For most people, a trip to Walt Disney World isn’t complete without at least one park day. The theme parks are full of unique entertainment, immersive attractions, delicious food, and so much more. You may decide to spend just a few hours in a theme park. Alternatively, you might be part of the park open to park close crowd. Either way, you’ll likely be bringing some kind of park bag with you for the adventure. What’s inside a park bag is different for everyone. Today, I’m going to tell you about a few items that are always in my park bag that you might want to consider packing too.
What’s In My Bag
Poncho
When you visit Disney World, you definitely want to be prepared for wet weather! Florida’s weather can be unpredictable, especially with pop-up afternoon thunderstorms during the warmer months. If you’ve ever found yourself huddled inside a gift shop when a sudden downpour occurs, you likely noticed Cast Members quickly putting out displays of Disney-branded ponchos. It can be convenient to purchase one of these ponchos if you’re caught unprepared. However, they’re definitely more expensive than ponchos you purchase elsewhere ahead of time.
The biggest advantage of a poncho is that they’re compact enough to easily fit into your park bag. They can also be folded up to reuse when no longer needed. You can purchase ponchos inexpensively from a dollar store or Amazon. Personally, I like the ponchos designed with drawstring hoods and actual sleeves. The drawstring keeps the hood from catching air in a sudden gust of wind, and the sleeves allow freedom of movement while staying in place to keep arms dry. They also tend to feel more sturdy than other types I’ve tried in the parks. No matter which style you choose, rain gear is a park bag essential in my opinion!
Zipper Storage Bags
Where do you put a wet poncho when it’s no longer needed, a snack that you couldn’t quite finish but want to save for later, or anything else you want to keep contained? My suggestion is inside a zipper storage bag! It’s quite useful to have several storage bags tucked in your park bag. I like to bring a couple of quart size and gallon size bags along with me each day. They’re easy to fold up and keep in your bag until you need one, and you can find a surprising number of uses for them!
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is an absolute must at Disney World. The Sunshine State has earned its nickname for a reason. You will definitely want to apply sunscreen before you head out to the parks, and I highly recommend bringing along a travel size version for reapplying throughout the day as recommended on the packaging.
In addition to bringing along a travel size sunscreen for reapplication, I also recommend a sunscreen powder. My current favorite is from Hawaiian Tropic, but other brands make this type of product as well. Sunscreen powder is great for adding extra sun protection to your face (especially for us makeup-wearers). Another way I like to use it is applying to the part in my hair. The top of your head gets tons of sun exposure throughout the day, so don’t forget to give it some protection too!
Individually Wrapped Hand Wipes
Hand sanitizer is very convenient for those times you want to grab a snack, but aren’t near a restroom to wash your hands. I do pack liquid hand sanitizer in my park bag, but I also bring along individually wrapped hand wipes. These wipes are useful to clean your hands before eating. Additionally, I find them perfect for cleaning my hands after the essential sunscreen re-applications we just discussed! If you’re in a situation in which you need to reapply sunscreen but aren’t near a sink, these wipes are an easy solution to clean your hands of sunscreen residue when you’re done.
Hair Tie or Scrunchie
This park bag essential is for those of us with longer hair. It’s essential if you’re heading to EPCOT for a ride on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. The reverse launch is no joke! If you want to actually see your face in the attraction photo, you’ll want to tie your hair back before you board the ride. Trust me, I know from experience! This park bag essential is also helpful for warmer days when you just want to get your hair off your neck to cool down a bit.
Parting Thoughts
Obviously, this isn’t an all-inclusive list. I do bring more than just these items in my own park bag. My final piece of advice is that there’s no need to weigh yourself down by packing more than is necessary in your park bag. However, being strategic with a few “extras” can help you be more prepared for some of the situations that may arise!
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