What do you bring to the parks?

[rosey1]

First timer, going next week! We are a family of 3, with DD7, so we will carry everything we bring. I'm thinking a camera, cash, brush, lipstick, hand wipes, sunscreen, water. What else do I need and how do you carry it? Should I use a backpack and maybe put a fanny pack on DD?

 

[Corryn]

Oh, man, if you did a search on Fanny Packs, would you get an eyefull!
I absolutely LOVE my fanny pack! I have a regular sized one and then I have my Theme Park Commando size, which holds a water bottle on each side, my Misty Mate, my video camera, regular camera, sunglasses, lipstick, hair clips, Purell (a must!) a tiny spray bottle of Oust (just in case!) pen, money, driver's license & cash card....Stuff that you really mentioned. When I use my regular sized one, I just hold my camera and my DH puts the video camera into the backpack that he carries (that also carries those cheap plastic ponchos we get at KMart for $1.99 and flip flops in case it rains.)
Oh, I forgot to mention: I carry my own pharmacy: Tums, Imodium, Tylenol & Tylenol Jr. band aids in a small plastic baggie.

My kids have had their own fanny pack since they were about 6 or 7. We would wait until we were down there to buy them one (they got one each trip) because they have special ones for kids that will fit their tiny waists.
They carry their lip balm, sunglasses, some of their money or Disney Dollars, small portable sunscreen, Purell, a pen and their Autograph Book (when they were younger) their disposeable camera (I told them "remember, don't wind it after you take a picture, wind it before you take your next picture so there's no photos of the inside of your fanny pack"). You daughter will feel very responsible being able to carry around her own stuff without having to worry about losing it!

You're gonna be out there all day and you don't want an unexpected trip back to the hotel/timeshare.
The awesome aspect of a fanny pack is that your hands won't get tired (I have carpal tunnel syndrome, so I can't carry stuff for long) and you won't forget it anywhere, since it's strapped around your waist. When you use the ladies room, you take it off and put it right back on. On some of the rides, you might have to move it to the side, but I've been using them for years and there is not one drawback of wearing a fanny pack versus holding a bag.
Most people will say it looks nerdy, but who gives you know? I'm trying to have a great time without being weighed down, and the fanny pack is the best solution!

On one of our vacations together, my BF went and bought a fanny pack. She was excited to show me, but then when I saw her, it was bulging and looked like it would bust. I said, what the heck do you have in that thing? She pulls out her Big Full Wallet! Then a Huge Hairbrush! Oh, it was so funny!!!
Here's me with my Commando Fanny Pack

 

[Tinkerbell_Girl]

I carry my wallet, ponchos, snacks, cell phone, Purell, camera, and that's about it I think. I carry it all in a small backpack.

 

[MickeynMinnie]

I also use a small backpack... in it i have water... camera... snacks... chapstick... suntan lotion...and leave extra room for what you buy. I use a drawstring backpack.. like a little Gymbag backpack!
Have Fun!!

 

[MareQ]

DEFINITELY go to the store - look in the foot care section and buy yourself some MOLESKIN!!! It's a lifesaver in case anybody gets any blisters or "hot spots" on their feet!!!

 

[pooch]

too funny! But, seriously, I'm not sure that, If I put one of those around my less-than-small fanny, I'd be able to get in doorways. Can't imagine having that much stuff around my waist. I'm planning on using an across the chest (an area that could use some enhancement!!) type bag. The one I have in mind looks like the, and ok I am dating myself, old wine skins we used in my younger days, kind of a teardrop shaped thing that will sit between my shoulder blades. I've found one on-line at Ebags that looks promising but am hoping to see it in a store so I can try it out first. Looking for something big enough to hold camera, sunscreen, handi-wipes ( I get the packaged kind like you get at a lobster place), couple of glass cases, advil, I don't take much & I keep cash, room keys, passes in a separate place, not my backpack.

Pooch

 

[bubba]

I also have a large-ish fanny pack. It has a 'holster' for a water bottle on each side. Inside I carry a small wallet with only the items I need (cash, pass, etc) tylenol, ibuprofen, rolaids, bandaids, moleskin, a small bottle of Purell, a travel pack of diaper wipes and a pull-up for my not-quite-toilet-trained son, sunglasses, a snack, sunscreen, smal ponchos, camera, and my small notebook with all my ADR info in it. Boy, it sounds like a lot, but it really isn't as I use all small travel size stuff. I carried this pack on a 60 km sponsored walk and had no problems with back pain or chafing or anything. I actually got it at the pet store by a company called Outward Hound !

 

[Kimi313]

I use a backpack that is of normal size but has lots of compartments. I admit it is a pain to open all the compartments when they check your baggage at the front of the park but the advantage is everything has its own space. I carry tickets, DL, cash, camera, small notebook with all ressie numbers in it, make-up, advil, lip balm, sunscreen stick, brush, cell phone, safe-key, and purrell. This year thinking of adding travel size baby wipes have heard they come in handy.

 

[WantToGoNow]

This will be my first trip in a very long time without a diaper bag. I usually use the diaper bag and stuff everything else in there too. Since we retired the diaper bag, I've been using a very small backbag. We've been to a local amusement park and zoo 3x in the past month and here's what I've carried -- will probably be the same for Disney. A change of shorts/underwear for my dd2, camera, extra batteries, hand wipes, purell, and wallet with only the essentials. We will probably have to add an autograph book/pen and/or pressed penny book at Disney.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I don't have kids, so I usually try to go without any backpacks or unneccesary equipment. However, I usually bring along a camera bag for my videocamera. (Usually I am going with someone who DOES have a bag so I can store some waterbottles and info on our ADRs and such in there )

 

[CinRell]

I don't travel with a little one but for ME... to the parks I bring:
A purse style backpack .. medium size mickey one
A wallet with money, ID, room key (credit card),
Lip Stick and eyeliner
bug spray handy wipes (they are little individual packs real tiny)
Shout wipes (just a couple. these take up no room)
Regular handy wipes (the above 2 I put all into a zip lock)
Kleenex
brush and pony tail holder
cell phone
camera and extra battery/film for camera. I actually bring my regular camera AND digital.
Sun glasses
Poncho (if you get these are the dollar store get one for each day and they're very compact. Last year we bought mickey ponchos and they took up a lot of room because we re-used. I won't do this again)

since everything I bring is mini size it doesnt' take up much room at all and there is plenty of room in my backpack for small souveniers. I was also able to put my ex's wallet in my backpack.

