Thinking about packing and other things.

[picksthemusic]

Since we're flying from the PNW to FL for our trip, I'd like to try to be as organized with packing as possible. Also, it's been forever since I've been to an amusement park of any kind, so some logistical things are popping up in my mind and I'd love some advice from seasoned travelers.

I know laundry facilities are available at our resort, and we will probably utilize them if needed so we don't have to take a week's worth of clothing. But what were some essentials that you used most often? What are you allowed to bring with you in the parks? I feel like I'd need a backpack for our water bottles, hats, extra sunscreen, sunglasses, etc. I know I've seen folks walking around with small backpacks in photos. I'd hate to have to carry a purse, though, so I'm hoping a small backpack would be okay. What do you do with them when you're on rides?

Any must-bring items? I'm scouring blogs for hints, but I'd love to know what you all think.

Thank you!

[mrsslocombe]

Yes you can bring backpacks into the parks. I carry a drawstring bag because it's lighter and it prevents me from dragging too much with me. The only items that Disney prohibits are weapons, drugs, alcohol, glass containers, and things like that. Most of the rides either have a mesh pouch to place your smaller bag inside, otherwise they just go on the floor. On Space Mountain, Everest, etc you may need to keep an extra hand on your bag so it doesn't fly out, but nearly all the rides are tame enough that your bag won't go anywhere.

Things I carry:
-Water bottle
-Snacks (apple juice pouches, carrots, granola bars, goldfish, a banana if I think I will eat it early, etc)
-Wet wipes
-Sunglasses
-Hat/ears
-Marker/item for characters to sign
-Reusable straw and a set of utensils to cut down on the amount of plastic forks/spoons I use
-sunscreen (usually a stick because it won't leak)
-tissues
-Rain gear (poncho or umbrella depending on forecast)
-If you are going in summer, some of those Chilly towels.

[maudefindlay]

This shows the bag size restrictions. We do bring a backpack with sunscreen, hand wipes, bandaid and sunscreen. We mostly wear our hats. I took the backpack on the rides with us as it wasn't large. There are 5 of us and no one wants to carry a backpack with 5 water bottles all day, so maybe unpopular, but we just get free cups of water from the walk up food counters on our way to a ride and then drink them while in line. Often we each get 2 cups and drink them both. Keeps you cooled off in line too.

[statgirl]

We do Legoland (not Disney) and some other smaller parks. I pack minimally and keep less used stuff in my car if possible. I carry water, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and a few bandaids.

I put my bag in the bag holder on rides and keep my card/ID on me in a small CB (I have a Scout).

If I don’t have to be the pack mule and hold jackets, I use a Kavu sling bag. If I do have to hold everything, I use a standard backpack (or a canvas Rough and Tumble 1904 because I love it). I carry small water bottles empty and fill at the park. Kids carry theirs when full, otherwise they can stash with me. We have also done one water bottle and carry small cups (camping style). I also only carry minimal snacks—kids can choose ahead of time but no choice at snack time.

I am the cheapest cheapskate in the world, but I just pay out for park snacks. We have a local water park where the rule is one treat a day so my kids are now used to that—they will scheme all day to decide on their best snack (generally ice cream sundaes)—and they think that is the rule at all parks. For long days, I set the expectation ahead of time if they can get two treats. We also give them a park budget that they can use on souvenirs and other food if they wish over the whole trip. We started that when the youngest was 2 and the oldest 5, so it works for little kids too. They are 7 and 9 and now just accept that as normal.

[wawa]

Ditto others but chiming in since we were *just* there, but as a disney newb i was surprised that you're ok to have a backpack at your feet on every ride. 
a lot of 6 flags type parks dont allow that, but even Rock n' Roller Coaster and everest it's not an issue.  

MH carried a small backpack that fit our 4 water bottles (refilled at water fountains), bandaids, sunscreen and...I think that's really it.  Oh, my sunglasses case.  We were traveling with somebody who had a stroller, so the water bottles tended to bounce between the backpack and the stroller depending on who was on what rides and whether we'd split up.  (stroller kid obviously not riding the bigger roller coasters)  

for essentials - we went through a boatload of sunscreen, two entire bottles, but if you're packing light and carrying on you can't bring that with you. The markup on site for that wasn't toooooo painful.

