What is your favorite bag for disney and traveling.

[keltiesmom]

We will be heading to disneyland in September and will be flying from Bellingham. We have 4 kids, ages 8, 5, 3, almost 2. I always feel all over the place with everything the kids need And I need. I feel like I need a Mary poppins bag that just carries everything. does anyone have any advice as to what bag might work well for the flights as well as the parks? I will need to have my wallet and our passports, a few diapers and wipes, likely a bottle or sippy cup for the little one and a few crush resistant snacks. The kids will likely have a backpack that has their DS and other entertainment.

 

[Aladora]

When I used to carry stuff for DS, I would use a backpack. Now that he carries his own stuff in a small backpack, I am down to just a small cross-body purse while in the park. I still use the backpack on the plane and carry the purse for the important things such as passports and wallet.

 

[Butterfly123]

I use a small cross body as well...just big enough for wallet, phone, tickets, minimal essentials. That never leaves my body at the parks. Then we share one backpack (or cinch sack) with a couple of water bottles that can be refilled, snacks, sunscreen, etc. nothing that can't be replaced if lost!

I really like the Overland Equipment Crossbody bags; I've used Sherpani, too.

 

[ZoZo]

I like the Baggallini Messenger Bagg (this one: http://www.baggallini.com/best-sellers/messenger-bagg/MES160-BG.html).

It's a nice, medium-sized bag that holds a surprising amount. It has exterior pockets for a water bottle and cell phone, and other organizing pockets both inside and outside of the bag. I was worried when it arrived that it wouldn't be big enough for the stuff I wanted to carry, but it held a lot! It comes in several different colors (you can find a bigger selection of colors on sites like Amazon). It's also very comfortable when you wear it. I like the fact that you don't have to keep taking it off to access the bag, like you do with a backpack. I usually just slid the bag around to the front when I needed something, without taking it off.

 

[keltiesmom]

I like the Baggallini Messenger Bagg (this one: http://www.baggallini.com/best-sellers/messenger-bagg/MES160-BG.html).

It's a nice, medium-sized bag that holds a surprising amount. It has exterior pockets for a water bottle and cell phone, and other organizing pockets both inside and outside of the bag. I was worried when it arrived that it wouldn't be big enough for the stuff I wanted to carry, but it held a lot! It comes in several different colors (you can find a bigger selection of colors on sites like Amazon). It's also very comfortable when you wear it. I like the fact that you don't have to keep taking it off to access the bag, like you do with a backpack. I usually just slid the bag around to the front when I needed something, without taking it off.

I think I like this one! Any chance you think I could fit a DSLR in there? In the parks I would have just the park tickets and my wallet, maybe water, my cell phone and likely a couple of diapers and wipes, and if I could fit it my camera.

 

[KellaCat]

I use this purse for a crossbody in the park. It's also great for airplane travel - lots of pockets but keeps you hands free: http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/catal...nizing-shoulder-bag-in-turquoise-cross-weave/

This for DH to carry if he doesn't want a full backback. Or it's small enough that DS could carry it too:http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/catalog/product/364/catid/18/swid/002a/sling-back-bag-in-black/

I also use this as a cooler. It has a long strap that you could carry but I stash it in the stroller basket. I keep our food/drinks in there obviously but also random things that I don't mind if they get cold (first aid, ziplocs, etc) http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/catal...0/swid/084a/picnic-thermal-tote-in-grey-wave/

 

[cmpeter]

I have a Keen messenger bag that I use. I can fit my DSLR into it no problem. This is the one I have, mine is a light green color. It's also nice because my dh will carry it too. You could easily fit your camera, some snacks and a couple diapers/wipes inside it.

 

[YukonMommy]

As a Mom of 4 also I get the panic in what do I need...but in truth not much! I strongly recommend you take a stroller and gate check it. This way you have what I call a portable locker!
For Flight::::::
-As for a bag I carry a crossbody purse that fits wallet, camera/phone, gum, small pack of kleenex, passports.
-My hubby carried a backpack filled with 1 diaper for every 2 hours we will not see our luggage and 2 spare, a small pack of wipes, small snacks, a water bottle we buy after we go through security, sippy cup, a few toys for smallest, an extra outfit for non potty trained kids in a big Ziploc baggie, kids Tylenol and adult Tylenol and gravol. A magazine for him and a book for me and headphones if your planes have tv.
-Older Kids each carried a backpack with stuff to do on the plane, a few snacks and their neck pillows


In the parks::::
we took our stroller and like I said used it as a portable locker. All 6 of us had our rolled up hoodies in the underneath basket, a small blanket (great for shading and spot saving), small medicine bag of Tylenol (adult and kids), gravol and bandaids, I also threw in the baggie with a change of clothes for those not potty trained, 1 diaper for every 3 hours you plan to be away from the parks, small pack of wipes, snacks and everyones waterbottle/sippycup. I also attached a few toys to the sunshade of the stroller. Never had any problems with theft on any of our 3 trips.

