What do you carry around the parks?

[AutismMom2006]

I took my kids (10, 6, 3) to the doctor's office for a checkup yesterday and I carried my large Vera Bradley backpack with 3 ipads, 2 3DS, games, snacks, 2 coloring books, diapers, wipes, 3 water bottles and my stuff (wallet, keys, lip gloss). It felt like it weighed about 100 pounds, I don't travel light but I realize I won't be able to carry EVERYTHING like that for a full day at the parks. How big a bag do you carry for three kids and what do you take? (Kids will be 11, 8, and 4.5 years old at time of travel and we're planning on no stroller.) I am wondering if I take 3DS it will add extra weight but keep DS quiet in line? I need iPad, heavier than iPhone, I know, but I don't have iPhone, will use iPad for camera and Disney app and some entertainment while waiting.

 

[scrapquitler]

Well you have a three year old, so I assume you'll have a stroller in the park. When I traveled and had kids in a stroller, I packed a small diaper bag with all the kid essentials, and I had a small crossbody bag or backpack for my essentials and valuables. The diaper bag got left in the stroller and I took my bag with essentials and valuables on the ride with me.

The valuables and essentials I carry now are the same as then: a coin purse with my id/credit card/cash/insurance card, my phone, charger cable and extra battery pack, a couple tampons if I need them that day, and a chapstick. I might carry one snack if I thought I might end up hangry, but not usually. Everything else would be in the bottom of the stroller.

And yes, sometimes I carried a DS for DS (or held DH's).

I don't carry water bottles unless we are in the middle of drinking a water. Instead we get (free) cups of water from QS locations. Obviously with a toddler or baby you might have to carry a sippy cup or bottle.

 

[happymommy]

I would rethink not having a stroller for a 4.5 year old. I'd bring my own.

An 11 and an 8 year old - if they need it, they carry it. Give them each a little drawstring backpack bag. They ought to be fine without electronic gadgets. They will be so overstimulated at Disney, even in lines there is is something to look at! When my kids were 5 and 7, they pulled their own luggage at the airport, so 11 and 8 can bring whatever they want. If it gets heavy, they can make that call.

I just brought a small backpack purse with essentials, once they were out of diapers. I did need to carry 2 epipens, liquid benedryl, and other meds due to food allergies. Other than that, we get drinks out so no water, maybe a few safe snacks (food allergies, otherwise there is food all around you at Disney).

One thing I did bring when they were quite small was a change of clothes (clean tee, soft shorts, undies and socks), in a ziploc bag. This was nice when they were very young, so maybe for your youngest depending.

Definitely, though, rethink the stroller. My DD used one until she was 8 or so (but she tires easily due to her health issues, now she uses a wheelchair there). Even my ADHD son hopped in a few times when he was older though! Ten miles in a day is a LOT of walking!

 

[BobbyDukes]

I carry a Marmot back pack that is around 1100 cc of space. I carry a small camera, an extra outfit for both kids, packable rain jackets (panchos stink literally and figuratively), sunscreen, baby wipes and some small kids snacks (fruit squeezers and yogurt bites). Try not to carry a lot. Dont bring all the valuables, ipads, DS games stay light and small. Long lines and long days will wear you out by lugging around all that stuff.
One person above said to get a stroller, the stroller will help with all the carrying of the equipment, but you cant keep it in the stroller (you could I guess, but risk it) and have to park your strollers sometimes hundreds of feet out of sight when you go on rides.

tip of the day: Stay Light and Stay Small

 

[loves to dive]

I was a single mom so no pack horse for me. Even when mine was just shy of 3 we didn't use a stroller, he hated them and I didn't carry a lot into the park. Maybe a small ziplock with some cherrios or something when he was very small and a small pack of disposable wipes but that was it. Nothing to keep in occupied in line, he was at Disney there was plenty to see and do and back then there was no FP so trust me we stood in lines that could be a hour long. You can get free water at all the QS locations so no reason to lug water bottles. You aren't going to the outback, anything you need you can buy or you can go back to your room if the little one gets dirty.

