Do You Have a Favorite Park Bag/Purse?

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

What is your favorite park bag? Between the four of us, we are carrying a Nine West cross-body purse (me), full size Jansport backpack (DH), small Pottery Barn toddler backpack (DS-4), medium school backpack with an insulated liner (DD-11). Curious about what you guys usually bring to the parks? Any favorite brands?

 

[QueenIsabella]

That's a LOT of bags to carry and keep track of in the parks!

Personally, I'm a fan of Lug bags. Tons of organization, places for everything. I'm going to Universal next week and taking a Lug puddle jumper. No other bags necessary. I also have their small crossbody (don't remember the name, but it has a spot for a water bottle). That bag was perfect on my two recent trips to Europe. I'm a fan of crossbodies for my girls (younger is 15), because they're not used to carrying purses. This way, they won't lose the bag by putting it down somewhere. DD15 used hers yesterday to go to a local event--loved it. Enough room for a drink, a snack, money, maybe a chapstick, pencil, etc.

 

[EscalatorKid]

I have one of the older Disney "Cinch Sacks" that are like this one. Mine is more of a canvas/cloth style, not the Nylon. (They have them in the parks sometimes in different patterns.) I've had it for at least 6 years and it has been through trips around the World. I take it everywhere, not just Disney. I like that I can swing it on and off quickly, and that it is lightweight and not super hot on my back. It fits all the essentials that I need, like my small purse that holds my small items, water bottle, my hat, and sunscreen, with room to stuff extra if need be. After my trip, I throw it in a laundry bag and throw it in the wash, and then hang it up to dry.

 

[sponica]

Pre-kid days, I had either a cinch sack style backpack or a crossbody small purse that basically held my wallet.

Post kid days, I used my messenger bag to hang on the stroller. Once we're stroller free, we're going back to being bag free. I'll carry a cross body purse with sunblock and just buy what we need.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

DH has a backpack he loves, it has some kind of vented/ cooling back. He uses it to carry some camera equipment (we're photographers who bring our DSLR cameras with us), some diapers/ wipes for DS2, and sunscreen, and our cheapo $1 plastic rain ponchos. We could load way more into it, but we don't. Actually on some rides DH has stuffed my entire purse in there as well and we still have room to spare.

I have an ebags Piazza daybag that fits more than I could have imagined and has compartments to keep it all tidy. Again, I don't load it with stuff but I could if I wanted to. It's 9"x9" and carries my DSLR (I added a camera bag insert to keep it cushioned when not in use), small change purse wallet (which holds ID, credit card, some cash/ change, and a few bandaids), trial size body powder (DS 11 chafes something fierce), some ibuprofen, autograph supplies if we're doing character meets (so, a few markers and a book of index cards), my phone, and sunglasses (when I'm not using them).

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I use a lesportsac cleo crossbody bag. It feels small, but it's quite roomy and can hold my wallet, phone, park maps and two bottles of water. It's also water resistant and I can throw it in the wash if need be. My DH and DS11 don't carry any bags. We try to travel as lightly as possible.

 

[2019TripIdeas]

I used a Kavu Bags the last two times we've done Disney. They're a smallish crossbody type backpack (bag on your back, not on your front). I found it really, really convenient for the parks and going on rides (mostly I just left it clipped on ).

We have 3 little ones, ages 18 m, 2 and 4 and that was all we brought. It held my wallet, a small sunscreen (we applied our main one back at hotel), a chapstick, a few small snacks (fruit strips and gummies), my daughters little autograph book and pen, and a few diapers and a small pack of wipes. We did have a few water bottles that we filled up periodically, but they went in our stroller console.

 

[NanaOsaki06]

I can't stand lugging crap around the parks. Even with kids, I try to carry as little crap as possible. I end up using a Loungefly mini backpack purse to carry most of our things. The kids both usually have a small bag of some sort to carry their own water bottle, autograph book, pens, and poncho. We don't ever bring any food in besides some smaller snacks and a water bottle. When my kids were little and I cloth diapered I would easily get a days worth of diapers, snacks, wetbag, and formula supplies in my JuJuBe BFF. That was my favorite diaper bag, and I used it for bigger trips for years.

