Hey guys!!

I know I have not written in a long time. It has been a busy summer with trips and vacations, cook outs and parties, camping and beaches, and trying to soak up as much summer as I can while still working full time.

Last week, I went to Disney World in Orlando with Tyler, my parents, and my brother and sister in law. It was the first time all 6 of us had gone there together and we had a blast! It was a bit crowded for September, though, and exceptionally HOT and HUMID, making the temperature outside feel 5-8 degrees higher than it was (not a fun combo: long lines, big crowds, and HEAT.) It was mostly cloudy through the week, which we were actually thankful for because direct sunlight would have made the temps unbearable. It would rain occasionally, which made it more humid afterwards, but we still had a fun time regardless. At one point, we went on Splash Mountain and by the time we made it up the big hill and out, it was POURING and windy (felt amazing) and we just could not help but laugh.

One of the things I love most about Disney World is that they don’t have many restrictions as to what you can bring into the parks, or even on the rides for that matter. Yup, you can bring your sunglasses, hat, refillable dining plan Mickey cup, backpack, a horse and carriage, 10 pairs of shoes, a small suitcase, and your pet elephant with you on the Rockin’ Roller Coaster. Ok, maybe that is a little exaggeration (basically everything after backpack). This is extraordinary to me. Seriously, the cast members pay no attention as to what you bring on Space Mountain with you, or any other ride. Just hang on to it tightly!

I am used to going to parks, like Six Flags, Cedar Point, and Busch Gardens, where you have to rent a small locker at certain rides only to throw your hat and sunglasses in while you go on a roller coaster. Then, make the decision to keep your items in that locker while you go to the other end of the park to go on other rides or open the locker and lose your money to only to find out you need to rent another locker at the next coaster. Six Flags, okay I can deal with that. Cedar Point? Not so much. That place is huge! Been there, done that. I actually got spoken to and accused of being “sneaky” in Busch Gardens, Williamsburg for taking our refillable cup on a small coaster with us. Really….

Of course, they do have lockers you can rent for the day at each park. I have never rented a locker in Disney, though, so I don’t know how big they are. A small one costs $8 plus the $5 refundable key deposit, a large one costs $10 plus the refundable key deposit. They are in one place and one place only: right at the entrance/exit to the park. It is convenient for families who like to pack an extra pair of clothes for the ride home or in case of accidents or towels for water rides but don’t want to carry all of that stuff around all day.

I have been to Disney 4 times in my life so I have gradually learned what to take with me to the parks by the ‘oh crap, I don’t have’ moments. I figured I would do a blog post on what my day pack contains for my day trips to the parks. I hope you find this helpful and can shed some light on what your pack can contain for a magical day at Disney!

I got this Dakine backpack at an outlet up in Maine a few weeks before my trip. To be honest, I had never heard of the brand but I loved the colors and how it fit and Tyler told me it was a great brand so I decided to get it. I used it as my personal bag on the plane and it worked out great.

First off, let me say: BRING HAND SANITIZER! There is no escaping the germies people or employees bring with them to Walt Disney World. Though Disney does a pretty good job at cleaning up their parks, I would always rather be safe than sorry. Plus, you feel pretty grimey after touching ride hand rails, using the interactive rides, holding onto the bus hand rails, going on the monorail. Just keep it handy, okay? Okay.

In the biggest pocket: I kept my rain jacket, baseball hat, filled water container, and any souvenirs I may have gotten throughout the day. You may also consider packing an extra t-shirt in-case you get drenched on a ride or just need to change into something fresh. My rain jacket ended up not being the best choice to bring (it was only water resistant, not water proof) so we bought those ridiculously expensive and cheap Disney ponchos on the very first day ($10 for ONE). I folded and packed them every day because we had a chance of rain showers and would hang them to dry over night in our hotel room. Bring ponchos people!! I like them cause they fit over you AND your backpack. Also, a tip: ours were ripping by Wednesday/Thursday from all of the taking off and putting back on. If you save your receipt and present to any Disney park gift shop, they will replace your damaged poncho at no cost!

In the smaller pocket: This was my misc pocket because there were sub-pockets inside of it. In the general pocket, I kept my wallet, cell phone, Ty’s glasses case, cleansing wipes, travel size deodorant, an extra paid of socks for Tyler, and some Gold Bond body powder. It was hot so it is nice to freshen up mid-day. The Gold Bond powder was for any, well, chaffing that might happen (not trying to sugar coat anything, it was HOT people!). I also packed some small snacks like peanut butter crackers and fruit snacks. I love that Disney lets you bring in food and drinks! We were on the dining plan but it is always good to have something extra (and free) to munch on.

In the smaller pockets, I kept my Chapstick and a pack of tissues. In the zippered pocket, I kept any kind of medicine we used frequently: Tylenol, Advil, Pepto Bismal, Prilosec, Immodium (ya never know), small First Aid kit, hair elastics, and tampons. I would suggest bringing an anti-acid of some sort. That Disney food sinks in your stomach like a brick. Disney has several wonderful First Aid stations where you can get any of these items but it is good to be prepared.

In my side pockets, I kept my sunglasses in one and my digital camera in the other.

So that is my list! Here, let me sum it up for you:

-Rain gear- ponchos/jacket
-Extra pair of socks/t-shirt
-Water!
-Snacks
-HAND SANITIZER
-Medicine you use frequently
-First Aid Kit
-Travel deodorant
-Body powder
-Freshening wipes
-Lady items- if ya need ’em!
-Sunglasses/Hat
-Chapstick
-Tissues
-Camera
-Wallet
-Cell Phone

Hmmm, I think I got everything! Feel free to comment anything that you would bring along with you in your pack that I didn’t include. And, as always, have fun and the most magical day in Walt Disney World!!!

-S