What do you carry with you?

[jez4100]

This is the cooler bag I purchased at target and use every trip, it is the best. It will hold 6 water bottles with no problem and stays cold all day in the august heat. Target no longer carries them and they are very hard to find.

http://www.centralchef.com/storefro...aspx?sfid=123094&i=251762616&mpid=7714&dfid=1

 

[Beatles_Girl]

I always use my fannypack, its so comfortable...

 

[DisneyMOM09]

This is the cooler bag I purchased at target and use every trip, it is the best. It will hold 6 water bottles with no problem and stays cold all day in the august heat. Target no longer carries them and they are very hard to find.

http://www.centralchef.com/storefro...aspx?sfid=123094&i=251762616&mpid=7714&dfid=1

I use this cooler also and found it at Academy Sports. I bought it last year for our trip!

 

[Coach81]

Mommy and I usually take turns with the "fanny pack" or backpack.. I'm usually on camera duty.. it works out..

 

[lblume91]

What I carry into the parks has dwindled with each trip as our kids have gotten older. For our next trip, I'm trying to either cut down to just a tiny purse or maybe even be brave enough to just go with what I can fit in my pockets.

My list of must haves for this trip:
Cash (We don't link a credit card to our KTTW cards.)
KTTW card
Lip balm
Mints

I think I can shove all this into my pockets, unless I pack my DSLR camera instead of my point & shoot. Maybe I'll just alternate cameras on various days... Camera with strap around my neck (DSLR) or on wrist (P&S) would still allow me to bypass the bag check line.

In the past, I've always packed band aids, advil, sunscreen, water bottles, wet wipes, extra set of clothes for the youngest, etc. I think I'm going to be brave & leave all this behind!

 

[growinupdisney]

Up to about 6 years ago when my older 2 were younger I would have a fanny pack(they were more in style then and they had one too! We kept our ticket/card in them a snack and $. Then I also brought a small back pack that I had gotten from WDW for free when we went to Disney Quest. Then when my dd3 came I started having to carry a little more. We no londer had the fanny packs so my older kids carry a string back dd has a vera bradley back pack she carries now, They keep their stuff I dont want to carry or be responsible for it anymore, they carry their snacks, ipod,camera, and money, dd adds a few more items(she is cold nature so she puts a jacket in hers too!
As for me, I still bring a back pack (i did by a sling cross body bag the parks one time that was really nice, alot of room in the center, flap in front for cards etc. I could actually put my camera in there too and my dh would carry backpack but I am a back pack girl and have found that is what I prefer. Last year I bought a new back pack at WDW that took the place of the other one because 12 years of travel with the other it had to be laid to rest! I still dont like the new as much as the old one but it will do. I also bring a small backpack for dd3(if everone else has one she thinks she does too) usually a change of clothes is all that goes in there. This year probably her leapster since she will 4 by then and it will keep happy during wait time! We alsobrought a small pack that was cooler that kept our water in. This does sound like alot and is a slight pain through bag check at the parks but we all have our bags ready and open and we know the routine! We still dave dd3 stroller so that usually holds the bags too if anyone gets tired of holding them.

 

[RachaelA]

Love my Baggallini!

All the separate pockets are great. I keep our tickets and fast passes in the little zipper pocket on the shoulder strap that's on my chest. Its perfect!

 

[SusieBea]

Our kids are grown, so we don't need much in the parks. On our week-long trip last September, I took this Tonal Mickey Mouse Carrier Bag and was really happy w/ accessibility to things and the ability to separate things into different pockets:

http://www.disneystore.com/dooney-b...rrier-bag-by-dooney-bourke/mp/1265507/1000812

 

[Millermom0606]

I use a Vera Bradley backpack, since the straps are padded fabric they absorb and it has SO much room!! Plus, when we get home, if its icky, it gets tossed in the wash and is like new again LOL

 

[spacemountainmom]

I try to carry less and less, but it doesn't always work.

I alternate between my baggallini hampton bag and a vb hipster. The kids each carry a string backpack (I bought them at lands end for $5 each a long time ago before they were popular - best $10 I ever spent!!!) Dh carries his camera bag if he wants it that day.

We carry the cheap ponchos, small thing of sunscreen, very small first aid kit, ds's migraine medicine, everyone except dh has a small digital camera and money, cc's, tickets of course and a couple of small fold up shopping bags if we need more space.

I like the Hampton because you can put a lot of stuff in it, but it is very light to carry. I can never find a crossbody of back pack that I am perfectly happy with.

I would love to carry one of my d & b mickey purses, but they are not really made for touring....oh well!

 

[AtlantaSue]

I use something very similar to this-http://www.beanworthy.com/Ultimate-Direction-Womens-Strider-Waist-Pack/A/B003V8SYQ0.htm
I wouldn't call it a fanny pack, but close!

I like to take phone, camera, water, bandaids, keys, -just the basics.

 

[crusoe2]

I've tried a variety of bags over the years - size usually depended on ages of our kids and how much junk we needed. Now that my youngest is old enough to carry her own junk, I'm planning to try one of the Vera Bradley cross-body bags - either the hipster or the saddle up. I already have the saddle up and like it but I think the hipster might work better for the parks since it's even less bulky.

As to what I'll carry - drivers lic & car key(we stay offsite so this is a must), insurance cards, debit/credit card, some cash, camera, tissues, and a hairbrush. I always carry the usual meds/first aid stuff - ibuprofen, antacids, a couple bandaids. But I have to keep benedryl and a small tube of hydrocortisone cream on hand too cause DD is allergic to mosquito bites. And everyone except DD takes a cellphone cause we often split up in the parks and need a way to stay in touch.

 

[Orlando313]

I also use a Vera Bradley small backpack. I've tried going to the parks without bags, but I have pockets overflowing with all the junk I just HAVE to have, so I prefer to put it all in a bag. I typically have my pass, Disney Visa, chapstick, bottle of water, bandaids, baby powder, gum, keys, advil, camera if it's a special event, maybe I'll shove a small jacket in there if it's going to be cool. A poncho if it's going to rain. My cell phone OF COURSE...ha! Then I have room for any trinkets I buy, I can shove them in the bag too.

 

[mill4023]

We had 4 kids on each of our previous trips and now we have 5.
So we've got a pretty long list of stuff that we carry.

I've got an over the shoulder type camera bag that holds my DSLR, 3 lenses, and a miniDV camcorder.

Then we can usually fit everything else in 1 backpack:
Diapers, wipes, change of clothes for the youngest, sunscreen, sunglasses, wallets, ibuprofen, chapstick, 4x6 photo book filled with index cards with all of my trip planning info (itinerary, dining reservations, park hours, etc., etc.), ponchos, flip flops if we're at AK and plan to do Kali, and as many water bottles as we can fit in the bag.

Weight isn't too much of a concern because we've always had at least one stroller with a basket.

For our next trip, I think I'm going to try to look for a backpack that can work as a camera bag and still have room for all our other stuff. Having one bag to deal with would be a lot easier.