What do you pack to carry all day?

[Canadian Harmony]

I'm going to bring a backpack to help make our day go a bit better. Things like socks (cuz my kids would rather have blisters apparently), water (should I grab the plastic bottles or fill up our Contigos?), camera extras (batteries, etc), money, sunscreen, ponchos (pre-purchased from...?).

Anything else I should bring? Kids are 11 and 9 so no baby things required.

In the afternoon I'll throw in some sweaters for cooler night stuff.

Where can I get the ponchos? Same place as where I get some groceries (like an ABC store)? What place would this be and where is it in relation to the Park? Do we need a taxi or will a walk cover it?

 

[kangamama]

I usually use a Camelbak backpack and fill up at the hotel, and refill as necessary. I don't like the way the water tastes in Anaheim, so I keep a stash of crystal light packets in my pack when I am visiting the parks. If I am there during hot weather, I fill the waterbladder up with ice, and it stays cold pretty much all day.

 

[neonderlyn]

Im interested in answers to this as well, we have never been to disneyland and im having a hard time knowing what are most haves for the day.

 

[kangamama]

oh another thing I'd suggest is a power supply for your smart phone. If you plan on using an app to track wait times, and if you plan to split up from your group and will need your phone to check in with one another, your battery probably won't last.

 

[jina]

here's what goes in our pack:
sunscreen
hats
extra shorts/socks if your kids play in the snow at DCA
water bottle
light snacks, fresh fruit
light jacket if you're staying in the evening and did not arrive in the AM when it was still chilly

 

[DahliaRW]

I usually buy the cheap $1 ponchos at target to bring with (and I pack them, I don't get them in Anaheim). The exception was this past trip where we brought actual rain coats because rain was predicted. I always pack a foldable/packable grocery bag (you know those cloth ones) which are great for hauling layers as they get peeled off. Then it's water bottle for the family to share (we refill as needed), snacks, small first aid kit, sunblock, and I think that's about it. We were there in December, and one of the days when it was warm during the day but we were staying for F! that night we rented a locker for all of our coats. It just made it easier. We grabbed them after dinner.

 

[nannyz]

I always carry a few band aids, especially if you have kids with you. I used to carry an extra t-shirt in case I spilled something on me or I got extra wet on a ride, but now I tell myself that if that happens, it's a great excuse to buy a new Disney shirt!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I buy ponchos from the dollar store or order them from Amazon before we leave on our trip so we aren't spending time hunting for them once we get there. I hear they also have them at Wal-Mart, but we don't usually shop there so I haven't looked.
I also bring a back up battery for my phone, a few granola bars in case we get hungry waiting in a long line, water bottle, sunscreen & hat (some of those lines are in the blazing sun!), hand sanitizer, anti-chafe stuff to prevent blisters (Body Glide is a good brand - also found on Amazon), a small wallet with a little cash, credit card, room key, etc., and a paperback chapter book to read out loud while we're waiting in line.
Oh, and a Stall Stopper (http://www.restroomsurvivalkit.com/) because then we can use that one stall with the broken lock that seems to be in every public bathroom on the planet! It's come in very, very handy on every trip so far. I had one woman offer to buy it off me on one trip when the line was out the door and I was able to bypass the line and get DS (then 3 and still having accidents) into the stall with the broken lock using the Stall Stopper.

 

[Aladora]

I used to bring in a backpack but now that DS is old enough to carry a small backpack with his own stuff, I am going down to a small crossbody purse and just carry a bottle of water in my hands. In the purse I'll have: wallet, iphone, lip balm, small baggie with ibuprofen and some blister bandaids and that's probably about it. DS will have a tiny backpack with his bottle of water, his nintendo DS and maybe a snack or two. DH just grabs his wallet and phone and carries a bottle of water.

 

[VandVsmama]

I'm going to bring a backpack to help make our day go a bit better. Things like socks (cuz my kids would rather have blisters apparently), water (should I grab the plastic bottles or fill up our Contigos?), camera extras (batteries, etc), money, sunscreen, ponchos (pre-purchased from...?).

Anything else I should bring? Kids are 11 and 9 so no baby things required.

In the afternoon I'll throw in some sweaters for cooler night stuff.

Where can I get the ponchos? Same place as where I get some groceries (like an ABC store)? What place would this be and where is it in relation to the Park? Do we need a taxi or will a walk cover it?

ponchos - I get ours in the camping section of Walmart or Target. They are the cheap ones that cost $1-2 each. If they are readily available in your neck of the woods, buy locally and pack in your luggage before travelling out to Anaheim.

What time of year are you going to be at DL? If you find that your backpack gets heavy with all of the sweaters & such, you can always rent a small locker for $7 and stash the sweaters in there.

Water - if you're flying in to DL and if space in your luggage is a valuable commodity, then just grab 1 plastic water bottle per person in the morning before you head out. Mark each person's name on it so you don't end up swapping spit all day. LOL!

Items that I tend to have in our park bag are:

• sunscreen
• cell phone + extra battery charger. I don't bring a separate camera...we just use the cell phone's camera for our photos, so your mileage may vary on this
  
• wallet
• park tickets
• photo pass+ card
  
• 1 extra set of clothes per kid, but my kids are only 6 & 8. 1 pr underwear + shorts being the priority.
  
• a sarong - to use as a blanket to sit on for parades & Fantasmic!, to use as a scarf, also handy as a cover up for kids who get extra cold in the evening even with their sweatshirts on
• 1 sweatshirt/sweater per person
• water bottles - 1 per kid + 1 for me. DH just shares mine.
  
