What do you carry in the parks

[pawsitivemom]

I'm hoping to go to the parks with the minimum of "baggage". I don't even carry a purse unless I have to. I know that if we wind up bringing a backpack or bag I'll be the one stuck carrying it.

I'm staying on site so will probaly be charging most things to the room and using package delivery. We are going in 9 days so I don't think I have to "worry" about carying too muchin the way of drinks....what esle should I bring to the parks?

Another question....do you need to bring your own beach towels to Blizzard Beach?

Please help me oh wise ones!

Am I nuts for only wanting to take my room key and some cash?

 

[MickeyNicki]

What I bring depends on what the weather is like, I have a Disney tote bag that I will put sweatshirts in, the mugs from the resorts etc and we put that in a locker. I have a waist bag that I keep aspirin, eye drops, etc that I wear ....if the weather is cool and we wear the sweatshirts I will carry the tote so I can put my purchases in it

 

[Equidae]

You aren't nuts for wanting to carry a resort ID and cash. I usually just carry ID/cash since I hate waiting in line to get my bag checked when I first get to one of the parks and I hate lugging it around all day. I say if you can get away with no bags then maybe that would be the best way to go. As far as Blizzard Beach, I'm not sure, but I would think you should bring your own towels. Have fun!!!

 

[Tinkerbell_Girl]

I carry a small backpack filled with water, snacks, a wallet and aspirin. It is heavier in the morning when it's filled with water and snacks.

 

[goofie4goofy]

No you are not nuts. You really don't need all that stuff. I usually carry my Coach across the body bag. It's small, hands free, is not a fanny pack (yuck), you do not have to take it off for any ride as it is small enough that it fits securely at your side and does not move. The only reason I bring this is because of my camera. I also carry my girly things...lipstick, hair holders etc. Since it is small it is also a breeze going thru security. It's a great bag, I call it my theme park bag, but I use it all the time when I go shopping. You don't even know you have it on.


My DH is the lucky one...ticket, cash room key. That's the way to go. I just love taking pictures, so I need the bag. People carry so much stuff in the parks, outside of a diaper bag for kids...I really don't get the whole backpack thing only because it must be so uncomfortable and a pain in the butt.

 

[durango kid]

Water in the parks is a must, but then again being from Colorado, we carry water everywhere. As to Blizzard Beach, you can rent towels there but they are small, we bring our own.

 

[pawsitivemom]

Thanks! I will have a small bag for my camera and "girly things". I think I'll use a locker for my backpack since we will need to bring jackets along too.

 

[NMAmy]

Our rule is that if you can't carry it in your pockets, it isn't coming with us into the parks.

I carry my ID and room card in my back pocket. Our park tickets & cash are in a lanyard that I wear around my neck (and tuck under my shirt), and I tuck my camera into one pocket, and dd's inhaler into another one. My sunglasses are on a string around my neck which I can also tuck into my shirt when we're on the more turbulent rides!

We've been many times and we've never needed anything that wouldn't fit into our pockets!

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

- resort id with charging privileges
- my annual pass
- photo id - drivers license
- cash
- comb
- neck strap for water bottle

sometimes I have a small pocketsize notebook and pen, for taking notes for trip reports....

DW likes to carry the camera, she has a small backpack; she also has the sunscreen and ponchos if need be.

 

[Msslaydbug]

Oh my goodness I am a packhorse compared to all of you. I have DD1yo so I always have her diaperbag attached to the stroller with a sippy cup, snacks, diapers, wipes, and an extra change of clothes. Then I have wristlet with my AP, wallet, glasses case, advil, and who knows what else I choose to throw in for the day. not to mention my camera and DH carries the video camera !!

 

[Karrie Davis]

I am in the pack mule catagory myself! I have a one year old too and am wishing I could get away with what the rest of you bring! I had to make a special bag to carry all our stuff! Plus what fit under the stroller!!!


I like the colorado & water comment - I am in Centennial & I totaly laughed at that because it is so true!

 

[HunnyPots]

As far as the waterparks, YES - bring your own towels. The park towels rent for $1 each and feel like sandpaper! Really bad if you get the least bit sunburned.

I carry as little as possible. I have a waistpack that is not too hideous looking that holds my camera, small hairbrush, bandaids, tylenol, lip balm, tickets, ID, and room keys.

 

[chrome64]

DH and I are going this weekend for a short marathon trip. This will be the first time that we will be with out kids, stroller, diaper bag, water, camera, etc...

I decided that I wanted to go super light and the last time we were there I saw a woman who had a great idea. She had a small waterproof case attached to a pin lanyard. The case was just the right size for room keys, credit cards, IDs, and cash. She didn't seem to be carrying anything else!!

