What do you bring to the parks when you don't have kids? What bag to bring?

[Wahlee]

This is my favorite cross-body bag for Disneyland. It's amazing how much stuff it holds, I like the water bottle holder on the outside, and it's cheap and durable.

https://www.amazon.com/World-Traveler-Inch-Crossbody-Pack/dp/B00VWKRJRE

 

[aidansmother]

I like to use my leather Haunted Mansion Dooney. I bring my little bottle of otc pills, extra hair ties, lip gloss, cell phone, power bank, slim wallet and have space for a thermal for when it gets colder. I usually bring a small sunblock for reapplication, but we apply before we leave the hotel. And my sun glasses can go in and out throughout the day. We have gotten lockers for days that are pretty cold and we need jackets in the morning and evening but not the afternoon. I have been waiting to fall in love with a nylon style crossbody (disney themed) that might be a bit lighter, but the leather one hasn't bothered me yet, and nothing else has caught my eye.

 

[kristabelle13]

I have a very small 12L hiking daypack which holds:

• 6-500ml water bottles
• A VIA coffee package or 2
• Some small snacks - nuts, trail mix or Lara bars
• A poncho
• Passport
• Light hoodie zip for night time
• Wallet
• Battery pack
• Wifi hot spot
• iPhone cord

3 of the 6 bottles are gone before noon, usually. It starts off kinda heavy but as you drink the water, you're rewarded with a light pack

 

[StormyCA]

I carry a small Dooney letter carrier with the bare essentials. I use a Vera Zip ID instead of a wallet. If we're onsite, everything else stays in the room since it's such a short walk back.

But if we're offsite I also take a Disney Slingbag with dry sox, extra contacts & solution, as well as First Aid supplies. I stash that in a locker with the jackets, plus any souvies I buy go in the locker instead toting it around.

 

[todzwife]

Our motel is about a 15 minute drive, not including the time it would take to get back to the parking structure so we won't be leaving unless one of us is sick.

 

[StormyCA]

Our motel is about a 15 minute drive, not including the time it would take to get back to the parking structure so we won't be leaving unless one of us is sick.

Then definitely rent a locker and stash all the extra stuff you think you might need in a small backpack or cheap sling bag. It's much better than toting around a heavy backpack full of stuff you may never need. Disney's large lockers are pretty big, even the medium size will hold a lot.

I'm a 'list maker', so I actually have a list of the things we put in the sling bag (we actually call it the 'locker bag' as well as a 'purse list', ha.

 

[BarbieGal457]

My boyfriend and I are childless and we love to travel very light. I actually bought a bag at DL last August for $25 (they have the same style in WDW) that can be either shoulder carried, cross body, or a belt bag! It's awesome, has 3 compartments and holds a nice amount of stuff. I take my iPhone 7 in a very slim case, a small card case with a few cards/park ticket/cash, a small external battery, eye drops, Advil, my Rx stomach medicine and SPF lip balm. My boyfriend always carries one of those lightweight drawstring sport-type backpacks. In it he will carry his phone, both of our sunglasses cases, a small bottle of SPF, his wallet, and now my Frogg Toggs towel.

Overall, we like to take bags that are very light, waterproof/water resistant, and can be smushed down easily to fit in rides or smaller spaces. Unfortunately I have yet to be able to find the bag I got on either the Disney Store website or the shop parks app, but it's a very cute black nylon (I think) bag with a circular logo that has Mickey and says "Disneyland EST 1955" (the WDW version is the same just with the appropriate corrections). My boyfriend and I got our drawstring backpacks for probably $10-15 at our local sporting goods store but they're all over Amazon too! My favorite feature about both of these types of bags is, it is pretty impossible for someone to get their hand into them without you noticing! We have never been pick-pocketed anywhere but I do like the peace of mind knowing I would feel someone trying to get in.

A pro I have found of the drawstring-type pack is that they tend to hold a lot of small souvenirs/items that you "accidentally" pick up without getting very heavy, but a con is that they can look a lot more casual/sportier than some would prefer.

 

[space_mountaineers]

We actually go the nerdiest route: jansport hip bags (fanny packs). I carry the very basics: small sunscreen, smartphone & charger, wallet, and of course PINS for trading.

 

[BarbieGal457]

Then definitely rent a locker and stash all the extra stuff you think you might need in a small backpack or cheap sling bag. It's much better than toting around a heavy backpack full of stuff you may never need. Disney's large lockers are pretty big, even the medium size will hold a lot.

I'm a 'list maker', so I actually have a list of the things we put in the sling bag (we actually call it the 'locker bag' as well as a 'purse list', ha.

