What's in YOUR park bag?

[Seabasealpha1]

Just browsing around on here and gave some of my feelings on what to pack in your park bag, what kind of bag to carry, what NOT to carry...stuff like that...it got me to thinkin'...

Everyone's different...but what do You carry with you when touring? Anything unique? Anything special? What kind of bag do you prefer? Do you pack an entire expedition or do you do the metaphorical "park skin dive" with just your ticket and a wallet? Have any bad or good experiences w/ park bags?

I'll answer a little later with what I carry...but I just thought I'd see...figured this could be fun!

 

[boilerpicc]

If it is just for me, I have a small purse/bag made by Sherpani that I use. I have had the thing for years, and it is still holding up. I take my ID, one credit card, sunglasses, phone, lip balm, a bottle of water, and a poncho. They all fit in my bag perfectly well, and the bag is small enough that it either fits under the lap restraints while I'm wearning it or in the in-car storage areas.

One word of caution... beware of bags with magnetic closures, though they aren't going to be as much of a problem now. Back in the day, I wiped my Key to the World card three times in one trip with the stupid magnetic closure on my purse. Back then, you had to go all the way back to your resort to get it fully recoded. Total pain. Thank goodness for RFID.

 

[coltow]

I always take a backpack. I have a few snacks for when kids are grumpy in line, camera, sunblock, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, aspirin, ponchos, autograph book, and camera. I usually have phone in pocket and keep license and some cash in another pocket. I also tend to carry my camera, but have the bag to put it in during rides &/or rain.

The one time I didn;t take bag with me last year I got such a headache I had to skip a few rides and go to first aid, so from now on bag will always be with me when going to parks

When kids were younger I always had toys and such to keep them occupied. Now that they are older we can get away with playing some sort of eye-spy type game, or look for hidden Mickey's

 

[pixiesteno]

it will really depend on the day, but usually I have a small backpack that holds money, AP, ID, snacks for low blood sugar, and maybe a rain poncho; all topped off with camera around the neck. One trip I had a hard-cover book about Walt and a large pen. I had it autographed by as many characters as possible for our son's Christmas gift.
Other blissful park days find my pass around my neck on a lanyard, money in my pocket, and winging it on snacks in the parks. Love those days, no phone, just DH & I in the parks.
Opps, forgot ... key to travel trailer & vehicle

 

[kfergdisney]

I have a relatively small crossbody waterproof purse/bag that I will be using for this trip. It is by Merrell. It has a zipper that allows the purse to expand if needed. And numerous zippered pockets. I love tons of pockets on purses.
What I usually put in there...
Money, debit card, small first aid kit (with Tylenol), filtered water bottle, little poncho, lip balm (a definite necessity for me!), individual wet wipes, camera/camera case, maps, printoffs of ADRs, and ziploc bags...just in case of rain or wetness, and a pen. You never know when you will need a pen...or you never know when you might have the urge to buy a pen.
The last time I went to WDW, I thought I took a small backpack, but I must not have. I took an insanely small crossbody bag that had so many pockets...everything fit, though. I don't like it anymore. It feels strange now.

 

[Gabe1]

Messenger bag. If I'm traveling light its a Timbuk2 classic, Domke wrap insert for my DSLR, DSLR, rainjacket, sunglasses/case, trader pins, spork, water bottle, and refillable mug. If I'm not traveling light its a Crumpler bag with Crumpler insert for DSLR, DLSR + 3 lenses, GorillaPod, rainjacket, DW's rainjacket, sunglasses/case, trading pins, iPhone charger, spork, water bottle, multiple mugs (for my DW and I). Either has enough room to shove my base layer or vest in as the temps change.

Oh My! I don't even know what half of that stuff is!

 

[KLeigh]

Tip of the week!

It's so easy, and cuts down on the time going through security to about 5 seconds for us.

While waiting in line the BF pulls the ziplock bag out of the cinch bag, has one in each hand and makes sure the cinch bag is completely open. The security guys have commented on how smart our plan is, and how it makes their job easier.

They confirm the cinch bag is empty, do a quick visual check of the contents of the ziplock (which isn't much) and off we go!

 

[Gabe1]

It's so easy, and cuts down on the time going through security to about 5 seconds for us.

While waiting in line the BF pulls the ziplock bag out of the cinch bag, has one in each hand and makes sure the cinch bag is completely open. The security guys have commented on how smart our plan is, and how it makes their job easier.

They confirm the cinch bag is empty, do a quick visual check of the contents of the ziplock (which isn't much) and off we go!

I am so impressed with this tip. Even if some one had a couple ziplocks security just like the TSA at the airport can see what it is at a glance if you pull them out while waiting. Kudos!

 

[G8rchamps]

I convinced the Fam to go bagless one day on our last trip - Overrulled! My disney wallet is adult ID's, Disney CC, 4 rfid annual passes, some cash, and a rubber band - in the left pockey. Iphone in the right pocket.

