Diaper Bag Debate...

[OurLittleLove]

This October will be our first trip to WDW as a family. DH and I have been over 20+ times but had the convenience of traveling light in the parks. This will be our first trip with our 2.5 year old son. I'm SO excited....but also somewhat nervous.

Some questions:

1. Do you remove your diaper bag from your stroller when you go on rides? I know this is a somewhat foolish question. I know I need to be careful with my belongings because although it's the Happiest Place On Earth, bad things can still happen. But I can't help but dread constantly having to take my diaper bag on/off the stroller.

2. Do you carry your camera in the diaper bag? We have a nice DSLR camera and palm size video camera I want to bring. But that's just another thing to take out/off of the stroller.

3. Lastly -I'm in dire need of a new diaper bag. I spilled milk in mine and no matter how many times I wash it, I can't get rid of the stench. Do you love your diaper bag? What brand/style is it?

Thanks for commenting!

 

[Madteaparty001]

I would get a backpack that will easily fit in the bottom of your stroller. This would make it easier to bring it with you when you go on rides since it will be less bulky and your DH can help you carry it! You can put outfits in ziplock bags, and bring a wet bag for any dirt clothes/wet shoes.

 

[kboo]

We left our diaper bag in the stroller (and always had a rain cover with our stroller), but we never left any valuables in it. I also traveled as light as possible - not sure how big your diaper bag is, but since we were always going back to the room for naps, I just brought a diaper clutch. Skip hop makes one - http://www.amazon.com/Skip-Hop-Changing-Station-Chevron/dp/B00B7XUVOE - it's small enough to actually hang off the stroller.

We had a Diaper Dude diaper bag and loved all the different compartments, if you're looking for a larger diaper bag. But frankly we didn't take it with us when we went to the parks - we were never there more than 4 hours at a time.

 

[MunchkinSweetPea]

When we went last year we used our fisher price fast finder diaper bag and only kept the normal diapering supplies inside. We left it in the bottom of the stroller whenever we had to park it and never had an issue. Even if someone had taken off with it, it was replaceable. I wouldn't leave the camera inside. As far as your diaper bag have you tried spraying a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar inside and then turning it inside out to dry in the sun? That really helped when I had a travel bag incident on a road trip once. And also for these gorgeous clothes a local "granny" gave us that unfortunately smelled of stale smoke from her son.

 

[EllieBride]

I use a LeSport tote bag for a diaper bag. I haven't found anything lighter than this. The ones that I have are not specifically diaper bags and therefore, do not have much in the way of pockets, but I don't mind. I just love that they are super lightweight.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

We had a very similar debate on our first trip as a family. After 15 years of going by ourselves going with a one year old raised a whole different level of concerns. We got a Fisher Price backpack diaper bag that would fit under the stroller and loaded it down (we aren't return to the resort people). It worked great but we did take it off the stroller and in with us for pretty much everything. With it being the backpack style it was never an issue and when we got back home we never switched back to the old diaper bag. I got it on Amazon for $20 and it's getting ready to make its forth Disney trip in addition to around time so it's been well worth it.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We put ALL of the things in the diaper bag, LOL, and we take it on the rides with us.

We have a Vera Bradley Make a Change diaper bag, which I love!

 

[little miss minnie]

We have a diaper bag backpack from JujuBe that I LOVE. It fits great in the bottom of our graco stroller, or we just carry it on our backs. I bought it specifically for our trip last October with a 9 mo. old and it was a GREAT purchase. It holds a ton of stuff, has bottle/sippy cup holders, a diaper/wipe pocket. This is the link to the manufacturers website http://www.shop.ju-ju-be.com/be-right-back/. I bought ours off ebay, so it wasnt as expensive, but I'm telling you, they are GREAT diaper bags.

Also, with this bag, it's easy to keep everything in one place and quickly grab it out of the stroller if need be and toss it on our shoulder.

 

[Jess_S]

We left our diaper bag on our stroller during our last trip to Disneyland and it was always there when we got back. That said, it only had diapers, wipes, cheerios, sunscreen and a change or clothing for our son in it. I suppose the bag could have still been stolen, but the thief would have been sorely disappointed.

 

[Ava]

We use a backpack as our park bag - holds everything and is easy to carry with you when you go on rides. We also have a Skip Hop diaper clutch like a PP mentioned, so we brought that too. We kept 1-2 diapers plus wipes in the clutch to take into the bathroom for changes, then kept a Ziploc bag with extra diapers & wipes in it under the stroller. We'd just replenish the clutch as needed throughout the day. We also carried a change of clothes in a Ziploc in the backpack. My advice is to always carry what you'll need for a diaper change with you, so you don't have to walk back to your stroller for supplies before going to the bathroom.

I carried my DSLR camera in the backpack. I would not leave any valuables in your stroller when you go on rides. We left things like extra diapers, water bottles, etc. but nothing that wasn't easily replaceable if someone decided to take it. I would also not leave souvenirs in the stroller; it hasn't happened to me but I've read enough reports of people leaving bags of souvenirs in their stroller and coming back to them gone. Plan to shop as you are leaving the park, or have your purchases delivered to your resort if you're staying on property.

