What are your essentials that you bring to the park?

[todzwife]

For your kids- say 8 and under. Do you have your older kids bring their own bag?

 

[greengeen]

We've been going for years and my kids don't bring anything! What would they need? They carry allowance in a small wallet or pocket. We buy drinks and snacks if needed. We put sunscreen on in the A.M. but don't usually need any after that. Traveling light is wonderful.

 

[CanadaDisneyfan]

It really depends on whether you plan on buying snacks and beverages
If so then no
But I had my 11-yr-old bring small backpack with snacks
Sunscreen is huge too

 

[Hannathy]

Essentials- ticket, money, credit card if not staying on site, phone, small camera (some days).

Next tier- motrin/imitrex, bandaid, poncho if rain is forecast, if taking a bag then guidebook, emery board, plastic bag, couple mints.




Anyone over 5 carries their own stuff. If they don't want to carry it they don't really need it.

Which leaves my son only bringing his camera and my DH only bringing his meds! They refuse to carry anything that won't go in a pocket.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

Essentials- ticket, money, credit card if not staying on site, phone, small camera (some days).

Next tier- motrin/imitrex, bandaid, poncho if rain is forecast, if taking a bag then guidebook, emery board, plastic bag, couple mints.




Anyone over 5 carries their own stuff. If they don't want to carry it they don't really need it.

Which leaves my son only bringing his camera and my DH only bringing his meds! They refuse to carry anything that won't go in a pocket.

My DH still asks me to put my wallet in whatever purse (or fanny pack that he laughs at) I have on me.

 

[SharingDisney]

I noticed in all my pictures (I've been 13 times) that in most of them I have a backpack on.
I tend to pack another set of light shoes. Just switching shoes helps when my feet are tired of walking.
I pack all the things mentioned above. I also wear a hip pack to keep passes, money, phone and camera handy.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Cameras
KTTW cards
Extra batteries
Extra smart cards
Cell phones
Wallet
Sunscreen.


Can fit in pockets. No bags needed.

Join us, won't you?

 

[chris31997]

For your kids- say 8 and under. Do you have your older kids bring their own bag?

For our family, we use a backpack and pass it around(DH usually wears it), sunscreen, camera(extra cards), water bottles that we can refill, and trading pins.

Snacks:maybe
Hats:maybe
Toys:not unless you(child) WILL carry it and keep up with it. We usually ban them

 

[OurMinnieFamily]

My daughter wasnt going to carry one, then she got a small one from BBB and decided she wanted to carry it. In her's she carried her autograph book and pen, her poncho on the one day it was suppose to rain and if she got anythink along the way she would put that inside also.

My sister who is 16 also carried her own bag, same thing just a small lightweight back pack. She had her camera, autograph book and pen, as well as her cell phone.

It helped a lot for my own bag. I had a small messenger type bag. I was able to just have our passes, my wallet, cell phone and a few other things.


We didnt take all the stuff others have mentioned. We took only what we needed. It meant less time in line at bag check and we didnt have to worry about the bags getting too heavy. Anything you really need can be picked up along the way.

 

[tanyaandallie]

We REALLY try to carry the minimum. However, we were in WDW last week and I must say it was harder during the summer for us.

My kids have water bottle holders so carry their own water bottle. I carry a backpack with my water bottle, camera, autograph books and pen, sunscreen, cell phone, Trent Charger for my phone (new for this past trip). This summer we also brought frog toggs which were a bit of a pain because they were heavy. But, they were very helpful in the heat. I only took our rain ponchos a couple of times but of course did not take them the day we were stuck in the rain.

If it were not summer I'd skip frogg togs and rain ponchos (unless it looked like rain).

The next time we go my kids will have some type of bag that hold their water, autograph books and camera. They both had camera, water bottle holder and their lanyards around them and it was too many things strapped to them.

 

[disney212]

I have to take my purse due to my medications. I do take a Coach cross body bag that is very comfy. We find it holds more than we need and takes up almost no room and doesn't get in the way on the rides. The only con is that I have to go through the bag check when entering the park.

