How to avoid being a pack animal?

[lysander]

Planning for our 1st family trip in late May- very excited but hearing from an experienced family member that I simply MUST bring the following into the parks each day: bottled water, snacks (in a soft cooler); sunscreen, cell phone, antibacterial hand gel, hats, sunglasses, towel, change of clothes for each child (ages 8, 8 and 5) rain ponchos, wipes for sticky hands, and some more stuff I"m forgetting. I said, are you kidding, the pack will weigh 25 lbs and I'll be carrying it everywhere and cursing? Then she said, then you must rent or bring a stroller to tote all this stuff daily (not for child: for STUFF). HELP! I don't want to be Mom The Dumping Ground, plus my philosophy always is travel light. (FYI we are staying at Poly, and not renting a car) What do I absolutely positively need....or is she right???? Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[Robo]

Welcome to your 2nd post on the DISboards, lysander!

We carry:

Celphones
Wallets
Room key-cards
AP's
Sun screen (towlettes)
I only carry a camera if there will be something special I want to shoot.

A rented locker contains anything like ponchos and extra layers of cold-weather clothes.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

These are the things that are a must for us...

camera
autograph books
cell phone
sunglasses
sunscreen
Wallet
We wear a lanyard with our room keys
disposable poncho if rain is predicted

that is it. Your kids are old enough not to have to worry about a change of clothing. the water bottles will get warm very quickly. We will purchase drinks or snacks when we need them. In the past we were loaded down carrying "what if's", however we have learned now that it is so much easier to lighten up the load.

Robo is right, if you want to bring more, then just get a locker in the beginning of the day to store your what if's.

 

[wdwfann]

We've been traveling to Disney since my boys were 1 1/2 and 4 years old. I also believe in traveling light. I am the only one that carries anything. When the boys were in strollers, we rented a stroller and carried a 'travel' diaper bag and I wore a fanny pack for money and tickets. The only thing we consider mandatory to take to the parks now is: money, tickets, camera, anti-bacterial lotion, zip-lock bags(to keep $$ and tickets dry), cell-phone, a few band-aids, and tylenol. All of it fits into my fanny pack except the camera that I attach to the strap of my fanny pack. We've never gotten so wet that we 'had' to change clothes. That doesn't mean we haven't gotten really wet, we have!! We just walk around wet. One time my oldest son bought some flip flops because his shoes were soaked. Of course, with smaller children you will have extra 'stuff'. But, I would limit it if I could. It's no fun being a 'pack mule'. Of course, there will be several opinions on this one. Good luck making your decisions and have fun!!

 

[marvali]

We found ourselves carrying lots of things into the parks last year early in the week. I would have a fanny pack stuffed full and I quickly learned that it was a crazy idea and ended up just carrying it around most of the day.

By the end of the week, since most of us had cargo shorts with pockets on the legs, I would give each DS a pack of crackers and maybe a couple of chewy granola bars to stuff in their pockets in case they needed a snack, and I would have tickets, car keys, cell phone and one or two credit cards in zip-loc bags to keep them from getting wet on water rides. We would put on high SPF Sport suntan lotion before we headed to the parks so we didn't have to carry it. My fanny pack would then consist of a camera, personal first aid kit, glasses and maybe a small hand held fan and that was it.

I think one day I carried some water shoes and those few items in a backpack because we knew we were going to do a lot of water rides, but our lesson learned was still, the less the better. We would also hit the water fountains around the park, or maybe buy one water and refill the bottle a few times at the fountains.

 

[vacationwoman]

Planning for our 1st family trip in late May- very excited but hearing from an experienced family member that I simply MUST bring the following into the parks each day: bottled water, snacks (in a soft cooler); sunscreen, cell phone, antibacterial hand gel, hats, sunglasses, towel, change of clothes for each child (ages 8, 8 and 5) rain ponchos, wipes for sticky hands, and some more stuff I"m forgetting. I said, are you kidding, the pack will weigh 25 lbs and I'll be carrying it everywhere and cursing? Then she said, then you must rent or bring a stroller to tote all this stuff daily (not for child: for STUFF). HELP! I don't want to be Mom The Dumping Ground, plus my philosophy always is travel light. (FYI we are staying at Poly, and not renting a car) What do I absolutely positively need....or is she right???? Thanks for the help everyone!

You'll exaust yourself if you try to carry all that around and it's not really necessary. Less is more.