2 is a really fun age to take kids - very different than an adult-only trip, but its all so magical for them at that age. You will have a great time!

 

[TravelingTotMom]

We went to a local sporting goods store and got a decent, sturdy backpack with multiple compartments (that was on sale for under $20!) specifically to use as a diaper bag for Disney. Honestly, it was no inconvenience wearing it and taking it on rides at all.

We also take our good camera in the backpack, but instead of using the thick carrying case, I just wrap it up in a light baby blanket.

I personally do not leave the backpack on the stroller (and definitely wouldn't with a camera/valuables in it!), but our stroller has a zipper pocket where I will put stuff like a change of clothes, sweatshirt, etc. for DS. I will also leave things like a blanket or towel visible on the bottom of the stroller - things that wouldn't be the end of the world if they went missing, but also things that cut down on the bulk of the backpack.

Plus, snacks in the backpack can be invaluable in line with a little one.

 

[SanderMC]

We brought a back pack. We had our daughter's diaper stuff, along with a bathing suit and change of clothes. We also had the camera, video camera, ponchos, our pins, and her autograph book. The only item we didn't put in the bag and purposely left in the bottom of a stroller was a towel (in case my daughter decided to play in some sort of water feature, we would have something to dry her off). It worked out great and we didn't have any issue carrying it.

 

[bostonminnie]

We use a diaper bag at home, but a backpack in Disney. I's so easy to take it out from under the stroller and wear it on the rides.

 

[daisygirl902]

1. Do you remove your diaper bag from your stroller when you go on rides? We did - it came everywhere with us.

2. Do you carry your camera in the diaper bag? We have a nice DSLR camera and palm size video camera I want to bring. But that's just another thing to take out/off of the stroller. Yup, ours fit great in the diaper bag.

3. Lastly -I'm in dire need of a new diaper bag. I spilled milk in mine and no matter how many times I wash it, I can't get rid of the stench. Do you love your diaper bag? What brand/style is it? We LOVE our diaper bag. We spilled formula in our old on on day 1 of our last trip, and bought a Buzz Lightyear backpack in EPCOT which is now our new diaper bag. We swapped out our stuff and threw out the old bag in the baby care centre It was fantastic on the trip, and we LOVE having it now that we're home.

 

[tinkermomto3]

We had a diaper bag (or possibly 2 bags, I had an 11 month old, 2.5 year old, and 4 year old) that stayed with the stroller(s) and then my husband had a small cross body camera bag. If we were leaving the stroller alone we took the camera bag with us and that had any "valuables" we had with us in it. We left the diaper bag with snacks, cups, clothes, diapers, etc. in the bottom of the stroller. I also had a small cross body diaper bag (a ju ju be behip) that I took into line with us that had anything we might need while away from our other stuff.

 

[EPCOTgrl1]

1) Yes, take your bag with you. As you said as much as we like to think Disney is safe it isn't. Thing have and will get stolen.

2) I would keep my both in my bag if it had the space to.

3) I like my Better Life Bag. It is a small company that hand makes every bag. You choose the style, fabrics colors and designs, leather color, etc. it is pricy but I will use this bag even after it is done being a diaper bag.

 

[mjkacmom]

I still have my first diaper bag, 18 years old, and baby #5 is 12. It's still perfect for day trips with the family - I even bring it to the beach! It's an older version of this, and looks brand new.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lands-End-B...859?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d5abcfe63

 

[CoP Luv]

We didn't bring the diaper bag with us to the park because it was WAY too big and wouldn't fit under the stroller. We travel as light as we can so we brought two drawstring backpacks to the parks each day, and fit under our City Mini GT. One had some diapers, wipes (all in one of the fold-up changing pad things), along with a few snacks. The other had a wristlet and our cameras. We took the "camera" bag with us on rides and left the diaper/snack bag in the stroller. Neither was heavy or expensive (I am pretty sure both bags were both free giveaways at some point so we weren't too concerned if one was lost). That system worked so well for us and we will do it again!

ETA: We have a Diaper Dude backpack and I loved having a backpack for a diaper bag. We loaded it up too much for a trip once and the strap broke. I am going to try to replace the strap because it really is an awesome bag (and a new one is $$).

 

[heath92681]

We have a Skip Hop Duo that attaches to the stroller with clips. We put everything in there except phone/money, which I put in my small Vera Bradley cross body purse. I just left the bag attached to the stroller the whole time. We are long out of diapers, but I love that bag and plan to use it again in November!

 

[amylevan]

We don't carry a "diaper bag" into the parks. I use a diaper clutch that fits diapers and wipes in it and is an easy grab for changes. It stays in the stroller at all times unless I'm using it. We have a mesh bag that hangs off the back of our stroller that holds things like snacks, suntan lotion, etc. The mesh makes it easy to get through security. (this one: http://www.amazon.com/Childress-Cargo-Stroller-Organizer-Black/dp/B000X2HC9W/ref=sr_1_4?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1438793353&sr=1-4&keywords=mesh+stroller+bag) We don't carry much with us, and nothing of value, so that bag stays on our stroller even while we are on rides.

We carry our camera (also a dlsr) in a camera bag. We throw that underneath the stroller when we are pushing it around, but when we park the stroller, we do take our camera with us.