What's in your bag?

[DreaGirl]

We leave for Disney in 15 days!

I'm not sure what I should pack in our backpack for the parks. I don't want to bring EVERYTHING, because DH would never carry it! Has anyone left a bag of essentials (i.e. ponchos ect.) in a bag under the stroller and just carried another bag with them on rides?

What are your essentials for your diaperbag? My DD will be 17 months, still in diapers.

Thanks!

 

[Love the Mouse]

Gosh, let's see if I remember. With my DD who is now 3, we used to carry snacks of course. She still was drinking milk out of a bottle, so I carried that in a bag w/ cold packs. I usually boiled up some hotdogs and brought those into the parks.

I always carry bottles of water with us. Travel size handy wipes. When you travel with a small child it seems like we have to take the world with us.

I always put the ponchos under the stroller and went out and bought a diaper bag backpack. So much easier to carry than a regular strap bag. The diaper bag/backpack always went on the ride with us, but usually left the ponchos under the stroller at all times.

Good luck

 

[Desnik]

I would just leave the ponchos in the basket under your stroller.
When my kids were babies I would bring the diaper bag on all the attractions because I would also put my stuff in it too. I always only want to have one park bag and I'm usually the one carrying it. I would bring all the baby essentials like diapers, wipes, powder, lotion, sunscreen, a hat, change of clothing. Also, snacks, sippy cup, extra pacifiers(yes my kids used them till they were 3!! )disposable bibs, disposable changing table sheets, and also those plastic table top covers. Those were fantastic! They stick on the table and have Blue's Clues or other characters on them and you could let your child eat off of it. Antibacterial wipes, toy to occupy them in the restaurants, mini first aid kit, baby tylenol and then my stuff like wallet with ID, money and park passes, sunglasses, and all my ADR times and confirmation numbers. It sounds like a lot of stuff but most of it was small and easy to roll up and didn't take up too much space. I used a regular sized diaper bag.
Good luck!

 

[LadyShea]

We were just planning out the bag situation last night for our trip starting Saturday. I am a total bag lady so this was a very important planning step for me.

What we plan to do is pack a small duffel with everything possible that might be needed, but probably won't (extra diapers, extra extra change of clothes, baby Motrin, first aid kit, extra sippy cups etc.) and put it in a locker every park day. I have a large waterproof bag we plan to put 8-10 diapers, a change of clothes and some wipes in to keep in the stroller, a smaller one we plan to put the touring plan and maps in (in case of rain), and then one backpack with the cameras, wallets, cell phones, tickets, sunglass cases etc. DH might insist on a camera bag and backpack, but if so he can carry it.

I happened to have the waterproof bag set for watersports, but large Ziplocs would also work and I considered them.

 

[mom2aredhead]

We were just planning out the bag situation last night for our trip starting Saturday. I am a total bag lady so this was a very important planning step for me.

What we plan to do is pack a small duffel with everything possible that might be needed, but probably won't (extra diapers, extra extra change of clothes, baby Motrin, first aid kit, extra sippy cups etc.) and put it in a locker every park day. I have a large waterproof bag we plan to put 8-10 diapers, a change of clothes and some wipes in to keep in the stroller, a smaller one we plan to put the touring plan and maps in (in case of rain), and then one backpack with the cameras, wallets, cell phones, tickets, sunglass cases etc. DH might insist on a camera bag and backpack, but if so he can carry it.

I happened to have the waterproof bag set for watersports, but large Ziplocs would also work and I considered them.

That sounds like an awful lot of bags. Also, the lockers are near the entrance so if you're in Fantasyland and decide you need something, its a hike.
Here's what I had in my slightly larger than I would normally carry on a regular full day out diaper bag:

6-8 diapers
travel size thing of wipes
A few disposable bibs, changing pads, and table topper place mats
A full change of clothes in there (rolled, in a ziploc with the air quished out - great tip!) + an extra bottom (pants or shorts) just in case.
At night I would throw PJ's in there too (because my son would ALWAYS fall asleep on the bus. That way when we got back, he would just go to bed and take a bath in the morning)
A few snacks (small snack size zip loc of cheerios or the individual baggies of goldfish)
Travel size magna doodle (keep him occupied while in line or at restaurant)
Video Camera
Digital Camera
Sunscreen and lip balm
Antibacterial hand gel
A few bandaids and the smallest bottle of baby tylenol I could find
Rain Ponchos (the ones that are folded really small from the dollar store) only if the weather report required them.

We also had a small softside cooler to carry bottles of water/juice/milk/fruit and things that needed to stay cold. That stayed in the bottom of the stroller. Tickets, money, photopass, ID, etc was in a lanyard around my neck.

Our first trip I had a huge bag with so much "just in case" stuff, it was impossible to find anything I really needed when I needed it. And even though you are in the park, it's not like you're on an island like Survivor and won't have access to the rest of the world.