If you have a small tote that's comfortable to carry in place of a purse (and if you have a small purse put it in the tote too) In the tote put the antibacterial hand wipes in place of the gel (weighs less), a few dollar store ponchos (small and weigh nothing), and maybe a few snacks.
Water - everyone can carry their own water (get the straps that hold them or a waistband holder)
Hats and sunglasses should also be each persons own responsibility.
With the age of the kids you shouldn't need to take a change of clothes to the parks or any towels.
Put sunscreen on before you go out.
That leaves room in your tote for your camera and park maps.

Have a great time.

 

[litlpixie]

lol, I know it does sound like alot....but that sounds about like what I carry for us. We always rent a stroller, so we always have a place for our stuff and a tired kid. You will be surprised how many times you'll say to yourself "I"m so glad I have the anti bacterial gel or the wipes." They come in very handy, I usually just bring antibacterial wipes, and kill 2 birds w/ 1 stone.

I have never needed to bring a change of clothes for the kids, but maybe I have just been lucky. I have brought panchos during the rainy season only, otherwise I only use the panchos on the KRR at AK. The towel is an idea that I always agree with...it comes in handy if you or your stroller gets wet, or as you will find out with the Disney stroller, they get really hot if left in the sun, put the towel over the plastic. hats and sunglasses, ID and water.....well, why would you come to a Florida theme park w/out them.....and snacks, yeah, unless you want to BUY them at the parks.

 

[wdwfann]

Sorry, I thought the children were younger. Go with as little as possible and have a ball.
PS. Don't forget the sunscreen..

 

[karibritt01]

We take a stroller... DD was almost 5 our last trip, and still used it WAY worth lugging it on and off the buses. We brought our own because the rented ones looked so hot to try to sleep in in June. We had a backpack with ponchos, a travel size sunscreen and face stick, small first aid kit (used benedryl cream and band-aids many times!), wipes - definitiely take those with kids, hand sanitizer, camera, autograph books. We took an extra shirt for each child, but not a full change of clothes. Put them in a ziplock bag and squeeze the air out to pack, and then you have the baggie for the wet/dirty shirt to go into. If your kids are wearing socks, pack an extra pair of those, too. We took a small cooler bag with water and snacks, and refilled the bottles at the water fountain when necessary. The money saved by having the bottles was worth the hassle. We did have some individual snacks in the top of the cooler just in case, but often didn't need them.

To pack light, you can pack quite a bit (wipes, sanitizer, first aid kit, sunscreen) in the pockets on a cooler bag, and then leave it under your stroller. Ponchos and change of clothes can stay there as well in a bag or zippered pouch. Carry valuables in a fanny pack.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Yes, being the pack mule stinks.

 

[goofy4tink]

Every trip, I find I can do with less. I started carrying a back pack, then went to a large fanny pack, then a shoulder/messenger type bag. Now I'm down to pockets and a around the neck lanyard type thing.
As soon as a kid gets to be about 6, I figure they are capable of handling their own stuff. My dd, 14, has been responsible for her own carryon bag since she was 5! As mom, I tend to carry cameras and such but that's about it.
If you find you 'have to' have a change of clothes, as well as heavier stuff, you may want to rent a locker in the front of the parks. Otherwise, I would recommend you having on hand...
hand sanitizer, ponchos, sunscreen, chapstick, tissues...that's about all I carry with me at this point. And, the hand sanitizer and sunscreen are both travel sizes that I can refill each night if I need to.

 

[Lovin' Lorne]

I've never understood the need to carry the equivelent of a small suitcase into the parks. Then again we aren't huge snack people either, so that cuts out an entire category. What we take:

Tickets
Camera
Cell phone
Jacket - can be tied around the waist if it gets too warm.
Small pocket umbrella, but ONLY if the chance of rain is greater than 50% and only because neither one of us can stand the smell of those ponchos. If chance of rain less than that, you can always pop in a gift shop during the 2 minute downpour.

That's it. Sunscreen is applied right before we leave the hotel, and we haven't gotten burned yet. Sometimes, if we've gone in the dead of summer, I've taken a small travel size bottle of sunscreen, but it's been years.

