Help with planning the day please

[meldud]

Please can anyone tell me what sort of things to take into the parks with us?

My husband is suggesting carrying a back-pack, but I am unsure what the regulations for riding with one is.

What do we actually need to take with us? Obviously a camera and suncream is essential, but what else do we need to take?

This is our first trip to WDW, so any help is gratefully received.

thanks,

Mel

 

[Lizzybear]

I think it largely depends on whether or not you have kids, they require more stuff but if they're of stroller age bag weight won't be such an issue.
Some people like to take backpack but personally I prefer a small shoulder bag containing: Compact camera, cagoule (folds up small), wallet, plasters, ibuprofen, mobile (I don't generally use it in the US but like to have it on me just in case), bottle of water and car keys. I try to leave most stuff in the car like suncream (I apply it in the morning before we set off) so i'm not carrying too much around, in the heat even a light bag can get annoying! My bf has a DSLR camera bag which also holds his park stuff.

 

[wickesy]

All we take is a camera (in a case clipped onto my trousers), water (in a holder around my waist), money (in Dad's wallet ) and my notebook for making notes for my trip report (the only thing I carry). As you can tell, we travel light. We did used to take a small backpack but found we never needed anything from it so we stopped taking it.

If you do take a backpack into Disney then generally you can take it on rides with you and either put it on your lap or there will be an area to store it. I know a couple of rides in Universal that don't allow backpacks have lockers by the ride entrance that you can put it in while you ride.

 

[Pegasus928]

We have a Theme Park Bag - which I seem to change every visit as I always see one that I think will be better than my last one.
We have 2 kids with us so would rather take stuff we think we MIGHT need than to find out we need something and can't get it in a park.

Ours contains;

Camcorder & spare tapes
Digital Camera, batteries & flash cards
Wet Wipes
Travel Tissues
Sun Protection (30 and a 50) in a spray. (Quicker and less messy than a cream or lotion).
Lip Balm
Eye Drops (for the contacts wearer)
After Bite Itch Eraser
Spare Caps (nearly lost one on Jurassic park so thought we should carry a spare)
Autograph books & pens
Chewing gum (for after dinner of course)
Couple of plastic forks, knives & spoons that we aquired from a funnel cake stand - they have come in handy on a number of occassions.
Headache Tablets
Hand Sanitizer
Plasters (blisters do happen in Disney)
Asthma inhaler
Spare sunglasses
Ponchos
Mobiles
Water bottle clip attached to the side so the kids can help themselves.

Everything stays in the same pocket once it is in there, so everyone knows where to go if they need anything.
Although it looks a lot everything is light so the bag itself isn't heavy or cumbersome. In fact DD(11) normally does some of the carrying for me most trips

The only thing I never put in it is my wallet. I have one that I bought a while back that has a chain attached to it, which in turn attaches to a belt loop. That way I will never leave it on a counter somewhere or drop it on the floor.

 

[Dimplenose]

We try to get everything we need into bumbags.

That includes money, tickets, small tube suncream, camera and headache tablets.

I also take a draw string type backpack to put our hats and sunglasses in while we're on rides - on most I slip the strings over my leg while seated, some have pockets for your stuff and as mentioned before the few at US that don't allow back packs at all have lockers.

We also have water bottles (mine has a strap to hang round my neck, DH has his on his belt.)

We do take a camcorder but limit the number of times we take it out otherwise DH only gets to see WDW through a lens and the rest of the family get irritated by the constant stopping to film.

I've never gone with babies - DD was 4 on her first visit - but these are the only bags we've ever taken. When the kids were into autographs they kept their books and pens in their own bumbags.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We take a fair bit, generally in a large leather messenger bag though if we are going to a theme park we always have Joshua's wheelchair also. And we have a really useful bag that fits over the back of the seat.

Camera
wet wipes
towel
sunglasses
hats or caps
change of clothes for Joshua
snacks for Joshua
wallet/tickets/money etc
car keys
suncream
drinks for Joshua
mobile phones 'sometimes' - though only on our last holiday did we have one's that worked in the US
always tend to have chewing gum too

 

[disneyholic family]

i carry a backpack (daypack size) and DH carries a bumbag....

there is no problem carrying backpacks/bumbags on rides at WDW....

what's in my backpack?
my purse - i put it into the backpack - easier to carry that way...
food - my kids need to eat through the day - they're those very skinny, constant eater types....so i have crackers, plain bagels, etc in my bag for them to snack on...
water bottles in the two side pockets...

we carry a second small backpack just for the ponchos - so they don't get everything else wet...

the kids also carry a water bottle each - the bottle is in a carrier for easy carrying...

 

[madmumof2]

I'm planning on taking everything we need in my bumbag, and the kids little (tiny!) backpacks.

My bumbag will have all the important stuff in it (has loads of pockets and little extras), like tickets, money, camera, cards, sun cream, wipes and water.

The kids will each have their autograph books, pens, disposable cameras each, and some water each too.

 

[gemmybear83]

We either take a small back pack or I carry a small over body bag. I did take a regular sized back pack last year but found it to big and stopped using it mid way through the holiday! On the rides you can put your bag between your legs. On the faster disney rides they have baskets where you sit where you put your bag into, at Universal they have a locker system.

We take with us (bear in mind this is just the two of us):
Park tickets
Money
Bottle of water
Mini bottle of suncream to top up with in the parks
Notebook and pen (for trip reports, and also keeps a record of our ADRS).
Plasters
Sunglasses
Hoodie/cardigan if were there during the colder months and will be staying in the parks in the evening.

Anything else we need we figure we can buy it it the parks if were that desperate!

 

[disneyholic family]

oops....double post....

 

[Lizzybear]

Oops I forgot a couple of things: Laminated itinerary card (in my pocket: Everyone I know laughs at me for making these but they're soo useful as any info we need for the day like addresses and confirmation numbers is in one place and they're waterproof too!) and a pen and pack of tissues in my bag. Some days I take my autograph book and sunglasses too, found I needed the glasses more in California though.

 

[meldud]

Thanks everyone.

My kids will be 10 and 9 by then so will probably be capable of carrying some bits and pieces and obviously we have less to lug around without the small child paraphanalia.

I may try to find some larger bumbags that so we can share a load. I hadn't thought about plasters, so they are now top of my list.

Mel

 

[Cyrano]

I would be lost without a back pack. It nomally has about 6 bottles of water, of which 3 have been frozen in the freezer overnight These keep any fruit and snacks nice and fresh. Whilst slowly thawing throughout the morning
Ponchos, note book, wallet, cameras and the troops pin trading lanyards make up the rest of the space