Park Bag Essentials

Written By Molly Krpata

When spending a whole day walking around the parks you want to pack light. There are also a few things that will make spending the day much easier and more enjoyable. Things like your phone and wallet are obvious needs, but here is a short list of items I definitely wouldn’t leave home (or hotel) without for the day:

Water resistant bag - I love a lightweight travel backpack. They don’t take up space in your luggage, they aren’t difficult to carry around all day, and if it rains suddenly you’re not stuck with soaking wet stuff. Price points on Amazon are very affordable, and they fold up and pack in a suitcase or carry-on very easily! ZOMAKE Lightweight Hiking Backpack - $16.99 (prices may vary)

Rain ponchos - speaking of rain, if you travel to Florida any time of year, it WILL rain. Be prepared. You can get family packs of rain ponchos online or at dollar stores MUCH cheaper than scrambling to find one in the park, so throw a poncho for each person into your park bag! These can also be great to throw down to protect a stroller while on a ride in case that rain hits when you’re not looking. Or to pop on for water rides so you don’t spend the rest of the day with a wet tush. Lingito 20 Pack of Family Rain Ponchos - $15.99 (prices may vary)

External Phone Charger - With Disney’s Genie and Genie + services, virtual queues, wait times, mobile food ordering and more going on mobile apps your smart phone is your guide through the day. Not to mention these now act as most people’s camera too! Your phone will be the hardest working part of your day and that battery will drain fast. External chargers are maybe the MVP of this list. If you take nothing else with you, please grab one of these. Most of these chargers will give you 1-2 full charges so you can probably share one between two people, but a backup is never a bad idea just in case of technical difficulties. There are a few models. I like and use the candy bar style one a lot. Though I just bought the iWalk brand one and I have to say the smaller size is very appealing - you don’t even need a separate cable it plugs right into your phone! * side note, while hotels are getting better about USB ports in the rooms, outlets can still be few, so adding an extender to your packing list can really come in handy for in room charging, it can’t hurt to have more space to plug in. iWalk Portable Charger - $29.99 (prices my vary), Portable Charger PowerBank - $26.95 (prices may vary), TESSAN Multi Plug Outlet Extender - $14.99 (prices may vary)

Water Bottle - Most areas of the park have places to fill up with tap water, or you can order extra ice water when you stop to eat. I highly recommend an insulated, filtered bottle. The FL tap water has a weird taste to some and this will open up a lot of options for refills at water fountains and even your hotel sink if needed. Saves on bottled water and makes sure you don’t over heat in the sun. Brita Stainless Steel Filter Water Bottle - $16.15 - 24.99 based on color (prices may vary)

Personal handheld or wearable fan - Waiting in long lines is usually when the heat starts getting to me. I’m mostly fine while moving. These handheld fans or even wearable ones will help make things a bit more bearable. I love that these are also USB recharagble so I don't have to fuss with batteries and we just plug these in each night along with our devices to get ready for the next day. The kids love them too! I only brought one last time but I think I might increase to at least two for next time to save myself the fights over it. TriPole Handheld Rechargeable Fan - $15.99 (prices may vary), JISULIFE Portable Neck Fan - $26.99 (prices may vary)

Hand sanitizer spray and sanitizing wipes - COVID may have exacerbated my germaphobe tendencies. I sanitize my hands after a ride, especially after white knuckling some of those coasters, and we can’t always quickly wash hands before eating when it’s busy, so this comes very much in handy. I love the spray kinds better than the squirt bottles because you use less and they, in turn, last longer. I also carry travel sized disinfecting wipes for surfaces. Let’s just say the eating (and sitting) surfaces are not always cleaned in the busiest of times. A quick wipe down can make me feel a bit better about needing to prop my snack on the top of a trash can. A note for messy eaters or kids you might want a pack of baby wipes for sticky hands and faces as well, and I throw in some stain remover wipes - Just in case! The Honest Company Hand Sanitizer Spray - 4 count - $11.04 (prices may vary) , Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, On The Go, 6 pack - $11.35 (prices may vary)

Basic First Aid - Things I bring are a small container of pain meds (Advil, Tylenol), a few band aids of various sizes (waterproof if you can), a bug bite itch relief pen - similar to this, and a thing of tums and a few immodium pills (you never know!). I will say that in park most of this can be found at first aid centers so know that you can get most basic first aid items in park. * Hot tip, put everything you need in a plastic bag or waterproof zipper pouch. My little metal first aid kit set off the security checks every single day and not until the last day of our trip did they actually tell me what I was being pulled out for. Nexcare Waterproof Bandage - $7.08 (prices may vary), Pill Pouch Zippered Reusable Bags - 12 count - $7.99 (prices may vary), Meow Clear Cosmetic Bag, 4pcs - $12.99 (prices may vary)

Microfiber cloth - There are just more wet seats that you realize out there. This can make quick work of it and dries up quickly. Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths -24 pack - $11.42 (prices may vary)

Ziploc bags - I put a few sandwich sized and gallon sized in my bag. Extra snacks you want to bring back to the room, wet socks from Splash mountain, a souvenir you definitely want to protect, an impromptu barf bag? They have a million uses and I’ve never been mad to have them on hand. Ziploc Gallon Food Storage Freezer Bags - $9.94 (prices may vary)

Socks - speaking of wet socks - if you wear socks to the parks, pack an extra pair. I recommend going with waterproof shoes or sandals, but I have two people in my family that prefer socks and sneakers. Having extra socks in case you get doused on a water ride can save you from a pretty miserable rest of the day. Also if you can treat your sneakers with waterproofing spray before you go, I would highly recommend that to help as well. Hanes Women’s 10-pair Value Pack Ankle Socks - $9.94 (prices may vary), Hanes Men’s Low Cut Cushion Socks - 6 pair pack - $11.00 (prices may vary), Amazon Essentials Unisex Kids and Toddlers' Cotton Low Cut Sock, Pack of 14 - $14.60 (prices may vary)

Anti Chafe Balm - Walking around in shorts on a hot humid day can get really uncomfortable really fast. Men, women and children. It’s a must. Can also be used on your feet if you have a shoe that rubs a little to prevent blisters. Body Glide Anti-Chafe Balm - $8.99 (prices may vary)

Those are MY essentials. What YOU need beyond that will differ based on your travel party and needs. If you book your trip through me, part of my services can be to help come up with a definitive packing list for you. If you have small kids in diapers, I have some great suggestions and there are so many great resources on property for you. If you’re traveling with other adults you can probably reduce this list even more to pack even lighter. The good news is if you forget something, you can always buy it on property!

Click the image below to download a PDF version of my essentials packing list for future use!

Now let’s plan a new adventure! xo, Molly

Molly Krpata https://www.magicmemorieswithmolly.com
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