Your kids should be able to carry their own jackets. I'd keep track of their tickets. I'd also try to dress everyone in shorts because of the water rides. Shorts, as long as they are light-weight, dry quicker than jeans, thus eliminating the need for a change of clothes. I'd also try to get those rides out of the way ASAP, for maximum drying time before it gets dark. Once the sun goes down, it can get chilly.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[MomofKatie]

I have a mini backpack that is just for WDW, and in it I carry:

-mini first aid kit (in the sample section of Target or Wal Mart for $1)
-tiny bottle of hand sanitizer (it attaches to the backpack strap and we refill if it gets low)
-sunscreen packets- tucked in the first aid kit
-antibacterial towelettes packages-also in the first aid kit
-small camera with extra memory and battery
-cellphone
-sunglasses
-ID, key cards, tickets, FPs, etc in a small "vacation only" wallet
-2 water bottles (they get drunk pretty fast, then we just buy extra if we need)
-2 dollar store ponchos per person for wet rides and rain

DD and DH carry their own stuff- DD has a fanny pack with her autograph book, pin lanyard, and sunglasses, and DH carries basically nothing besides his cellphone and sunglasses.

We used to carry around the towel, snacks, change of clothes, etc, etc- and never used any of it. We have gotten our load down to pretty much the essentials for us- very nice to have all the stuff, and not heavy at all.

 

[wilde_oscar]

on my most recent trip I went with the carry nothing method. I had my cell phone clipped to my belt, my room key and some cash. Thats it. If I bought anything I had it shipped to the room.

You would be amazed how much more ya see when you are not looking though a camera or carrying a back pack.

 

[drew64]

Way too much stuff. When travleing with children 8 and over we carry nothing that does not fit in pockets.
We don'y go in the summer and stay on-site. all we carry is:

camera - one small digital camera, no videos/tripods/etc
tickets/KTTW card
small amount of money
one credit card and ID
a few wipes for quick clean-ups, otherwise sinks/soap readily available.

We purchase snacks/drinks/meals as we go if wanted or use water fountains.
We ship all packages back to the resort.
We charge everything to the KTTW card. Otherwise we have the small amount of cash with us.

If the weather calls for it, then everyone has a rain jacket or sweatshirt which can be tied around their waist when not beong worn.

This is a day in a theme park, not a wilderness adventure so no reason to tie yourself down with huge bundles.

 

[JBAACCD]

I carry a fanny pack with cell phone, money, everyones tickets, chapstick and camera. My husband carries a backpack that i bought on ebay which is half cooler-half regular. We froze 6 water bottles and had 2 that were not frozen and they thawed out nicely throughout the day. There are 7 of us! In the top half we had ponchos, small sunscreen, and travel size chips and granola bars. The kids all carried their own squirty fan thing that I bought at walmart before our trip.(Much smaller than the ones that you buy at Disney.)

 

[airhead]

We found ourselves carrying lots of things into the parks last year early in the week. I would have a fanny pack stuffed full and I quickly learned that it was a crazy idea and ended up just carrying it around most of the day.

By the end of the week, since most of us had cargo shorts with pockets on the legs, I would give each DS a pack of crackers and maybe a couple of chewy granola bars to stuff in their pockets in case they needed a snack, and I would have tickets, car keys, cell phone and one or two credit cards in zip-loc bags to keep them from getting wet on water rides. We would put on high SPF Sport suntan lotion before we headed to the parks so we didn't have to carry it. My fanny pack would then consist of a camera, personal first aid kit, glasses and maybe a small hand held fan and that was it.

I think one day I carried some water shoes and those few items in a backpack because we knew we were going to do a lot of water rides, but our lesson learned was still, the less the better. We would also hit the water fountains around the park, or maybe buy one water and refill the bottle a few times at the fountains.

gotta love those cargo pants! Our 1st trip,we also made the mistake of carrying too much stuff! The big ol' fannypack with a place to carry a water bottle lasted 1 day! Th kid in me really wanted to throw it in a barrel but the adult said "NO!"
I take what will fit in my pckets. the camera goes around my neck and that's all I have!

 

[Chellymouse]

We always have a soft cooler with water (we freeze the water so it's cold when we go back to get it) Camera, sunglassess, room cards, hand sanitzer, rain ponchos and a change of shoes. We get a locker every day also. If it's the cooler months we also pack light jackets. We carry a fanny pack ( I know, not real attractive, but...) where we keep the camera, sunglasses, room key and hand sanitizer. We'd rather have it and not need than not have it and need it!

 

[PEANUT1]

I really want to try and pack light on our next trip. I always bring way too much. Our next trip I plan on bringing only carry ons....we'll see how that goes Ditto for the parks. We will bring a small backpack that my hubby carries with sunscreen, camera, wipes, gum, snacks and water.

 

[iheartdisney]

We use a camelback for the water, and it has a pouch that can hold the camera, sunscreen stick and a few small snacks. Tickets and fastpasses go in my wallet, which is in my pocket!