How much do you bring to the parks (with younger kids)

[CharissaOKC]

We stay onsite and take mid-day breaks. The amount of things we bring into the park gets less and less with each trip. We have 2 kids (2 & 7) and for our upcoming trip we have already decided to only bring a waist pack and a loungefly. In those we will pack the following: ponchos, portable charger, small sunscreen stick, 2 diapers and small wipes, pants/shorts for youngest, 2 small snacks an 1 reusable water bottle.
With taking a break everyday we just are not in the parks long enough to need much else. Not lugging around backpacks is so freeing!

 

[tinkerjo]

The 6 and 8 year olds can carry their own pack. We usually use a Fanny type or a string bag nothing big. They only carry things like pin lanyards, autograph books and pens, emergency poncho, a couple juice pouches and a lightweight snack (apple sauce, gummies, or crackers) the adults can carry anything else you may need or get a locker if you want to bring lunch, extra clothes, medications, water misters, cool towels. It’s nice to be prepared but honestly, my bag gets lighter every year I go. Of course I only have one teenage son these days, the rest are grown ups that do their own thing. I do miss the stroller days though. Take what you want and throw the bag in the stroller. No carrying a bag required

 

[BethanyMouse]

We stay onsite and take mid day breaks. This year I will be traveling with my 4 year old and almost 9 year old. We bring one backpack but we do travel with a stroller. In our backpack we have ponchos, baby wipes, extra set of undies for the kids, snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses, fans. We also have a small organizer on our stroller (we keep small play packs for the restaurants for coloring etc). We also carry our phones, extra chargers, and our camera. In the bottom of our stroller we throw our water bottles.

 

[niclodn]

We have a big family trip at the end of July - 8 adults and 10 kids (13, 11, 10, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 1 and 3 mths). With the exception of the 2 babies, each kid will have their own backpack containing water bottle, poncho (if needed), autograph book and whatever else they feel they need and are willing to carry. Female adults will all either have a small crossbody bag or backpack with whatever they need. Male adults are literally just carrying their wallets. Of course, will have strollers with spot for diaper bag for the babies.

 

[keziah23]

my park bag (adidas rope backpack) contains:

• 3 ponchos rolled up tight, in ziplock with air pressed out
• 3 water bottles (2 in side pouches, on inside) that we refill throughout the day
• 1 zip up cosmetics bag with 1-2 doses of any OTC meds we may need
• 1 change of clothes for my daughter rolled up and in ziplok bag with air pressed out
• a couple extra ziplok bags
• 1 battery pack and cables
• 1 sunscreen
• often times our lanyards with pins when we don't want to wear them.
• notebook and pen to keep kiddo entertained in line (she likes to draw)
• hand sanitizer attached to outside

my fanny pack holds:
phone, wallet, receipts, pressed pennies

 

[DisneyMama811]

my park bag (adidas rope backpack) contains:

• 3 ponchos rolled up tight, in ziplock with air pressed out
• 3 water bottles (2 in side pouches, on inside) that we refill throughout the day
• 1 zip up cosmetics bag with 1-2 doses of any OTC meds we may need
• 1 change of clothes for my daughter rolled up and in ziplok bag with air pressed out
• a couple extra ziplok bags
• 1 battery pack and cables
• 1 sunscreen
• often times our lanyards with pins when we don't want to wear them.
• notebook and pen to keep kiddo entertained in line (she likes to draw)
• hand sanitizer attached to outside

my fanny pack holds:
phone, wallet, receipts, pressed pennies

this sounds similar to my packing style...do you find that amount heavy

 

[keziah23]

.do you find that amount heavy

no, not really. I like that rope backpack I can carry it most of the day without issue. My husband I and will switch off occasionally or I'll put it on the stroller for a bit but mostly its fine.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We use a stroller for youngest DS and our stuff. We bring one large park bag and a soft sided cooler with water bottles. We drink a lot snd With 7 people that saves a lot of money. I’ve tried to whittle down what we put in the bag but I always seem to need everything I put in there. The one time on our last trip a few weeks ago I left our ponchos and extra socks at the resort because it wasn’t supposed to rain and we got caught in a monsoon at Epcot lol. Plus of course we end up with lots of bags at the end of each day and the stroller helps with them too. Even after our sons done with the stroller we’ll probably still take it just to carry our stuff. Who wants to carry a heavy bag when you’re already walking ten miles a day?

