Done with Strollers, On to Backpacks???

[diskids2]

My kids are now out of the stroller age group. We have always had at least one of them who needed us to rent a stroller. Well now that we are planning this next trip, I find myself wondering how to carry everything that I usually hung on the stroller and left while we went on a ride.

I automatically carry a fanny pack and thought of a backpack, but I was wondering how to handle the backpack while on the rides (also on line, I have a tendency to swing around alot and am always banging my DH with it, which of course I dont care, but I wouldn't want to whack an unsuspecting non family member, especially someone from the DIS )

How do you handle this?

 

[Miscrapper]

Our last visit our youngest was 6 so we did't have a stroller (although she wanted one at times!) so we had a backpack. My DH was a trooper and carried it most of the time. I had my fanny pack and video camera bag. We did get a locker a few times and we ended up going back to get a few things out of back pack (dry shirt for dd and dry clothes for all of us one day!) For the most part we had no trouble with backpack - but then DH and I took turns on Tower or Terror and RnR because girls were too scared and we had it in locker at AK when we rode Kali.

We didn't put anything valuable in backpack - just ponchos, shirts, water bottles, mister fan etc.

This trip I am thinking about looking for one of those sling type purses that is half back pack and trying to eliminate fanny pack!


HTH

 

[becka]

We always take a backpack and have not had any trouble. DH and I usually take turns with it but since we try not to overpack for the parks it stays pretty light. For rides usually DH will take it and put his legs through the staps. We have ridden everything this way (including RNRC, TOT, the mountains, etc) and never had a problem.

We just graduated to the stoller since we now have our DS. I am unsure how much we should keep in the stoller and how much to keep in our bag.

 

[diskids2]

Good to hear that you didn't have much trouble with the backpacks.

As far as the strollers goes.... We put nothing valuable in the backpack that hung on the stroller, ponchos, water misters, water bottles, park maps, etc. We left the backpack with the stroller for every ride and never had a problem. The back pack was flowered so it helped us to find the rented stroller too.

 

[cleo]

I always use a backpack in WDW. If you adjust the straps correctly it won't put any real strain on your back or shoulders. You may also find you don't need to bring as much as you did when your kids were 'stroller aged', which is an added plus.

I have never had trouble on any attraction with a back pack. You can either stick your foot through the straps while the backpack is on the floor (such as on RnR Coaster) or stow it in the bin provided (such as on Star Tours, etc). Very easy, very convenient.

 

[geffric]

I had loved it to put all sorts of things.. but the kids are now to big. So we carry a backpack- with Water, ponchos, extra film, snacks. DH and I split carrying it. We have not had a problem on the rides with it. It is heavy in the am due to all of the frozen water but it gets much lighter during the day.
Just as a hint - we freeze the water and wrap them in the poncho's for insulation. They stay very cold all day.

 

[mog]

We're in the same situation - no more stroller. Here's my plan...I bought those little small kid-sized backpacks for each of my kids. I figure it is big enough to put a water bottle, a poncho and a snack in and they can each carry their own. Then my husband and I will put a few things in a backpack of our own and take turns wearing it.
Has anyone ever had their kids wear their own backpacks? - I keep thinking "what could go wrong with this plan??" (they lay it down and lose it, they get tired of wearing it and I end up carrying it, etc.....)
I just wondered if anyone else had tried this, or do mom and dad always carry a bigger backpack with everyone's stuff?

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by mog
Has anyone ever had their kids wear their own backpacks? - I keep thinking "what could go wrong with this plan??" (they lay it down and lose it, they get tired of wearing it and I end up carrying it, etc.....)
I just wondered if anyone else had tried this, or do mom and dad always carry a bigger backpack with everyone's stuff?

We lost ours in a 1/2 hour trip to Kmart, no way am I trying it in Disney. I bought a great Pooh Backpack in Walmart with 2 large compartments and 3 small ones. I take everything. One pouch - extra clothes for DD8 and DN7 and rain ponchos, one pouch - frozen and refrig. water bottles & juice boxes & snacks; 1 compartment - handwipes, tissues, etc., 1 compartment small toys for on line (mini rubix cube chinese jump rope, puzles, bubbles, etc.). Then I put my digital camera case on top of the clothes poucha nd put all tickets and room keys in their. No fanny pack or anything. We do well. Yes, it is a little heavy in the morning (4 water bottles, 8 juice boxes and 2 diet cokes) but as we drink our way through the parks, it get lighter.

