Packing Your Disney Park Backpack? – 10 Terrific Indispensable Things You Need To Pack
When you’re prepping for your day at Disney, you want to pack your Disney backpack strategically. You don’t want to get stuck paying Disney park prices for essentials you can easily bring yourself – save that money for food and souvenirs! But you also don’t want to have to go without important things in the name of thrift. Our Disney World park bag list has you covered. Keep these essentials in your backpack to keep yourself comfortable and prepared for whatever magic finds you throughout your Disney adventures.
What’s the Best Backpack to Take to Disney World?
First things first, you’ve gotta pick the right backpack to bring all your goodies and supplies in! Here’s what we recommend:
OutdoorMaster Sling Bag
This bag is compact so that you won’t feel bogged down, but it’s still spacious enough to hold everything you need. It has room for a camera, tablet and can even hold a 12” laptop. We doubt you’re planning on doing work at the park, but that’s a good sign for what you can fit into this thing! It also has several hidden pockets, including an anti-theft pocket for your valuables and precious items. It’s the right size for a carry-on or personal item on a plane, making it the perfect multitasker if your journey to Disney involves flying.
But the lightweight crossbody design is what makes it perfect for Disney. It’s reversible and versatile, making it perfect for righties and lefties of all genders. You can wear it across the chest, over your shoulder, or as a crossbody sling. That might not sound important now, but it’ll feel very important at the end of a long day running around the park. You’ll want to be able to switch positions for comfort, and not have traditional backpack straps digging into your shoulders all day. This bag’s designers thought of this and padded the shoulder strap for extra comfort. Equally as important, it comes in cute colors! (If you choose red, you can match Mickey.)
For Hands-Free Adventuring
Fanny packs are back, and we’re certainly relieved. We love the Herschel Seventeen Waist Pack. It’s perfect if you’re traveling light and want to keep a few important items close by without a full backpack.
After finding the best backpack for your Disney trip, here’s what to fill it with:
1 – MagicBand
Okay, this won’t go in your bag, but it’s important and will reduce the number of things you have to pack. Your MagicBand serves as your park ticket, FastPass+ check-in, Disney hotel room key, payment method, and PhotoPass. You don’t want to forget this! We recommend packing it in your backpack the night before, so you don’t have to remember it the morning of.
2 – Cooling Towel
If you’re visiting during the summer months, you don’t want to have to cut your day short because the sun’s zapped all your energy by midday. One of the best ways to keep cool in the Florida sun is a cooling towel (like this one). Just wet it, wring it out, snap it, and drape it around your neck. It’ll cool to 30 degrees below body temperature in under a minute. It’s one of the most lightweight items you’ll keep in your backpack, and it’s reusable so that you can bring it along on your next visit.
3 – Change of Clothes
A spare shirt or shorts never hurts. If you’re traveling with kids, you never know when someone will have an accident that means they need to change clothes. If you’re an adult, consider packing a spare jacket or change of clothes if the weather changes mid-day or you have a wardrobe malfunction.
4 – Misting Water Bottle
You can’t tackle Disney without a water bottle. Stay hydrated throughout the day, so you don’t run out of energy before you meet all your favorite characters. You’ll be doing a lot of walking, and bottled water is expensive – save your money for the fun stuff!
And if you’re a fan of misters, we recommend combining both supplies in one gadget (like this!). It’ll save you space in your backpack and give you one less thing to keep track of. Disney has even added water bottle refill stations around the parks so you can easily refill on the go.
Bonus: Drink mix-ins.
Pack single-serving pouches of drink mix like Kool-Aid, lemonade, Crystal Light, or tea. These are perfect if you’re traveling with kids who don’t like to drink water or just to make staying hydrated a little more fun.
5 – Poncho
A poncho is cheaper than a regular raincoat. It’s also much more compact and portable than an umbrella. You always hope you won’t have to use it, but you’ll be so glad to have it if it rains.
6 – Sunscreen
We can’t stress sun protection enough. If you’re going to be at the park all day, just putting on sunscreen before you go won’t cut it. Bring sunscreen even if you’re going on a cloudy or cool day. Sunburn can creep up on you even when you don’t suspect it! There are a lot of souvenirs you want to bring home from Disney, but a colossal sunburn isn’t one of them.
We recommend the spray-on kind, It might be a little less compact in your bag, but it’ll be just as light as a conventional sunscreen bottle. Plus, it’s much easier to reapply on the go.
7 – Lip Balm
You’d never be without it in your daily life; it goes double for Disney. Make sure your lip balm has sunscreen – this is a good one.
8 – Snacks
You’re bound to want to stop for food during your Disney trip, but what you don’t want is to catch yourself hangry with nothing you want to eat nearby. Save your Disney meals for what you really want! Packing a few substantial snacks will buy you time until you find what you’re really craving. We recommend snacks with plenty of protein and healthy fat, like nuts, to keep you going.
9 – Hand Sanitizer
Tons of people means tons of germs, unfortunately. We recommend single-packet wipes or sprays in your backpack since they’re easy to pass out to big groups and kiddos, but a liquid hand sanitizer that clips onto your bag will do the trick just as well.
10 – Portable Phone Charger/Extra Phone Battery
You’ll be using your phone a ton throughout the day, whether you’re checking the My Disney Experience app for wait times, checking FastPass+ reservations, taking pictures, or just passing the time while waiting in line. Getting stuck in Disney with a dead phone is no fun, especially if you get split up from your group for some reason.
If you really don’t want to buy a new device, you can always bring your regular cable charger and leave it to charge with guest relations. But we recommend bringing your own in your backpack to save time, trouble, and worry.
Every person’s Disney park backpack is different. The most important thing is to bring everything you need to stay comfortable, clean, and happy during your day. The goal is to stay focused on the Disney magic, not on buying essentials from a gift shop.
Do you have a favorite item in your Disney backpack? Tell us about it!
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