Can we have another 'what to bring into the parks' thread?

[jent]

Maybe this has already been discussed too much (and I know there is a recent bag thread) but I'm still trying to figure out what I'll need exactly to bring in with me. We are going to WDW in April, and it will be just me & DD (well, we are meeting up with my sister & her family, but they don't count for the purposes of carrying stuff!). Last time we went, DH was there too, and DD was in a stroller, so we had such a big leeway for carrying stuff with us.

I think someone on the bag thread suggested all you really need is your Magic Band. But I can't imagine not carrying water. And then at least some snacks b/c who wants to pay park prices for every single snack? And of course the iPhone so I can check the Lines app and take pictures. And DD's autograph book (fortunately she wants to take the one from last time which is small). And ponchos/change of clothes/extra shoes?? for Splash Mountain/ Kali River rapids.

So, what are your park essentials?

[anonomom]

It depends on the time of year and the weather forecast, but here's what I bring:

1. Water bottles.

2. Small snacks.

3. Sunscreen. This is essential for summer trips, when you sweat so much you really need to reapply every 1.5 hours.

4. Phone

5. ID/credit card. Even with Magic bands, I feel safer with these on me. Plus passholders need to provide ID if they want a discount.

6. Ponchos for all, if there's so much as a hint of rain in the forecast.

7. bandaids, moleskin, etc. We've had enough need for those throughout the years that I always carry a tiny first aid kit.

8. Wet ones wipes. I almost always end up needing them for something.

I will not carry an autograph book for my kids; if they want to they can carry their own. But I also have characters sign my backpack. We've gotten a lot of different characters over the years and now the backpack itself is a cute momento.

I always end up with a fairly full backpack (the drawstring kind from LE), but all of these things feel essential.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We did Universal last month for 3 days and we carried the bare minimum. We were down with buying all snacks in the park and just getting free cups of water or using the water fountains. I had my purse and it pretty much had our tickets, my phone and my lip gloss. eta- I had a small first aid pack too. We just did sunscreen in the AM but I'd have brought a small tube if it had been necessary.
We never wanted for anything else. The kids carried their interactive wands and we had packages and souvenirs sent back to our hotel directly from the gift shop.

Water rides do change things somewhat. It was too chilly for them (only ds1 was brave enough for them when we were there). In the summer when we go to our local amusement park that has water rides, we just get wet. No one gets an extra change of clothes.

I think you'll just find that there are people who carry backpacks and prepare for everything and there are those of us that just wing it. :) I personally don't feel like being a pack mule. I'd rather pay a bit here and there for the convenience of being unencumbered by stuff.

[keh602]

It depends on the time of year and the weather forecast, but here's what I bring:

1. Water bottles.

2. Small snacks.

3. Sunscreen. This is essential for summer trips, when you sweat so much you really need to reapply every 1.5 hours.

4. Phone

5. ID/credit card. Even with Magic bands, I feel safer with these on me. Plus passholders need to provide ID if they want a discount.

6. Ponchos for all, if there's so much as a hint of rain in the forecast.

7. bandaids, moleskin, etc. We've had enough need for those throughout the years that I always carry a tiny first aid kit.

8. Wet ones wipes. I almost always end up needing them for something.

I will not carry an autograph book for my kids; if they want to they can carry their own. But I also have characters sign my backpack. We've gotten a lot of different characters over the years and now the backpack itself is a cute momento.

I always end up with a fairly full backpack (the drawstring kind from LE), but all of these things feel essential.

I like this list. I do end up carrying autograph supplies, though. I will also add a phone charger to the list. I use my phone as my camera, and between that and the MyDisneyExperience app, I can usually use a charge in the parks unless we take a break during the day.

We carry Bobbles with us for water, but if you don't want to haul any sort of bottle, there are a lot of places in each park to get free cups of water.

I bet it'll be hot enough that getting wet on the water rides won't bother you too much. I've never been uncomfortably wet after riding Splash, and while Kali is a different story, it might feel really good!

I don't think you'll need to carry a very big bag at all. When we go back, we'll still have a stroller, but we won't have diapers or anything to deal with, so I'll be able to take a smaller bag. I think I'll put everything inside the big bag in ziplock or other clear bags to make it that much easier getting through bag check.

[baymom]

We were at Universal for 3 days this summer and were able to stuff everything on your list in 2 fanny packs. Definitely not a stylish look, but you sort of forget you are wearing them and it's nice to not have a purse/backpack. We had souvenirs sent directly to our hotel, except for magic wands. I also took the water 'bottle' that is more like a bag, so it flattens out as you drink it and so occupies less space. (Refilled it as needed). I love having bars/nuts/dried fruit on hand for a quick snack. We did not take rain ponchos, though it did rain very briefly and very hard all 3 days. It's actually a fond memory for us that we had to duck into shops since Calif rain is not like that.

