What’s in Sarah’s Disney Backpack?
Packing your backpack for a day in the parks at Walt Disney World and wondering what essentials you’ll need? This post shares tips for the most important things to bring, along with a glimpse inside Sarah’s backpack that she’s carrying right now for the Christmas season.
Sarah’s day-to-day backpack for a visit to the theme parks differs pretty considerably from our What to Pack for Walt Disney World (+Checklist) post. With that packing list, we take a kitchen sink approach, with the rationale that it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.
When you’re spending a day in the parks, it’s better to not be bogged down with a bunch of extra junk, so our philosophy is to take only the essentials for any given day. Well, plus some fun accessories and the like. In that spirit, here are the highlights–and must-pack essentials for a day at Walt Disney World…
I should say that’s Sarah’s philosophy, not “ours.” My camera bag weighs over 25 pounds when fully-packed, so I cannot claim I’m only taking the essentials. With that said, I will soon finally be switching over to Nikon’s mirrorless system, and have already picked out some of what I’m going to get. Not that any of you care, but that’ll cut down the size and weight of my bag pretty dramatically.
It’s also worth noting that what’s in Sarah’s bag for the holiday season is not the same as what would be in it during the summer. For seasonal packing tips, we recommend reading our Winter Disney Packing Tips and Summer Disney Packing Tips, each of which offer specific ideas for the most humid/hottest months and the coldest months.
Anyway, here are the staples that Sarah keeps in her backpack for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, etc…
Anker PowerCore Slim External Battery — We have over a dozen external batteries, ranging in capacity and size. Normally, we each carry our own, with this being Sarah’s go-to that she’s been using for the past several months. Light, compact, fast charging, and with enough juice for a full recharge of multiple iPhones. A must if you’ll be using Genie+ and Lightning Lanes.
EltaMD Face Sunscreen — I’m not very particular when it comes to sunscreen–I just use cheap stuff. Sarah favors this fancier brand, which is recommended by distinguished scientists from all over the world. (Probably.)
Face Blotting Sheets – Sarah swears by these for eliminating sweat and oil so she doesn’t glisten like she has “Florida Face” in photos.
“Parade” Mat — For years we simply improvised and sat on park maps while waiting for parades, fireworks, or other entertainment. This proved to be a gamechanger, securing our space–and not just a small square. This is pocket-size, waterproof, and puncture-resistant. That’s all nice, but the biggest benefit to having a parade blanket is claiming your turf–otherwise, you’ll notice your space “magically” shrinking as showtime draws nearer.
Pro Ponchos — This one is a no-brainer, and an “insurance policy” that’s always in Sarah’s bag, no matter the time of year or where we are. Ponchos in the parks cost $10 each, and over the course of a vacation, that can really add up. We recommend buying a few of these pro ponchos, which can be reused. They’re small and light that you can throw a few in the bottom of your bag and just forget about them. (Sarah also carries this Repel Travel Umbrella, which is windproof, durable, and compact.)
Life Straw Go Filter Water Bottle — Florida tap water tastes awful straight from the swamp, so it’s key to get a bottle with a filter. This bottle is the best option, hands down. It’s durable, BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and uses a 2-stage activated carbon filter reduces odor, chlorine and leaves zero aftertaste. (We also like the Brita Filter Water Bottles as an inexpensive alternative.)
Travel Hand Sanitizer — Sometimes there isn’t a bathroom nearby when you want to have a snack. Or, you just want clean hands. We’ve found this essential beyond Disney, where bathrooms are perpetually out of soap.
WetBrush Detangle — This hair brush performs well with wet or dry hair, making it great for attractions like Splash Mountain (when your hair will get wet) and also water-less attractions like Space Mountain that’ll leave your hair tangled. A staple of Sarah’s Disney Parks backpack, she swears by this as the best brush for detangling hair.
Insect Repellant Bracelets – Pests are drawn to Sarah (that’s how she acquired me!), so these are another staple of her bag. Probably not a strict necessity for most people, but not a bad thing to have, either.
Chomps Beef Sticks – If left to my own devices, I’d probably bring a stockpile of Slim Jims. Apparently, those aren’t as “healthy” as Chomps, which boast a laundry list of “clean” selling points. These are now our go-to beef jerky for the parks–they’re also available at Trader Joe’s and a variety of other grocery stores. (We like every flavor except the cranberry one.)
Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee – Starbucks is not that good, the line is always long, and we each “need” 3-4 servings of caffeine per day to function. Buying coffee in the parks costs us a lot of time and money. Conversely, cutting coffee from our travel budget saves us a ton of money and time, which we can use to bolster our budget for unique snacks.
Mamma Chia Squeeze – It’s easy to not get enough fruits and vegetables while in the parks–and individual servings are expensive–so these natural and nutritious snacks are a great answer to that. Another great option is GoGo squeeZ, which similarly has good ingredients.
