Park Bag Essentials

[BudgieMama]

So, we're 50 days out now, and I'm starting to think about gathering things for our trip (because that's normal, right? )

I'm thinking about my park bag, which we need to carry pretty much everything that is essential (and nothing extra if I can avoid it!) I know it's possible to go bagless, but that's not my style.

This is my park bag list so far: am I missing any essentials?

Purse (a small one, with credit card, debit card, cash, driving licence)
Phone (and USB cable maybe)
Passport
Sun cream
Planning Notebook (I have a TINY notebook to make a note of details about FP+ times, ADRS, etc)
Little Book of Big Magic (I like the maps and attraction lists, and it's small and lightweight!)
Autograph Book and Pens
Water bottle
Paracetamol and Blister Plasters

Obviously, this is our first visit, and lots of you have lots more experience than me, so you'll spot if I've missed anything!

 

[micksn]

I use a bum bag (only at Disney!!) with small purse with park tickets - may not need this now with magic bands, small camera and phone. DH has a back pack with water and ponchos and sun cream.

 

[BudgieMama]

I use a bum bag (only at Disney!!) with small purse with park tickets - may not need this now with magic bands, small camera and phone. DH has a back pack with water and ponchos and sun cream.

Oh yes, the camera will be in there too! And I have a "cag in a bag" which I can attach to my bag (it's a small over the body one that I know I find VERY comfortable to carry all day!)

 

[Kath2003]

So, we're 50 days out now, and I'm starting to think about gathering things for our trip (because that's normal, right? )

I'm thinking about my park bag, which we need to carry pretty much everything that is essential (and nothing extra if I can avoid it!) I know it's possible to go bagless, but that's not my style.

This is my park bag list so far: am I missing any essentials?

Purse (a small one, with credit card, debit card, cash, driving licence)
Phone (and USB cable maybe)
Passport
Sun cream
Planning Notebook (I have a TINY notebook to make a note of details about FP+ times, ADRS, etc)
Little Book of Big Magic (I like the maps and attraction lists, and it's small and lightweight!)
Autograph Book and Pens
Water bottle
Paracetamol and Blister Plasters

Obviously, this is our first visit, and lots of you have lots more experience than me, so you'll spot if I've missed anything!

I know you're supposed to carry your passport at all times, but few do.

 

[BudgieMama]

I know you're supposed to carry your passport at all times, but few do.

Yeah, we do. I don't trust it anywhere else. We have a pouch to wear under the clothes to keep them safe. It's where I keep it on every trip I make

 

[Tony Bush]

I would use the smallest sun cream tube possible, Don't worry about the 'book of magic' the usual park maps should suffice. Note book and pen ? Maybe put the notes on your phone. Take a photocopy of your passport instead of the real thing, Its accepted and is light and foldable.
Our bag is usually, sun cream, phone, small water bottle, card wallet, hair toggle, passport photocopy. Sometimes this all ends up in shorts pockets and we can go bagless, and just use drinking fountains.

Tony

Sometimes this all ends up in pockets

 

[edinburghlass]

I found this year with dining plan and magic bands I charged most things to the room and only carried a few dollars for incidentals. Like Tony I had a travel sunscreen in one pocket and phone with camera in the other pocket.

Debit card goes in the safe on arrival along with any sterling and doesn't go in to my bag until we head home for use on the journey and taxi on arrival, never used in USA. Credit card only used when going off site and periodically to pay off room bill so stays in the safe too.

 

[MarkF0wle]

I'm completely minimalist when it comes to carrying things, with the advent of the Magicbands this last May I had with me my phone & my Magicband.

I don't buy a lot of things but when I did I just charged it to the room. I guess the common practise is to take ID but I cannot remember the last time I was asked for ID. But you have drink you'll need it.

I always put my passport & wallet in the safe when I arrive at Disney & that's where they stay until I take them out to leave. I think the official line is you're meant to have your passport on you at all times, however never ever have I needed to present it to anybody outside of an airport whilst travelling to WDW. For safety I'd leave it in the safe, personally.

 

[weebabes]

I also have a bum bag ( again only in Disney! ). We carry water mist can, camera, a few dollars, park tickets ( now magic bands ) small sunscreen and sunglasses. I also always have one blister plaster.

 

[pampat]

Since the queues at bag check became so horrendous, I don't carry anything unless it can fit in my pocket! I don't use a mobile phone, camera goes in pocket and I have a lanyard with credit card and hotel room card.

