Do you find yourself bringing more or less into the parks than you used to?

[bigbabyblues]

I voted less, but we never really brought a lot, except the first trip with our kids, when one was in diapers. Aside from when we needed a diaper bag, our rule was always if you are taking it, you are carrying it.

If a lot of rain is forecast for a particular day (we have had tropical storms on at least 3 of our trips, maybe 4), we stuff our rain jackets and ziploc bags for our phones in a drawstring bag and take that. Otherwise, I take a wristlet or a small VB cross body bag that will hold my glasses/rx sunglasses, unless my husband is wearing cargo shorts and can take them for me.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I bring in less now than I used to. I still have my backpack but it's mostly empty except for a poncho and my mickey ears or tiara when I'm not wearing them. If I'm planning on being in Epcot all day I'll toss in a bottle of sunscreen.
When I buy small things, I like to carry them in my backpack rather than sending to the front of the park or to the resort.

I also carry a tiny cross body purse that I made for my phone, spare charger and cord, travel advil, chapstick and credit card/id/cash. Sometimes I go into the park with just that.

 

[Southernmiss]

First tri, we brought a backpack with waters and all the just in case stuff.

Realized anything we think we need that won't fit into our pockets we can buy in the parks.

Not going through bag check is the way to go. And we rarely need to buy any of the stuff we lugged through the park.

 

[Meglen]

I wish I could go bagless. But going this time with a group of 6 I need to keep all the ponchos(not paying 10$ for crappy ponchos in the park) refillable water bottles (free water at any QS place) sunscreen hand wipes and some otc meds and mollskin for any foot issues, extra socks and a change of clothes for my son incase of any sort of accedents. 2 bags for 6 people is not bad and there mostly empty for any items we want to get.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Bag check really does not bother me at all.
I think its just security theater and won't actually prevent someone that wants to do harm but it also doesn't take more than 5 minutes of my time because I plan and arrive at the parks well before RD.

 

[pigletto]

Way less. I also pack way less for the trip in general, but that wasn’t the question . Part of it is because my kids are 13 and 20 and don’t need all the Emergency and “just in case” items that we used to bring. Also for our first few trips I was a planning fanatic and read these boards like it was my day job. I had binders and lists and back up plans for my back up plans. I can’t even imagine hauling all that nonsense to the parks now. In fact, we now don’t take anything that doesn’t fit in a pocket or a tiny purse. 14 trips and a decade later, we’ve definitely mellowed.

 

[softball chick]

I have a fairly standard routine when it comes to what comes into the park with me. I (as well as my sister and mom) always each have a drawstring backpack. We each have our phones, ponchos, wallets, and snacks in our bag. There are two Britta water bottles that we bring with us into the parks, so we just take turns carrying those. We also usually get a popcorn bucket that we then bring a clip for and just clip it to the string of one of our bags, again taking turns. So we never have TOO much with us, but it is still nice to have the bag for when we do buy things, or when I want to store away my Minnie Ears for a ride or show. I've never had any real issue with bag check, so I don't mind it for the trade off of the convenience of having the bag.

 

[mlp1933]

Less is best! We try to avoid bag check if possible. DH's cargo shorts always save the day.

 

[DVC-Don]

Back in the mid 90's we had the large diaper bag and a back pack. Nowadays its just hat, wallet, cell phone, car keys and a small sunscreen.

 

[Ladyfish77]

Less. I love going bagless to the parks. I have a few themed bags and I find that I'm leaving them behind and going bagless many days.

 

[koeta]

About the same, since I've never taken much in with me in the first place, lol. All I *really* need is my wallet and phone, both of which fit in my pockets. We did have a small backpack my hubby and I shared that had his meds, our spare battery, and our sunglasses. Any small purchases like pins went in there, any larger purchases went to package pickup at the front gate. I loved the freedom of not having a huge bag.

I saw so many people in line for bag check that had huge coolers full of food, plus multiple backpacks/ bags, plus diaper bags, plus purse... being child-less, maybe I just don't get how much stuff kids and parents can require to keep the meltdowns at bay for everyone in the family but a few of the families looked more like they were moving in and not just visiting. I totally get that kids can need a lot of supplies, though. Sometimes you just don't know what you might need and better to have it than not. "Be prepared..."

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Way less. Nowadays I bring my phone, wallet, a sack of nuts, and my AP. I used to pack and prepare for a park day like a Sherpa preparing to scale Everest

 

[figmentedfollies]

I am bringing less these days and if I'm doing a short time in the parks I may be able to go bagless. However, if I plan on spending the full day in the park, I usually bring a reusable water bottle, a battery pack, my phone, $20/license/credit card, an travel umbrella, sunscreen, lotion, and hand sanitizer. I like having a bag to stuff my jacket into. I hate tying it around my waist for various reasons.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

I've been bringing the same amount of stuff since the first trip. I always have a backpack. I used to use a drawstring bag, but I carry (sometimes multiple) bottles of water, and that was painful. I do typically only carry one bottle of water now and we share. I also have sunscreen (different SPFs and some lotion and some spray), granola bars, gum, hand sanitizer, small first aid kit, wipes, chapstick if it doesn't fit in my pocket, ponchos, portable battery, cord, Kindle or book if I'm on a solo trip, Tylenol, pen, sometimes a camera, refillable water bottle, ID, credit card, cash, that might be about it...

 

[epcotty]

Less than we brought 2+ years ago when we brought a backpack with stuff. But now every trip it seems to be more, because of thinking of other things we might need. Should try to cut back on that now.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

Nephew isn’t 2 anymore, so I don’t carry my emergency “big boy pants” anymore.

 

[GPC0321]

Bagless is my favorite way to go, but it depends on my attire. If I'm wearing something with pockets that I can fit my phone into easily, then I go bagless. Otherwise I strap on a fanny pack with just my phone, maybe a little cash, and lip balm. I hate having to go through the bag check line for things I can carry in my pockets though. For the next trip, I'm getting some cargo shorts with good pockets. The "No Bag" line is where it's at!

 

[Leelo]

We take way less. We actually go completely bagless now. We use Chums or Cablez (eyewear retainers) for our sunglasses (we just drop them around our neck for rides), magic bands, a chapstick, and a small wallet and just 1 smartphone carried in a pocket. We hop into that "guests without bags" line and zoom through.

 

[MrsDuck]

For years hubby and I have gone bagless. As of February, that luxury ends as we will be bringing our 3 month old son and all his gear with us to the parks.

 

[agavegirl1]

DH and I actually have a contest on how little we can get by with. We have "graduated" from a backpack and cargo shorts to a waist pack and cargo shorts. Only reason I don't go bag free is because I always carry the disposable ponchos just in case. I voted "less".