What essential items do I pack for the day?

[2BoysMum&Dad]

This might seem a daft question, but, I want this holiday to be perfect - even down to planning exactly what essentials we carry with us each day.

We obviously will need to carry money and a credit card, digital camera/disposable camera or camcorder depending on what we are doing.

But what about things like spare clothes (& towels) if we get wet on one of the attractions? Is it going to be so hot that we needn't bother changing if we get wet as we will dry out? Do we take a big bag of stuff like this and put it in a nearby locker? Are there actually any nearby lockers in various locations throughout WDW for this sort of thing?

Any advice welcome. Thanks.

2BoysMum&Dad

 

[tar heel]

The lockers are at the front of the parks, so not that convenient overall. We never take extra clothes. You're going to be wet from the humidity fairly quickly any way. We all wear a fannypack and also carry a couple bottles water. We carry sunscreen, ponchos, a small snack, a couple cameras, autograph book and pen (youngest child), lip gloss, lotion and hairbrush (me) and sometimes juice boxes and small snacks.

My advice is to pack as lightly as possible for the parks, especially if you are staying on site. In the summer, you will want to break up your days any way b/c of the heat.

Have fun planning and even more fun while you're there.

 

[RumpleMom]

I would add sunglasses, hat or visor, antibacterial hand wipes, and shiney pennies and quarters for the pressed penny machines.

We like to use a water bottle strap to hold the water because it can be tucked into a pocket when not in use.

When the kids were younger (9-12) they liked to carry their own snacks, sunglasses, and camera in their own fanny pack. When they got older and realized Mom wasn't going to carry all of their stuff they decided they didn't need to carry much extra junk.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Water, some gloss for dry lips, sunscreen, and most of all Money..

 

[StephStanley]

Make sure whatever lip gloss you use has SPF, burnt lips are the WORST!

 

[Kaycee]

This is not at all a daft question - you'll see entire sections of Disney planning guides devoted to this subject, and the question comes up here on the DIS board quite often.

What you decide to pack depends on your personal style and where you'll be staying. We stay on-site, so we know that whatever we don't pack but find that we need is not far away. If we were staying off-site, we'd probably pack more in-case-of-emergency type things and store them in a locker.

We like to travel as light as possible in the parks. DH and I each wear a fanny pack (not something either of us would be caught doing anywhere other than WDW!). He carries the digital camera and batteries, a room key, and half the money we think we'll need for the day. I carry the park passes, a room key and the other half of the money. We split things like antibacterial hand wipes, lip balm, moleskin (in case of blisters), sunscreen, and such. If it doesn't fit in the fanny packs, it doesn't go to the park with us!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

...a very good one , in fact.

I always bring a backpack with medical supplies & extra clothes ( I can't stand to be soaked). I store these things in the front locker, as I can't stand carrying them around all day; and only infrequently need access. I feel uncomfortable with a fanny pack and there is no way my BF is carrying a fanny pack.

That said, I understand that a lot of people don't bring a lot to the parks and wear fanny packs. For me, it just feels weird. (I don't wear belts either...I must have some weird phobia about having stuff around my waist...)


So it's really a matter of opinion. If you can fit all of your stuff into a small pack, go for it.

Here are some things I would definately remember to bring :

Extra socks (even if you don't change your whole outfit after wet rides, its a good idea to change socks if you are prone to athletes foot...)
First aid type medicine that anyone might need (band aids, tylenol, aspirin , tums, pepcid...I carry a pill case with a few of each)
Any prescription medication or inhalers you need.
Bee sting kit
Sunblock
Chapstick with Sunblock
Things to keep your kids amused in lines if they are easily bored. (Trivia cards are a good idea).
Glasses, Sunglasses & appropriate cases.
Snacks & a bottle of water.
Park passes
Room key/Car keys
money/credit cards

I can't think of anything else.



Have fun!!

 

[ktglads]

I have done a couple of trips in the summer and usually with our group of 6, we carry one backpack that we can throw everyone's stuff in and then take turns carrying, so you are not stuck with it all day long. Still, we carry the usual sunscreen (absolute must and please reapply! It doesn't last all day if you are sweating), cameras, brush, rubberbands, hats (an absolute must if you want to keep from overheating or burning), spare deodorant (travel size, really for the benefit of us and our neighbors), ponchos, but not much else. If you are staying onsite, it is not that far of a ride to go back to the hotel if you absolutely HAVE to change. The lockers are nice if you know that you don't want to carry something all day long, but then ask yourself if you really need it. Do you need 3 of something or is 1 okay. I will garuntee that you will get sick of carrying around everything everyday and will want to get your bags as light as possible.

Just a tip, any bag except for a waistpack is extremely annoying at Universal Islands of Adventures. You have to get lockers for almost all of the rollarcoasters and that takes up precious ride time. I would recommed going extremely light on those days or renting a locker for an entire day if you are at IoA.

 

[tinkie]

I don't have anything to add to these great suggestions, I just wanted to say that I love that you use the word "daft". I wish I could "ring someone on the telly" and use daft in one of my sentences!!!! Love the british accents too! I try to do it for my kids, and they are just like *there goes Mom pretending to live in England again. (guess I need some more excitement in my life, huh? )

 

[InstImpres]

If you decide to carry your backpack, I bring a large garbage bag to AK for the Kali Rapids. The first trip we almost ruined cameras, etc. as there is no dry storage spot. Now, in a dorky fashion I put it in my garbage bag by my feet and the bag gets thrown out at the end of the ride (or 2 in a row).

Good luck
Sandy

 

[2BoysMum&Dad]

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions and it looks like loads of people are benefitting from the exchange of ideas and previous experiences.

I have what they call a typical "BBC English accent" and I am trying to think of something else to make you all laugh again! Any requests anybody?!!!!!!!!

2BoysMum&Dad