Do your kids carry their own bags?

[TXDisneyFan1]

We just got back from a 7 day trip and I gotta say...My two oldest girls (17 and 13) carried their own string backpacks and it was a lot easier on me and my husband! We carry a smallish family pack and it was a hassle always having to open it to get out what they needed (I think we all know how high maintenance teen girls can be.). This time, they kept up with their stuff and it didn't really add any time at the bag check line.

One side note: My oldest daughter lost her pack while riding SM. It had her phone and wallet in it. So, there is the increased chance that you might have to wait until an hour after park close to retrieve your daughter's pack because she didn't secure it on a ride if you let your kids take their own packs; but, I would do it again.

 

[ShellieMimi]

You're planning on using a baby stroller to haul everyone's stuff forever? Even when the kids are in college? Do you use it everywhere, or just at WDW?



They've forgotten stuff, but that's part of learning to be responsible.

It's clear that you're very proud of yourself for putting a backpack on a toddler, but I think most of our kids had no issue learning to be responsible at home with their backpacks & school supplies, and don't need any extra practice on vacation. If yours need(ed) extra practice under supervision, it's great that you recognized that, but no need to give other people the third degree.

 

[DisneyOma]

It's clear that you're very proud of yourself for putting a backpack on a toddler, but I think most of our kids had no issue learning to be responsible at home with their backpacks & school supplies, and don't need any extra practice on vacation. If yours need(ed) extra practice under supervision, it's great that you recognized that, but no need to give other people the third degree.

Sure, kids get practice at home all the time, so why do they not need to do it on vacation? The little one insisted on having one just like her big sister, which was fine, and most days it ended up in the stroller basket except when we went in a queue. Then she wanted it on just like big sister. It was actually easier to do it this way - if we split up, the kids had their own stuff with them, and we didn't have to rummage through one community bag or do without. It was no biggie, but they never complained, and just took care of it.

The stroller question though - do they do it everywhere or just WDW?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Yes and no, as others have said, we try to keep everything down to one or rarely two bags tops for the whole group. Sometimes no bag at all.

What we carry varies a bit by temps, weather, how long we'll be out of the room, etc.

Rain forecast is below 50% = plastic poncho in the pocket. Above 50% =compact rain jackets (fold inside one pocket). Maybe wear, maybe shove in a bag. Winter day where temps go from 60 to 80, we use a similar plan for fleece.

If it is above 80, we carry water. We also always refill bottles.

We try to buy things on our way out of the park, but mostly everyone carries their own goodies, though sometimes we use the bag delivery service.

DO carry emergency meds at all times!

If we are just going out for a short time, we go bagless.

We apply sunscreen each morning at the room from a big bottle/can. The tiny one I carry is just for back-up.

Over the years, I've tried just about every kind of bag. String -bags have two problems, the strings dig into your back, and the nylon sometimes rips after the abuse of touring. Crossbody is very comfortable, or a SMALL backpack that has (slightly thicker straps).
Large bags are exhausting to carry, and make your back very sweat!

At Universal, we try to go bagless unless we have wands with us. Bags often have to go in lockers. The lockers are free while you ride, but they are time-consuming.

 

[anniebean]

What 6 year old is not going to lose their bag?

My daughter is now 18, but we started going yearly when she was 6. She never lost the first backpack. The same goes for her older brothers, but they switched to a fanny pack at some point.

 

[dreiwhit]

Mine do. They each have a Camelbak and carry whatever they want to bring with them in the pockets.

But, I tell them that if they bring it, they have to carry it. Mom & I aren't pack mules.

 

[Klayfish]

You're planning on using a baby stroller to haul everyone's stuff forever? Even when the kids are in college? Do you use it everywhere, or just at WDW?

Please tell me you're kidding. 'Cause if you aren't, those are some pretty dumb questions.

EDIT: Go back and reread what I wrote. If you want to read it as us hauling everyone's stuff forever and everywhere, more power to you.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

ROFL at this thread. Everyone must have trained little soldiers on this board. My kids would be happy to carry their own bags, but I prefer the bags actually making it back to the hotel at the end of the day. What 6 year old is not going to lose their bag? My 8 year old could probably manage to lose his sneakers at the park if we didn't watch him.

unrelated but, just yesterday my six year old left a shoe in the parking lot, as we are driving away my husband sees it in the side mirror, we reverse pick it up.

 

[fbb]

Please tell me you're kidding. 'Cause if you aren't, those are some pretty dumb questions.

EDIT: Go back and reread what I wrote. If you want to read it as us hauling everyone's stuff forever and everywhere, more power to you.

Stop avoiding the question and produce your 10-year stroller plan, please

 

[Disney_Cindy]

ROFL at this thread. Everyone must have trained little soldiers on this board. My kids would be happy to carry their own bags, but I prefer the bags actually making it back to the hotel at the end of the day. What 6 year old is not going to lose their bag? My 8 year old could probably manage to lose his sneakers at the park if we didn't watch him.

This made me chuckle, I think mostly because I'm an adult and could also probably manage to lose my shoes! My daughter was 10 last year and carried a cinch backpack, the though of her losing it really never crossed my mind because I could always see if she had it. She's diabetic so she carried her tester, insulin, small snack(s), lanyard with pins, pennies and quarters for pressed pennies, and water. I also got one and used it, I carried a light cardigan because I get cold in the AC, my purse (it's a small Vera Bradley crossbody), portable phone charger, and water bottle. We had poncho's in the room but luckily never needed them. I liked having the cinch packs, they were light, and fit easily on the rides, and they were big enough for all but one of the souvenirs we bought.

