What’s in My Park Bag (as a Disney World Local)
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This is one of the BIGGEST question guests have when planning a Walt Disney World Vacation and it can honestly be one of the biggest make it or break it elements of your trip. It’s taken me awhile to really nail my perfect park bag but I finally feel really confident in the items and products I carry with me almost every day!
The Bag
First and foremost, the bag…. This is going to vary greatly depending on what kind of needs your family has. If you had kiddos, you will probably end up with a larger bag. If you are going solo or adults only, you can probably get away with a smaller bag. My personal rule of thumb is that you want to bring the smallest bag you can that still fits what you need. The less weight you can carry on you all day, the better!
Our current favorite bag is our Cotopaxi Kapai 3L hip bag (or fanny pack). This is the perfect size to fit all of our park bag essentials (plus our added camera gear) while still being comfortable to wear. PLUS it comes in bright fun colors that will go with pretty much any outfit!
We talk about some park bag pros and cons in this video:
Sun Protection
The quickest way to ruin your vacation is by getting a sunburn, so let’s not do that! Florida is a sunny place and the UV rays are much stronger here than other parts of the country. My personal favorite for sun protection are Sun Bum products. I can’t stand the smell of sunscreen, so I love that for daily wear, this has a more appealing fragrance (and honestly uses better ingredients). THIS is my favorite Sunscreen.
I also like the Face Stick not only for keeping my face protected, but also my scalp when I do things like braids and have a distinct part in my hair. I can’t tell you how many times I get burned because I don’t think to put sunscreen there!
You may not think about it, but your lips can get sunburn too! Make sure to have a chapstick with SPF so that you don’t suffer from sore lips.
Additionally, I also like to protect my eyes! I am sensitive to lights, so when I’m outside all day when it’s super sunny, my eyes can get really irritated and red without sunglasses. I’ll be honest in that I have about a million different pairs, but my favorites are definitely my goodr brand sunglasses! They have polarized lenses, so they are great at blocking out those UV Rays!
Learn even more about some of these items in our Park Bag Video! (2025 update coming soon!)
Beat the Heat
Along with the sun comes the HEAT of Central Florida. It’s pretty warm most of the year, so you need to be prepared! Number one is hydration. You can get FREE cups of ice water at any quick service location that sells fountain drinks, and I also recommend bringing a refillable water bottle for times when you are in line for a ride or unable to get to a water location easily. My personal favs are the Owala Free Sip water bottles. They also come in loads of bright colors and are leak-proof so they won’t get water in your bag.
Don’t forget to bring a carabiner to clip your water bottle to your bag or belt loop for easy access! (also great for holding your merch bags)
To add a little boost to your hydration, slip one or two Liquid IV pouches in your bag to add to your water throughout the day. If you aren’t a fan of the taste of Florida tap water, they can flavor your water AND give you those much needed electrolytes! I’ll be honest that I can’t stand the taste of flavored water, but our favorites are the Firecracker (they taste like Bomb Pops) and the Sugar Free Rainbow Sherbert! I’ve definitely noticed a difference in my energy level when I drink these.
Another great way to beat the heat is to get the sun off of you! Bring an umbrella or hat to give you some shade and relief from those bright rays. I’m personally a fan of bucket hats because they are soft and can fold up really small, AND they shade my ears and neck as well as my face. Umbrella’s are great to help with shade, but also keep you dry during those surprising rain showers that pop up all the time here in Orlando! (especially during the summer months).
Speaking of Rain, if you aren’t an umbrella fan, you can also consider throwing a few ponchos in to save space, or a rain jacket if you want something a little more comfortable and hands free.
The other stuff
A few additional products that have been absolute LIFE SAVERS are my Monistat Chafe-relief gel and Nexcare Bandaids. Chafing and blisters are a common occurrence and it’s hard to feel the magic when you are in literal pain. The Monostat gel is my FAVORITE for chafing both preventative and relief. It’s a gel that dries to almost a silky powder consistency. It’s not sticky, tacky, or greasy like Body Glide, and it is a little safer for more sensitive parts. I’ve tried so many things and I can honestly say that this has worked the best!
Nexcare brand - specifically the waterproof kind are my favorite bandaids for blisters. They stick so incredibly well, so I never have to worry about them rubbing off! I HIGHLY suggest if you know of a potential rub spot, put a bandaid on it BEFORE you get blisters! (You will thank me later)
Another common issue I deal with is my phone battery draining. I have the newest Iphone, so it has excellent battery life, BUT between booking Lightning Lanes, checking wait times, mobile order, and of course taking LOTS of photos and video, my phone definitely drains pretty quick. I have used lots of portable chargers, but the problem I always deal with is that I forget to charge it each night (and honestly alot of them are bulky and heavy).
Stay Charged
I discovered Fuel Rods and am completely hooked! They are incredibly convenient and I never have to worry about remembering to charge it! A Fuel Rod is a portable charger that you can purchase either from the kiosks in the parks for $38 OR on Amazon you can get two for almost the price of one. They even will usually run sales throughout the year where you can get them even cheaper! It also comes with several charging cables depending on what type of phone you have.
Then, once you’ve paid for your first one, you can get unlimited swaps for a fully charged rod at any of the kiosks around the parks or resorts! Simply click ‘swap’ on the machine, pop in your fuel rod, and a new one spits out!
I will be honest that these usually get me about half a charge on one, but I usually don’t need more than that anyway and you can always swap for another one if you need more charge!
Theme parks are loud
After living in Orlando and going to the parks several times a week, every week, it can be really easy for me to get overstimulated. Music, fireworks, and shows can be very loud, there are lots of people, and overall Disney can be overwhelming. We have found that having some kind of earplug can be a literal life saver and I don’t think I could survive without my Loop Earplugs.
We use the Switch Earplugs so that we can filter how much or how little noise we want to to let in. These are super low profile, so not overly obvious that we have them. They are also very comfortable and I have no issues wearing them all day long! They come with a variety of interchangeable sizes, so that you can find what fits best for you.
These are great for anyone who has sensory issues or for those who simply aren’t fans of loud noises. (the fireworks and shows do get unnecessarily loud at times…) You can shop loops HERE.
BONUS Items that I sometimes bring:
Reusable Utensils or Straws - especially during the festivals! These can be a big help to both cut down on plastic consumption AND for when you forget to grab a fork. Plus…. most places at Disney use paper straws and nobody likes those….
Wet Wipes can also be a big help! Between eating and sweating, by hands get gross fast and it isn’t always easy to pop in the bathroom every time I need to clean my hands. It can also be great to wipe down a dirty table!
Neck Fans are another great way to beat the heat! I don’t always carry one with me, but on especially warm days, these can be a lifesaver! I just always make sure to have a larger bag those days that I can pop it into when I’m done using it.
What do you think? Are there other items that you like to include? Let us know in the comments!
