What Is In My Disney Park Bag? A Quick Guide on Basics
Here is a short list of the essentials that I carry in the parks by season.
One of the most common questions I see from new Disney visitors is what do I carry in my park bag? Everyone is going to have different responses based on their own needs. And when you are spending an entire day in the parks, the last thing you want to do is pay inflated prices for basic items in the park, or worse, make a run back to the hotel. You also want to avoid being the pack mule and carrying way too much.
For a full list of prohibited items, visit disneyworld.disney.go.com/park-rules.
Rookie mistake
On my first trip, when my child was younger, I carried a full-sized Jansport backpack and threw in everything I thought we would need throughout the day, including full water bottles for everyone in the group. A few hours in, my shoulders, neck and back were in pain and my partner and I started taking shifts with the backpack. It wasn’t great.
After that, I bought a Loungefly bag, with my best buddy Grogu on it. I paired down what I put in there so it had just what we needed and wasn’t heavy or bulky. I also purchased a bag for my child and they carry their own supplies. Several trips later, I have found the right amount of items, which changes depending on the season. My family has embraced the mid-day break during our visits and I often adjust my park bag contents accordingly.
Let’s unpack.
Winter
This is one of my favorite seasons to visit the parks, especially January or February, as the weather is mild, though it does get cold at night.
During the day, I have:
- a water bottle.
- sunscreen packets.
- hand sanitizer.
- Clorox wipes.
- extra motion sickness patches (I swear by these!).
- a power bank with a 6-foot charging cable.
That’s it.
We tend to start our mid-day return to the hotel around 11:30. Before we head back to the park around 1:30, I add some gloves and a hat because I will get cold and no one wants to pay $15 for child-sized gloves in the park – another rookie mistake.
Summer
My partner and I did a childless trip over Father’s Day weekend and I knew it was going to be hot and humid. Aside from my standard items, I also toss in:
The night before, I put a bottled water in the tiny freezer section of the hotel fridge and in the morning I wrap it in a washcloth from the hotel. That gives me an extra cooling option. I can place the bottle on the back of my neck when I am standing in a longer line, or when the fan or cooling towel just aren’t doing the job. It’s also nice to have the towel capture any perspiration as the bottle warms up throughout the day and use it to freshen my face. I am amazed at how much you can actually get in those little Loungefly backpacks and summertime is when I tend to have the most items in my bag.
Fall
When we go to Disney, it’s typically at the end of October since it aligns with some family birthdays. The weather is not as hot as in the summer, so I can leave the cooling towel and neck fan at home. I do carry the water bottle and washcloth, along with my standard items.
My family has yet to visit Disney during the spring, but I expect I will start with the same packing items as my fall list and adjust as needed.
A child’s bag
As most mothers do, I tend to carry items for others in the group, not just for myself. Items like fans or ponchos I carry in multiples for my partner and me. Our child carries their own bag and has their own packing list that includes:
- water bottle.
- pins for trading.
- snacks.
- entertainment items.
My child loves to make their own Disney magic with other kids by sharing the entertainment items.
My Minnie Loungefly
During one of our longer trips to the parks, I became frustrated with how often I was putting my phone in the park bag and pulling it back out, or having to find my credit card and ID to show for my annual pass holder discounts. I found a mini version of the Loungefly bags at Hollywood Studios and it’s the perfect size for my phone, ID, credit card and chapstick.
So now I use both. Yes, I carry two bags! I use a carabineer to clip the mini bag to my backpack so it is always accessible and it frees up my pockets (or sometimes I don’t have pockets at all). When we visit the park for a shorter period (a few hours), I will ditch the bigger bag and just take my Minnie and throw in an extra motion sickness patch.