 

[accm]

we are going in January so even if it's only in the mid 50s in Florida that will still feel very warm to us coming from Ontario where it will probably be below freezing outside when we fly out lol

We're also from Ontario, and were there end of January/beginning of February this year and it was COLD. Like, below 5C cold. It would warm up during the day, but I think that was actually worse, since then we had to deal with carrying hats/mittens/jackets. So be prepared to take cold weather clothing, and then have to deal with it during the day.

But really, with older kids, you should be able to get away with taking very little to the parks. A water bottle, phones and a battery pack, wallet. Ponchos for just in case.

 

[keziah23]

January/beginning of February this year and it was COLD

we were in WDW end of January this year and froze our butts off! We live in the midwest and its cold in the winter but we didn't pack for cold weather in FLORIDA! It was such a pain!

 

[DisneyMama811]

we were in WDW end of January this year and froze our butts off! We live in the midwest and its cold in the winter but we didn't pack for cold weather in FLORIDA! It was such a pain!

omg don't tell me this

 

[westie55]

For kids that age, less is more. You will be thankful to get thru security as quickly as possible. I would pack only a poncho if you will be there during rain, and snacks if you don’t intend to buy them in the parks. Maybe sunscreen if you’ll be there long enough to need to reapply. You can get free cups of water at the quick service locations. It’s babies and toddlers that need a lot more like bottles, changes of clothes, diapers, wipes, etc. By 6 and 8 they don’t need anything more than an adult would need IMO.

 

[keziah23]

omg don't tell me this

hahah, we were there the previous January and it was in the 80s!!

 

[DisneyMama811]

hahah, we were there the previous January and it was in the 80s!!

that's more like it!

 

[accm]

omg don't tell me this

I’ve been there 3 times that I can remember over Christmas/January, and 2/3 times it was miserably cold. Maybe I just have really bad luck…

 

[wfjny]

I’ve been there 3 times that I can remember over Christmas/January, and 2/3 times it was miserably cold. Maybe I just have really bad luck…

Been there all times of the year. I remember one trip must have been probably March. It was hot, going thru lots of water. On our last day, it was freezing. All the money I saved on water and more was spent on sweatshirts...

 

[DisneyMama811]

I’ve been there 3 times that I can remember over Christmas/January, and 2/3 times it was miserably cold. Maybe I just have really bad luck…

I went twice as a child in January and it was very hot both times, granted that was years ago and the world's climate has definitely changed, even here in Ontario our summer is waaaaay hotter than it was when I was a kid. maybe Florida is doing the opposite

 

[nancipants]

You will be thankful to get thru security as quickly as possible.

With security now you just walk through the machines. Unless something in your bag sets it off (usually electronics or anything metal) you don't have to stop at all.

Even though my son can walk we still bring the stroller because it's just easier to push him around rather than try to corral him all day (and he likes the stroller still so I consider myself blessed). We just potty trained and haven't been to a park since then, but we usually have in the diaper bag: emergency/naptime pullup, foldable potty seat, change of clothes, wipes, snacks, masks, zip loc bags, sippy cup for milk. On the stroller we attach his snack cup and water cup, as well as a fan. We put our water bottles and sunblock/bug spray in the stroller organizer/back pouches so they don't set off security. We also have a snack tray we store under the stroller and use as needed. Umbrellas/jackets also go under the stroller as needed.

 

[juxtapose]

We have a family of 4, last trip my kids were 9 and almost 6. We bring a medium sized backpack (husband), fanny pack (me), and small backpack (daughter). We packed smaller water bottles, hats, sunscreen, change of clothes for our youngest, chapstick, a few snacks, tylenol for the adults, and sunglasses for the adults. Then jackets if its cooler. I'm a light packer because honestly Disney has everything you need and it's easy to find, ice water and snacks especially, my kids don't want our snacks when a Mickey pretzel is an option lol.

 

[Rory607]

I’m an overpacker and when they were little I packed all kinds of stuff and put it in the bottom of the stroller. Not sure what we actually even used, lol! Now that we’re past that I have pared down.

Our kiddos are now 8 and 11. On our most recent trip, the 11 year old carried her own Loungefly with a hoodie, her phone and whatever else she put in there. I had my fanny pack with my phone, wallet, and chapstick. I had my H carry a string backpack with ponchos some days or sweatshirts, and sunscreen. That’s it. No water bottles or snacks. We had a popcorn bucket and got drinks when needed.