I've been looking for several days now and didn't have much luck until I looked in the wallets section of Walmart. I found a small ID walet that had an ID window and a zippered compartment. On the top it had a keychain ring attached and then had a lanyard attached to that!!

It was only about $4 and, while it is not waterproof, it will serve our purpose very well! We are heading down for the Expidition Everest preview and our DVC member cards are showing in the ID window. As soon as we get our Everest lanyards I'm going to put it on my new ID wallet and attach the two pins that I am taking to trade.

DH liked this idea so much that he has suggested that I go back and buy 2 more so that the kids will each have one on the next trip to carry their room key and an ID card complete with contact numbers in case they get lost!!

Brillant!

 

[Pigletlover]

My husband and I always use fanny packs around our waists, that's all (we don't have children). If you can find a waterproof one, that would be even better. There are many different sizes and styles with various pockets.

We don't mind if we "look like tourists". On our last trip I bought a bright pink one with Minnie Mouse on it. I love it! My husband uses a larger one with more room inside.

It is so much easier and faster to tour the parks if you don't have to haul stuff around or bother with lockers (although in December we did use lockers a couple of times to put warm coats in).

The only things we carry in our fanny packs are basics like:

wallet with credit cards, cash, coupons, ID etc
room keys and tickets
small notebook full of notes on all the parks, and a pen

cellphone
sunglasses
small fan (either battery operated or a fold-in-half Asian paper fan)
lightweight compact rain poncho (like you find in drugstores or $1 stores)
rubberbands (or small bag) to wrap around poncho to keep it compact

medications in a tiny bag or container
small refillable bottle of sunscreen
extra moleskin or band-aids for blisters

granola bar and/or small ziplock bag filled with trail mix

We always wear soft fabric hats with an approx 4 inch fairly-stiff brim around the whole hat, and a cord you can fasten under your chin if it's windy.

That type of hat protects much more of your face and neck than a baseball cap does. It's also much easier than wearing a straw hat, because you can just remove it when you board fast rides and sit on it (so as not to lose it). It actually flattens completely and is good as new again when you're ready to put it back on.

We don't bother carrying water bottles around. We just use the drinking fountains and get cups of iced water at the food places.

 

[Pigletlover]

I forgot to mention.....water parks are a different story. We don't take as much stuff when we visit them.

Have a look at this thread on water parks:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1010573

 

[antmaril]

We were there a couple of weeks ago. I bring almost nothing into the parks. I have some cash, my ticket, id, room key and a credit card. That's it. I wear a "Passporter" around my neck which holds this stuff and I am good to go. When I see people in the parks loaded down with stuff, backpacks, bags, purses, etc. I just can't imagine it. I want to be as unencumbered as possible.

 

[bkaz]

Wow...do you guys have young kids?!? We will be there in March with DD8 and DS4 and I can't imagine being able to go to the parks without a backpack! I would LOVE to...as I usually just stuff things in my pocket...but I don't see how to. I will have to carry my camera for sure, autograph books & pens, snacks if I don't want to go broke, cheap rain ponchos most likely, a small water bottle, probably an extra shirt for kids in case they get soaked, etc. Can you carry less than that for a full day at MK with young kids?!

 

[pawsitivemom]

Thanks again!!! I do feel better now....I know I'm not crazy! I was out yesterday and bought a "cute" Roots Canada waist bag that is just big enought for my camera, cell and maps ect that we may want. I has a mesh pocket for a small water bottle even! SO I won't need to "carry" anything! AND....it isn't girly at all so DH can wear it if I don't want to!

 

[nhpooh]

Thanks again!!! I do feel better now....I know I'm not crazy! I was out yesterday and bought a "cute" Roots Canada waist bag that is just big enought for my camera, cell and maps ect that we may want. I has a mesh pocket for a small water bottle even! SO I won't need to "carry" anything! AND....it isn't girly at all so DH can wear it if I don't want to!

Have fun and enjoy, I do have a waist bag and it's great. I take to the parks Id, room key and one CC. I too like to be hands free. When my DD's were younger they would have a small back pack or waist bag. They would carry there on stuff if they wanted it.

 

[aunt kelly]

I can't get along w/out a backpack because of my camera. I always carry sunscreen and make my family reapply sunscreen every few hours. (It breaks my heart when I see young kids with severe burns at WDW). I also like knowing that I have moleskin, asprin, bandaids and sweatshirts "just in case." We've always gone in November and in the evening we almost always end up needing the sweatshirts. I am always the one who ends up carrying the backpack (I wouldn't trust anyone else w/ my camera-I'm afraid it would get left behind on one of the rides). However, I just empty my backpack every night and repack for the next day and it never gets too heavy.