Kitchen & Love Quick Meals – Most of these taste foul, but I’m told they’re incredibly healthy and packed with powerful nutrients. The packaging is a bit cumbersome, but they are incredibly filling and help us power through the day–I’ll give them that.
Larabars – Another healthy snack that’s full of nutrients and natural ingredients. As an added “bonus,” these actually taste great!
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Change of Ears – Sarah’s collection of mouse ear headbands rivals my collection of Disney Parks books both in terms of quantity and variety. She has a vast repository of ears: ones from every park in the world, vintage ears, custom-made ears, etc. These mouse ear headbands are a quick way to accessorize and make for better photos (for those times when your outfit doesn’t match nearby walls).
In terms of things that are almost always in Sarah’s backpack for the Disney Parks, that’s it. Plenty of other things make sporadic appearances and a ton more stays behind in our hotel room, but as you can tell, it’s a fairly light bag. Remember, whatever you put in your backpack you have to lug around all day, for the 10+ miles you’ll probably walk in the park. Unless you’re crazy like me and back pain by the end of the trip, go light.
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Your Thoughts
What goes into your backpack for a day in Walt Disney World or the other Disney Parks? Do you use anything on this list, or have alternative recommendations? Agree or disagree with anything in her bag? Any questions about any of the items on this list? We love hearing from readers, so please share some of your favorite items for travel, or any other thoughts or questions you have, in the comments!
We carry a few water bottles to start our day but also carry liquid water enhancers. We can refill our bottles for free and get rid of the dreaded Florida taste with the enhancers. We used to use the individual packets but the liquid version mix better and we can each have our own flavors without much weight. We do also have a small first aid kit that has chewable pepto, pain relievers, and enough items like bandaids and Neosporin to handle small cuts or bruises (for anything else we would find a First Aid location).
“Not that any of you care”
I can’t speak for anyone else, but the photography stuff is the single most important reason I found and started to follow this blog. The recommendations and tips have been invaluable to me and helped me really… develop… my setup and technique.
Even though the content has largely shifted away from photo stuff, I still avidly check out any new posts on the topic =)
Unfortunately, I now need to carry Cooling Towels with me since I started developing the dreaded Disney Rash.
I actually find people with backpacks very annoying especially in lines that wind back and forth. Our family got smacked with them a number of times while in lines last month. They stick out to far and if people are against the railing their packs are literally in your walkway:( I nearly knocked a guy over because I was walking in the LL at space mountain (dark inside) and caught a guys pack with my shoulder as I was walking by. He had the audacity to give me a dirty look and say something. I just kept walking. They are becoming bigger and bigger, so please if you have a backpack be courteous of other people’s space especially in lines.
My mat used to work so well but the last time we went people ignored it, stood on it, drove over it with their strollers. And it’s bright orange!
We had six of us for this mat and people crammed into us like sardines.
I feel like people don’t care anymore about personal space. Has anyone else experienced this?
Pre kids, I put my license, credit card, and chapstick in my pockets and my sunglasses on my head and that was it. Oh the freedom! I sunscreened before I left, stayed in the shade except when in transit between places (and then walked in the shade whenever possible) and got free ice water throughout the day. Now, with kids, we definitely need a bag. We pack sunscreen, water, hand wipes, chapstick, a light up bubble toy (buy on clearance on shopDisney), diapers etc., a nursing cover, a few bandaids just in case, and a change of clothes for emergencies. If the nighttime parade comes back, we will likely bring the blanket you mention too. I’m of the opinion that 99% of people overpack.
I’d actually be super interested in Toms backpack! Fill us photo nerds in!
Me too! I’m also getting ready to switch to a Nikon mirrorless and would love to know what you choose!
I usually carry a tin of mints but learned from a cast member on my last visit that the tin was the reason I was visiting hand check at security on a regular basis. On my upcoming visits, I’ll put them in a bag. I also plan my trips to coincide with festivals at EPCOT and carry a plastic tray from a dollar store to juggle my food and drink. At the end of the trip, I just pass the tray on to another guest. I also carry spare socks in the winter and back up flip flops in the summer.
I have a recommendation! I just got the Nikon Z 40mm 2.0 to go on my Z6ii. The whole set up is as light as an old point & shoot and the lens was a fraction of the cost of any of my regular full frame lenses. I cannot wait to carry *just* that to Disney.
I actually have that lens! It’s listed in my latest camera bag update: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/tom-bricker-disney-photographer-camera-bag-2023/
I agree! My dermatologist recommended it too!
Love EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen. My dermatologist recommended it to me since I work outside often and it’s the best. Totally worth the $$.
@marissa
We refilled our water bottles at the refill stations. Mostly, whenever we ate or picked up a snack we asked for a cup or two of ice water and put it in our water bottles. There are some soda stations around the parks and at resorts that will also have a water spout.