We are the stroller people that you hate. In the bottom of the stroller is the soft pack cooler with 6 waters, 4 gatoraides, and snscks for the kids. The ponchos fit in the side pockets, 2 refillable mugs in the cupholders, and then the bag that hangs over the back gets: Mickey Ears,Light up toys,Autograph Books,Pin lanyards,whichever stuffed character my daughter wants for the day, First Aid Kit,Advil, Tums, Sunscreen, Hairbrush, Lipstick,Camera,USB phone charger,Ponchos,Sunglasses,Car Keys,Frog Tog, and anything we purchase.

We have a long flat rubbermaid Disney bin to store it all between trips and it has a few extra supplies for the hotel, but lets not get into that.

Did I forget anything?

 

[WDW 3]

Small wallet, little tube of pain killer, camera, pen, phone, kleenex and this leaves just enought room for sunglasses and a poncho if needed. Small cross body swingpack. Lays pretty flat and I am hands free.

 

[dreamfinder]

Oh My! I don't even know what half of that stuff is!

Basically camera and camera stuff. Timbuk2, Crumpler and Domke are brands. And my spork is my reusable all purpose eating utensil. http://www.rei.com/product/799211/light-my-fire-spork-little-package-of-3 It's meant for kids, so it's only like 3 inches long, but has no sharp edges, goes through TSA fine, and has kept me from needing to use a single piece of plastic silverware while traveling, especially at WDW for like 4 years now. I think to think out how much plastic I kept from being tossed, especially when its a Food & Wine trip. (Full sized one with serrated edge is my daily go to utensil for lunch at work)

 

[JillC LI]

One thing I take which I don't think was mentioned already is a ziploc bag for my camera on Splash Mtn.

 

[Disnee4Me]

I wear a belt and hook on my Nikon Coolpix camera case, my sunglass case and my cell phone and then I hook onto a belt loop and stuff it into my pocket my denim Mickey coin purse where we put some cash, credit card and our tickets/room keys, but I guess I won't be needing to stuff anything but a little spare cash on there from now on!!

 

[jlsHouston]

Well I use to always carry a hipter/cross body but last summer I tried one of those small nylan knapsacks that look like backpacks ? And I didn't do so well...Never carried backpacks so I guess I wasn't real comfortable with straps around my shoulders and something flapping behind me and I left it lying somewhere twice and fortunately it was returned...since when I realized it was missing I phone lost and found and it was found and returned with nothing missing...
I carry my phone, my cash usually less than 20 bucks because I room charge most things, and my eyeglasses and I wear my sunglasses and usually have a lanyard on with me KTTW card and id in it...

 

[luv]

RFID-protected wallet.
Gum
Pills
Phone
Pen
Lip balm
Snacks (sometimes)
Keys

...and sometimes, loose change, depending on how good I was about dumping it into the change jar (or not)

This doesn't change for Disney, though. It's always the same stuff.

 

[awoogala]

wallet, sunscreen stick, hand wipes, e-cig, snack bar(s), phone, band aids, one package of advil. sometimes a shortie water bottle. pp+ card. camping ponchos.
I use a hip sack. Don't care if it looks dorky, it is super easy, since it doesn't need to come off on every ride, and I don't ever leave it anywhere.

 

[luv]

wallet, sunscreen stick, hand wipes, e-cig, snack bar(s), phone, band aids, one package of advil. sometimes a shortie water bottle. pp+ card. camping ponchos.
I use a hip sack. Don't care if it looks dorky, it is super easy, since it doesn't need to come off on every ride, and I don't ever leave it anywhere.

With the exception of the fashion industry (whose livelihoods depend on reassuring the perpetually insecure), people should stop worrying about looking dorky around the age of 14 and certainly by 19 years.

Dork out!

 

[Freshee61]

Passes
Id
Sunscreen
Water bottles
Camera
Ponchos
Snacks

 

[awoogala]

With the exception of the fashion industry (whose livelihoods depend on reassuring the perpetually insecure), people should stop worrying about looking dorky around the age of 14 and certainly by 19 years.

Dork out!

Yup. rather be a dork than lose things..

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

It's so easy, and cuts down on the time going through security to about 5 seconds for us.

While waiting in line the BF pulls the ziplock bag out of the cinch bag, has one in each hand and makes sure the cinch bag is completely open. The security guys have commented on how smart our plan is, and how it makes their job easier.

They confirm the cinch bag is empty, do a quick visual check of the contents of the ziplock (which isn't much) and off we go!

That's what I used to do until I found small clear backpacks. They hold tons, and I no longer have to pull my ziplocks out. Security loved them. Several commented they wished everyone had them. I also have a large clear one that we take if it's going to rain or we need jackets.

 

[Susan Savia]

Wallet, camera, glasses, bottle of water, cell phone, snack and if the day calls for rain, a mini umbrella, in a cross shoulder canvas bag.