This post is all about essentials for a theme park backpack.
My semester is almost over and I’m so excited to say that I’m planning my next trip! It’s time to start thinking about what I need to pack in my theme park backpack.
I’m getting ready to go to Orlando, FL and visit Universal Orlando Resort. (I have an annual pass until August of 2022 so you’ll see some future trip stories too.)
But anyway, the last time I went to Universal, there were some items that I did and didn’t bring. I want to make sure I am prepared for the next upcoming trip.
So here’s a list of 10 things that I believe are necessary to pack in a theme park backpack.
This post is all about essentials for a theme park backpack.
Disclaimer
The contents of this list are what work for me because of what I have experienced in the past. You, the reader, will read these contents at your own risk. Anything mentioned is for informational purposes only and should not be used to make any decisions whatsoever. I am also not affiliated with Universal in any way. This post is entirely my thoughts and opinions that I wanted to share.
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Let’s Begin.
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10 Best Essentials For A Theme Park Backpack
1. Water
Of course, I had to add water to the list!
My boyfriend wanted to use the reusable universal bottles but I personally don’t want to have to carry that around all day. (And those cost more money.)
Instead, we packed four plastic water bottles. (Yes, yes you may be thinking about the waste of plastic, save the turtles, yada yada, but hear me out.)
I like carrying around four plastic water bottles because whenever we finish a bottle, we could just throw it away, or recycle it if there is a recycling bin.
You may also be thinking that carrying our four bottles of water for the day is heavy but my boyfriend and I take turns holding the backpack.
It really wasn’t that bad.
Over time, our backpack would get lighter every time we finished a water bottle. By the end of our day, we would have drunk all the water.
We chose four water bottles so that we each could have two. Technically, we need more than two bottles of water for each of us but we also drink butterbeer or whatever other Universal beverage that they serve.
We might need to bump it to five bottles for our next trip because we did run out of water quicker than we anticipated.
2. Small Towels
I included small towels for mainly the water rides.
There are three water rides that we went on and by the third ride, we were SOAKED.
It was sprinkling and cold too so that didn’t help.
We did pack one small towel but it was originally intended for sweating.
I’m really glad we decided to bring it though because I’m sure if we didn’t have it to try off, we might’ve gotten sick later.
It was definitely not a big enough towel to completely dry the both of us but it was still better than if we didn’t have a towel at all.
The small towel was mostly used for our feet because I was most worried about our feet.
There was this one time I let my feet stay wet for a long time and eventually they began to burn and go numb.
We still had more of the park to see so I definitely did not want that happening again.
So next time, we are bringing two small towels (or more.)
3. Extra Clothes
I purposely put this essential right after the small towels because those water rides we went on really did soak us.
However, the only extra clothes we had brought were extra socks. (But that was also better than nothing.)
We tried to wear clothes that would dry quickly to the park just for those water rides but it still took about an hour or longer to dry. (The hulk ride was cold because we were still damp.)
We used A LOT of paper towels to try and squeeze out the water from our shorts, shirts, shoes, and whatever else we could.
But even if you don’t go on any water rides, an extra pair of clothes is never a bad idea in case you get cold or excessively dirty.
Maybe it might even rain that day. Who knows. It is Florida after all.
4. Plastic Bag
I know!! More plastic!! But this one is a must because following the small towels and the change of clothes, we need something to put the small towels and wet clothes in.
Last time, we only had wet socks to store away (thank goodness) but we had to wrap it in a bunch of paper towels and into the (wet) small towel.
We did not think to bring a plastic bag. (We underestimated how wet we would get.)
Keep in mind that this was the backpack that we had our phones, wallets, and snacks in.
Luckily, the water rides were towards the end of the day so our bags weren’t as full as they were when we first walked into the park.
This time for our next trip, we plan on bringing an extra pair of clothes (not just extra socks) and will need a plastic bag for when we get wet again.
Also, the plastic bag gives us peace of mind knowing that none of our other belongings would get soaked or damaged. (The plastic bag will keep the bad odor insulated too.)
5. Ziploc Bags
I made Ziploc bags their own section because we would use the Ziploc bag to store our electronics and wallets in. (Yes, more plastic, we are monsters.)
Even though we already have our wet clothes stored in a plastic bag of their own, you can never be too careful!
