Need WDW Experts to help a Newbie - Am I Crazy To Attempt to Carry All This Stuff?

[lsteadman]

I am taking my first trip to WDW in May. It is me and my 8 year old daughter. Here is a list of items I plan to carry in a backpack. It this too much???? Will I be totally exhausted at the end of the day.

What would you not leave home / your room without? Is there something not on the list that you wish you knew to carry your first time a WDW?

Digital Camera (Size of my Palm)
2 Extra Batters (real small)
Digital Camcorder (Size of my Palm) I have small hands
3 Tapes
Extra Camcorder Battery
Autographbook
Fat Pen
Room Card
Visa Card
Driver's License (Just in Case I want to drink Adult stuff )
Cell Phone
Baby Wipes
Park Maps
Gum /Breath Mints (must be fresh - I like garlic meal choices)
Lip Balm
Sun Glasses
Insect Repellent
Extra Pair of Socks (can stand wet feet after water rides)

 

[luvindisneyworld]

I think i would get a fanny pack and put your cards and small stuff in it,i would not put my cards in a backpack to many theives out there.i do not carry my camera or camcorder in my bag either my DH carries the camera on his belt and i caryy the camcorder around my neck.

 

[kevind65]

didn't see it on your list. whatever you do, Don't forget the sunblock at any cost! other than that, your list looks fine...I would also suggest one of those "mister/fan" bottles for your dd. even in may, it will be quite warm and those bottles can be life savers.

 

[mmeb144]

We went last May. I bought small slingpacks for the kids at Wal-mart. They carried their own autograph books, cameras, etc. Saved my back! My kids are 9 and 11.

Marie

 

[MHopkins2]

I don't think you're crazy but I do think you might be able to pare down a bit. I ditto the suggestion for getting your DD her own small backpack or fanny pack - no need for Mom to be the "pack animal." DEFINITELY add sun block. Applying even the best stuff first thing in the morning won't get you through a whole day.

Possible subtractions
YMMV, but I have never needed insect repellent.
How long are your camcorder tapes? 3 for one day seems like a lot to me, but then I don't have a camcorder so I can't say for sure.
Baby wipes IMO are only needed if you're a real clean freak and/or have special health issues that would require to to swab stuff down. I'm assuming your DD is past the "gnawing on everything in site stage" so I think you can forego those.

 

[pampam]

I'm not familiar with your cameras but perhaps you could put fresh batteries in your camera at home or even at the hotel. It would be less to carry. Also the digital camera batteries- can they be charged fresh and perhaps last the day? Of course you would know best. I don't know how long the power in them would last, but if they are new batteries I would hope they would hold a charge.

 

[bobcat]

I don't carry my cell phone in the park when it is just me and my kids. If someone needs to contact me they can leave a message at the hotel.

I also would add a small first aid kit, alcohol wipes, band aids, moleskin, tylenol or other meds. You can put this in a snack size ziplock and it takes up virtually no room. Another must have is a throw away poncho. Again little weight and a lifesaver when you need it.

My kids have their own fanny packs and anything they want to carry must fit in here. Usually this just includes their autograph book, fat pen, pins, poncho, and a snack.

Carry your pack around for a couple of hours and see if you can handle it. Take it on a trip to the mall for instance. If it bugs you for a couple of hours then there is no way you can stand to carry it all day in the park.

 

[da disney fans]

On our very recent trip, we carried one backpack for me and my husband (no kids yet), and this is what we had inside:

large water bottle
cosmetic bag with chapstick, asthma inhaler, bandaids
my wallet
camera
film
lightweight sweatshirt for me, windbreaker for DH
hand lotion
hand disinfectant
brush
sunglasses
cell phone
park maps

That was plenty to carry, and we still had some room for small souviniers. Since you're going in May, definitely be sure to have bottled water with you (don't buy it in the parks, too expensive), as well as sunscreen.

 

[Mom2Ben02]

Sounds good to me, but I disagree with bobcat - bring the cell phone! I was lost at WDW at 8 and WISH there were cell phones back then to call my mommy! Worst hour of my life! If DD doesn't know the number, put it somewhere on her!

 

[MissMagnolia]

You sound like me.

We are going in 11 days, and I just found this awesome camera/videocamera backpack at Walmart. The compartment for the camcorder zips off and turns into a fanny pack. It has lots of padded pockets everywhere, a cell phone pocket, comfy shoulder straps, etc. I fit our camcorder, 6 extra tapes, the reuseable battery charger with an extra set of batteries, the camcorder battery recharger, our digital camera (an SLR type so it is not small) and 8 extra chips for the camera. AND, it is fairly narrow- you would never guess all that is in there.

Good luck. We also have an advantage. We have a three-year-old and an 8-month-old so we have to carry a diaper bag with all kinds of other stuff (Tylenol, band-aids, sunscreen, alcohol wipes, disposable placemats, disposable bibs, disposable spoons, snacks, etc.........) Thank goodness for strollers with storage!!!