 

[Rory607]

We have a Patagonia backpack we used to always use and then I would carry a very tiny crossbody, really the size of a wallet. This way if we decided to split up I would have my wallet, phone and i.d. with me. I didn’t want to always be stuck carrying the backpack! I know some people only use magic bands and don’t even take a wallet, but I’ve never felt comfortable with that for some reason.

For our next trip I’m going to find something even smaller, maybe the cinch type backpack. It will be our first time with everyone potty trained, so no need for diapers anymore. Just some sunscreen and ponchos.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

That's a LOT of bags to carry and keep track of in the parks!

Personally, I'm a fan of Lug bags. Tons of organization, places for everything. I'm going to Universal next week and taking a Lug puddle jumper. No other bags necessary. I also have their small crossbody (don't remember the name, but it has a spot for a water bottle). That bag was perfect on my two recent trips to Europe. I'm a fan of crossbodies for my girls (younger is 15), because they're not used to carrying purses. This way, they won't lose the bag by putting it down somewhere. DD15 used hers yesterday to go to a local event--loved it. Enough room for a drink, a snack, money, maybe a chapstick, pencil, etc.

I agree, it is a lot to carry. I have never heard of lug bags, but I googled and I’m digging the puddle jumper backpack! I prefer each kid have their own bag so I don’t have to carry their autograph books, snacks, change of clothes, etc. We have camera equipment going with us, so this is why everyone carries their own load.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

I have one of the older Disney "Cinch Sacks" that are like this one. Mine is more of a canvas/cloth style, not the Nylon. (They have them in the parks sometimes in different patterns.) I've had it for at least 6 years and it has been through trips around the World. I take it everywhere, not just Disney. I like that I can swing it on and off quickly, and that it is lightweight and not super hot on my back. It fits all the essentials that I need, like my small purse that holds my small items, water bottle, my hat, and sunscreen, with room to stuff extra if need be. After my trip, I throw it in a laundry bag and throw it in the wash, and then hang it up to dry.

I love cinch sacks! My oldest daughter carries hers all summer to the beach, water parks, field trips. Great simple option.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

Pre-kid days, I had either a cinch sack style backpack or a crossbody small purse that basically held my wallet.

Post kid days, I used my messenger bag to hang on the stroller. Once we're stroller free, we're going back to being bag free. I'll carry a cross body purse with sunblock and just buy what we need.

Ahhh, the days of stroller free and bag free! It will be a few more years for us, I do believe.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

DH has a backpack he loves, it has some kind of vented/ cooling back. He uses it to carry some camera equipment (we're photographers who bring our DSLR cameras with us), some diapers/ wipes for DS2, and sunscreen, and our cheapo $1 plastic rain ponchos. We could load way more into it, but we don't. Actually on some rides DH has stuffed my entire purse in there as well and we still have room to spare.

I have an ebags Piazza daybag that fits more than I could have imagined and has compartments to keep it all tidy. Again, I don't load it with stuff but I could if I wanted to. It's 9"x9" and carries my DSLR (I added a camera bag insert to keep it cushioned when not in use), small change purse wallet (which holds ID, credit card, some cash/ change, and a few bandaids), trial size body powder (DS 11 chafes something fierce), some ibuprofen, autograph supplies if we're doing character meets (so, a few markers and a book of index cards), my phone, and sunglasses (when I'm not using them).

We are bringing our cameras, too, so we need each kid to carry their own items. I like the Piazza, and I have a few items already from ebags. I may have to add the Piazza to our collection.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

I use a lesportsac cleo crossbody bag. It feels small, but it's quite roomy and can hold my wallet, phone, park maps and two bottles of water. It's also water resistant and I can throw it in the wash if need be. My DH and DS11 don't carry any bags. We try to travel as lightly as possible.

This is our first trip, so I’m sure I am overdoing it with the bags, but I hate to be unprepared!