 

[Lurkerin]

If you take a stroller grab a mommy hook. Hang a bag with snacks and other things you don't mind leaving behind. That plus a backpack with important stuff to carry on rides should keep things spread out.

 

[jvz82]

I have 4 kids (2, 4, 6, and 8) and we just got back from our trip. Our bag was relatively small! I don't like to overpack.

In our bag we had a very small first aid kit (just some bandaids, chewable tylenol, dramamine, etc), as many diapers as we would need, a ziploc baggie with a few wipes in it, extra shorts for the baby, extra shorts/underwear for the 4 year old (because every once in a while he has accidents), a couple ponchos, a few small baggies, sunscreen, and then some snacks (granola bars and fruit snacks). Oh and some small suckers to pull out in lines or when people got crabby.

I also brought my camera bag and camera, and I had my iPhone in my purse. Then we had a photo mat and sharpies that we used to have characters sign.

That was about it! Honestly we needed almost none of it, except diapers and snacks. We never needed the extra outfits, except for one day at Disney Springs when the kids went in the splash pad and got drenched. Otherwise at the parks we were good.

As for the stroller, you could consider a small umbrella stroller for the kids to share. I know that by the last day, my big kids were wiped out and taking turns in the stroller. They did fine the first couple days but it can get long! On the other hand, having a stroller is such a pain so I can understand the desire to not bring one.

 

[BLAZEY]

I carry a small back pack with sun block, a ziplock bag to put electronics (Phones & Camera) for wet rides, wipes and my medical supplies. I also have a refillable filtering water bottle that fits in the side water bottle pouch. DD is now 7 and will turn 8 mid trip this time so no stroller this time. I don't bring anything to "entertain" her in line but may bring her book this time.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

I carry a cross body bag, large enough to fit a gallon size ziploc bag (for a costume or sun hats). I pack two minin fans, sunscreen, sunglasses, a bottle of water, snacks, and my phone.

 

[noahdove]

I travel along with one child many times and I carry a tote bag that I carry on my shoulder.
In this bag, a sweatshirt and rain poncho for each of us, tic tacs or some hard candy,
hand sanitizer, wipes, camera, small wallet, gum, reservation cards....that's about it...after this
past August, I am going to get a smaller camera....

 

[minoh]

This is such a helpful thread! We're heading to WDW for the first time in March with kids ranging from 6-11 and I'm worried that we'll forget some essentials. Our list so far included water, snacks, ID, and bandaids/mini first aid kit, a couple of layers (depending on the weather). But the gum, hand sanitizer and wipes are great ideas, and I must remember the sunscreen!

 

[noahdove]

minoh, please don't take water, first off, it's too heavy and you can get free ice water at any
counter service....I forgot to say, I take single packs of Crystal light to flavor the water...

 

[minoh]

minoh, please don't take water, first off, it's too heavy and you can get free ice water at any
counter service....I forgot to say, I take single packs of Crystal light to flavor the water...

Good advice, noahdove, thanks!! Anything to lighten the load is definitely a must!

 

[prprincess]

I carry a backpack or a messenger bag (boys 9 and 12) with sunblock, a few bottles of water, a couple bags of snacks, our ponchos, my camera, and a small wallet. Sometimes the boys will throw a souvenir or two in, but to be honest with you, the water takes up the bulk of my bag space.

 

[Elle23]

When I am at our "home" theme park, I never take a bag because we usually only spend a few hours at a time.

But at Disney, we are hoping to spend all day at the parks, so I am going to bring a mini backpack.

Here is my curent list of what to pack (kids are 13 and 14, btw)

ID and credit card/ cash, Landry's card, phone, portable charger, sun shades, mini umbrellas, a few gallon ziploc bags, mini lotion, chapstick, mini sunscreen, mini brush and hair spray, extra hair clip, kleenex (I tend to suffer from allergies), meds (Tylenol, etc), hand sanitizer, wet wipes, mints, and pads/ tampons (lucky me....)

It sounds like a lot, but I'm bringing mini versions of most of the items, so hopefully they won't take up too much space.

