We leave in 4 days so I am in packing mode (I really have been in packing mode since last week). What do you bring into the park? My husband and I will each bring a backpack. We have a 9 year old and 4 year old and my 69 year old mom. I have some water bottles, light jackets, phones and charger, sunscreen, Am I missing anything? Anything else you recommend?
Thanks!
Ponchos (I buy disposable $1 throw aways)
Snacks
Pen/marker and autograph book for each child. We did combo picture/autograph book last trip and was a HUGE hit!
Quarters and pennies for pressed pennies throughout the parks
Thanks! I do have the autograph books. I did not think of the quarter/pennies. My son always wants to get those. Great idea.
We are bringing pillow covers with fabric marker for the characters to sign.
I also make sure to pack Purell, Tylenol, a few bandaids and ponchos.
Basic first aid kit with Bandaids, blister pads, a few Advil and a few motion sickness pills (kid + adult versions). Small snacks that can boost blood sugar quickly to hold people over while you look for food. Empty ziplock bags - these just always seem to come in handy. Sunglasses cases so you can take them off for rides and not smash them in the bottom of your bag. Wet wipes.
Change of clothes for the 4yo?
GUM!
Ponchos
Non salty / sugary snacks, or, balanced snacks - a favorite of ours is honey roasted peanuts, or relatively low sodium jerky. (don’t set your kid up for a blood sugar crash like you will see other kids having about once every 20 minutes while you are touring)
Glow sticks/necklaces for after dark. Hand them out to other kids, too.
Moistened towelettes of some sort.
I can’t believe how much gum I chewed, and I’m still not sure why. Probably dry mouth from talking /pointing out things to the fam. (I’d like to think that, but probably more like yelling, “THIS WAY” to everyone, or, “Come on, time to get going!” or, “ANOTHER WI-FI DROP???”)
We went during the Christmas season so we took ornaments and had each country write a holiday greeting in their native language. Also we had the Fab Five + Chip, Dale & Daisy sign another one.
I can also support the chewing gum suggestion. DH and I chewed through a whole car cup worth while there.
Hand sanitizer (wipes or bottle). People are nasty and you don’t want to get sick at Disney.
Rug, it was so useful to claim our space when waiting for parades or fireworks.
Queue sweets and snacks that don’t make a mess.
Small sealable bags, so useful when saving food for later.
Buggy, even if you park it up and don’t use it till later in the day.
Hope you have a great holiday
Bring as little as possible. Hate being a sherpa in the park.
Camera,
Some food
Don’t bring water as you can get it for free at any walk up and you are going in January - so assume the weather will not be HOT
Ponchos / Jackets if required by weather / rides
Its not like you are leaving civilization
Most what everyone has said:
Don’t bring ponchos unless a definite chance for showers.
Camera
Charger for phones
Minor snacks but not much
Empty ziplocks are great, keep stuff dry
Refillable water bottles.
Oh the back pack of doom! By the end of the trip my husband’s shoulders were killing him with all that we stuffed into the backpack each day. Ponchos, sharpies, Encyclopedia of Animated Character’s book for meet-and-greets, a water bottle, snacks, snacks, and more snacks, external charger, phone charging cords, small first aid kit (although, I really don’t think this is necessary as I visited Disney first aid stations twice for ear plugs, band aids and sinus medicine during the busy New Year’s week and there was never a wait and the staff was super friendly), wet wipes, sanitizer, kleenex, a few empty ziploc bags, extra socks.
I would ONLY suggest sherpa-dom if you are bringing a stroller! We had our “dad-bag” diaper bag full with change of clothes, snacks, etc. Plus we had our Ergo and rain coats in the bottom of the stroller. Then we just had our camera bag with valuables that we would carry with us when we left the stroller. If no stroller, pack the BARE MINIMUM! Empty water bottle, wallet, sunscreen, granola bars.
I do like the idea of a rug/blanket if you have school age kids!
I bring a paper copy of my touring plan. Saves battery, works when phone locks up/dies, and I can make notes on it. I agree on bringing the bare minimum. Those in your party who are bagless get to use the (usually) shorter security lines.
Thanks everyone. We are bringing a stroller. I did grab a blanket and hand sanitizer. So far no rain until next Thursday/Friday. That could of course change. As of right now the weather looks beautiful (and definitely warmer than here in Illinois). Thanks for all your tips.
Short answer: as little as possible. Other than my DSLR (which is around my neck), if I can’t fit it in one of my cargo pockets, or clip on my belt, it doesn’t go with me. Typically wallet, phone, extra camera battery, sometimes a phone charger, very occasionally a water bottle (that occasionally contains water)… that’s about it.
I keep a check off list on my “notes” app and do a quick run through before we head to the park each day. This is my list. We are traveling with 4 kids, so we take a stroller. We put as much as we can in our back pack and then unload into the stroller once in the park.
Holy Cow! That’s more than I pack in a carry-on…
Can I ask…you said flip flops for AK day…is there a reason you recommend that?