 

[Jaklackus]

I would suggest a small fanny pack for your child....I still don't trust my 13 y/o stepson with a backpack(very clumsy,doesn't pay attention to his surroundings and he's a big kid on top of everything else). Tylenol or Advil is a must! I make a rule about large souvenirs and souvenir cups....my kids aren't allowed to have them unless they are willing to carry them all day long...if the purchase is that important they will remember to drag you back at the end of the day to pick up the prized souvenir. Pack some small snacks too...granola bars, fruit snacks, crackers...all the walking can get to you and sometimes you need a little something to get you through until you can get through a restaurant or snack cart line. When any of us gets cranky it's usually due to low blood sugar and a snack turns the mood around quickly. Have fun!

PS- almost forgot..try to have your cards, ID, park tickets up front in a fanny pack..I know that I need to check these constantly(paranoid) also you are less likely to remove the fannypack in a restaurant, ride, bathroom and accidentally leave it behind or if you must keep them in the backpack...bury your wallet to the bottom, I have keychains attached to my zipper pulls..usually use the keyring to attach the zipper pulls together ..whether it makes it any harder for a thief to get in while I'm standing..I don't know..just another little safety quirk that I have.

 

[chamonix]

Your list sounds pretty reasonable, (I might drop a battery or two, but only you know how to judge that) but if you start adding all the stuff the other posters mentioned it would be too much! I guess it depends on your finances and your temperment. Since I don't get headaches every day for example, I can take the chance that I *might* need to buy some Tylenol if I get a headache. Remember, WDW sells everything you will need. Bandaids are available, ponchos are available. People pack like WDW is on Gilligan's Island sometimes!
I am of the mind to travel light and buy what I *might* need--because really, how many times do you think you will need Bandaids? or bug spray? Every day? Granted, these things may be a wee bit overpriced at WDW, but I would rather be overcharged a tiny bit once than carry unnecessary stuff every day of my vacation like a pack horse. I also think it might depend on how far away your hotel is--if offsite, consider leaving some stuff in the car that you might need. In all my trips I have never needed a bandaid, or moleskin, or bug spray, or tylenol. I bought a poncho two times. (I think they are six dollars). I am glad that I did not carry that stuff during my entire vacation five times.
I do agree with the posters who said you should spread out the goods--your dh or dw, kids, etc. should all carry something. Most of the stuff on your list is small though. Try one or two bandaids, one moleskin, two tylenol, etc. not the whole bottle, or package. Most of that would fit in your pockets.

 

[buzz2400]

My son and I have been going every year for about five years. Each year I pack less and less. Do buy a poncho at Walmart for a few dollars and carry it with you. Many quick showers at WDW. I don't think you need all those tapes and the extra battery for the camcorder. I would just charge the battery overnight. I would also buy a fanny pack for all the little things such as credit card, money, tickets, etc. We have never used insect repellent. Not that many bugs in the parks.

 

[ktglads]

One thing you don't have on there is a memory card for the camera. Not sure what you have or need, but carrying a spare is nice and mine are the size of postage stamps. Check out your camera and see if you can set it to save the batteries. Mine will shut off if not used in 2 minutes, which is nice since it doesn't drain the batteries.

Go for the travel size of the apirin or bandaids - carry two and if you use them, have more at the hotel if necessary. For sunscreen, we have taken to buying a small travel bottle and putting some in there as opposed to carrying the big bottle. Almost everything can be shrunk to a smaller size. This should all fit into a fannypack or small backpack easily.

 

[soccer mom]

OMG, that seems like a lot of stuff! We have four kids and when we finally went to disney without a stroller and diaper bag, we went hands free, back free and fanny free (13 years with a diaper bag)! I have never felt such freedom! Maybe because with four kids I felt like the diaper bag was part of my ensemble!!!

Our list:

room keys (everything gets charged)

park passes

$50.00 for ice cream and chirros

These all go in my husband's pocket of his cargo shorts (I made sure he had cargo shorts for every day!)

Very small digital camera for the first time this year, only because my son promised to carry it in his pocket.

My philosophy has become (on vacation only) "if I need it, I'll buy it)

Free at last!

 

[anne930]

It doesn't sound like too much to me. We try to be as prepared as possible and go to the parks with a backpack and a fanny pack. As much as we would like to pack "light", it is much worse to not have a poncho when you need it or an aspirin or a snack. I can't tell you how many ponchos we have had to buy because ours was in the room or worse yet, back home. Like others have suggested, take the minimum quantity you will need for 1 day, though. It will also greatly depend on how long you will be at the parks before going back to your room.

Have fun planning !!

 

[lagirl]

Where in Walmart do I find those ponchos? About how much do they cost? I was in Walmart the other day making a layaway for our upcoming trip and I found some ponchos and they were about $3-4 a piece in the accessory department (by the purses). Are these the ponchos everyone is buying? I didn't get them yet because I wasn't sure. Also, the package was a bit big, so I didn't think these were the ones people are buying. Are they maybe in the sporting goods department?

 

[pampam]

The ponchos I bought are packaged up in a 4x6" package, easy to pack, and I paid $1.00 each for them at dollaramma.

 

[bobcat]

The ponchos are located in the sporting goods/ camping section at Walmart. Same location at Target. I usually get mine at the Dollar Tree as they come two in a pack.