What do you bring with you to the park

[btstmom]

Hi,

I am travelling with my two little boys -- ages one and three and half to WDW at the end of August. We plan on visiting the parks in the AM, taking a break around 1 to escape the heat and going back in the evening.

Realistically, what would you recommend bringing to the park with us? I know the usual stuff (diapers, wallet) -- but are there things that I need to think about that will make life easier and our trip more enjoyable?

TIA!

 

[Jen117]

Travel pack of baby wipes or hand wipes. You won't believe how handy these things are and how dirty a kid can get!

Bottles of water

Snacks for the kids (my kids are always hungry when they see all the food carts)

If going in the summer - mini fan or spray bottle fan to keep the kids cool.
Be careful with the mini fans and girls with longer hair... fan/hair is a bad combination!

Extra set of clothes, if you have room in the stroller. Kids can have accidents, or they jump into the Epcot water spouts before you can stop them!

 

[dismom9761]

One thing I did was carry a small cooler in the basket of my stroller.I had water bottles,grapes,Go-Yogurt,etc. in it.Sometimes a quick snack will keep a hot toddler happy.

 

[Taja]

And a spare top for you! When kids get messy, mom frequently does, as well. Although not intentionally!

Otherwise, you may be purchasing random souvenier t-shirts throughout the parks! *LOL*

 

[fanofgrumpy]

I have brought a small toy to help with long lines or waiting for shows to start. also bring extra clothes for them and a washcloth to cool off with.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Besides the basics like sunscreen, camera etc... I highly recommend the extra large zip loc baggies. Sudden downpours are very common in August and I kept the things that couldn't get wet (cell phone, camera, autograph books etc... inside one that was in the backpack.

Also, I recommend you buy ponchos, especially for the little ones, before you leave home. Even though Disney makes them for kids, they are too big for the really little ones. I got my 2 youngest zip up ones that were from the camping section at Wal Mart and the rest of us used cheap pullovers, also from Wal Mart.

 

[Dizzy over Disney]

Glow sticks for the night! Buy them at the dollar store.

I always pack (for my six and 2 year old):


bandaids (someone is going to fall in our family)
anti-bacterial wipes
diapers and wipes
contact solution for me
little toys
snacks
water bottles
Ponchos
Tissues
change of clothes for my youngest
wet washcloth in ziploc bag
Pack a large ziploc (gallon) in case you use ponchos... you can put them back in the ziploc so they don't get everything wet.

Also, if you are bringing your own stroller... I have an umbrella one. At Babies R Us, I found a mesh bag that attaches to the outside (in the back).. this was awesome, because I put a lot of the stuff in there (I put my diapers and wipes in a gallon ziploc and left them in there) and it left me more room in the backpack.

 

[dislover78]

Pack light! Your children are young and this is harder to do. Make your bad a back pack. It's easier to carry while in transit to park and hotel. Handy wipes are good for washing up before a snack, and always have some on hand. You can get a glass of water anywhere for free to refill sippy cups, or mix up formula if you need to. I echo the ponchos and the ziplic bags, you never know when you might need them. And the extra set of clothes is a great idea.

Our family does the same thing - get going in the morning - break in the afternoon and out again in the evening. It works well for the little ones. What hotel are you staying at?

 

[kjbrown]

I disagree on the backpack. I brought a messenger type bag with me to carry stuff I wouldn't leave on the stroller. It was easy to still wear the bag on rides. A backpack doesn't really work on rides.

All the stuff mentioned by PPs is great. Definitely a small toy or amusement for waiting. Snacks. PURELL. A digital camera can actually be great entertainment to look through the pics you've already taken of your trip while waiting.

Totally agree on the ziplocks.

One thing I did (on trip last Feb with DD4 and DS1) was to pack our stroller stuff into two bags that fit in the storage basket of our stroller. Diaper and clothing stuff went in one bag, amusements and snacks went in the other. Made it easier to pull out just what I needed.

Ooh, also handy to have some grocery-type bags. It's nice to use them for diapers before you throw them in the trash. And cheaper than using all of your precious ziplocks!

 

[vcgirl925]

This is my list and i have two small kids too, a 2 and 4 year old.

Bag:

lanyard with a id badge that i can keep in my bag or wear around my neck. it will house my money, park passes, & room card.
plastic m&m container with quarters and pennies for the penny press machine
2 penny press books (holds all of their pressed pennies)
Cell phone
Small pack wipes
Ponchos (cheapo dollar store ones)
Ziplocks (to keep cell phones, wallet, and camera dry on water rides)
2 Water bottles (to refill throughout the day)
Autograph Books (one for each kid)
Sharpies (two)
Snacks (fruit gummy snacks, lollies, nerds, crackers...etc. Two snacks per kid per day)
Change of clothes for kids
Clip on sunscreen
Clip on hand sanitizer
Digital Camera
light jackets for all of us at night only (i'm taking a mid day break so we can get the jackets later)