what do you carry in your park bag?

[anne928]

I'm trying to decide which bag to order for our trip in February. I spent last night obsessively reading the park bag picture thread on disney tips, but I'm still not sure.

It will be me, dh, ds-6 and ds-4. we will have a stroller (from orlando stroller rentals), but I'm not really comfortable leaving anything in there except maybe jackets.

I think I want the Overland Equipment Donner bag, but it would help if I had a better idea of what I should plan on carrying. So, what do the people with little kids past diaper age carry?

thanks!
anne

 

[Belle4mygrl]

There was a thread a while back about this.

I carry these items. I am sure I carry more just can't remember.

waters
on the go packets of Crystal light and Punch
chapstick
camera
snacks
cheap ponchos (for water rides I hate being wet)
autograph book and LARGE pen

 

[ScrapperBelle]

Something I always found useful to carry with little ones were a few small disposable plastic cups. That way we could just buy 1 or 2 drinks at a time and split them. I would start out the day with 2 frozen bottles of water and once those were gone, we would buy drinks as we needed them, but without having to buy one for everyone every single time!

The main things I have carried are:
Camera
Small wallet or pouch with our key cards and a little cash
A couple of ziplocs (to put things in on water rides)
A couple of small cups
Chapstick and sunscreen

I usually carry these things in my camera bag. DH and I would buy those lanyards for water bottles and each of us could carry one around our neck.

 

[jayhjay]

I have two kids 5 and 8. We too bring a stroller and I have an Overland Donner bag. I find that when it is just DH and I, that is plenty, but sometimes with the kids I like to have another bag too. I have an old Skip Hop that attaches to the stroller and I put things in there that I feel comfortable leaving since we often have to park the stroller. Here is my basic list:

- water
- sunscreen
- camera and extra battery
- sunglasses
- purell
- tissues/wipes
- autograph books/pens
- snacks (goldfish, granola bars, etc)
- cheap ponchos for rain emergencies and water rides (I bring real ponchos and an umbrella if there is a good chance of rain)
- ziplocks

I also usually throw in a jacket or a lap blanket under the stroller in case we are out in the evening and it get cool.

I also bring activities for the kids which come in handy during long lines, waiting for shows, and meals. Typically this is small magnet toys, coloring pages and crayons, and other small travel toys and games. These often are big saviors during down times.

 

[69RoadRunner]

Duct tape covers most issues you might have with the kids.

Keeps them quiet.
Keeps them from running off.
Covers any boo-boos.
If their clothing gets soaking wet, you can make pants and a shirt out of it.

Parenting 101

 

[MKB419]

Duct tape covers most issues you might have with the kids.

Keeps them quiet.
Keeps them from running off.
Covers any boo-boos.
If their clothing gets soaking wet, you can make pants and a shirt out of it.

Parenting 101

 

[revmom]

last time we went I through in the small bubbles like you give out at bdays or weddings. They were great to occupy the kids while waiting for the bus or rides.

 

[KayW]

Change of clothes and a bag. Last year my DD who was 3 had an accident at Animal Kingdom.

I had some band aids that came in handy. Granola bars/breakfast bars help tide them over when waiting in line.

 

[disneymarie]

I had two bags,
1 for stuff like change of clothes, inexpensive jackets, clean socks, other sandles or shoes, umbrella, cheap rain jackets, fruit chewys, pretzles, small cooler with water under the stroller. I threw over the handle bars the good bag with camera, moist wipes, big tissue portable pack, ziplocks, autograph books pen, batteries, chapstick, sunscreen, small first aid kit from Walmart, bite pen,

I take this bag off the stroller into attractions with me. I have everything ready for security; the cooler open, the organised clothing bag unziped, and then my shoulder bag. Heck security to see the Liberty Bell was ten times more to go through to see it

My sling bag is a l.l. bean onver one shoulder, padded strap. I have three, one a beach type print with net see through, the nylon med one, and then the Blud one that is usually $39, I got a discount link last year from someone on DIS and got it for $19.99.

 

[daisyduck123]

Clorox wipes (to wipe down the table before we eat)
Wet-Ones (for our hands)
camera
Chap Stick
disposable rain ponchos
Band-Aides
sunscreen
wallet (one credit card, DVC card, TIW card)
pen/Autograph book

*That's all I can think of....I may be missing some

 

[redrosesix]

We always rent a locker - it is the first thing we do after we enter the park.

So I have a small messenger-style backpack that I bought at Animal Kingdom Park - it has lots of pockets and I can't tell you how many compliments I've had about it. Everybody wants one. In it is:
1 bottle of water (if it's going to be warm, I also carry one)
a pouch with my KTTW, drivers license, etc. attached to my keys
camera
sunglasses
cell phone -
bandaids (just in case and because they're small and light)
My bag is big enough for 3 fleece sweaters (rolled up reallllly tightly .lol.) when it gets warmer. I don't carry my wallet - I don't need it - I keep it in the safe in the hotel

My husband carries only a fanny pack with the same items because he is responsible for carrying the larger bag that we store in the locker, and always ties his sweater around his waist until he can ditch it.

In the locker we keep a tote bag or large backpack with more water, heavy items like sunscreen, extra clothes etc. (also an extra pair of shoes each, because changing shoes will prevent blisters) but we would never lug this around the park. One of us usually goes back to the locker to drop off clothes when it gets warm and pick up more water, but since we're park hoppers we might choose to hop before we need to change clothes.

We do wilderness camping and have learned a lot from having to hike all of our supplies in to our site. Try to travel light - you'll have more fun.

 

[vcgirl925]

Not much, who wants to lugh a bunch of stuff around the park all day? This last trip i still had on in diapers and this is what we carried. We left jackets in the stroller. I have a baggellini backpack and we put in a couple diapers and small pack of wipes, hand sanitizer, sun block stick, a couple of snacks, two juice boxes, and that was it! We also left our autograph books and pens in the strollers too.