Packing a Disney Park Bag
August 14, 2018
When planning a Disney trip, first of course you schedule your airfare, book your room, make dining reservations, buy your park tickets, pack your bags. Ok, ok, we all know about this stuff.
One thing I have been asked a lot is what to bring into the park. I am going to be honest, there are two definate schools of thought on this one. I will give you a brief overview of each of them, and then tell you which one I do and why.
The first school of thought is BRING IT ALL. Some people like to have everything handy at all times. Why not bring a sandwich for your kid? Or medication that you may need if you get an upset stomach? Or maybe even a change of clothes? What if I get wet on Splash Mountain, after all?
Ok, I get it, you were a girl scout and you like to be prepared. A day in Disney is a busy day, and it can be super helpful to have everything you might need in a bag with you at all times. There really is no reason not to bring it all. They have nice bag holding areas on all the rides. It is never a problem (unless you bring a huge duffle bag or something like that). If you do need to bring an arsenal of items in a large bag, you can always invest in a locker and stow it away while you have your fun. Go for it.
The second school of thought here is pack minimal and get what you need if you need it in the park. These folks bring the bare necessities, yep the simple bare necessities. You see what I did there? Hehe.
You don't want to be bothered with carrying a bunch of stuff around. That also makes sense. Again, a day at Disney is a busy day and toting around your kitchen sink can get super tiring. Anything you want or could possibly need is available in the parks. Food, water, sunscreen, ponchos etc. The idea here is that why pack it if you don't need it.
My personal process here is Packing idea number two. I like to carry a very small bag into the parks for a few reasons.
1. I don't like to spend a lot of time waiting in the bag check. My small bag literally takes fifteen seconds for security peek in and we are on our way.
2. We don't need a lot. We don't even bring in our own water bottles. We just get one in the park and refill it as needed at the fountains. There are water fountains all over the parks, and another easy tip is that any quick service restaurants will give you ice water for free!
3. My kids are bigger. My sons are 14 and 9. This means we don't need as many things. We don't need to deal with diapers, wipes, sippy cups, busy toys, etc. We simply need to just have ourselves. If they want a water bottle they are big enough to carry it themselves. Not my job.
4. I don't go on Grizzly River Run (the wet rafting ride), and instead opt to send my kids on their own and watch from the bridge. (Hint: your kids have to be at least 7 in order to ride without an adult). This means I don't need a poncho to stay dry. I enjoy watching them come through from my nice dry viewing point. You may be judging me, you may not. Trust me, it is super safe to send your kids in the line (especially if the wait isn't very long) and you see them come to the end of the ride and they meet you there. Easy peasy.
5. We like to eat park food. It is actually one of our favorite things about Disney! We love picking out which restaurants to eat at and which snacks we want to indulge in each day. It enhances our personal Disney experience. Therefore, we don't need to pack any snacks in for the day! Not to say you can't have fun without indulging in some Disney snackage, but it is one of our things. We love it. Meaning we don't need to carry a bunch of snacks with us during the day. This is why my little bag works so well!
So, you are wondering, what do I actually pack into my Disney day bag?
Lets take a look!
Like I said before, it looks like the basics right?
In order of importance
1. Sunglasses- I found these in the park last month!
2. Wallet and cards/money/- Also found this cute wallet in the little girls section in the Emporium at Disneyland!
3. Hand santizer- because gross. I love the Honest Company travel size in lavender.
4. Coffee Cozy- Have you noticed how stinkin hot the coffee in the parks is? This cute little thing helps. And its soooooo cute! Right?
5. Tickets. Yes, you will need to get into the park so don't forget those very important tickets!
5. Tickets. Yes, you will need to get into the park so don't forget those very important tickets!
This coffee cozy was found at Sweet Cozy Cafe. She takes small orders every other week, and they are first come first serve. Go check her out and be ready to hop to action if she has spots open! HERE.
Make sure you check out our first podcast on "Disney Budget Disney Big" where my fellow Disney lover Jenny and I discuss this very topic. Follow THIS LINK to have a listen.
Ok guys, that is my park bag. I am sure I am going to catch some flack here from the over packer crowd. And that's cool. Every one has to pack for their Disney lifestyle and their Disney day. Hope some of you found this helpful. Let me know if there are any Disney Parks topics you want me to cover. I am happy to listen to suggestions!
0 comments