Packing question

pixeemom

Member
Packing question: we will be leaving soon and for the first time with NO STROLLER!!!!! so open to suggestions on what to carry in the parks. Backpack? Cooler? I was going to bring my over the shoulder pocketbook and DH was going to carry a cooler but I know he is going to get tired of carrying it around, I was honestly thinking of buying an umbrella stroller just to carry the bags around......open to all suggestions thank you
 

gaga4disney

Well-Known Member
a great quality backpack..been using one since the first time we went with kids. multi-compartment. we put everything in there (water, electronics, wipes, sanitizers, ponchos, etc).
 
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Tinkerbell397

Well-Known Member
I guess it really depends on what you plan to bring into the park. How old are your children and what do you need to take into the park with you everyday. Once our kids were out of the stroller, we really didn't need to carry much....so a small backpack did the trick. They can carry their own water bottle....what else do you really need. :cat:
 
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pixeemom

Member
Original Poster
I guess it really depends on what you plan to bring into the park. How old are your children and what do you need to take into the park with you everyday. Once our kids were out of the stroller, we really didn't need to carry much....so a small backpack did the trick. They can carry their own water bottle....what else do you really need. :cat:
my youngest is 6.5 my oldest is 12 so the only thing I think we would need is wipes, drinks and poncho's and their ipods/cameras/ my wallet/sunscreen/small snacks
 
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Tinkerbell397

Well-Known Member
Sounds like a small backpack to me. Drink are the things that will be the most cumbersome. Why not bring reusable bottles and just have them refill at water fountains. You can buy bottles that have filters for the water which tends to have a slightly off taste. We start the day with a frozen water bottle and then refill as we want. We do not drink soda or any other sweet drinks so water takes us through the day. When you go to lunch, you can fill your bottle with water and ice at the drinks counter......free or if you go to a TS, you can ask the waitstaff for a glass of ice water. There are many ways you can think of to avoid carrying multiple drink boxes etc.
Just curious.....why do the kid need to carry i-Pods? If they want to bring them, at 6.5 and 12, I think that they are old enough to carry them. :cat:
 
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Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
I realize that this is all a matter of personal opinion and that there are passionate views on both sides of the "prepare for any eventuality, vs. travel light" debate. I skew decidedly toward the "travel light" philosophy, and I would suggest that if you're considering bringing a stroller just to haul your stuff around, you're probably bringing too much! Approaching the Disney parks with the packing efficiency, ease and flexibility of one backpacking through Europe is, in my opinion, infinitely preferable to the unwieldy burden of going Oregon Trail-style, with all of your worldly goods in tow. Even my "always be prepared for anything" Eagle Scout DH has learned to leave the overstuffed backpack behind when we set set off for the parks.

We get by with just my cross-body purse (Vera Bradley hipster or smaller), sufficient to hold my sunglasses, camera and phone, a spare credit card, a "First Aid" baggie with a few Tylenol capsules, Band-Aids and blister pads, a 3x5 card with the day's touring plan/FP+/ADRs, a baggie with individually-wrapped hand sanitizing wipes, 4 Dollar Store rain poncho packets if the forecast calls for rain, and sometimes, the kids' little autograph books and pens. DH keeps his phone, a few Kleenex and his rescue inhaler in the pockets of his cargo shorts. The kids keep track of their own sunglasses, which are on cords so they can be effortlessly worn around the neck when not in use.

We don't bring any beverages or food with us: we buy lunch in the park or return to our hotel at lunchtime for an in-room lunch and naps, and you can get iced water for free, on request, at any Disney counter service eatery. If a need for snacks is anticipated, I toss a few granola bars in my purse, which are lightweight and take up almost no space. We don't bring any "diversion" items or electronics with us: we try to plan well enough that we're rarely in line for long, and if there is a wait or long bus ride, we spend it chit-chatting with one another or playing simple, "I Spy"-type games.

Unless you need a cooler to hold a huge picnic meal or to satisfy a medical need (e.g., keeping insulin cold), it's going to be nothing but an annoyance to lug around (as would a stroller -- if you have the freedom to go stroller-free, why shackle yourself to one unnecessarily?). If you need the cooler to keep your lunch cold, then consider renting a locker to house it instead, until it's needed.
 
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dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
If you want/need the cooler for snacks/meds/whatever, I'd suggest using a soft sided cooler in a backpack. You can leave the cooler if you don't need it, or at least compact it when not in use. The backpack gives you the most flexibility to carry jackets, souvenirs, etc. Although if you are really looking at getting a stroller just for stuff, you can most likely prune your gear back a little bit. Everyone takes turns, or they carry their own stuff. Fair enough.
 
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rt06

Well-Known Member
If you can't manage to carry everything you need in one pack, you're carrying too much. And that's one pack for everyone. Nix the cooler and pocketbook.
 
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PigletIsMyCat

Well-Known Member
it's just dh and myself, but for a while i had taken to carrying a slightly oversized camera bag with me. held my camera, eye drops, inhaler, lip balm, small thing of sunscreen, small thing of hand sanitizer, advil, and some tissues/napkins. this time i'm thinking of bringing a small cross body bag with the same stuff, but adding a point and shoot camera instead of my big olympus.
 
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