What do you bring into the parks? What do you suggest with 2, 6yr olds?

[Afabena]

Traveling with 2 6 yr olds and I was planning to bring some type of bag into the parks - whether a backpack or larger cross body - to hold snacks, their autograph books, sunblock, etc. Just curious for those of you with younger kids what do you bring into the parks? And what kind of bag do you use? A few days we plan on taking a break and going back to the room and there are 2 days where we are hopping between HS and AK and not planning on a break at the hotel. Thanks!

 

[Penmac]

We bring an LL Bean backpack made of breathable material. We usually travel in the summer so something that can withstand sweat and moisture is important. If it has clips you can attach across your chest, that's ideal for giving you some support. Our backpack is lightweight but holds a decent amount of stuff. It does have the clips so we can attach it directly to the handlebar of the stroller if we get sick of carrying it. If we are going on a ride my husband will usually take it, but sometimes just our phones and wallets and leave the backpack with snacks etc. hanging on the stroller. If anyone wants to steal our dry snacks they can have at them. I haven't invested in a fanny pack type thing because it gives me traumatic flashbacks of being 12 in the 90's, but I probably will for the next trip to carry those smaller personal items on the bigger rides.

 

[lorenae]

I take as little as possible for myself, but when I took my GS when he was five, I brought a small backpack with fruit snacks, small apples, and a refillable water bottle. There was a sunscreen stick for touchups, and packages of dollar store glow sticks for when he went into a dark ride if he wanted them. He ended up sharing them at places like the Haunted Mansion and Fantasmic! and that was fun for him.

Oh, and of course my extra phone charger and jackery. But that fits in my pocket if I don't have a pack with me.

Take what you absolutely need, but everyone has a tendency to overpack. Remember that you're not going out into the wilderness, just Disney. You have to carry around everything you bring into the park and even a light pack gets hot and sweaty and heavy after 7 hours!

 

[buzznina]

When DD's were 6, we had our stroller and we would have 2 canvas Disney bags stored underneath that had water, sunscreen, ponchos(if we thought it may rain) snacks, light up/glow stuff for night and extra clothes if we thought we would need them. Man we miss having our stroller

 

[NYCgrrl]

Traveling with 2 6 yr olds and I was planning to bring some type of bag into the parks - whether a backpack or larger cross body - to hold snacks, their autograph books, sunblock, etc. Just curious for those of you with younger kids what do you bring into the parks? And what kind of bag do you use? A few days we plan on taking a break and going back to the room and there are 2 days where we are hopping between HS and AK and not planning on a break at the hotel. Thanks!

Traveling with 6 year olders, I would loss the toddler mentality and allow children to carry their own stuff just like they do in school. What the family would carry would be pretty minimal: sunscreen (the hotel provides small bottles) if we weren't returning to the hotel around lunch time or going to the water parks; lip emollient if needed. Want autograph books? Make sure they fit in your kids' mini back packs so they can be responsible for their own belongings and wants. Want snacks brought on site? Buy in larger sizes and individual portion using ziploc snack bags; great money savers and allows your kids to eat their normal snacks. We gave up on water bottles since WDW offers cold water for free at various QS stops.

I carry a custom made wristlet that's about 12" across, 7"in height and has a gusset that gives a 2"-3" depth.

HTH

 

[epsmith921]

At those ages I had extra clothes for the smaller kid, wipes, water bottles, and snacks in the diaper bag. Though my kids are older now and I just got a Patagonia bag I wish I’d bought when the kids were smaller. It’s called the travel courier and is a messenger style that’s extremely lightweight and has water bottle pockets on the outside along with a completely padded shoulder strap. I also normally carry an Eddie Bauer travel purse that can easily carry my phone with charger and wallet. That way the big bag can stay with stroller/kids and I still have the valuables easily accessible and separated. I also keep small and gallon size ziplocs in the big bag just in case we want to separate out some snacks or have something larger to protect from wetness, etc. I just always suggest bags that are lightweight when empty.

 

[Disneylovingmomof2]

Traveling with 2 6 yr olds and I was planning to bring some type of bag into the parks - whether a backpack or larger cross body - to hold snacks, their autograph books, sunblock, etc. Just curious for those of you with younger kids what do you bring into the parks? And what kind of bag do you use? A few days we plan on taking a break and going back to the room and there are 2 days where we are hopping between HS and AK and not planning on a break at the hotel. Thanks!

Any kind of backpack although I agree with pp about having them each carry a small one if you’re not taking a stroller. Unless you can pack extra light and just carry it yourself (to avoid having something heavy on your back all day). I just use the Disney backpack personally but I also have a stroller so I can hang it or put stuff underneath if I need to.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I use a crossbody bag (the LeSportsac Cleo crossbody to be exact). It's made of a washable material and, I've found, it can hold several ponchos, sunblock, at least two water bottles and then some. I find it's much easier to access things from a crossbody than a backpack.

 

[Nanceliz319]

I would use a crossbody. Agree with others that it's easier to access. Also, add individual antibacterial wipes to your list. It really helps dealing with sticky fingers until you can get to a restroom.

