About backpacks...advice please!

[Sammy]

We are also a family of five and my DD-14 wouldn't be caught DEAD wearing a fanny pack! We found her a cute denim purse at Kohl's with a very long shoulder strap. She wears it diagonally across her body. The bag is pretty flat....about 5x7 in size, and holds just enough not to be too heavy when full. She managed to carry everything she needed and it was not too cumbersome for the rides.

DS-12 and DD-9 will wear small fanny packs.....but only at WDW!! DH carries a very small backpack we picked up at the Bass Outlet for $9.00. It holds 3 bottles of water and some essentials....perfect size for us now with older kids.

So that leaves me with only having to carry my very small wallet-on-a-string with everyone's IDs, lip balm, credit card, room keys/tickets, and some $$!

Sammy

 

[MARCIAKAZ]

I appreciate you all taking the time to share your ideas and experiences with the backpack/fannypack issue. Among the five of us, we have adopted several of your suggestions.
DH-fannypack, DS-14-cargo shorts, DD-16-small backpack style nylon bag, DD-9-small fanny pack, and I'm taking two things with me--a fanny pack, and one of those across the chest messenger bags--and will use one or the other depending on what seems best at the time.

 

[donac]

There are packs called hydro packs that can hold from1 liter to 3 liters and they could be phanny packs or back packs and some have plenty of room for other important things. All the rides have a place for your bags some they can be put under the seat or in bags in front of u or in containers in front of u so i suggest the hydropacks to all

dona c

:: :

 

[ladydancer]

I wear a small long strap purse across my body. I have tryed fanny packs in the past and just don't care for them. Especially when it is time to use the rest room. Also the purse I can bring up to eye level to look in it without taking it off my body. When I wore the fanny pack I would find I would take it off to set on the counter to get things out and take a chance on leaving it.

I sometimes wear my backpack also. I bought a mickey mouse backpack many years ago and take it on all my trips. I put my camera, rain poncho, and a few odds and ends in my back pack. When I get on a ride, set it on the floor.

 

[SherGoof]

This is funny because I've been trying to decide what to bring on our trip in 2-weeks. Last time I brought a back pack and couldn't really remember it being a bother at all. Last night I was going through the pictures from our last trip and low and behold the reason the back pack was no problem was that my DH was wearing it in every picture (LOL). How I managed this boggles my mind!!!

Anyway, my kids 9 & 7 wear fanny packs (w/o complaint, they just think it's a standard WDW thing) - with autograph bk, mini fans, and hardcandies, gum.
I debated about the backpack, but will bring it because w/o it I'll have no where for the rain ponchos, our frozen capri drinks and snacks (hope DH will again carry it and I'll again just do my mini over the shoulder camera bag).

 

[etwinchester]

I have a small backpack with 3 sections.

First Section: money & tickets along with park maps, pen & paper

Second Section: cell phone, camera, rain ponchos, little fan, band-aides, sunblock

Last Section: frozen capri sun drinks and snacks

I found it at Wal-mart. It is a Mary-Kate and Ashley but it is small and I love it. I went back to get DD one and I can only find the big ones. I learned to buy things right when I see them if I really want it.

 

[Miranda Danda]

My vote goes for fannypack. I am a 21 year old college student, and I too was kind of worried about looking "nerdy" so I posted the same post about 3 weeks ago. The benefits of fannypacks outweighed those of backpacks. I found a VERY cute purple and black fannypack at Wal-Mart for $3! Good luck with your decision!

 

[totalia]

I carry a backpack everywhere I go (not just to Disney). There is nothing more comfortable and useful.

Backpacks can carry everything. With a fanny pack your going to be extremely limitted. Purses are something you will probably find annoying when you want your hands free all the time and they are small.

 

[daisylove]

Just reading this thread and have come to realize that I am a disneybackpack/fannypackoholic. I need help for all the back packs and fanny packs that I have collected over the years either as the "perfect"disney pack or with Disney/character logos.lol

As for advice. What do yo feel comfortable with everyday and what is realistic to expect your family to keep track of? Go with that.

 

[SuzieQMomof3]

I just bought a child's size backpack from LLBean for our upcoming trip. It's for ages 4-7, but it will fit me or my husband just fine. It's smaller than a regular backpack, but bigger than those Jansport "half pint" bags which I currently use as a diaper bag.

Our three older children use their own waist packs (I think the whole geek stigma comes from the name, FANNY pack-LOL) to carry their "important" stuff which I think is a waste to carry.

With an infant, there is no way I could get away with just a waist pack for myself.......but someday..........!!!!!

 

[Figment56]

Backpack/fannypack-I use both! DH usually does fanny pack. I do backpack if we are staying long at the parks. Fanny if short stay. I have purchased clear backpacks from Walmart. These are great because security can see what's in them without having to remove everything. Also, it is plastic, so it is pretty waterproof. I usually have water bottles, ponchos, snacks (a must), sunscreen, small fans and whatever else we may need. Backpack is much lighter by the time we leave the parks! We also have purchased small, waterproof containers that people use at water parks to keep our passes in. They hang around your neck. That way, they all stay dry and one of us (adults) holds all of them so they don't get lost by the kids!

 

[daisylove]

I just saw at Target clear plastic backpacks with different colre piping/seams. One in lime green! my sister also swears by the see through backpack as a diaper bag in Disney because she does not want to have to open and expose Dn's things to germs etc (yes she is a new mom and paranoid)

 

[MomEars]

We use to wear fanny packs until my older daughters discovered the mini-size backpacks made by Jansport.They come in cool colors,(we each have a different color). We bought ours at Kolhs.Had to do something,when my fanny pack was so loaded with stuff,I could knock down several people by just getting up.lol. Don't forget to put a luggage tag on them also. They are small enough to take on most rides,& easy enough to slip off if needed on the bigger rides. They also held up in the rain. Use them time and time again.

 

[SuzieQMomof3]

Momears, That little Jansport bag is what I use for a diaper bag. It is unbelievable-the amount of stuff that bag will hold. Most times I put my wallet in it and my cell phone in the front zippered section and don't carry anything else. I got mine at Koh's, too.

 

[karemore]

I wouldn't dream of going to WDW without my backpack.

The only ride that was difficult was Splash Mountain. Next year I'll put the backpack in a plastic bag, so it can rest on the floor of our log. My legs got tired trying to hold it up off the water on the bottom.

Otherwise we got so much use out of the backpack.

We take fruit, drinks, and sandwiches to the parks and eat them early in the day to lighten the pack. Then we start filling it with small purchases!

I admit I carry a backpack everywhere, not just WDW. I carry it to work with my lunch and and personal items I can't leave in my desk.

Karen

 

[karlad61]

We just returned from a great trip at WDW. I bought one of the LL Bean slingback bags which was great. My teen age daughter carried one of those nylon sport bags that you wear on your back. We noticed a lot of teens with those. My daughters is Speedo brand and we got it at Kohls. It weighs practically nothing and is water resistant.

 

[scotthart]

I usually carry both a backpack and fannypack and have never had a problem taking both with me on every attraction.