• grab & go snacks - nothing that melts in heat, but stuff like fruit snacks, bananas, an apple, goldfish crackers, a couple of granola bars. It's helpful to have something on hand to munch while you're waiting in line and your child states, "Mom, I'm starving and I need to eat RIGHT NOW!"
• 3-4 band aids + 1-2 blister band aids in a small zip lock bag
• a travel pack of Tylenol or ibuprofen
  
• lip balm if your lips are prone to sunburn
• a sun hat (wear it instead of carry it)

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

It also depends on how close you are staying to the parks. We always stay within easy walking distance - usually at BWPPI right across the street or onsite in the rare occasions we can afford it. Since we stay so close, we don't carry as much with us and head back to the hotel room once or twice if needed to restock the bag or get sweatshirts/jackets. Sometimes we just send one runner back for stuff while the others get in line, sometimes we all head back for a rest or to use the pool. I used to bring a lot more with us, but I've gotten better at leaving the load back in the room.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I bring a pretty small bag now that dd is older... We get water as we need it in the park (free tap water from cs places), she wears a sun hat, I wear my sunglasses. I pack a travel size sunscreen, lip balm, hand sanitizer, wet ones, a couple dollar store ponchos (in case we end up on grizzly or splash), Advil, my phone for pics, small wallet with park hoppers, room key, gift cards etc...

 

[Canadian Harmony]

We're going the first week of October. How much does a locker cost? We're staying at PPH.

I checked out the Stall Stopper and it's awesome! Unfortunately, shipping is double the cost, so it's very expensive. I might ask a friend in the US if she can receive for me and I'll pick it up in Anaheim when we get there.

 

[corinne76]

following this! Last time we left a bunch of things in the stoller. Still bringing a stroller but with the reports of thefts, I want to bring a larger backpack this time to carry the things we need.

 

[corinne76]

following this! Last time we left a bunch of things in the stoller. Still bringing a stroller but with the reports of thefts, I want to bring a larger backpack this time to carry the things we need.

 

[Eddygirl]

DD(14) and I carry small cross body Sherpani bags. DH carries a cinch sac. DS (10) gets off easy..lol.
I buy the collapsible water bottles (like Platypus) and flavored mix like MIO or Kool-aid. This saves us some serious money and we stay hydrated. The fountains are filtered.

DD and I carry our own water bottles, and she carries her own "stuff" she needs to survive the day. We all wear our hats and sunglasses and if we need a jacket it gets tied around our waists when not needed.

In my little bag:
*Money/id etc
*My water bottle and the drink mix
*My phone which I also use for pictures.
*A few blister band-aids and a small body glide or blister/anti-chafe stick. (Get those hot spots before they are blisters!)
*Hand sanitizer gel
*Travel size tissue pack
*I use a small plastic pill box for a couple of Advil's, Junior Advil's and Pepto chewables. It is small...probably 2"x 1.5".


In the cinch sac:
*Camera (In a zip bag)
*Charging cube/cables for our phones, etc (in a zip bag)
*Some extra Zipper bags
*Sunscreen
*DH and DS water bottles
*a few disposable ponchos
*some granola bars or small snacks
*Sometimes we pack DS's go-pro and handle.

DH has a small waist pack (AKA fanny pack) to keep his wallet and phone. No chance of losing it or having it lifted.

Remember the first aid enters will have some band-aids and medications. Our last trip DS, who is prone to headaches, of course gets one and I forgot the meds. I thought I could buy some in the park, but that was a no-go. I remembered reading on the boards about the first-aid centers. The nurses were so awesome. They gave him 2 generic IBprofins, and let him sit and rest a bit to make sure he was good to go. Totally saved the day as I would have had to leave the park to hike to the nearest hotel gift shop.

 

[ehrawn]

Man, you guys are over-packers . For a family of 4:
-One 20-26L backpack
-Two 20 oz and Two 16 oz bottles of water
-One Insulated Lunch Box (my favorite: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/70705?page=lunch-box ) with snacks
-Point and Shoot Camera with spare battery and SD Card
-iPhone cord and USB travel battery
-Small hand sanitizer
-Small tube of sunscreen

This leaves enough room to carry a shed warming layer (long sleeve shirt, etc.)

Everyone is responsible for their own hats, sunglasses, wallets and phones.

A couple things. Rain is rare in Anaheim so I don't bring rain gear. It's also arid so you tend to dry fairly quickly should you get a little bit of water on your trousers. Weather is very predictable, too. Look at the hourly temperature the day before and think "comfortably cool" when you dress, taking into account your activity (i.e. it's ok to be a little cold while you wait for rope drop if it's going to warm up in an hour, especially if you will be walking briskly from attraction to attraction). Also, I like wool socks and I'm not shy about Gold Bond & Body Glide.

The other big thing , though is that I have always taken a mid-day break which permits phone/camera battery recharge, changing socks, etc. You might want to bring a few extra things if you aren't going to be giving your feet some time to air out.

 

[Canuck16]

We always bring collapsible water bottles (Platypus style) for each of us along with Mio (or something similar) water flavors and fill them up at water fountains as we need. We love these type of water bottles as they just roll up when we are finished and take up hardly any room.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

We also really like the collapsible water bottles! Absolutely love being able to roll them up and stow them when they aren't filled up.

 

[Geemo]

I was always the one to wear the backpack. It can get heavy with the needs for 4-5 people.
For the last trip, I went to the fabric store and bought Disney Themed fabric for cinch bags.
I made each of the grandkids their own Disney cinch bag. The bottom is covered with black nylon for wear and tear.
I made a zipper compartment for small valuables.

We usually carry...
light jacket/sweatshirt
bottle of water
snacks

In my bag I include a change of shoes and socks.

I have small peanut butter jars for the snacks. The goldfish crackers didn't keep too well in ziplock bags.

The nice thing about everyone having their own bag, they can carry whatever they want to.

Geemo