 

[truedisneyfan]

We were there a couple of weeks ago. I brought a book bag in with diapers(DS is three and DD is 10 months both in diapers), wipes (just the small hard case kind for backup), change of clothes (2 for DD in case of blowouts), baby food, silicon placemat (just wipe it and roll it up), bibs, disposible spoons, snacks, every medicine you can think of (I had childrens medicine through darvocet and percocet you never know what you might need), suntan lotion. We have the sit and stand Joovy stroller so the bookbag did not fit good in the basket so I put it on bar where you push it. No one ever bothered it. I only used it a couple of times, but just to get something out of it.

I also brought Disney's Junior Encylopedia of Animated Characters, colored index cards (to use in a scrapbook after autographed) and a couple of sharpies for autographs in a mesh bag (from an umbrella stroller) and it was under the stroller to.

DH carried the camera and video camera in a case acrossed his chest. He had the cellphone in his pocket.

I put all of our tickets, money, and credit cards in a small zipper wallet (it is a little bit bigger than the size of a credit card I got it from Target). Oh, DH carried it too.

I use a small book bag (I mean small about 11 inches tall and 10 inches wide) as a diaper bag at home. It came with the bigger one. I have seen ones like it at JCPenney near the other book bags.At WDW, I put about 6 diapers a piece, wipes , diaper rash cream, and a changing pad in it. Every time I had to change them, I grabbed the bag and went. It was so much easier than having to use the bigger bag and search for what I needed. This stayed under the basket.

It may sound like a lot, but it was easier for me this way. When it rained I put the autograph stuff in the big book bag and I still had room in it. The ponchos stayed under the stroller. We only had to carry the cameras and wallet everywhere we went. Come to think of it, DH carried everything.

 

[LadyShea]

That sounds like an awful lot of bags. Also, the lockers are near the entrance so if you're in Fantasyland and decide you need something, its a hike.

Not really, the small waterproof bag is like a lanyard pouch, and has a string to wear it around your neck. I plan to use it form my itinerary, ADR confirmations, park passes etc....just paper. The larger one is only about 9 x 12 and is perfect for 10 diapers plus some wipes, diaper cream, and an extra outfit and fits into the underneath basket on the stroller even folded up, then I need only carry the small backpack (or drape it over the stroller handle).

We only planned on the duffel in the locker for extra extra stuff we probably won't need. Sort of a contingency plan. We are staying off property so going back to the room to get a third or fourth change of clothes (for some reason), medication, or if my 10 diapers isn't enough, or he loses a cup or needs minor first aid or whatever improbable thing can happen with a 20 month old would be less convenient than going to a locker and less trouble than carrying it around...for us of course

 

[DreaGirl]

Great ideas everyone! I'm cutting and pasting right after this post.

I bought a diaperbag/backpack this weekend on clearance!

Thanks everyone!

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

We leave in 12 days and I just went over my list for this last night. We actually will have 2 bags - one backpack & my bagallini (messenger bag). In the backpack (which will stay under the stroller unless needed) I'm going to put change of clothes (for all 3 kids), extra diapers/wipes, snacks & cups, stroller cover, maybe ponchos if needed, first aid kit & sunscreen - quite frankly things that if get stolen will not ruin our vacation. My bagallini will be bathroom/ride/restaurant ready - I'll have disposable bibs, 1 or 2 diapers & wipes, tissues, flushable wipes, autograph books, ADR info, brush w/ponytail holders around handle & anything I need for the restaurant like crayons & paper. I'll hang the Bagallini on the back of the stroller and when we park & leave the stroller I'll strap it on.

I will have a fanny pack as I want my camera, money, cc, room keys on my body where I know no one will get them.

HTH! Have fun!

 

[mom2aredhead]

Not really, the small waterproof bag is like a lanyard pouch, and has a string to wear it around your neck. I plan to use it form my itinerary, ADR confirmations, park passes etc....just paper. The larger one is only about 9 x 12 and is perfect for 10 diapers plus some wipes, diaper cream, and an extra outfit and fits into the underneath basket on the stroller even folded up, then I need only carry the small backpack (or drape it over the stroller handle).

Sorry - I was picturing someone trying to juggle 4 much larger bags...the lanyard thingy doesn't even really count as a bag!

 

[LadyShea]

Sorry - I was picturing someone trying to juggle 4 much larger bags...the lanyard thingy doesn't even really count as a bag!

I figured it must have sounded like a big ole mess, that's why I explained. The lanyard thing and the slightly bigger waterproof bag are made for boaters, surfers, and jet skiers to keep their cell phones, wallets, a change of clothes or registration paperwork/owners manual etc dry...I thought they were perfect for Disney so I don't have to worry about the rain ruining my anally color coded, detailed touring plan spreadsheets and swelling up the diapers