What do you carry to the parks?

[house_of_princesses]

We're still in the stroller stage, but soon to be out of strollers all together. How and what do you take with to the parks? For older children, do you allow them to carry their tickets and if so, in what?

 

[dvc guy]

As little as possible. We DW, DD 11 and DS 7 all have fanny packs for small stuff. I hold all the passes and other important documents.
I bring along room key, one charge card, park passes and maybe 20 dollars along with driver license
We have a napsack with lunch and other items which goes into a locker. We used to carry a lot more when we were in the stroller phase. The children always want to bring a lot of stuff, but never want to carry it after 5 minutes.

 

[blanq]

Our DS was 6 when we took him to WDW for the first time, so his need at that age for "stuff" might have been less than a child just out of a stoller. Anyway, we have always travelled light. We each take our own fanny pack. One of us is in charge of everyone's tickets, usually me, and my DH and I each carry a room key. I am not comfortable having my child carry his own ticket, and he is almost 10 now...he just doesn't always have a full awareness of his surroundings sometimes and I can easily see his ticket flying off in the wind and him not even realizing it. Those hoppers are too darn expensive to replace! We each carry some cash (small bills). We also take: sunglasses, chapstick, bandaids, kleenex, and a small tube of sunscreen. My DS usually carries a couple of small snacks in his pack too, like raisins, cheese/crackers packs, etc. One of us carries a small, disposable camera (we no longer lug around our camera with various lens and find that the disposables take pretty good pictures...and they are ultra light to carry/handle) If rain is in the forecast we each wear (or tie around our waists to use as needed) a rain jacket. We have invested in breathable (Gortex) light-weight rain jackets for each of us...these are expensive but we get plenty of rain where we live so we get a lot of use out of them.

 

[Trinity721]

When I went with friends in '99 and when DH and I went in 2001, I always made sure I had (in no particular order) an ID of some kind, a little cash, sunscreen, lipbalm, camera and definitely bandaids!!! I can't tell u how many times bandaids have saved my feet from potentially crippling blisters (i'm exaggerating)! but seriously, they helped a lot. And in the hot weather, water!

Of course this May, that list will probably change when DH and I bring our 10 month old... Add on baby formula, diapers, baby powder, baby food, sippy cup..... Oh Lordy! the list goes on and on!

 

[piglets]

We usually all take fannypacks for during the day, as well as knapsacks that we store in a locker for later. In our fannypacks are our passes, cash, room keys, my regular keys & I.D.

The knapsacks usually carry stuff like - extra water, cameras, sunscreen. chapstick and tylenol, and, if the park is open late and we are staying for a parade, extra warmer clothing. Being in the sun all day can sometimes make for a shivery (sp?) evening as you stand still to watch SpectroMagic and Fantasy In the Sky.

Also, if I am goofy enough to lug my videocamera with me, it sometimes ends up in the locker too! I must learn to downsize!

 

[prince of thieves]

While i can't speak as a parent b/c i'm too young to be a parent, i would have to say that if you could, i would invest in something like a camelback water bladder holder. You will see many people through out the parks using devices like these. They are just really convient to have when you need a sip of water and you don't have to carry it around b/c it will be strapped to your back. If you think that your children are responsable enough to be able not to ruin the ticket then go ahead and let them handle it. If they have a wallet that they keep up with pretty well then that should do just fine. But this is coming from a 20 year old whos mother still refuses to let my father or I carry around our own tickets .

hope this helps
JAM

 

[punky'smom]

I always carry a fanny pack. The most important thing we carry are the water bottles, we have the bottle covers with the straps. So I attach them to my fanny pack. I walk around usually with one hanging off each hip. This year with bringing our DGD who is 3 yrs old. We won't forget her sippys and her uncrustable PB&J sandwiches. Walmart has there in a big box in frozen section they are small enough to put in a backpack or large fanny pack. I always carry the tickets in my fanny pack,with medical cards,IDs, usually cell phone,sunscreen,& small digital camera. You should see me getting on the rides I usually have to lift my fanny pack over the bar to fit in. My DH used to laugh but not anymore because he doesn't have to carry anything.

 

[house_of_princesses]

Piglets, it's the videocam that kills me! Although we just bought one that fits in the palm of my hand. That may work better. My still camera was a big 35MM with the lens. Too heavy. My DH bought me a digital (at my request). So, he goes to Circuit City and comes home with a digital bigger than my 35MM! I say, "What's this?!" DH- Well, I bought it because it has night vision. Who uses night vision except for our dear soldiers! Like Punky's Mom, my DH doesn't have to lug this thing! But I can't imagine not getting any pics/video during a day at the park. Looks like its' the backpack for me!

PS. I still hold DH's tix, too!

 

[InstImpres]

It sounds like I may be the exception here. As my SIL called it "the wonder pack" I carry a large backpack with everything!!! We were 2 adults and a 6 & 7 Year old. I had water and juice boxes, snacks, Things for while waiting in line or for show to start (new disney video game, chinese jump rope, rubix cubes, etc.) extra pins for trading (I had bought them cheap $.65 at Dis store and spaced them out during the day), hand wipes, camera, first aid, sweatshirts and souveniers. I prebought things like glo braclets/necklace (pack of 50 for $10.00) and used it all trip instead of buying in the park. We also put a picnic lunch in one day for AK. Obviously, I also carried the tickets, room keys, park map and my "planning page" with all the PS info on it.

It was heavy in the am but light by just after lunch. I estimate saving between $50-$75 a day with this (as well as time and convienience.) I look at it this way - the carrying of the bag paid for the 2 childrens passes; well worth it IMHO.

Good luck
Sandy

 

[house_of_princesses]

InstImpres, I look like you with my back pack! I guess I asked the question for alternate ideas. The pack does get heavy and warm, too! My DH will carry it, if I ask him to. That helps!

 

[loriandmatt]

A black Mickey (of course) over the shoulder bag containing:

In the small zippered pocket:
AP's, DH's wallet, room keys

In the rest of the bag:
camera, extra film, ponchos, small first aid kit (with asprin,bandaids,precut moleskin, immodium, hand sanitizer, feminine hygene stuff (if needed), chapstick, tissues) autograph book and pen, water bottle(s), occasionally a snack, a few small and large ziplock bags in case of a water ride or rainstorm, a very small notebook with emergency info and PS ressie stuff.

We found that a back pack was more of a pain for us, always taking it on and off to get into it.

- lori

 

[Bimmy56]

Things were different when my children were small, but now that they are teens, I just stuff my pass, room key and some money in my pocket. If I am bringing a camera, then I use a fanny pack. If it looks like it might rain we put one of those $1 emergency ponchos in our back pocket.

My kids still give me their passes to hold 'cause they don't want to be bothered with them.