What to carry and how to carry....

[Ragman]

This will be our first year going to Universal without a stroller. While many think how great it is not to have to push a stroller we are truly going to miss the storage and convenience of having one.

So, what do you all use to carry your stuff and what do you usually bring? We will have 2 adults and 3 children 13,10,9.

Thanks.

 

[HM]

This will be our first year going to Universal without a stroller. While many think how great it is not to have to push a stroller we are truly going to miss the storage and convenience of having one.

So, what do you all use to carry your stuff and what do you usually bring? We will have 2 adults and 3 children 13,10,9.

Thanks.

What do you think you'll need to carry?
Your kids are old enough that you don't need any of the young child accoutrements.

We just carry some sort of lanyard with a holder that holds our tickets, room key, money, CC, ID, receipts and a chapstick.

If we have a jacket, we wear it or tie it on our waist when it gets warm. Some carry a phone in their pocket.

We get free water at a CS place when needed.

 

[Kivara]

We did our fist trip w/o a stroller, and I felt the same way! We carry a small backpack, DH usually wears cargo shorts, and I wear a hip bag. We still do child swap on most rides, so we hand the bags off when swapping!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I carry as little as possible. I do have to carry some medical supplies, so I carry a small purse. It has medicaid stuff, phone, and sunglasses or glasses (whichever I am not wearing at the moment). If I didn't need the medical stuff, I would only carry money/debit card, ID, Express Pass, and Tickets in a lanyard.

 

[Kivara]

No camera?
I know I probably carry too much, but I don't know how not to! I always have quarters and pennies for penny press machines, sunscreen, bandaids, a camera, wallet, a water bottle or refillable coke cup, and probably a few more items.
Last year, we ended up with 3 interactive wands in our backpack when we weren't in HP areas.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

No camera?
I know I probably carry too much, but I don't know how not to! I always have quarters and pennies for penny press machines, sunscreen, bandaids, a camera, wallet, a water bottle or refillable coke cup, and probably a few more items.
Last year, we ended up with 3 interactive wands in our backpack when we weren't in HP areas.

That reminded me to check my small camera, which is still in my purse from our last trip, to see how much it was used. We took 11 pictures on that camera, but there are a TON on my iPhone.

 

[bumbershoot]

After having theft from our stroller (twice, though in both cases it was either made up to us or a zero-cost item...and it was at DLR but people are people), we left nothing in it but water. Then after watching a squirrel climb into a stroller and gnaw on food and water bottle caps, we didn't even leave water in our stroller (squirrel spit, ew!).

So even with a stroller we didn't use it as storage.

For waters/melty snacks, we have an Igloo MaxCold backpack cooler.

People carry their own sweatshirts/flipflops.

I carry sunscreen, camera, something to jot things down (especially when I was really into writing TRs). DH and I (and sometimes DS) wear lanyards with pouches to carry cards. I have a Witz "see it safe" card-sized hard-sided waterproof pouch to carry my ID, a CC, a little cash, my room key, AP, and express pass.

 

[RMulieri]

I carry whatever I can fit in my small, 3prong waistpack..It is me ,hubby and my 12 yr old..No one else carries anything .No need and I prefer not to deal with lockers for the rides that require them and on the rides that allow nothing on ,Hubby or my daughter holds the waistpack

 

[johde]

I carried a small fabric Drawstring "backpack". I used it mainly to carry my refillable mug and either a jacket or sweatshirt (I went in January). In the morning I normally wore my jacket and stuffed the bag in my pocket so I didn't need to wait in the bag line to get into city walk.

 

[hdnwaters]

I purchased 2 really cheap small water resistant backpacks on Ebay. They fold into their own small pack. My DD and I carried them on 2 different trips. At least 9 days in the parks! I carry a water bottle, sun screen, sun glasses, reg. glasses, visor, raincoat, phone (small camera in Nov.) small bag of essentials (pepto, advil, hand wipes, chapstick, etc), small wallet, a couple of granola bars, cool towel (Sept) and zip lock bags (protect phone/camera/wallet on water rides). You would be surprised how often I have used every item at some point during the day! The rides that require lockers......both these packs fits easily into one locker. I have ladies' cargo shorts and skirts so I always took my phone and wallet on the rides. The bag checks and lockers are little inconvenient but nothing to really slow you down.

 

[cgattis]

Might want a small bag of some sort if you plan to get Butterbeer mugs (or any other refillable) or wands.

 

[lborne]

My DW is cheap, so we bring our own drinks and snacks in an insulted backpack that we got at Target. It has a side pocket, front pocket and top zippered area to store tickets, car keys, cell phones, and a few other small items (band aids, sunscreen, etc.). I don't even bring in my wallet - jut ID, some cash and a credit card.

 

[tinydancer09]

I take a hipster. A backpack might be better for you. I take a hipster because it's just me and another adult usually. When we go during weird weather months we usually take a backpack. A normal school book bag fits in the lockers just fine as long as it's not filled to the brim.

I recommend lanyards for everyone esp if you have express pass. These are good for keeping your ticket, express pass, and small amounts of cash in. Or an ID card for kids with your contact info. a book bag might be good if you would like the refillable cups, souvenir mugs or items, jackets, etc.

 

[angierae]

I'm trying to decide on a bag. We're going in January so I know I'll want hoodies for morning/evening, but it might get warm enough to want to ditch them during the day. For Halloween 2013 I took my full sized backpack to Disney, and that was fine, but I'm not sure if I'll maybe want something smaller. But then we're getting refillable mugs and probably butterbeer mugs and my daughter wants a wand, and...

Will probably end up with my backpack.

 

[lborne]

Not sure if this applies to US, but at least at Disney, we've brought jackets in the morning and then wanted to ditch them in the afternoon. If you buy souvenirs, they will deliver them to your room and they were kind enough to put the jackets in the bag.

 

[DawnM]

My boys are scouts, so we have several of those nice hiking day backpacks. We carry those. They are light and comfortable.

Rain ponchos sometimes
sunscreen
lip balm
snacks
water
Tickets/credit cards/cash

That is about it. We go light.

We haven't taken a stroller for about 6 years now.

 

[klmall]

Wear clothing with pockets. I used a small, cloth over shoulder "Life Is Good" bag that held my small camera, money, chapstick, ticket and phone. It was December so I just moved my bag under my jacket, out of sight and got onto every ride with no problem EXCEPT Forbidden Journey. I refuse to use a locker due to multiple problems in the past so the CMs insisted I empty the bag and stuff everything into my coat and pants pockets, which I did.

 

[escriven75]

My kids (9 and 7) and I each carry our own lightweight drawstring bag. I've had them carrying their own bag since we ditched the stroller too! The bags are light but enough space for a jacket if its cool out, refillable drink cup, their wands, my camera in mine, a poncho in each bag and bottle of sunscreen in one of them. The locker situation it not a big deal...they can be busy and hectic but nothing to fret over. It is nice to have the bag in case they want to buy something but keep it with them during the day. The kids know they have to carry their own stuff now and they don't mind. I was actually kind of excited when we did our first trip without my son in a stroller!