Packing more than one pair of comfortable shoes is worth it even if you're trying to save space. They will get wet. It rains, there are wet rides, and having two shoe options means you can switch up the pressure points on your feet.  

[nicolewi]

I will tell you what we did. It worked well for us. I got DH a small cross-body backpack bag on Amazon. He carried a couple bottles of water for sharing and also sunglasses and his phone/wallet. Also a couple snacks, but we were on the meal plan and frankly we didn't really need our extra snacks.

I got a lightweight Baggalini purse I could wear cross-body with convenient pockets and used that for my phone, wallet, maps, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, lip balm, chewable Advil (kids get headaches and meds right away mean continuing with a normal day vs sick kid), regular Advil, Clorox wipes pack, hand wipes pack (used a LOT), Kleenex, couple bandaids and hairbands. I did also carry notecards and colored Sharpies in a little pouch for autographs a t character dining. Still not sure whether we needed to do that or not, but it was a thing that everyone seemed to do. Any small incidentals that we might need during a long day at the park.

We never needed extra shoes or ponchos, but I did have little plastic ponchos to throw in if needed. We pretty much wore tennis shoes every day. I alternated pairs. The kids also had sandals that they wore other times but not all day at a park.

We had a stroller when we went and we LOVED it, b/c I stuffed sweatshirts, princess dresses, and other larger items in the stroller. I probably would have to bring a larger backpack now to collect sweatshirts...but if you are going soon you won't need those.

We did get a portable phone charger and bring that, but my phone was new at the time and we didn't need it.

I read a tip to get an over-the-door shoe organizer with pockets and hang it on your hotel room door. I LOVED that tip. I'm not super organized, so having a visible place to stash different things rather than throwing them on a dresser worked great for me.

[wawa]

To be clear - I don't mean bring extra shoes to the park. I meant pack extra shoes for the trip. When I'm packing light I don't usually double up on shoes for the same purpose...but I was glad I did this time.

[dcrunnergirl52]

We just did Disneyland (and have done DW several times). DH and I each carried a backpack, but we could have gotten away with just one (we're just used to both carrying them at this point).

We had sunscreen, one water bottle that we all shared, wallet, phone, extra snacks so we didn't have to buy snacks, wipes (for kids messy with Mickey bars), and an extra pair of undies and shorts for DS3. He's 4 and didn't need them but we had an incident when DS1 was 4 and we didn't get to the bathroom fast enough at DW, and it was a mess, so now I bring that.

If we were in DW, I'd also carry a few ponchos and 1-2 cooling towels.

This was the backpack that I carried.

verabradley.com/collections/star-wars-collection/products/star-wars-grand-backpack-2968813171?variant=40262849364012

We also had a stroller, so we put a small cooler in the bottom and brought in uncrustables and leftover pizza for lunch to save money and a few cans of soda for DH and me.

[court26]

Lots of good lists going here but adding that we always carry a few ziploc bags i case we get caught in rain- mostly for wallets and phones. Our first trip we were in the hotel after blow drying money lol.

[huskymom]

April was the first trip we went backpack and stroller free and it was so freeing! I wore a lulu festival crossbody purse (which held my wallet, phone, portable charger, sunscreen and a bottle of water or 2.)

We bought a case of water in our instacart delivery and that was so much easier than trying to use reusable the whole trip (I swear we never buy disposable but in this case it was just less to carry).

We always came back to the pool for lunch/break so felt we didn’t need snacks or anything else.

[SusanBAnthony]

We did one backpack and the rest of us had small fanny packs that held a snack or two a d a small water bottle.

[midwestmama]

One backpack for water bottles, sunscreen, etc., and DH and I would generally take turns carrying it.

I like to take a collapsible mesh laundry hamper or other packable laundry bag, ideally one that can be zipped closed and with a strap so you can easily carry it to the laundry room.

Ponchos, so you don't have to pay $15-20 each at a park.

I always have a Sharpie with me, you never know when you'll need one!

Others: portable phone charger, Ziploc bags, small first-aid kit.