Jolly Holiday with Mare

Let’s face it, once you arrived on property for your Disney vacation you know everything from your hotel, your fast passes, and your dinning plan. But have you figured out what is in your Disney bag?  In the morning on the way to the park you aren’t thinking about if you packed your rain jacke t or bandaids because you’re running around trying to get everyone in their coordinating tee shirts and ready for the bus so you can be there for the ribbon cutting at the Magic Kingdom. That is why it is so important to make sure you have packed all of the neccsitcies and have them with you before you even arrive on property. Your Disney bag is everything! It can make or break your day in the parks. When someone gets hungry and is on the verge of a meltdown while your waiting in line for a ride, you’ll be thankful for all the snacks you packe! If it turns into a sudden down pour (which is definitely not uncommon), you have your rain jacket with you! You don’t have to worry about hoping on the bus and running back to your hotel to grab whatever it is that you forgot, wasting your precious park time because you thought ahead and packed it all with you! So here is a look at what is in my Disney bag to help make my day the best day ever!

First thing is first…make sure you have a comfortable backpack! You need one that is lightweight, easy to carry, hold all your essentials, but has extra room for your daily purchases. You also want to have something that is easy to take on and off as you get on rides. I love my NorthFace backpack, its the perfect size and it has lots of pockets which I love. Make sure you keep in mind that often while you’re riding rides your backpack goes in the floor in front of your legs so make sure it is not too big. I also love that this backpack is not cloth but it is made with polyester making it susceptible to the rain. It keeps all of my belongings dry which is super important and something that I never thought about until I carried an all cloth backpack and all of my things ended up drenched! But everyones bag preferences will be different, so just make sure that you have something that will meet you and your families needs. You wanna make sure you have something that is durable, practical, easy to use and comfortable! But, all in all I really recommend this book bag to fulfill my Disney park bag needs!

What Do I Need Inside of My Park Bag? 

1. Sunscreen.

This one for me is a nonnegotiable #gingerprobs, but even if its overcast that day, or even if its November or even if you don’t burn easily, pack the sunscreen! Trust me you will be glad you have it as the sun is beating down on you as you’re sitting on the sidewalk of Main Street USA at 3:00pm waiting for the parade to start. I always bring spray sunscreen because it is the easiest and most convient just to grab it, spray it on and go! I also recommend bringing a face stick sunscreen if you do not feel comfortable spraying in the face with the spray one.

2. Medication

Not everyone does this but I always like to have some over the counter medications on me throughout the day because nothing can ruin someones magical day like a tummy ache, a headache, or a bad blister. So I always keep my Ibuprofen, stomach medicines as well as bandaids with me. If you are walking around all day, even if you are wearing comfortable shoes a blister is not uncommon. I know that Disney has places with in each of the parks that provides bandaids and over the counters for you but it can be hard to track them down. It isn’t always convientent to leave what you are currently doing at that moment to go track down a bandaid so I always just find it easier to keep it on my person.

 

 

3. Water Bottle

This is so important. In Disney you can easily walk up to 10 miles a day. And walking 10 miles in the heat is no walk in the park (see what I did there 🙂 so hydration is a must! I recommend bring an insulated water bottle, filling it up before you leave your resort and continue to fill it up as the day goes on from any counter service restaurant. They will give you a free cup and I always just pour it in my own water that way it will stay cold and sealed. I put in the mesh water bottle pouch on the side of my backpack so that it is in easy reach all day. But I can not stress this enough…hydration is key! Waiting in line for rides is a great time drink some water and get yah self hydrated!

4. Snacks!

Yes- all the snacks!! Especially if you have kids this tip is a must. Snacks at Disney are amazing but they are so expensive, especially if you are not using the dinning plan with the snack option. Even if you are using the dinning plan with the snack option it is always nice to have some of your own food handy. What kind and how much just really depends on your family but I recommend ones that are individually wrapped and have a good amount of protein. I love protein bars and packs of crackers but whatever is best for you and your family to keep everyone happy and bellies full!

 

 

5. Hand sanitizer

If you only bring one thing with you, bring this! The Magic Kingdom averages 50,000 people per day. That is a lot of germs that you do not want on your heads. So bring some hand sanitizer with a case that attaches to your book bag and use it throughout the day! I also would recommend using one that has aloe vera in it because it is a little easier on your hands since you will be applying it so much. Also, if you are traveling with younger children then Wet Wipes will need to be another necessity if you don’t want your three year old wearing their Mickey Ice-cream bar all day. So these items are perfect to de-germ and de-sticky everyone throughout the day. This is very easily  my most used item in my bag.

6. A Rain Jacket

Whatever you do, every single day, pack your rain jacket!! Even if it is not supposed to rain pack your rain gear! The weather in Orlando is so unpredictable so it is best to be prepared. Personally, I do not like ponchos, I feel like they’re bulky and you get just as wet on the inside. So I like to bring my NorthFace rain jacket because its heavy duty but still    breathable. Whether you prefer a rain jacker or a poncho, bring it! They’re easy to fold up and take up little space in your bag. You’ll use it at least once in your trip. Don’t wait till the downpour comes and you’re stuck buying an overpriced rain coat from one of the stores.

7. Sunglasses & Hair Ties

This one is another one that I learned the hard way. The sun in Florida is hot and intense. You will use them all year in the parks. On the more intense rides consider wear a sunglass strap that way to make sure they stay on your head the whole time! Another thing I always make sure to have with me is something to pull my hair back with. My curls plus the Florida humidity are normally not the greatest match. I love my scrunchies and they’re such an easy thing just to slide on my wrist to have whenever I need it!

8. GUM

This one for me is a no brainer because I am a gum chewer! I love gum and since Disney does not sell it anywhere on property I always try to make sure that I pack a large pack before I leave for my trip. SO if you are a gum chewer like me, make sure you bring your head of time!

9. Sharpies and Autograph Book!!

This one may seem a little random, but if your family is anything like mine then character meet and greets are a must! So to make that process a little smoother I always have a sharpie ready and my autograph book out and ready. Sharpies are easier for the larger characters to use so I always just keep those handy! You can buy pens inside the parks but you can’t buy sharpies so bring them ahead of time:) 

10. EARS!!

The one thing that I never leave for the parks without. Now there is nothing that I love more than buying cute new ears, but on property they are quite expensive so buy some before you leave off of amazon or a cute Etsy shop!