I carried my crossbody bag with camera, gum, sucking candy, Kleenex, small pen and paper and the gazillion maps my kids collected , wallet, 1 diaper and small baggie of wipes.

Hubby carried his wallet.
Kids carried nothing.

Have a magical time!

 

[Caroline NZ]

I use this cross body bag in the parks. It has lots of space and practical features https://www.overlandequipment.com/store/products/donner-894-36-36-13-black-dusty-blue/#

 

[keltiesmom]

As a Mom of 4 also I get the panic in what do I need...but in truth not much! I strongly recommend you take a stroller and gate check it. This way you have what I call a portable locker!
For Flight::::::
-As for a bag I carry a crossbody purse that fits wallet, camera/phone, gum, small pack of kleenex, passports.
-My hubby carried a backpack filled with 1 diaper for every 2 hours we will not see our luggage and 2 spare, a small pack of wipes, small snacks, a water bottle we buy after we go through security, sippy cup, a few toys for smallest, an extra outfit for non potty trained kids in a big Ziploc baggie, kids Tylenol and adult Tylenol and gravol. A magazine for him and a book for me and headphones if your planes have tv.
-Older Kids each carried a backpack with stuff to do on the plane, a few snacks and their neck pillows


In the parks::::
we took our stroller and like I said used it as a portable locker. All 6 of us had our rolled up hoodies in the underneath basket, a small blanket (great for shading and spot saving), small medicine bag of Tylenol (adult and kids), gravol and bandaids, I also threw in the baggie with a change of clothes for those not potty trained, 1 diaper for every 3 hours you plan to be away from the parks, small pack of wipes, snacks and everyones waterbottle/sippycup. I also attached a few toys to the sunshade of the stroller. Never had any problems with theft on any of our 3 trips.

I carried my crossbody bag with camera, gum, sucking candy, Kleenex, small pen and paper and the gazillion maps my kids collected , wallet, 1 diaper and small baggie of wipes.

Hubby carried his wallet.
Kids carried nothing.

Have a magical time!

You are very organized! Im not sure I would even think to pack half of what you do. Thanks for the tips!

 

[ClaraOswald]

I used a backpack for the airplane and for the parks.

However, in the parks, I didn't put anything of real value in the backpack because we would leave it in the back of the stroller while we went on rides. The backpack just had diapers, wipes, sippy cup, a few small snacks.

I use a fanny pack to carry my ID, phone, camera, etc. I leave it on me all day, even on rides, so I don't have to worry about anything happening to my stuff. It may not look the cutest, but who cares. It's great to have my camera right there since I take a lot of pictures.

As far as plane travel, we had a small wheeled carry-on in addition to our backpacks. That way we could put extra clothes/diapers and whatnot into it. (And we DID need the extra clothes since our toddler threw up on the airplane.)

We gate checked a stroller. It was nice to have it at the airport and for the walk to and from the park.

We put our toddler in a car seat on the plane since it's the safest way and it worked very nicely.

We brought a ton of smaller toys and books for our son (almost 17 months old at the time.) We also had a little travel tray to hook to his car seat on the plane. One of this favorite activities was playing with a large pill organizer (it was colorful and had spots for 4 weeks worth of pills.) We would put cheerios and toddler puffs into the pill compartments. He loved finding them, taking them out, putting them back in, eating them, etc. Killed a lot of time on the plane. And at the airport while we waited for my husband to get the rental car.

 

[Amommy21]

When DS was little we carried a very small child size backpack with the bare minimum. Wipes, a few snacks, a jacket for him. If DH and I bring jackets and don't want them we get a locker.

Over the years I have come up with this list of necessities for that backpack: hand wipes, tissues, empty ziplocks in regular and large sizes (put your phone in them in wet rides, leftovers or snacks, a child's wet clothes, etc.) a sharpie, a first aid kit with advil, Tylenol, Dramamine, Pepto, Tums, band aids, mole skin, blister block, nail clippers and file. Small tube lotion and sunscreen. Fun and mints, phone charger and sometimes a cord. to plug in to an outlet. A few snacks (granola bar, nuts, fruit leather, etc.) Hard sunglasses cases to protect them when we pack them away for evening. In the winter I have Mickey stretch gloves and a tiny umbrella. I also like the bag to have a mesh on the outside for water bottles.

I like a small cross body bag. Something that is like a wallet size or barely bigger and holds cell phone, camera, tissue, lipgloss, compact hairbrush, bobby pins, etc. I can usually slip my sunglasses in them on a ride.

I have some Vera Bradley ones I really like. And a few Disney Dooney cross body.

DS is now 13 and carries his own small cross body bag. He likes the Manhatten Potage City Lights bag. He can fit penny roll, granola bar, small wallet, chapstick, camera, cell phone charger and sunglasses.

Streamlining what you carry around all day will be most comfortable. You don't want to hassle with things getting on an off rides. DS and I leave our cross body bags on while riding the rides.