Pam

 

[edinburghlass]

Re plasters I was at First Aid at Epcot, near Mexico getting a gel for bites and someone came in for a plaster. I had bought plasters but my crocs were rubbing the plaster off and I had to take to wearing a sock to keep it on. Asked if I could have a plaster and their plaster stayed put and she cut a piece of moleskin and popped it in to my crocs and gave me a spare piece to take away. Lovely lady and a great service oh and the gel for the bites was excellent too.

 

[Elise79]

I will carry the absolute minimum. Most days I take:

• Credit card
• Photocard DL
• $20 note
• DVC membership card
• AP Card
• Phone

This all goes in my phone case that has a over the shoulder strap plus a wrist strap, zip closes and has a couple of pockets inside.

If we are planning a character day I will then take a small bag and add the autograph book & sharpie and my US purse.

My phone case fits in my pocket so I don't need to do bag check.

First aid in the parks supply plasters when I need them It I am feeling bad enough that I need pain killers its probably a sign I need to back in the room.

Passports & UK purse (with my home cards and sterling in) go in the safe on arrival and stay there until we check out

 

[scoobydooby]

I tried one day last trip after a similar ish thread with just my Magic Band and i phone. I absolutely hated it and found getting drinking water when I wanted it a royal pain (although when I got the free ice water it was nice, just not convenient enough for me). So my bag was back to the usual and will remain so in the future. Suits me just fine Small pink ruck sack.

Note book and pen
Autograph book and fat character pen
Phone
Disposable poncho x4
Two or three bottles of water
Purse
Plasters
Blister plasters
Sunglasses
Camera

That said. At universal I will be with just a phone and ticket lanyard due to the stupid locker position.

 

[queendisney]

DH has a bum bag and we have a camera, small tube of sun lotion, a bit of small change and a few plasters. We both wear a Magic Band. That it! Don't bother with phone or rain poncho's etc...

 

[mackay_j]

walmart sells suncream on a keyring holder- very handy. We each have a water carrier with a small pouch in the front of it. carriers our water each/ pouch has macs for water rides and a plastic bag to cover other things in water rides and also fits any credit cards/ driving licence and some $, and the key ring suncream attaches to these carriers. DH and DD have a bum bag/small bag to carry her insulin and snacks and blister packs. (but if she wasn't diabetic we would manage it with just the water carries). We never take our passports out of the safe - I recon that they are far more likely to get damaged on us than stolen from our safe.

 

[bex7583]

money tickets camera autograph book , that was it and even then i felt like it was too heavy lol

 

[Pegasus928]

When we went with kids we had everything you mentioned plus wet wipes, hand sanitiser, hair brush (a girl thing I suspect) and other little essentials.
The next trip is adults only so I think we will go bag-less and manage just fine. Anything we need will fit in our pockets. One thing we do always have though is either a small dental floss stick or some gum for after we have eaten. But that's just a personal thing

 

[higgy66]

My poor hubby takes a ruck sack - camera, camcorder, ponchos, water, small first aid kit and usually 3 cardigans or fleeces!!

So far we've only been in September and October but my daughters and I find the air conditioning so cold we all need to take something for when we're in restaurants etc. I'm really hoping we won't find this in August and will actually be glad to be cold? DH when I say this and just rolls his eyes and says I'll pack the fleeces!

 

[DLPDreams]

My poor hubby takes a ruck sack - camera, camcorder, ponchos, water, small first aid kit and usually 3 cardigans or fleeces!!

So far we've only been in September and October but my daughters and I find the air conditioning so cold we all need to take something for when we're in restaurants etc. I'm really hoping we won't find this in August and will actually be glad to be cold? DH when I say this and just rolls his eyes and says I'll pack the fleeces!

We are going August too and everyone tells me to take a lightweight cardigan or the like for the restaurants. So, we are going to end up with a rucksack but I don't think DH is going to like a sweaty back ..... Me, I have bought myself a lovely flat, lightweight, Kipling Alvar bag which I intend to wear over shoulder or tightened around my waist (bit like a bumbag) - no rucksack for me! Well, that's the plan.

I think the major downside of taking a bag is the bag security checks. When we've done DLRP, we've always stayed at the DLH so never passed through bag check as it's before the main turnstiles. This always amuses me - like you are not going to put a bomb/contravened device in your bag if you stay in the DLH, but may coming from the other DLP hotels?

Watching this thread with interest - it's a good one .