Do I really need a backpack for disneyland?

[robinjh7]

YMMV, but I always carry one. I have to have what I want when I want it. Everything I carry in my purse is in my backpack. Plus my Nook because I don't ride the 'big' rides. I also have found that if we do a locker for our sweatshirts then I'm usually across the park when I get too hot or cold and want to take it off. I hate stretching them out by tying them around my waist. So I carry mine. Plus snacks and a water bottle. My camera/case. (Sometimes my big camera and lenses and stuff!) Shrug. It doesn't bother me. Not having my stuff would!

 

[jory29]

I know they went out of fashion a few years ago, but use a fanny pack,
I bought one for my son so he can carry his own things which will relieve me of some of his crap and make my pack lighter...
I take lunch , snacks. drinks. camera. and jacket oh and my meds..

Ha ha, I am laughing because I use one, too! I know it looks silly!! I wear it in the front, and have a great place to rest my arms when waiting in line for the rides. It can hold a couple of snacks, parkhoppers, sunglasses, cash and credit card, and more. I can't STAND carrying anything and yes, many times, even a jacket someone took with them - I am the one left holding it when they don't need it, ha ha. I have even tied it around my waist. I don't care. I'm there to have fun, and being bogged down with things isn't so much fun. What are the chances I will run into anyone I know, anyway? Yes, camera/cell phone spare battery fit in there. Medication yes, bandaids too. (Blister help.)

 

[SilentFeline]

I always insist on bringing a backpack on every trip to DLR. I like to come prepared. Plus, it's so easy to bring them on rides. Honestly, I would think carrying everything in your pockets would be annoying. But maybe that's just me.

 

[Hound 109]

Cargo pants pockets accomdate the tube of sunscreen, phone, camera & sunglasses. Padewan Alec & have visited 7 times over the past 4 years & we don't do backpacks or princesses....ever.

You got to be hands free if you want to tour with a purpose while munching on corny dogs, mickey bars, jalapeno cheese filled pretzles, etc. etc.

 

[cyclenut]

If we are going for the day we always pack one backpack for our party. If it is going to be a cool/cold evening, we pack another with coats/jackets and put it in a locker. We don't like to waste time going back to the car.

In the first backpack we pack frozen water bottles and some non-frozen ones. Makes for a heavy pack at the start of the day but buy the end of the day it is nice and has plenty of room. We also pack snacks so we don't have to spend so much money on meals. Then we pack in a few additional incidentals like sunscreen, chapstick, napkins, extra camera batteries, etc.

The one backpack approach usually means I carry it and everyone else is left with hands free. It fits on all the rides just fine. The only problem I have is sometimes accidently smacking someone when I turn around.

DW has a fanny pack that works great for her even when we are not carrying the backpack.

 

[nannyz]

I use a clear vinyl tote that I bought online for $5.00. I can see in and grab what I need in a hurry, and it gets me through security quickly. I stay in the park from open to close so I need to be prepared for all contingencies. (Amazed that I can still do this at age 65!).
I can't tell you how many times I have been bonked by people carrying huge backpacks with no regard for the people around them. And I wonder...what in the world do they have in there? LOL

 

[coaches24]

We've traveled with little guys the last few times and I've always packed 2 'bags'. One is a sling-style purse (accross the chest) that I can hang on the back of the stroller while walking that has my wallet, key, and camera in it. In the stroller I keep a separate bag with snacks, diaper change stuff, extra clothes, etc. My theory being, I take the purse with me on rides and leave the bag in the stroller. If someone steals it, it's not the end of the world, and I don't have to lug it with me on every ride.

I hope that makes sense!

Yea we take our big stroller and pack everything (small cooler, diaper bag (though we dont need Diapers now), small blanket, video camera etc in it. The only thing we worry about enough to carry with us is the video camera. Though my DW left her Iphone in the stroller cup holder a couple of times on accident and it wasnt stolen. I keep our tickets in my wallet and put my wallet and phone in my pocket (usually I wear cargo shorts so lots of pocket room). DW usually doesnt bring her purse to the parks. She packs whatever she wants from her purse in the diaper bag.

 

[martinolichfamily]

We always take a backpack into WDW on our trips and will be doing the same on our DL trip this summer. It makes it so much easier IMO vs a purse!

 

[LisainCalifornia]

I have 3 kids, but have never carried a backpack into the parks. I like being free and easy there--and with all the walking and getting on and off rides, it feels better not to have something heavy hanging on me all day. I usually carry a small "swingpack" type of messenger bag--very small. Sometimes I get a backache if I try to carry too much, too.

I don't worry about snacks for the kids. Like Kazbar said--we all get a good breakfast, lunch and dinner...so trust me, no one is going hungry! We always stay close to the parks, too--so we go back to our hotel mid-day and rest and refuel with anything we need.

I have never had a problem waiting in lines for a free cup of water in the parks. It is always very fast, and there is usually a restaurant right there when we need it. I would much rather do that than carrying water around, but different strokes and all that! I feel like after years of going into the parks, that was my "ah-ha" moment when I started getting free water at the counter service places. It works out great for all of us!

There are lockers in both parks as well, if you don't want to carry things around. I have never used them, but I know some people love them.

 

[Nonsuch]

...I was thinking of just sticking most things in my pockets and the landyard pocket thing. Phone, tickets, hotel key, etc. I have a small camera and a case that will connect to a belt loop.

This is my solution:

This a lightweight vest made by Scottevest, they have many styles.

I also use a lanyard, but zip the ticket pouch into a front pocket while on rides.

