Friday 26 October 2018

What to Pack in a Changing Bag for Disney during Winter

Packing a changing bag for Disney shouldn't be another one of those dreaded, stressful tasks on your to-do list before you leave. With planning and organisation, you can pack all the essentials for a fun-filled successful day at the parks. We've visited Disneyland Paris a few times now during various seasons and I think we've now perfected packing the essentials. One season that requires more items to pack than usual is winter and that's due to the cold weather.

Here's what we pack in our changing bag for winter:

1) A large but Comfortable Changing Bag*
I've tried various bags whilst at Disney and I've finally settled on taking a backpack by Fact + Fiction. The main reason why I love it, is simply how comfortable it is to wear. Even with the amount of items I pack in it, it never feels to heavy on my shoulders. It has multiple compartments which is great for storing/hiding things in a safe place. It's also water resistant inside and out so it's great for wet rides, rainy weather and spillages. 




2) Re-fillable Water Bottle
This is the ultimate essential no matter what time of year you visit Disney. All of the parks have water fountains so you can fill up your bottle all day for free.

3) Blanket*
The nights can get very cold and if your children are in a stroller they become even colder because they aren't moving. I always try and take a couple of blankets but as you can imagine they take up a lot of room in a bag. The blanket we have been using on our last few visits to Disney has been our Aden and Anais Winnie the Pooh blanket. It's a fab size for tucking around the girls whilst they are in the stroller. You can also pop it on the floor if you are sat waiting for any parades. It's made of 4 layers of 100% cotton muslin so it's nice and soft. 


4) Snacks

Taking plenty of snacks in your bag can not only save you money but I also call them boredom busters whilst queuing. I usually take things like crisps, popcorn, babybells, raisons, rice cakes etc. Whenever the kids are getting bored in the queues I either whip out a snack or we play a game.


5) Ponchos
After being caught out one year with heavy rain, I now always pack ponchos. We did buy ours from Disney so we take those with us but you can buy cheap ones in places like Tiger before you go.



6) Extra Layers/Clothes
I've been caught out a few times when we haven't managed to get the children to the toilet on time. Yep this can definitely happen. I think they get so distracted through excitement that they forget to say when they need to go until it's too late. I now always pack a spare outfit for these mishaps and also for any unwanted puddle jumping.
The evenings get very cold so I always pop in a few extra layers such as vests, tees and hoodies.



7) Glow-Sticks
Glow sticks are great for 2 reasons. First up they serve as great stroller locaters in the dark. If you are hiring a stroller from the parks they all look the same. If you decorate them with some cheap glow sticks you'l instantly spot yours in the dark.
By night there are lots of light up things for sale which usually cost a lot of money. Get some glow-sticks out and make them into shapes for your kids.


8) Nappy, Wipes, Nappy Bags
Kind of an obvious one but make sure you have enough nappies and wipes.

9) Muslins*
I always take a couple of muslins as they are handy for lots of things. I usually use them to place over the changing mat areas when I'm changing my little one's nappy. 
The Muslins I love are from Aden and Anais. They have adorable Disney patterns available and they wash very well.



10) Wallet, Tickets, Camera, Spare Camera Battery, Phone, Power Bank and Cable
These are fairly obvious items but sometimes when we're busy we do forget these things. Camera and phone batteries can run out quickly so I always pack a plug and power bank. I'd also advise you hide these items in your bag for safe keeping.


11) Lip Balm
The wind and chill can cause sore, chapped lips so we regularly use lip balm to keep them moist and soft.

12) Hand Warmers
Hand warmers are great for using when you're standing around waiting in a queue or when you're waiting for the fireworks at night. It can honestly get really cold.

13) Wet Bag*
I always take a wet bag with me for multiple uses. If one of the girls' end up getting their clothes wet or dirtying them I can pack them away in those. I also use them for storing snacks and for using to carry my valuables when it's raining or when on a ride. I use the Disney themed bags from Bumkins. Their patterns are super cute.



14) Autograph Book and Pen
The last thing you want after waiting in a queue to meet a character, is to get to the front and realise you don't have an autograph book and pen. You can either get these before you arrive at Disney or at the parks themselves.



15) Mouse Ears
Last but not least, you can't go to Disney without Mouse Ears.




What do you pack in a winter theme park changing bag?




*Items maked with an asterisk were gifted to me. All views and opinions are my own*


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10 comments

  1. This is a great list and much of it extends to beyond the change bag. I totally agree with the blanket and layers. We went last December and it was freezing. By having a blanket our son was kept cosy in his buggy.

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  2. Loving that Mickey top it looks so cosy. I also like your tip about the glow sticks. I might just have to do this when hiking in woods in the dark with my three in winter!

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  3. Fab list and I love your tips for bringing a wet bag, hand warmers and glow sticks. It's not something that I would have thought about at all! We are hoping to go to Disneyland Paris in February :-)

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  4. Yes bring layers!I ended up buying LB a hoodie in Disney as she was so cold and we didn't bring a thick enough hoodie. Good idea with the glow sticks lighting up the stroller.

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  5. This is such a good idea! I hope to take our boy to Disney one time and this post will come in very handy for that purpose! I love ‘what’s in my changing bag’ posts!

    Much love, Caitylis x x

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  6. I love your suggestions. We're taking a baby to Disney next August and we are so excited. I'll definitely be referring back to this post.

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  7. A great checklist. I always have a reusable water bottle and bag of snacks whenever I take our grandsons anywhere. We went to Disneyland Paris a few years ago with the Boys between Christmas and New Year and it was wonderful but chilly so taking layers is a great tip.

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  8. This is such a detailed checklist and I love how it extends beyond the change bag also. You're so right with the layers and blankets, it's freezing this time of the year and we sometimes forget!

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  9. Super useful, I can't wait to take the boys when they're a bit older.

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