Your equipment...

[sakko]

Fall in soldiers! Here is the drill... you are awake, showered, coffeed, fed, and about to leave your hotel for a great day in one of the parks!

What kind of equipment are you carrying? How do you carry it? Do you deal with the water situation? Backpack or fannypack? If it's a fannypack and you are a guy, don't you feel a little.. I don't know.. nerdy? haha

Okay, so basically I want to see how people prepare themselves for a day at the park. My trip will be in Sept. with my fiancee, so no kids or anything like that. But I want to be prepared. I've read the water discussion, and I think I might bring one large bottle for the both of us and buy after that is expended.

I wouldn't mind getting some kind of neck lanyard waterproof pouch type thingy for our room keys and other important stuff.. I just don't know! So tips please..


Keep in mind my fiancee is finicky and I unfortunately can not make her my pack mule that is my job

 

[Nicoal13]

I carry a purse with a strap across my body, in there I keep:

tickets
money
sunglasses
camera
poncho

I usually just buy the water there. But this time I may buy some bottled water at the grocery store and drink that, but once it is gone, I'll buy it at the parks.

I prefer to travel as lightly as possible.

Have a great trip! I'll be there in Sept too

 

[llp479]

In the past, I've been the pack mule! No more! I just purchased the small backpacks for my 3dds to carry their own gear. In each bag will be one bottle of water, rain poncho, hand wipes, and camera, if they so choose. Mine will have all of the above, plus band-aids, motrin, rewetting drops and any other misc deemed necessary by weather, kids, etc.

DH usually carries a fanny pack with the digital camera and his own necessities. His fanny pack has Grumpy on the front, so I guess he doesn't feel too nerdy. However, WDW is the only place he carries it.

We'll be there in Sept too. Here's hoping for good weather for all of us!

 

[LMC]

Well, I will be no help because I am the preverbial "pack-mule"
But, if you ever need tips on how to look the part, just let me know!

 

[splashfamily]

I carry a fanny pack and my DH carries a light weight back pack. In my fanny pack I keep wallet, gum ( can't buy anywhere in WDW) a few band aids ( in case one of the kids cuts themsevles), and hand wipes (i.e. wash and dry packets) to wipe off before we eat.

As for water, we pay the price and buy it a the parks. However, I always ask for cups and we split the bottles. We usually visit in August and I find if you do not drink the water right away it gets warm. Being able to split it among the kids helps alot.

Enjoy!!

 

[Blueberry]

Ok..over the years we have toned it down a great deal what we carry into the parks, we know the drill...less is better!!!

I wear a Fanny Pack, turned to the front of course. In it I carry sunscreen, various over the counter medications in small supply (easier to have those when you want them, than to have to buy them), hand santizer in a very small bottle (refillable), cheap disposable poncho in baggie, my sunglasses which are clip ons for WDW, cell phone, and prescription medicine I need to have.

DH carries a fanny pack (only place he carries one is in the Orlando parks), with Digital camera and discs for it, hand sanitizer, cheap disposable poncho in baggie, his prescription medicine he needs, eye glasses repair kit, and his sun glasses. He sometimes brings a few mints along with him (Peppermints or Werthers).

He does not consider it nerdy as it is WDW, but let me tell you..He would NOT use the Tinkerbell park hopper we had one year, I had to use it and let him use Bambi or someone else...

 

[jeancbpugh]

a large fanny pack with my wallet, chapstick, my camera, extra SD card, and my sunglasses. Sometimes I throw in a disposable poncho. Sometimes I carry a few Disney pins to trade.

I drink from the numerous water fountains. The water is fine. Not gourmet but perfectly safe.

Sunscreen gets lathered on at the room in the morning. I'll be back at the room for an afternoon swim before it wears off.

I don't bother with wipes either. There is usually a restroom nearby if you have to wash your hands.

 

[hulabird]

coffeed

Now that is a new one...and I like it! (but I hate coffee)

I hate carrying lots of stuff, I too am a reformed pack mule. I am the one that carries passes, meal vouchers, room keys, etc....I am also usually the photographer.

I got sick of waist packs, so I bought a neck purse, it is really cool, it holds all my passes, vouchers, room keys and has all sorts of neat little pockets for $$.

Here is a picture of it: In and Out

Then I also bought a camera that has a neck strap and is a nice compact size (4" x 2" high), while very powerful. So I will have the neck wallet and camera around my neck and that is all. My sister is coming and will have the stroller where we store our water bottles/rain ponchos/sunscreen etc.., so we are set to go. Plus, my camera fits into the neck purse w/no problem for when I
go on a water ride.

So my suggestion is: Everyone bring your sister or someone else along that has a stroller to store all your big stuff. LOL

 

[Chicago526]

I used to carry a fanny pack (I call them belt bags!) with my camera, sun lotion, money/tickets, extra film, wet wipes, rain poncho, and sun glasses.