 

[Cyclokitty]

I found shorts and capris with zippered pockets and wear those whenever we go someplace and I don't want to bother with a backpack. The pockets are deep and made out of fine mesh so nothing falls thru and they are really sturdy. Mostly I carry a wallet, keys, and maybe a Lunabar or Clif bar for a snack. Originally the shorts were bought for bike riding (they are the loose, mtn bike style, not the spandex, skin tight kind) but once I wore them, I realized they'd be perfect for outings. They had bike padding but I snipped them out -- pretty easy using a seam ripper.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We've traveled with little guys the last few times and I've always packed 2 'bags'. One is a sling-style purse (accross the chest) that I can hang on the back of the stroller while walking that has my wallet, key, and camera in it. In the stroller I keep a separate bag with snacks, diaper change stuff, extra clothes, etc. My theory being, I take the purse with me on rides and leave the bag in the stroller. If someone steals it, it's not the end of the world, and I don't have to lug it with me on every ride.

I hope that makes sense!

I do the exact same thing! Wear my Travelon Slim-line messenger bag with all the important stuff in it and the extras go in a bag for the stroller!

 

[gigi0902]

I am amazed that some of you with little kids don't bring backpacks in with you or need snacks throughout the day...I can't even imagine, lol.

I have 6 kids ages 15 years down to 4 years old. We bring our Bob double jogging stroller for our 4 and 8 year old (she almost always falls asleep before closing along with the preschooler) and we pack snacks and water bottles in the bottom of it. Then my older kids have a backpack with sweaters in it and I carry another backpack that has my wallet, camera, several change of clothes for the 4 year old (I swear the kid has the bladder of a 95 year old and has little accidents all the time because he can't make it to the potty in time), baby wipes, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, chapstick, sunglasses and excedrin migraine.

This way works well for us...no need to go back and forth to a locker.

 

[Cagirl767]

With 2 kids ages 7 and 5, we still bring water bottles depending on the temperature, and sometimes a camera, so there are things we don't want to leave in a stroller (although probably won't bring a stroller again). We have a blue gender neutral backpack so either dh or myself can wear it, or one of the kids too. DH usually has on cargo shorts which we can put the camera into during rides, or my wallet if we want to leave the backpack in the stroller. There are a few ways you can distribute valuable items so that they don't get left behind. I'm comfortable leaving a backpack in the stroller and have done that for years (without the camera or wallets of course), especially if it's a cheapo one that I got somewhere for free and doesn't contain anything that can't be easily replaced.

We are starting to bring less and less as the kids get older. Still needing some small basics though: sunscreen, Chapstick, Pepto (although all of these I believe can be purchased at the market on Main Street). We don't bring in snacks either.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I had a small backpack we used in June 2011. It was during the "June gloom" and we needed our hoodies in the morning and evening. In the middle of the day, the hoodies went into the backpack and into a locker until we needed them again.

I did do a little bit of shopping but not as much as I liked because the family was all together and I put those purchases in the backpack too. I did my shopping in the evening so I had an empty backpack to put them in.

Cash, tickets, bandaids went into the pouch around my neck, camera clipped to my belt, lip stuff and change went into my pocket. It was great.

 

[elliefusmom]

I have graduated from a "fanny pack" to a cross-body purse. When we started going as a family, I made everyone wear fanny packs-even my husband. My son took his own. In it was his autograph book, pen, etc. He was in charge of change. When I got change he got it. Every morning we would count it and exchange it at the hotel and it was what he got to spend for the day. Now he is 17 - I'll never get him or my husband to carry one again. My daughter however is 8 and she still has one. I have never taken a backpack into the park. For some reason the first time we went to Disney World I bought a sling bagalinni. I've never used it since. Pack light..it's hard enough to get the 5 year old home at the end of the day w/out extra weight.

 

[AshleeH]

If you don't think you need one, then don't take one. We have a large camera, so I bring it with me for that (and ponchos, if it rains) plus a few other things like sunscreen and a change of clothes in case my youngest has an accident, but if it wasn't for the camera I would leave it and just go with the flow . I've had smaller cameras, but I do love this one, so I don't think I'll be parting with it any time soon - my cute little Vera Bradley backpack is here to stay.

 

[minniecarousel]

That is some vest!

I've graduated from the fanny pack to a Vera Bradley cross-body bag. It'll even hold a water bottle on the outside pocket.

DH wears cargo shorts, so he can stuff those with things. In fact, it irks me that I have to have my bag checked, but these guys with big pockets sail right through!

 

[Judy from Boise]

I have used this for our trips. It has two zip pouches and the clear plastic front has a velcro flap. It holds all the stuff I need for the day.

That looks like what I use. I refuse to carry anything or bring a bag, I use pockets, or a vest, or a super lanyard like this.

what I bring into the park is a little money and a credit card, room key, ticket, kleenex, a lipstick, small lotion, and iphone. What else do you need

between the family we do take a turn carrying a water bottle, but that also fits in the vest if needed. We also stay onsite, and return to the room to change clothes.

 

[kkmcan]

I usually carry the Baggalini cross body bag for the family. It is purple so dh doesn't like to carry it that much but he will if I don't want to anymore.

We take a bag of snacks (which takes up most of the bag), a bottle of water, camera, wallet, tickets, bandaids, a baggie of trading pins, Wet wipes travel pouches, chapstick and there is a bandaid or two thrown in there.

We tie our jackets around our waists when we are done wearing them and dh usually carries another water bottle in his cargo pocket.