Backpack vs fanny pack

[hezzie]

For all the mothers out there with toddlers, what type of bag (backpack, fannypack, etc.)do you use when at Disney and what type of things do you carry in it? I don't want to have to lug around a heavy bag all day, so please share your expertise!

 

[AZKathy]

I found in the summertime, that a fanny pack is just too hot for me to wear. We use a back pack but put it in the bottom of the stroller so we don't have to lug it around except for lines and rides. I try to keep it simple for us. I carry simple snacks, autograph books, large pen, camera, umbrella, bandaids, things like that. Of course, when in diapers, diapers, wipes, etc.

I found out this past trip that the pre packaged single serving cookies (oreos, chips ahoy, etc) got broken terribly in the packs and we wasted a lot of them because they became cookie crumbs after a day in the park.

Hope this helps some, and welcome to the DIS!!!!

 

[IowaGirl]

My son is now 5, but he is very skinny, and it did not work well for him to wear a fanny pack. I even kept it very light, just a few snacks, like fruit snacks, a box of raisins, and a granola bar. Just slipped off of him, no matter what.

My DH and each took a backpack, but kept it light. Squeeze breeze bottles, snacks, and a few gatorade bottles of ice. We hung our back packs on the stoller when we were walking, and we stuck extra bottles of ice in the bottom of the stroller in a cooler bag. We brought a small hand towel from the hotel to pat him dry after a water ride, or a soaking. Two extra tank tops for him, should his ice cream melt all over him. If they got messy, I threw them away(bought at the goodwill store)
Most important first aid was small bottle of sunscreen for a re-app(we lotioned him at the hotel in the AM, because we knew once he saw the castle, he would'nt sit still for lotion!!) And a hat...And bandaid blister blockers--the ten year needed those.
I also found a insulated bottle cooler that had a key chain type hook at the Dollar Tree, and we hooked that to the stroller so he had access to water whenever he wanted.
I would definitly consider having your kids wear bathing suits if you are going when it will be very warm. (If they are potty trained) I'm just going to pack swim trunks our next trip for everybody.
Good Luck!!!
If you can, bring umbrella strollers for your kids. We flew, but we checked our old stroller and over our 10 day trip that saved us 70.00.
We were prepared to leave it behind if we bought too many souveniers.



His favorite snacks were tootsie rolls, safety-pops, mickey mouse fruit snacks, and gummy bears.

 

[IowaGirl]

Gosh, one other thing
When we were this May, I was astonished how much stuff was left behind by people in their strollers when they went for a ride. I felt comfortable leaving behind my little cooler of ice bottles (which we did) and I would have left a diaper bag (if I had still needed one), but I saw cameras, souvenier bags, really nice Disney Diaper bags, etc. I am sure theft happens there too, so I'd make sure I'd take the beat up diaper bag. At least I did not see any kids left behind ....

But, I think you can feel comfortable leaving some stuff with your stroller when you park it. As long as it is easily replaceable...

 

[MK Familystone]

We have taken our boys at 1 1/2, 2 1/2, 3 1/2, and on and on . Our plan for the parks was to work out of the Lockers at each park where the bulky and backup supplies would be stored and planned our touring in loops around the lockers restocking needs. Used a lightweigth back pack and water bottle hip pack.
ENJOY!

 

[beattyfamily]

I've had toddlers the last 3 trips.

I use a fannypack for money, CC, passes, room key, my inhaler, and other valuables.

I use the backpack for our other stuff and as a diaper bag. I pack a couple of diapers, baby wipes, rash cream, sunscreen, snacks like her favorite cereal in a ziplock bag or granola bars, a couple of straws in case we need to get a drink in a bottle that doesn't come with a straw, and I still need to bring a sippy cup for the little one. We also try to fit our camera and video camera when we're going on rides.

It's worked out well.

 

[jldriscoll]

This has always been a dilema for me because I'm the one in the family who lugs everything around. A pack mule if you will

Just last weekend we took the kids to Cedar Point as a warm up to WDW (of course ) I tried this for the first time and it worked pretty well.....

fanny pack --

camera, 2 way radio, money and ID

A canvas bag I left in our wagon --

ziplocks, sunscreen, extra cup, bandaides, antiseptic gel, scrunchies,hand cleaner, wipes, fruit snacks, juice boxes, kleenex, extra hats


Believe it or not all that fit in a small canvas bag I found at target. I didn't mind leaving this stuff unattended because, well, all together it was about $20 worth of stuff. Anything expensive I carried.

I have seen in another thread, a bag from One step Ahead that attaches to the handle of the stroller. Looked neat for parents with babies. Easy to organize you diaper things.

 

[dandelion]

Originally posted by IowaGirl
Gosh, one other thing
When we were this May, I was astonished how much stuff was left behind by people in their strollers when they went for a ride. I felt comfortable leaving behind my little cooler of ice bottles (which we did) and I would have left a diaper bag (if I had still needed one), but I saw cameras, souvenier bags, really nice Disney Diaper bags, etc. I am sure theft happens there too

It sure does, it happened to a family in my dd's class. They had their camera, cellphone and important prescriptions in a camera case. They left it on a bench with Grandma ... Grandma wandered off thinking "it'll be safe, this is Disney."

They lost a half-day of vacation making calls to cancel the cell phone account and re-fill the prescription. A lesson hard-learned.

Ok, to answer the original question - I am used to carrying weight on my hips so I got a very small squarish pack with a shoulder strap that ends up at hip height. In there goes money, ccs, room key, camera, comb, pen, sunglasses - that's about it.

If the kids are along for the trip, we use a backpack exactly like beattyfamily described. We have an average-sized Jansport. We leave it in the stroller when we go on rides, unless we do have the cameras in there, then we bring it of course.

For the rare trip without the kids, I have a small flowered backpack I got at Target. My own snacks, water bottle, hat, extra film, even a light jacket all fit in it great. It is cloth, because in hot weather I hate the sweaty feel of nylon backpacks. It is pretty enough to work as a "purse" for dressier occasions.