What's In Your Park Touring Bag?

Could we ever by-pass the bag security line when traveling into a Walt Disney World park?  Eventually, but not yet.  After nine trips, we are still toting and carrying various bags into the theme parks at the most magical place on earth.

I can recall our first trip that involved a stroller and bag needed for a just turned four year old.  The stroller was great as it held our huge bag needed for a variety of contingencies.  We have since slimmed down our bag carrying and now tote a backpack and cross-body bag.

The husband carries the backpack it contains many necessities of a day of park touring.  Here is a list of what you might find in his backpack:

●        ponchos

●        umbrellas

●        inflatable pocket seats (click here to read more)

●        snacks--fruit snacks, small boxes of cereal, granola bars

●        one bottle of water with cold water to start the day (we keep refilling)

●        toys, handheld electronic game, glow necklaces

●        jackets if needed

●        sometimes a change of clothes for the boy

●        wipes

●        sunscreen

Our history with packing snacks goes all the way back to our very first trip in 2006.  Yes, we had the dining plan, but I was still concerned with having enough snacks to get us through our trip.  Our trip was in November around Thanksgiving, so I took leftover Halloween candy and mixed it with dry cereal, goldfish crackers, and other snack food in yogurt containers with lids.  We called them “surprise snacks” as you never knew what you were going to get inside your container.  Eventually, the boy figured out there was candy in the bottom and would dump out the entire container on the tray of his stroller looking for the sweet treat.  The yogurt containers were just the right size for packing in our suitcases and in the bag we took to the parks.  Also, we just threw the containers away when we were done. Our snack packing has evolved over time to more packaged snacks--fruit snacks, and small boxes of cereal, but I still pack plastic containers of mixed snacks to take with us to eat on the plane, bus, etc.  And, the boy still prefers a snack mix that I make with dry cereal, salty snacks, and raisins to other snacks.    Some folks pack baggies of snacks, but I prefer the plastic containers--recycled butter or sour cream containers--to baggies as the contents in baggies can get crushed. 

The cross-body purse that I carry has been through many trips.  I put the small bag into a larger tote when traveling by air so it counts as one carry-on.  Here is a list of what you might find in my cross-body purse:

●        camera, video camera, batteries, SD cards

●        cell phone

●        wallet

●        autograph needs--book/pen, etc.

●        container with quarters and pennies for pressed penny machine

●        medicines(pain & fever reducer, anti-diarrhea) /bandaids/moleskin

●        feminine needs

●        Tide sticks or Shout wipes

Both the husband and I have a list of ADR’s, confirmation numbers, and any other information we might need--click here to read more.  He has his phone and wallet in his pockets. 

To make sure we don’t forget anything, the bags get partially emptied and repacked each night.  That way, when we are hurrying to get to the parks in the morning, we are packed and ready to go. 

Some things we don’t bring include the refillable mugs as they can only be refilled at the resort.  Another item that does not come with us is a towel, even though it may be an essential for some families. . . to dry off wet strollers after rain, wet children after playing in a water feature, provide shade, or designate a spot on the ground for parades.  Some families swear by baggies of various sizes.  We have yet to find a need for these, but do keep our autograph essentials in a gallon size plastic bag that zips close.  We don’t bring lots of water.  Our one water bottle that we refill is enough and then we get free ice water at counter service locations.  We also don’t bring bags that can’t be used hands free, hence the reason for the backpack and cross-body bag.    We also choose not to use lockers.

We have also tried fanny packs and that worked well when we also had a larger bag stored under the stroller, but when we finally went stroller free, we needed something with a bit more room that we could carry with us.

We still eye the “no bag” line with longing upon entering the parks and someday, it will be for us, but not yet.

Packing A Bag For Park Touring

Packing a bag for park touring at Walt Disney World takes a bit of planning, just like the rest of the trip.  What we’ve carried with us to the parks in bags and how we have carried our items has changed over the years.  We’ve done fanny packs, when we were taking a stroller that could hold everything else.  Our last few trips, it has been a backpack for the husband and a cross body purse for me.

The husband wanted a clear backpack for our trip in March.  His thinking was it would breeze through security—it did—easy to find things—right again—and he wasn’t carrying anything “of value” that would be a target for thieves.  Here’s what was in his bag:

• Rain gear—ponchos and umbrellas—click here to read more.
• Pocket seats—inflatable seat cushions—click here to read about Pocket seats.
• A bottle of water that we refilled using water fountains.
• Sunscreen
• Snack items—small box of cereal, fruit snacks, etc.
• Wipes
• Hidden Mickey book

The clear backpack did not return home with us, as the straps lasted until our last day of touring and it went into the trash.  It’s not the first bag that we have “killed” during a trip and it most likely won’t be the last.

My cross body purse has made it through LOTS of trips.  I like that the black nylon fabric is durable and easy to clean.  And, I like that the cross body style keeps my hands free.  The bag has a big compartment with a small zipper compartment on the outside with slots for ID, etc., and a pocket on the backside.  There’s also a cell phone pocket on the side of the bag. Here’s what was in my bag:

• Wallet
• Cameras (both still shot and video camera)  The Flip stores well in a recycled Crystal Light container.  If you use the “tall” one there is room for extra batteries.
• Needed items for autographs.  Whatever we are having signed—this time it was a pillowcase—I keep in a gallon size plastic bag along with a variety of markers.  This fits well in the back pocket of my bag.
• The boy’s DS in its case.
• A 35mm plastic film canister with quarters/penny pairings for pressed penny machines.
• Cell phone
• Business Cards—Click here to read more about the business cards we had made for trips.
• Personal needs items

See, it holds a lot!  Another thing I like about the bag is that I can put it in a larger over the shoulder tote that I use as a personal item when flying.  Then, I take out the cross body bag and am ready for park touring.

We also pack the backpack—ready with needed items—in the carry-on bag (except for the sunscreen that would go in our checked luggage due to TSA regulations—but we do have a sunscreen stick that goes in my “quart size bag”) so we can open the bag, throw on the backpack, and head to the parks.  No wasted time trying to repack or find needed items.  Click here to read more about what I pack in my "Quart Size Bag."

Even the boy got into the act this trip with his own backpack.  (I had packed an extra backpack just in case.)

Every family determines what items they might need during the course of a park touring day.  Some take a change of clothes for little ones—we used to do that.  Others bring food.  Some folks opt to rent lockers at the front of the parks to store their gear.  We have yet to do this, as the thought of making the extra steps to the front of the park to get any needed items doesn’t entice me.  Some guests travel without a bag using pockets, jackets with pockets, or vests with pockets for needed items.  I have yet to figure out how to travel that lightly!

No matter what you are taking to the parks (safe items only) know that you are not alone.  And, remember that all bags go through a security check point and are searched prior to park entry.