I thought I was the only one who did this! I definitely recommend this as well. We too make a "locker bag" and we also put our sweatshirts in it. Much better than carrying all that around all day!

 

[space_mountaineers]

I thought I was the only one who did this! I definitely recommend this as well. We too make a "locker bag" and we also put our sweatshirts in it. Much better than carrying all that around all day!

Oh yes, the lockers are essential. Even though we carry minimal items in the hip bags, the inevitable shopping bags are a chore to carry all day. If it's a cool morning, we would wear sweatshirts or bring raingear, and then stash those in the lockers later.

 

[todzwife]

Then definitely rent a locker and stash all the extra stuff you think you might need in a small backpack or cheap sling bag. It's much better than toting around a heavy backpack full of stuff you may never need. Disney's large lockers are pretty big, even the medium size will hold a lot.

I'm a 'list maker', so I actually have a list of the things we put in the sling bag (we actually call it the 'locker bag' as well as a 'purse list', ha.

I've never even considered a "locker bag"...this is a great idea so we don't have to carry around everything all day!

 

[StormyCA]

I've never even considered a "locker bag"...this is a great idea so we don't have to carry around everything all day!

I'm more than happy to share my list if you'd be interested. You can use it as a starting point and 'personalize' it for your family.

 

[todzwife]

I'm more than happy to share my list if you'd be interested. You can use it as a starting point and 'personalize' it for your family.

That would be great! I'm really good at packing with kids, but this is totally new to me. It's been 14 years!

 

[mummabear]

It's been YEARS since DH and I have gone without the kids and I can't remember what I carried or what bag I brought. It's going to depend a lot on how hot it is, if we'll need more water and a spray bottle/fan thing. But I am drawing a blank.

I know you can get water at any of the counter service restaurants, but I don't want to wait for 20 minutes for a cup of water every time I'm thirsty. So a small water bottle will have to come with me. We've had a stroller so it's never been an issue bringing everything but the kitchen sink!

Anyone have a bag they love?

We carried nothing. DH carried his wallet in his pocket and I had a small point and shoot camera in mine and that was it.... ahh the old days.
I am wondering what we will do when we are stroller free but still have the 3 kids

 

[StormyCA]

That would be great! I'm really good at packing with kids, but this is totally new to me. It's been 14 years!

This is the list I've made. I actually also have a DL purse list AND two DL suitcase packing lists (warm weather vs cool weather). It's kind of a running joke with BFF and I as she is very much a 'non-list' person, but even she admits I always have everything I need (and most of what she's forgotten LOL).

I can get it all into a Disney Sling pack (the kind they sell that has "Disneyland" and the year on it with room to spare. The change of clothes I roll real tight in a gallon baggie to get most of the air out and put it on the bottom. Contact lens stuff goes in a sandwich baggie. The medications I put a few of each in one of those mini-pill organizers. The 'first aid' stuff goes in a sandwich baggie. It's sort of organized that way and not a lot of hassle to find things or for Security to 'poke around' at bag check. I know that DL First Aid probably has most of the meds and band-aids etc, but I don't want the hassle or to have to wait to be helped. Much easier to just deal with minor things myself.

I also take a sweatshirt or jacket but I don't put that in the bag. Too much hassle at bag check. I wrap it around my waist then stash it in the locker if I don't need it.


Extra-small lens solution + lens case
Spare pair contact lenses
Capris & T-shirt
Dry Sox
Portable charger and cord
Bonine
Zantac
Advil
Imodium or Pepto Bismol multi-symptom tabs
Kleenex Travel Packs
Band-aids
Neosporin
Moleskin
Blister pads
Extra baggies (sandwich and gallon)- These have really come in handy at times!
Baby wipes (I put some in a snack sized baggie)
A handful of individually wrapped Handi-Wipes in a snack baggie
Small tube of Sunscreen

Hope this helps give you a start on your own list!

 

[Disney_Alli]

I carry my Hydroflask 24 oz water bottle; my small metal wallet with my CC, ID, room key, and ticket; my phone; plus our autograph book and like 20 sharpies in various colors in a small-ish crossbody purse. When/if we take afternoon breaks and head back to the parks in the evening we'll often ditch everything except the metal wallets and our phones. If I'm wearing shorts where the back pockets are too small I'll make sure hubby is wearing cargo shorts so I can borrow a pocket for my stuff and he gets the other for his stuff. He takes a small sling bag that holds our phone chargers his wallet (if he doesn't want it in his pocket) and his hydroflask.