But I hate the belt bag "look' and after wearing it all day, it bothers my back.

So the last trip I used a small-ish leather backpack with Winnie the Pooh and friend on it. I carry the same stuff, plus the Unofficial Guide, snacks, and water bottle(s). The only differance is the money/tickets is then put in my front pocket. It's great as I have extra space for small purchases that I don't want to use package delivery for. And the back pack doesn't bother my back, even after a long day.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Hmmm......let's see

We have a 1-yo that will be going as well as our 3-yo, so we'll definitely have the stroller (smallish, with a nice basket underneath), our backpack, which will ride in the basket unless we're on a ride or in a show, will be a diaper bag backpack, and will probably contain: sunscreen, a couple diapers and wipes (travel container, not the big box), along with bags to dispose of the diapers, a couple water bottles in the insulated thing, cheerios or other such snacks for waiting in line, dry socks and maybe kids shoes, sunglasses, film camera for backup to digital if needed, some tylenol for just in case, a card with our PS numbers. DH will carry our room keys/passes in his front pocket, or I may carry my own, not sure yet. Any money will also be in front pockets, not in the backpack.

Wow, that sounds like a lot! not really sure what we can lose though, except maybe the kids shoes.

 

[dani blaski]

It's just my DH & myself so...
We have a small Eddie Bauer backpack, but it holds so much. I used it in May and we took turns carrying it. It held:
wallet, cell phone, camera, autograph book & pen, a small sunscreen stick, trial size hand sanitizer, few bandaids & moleskin (which I will never use again-it kept bunching up), gum & altoids strips, two water bottles on the side mesh pockets, two ponchos, two sandwiches for lunch, small snack size baggie w/ trail mix, two cheese sticks, and two small boxes of raisins. By the end of the day, it was much lighter & roomier.
Works for us!

http://www.eddiebauer.com/eb/product.asp?cm_cg=T1&product_id=26724&nv=569|21463|23342

 

[lou7401]

Those are great ideas! I'm always the pack-mule and this time I'm just not going to.

Is it a problem to take snacks into the park - I think after 9/11 they search your purses/backpacks etc.?

 

[LMC]

They do search your bags but as I just posted on another thread, I have never had a problem taking in food for our fam of 5. We've been 4 times the last 2 years and always take at least drinks and most of the time food.

 

[dani blaski]

When we went in May, they did not say anything to us re: sandwiches & snacks. Some made comments that it looked yummy! We are not leading WDW into financial ruin with our two sandwiches...we still buy mickey ears ice cream bars

 

[phanomouse]

Well I used to not take anything and just waste money on water, new pancho or whatever. Now I take my camelback summit pack. I get 2 liters of water in that and then I take two nalgene bottles full of ice. Inside of the pack I take our Goretex jackets, tickets, cellular phone, ID, snacks, camera. It sounds like a lot but years of Backpacking has helped me learn some packing tips to keep the load down.

 

[eeyore45]

Dh had his backpack and I thought he'd carry it - NOT!! He carried the camera bag with the digital camera.

I carried a MM Fannypak with tickets, and I had gotten manila tiny envelopes, 3 one for tip money, one for 20's and one for our cash stash. That way I knew my daily allowance, and it was easy for me to get to. I kept the maps in my pouch and a coin purse for the penny machines.

I had ordered a gift basked for dd from wdwflorist, and instead of a basket they put everything in a $25 black bag with Disney logo and 2004 on it, I figured I could stuff our 3 rain panchos in a disney plastic bag and would carrry that with our nalgene bottles, and dd crown and wand... well that got heavy so I took it down to one water bottle, but I still carried the 3 ponchos!! But I was greatful for that hand bag it held the souvies nicely and when dd didnt want to wear the crown, I had it covered, and I kept forgetting to throw in the glow sticks!!

 

[MELSMICE]

We try to go as light as possible.

DH carries himself - oh & his wallet!

I carry a small over the shoulder purse, which holds tickets, money, camera, chapstick, rewetting drops, & cell phone.

3 DD's each carry a fanny pack or an over the shoulder purse for snacks along with a water bottle holder. We all share the snacks.

If we think it's going to be chilly we tie our sweatshirts or jackets around our waist.

I don't like carrying things around an amusement park. If we need band-aids or anything similiar we stop at first-aid.

 

[The Sweetness]

For my crew's vacation last year (me. DH, and DD12) We carried 2 fanny packs, and a back pack. We dont carry water, as it wouldnt stay cold enough for us. We spent about 10 a day on drinks when we didnt need food (between meals). Maybe Im a spoiled little , but I want a cold drink when Im hot, and that's that