpack or bag with baby wipes (good for everyone, esp. when ice cream is involved!), a change of clothes for our DD, some snacks, water bottles, autograph books and markers, sunglasses, extra sunscreen, and a camera. Sometimes we also bring a plush toy, like Mickey or Buzz, who likes to make appearances in pics.
I've always just left my bag in the stroller's basket, and never had a problem. It makes it so easy to go on rides without worrying about where to put stuff. Depending on how small your kids are, I'd really recommend a stroller, just because there is so much walking!

 

[alicia1506]

we are down to 3 weeks 6 days before we go, and we are all (3 adults) bringing a small messenger style bag with us to include wallet/credit cards/tickets/fp etc, camera, phone, keys/hotel room key, glasses & sunglasses, water bottle & snacks etc. plus the hand sanitiser/wipes and a mirror. we plan on a bag each that way if someone wants to bring other items they can and no one individual is left playing pack mule

our bags were purchased locally, but they are small, lightweight and really unobtrusive. as they are messenger style bags, they are easy to access things from and leave our hands relatively free. they are also waterproof (unless submerged in a river) so they will be fine to go on water rides with us as well

thats our plan, anyways

 

[LisaCat]

I'm going in 9 days and I've been watching the weather report bounce from a forecast hi of 92 to 71 and now back to 92. Until it gets closer and they nail that forecast down, I'm not sure what I'm wearing, it will either be shorts (hi over 78) or "starter pants" with either a sleeveless shirt or a t-shirt. I'm doing the Mickey party, so I'm bringing a fleece hoodie in case it gets chilly in the evening. Shoes will be my walking "tennis-style" shoes or my Teva Tech Amphibians (if it's going to be over 78). I also wear a lightweight cap to keep the sunburn at bay.

As for what I bring in the park - I use a mini backpack that holds a water bottle, my small camera, my phone, snacks (Clif Bars - one for mid morning and one for mid afternoon so I eat lightly at mealtime), and the standard necessities - tylenol, bandaids, sunglasses, chapstick, etc.

 

[LizzyS]

I like to bring as little as possible so I'm not lugging around a backpack for 10+ hours. I bring a small waist pouch for my wallet and camera so I'm hands-free.
I always wear my sandals so my shoes don't get wet on water rides. Plus I always wear shorts during the day, and sometimes go back to the hotel to change into jeans and my hoody if it gets cold in the evening.

A "waist pouch"? You're trying to disguise the fact that you wear a fanny pack, aren't you?

 

[mydisneymoney]

We have not used a backpack on our trips yet but the weather has been good for us so no need for it. I have a sling bag that crosses over the front of me. It is large enough to carry a camera, bandaids, Ibuprofen, a couple snack items and a bottle of water or soda. My DH wears a fanny pack and carries our video camera and DS snacks when my DS won't wear his fanny pack. DS does have a fanny pack as well and sometimes he wears it and sometime he doesn't. When he does he can carry his own snacks and trading pins etc. I also will wear a lanyard with a zipper ID badge holder on the end that I made to carry all of our Hopper passes and some money. Most of the time with my sling pouch and DH fanny packs we do not need to take them off on the rides but just slide them to the side.

 

[kimawilson]

I pack for a day at DL in "winter", a light hooded sweatshirt for each of us, me, DH, DS7, and DD4. But I will check weather as close as I can to know for sure as far as what type of clothing items we will need. For shoes I pack all walking/running tennis shoes for us...
YES, I wear a FANNY PACK it makes it great to store my video, and my point and shoot camera, money, park tickets, room key, credit card, Lip gloss/chap stick, hands free and can have with me secure at all times can also turn to the side if needed for when on rides..now I will have a stroller with a place to pack a small bag..thinking of putting some snacks, and a refillable water bottle wet wipes, and hand santi for germs!
Happy Packing, and magical trip to you! I cant wait I am down to 25 days!

 

[StyledSugar]

A "waist pouch"? You're trying to disguise the fact that you wear a fanny pack, aren't you?

 

[krispin41]

I'm leaving on Friday.

The last time I went, I carried a smaller bag that could be worn cross body, and then purchased one when I was in the park. It may make a reappearance this trip.

My camera bag is a Timbuk2 Messenger bag, and little does DH know, but he is going to be the one carrying the majority of stuff this time around, LOL. But usually in my purse, I've got wallet, coin purse, lip balm, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, eye drops, quick medicines, etc. I should also add, I am a camera junkie, so I have several cameras that will be making the pilgrimage with us. Primary is my DSLR, (and I have a strap so I can wear it cross body) and one extra lens. DH will use one of my P&S cameras, I have a smaller second P&S camera, and then for fun pix, a Holga which is an old-school camera. It's super light weight, but won't be with us each day in the park, as it takes *gasp* REAL film (120mm). I've also got an Instax camera which takes mini instant photos (half the size of a traditional Poloroid). It may come down to it, that after a full day in the park with the DSLR I will opt for my P&S cameras. But I want to have the option.

We're staying at PPH, so hopefully we can recharge at the room if we need to. I tend to dress in layers anyway, but I usually buy a hoodie when I am in the park, as my one splurge. I'm packing a few long tank-tops to be layered under those tissue weight long sleeve tees, and a few t-shirts. Two pairs of jeans, and probably a pair of sweat pants and leggings.

As far as shoes, I am bringing a pair of tennis shoes (Reebok Easy Tones, lots of cushion), Mary Jane Crocs and a pair of flip-flops. Still deciding if I want to bring the Uggs.

I'm in NorCal, and the weather is a bit wonky today...hopefully SoCal will have gorgeous weather for us.

Kristan in NorCal

 

[colin25]

A "waist pouch"? You're trying to disguise the fact that you wear a fanny pack, aren't you?

Hey, I only wear it in the parks because it's so handy. I just think 'fanny pack' sounds lame.

 

[robinjh7]

I take too much. I've been trying to edit it down, but I have not been overly successful.

I am a photographer by hobby. So if I take my DSLR, I also have to take a boatload of other stuff. (Gotta have my lenses and my filters, my extra batteries, and my other miscellaneous stuff, including the camera's instruction book.) Then I also have to have my backup point-and-shoot, just in case. On a multiple-day trip, I generally take the 'big' camera one day. Maybe two. All that stuff gets heavy! I use a standard student backpack to carry it all.

I also take:

Nook, reading light, iPod, headphones (I don't ride many of the *big* rides.)

Snacks, water bottle

hand sanitizer/wipes

poncho (They're magic! We've never had to use them!)

Hoodie

I will also take handwarmers (those prepackaged ones you open when you want to use them) if it's December/January/February. I get cold, and a set of those in my shoes and another in my hoodie pocket save me.

Plus my usual 'purse' stuff: cell phone, chapstick, eyedrops, teeth stuff, wallet, sunglasses, bandaids, kleenex, reading glasses, pen, small pad of paper, OTC medications.

I look like I'm ready to scale Mt. Everest, but I usually have everything I need!

We go, go, go from open to close and almost never go back to the hotel midday. (We live 659 miles away, and we maximize our time there.) So we all wear athletic shoes. I have bad feet (pins and plates and screws, oh my!) so I always wear my New Balance with my orthotics, or I'd never make it.

I envy those who say they don't take a bag, but I'm not brave enough! Your mileage may vary.