Good luck
Sandy

 

[geffric]

Reply to Mog --- I have a hard time getting my kids to carry their own water bottle and fan. Having them carry thier own backpacks would not work with my kids. My guess is that I would end up carrying them.

On the other hand, my kids to take some turns in carrying the family backpack. But it is a Mom and Dad job in our family.

 

[mmeb144]

I bought some smaller sized sling back packs for the last trip we took. My DS is 11, my DD is 8. The both carried their own water bottles, autograph books, cameras, etc. It worked great! We didn't loose anything. The kids had room for their stuff.

Marie

 

[sydsdad]

as the biggest child in the group( I'm the DH-45 and getting younger ) I ALWAYS carry the
backpack--it's difficult enough for the little ones not having
the stroller to take a break in, so I don't want to add the extra burden of carrying anything-----light or small as YOU may think it is!
add to that the added chance of "oops-I forgot it" or " I thought Mom had it" and it gets easy to see---one pack, one person's responsibility
the other good thing is that as the day goes on it does get lighter as the food and drinks dwindle-
Bottom line---GO AND ENJOY--WE ALL WISH WE WERE WITH YOU

 

[disneyag]

May was our first "stroller-free" trip. I bought my 9yr old and 6yr old their own fanny packs. I have a large fanny pack that has adjustable shoulder straps, too. The kids carried their own snacks, Kleenex, sunglasses, etc and I carried maps, tickets, etc. It worked great. I carried a backpack one day and found that I stuffed WAY MORE stuff in it than I needed and then it just got heavy.

 

[michygoomy]

This is my first stoller-free trip, yeah!

Has anyone ever had their kids wear their own backpacks?

I, like the last poster, just bought the kids their own fanny packs (FYI---WalMart had the best selection over Target and KMart). DH had to sew the strap on DD's so it would fit around her waist.

They are both very excited about their new fanny packs. They've planned out what they are going to keep in them already--including their disposable cameras.

DH has a big hunting fanny pack and I'll have my camera case most days. I also just bought a half-gallon insulated water bottle with a strap that I'll probably carry. It even has a little pouch on the side that I can carry tickets in.

OMG, we're going to look like geeks! LOL. Is there a word for a Disney geek? A Digeek?

 

[Disneylovers]

My two dds have carried their own mini backpacks for our past two trips, plus DH carries a bigger backpack with ponchos, sunscreen, walkie talkies, and waterbottles. The girls carry their autograph books and pens, sunglasses, and their cameras, (plus, younger dd carries a snack of pretzels or goldfish to tied her over). I keep an eye out for my younger dd's backpack, and have on occasion carried it for her. I'm the wearer of the fanny pack which holds the girl's passes, the room key, and tissues (the girls could never keep their packs up on their hips, so we transferred to the backpacks), and I wear the video camera around my neck at all times, to capture all the great moments.

 

[CindyAnn]

DS and DD (9 & 6 on our last trip) carry their own waist packs, containing their Disney dollars (one day's worth) and their magical moments games for the lines. DH and I each carry a backpack. His has all the cameras and two of the water bottles and mine has ponchos and sweatshirts (we often travel in cooler weather) plus a bunch of other stuff. We also just stick our foot through the straps on the rides, and we've never had a problem.

 

[Chicago526]

I use fanny pack/belt bags for everyone, including kids! They love to be "in charge" of stuff. You can split up what you need between people, say money-credit/hotel cards/park tickets, maps, camera/film with mom and/or dad, one kid has the sun screen and ponchos, and the other kids gets the water bottle and snacks. No one get stuck with a huge backpack, and you don't worry about lossing it or having it stollen.

This also forces you to evaluate what you really need to bring and pack light, or you can leave the really big/heavy things in a locker. Why toil like a pack horse when you're on vacation?

What ever method you choose, have a great trip!