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Traveling to Walt Disney Word in the summer is not for the faint of heart. Here are some essentials you should carry in the parks this summer.
Finding the Perfect Bag
What size Park bag one carries is a much debated topic. I (Donna) will admit that my Disney Park essentials and Park bag have definitely changed throughout the years.
I remember the carefree days before children when I entered the Disney Parks with nothing more than a small crossbody wallet. That soon changed as we welcomed a prince and two princesses to our family. As our family grew, so did the size of my Park bag.
Now that my children are a bit older, I am learning that less is definitely more when it comes to what I carry inside the Disney Parks. Because let’s face it, whatever you carry into the Disney Parks you will be responsible for keeping up with for the remainder of the day. Check out the best ways to store your backpack on rides HERE.
I am now letting go of the larger size Disney backpack.This has led to my now love of the small Loungefly mini-backpack. They have quite an impressive Disney inspired line of backpacks that give each Disney fan a way to carry their essentials while also representing their Disney style. Be sure to check out Ashley’s summer bag collection HERE.
Card Wallet
I absolutely love the card wallets that are available on shopDisney for $14.99. These wallets have four slots for credit cards on one side with a snap closure to keep these in place.
On the opposite side of this card wallet is a slot to store your photo id. This is a great way to keep track of your Keys to the Kingdom cards and credit cards while in the Parks without taking up a large amount of space in your Park bag. Since the reopening of the Disney Parks, there has been a push towards contactless payment which decreases the need for carrying cash in the Parks.
Collapsible Water Bottle
Ice water is FREE at all quick service locations. I also like to bring a reusable water bottle to the Parks. This is allows me to enjoy water during my break and also to store some water for later on to prevent the need for stopping.
The size of my previous water bottles took up a bit too much space inside my Loungefly backpack. This summer, I discovered the collapsible water bottle while shopping for a future camping trip.
I love that this can easily be stored in my backpack without taking up much space, but can also be expanded to hold a full 16 ounces of water.
A collapsible water bottle is a great way to enjoy FREE refillable water in the Disney Parks without taking up unnecessary space in your bag after it has been consumed.
Cooling Towel
A cooling towel is truly a great investment. These Mickey Mouse cooling towels are available in the Disney Parks. You can also find similar, non-Mickey themed cooling towels online as well. But, let’s be honest isn’t everything better with Mickey?
Simply wet this cooling towel, wring out the excess water, and then snap it by pulling on each end of the towel. This instantly cools and can be reactivated multiple times throughout your day.
FuelRod Battery Charger
All Disney Guests realize that your phone battery is quickly drained as you use your phone throughout the day to complete mobile ordering, check your Character Locator Touring Plan, and check on attraction wait times.
Many are divided on the cost and effectiveness of the FuelRod. The FuelRod is a portable charging system that allows you to charge your phone or small device while on the go.
Both Walt Disney World and Disneyland have many of these FuelRod kiosks around their Parks and Resorts. Once you have used a FuelRod, you can use Character Locator to find a FuelRod kiosk and swap it out for a fully charged FuelRod. Unfortunately, FuelRod began to charge for swaps for all users that did not qualify for the “Founders Status”. Find out more about this HERE.
At Walt Disney World, swaps for FuelRod batteries continue to be free. Although if you attempt to change your FuelRod outside of Walt Disney World there will be a $3 swapping fee.
Sun Protection
One thing that you need to plan for is sun protection. Even while enjoying occasional breaks, you will undoubtedly still be in the sun quite a bit. Be sure to pack plenty of sunscreen for both yourself and your entire family.
I also enjoy bringing a lip balm featuring sun protection as well. In addition to these items, I always pack a pair of sunglasses. These are an absolute must.
Staying Cool
Yes, I will admit that this article is all about traveling light, but I felt that the portable fan is truly a “must” in the Florida heat. While on the camping aisle, my eyes beheld the beauty of this portable fan.
I absolutely loved how small and compact it is. It has 3 speed settings and it can also open up as a tripod to be used on a desk or tabletop. This fan is also chargeable. Simply charging this at night will allow for up to 5 hours at the medium fan setting.
Also this summer, I have found a great DIY trick by creating my own “AC in a bottle”. This simple spray really cools you down and is small and easy to carry in my Park bag. You can check out this DIY tip in my complete guide of 10 Great Ways to Beat the Heat and Stay cool at Disney World.
First Aid
Hopefully you will never need any of the items in your first aid supply kit, but it is best to be prepared. My first aid kit includes:
- Band aides of various sizes
- Ibuprofen for sore muscles
- Blister patches
- Neosporin
- Allergy medication
- Antacids
- Motion sickness medicine for my youngest princess
I also always take my own hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes. These in no way decrease the need for proper hand washing, but they have come in handy many times until we could wash our hands.
Do note that some many first aid items can be found at the first aid stations in all four theme parks and at the resort gift shops.
Poncho
I have a favorite Disney Parks rain jacket that I love to wear, but this jacket is still too large to fit inside my Park bag comfortably. If it looks as though we will have clear skies for our Park day, I will grab my trusty dollar travel rain poncho.
In the summer, rain showers and lightening storms are fairly common occurrence at Walt Disney World. I love the travel rain poncho because it easily slips into my bag and can then be thrown way after. No need to shove a wet rain jacket in my Park bag after the rain has disappeared.
A few of our Kenny the Pirate writers also enjoy using these travel rain ponchos while taking the plunge down Splash Mountain.
I hope you enjoyed looking through my Summer Park bag. What items did I miss that you might include? What is your favorite bag to carry in the Disney Parks? Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook Page.
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