 

[Carla1183]

Good advice, noahdove, thanks!! Anything to lighten the load is definitely a must!

I'll disagree, unless someone can convince me otherwise The ONE thing we make sure we have with us at our Tx 6 flags all day is the kids refillable water bottles. About the only time they think to stop and drink is when we have a moment in line somewhere, so I've actually been shopping for a lightweight backpack with 2 side spots for their water bottles on purpose. (The one we use now is a little heavier and gets hot on my back!)
Between all the junk food, travel, walking, excitement, I figure the best thing I can do to avoid meltdowns is to make sure they keep drinking!

And at our local 6 flags, I've always had to stand in line for 10+ minutes just to refill our cups somewhere, so I can't imagine having to stop what we are doing and wait behind all the hungry QS eaters to grab just water cups all day!

 

[Elle23]

Oh yes....

I did forget about the refillable bottles at Six Flags! We ALWAYS take those. They are a must in the Texas heat! Though they are admittedly a bit of a pain to lug around (we just carry them by the handles...usually we are busy drinking from them!)

If Disney offered free refills in the parks of the resort mugs, we'd probably take them as well.

 

[tinyariel]

I have a 3 part system. Backpack with stuff we don't need much goes under the stroller. It has changes of clothes, sunscreen, snacks. Refillable water bottles (we like cold water, so we use insulated ones, even though they are heavier, it's worth it to keep everyone hydrated) go in the back pocket of the stroller for easy access. Then I use a small wallet on a string type purse that I keep on me at all times. When the kids get annoyed with wearing their magic bands, I clip them to the string. I like to have as much off my body as possible, especially when it is hot. I try to minimize what I bring with me...even with 2 kids, I bring less than my in-laws do--no idea why they lug around all that stuff!

 

[bubblebrown]

I have a 5 and 8 year old so we still take a stroller to stash away extra snacks/drinks a change of clothes and layers for a chillier evening. We just keep the stroller in one place most of the day (carousel in MK or by the Land or Mexico in Epcot) and then pick it up in the evening to have a place for the girls to sit to wait to the fireworks. In two bags we split up: magic bands, ID, money/gift cards, sunglasses, Tylenol, extra hairband/clips, sunscreen, contact solution/eye drops, mini deoderant, bandaids/mole skin, breakfast items to enjoy while waiting for rope drop, extra snacks, at least one water that we can refill, airbourne-like container with quarters and cleaned pennies for penny pressing, glow sticks, chapstick, autograph book/frame to autograph/sharpie, gum, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, hand wipes, small activity book, camera/small joby tripod (take a photo of each kid in their outfit each morning in case you're separated, plus you can photograph your ADRs/FP times), phone (needed to access extra FPs quickly, we were able to get a total of 7 last time in MK), ponchos (great to sit on in the morning when all surfaces are covered in dew), and Tupperware/ziplock bags (used these in Epcot to carry back some yummies).

 

[minoh]

I have a 5 and 8 year old so we still take a stroller to stash away extra snacks/drinks a change of clothes and layers for a chillier evening. We just keep the stroller in one place most of the day (carousel in MK or by the Land or Mexico in Epcot) and then pick it up in the evening to have a place for the girls to sit to wait to the fireworks. In two bags we split up: magic bands, ID, money/gift cards, sunglasses, Tylenol, extra hairband/clips, sunscreen, contact solution/eye drops, mini deoderant, bandaids/mole skin, breakfast items to enjoy while waiting for rope drop, extra snacks, at least one water that we can refill, airbourne-like container with quarters and cleaned pennies for penny pressing, glow sticks, chapstick, autograph book/frame to autograph/sharpie, gum, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, hand wipes, small activity book, camera/small joby tripod (take a photo of each kid in their outfit each morning in case you're separated, plus you can photograph your ADRs/FP times), phone (needed to access extra FPs quickly, we were able to get a total of 7 last time in MK), ponchos (great to sit on in the morning when all surfaces are covered in dew), and Tupperware/ziplock bags (used these in Epcot to carry back some yummies).

Great list! This is one I'm going to come back to for reference.