Taking a backpack?

We just bought that bag for both my kids - it is actually very nice and a great size. Might get tight with Crocs in it though.

Phone pocket in strap is a really good perk and even hold my son’s Samsung S7 in its super duper OtterBox case.

When it comes to jackets - in November I found one useful, but in 6 weeks you’ll probably bake in most jackets.

1 Like

I always take a back-pack. I bought a new ‘light-weight’ one that folds up - says waterproof, but I am going to test that out LOL
Filtered water bottles, sun-screen, ponchos., cooling towels, a couple of medical things (few bandaids & headache med) battery charger and a couple of large ziploc bags to put wet ponchos in. Might add some nuts or protein bars (my bf is diabetic) Phones we will probably carry ourselves, but we will see how that works out. oh - and a tide stain pen (because I ALWAYS spill something on myself)
I considered some-kind of water shoe or flip-flops - but decided it was too much to carry.

1 Like

I understand the hat for the sun. I have one that I can crumple and stuff into my bag. I tend to change what I carry daily. I have a messenger bag with a dragon on it, because dragons are my passion after Disney of course.

I have an LL Bean rain jacket with hood that rolls up small that comes down over my thighs and covers my bag. I agree I like a rain jacket over a poncho. It has come in handy. And I carry a large ziplock bag in my bag for the rain jacket if it gets drenched.

I always have a spare pair of socks for many reasons. I carry a small sunblock less than 3 ounces, I carry this all the time. Florida sun is brutal. Some meds and a small pack of band aids. Sometimes I carry some flip flops for changing out shoes, but only if the forecast is bad.

As to extra cloths, no I let myself dry. Worst case buy a new T Shirt!! If my rental car is nearby I keep a full change of cloths in there.

I also carry a water bottle for the free counter service ice water.

If I am going to meet characters I will have my index card holder as I bring printed index cards for characters to sign.

My phone, wallet, and maybe keys are always on my.

Oh forgot, The bag comes on every ride except kali, unless I have a bag for it. And as some have said I loop the strap through a leg just to be secure.

1 Like

There is absolutely no need for a jacket for “warmth” in August. For rain, I generally prefer a jacket to a poncho, but at WDW I use a poncho as it will go over my DSLR.

1 Like

You misread what I wrote, lol.

I’ve heard that air-conditioning in the US can make it feel really cold indoors, so I thought my rain jacket could double up as something to take the edge off when I’m inside.

It’s very light and thin.

I think you should skip the extra shoes/socks and extra shirt. Not only are they largely unnecessary because you dry fairly quickly in that kind of heat, you will also waste a bunch of time if you stop to change clothes and shoes every time it rains! And then, if you change out of wet socks/shirt/shoes then you’re carrying your wet clothes around for the rest of the day.

The problem with an actual rain jacket is that it means you’ll be wearing an extra layer with sleeves in the August heat and humidity… you’ll wind up just as wet from sweating as you would have been sans jacket!

1 Like

Backpack definitely. We use a Disney park backpack with the following items in it: insulated lunch bag that contains a plastic storage container and ziplock plastic bags (I know it seems weird but will explain in a minute), disposable ponchos, water bottle, sun screen, photo ID, spare credit card, back up battery and phone charging cord, and a dry wash rag.
I use the insulated bag to keep my sunscreen and water from overheating, can add a ziplock bag of ice to keep the cupcakes and chocolate from melting before I get back to my room. The plastic container keeps my cupcakes from getting crushed in the bag. I know it seems weird but the food at BOG was just to good to eat my grey stuff and I needed to take it back to my room. I NEED chocolate before I go to bed at night!
Oh yeah, the wash rag - a trick I picked up on soccer trips. A real multi-tasked. You can dry off with it and can wet it for an emergency cleanup, compress, etc.

I’m delighted with the new backpack. It’s a really clever design. It folds in on itself and into one of its own pockets so it neatly packs away, so it’s perfect for my hand luggage on the plane. (See photo, with pen for size.) The pocket on the front strap exactly fits my iPhone 7+. The netting bag on the side fits my water bottle perfectly. The main compartment is roomy without being bulky – I could fit my rain jacket and umbrella in there (the umbrella fits up-down because of the tear-drop shape) with plenty more room for spare clothes if I wanted. My Kindle fits in the inner pocket, and there’s an outer pocket that I could put small medical supplies into. The shoulder strap is broad, but I’ll admit that when the whole thing is loaded up there’s some weight to it all – though there’s a loop handle if you want to give your shoulder a rest. (The bag itself is very light: about 250g.)

I won’t know till I’m actually there whether I’ll need all this stuff and want to carry it around, but at least I have the option now. Definitely recommended.

3 Likes

Thanks for the report @profmatt

1 Like

Interesting! My one concern would be that it turns out to be one of those things that fits in its storage pouch when you first get it, but can never be put back in it again. :slight_smile:

2 Likes

It would be if it was me trying to put it back in!

Don’t worry, I can report back on that front! I didn’t find it difficult to put it back in its pouch at all!

I’m a vote for bringing crocs. We were at AK when it rained and a pond formed. We had ponchos, but our shoes would have been uncomfortably soaked, we were glad for crocs. Also wear them on wet rides. They’re light but bulky.

Your pack sounds good to me. We pack water bottle, crocs, disposable ponchos, sunscreen, snacks (DS gets hangry), blister bandaids, pain reliever, disinfecting wipes, non-disinfecting wet wipes, bug spray or wipes, phone charger/battery pack, and DS’s ipad. We also have cooling towels and a personal mister or fan in the summer.

What water proof back pack?

Mine is a very, very old Columbia back pack.

Well, I’ve changed my mind. (This will not come as a surprise to regular readers of my contributions!)

In truth I had reservations about the backpack I bought – it was perfectly good but I’ve been worrying about a change of shoes for when it rains or to wear on water rides.

Today I found this. It’s from Orvis, so it was crazy expensive, but I really like it. Very comfortable to wear, and the bag’s shape is structured rather than literally being a bag attached to a strap, if you see what I mean. It holds its shape when its empty.

It’s actually designed for fishing, but I think it’ll be perfect for my purposes. It satisfies JetBlues additional carry-on time rules in terms of size, yet I can fit a pair of shoes in it.

2 Likes

@profmatt … curious to know what you do with the bags you don’t like? Return them or ??

It’s not so much that I didn’t like it. I just found something I think is better. I’m returning the other one to Amazon.