For the little one the only thing I might add is a juice box and maybe a bag of fruit snacks or cheerios.

Be sure to use zip locks. I put each thing in one.. ie brush, pony tail holder, makeup in one zip lock. Wipies all in one zip lock. film, batteries, camera in one.
This made it SO EASY to grab what I needed instead of fumbling around. Kleenex I kept in an outside pocket for easy access.

 

[Ames]

I use a pretty small fanny pack. BTW, Disney is the only place you will catch me wearing one. . I take some cash, ticket/key, credit card, chapstick, any pills I may need, a tissue or two, a few bandaids/moleskin, camera (its tiny), and a travel size deoderent. With lots of room to spare if rain is in the forecast for my poncho.

 

[Skylarr29]

I bring as little as possible...I hate to go theough the bad check although it doesn't take very long. My lanyard around my neck holds room key, cash and ap, and my camera is on a strap around my wrist or neck as welll... I am guilty of leaving the camera all together at times and letting the fast pass photographers do there thing.

For little ones I would also brign a change of clothes in a large ziplock in case, snacks, and maybe some form of entertainment for when standing in long lines.. i.e. bubbles, a small book, gameboy etc.

 

[MattNash]

Camera. Guide.

Everything else can be bought in the park! Don't clutter yourselves! REALLY!

Oh, and PLEASE do the rest of us a favor and

LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONE IN YOUR CAR!!!!!!!!

 

[ZoZo]

I use a pretty small fanny pack. BTW, Disney is the only place you will catch me wearing one. . I take some cash, ticket/key, credit card, chapstick, any pills I may need, a tissue or two, a few bandaids/moleskin, camera (its tiny), and a travel size deoderent. With lots of room to spare if rain is in the forecast for my poncho.

I use a small fanny pack too. Small wallet with cash, ticket, credit card, lip stuff, sunglasses, moleskin, emergency poncho (a must!), a wet wipe, tiny bottle of sunscreen. I try to really pare it down.

I often bring a small backpack and tuck it into a locker. That way, I have my lightweight jacket, extra pair of socks, etc. "at the ready" but don't have to tote the backpack around, if I decide I don't want to carry one that day.

 

[brocklesnar69]

Wait a minute... is it even possible to take food/snacks with you into the parks in your backpack or otherwise??? Wont they search your purse/fanny pack/back pack before you go in? And if they find any food wont they tell you to get rid of it or you cant come in?????

 

[jbdreamer]

Wait a minute... is it even possible to take food/snacks with you into the parks in your backpack or otherwise??? Wont they search your purse/fanny pack/back pack before you go in? And if they find any food wont they tell you to get rid of it or you cant come in?????

There is a difference between a few snacks and a picnic lunch. I have never had a problem bringing granola bars and trail mix in with me.

Besides, the bag checkers are searching for weapons, I doubt they care too much about food.

When I go I try to carry a little as possible.

 

[Tinkerbell_Tiffany]

when we went through bag check we had lots of snacks, and a couple bag checkers joked with the kids and asked for a candy bar....it was cute

 

[LISAMWDW]

I carry the minimum. I like to be freeee as possible. My DH and I take turns sharing the burden. We take sunscreen, sunglasses, one phone(treo) I have all ADR's/phone #'s in it, cash, key cards, 1 credit card, small first aid bag, camera. If the forecast says rain or rainy season we bring our ponchos. Bare minimum. We use a Patagonia sling bag. I found backpacks to heavy and too hot to carry. Fanny packs would be my second choice. They just feel kinda bulky to me.

 

[pdarrah]

Yes, keep it as minimal as possible - lugging stuff around is no fun.

Some of this is dependent on your touring style. We always stay on site and get to a park at opening (or EMH). We stay for the morning and then go back to the hotel right before or after lunch. Then we head back out in the early evening. Since we rarely spend more than 4-5 hours at a stretch in a park, we can carry less stuff. If you are doing the commando 8AM to Midnight type touring, you might need a backpack of stuff to keep you going!

If you decide on the backpack - please remember that it sticks out behind you - when you swing around, back up or whatever in a crowd there is a good chance you will hit people with it if you aren't concious of where it is. If you are riding a crowded bus or monorail - take it off and carry it!

I carry a small fannypack (single compartment) with ID, 1 credit card, my pass, my roomkey, a small bottle of contact lens drops, a little bit of cash, a pen, my ADR's, and my phone (sorry - its been useful when a change in plans means a call to WDW-DINE!). I carry my camera in a bag over my shoulder that is made just to fit the camera and a set of batteries - that way I can get to it quickly. This trip we will have a video camera for the first time and I don't know yet where I am going to carry that!

We don't bother with the sun block (we never even think to reapply except for when we get back to the room ) or extra socks, etc. since we'll probably survive until we get to the room. If the weather is really hot, one of us will carry a bottle of water on a strap - we share germs and when that bottle is gone we buy another (yes - water is pricey in the parks, but I'd rather pay than tote around the weight of multiple bottles of water.)

pdarrah