ETA--sorry, not OP's list, anonomoms list.

[nfceagles]

When we go to Disney I carry a small cross body Le Sport Sac. In it is my phone, DS's epi-pens, ID, 1 credit card, $20 bill, band-aid, sometimes a phone charger, sunglasses. We only bring ponchos if it's rainy (we go during the winter so not frequently rainy). We drink water from water fountains and eat food/snacks from the park.

[georgiegirl]

Lots of hand sanitizer! It's the germiest place on earth.

[ang79]

We just took our first trip this past October with our 9 and 7 yr. olds. DH and I each carried a bag because MIL gave the girls these huge autograph photoalbums and they wanted every princess signature. So he carried those in a backpack, as well as ponchos on days it was calling for rain. We each carried a water bottle too. I know they say you can ask for water at quick service restaurants, and we did refill our bottles a few times that way, but some days lines were so busy at the restaurants we were near when one of the girls was thirsty, that it was just a pain to wait in line to ask for a cup of water. We were on a free dining plan, so a few times we used snack credits for bottled water, but it was just easier for us to carry our own with us. I also carried hand sanitizer/wet ones wipes, small first aide kit w/ bandaides, tylenol, etc., sunscreen, chapstick, few snacks, cell phone and charger (used this a ton, as the disney app and taking lots of picks on my phone ate up the battery). Friends we went with had a stash of kitchen sized garbage bags in their backpack and I used one to I put our bags in on wet rides. Also carried sweatshirt jackets for the girls on days we were going to be out later as they got chilly. DH thought it was a bit of a pain going through bag check but it was doable and we had what we needed on us so we weren't spending lots of out of pocket money on things.

[scrooks]

All of these lists sound great! Anyone have any additional items to add when traveling with a 2.5 yo? Besides diapers, wipes, sippy cup, snacks and extra clothes? The good thing is we will have a double stroller to toss things in!

[abh5e8]

We are going in April... Kids will be 2, 5, 7 and 9 and we will have a double Bob.

In stroller:
Diapers, wipes, extra clothes, jackets
Water, snacks, lunches
Hand sanitizer
Sunscreen
Bandaid/ first aid

I'm planning on a small cross body purse...to be decided on:
ID
Cc
Sunglasses
Chapstick
Phone
Charger

[SnuggleBuggles]

FYI- I finally realized that my battery was dying so fast when we were at Universal because the app was accessing my location even when the app wasn't on. Location services is a total battery eater. It wasn't needed to be on full time, just when using the app so I changed it in settings.
I also recommend putting your phone in airplane mode.


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[jent]

I know they say you can ask for water at quick service restaurants, and we did refill our bottles a few times that way, but some days lines were so busy at the restaurants we were near when one of the girls was thirsty, that it was just a pain to wait in line to ask for a cup of water. We were on a free dining plan, so a few times we used snack credits for bottled water, but it was just easier for us to carry our own with us. .

See, this is what I worry about... I get thirsty easily (and prone to headaches if I don't drink enough. Baymom, I looked up those collapsible water bottle and they look cool, didn't realize they made them this way! We have an old Camelback backpack (which has the refillable bladder) but I don't like drinking through the straw-like tube it comes with.

I think I am stuck bringing ponchos most days... DD is working up the courage to do Splash Mountain and Kali RR but getting splashed is not her favorite thing, so I think she is planning on wearing them. BTW, why ponchos and not rain jackets? B/c ponchos cover more of you?

Scrooks, besides the things you listed, I would consider bringing small things to keep the toddler entertained during wait times... like a small container of bubbles or something. The great thing about the stroller is being able to stash the extra stuff in it.

Anyway, these list are great! I think I can fit most things we'd want in a smallish bag... now to decide on a bag...

[SnuggleBuggles]

Buy the disposable ponchos from the dollar store. Chuck them if you don't want to carry them.


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[baymom]

See, this is what I worry about... I get thirsty easily (and prone to headaches if I don't drink enough. Baymom, I looked up those collapsible water bottle and they look cool, didn't realize they made them this way! We have an old Camelback backpack (which has the refillable bladder) but I don't like drinking through the straw-like tube it comes with.
...

This is the one we have: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BI9AM3C/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1456001058&sr=1-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=collapsible+water+bottle

I don't prefer drinking out of the tube straw, either. There are lots of this style out there, but I do find this one to be sturdy and easy to refill at water fountains.

[ang79]

Buy the disposable ponchos from the dollar store. Chuck them if you don't want to carry them.


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We got a whole bunch of these. The first day we wore them they got trashed, as it poured pretty much all day while we were at Hollywood Studios. We needed them one more time later in the week and I was glad that I had extras stashed in my suitcase.