Need advice from veterans of Disney/Universal in Orlando

[AJ Roadster NJ]

Leaving in about three weeks, we'll be 8 days in Orlando splitting between the two parks.

I need specific advice about a hip pack of some sort. I need it to be big enough to hold the essentials, but small enough to not be a bother. If you visualize something able to hold, say, 3 or 4 tall 20 oz. beers, you'll have the idea.

I was lucky enough to be in Daytona for the 500 a month ago (yeah, I know, Florida twice in one spring -- sheesh!!). I used a small boxy cooler with a shoulder strap to hold my scanner, small camera, etc. and what I didn't like about it was that it was hard to actually keep the strap on my shoulder, and rode up too high if I crossed my neck, even with the strap fully extended.

Here's what I see for contents; my wallet, a small camera, a tube of sunblock, my mobile phone, and maybe a few small souviners along the way if they'll squeeze into the corners.

Any ideas? Brand names? Pics? Suggestions?

Thanks gearheads.

AJ

[Magnus]

Have you considered something like a garment with a lot of pockets, like a photovest or fisherman's vest? They are available in light weight mesh and leaves both hands free. Or cargo pants/shorts?

[Forbye4]

Have you considered something like a garment with a lot of pockets, like a photovest or fisherman's vest? They are available in light weight mesh and leaves both hands free. Or cargo pants/shorts?

X2 on the fishing vest, I consider this to be my extra "carry-on"! Might be a little warm for Florida, but I have seen an all mesh vest.

[Someday I Suppose]

Cargo shorts :-)

Actually pretty funny, Jen, Sydney and I just got back from a week at Disney / Universal on Friday. I can't say I saw many people sporting the fanny pack, and of course Jen had a small bag with her / change of clothes for Sydney, etc which helped, but I had no problems with wallet, phone, small camera and keys in my shorts.

-Scott

[AJ Roadster NJ]

Magnus, too funny, I actually shopped for myself (!!) before Daytona and bought a pair of cargo pants that I wore to the track for both days of the weekend, so those'll be going with me. Will look for a mesh vest the next time I'm at the outdoor store.

Maybe I'll take your approach Scott and just say if it doesn't fit in my pockets it ain't going. Hope you guys had a good time. I'd ask about the attractions but our kids are so different in age...Damon will have just turned 11 and I'm already concerned about keeping up with him. In his book, the scarier the ride the better. I hope they sell single malt scotch there...

[Kc_Shane]

Are you staying on a Disney property. If so you can have all your gifts sent to the resort that you are staying at.

[John Card]

My camera bag usually works pretty well for all of that, either that or I make my wife carry everything but the wallet and camera in her purse. We also have a small backpack that we use for Disney trips sometimes too. We use it to smuggle in our own snacks and bottles of water too. The security people don't care.

[Someday I Suppose]

AJ, different rides for sure. Damon might like the stunt show at Hollywood Studios and the Tower of Terror there. :-)

My co-worker has a son a little older the D, they had a great time bouncing back and forth at Universal, said the Hulk ride was awesome as well as the coasters at Harry Potter.

I did get Sydney on this cool hanging coaster called the Pteradon Flyers though, Jen is still pissed at me.

-Scott

[AJ Roadster NJ]

We're staying at the Caribe Royale, off property but considerably less expensive but brand new and very luxurious. I walked through when I was down there for the Daytona 500, we were already considering this so I had the chance to walk through a few.

I really don't want to wear a backpack. I figure I'll be carrying a bottle of water as I walk in and from there on I buy beverages. This is going to be tiring anyway, I don't want to carry all the extra weight.

We have 8 full days. Right now the plan is; 3 days at Universal, a day off by the pool, 3 days at Disney, one more day by the pool, then it's over.

[John Card]

If you're cheap like me, then you carry one bottle in, and then refill it in the drinking fountains instead of paying $3 for a bottle of Dasani.

[Someday I Suppose]

Sounds like a good plan, depending on how the days go, getting there early, heading to the hotel for a nap or pool around 1 and then going back in the evening worked well for us. Less crowded and got a bit of a break during the day :-)

Or do the studio parks on your second day so you have a little less excitment and a bit more sit down and see something going on.

And... we only stayed on property at Universal because thats where the conference was, our Disney days we stayed pretty cheap. Universal though for a number of the rides has a 'quick pass' card that they sell which I thought was a bit annoying. After what they hit you to get into the park I find it a bit of BS that they then sell a card that lets you go to a shorter line.

Disney of course has the fast pass, but every ticket in the park works as a fast pass and you can only get one fast pass at a time. If you do go to Hollywood Studios the Toy Story Ride is new and had the worst lines, get a fast pass there early :-)

-Scott

[Willie Z]

get one of those small nylon bag/rope backpacks. We were just there a couple weeks back and the group we booked our package with sent one to us it worked incredibly well. It weighs next to nothing. We kept the camera and a couple water bottles in it and some small snacks for the kids.

added link to photos:

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&biw=1440&bih=813&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=drawstring+backpack&aq=f&aqi=g5g-m5&aql=&oq=

[Willie Z]

Disney of course has the fast pass, but every ticket in the park works as a fast pass and you can only get one fast pass at a time. If you do go to Hollywood Studios the Toy Story Ride is new and had the worst lines, get a fast pass there early :-)

-Scott
You can pick up a new fast pass every 2 hours. Best advice is to gather up all the tickets and have someone run across the park to pick them up rather than drag the whole group