Thursday, May 28, 2009

Packing for Disneyland... "It's A Small World After All..."

Jar: 16.77 USD

I love that song.

We always joke that on an overnight, or short drive trip we always take more than if we were going around the world. The difference is not in necessity, it's in what you actually carry from day to day. Let's face it folks, we don't really need anything. Okay, I retract that just a tiny bit, because when you have babies, or small kids, you actually might need certain items. We are going with the intention that we are splurging a bit, and taking advantage of Disney's specials (meal plans, ticket and hotel deals) which are actually, quite reasonable. We are celebrating Grammy's Birthday, a night at Disney's fancy restaurant, The Blue Bayou is on Saturday.

Ask yourself these questions when you pack...
  • Are we driving or taking a plane?
  • How long is the trip?
  • What will I be carrying with me at all times? The kids?
  • What's the weather going to be like? (www.weather.com)
  • Are we on a budget and taking food in? Drinks? (Check with your destination about what is acceptable to bring in, some places don't allow you to bring certain things, but with infants there might be exceptions.)
  • What are my baby's essentials? (Allergies, special creams, prescriptions etc.) Do we have enough of that?
As for packing to amusement parks for infants and toddlers, I have broken it down to these key items (for a 3 night, 4 day trip)

Infant: (6 mos)
32 Diapers (8 diapers a day x 4)
6 Swimmer Diapers
about 200 wipes
1 disposable changing pad
6 sets of PJ's
6 tubs/jars of baby food
4 small pre packaged tubs of rice cereal
8 sets of clothes
4 onesies
two teething rings
4 pacifiers
one pack of pacifier wipes (handy and also safe for them to eat right after I wipe it off)
two stroller toys (to switch out)
about a dozen plastic rings (to hold toys in place)
6 disposable baby spoons
2 baby bottles
1 extra nipple
Water Babies Sunscreen
Floppy hat
two sweaters/jackets
1 muslin Blanket
1 regular blanket
1 heavy blanket
4 pairs of socks
1 beanie
The nice, heavy, comfy stroller with lots of room on the bottom. =)
4 bibs
8 burp cloths
formula (2 cans)
bathing suit

Toddler (2 years old, not potty trained)
32 diapers
8 swimmer diapers
about 200 wipes
antibacterial hand sanitizer
1 disposable changing pad
1 beanie
1 blanket
sunglasses
1 muslin blanet
6 sets of PJ's
2 tee shirts
2 pairs of pants
6 sets of clothes
2 bibs
floppy hat
robe
stain spray
sippy cup/bottled water
some extra money for amusements
bathing suit

For both:
changing pad
sunscreen
pack of 500 wipes
diaper rash cream
baby powder
baby bath soap
1 large trash bag for dirty laundry
2 gallons of bottled water
First Aid Kit (geared for infant and toddler needs, basic adult ones- see my post on First Aid Kits & Safety)

My bags for this trip?
The JuJuBe Be Prepared, and the DadGear Backpack. Click here to see or buy these bags. The JuJube will be kept at the hotel, and the backpack kept light and easy to lug around with essentials and valuables (phone, wallet etc.) So when you leave the stroller at the stroller parking lots, you can take it with you. =)

4 comments:

Evan said...

Holy hell, that's a ton of stuff. The really scary part is that it really sounds like what a well-prepared person carries for the kiddos, and not what a fretting mother overpacks. 36 days until my rude awakening. And if you guys come out to Texas in September I might just ruin my pants.

120 Days Later said...

Okay, I am a fretting mother, but I am also a light packer. The thing about it is EvRo, is that when you have been through a poop-up-the back and all over everything kind of poop (and they happen more often than I'd like) then you you pack that extra five diapers. =) I pack as a well-prepared mother. I remember on our way to Utah and Myla was 5 weeks old, her butt literally exploded all over the car. In that change, we used: about 3 diapers, almost a whole pack of wipes, maybe a wash cloth, 6 clorox cleaner wipes, a new onesie, and a new burp cloth. You know those parents with screaming, unhappy children? They don't follow my packing advice. Just Kiddin'

Trisha said...

This post is where Travel-Guru meets Diaper-Bag-Junkie! :-)

120 Days Later said...

Trisha, I AM a diaper bag junkie... it's pretty sad actually. I have a problem.

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