 

[Amelia :)]

Stop avoiding the question and produce your 10-year stroller plan, please

I hear @Klayfish is planning on bringing a doll to continue getting away with this. I also heard he was planning on using the doll get extra fp's and cheat the rider switch system....

 

[VAfamily1998]

We go as minimalist as possible. The last trip we took was just me, my oldest son (age 17) and my youngest son (age 10) and everything fit in our pockets. We have little need to carry "stuff"--cell phones, a tiny wallet large enough to carry some cash and a credit card...and that's it!

When we still had very young children (the youngest was 3) we brought some of our lunches to the park in a backpack, which my husband wore...but that's about it.

 

[akayf]

And if there's a real crisis, I'd just buy a new shirt rather than carry it all day, how often does this really present as an issue for a 6 year old and 9 year old? A 2 or 3 year old, sure.

My older son has sensory processing disorder and doesn't like the sensation of wet clothes. He spills a lot too and gets upset over that. Not worth arguing in the middle of Disney so it's easier to just have an extra shirt. The water bottle is small...only holds 10 oz. Not a lot of weight but the sensory input from thst little bit of weight in his bag is calming/relaxing for him especially in a place as stimulating as Disney. Then because of sibling rivalry, the little one needs the exact same thing.

 

[akayf]

Oh and my bag has ponchos for me and DH, water bottle that DH and I share extra socks for DH in case his gets wet, first aid kit(bandaids, cut pieces of moleskin, Advil) chargers for phones, sunscreen, tissues, and stuff for autographs(as I said earlier they are getting photo mats signed). I have a small crossbody that is basically a wallet on a string that also hold my phone. DH's phone and wallet go on his pockets. We take turns holding the bag.

 

[bigbabyblues]

If they want it, they have to take it. If it is rainy season, we do get a locker for rain jackets. I never bothered with extra clothes or any of that stuff after they were out of diapers. Of course, we are the mean parents that made them walk after age 4, too.

 

[monorailsilver]

The last time we went my kids were 12, 9 and 7 and they all carried their own bag.

12 yo had her water (thermos water bottle), her new phone, chap stick and a park map. Don't think she carried much more then that. She had a crossover.

9 yo carried his water and his iPod and occasionally a park map. He had a cinch sak.

7 yo carried her water and on day 1 decided that was too much so either DH or I carried it. She had a crossover bag.

We take mid day breaks so we could watch the weather and didn't carry rain ponchos. They didn't need extra shirts for that reason. I mean they all got soaked so putting on a dry shirt would only mean carrying a wet shirt or their dry shirt getting soaked. They are fairly clean eaters, not sure how that happened!

 

[Superchikk]

The first time we took the kids, we had a toddler. Stroller was a must. The most recent time we went, we still had a stroller, but it was mainly because we like to go early & be out late, and knew the kids would have a much better experience if they could ride some. And let's face it... it's easier to keep up with them when everyone's leaving after fireworks. So we've had a stroller to hold the stuff, but our pack carrying situation has changed each time.

Our most recent trip, my husband kept his stuff in his pockets (lucky duck). Women's clothing has TINY pockets, so I got a RunningBuddy pouch to hold my phone, ID, cash, etc. I fell in love with it and highly recommend it. I've used it several times on field trips, etc. We had a small backpack with other things in it, but left it with the stroller. Next trip, both kids will be walking 100% of the time, and I'll carry a Meru bag because I can't *not* have ponchos and a few other things. If the kids want anything with them that doesn't fit in my bag, they'll have to carry it.

 

[kniquy]

When we traveled with my at the time 9 yo twin boys i had the only back pack for our family of 4. I found it just easier to keep track of one bag and know what we had in the bag. Leaving money and such to kids is a little difficult - do you always want to be checking to see if they have it or worried they left it behind in a restaurant? Just throwing out some scenarios. For us it makes it easier for me and hubby to just trade off our one back pack, plus going through security will be easier with one bag vs 3.

Only now that my boys are older older -11 yo- do i trust them with money while on vacations. it is their money and if they lose it then they can't buy something so at this age they are a bit more responsible. I defiantly would not trust a 6 yo with any thing of value, the older child possibly.

We really only carried minimal items, water bottle which we could refill, a few snacks (because kids are always hungry and constantly buying snacks is not an option), baby wipes and ponchos (and maybe some small essentials bandaids & tylenol). I held on to all the gift cards and cash. Really no need for extra clothing. Keep it simple which will make it a little less stressful

 

[seb65]

My daughter carried a small Disney crossbody with her autograph book and pen in it. She kept a hair band in it and put her lanyard in it as well when she was tired of wearing it. I had a small crossbody that held a small tube of sunscreen, my phone, id and ponchos.

 

[starsweeper]

We were without strollers for the first time this year. My older kids (both 10) carried sackpack bags to hold 2 bottles of water (1 for them, 1 for a younger sibling), a couple snack bags (Goldfish and so on), their iPods, and anything else they wanted to carry--mints, mini hairbrush, lipgloss, etc. I had a small purse with my items, the camera, bottled water, power brick, and a ziploc of extra bottoms for the younger kids.