Some of the water rides have us bring our backpacks with us onto the ride.
We definitely did not and do not want to risk the chance of any of our important belongings getting wet and ruined.
6. Snacks
Snacks are a must for sure.
Everyone knows that any food in any theme park is a trap. Food inside the theme parks are so overpriced! (Yet, I still pay $6 for one churro anyway hehe.)
Snacks are very helpful for when you need something to munch on in line or just throughout the day in general.
I don’t want to have to spend money on a meal AND on snacks. I don’t make enough money for that. (But we are on vacation… hmmm.)
The snacks that we brought last time were the fat pretzel sticks and Nutella.
It was pretty tasty but you can get tired of it fast. And the salt on the pretzel started irritating my tongue after a while.
Next time, we might try fruit or some individually wrapped snacks. Bringing snacks will for sure give you a little energy boost and save you some extra money.
For me, snacks will help me with my motion sickness. (I really thought I was going to barf after the first ride with little to no breakfast in my system.)
7. Wallet
Even though I just said that you should definitely pack snacks to save money, you still need money.
I actually still spend money on meals like lunch and dinner.
Desserts are also foods that I am willing to splurge on.
The last time I went to Universal, my boyfriend and I wanted to try the Cowfish restaurant but they only took reservations. So did the Chocolate Emporium.
We have since learned from our mistakes and already booked both restaurants for our trip. (We booked both to have dinner at Cowfish and dessert at the emporium. Genius, I know).
BUT you should still pack snacks to help prevent you from spending more than if you didn’t bring them.
So yes bring snacks, but bring money too.
Also, you might need money for souvenirs or extra necessities that you didn’t think you needed.
For us, we needed a season pass holder and a lanyard to hold the passes because every time we wanted to rent a locker, we had to scan our passes to open the locker.
Having it on a lanyard saved us time from having to fumble through the backpack before every ride.
Overall, BRING MONEY.
Also what if you get into an emergency such as not have a form of transportation and need cab fare.
Exactly.
You’re stuck because you were dumb and didn’t bring money.
More Wallet Stuff
Also have your ID because you want something to identify you in case you die. (Unless you don’t want to be identified then you do you.)
And lastly, have your hotel room key because nothing sucks more than having feet pain and not being able to get back into your hotel room.
Then you’d have to do the walk of shame back to the lobby for help. (No that has never happened to me before and I hope it never does.)
8. Theme Park Tickets
This one is a given.
You need your theme park tickets to get into the theme park. Duh.
If you forget your tickets then the bulk of your trip is gone.
Or an extra couple hundred of dollars are gone.
Your choice.
I would recommend getting a theme park backpack that has small zipper pockets so that the tickets sit in there and be easy access for you.
9. Phones
I would say the main purpose of bringing your phone is for emergency communication, travel friends communication, or for pictures.
If you’re bringing your phone to scroll through social media while you’re waiting in long lines, you’re missing out on some good quality bonding time with whoever you’re in line with. (If you’re in line alone then I guess you’re an exception).
I like to use the long lines as an opportunity to enjoy my boyfriend’s company or my family’s company if I were with them.
The last time we were in Universal, we went with two friends and would sometimes play guessing games with clues.
10. Portable Charger
Lastly, the good ole portable chargers.
Portable chargers aren’t exactly -necessary- but they’re nice to have as a backup. Maybe your phone died from all the videos and pictures you took, right???
We did not need the portable charger last time but it gave me peace of mind knowing that I had one in case we got into an emergency situation.
Well, now that I think about it, we probably didn’t even bring a portable charger last time either.
(Okay, but if we’re being honest I didn’t want to write a blog post with only 9 essentials. I wanted to make it even and go to 10 so you can disregard this essential if you want).
But you already read this far, so what now?
Ending Note
You have made it to the end! These are my 10 essentials for a theme park backpack.
This was as minimal as I could get with the packing because yes I do like to pack light but at the same time, I like being prepared for emergencies.
Mainly, the wet clothes part and the dead phone part. Comfort and safety are a high priority for me.
What do you think of the essentials that I’ve listed? Are there more? Could I have less and take some essentials off my list?
Tell me what you think in the comments below. Good day!
This post was all about essentials for a theme park backpack.
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