By Now that we’ve gotten that part out of the way, we can talk about what you can bring with you into the parks to help you have the best day ever!
First, you should consider the type of bag you want to bring. In some cases, you may not want to bring a bag at all! David generally goes into the park very light with just a wallet and inhaler in his pockets. Meanwhile, Kim will sometimes carry a regular-sized backpack to tote the many items needed throughout the day.
The good news is that you can take your backpacks onto rides and either put them on the floor or in a designated area for safekeeping. So, there’s no need to worry about going too big other than following Disney’s rules above. You’ll also want to avoid encumbering yourself, because you don’t need a sore back or shoulders, either!
You can search internet sites for their recommended park bags, but since Kim is the one who is usually carrying one, she recommends the following:
- A wristlet (a bag that attaches to your wrist and holds your ID, some cash, a credit card, and your phone). This is best when you want to travel light.
- A fanny pack. These will hold a few items and are easy to carry.
- A crossbody bag like the ones sold by Lug or Vera Bradley. These will hold more items without weighing you down.
- A mini-backpack like the ones sold by Loungefly. There are literally THOUSANDS of different themed bags to represent your fandom, and these smaller backpacks hold a good number of items without being overly heavy on your back.
- Regular-sized backpacks. These are your best bet when you need to carry water bottles, snacks, battery chargers, extra clothes, medications, and more.
- Diaper bags. This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but the good news with this type of bag is that you’re probably going to have a stroller with an area where it can be stowed.
- Tote bags. Like backpacks, these are going to be spacious and allow you plenty of room to carry a variety of things you’ll need to carry into the park. The big negative with these compared to backpacks is that the weight won’t be distributed evenly, potentially causing discomfort.
To help you decide what kind of bag you might need, here’s a comprehensive list of the items you may want to consider bringing into the parks. We’ll put an asterisk by the ones we consider absolute necessities.
- Autograph book and pen(s)
- Band-aids*
- Body Glide (this product helps prevent blisters and chafing)
- Brush
- Bubbles
- Change of clothes
- Credit card*
- Disney pins for trading
- Extra shoes
- Extra socks*
- Fitness tracker
- Glow sticks
- Hand sanitizer
- Hat
- Insulated water bottle*
- Kleenex
- Light jacket
- Lip balm with sunscreen*
- MagicBands or park tickets*
- Medications (prescription or over-the-counter)
- Mickey/Minnie Ears
- Mini first-aid kit
- Mobile phone/device*
- Parade mat (for sitting at parades)
- Park maps
- Photo ID*
- Ponchos (you can get foldable ones for better portability)
- Portable chargers* (My Disney Experience is a significant battery drain)
- Portable fan (handheld misting fan, neck fan, stroller fan)
- Reusable straws
- Snacks or other food
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen*
- Tide wipes or cleaning pen
- Towel (cooling towel and/or regular towel)
- Umbrella
- Waterproof pouches/Ziploc bags (these can protect your phone and other devices during rain or wet rides)
- Wet wipes
Make sure to review this list and include anything that will be instrumental to you and your family while enjoying an amazing day at the parks. You’ll definitely want to adjust for weather conditions and the length of time you’ll spend visiting.