 

[Kristian]

I have a Disney tote that our TA gave us , so i'll be bringing it to the parks on our upcoming trip. In this bag i'll put items for the dh, dd (3) and myself. Here is a list:

Travel Tylenol
Travel Neosporin
Bandaids/Moleskin
SPF Chapstick
Sunscreen
Tide Pen
Gum
Travel Hand Lotion (most soaps dry out my hands)
Ponchos
Dd's autograph book/pen
Extra outfit for dd in ziploc baggie
Flushable Wipes

I found a really neat bag at Cabela's yesterday that I guess is for hiking, but it is the perfect "Disney" bag. No, I don't need 2 bags, but I do need something to keep KTTWC, money, gift cards, and our camera in and this is perfect. The bag has a smaller compartment that zips open and it has a place to store up to 10 credit cards, id's, etc. Then the larger compartment has 3 different sections..one being for a camera, one for money, and the other for whatever. It isn't a big bag at all, but yet, its generous on space. It can be worn cross body. Its also water repellent...its sad that I am this excited about our new park bag

 

[Princesswikki]

We have food allergies & a newly potty trained munchkin so...

-extra set of clothes
-bathing suit
-band aids
-epi pen
-snacks
-flat water bottles
-autograph books
-sunscreen
-deordorant for me & dh
-Clorox wipes
-hand sanitizer


Yup, just call me what about bob! ;-)

 

[KristiKat]

I carry a Vera Bradley mini hipster and in it I put license, military id, insurance cards, credit/debit card, room key card, cash, small pack of Wet Ones, travel size lotion, Burts Bees lip balm and a camera. Cell phone usually stays in pocket. My DH carries a backpack with snacks, water bottles for the 4 of us, his camera, extra clothes for DD just in case but now that she's older we may not do that on the next trip. He usually has his wallet and cell in his pocket.

 

[ngaire01]

I have to take my purse due to my medications. I do take a Coach cross body bag that is very comfy. We find it holds more than we need and takes up almost no room and doesn't get in the way on the rides. The only con is that I have to go through the bag check when entering the park.

A cross body bag is great. You do not need to take it off like a backpack to get things out. Can easily stay over your shoulder on many rides. Does not crash into other people when waiting in line.

 

[maggs1035]

I have a Disney tote that our TA gave us , so i'll be bringing it to the parks on our upcoming trip. In this bag i'll put items for the dh, dd (3) and myself. Here is a list:

Travel Tylenol
Travel Neosporin
Bandaids/Moleskin
SPF Chapstick
Sunscreen
Tide Pen
Gum
Travel Hand Lotion (most soaps dry out my hands)
Ponchos
Dd's autograph book/pen
Extra outfit for dd in ziploc
Flushable Wipes

I found a really neat bag at Cabela's yesterday that I guess is for hiking, but it is the perfect "Disney" bag. No, I don't need 2 bags, but I do need something to keep KTTWC, money, gift cards, and our camera in and this is perfect. The bag has a smaller compartment that zips open and it has a place to store up to 10 credit cards, id's, etc. Then the larger compartment has 3 different sections..one being for a camera, one for money, and the other for whatever. It isn't a big bag at all, but yet, its generous on space. It can be worn cross body. Its also water repellent...its sad that I am this excited about our new park bag

Wont you have a stroller for your 3 yr old? So you won't have to carry your bags?

 

[scarlet_ibis]

Our backpack generally has:

Bandaids (not available at park other than First Aid)
Sunscreen
Juice boxes
gummy snacks
trading pins
hats
autograph books and sharpies (in a ziplock)
diapers and wipes
change of shorts for the young one
shout stain wipes
camera

I'm looking at maybe lightening this up, but it's mostly going to be in the diapers and wipes and clothing department. One thing I've been hoping to ADD is some sort of game, trivia questions, or somesuch, to pass the time in line.

 

[ajmccray]

Good info! Thanks!

 

[la79al]

Once we mostly ditched the stroller, DSD and DSS each got a fanny pack. In it they put their autograph books and pens, cameras, change for pressed pennies, some of their spending money and ponchos. DSS also had his cell phone in his I think. Now that we are back to a stroller, I'm thinking that I will ditch my own fanny pack in favor of a small backpack that can be dropped in and out of the stroller basket. Staying in the stroller basket will be a change of clothes for each kid, sippy cups, maybe a chamois, snacks and possibly lunch.

 

[Kristian]

Wont you have a stroller for your 3 yr old? So you won't have to carry your bags?

I'll have the stroller to keep the tote bag in and I don't mind leaving it behind when parking the stroller because everything in it is replaceable and of not much value. However, there is no way that I would leave money and such in that bag, which is why I needed something really small that I could grab when going on rides. I'll more than likely will just wear it most of the time. The bag I bought is really not much bigger than a wristlet. Dh doesn't carry his wallet in places like Disney, so that is why I needed something small to put money, KTTWC, MNSSHP tickets, gift cards etc. Strollers are a lifesaver though for carrying your bags