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

I used a Kavu Bags the last two times we've done Disney. They're a smallish crossbody type backpack (bag on your back, not on your front). I found it really, really convenient for the parks and going on rides (mostly I just left it clipped on ).

We have 3 little ones, ages 18 m, 2 and 4 and that was all we brought. It held my wallet, a small sunscreen (we applied our main one back at hotel), a chapstick, a few small snacks (fruit strips and gummies), my daughters little autograph book and pen, and a few diapers and a small pack of wipes. We did have a few water bottles that we filled up periodically, but they went in our stroller console.

Wow, you guys did keep things light with three little ones. No change of clothes?

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

We have a Patagonia backpack we used to always use and then I would carry a very tiny crossbody, really the size of a wallet. This way if we decided to split up I would have my wallet, phone and i.d. with me. I didn’t want to always be stuck carrying the backpack! I know some people only use magic bands and don’t even take a wallet, but I’ve never felt comfortable with that for some reason.

For our next trip I’m going to find something even smaller, maybe the cinch type backpack. It will be our first time with everyone potty trained, so no need for diapers anymore. Just some sunscreen and ponchos.

I love backpacks on trips for so many reasons. I agree on the wallet situation. I don’t feel 100% comfortable relying on my magic bands alone. Have to bring that backup!

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

We are bringing our cameras, too, so we need each kid to carry their own items. I like the Piazza, and I have a few items already from ebags. I may have to add the Piazza to our collection.

I can not say enough great things about that bag. I bought a camera bag insert on Amazon, stuffed it into the piazza bag, and it holds my Nikon D5600 plus an extra lens in the main compartment. I use the little miscellaneous pockets for the rest of my stuff. I checked with DH (who carries more camera gear than I do because he's learning and he really likes to play around with lenses and so on) and his backpack is an Amazon basics hiking camera backpack. His camera has a designated compartment. Most other stuff goes into that same backpack, including the stuff the kids need, with room to spare. We do travel light (enough so that my whole setup fits into DH's backpack if needed). I can't haul a ton of stuff around the parks, it makes me bonkers.

 

[2019TripIdeas]

Wow, you guys did keep things light with three little ones. No change of clothes?

Nope, no change of clothes for any of us. I don’t carry a diaper bag in real life though too (just throw a few diapers in my purse) so we never have backup outfits. We’re way past the baby blowout Stage and I can’t think of another reason to have a spare outfit? If something spilled or dripped we could definitely wait to change back at the room later. We also did splash mountain etc and yup, my 4 year old got totally soaked and then we walked around in the sun so she dried off.

I was totally shocked by how much stuff people brought in in terms of wagons loaded with blankets, towels, backpacks, coolers, snacks etc. For me personally I wouldn’t feel comfortable going on rides knowing all that stuff was sitting out in my stroller unattended (we live in a city so maybe totally jaded ha!) And I surely wouldn’t want to be hauling 4 bags on to rides or waiting in lines with heavy bags.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Beyond infancy, we never carried spare outfits, either. I would seriously consider having your DD carry a fanny pack or crossbody with a few items in it, versus a backpack. I get the camera thing for you and your DH, but kids, especially, are prone to putting a bag down and forgetting it. Our family of 6 carried one backpack that held mostly water and snacks. Added bonus one year, I had a Boy Scout prepping for a big hiking trip--he volunteered to carry the bag the entire week.

Keep in mind, you can't bring the bags on some of the bigger rides. I don't know how adventurous your kids are, or if you're planning on "rider swap" with the 4yo. Now, if you have a stroller, you have a place to put the bags, but you have to leave the stroller in a stroller parking zone--outside, unattended (for example, in "The Land" at Epcot--the stroller stays out by the entrance). Ditto for "The Living Seas".

 

[sponica]

Ahhh, the days of stroller free and bag free! It will be a few more years for us, I do believe.

The first day we used the diaper bag (which is a columbia backpack) and even though I had suggested to my husband "let's use the messenger bag" he didn't listen. The next day he was like, can we just stick a couple diapers/wipes/etc in your messenger bag?