 

[yorkieteacher]

We just returned from a trip with our two grandsons, 2.5 and almost 7 year olds. I carried a cross body bag for the older one, dad had a backback for the younger. We had refillable water bottles, stick sunscreen, first aide cream and bandades, snacks like gummies and goldfish,hand sanitizer and wipes for hands/faces, extra undies/outfit including socks, cooling towels (thank God!) And disposable ponchos we never needed for the first time in our decades history of Disney trips! (I will still always bring them!)

 

[Rory607]

We are getting ready for our first trip with no one in diapers/pull-ups and I am so excited. I feel like we can travel much lighter now. We used to use a full size Patagonia backpack, but are downsizing to a small string backpack. I will probably just take autograph books, sunscreen, hand sanitizer and probably still a small pack of wipes. My DS is still messy when it comes to ice cream and that sort of thing, so wipes are handy. I also take a very small crossbody wallet that I can carry separately if we don’t want to take the backpack on every ride.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Six year old kids can wear their own small backpack to carry their own stuff. Our son was four on our first trip and we didn't carry much into the parks. We were lucky to be staying at the Polynesian so we could head back to the resort when we needed to. By the time he was six, he had his own small backpack (like small, not a school back pack) with his autograph book, pen and pennies to be smashed. The breaks were mandatory and he could either take a nap or go for a swim. If we needed a snack, we got popcorn and a drink and shared it. It's not like you are camping out for a week. It's just a few hours. Put the sunblock on before you leave the hotel and wear a hat during the day. If it might get cool, tie a sweatshirt around the waist. Nobody needs to be the family packmule.

 

[tinkerjo]

I agree with others. My 6 year olds always had a small pack. A pull string bag is nice and light. Put a couple small snacks, a water bottle, a juice box and their own autograph books or lanyards if they weren’t wearing them. I never let them carry money, gift cards or anything important. It’s too easy for. 6 year old to potentially lose.

 

[twinmom13]

With my two six-year-olds, I take a small Travelon waist pack that holds my phone, charger, cards, a couple small packets of sunscreen, a couple individually wrapped wipes, and a few bandaids. It leaves my hands free to hold both of their hands and keeps my phone right where I can get it easily. We have to buy snacks and drinks, but it is worth the extra expense to not have to carry a big bag around all day.

 

[Afabena]

Thanks for all of these replies - I was originally thinking I needed to lug a bunch of stuff but now I’m thinking maybe I can just do a waist pouch (some of them are actually kind of cute). Would love to go bagless but I don’t see that happening. My kids do have small backpacks that we use for hiking that would mainly hold snacks so that is an option. I’m still debating about my stroller (don’t want to get into that argument) leaning no for the airport and renting a car but leaning yes for any late nights and my sanity.

 

[Christine]

Regarding the small string backpacks: normally I like this for shorter days, but am I the only one who finds the "strings" to be horribly uncomfortable after awhile. All I have to do is put one water bottle in and the string/straps start digging into me after a few hours.

 

[tinkerjo]

Regarding the small string backpacks: normally I like this for shorter days, but am I the only one who finds the "strings" to be horribly uncomfortable after awhile. All I have to do is put one water bottle in and the string/straps start digging into me after a few hours.

I wear a normal backpack (a small one but still backpack type) I give the kids a string bag to carry their stuff in and never give them much, other than a couple juice boxes, chips, snacks, and their autograph books etc. I started doing this after DS was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 13 so he could carry his own supplies and the younger one followed suite. They seem to be good with them but they are not weighed down. I agree they would be uncomfortable with much weight in them

 

[TaraWasHere]

I just carry a small backpack with rain gear, sunscreen, blister tape, headache medicine, water flavor packets, a charger and my wallet. My preschooler had a little bag of her own (that my husband ended up carrying) with her autograph book, rain gear, and a water bottle. My older daughters bag has similar stuff to mine.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

Backpack with our park essentials— sunscreen, autograph book and sharpies, hat, water, and ponchos if it looks like rain. It also is used to carry DD’s medications. I also carry a mini crossbody purse with anything we need at arm’s reach. I find it annoying to constantly dig in my backpack for things I need often, so I carry my wallet, sunglasses, lip balm, phone, and hand sanitizer in there. It’s very small and just hangs at my hip so it’s not bulky or in the way. If we decide to bring jackets, DD is responsible for her own. She’s recently asked me about getting a mini backpack, so maybe next trip she will carry some of this stuff herself. She’s 8.

 

[Afabena]

So I think I’m leaning towards the fanny pack/waist bag and going to try and bring a minimal amount of things. I’m hoping to find one that will be large enough to hold 2 autograph books, 3 very small ponchos, chap stick, my phone, small portable charger and a suntan lotion stick. If I can fit small snacks that will be a bonus. I’m going with the idea that my kids are not toddlers and won’t need an extra change of clothes and so much “stuff”.

Anyone regret carrying autograph books like that? I think they will be the heaviest thing to carry besides my phone and extra charger.