What to Bring for a Day at a Theme Park

After you figure out what kind of park you and your friends want to go to and you’ve figured out who is riding with who, it’s time to pack a bag! Need help figuring out what kind of bag you should bring and what you should, and shouldn’t, fill it with? Keep reading to figure out the perfect checklist for your amusement park trip!

What Kind of Bag You Should Use

Figuring out what kind of bag you should bring to the park is going to take some thought. Does the park allow you to bring in backpacks? Do bags have to be clear? Will you have someone to watch your bag while you’re on rides or are you only trusting the ride attendant to watch it along with a dozen others (in which case, it may be best to leave the designer bags at home). 

One of the best options is to bring something small like a fanny pack. That way you can wear it on rides and not worry about it back at that station. If you’re the friend who doesn’t go one rides and is just along for the fun, you may volunteer to be the backpack carrier, so you all have access to larger items like sunscreen and a small first aid kit.

What to Put in Your Bag 

Of course, there are some obvious items you’re going to want to bring with you no matter the size of your bag. You’ll definitely want your phone and your keys if you drove, and a credit card or cash if the park doesn’t accept Apple wallet or something similar at kiosks. 

If you’re bringing a larger bag, don’t over pack so your back ends up hurting. But there are some things that will be very beneficial. If you’re going on water rides, an extra pair of socks will be light on your back and very necessary, so you don’t stand in water and get blisters. You will of course want to have a bottle of sunscreen to reapply and a hat and sunglasses. A spray bottle that you can mist yourself with is very beneficial for those hotter days of standing in the sun during your wait in line. Some theme parks let guests bring in empty water bottles that you can refill for free throughout the day. Another highly recommended item to bring would be painkillers for any aches you may feel throughout the day. And if you’re going to be on your phone more frequently for pictures or a map, then it’s probably safe to say that you’re going to need to pack a portable charger.

Where to Store Your Bag Throughout the Day 

Almost all theme parks will have lockers throughout the park that you can rent by either the hour or for the day. Renting a locked definitely has its pros and cons. On one hand, you don’t have to carry your big backpack around if you don’t want to, which means you can also bring more into the park without hurting your back. But this also means that everything you want something, you have to keep returning to the same spot to retrieve things. A locker is helpful when it’s a roller coaster and water park, so you can leave whatever clothes you’re not wearing somewhere safe. They’re also great if you’re picking up gifts and souvenirs throughout the day. Just consider the price of the locker versus having to come to the same spot a couple of times before hastily buying one. 

Meal Options

Theme parks can already be expensive with their tickets and parking fees. Many amusement parks, even major ones, will have a stamping system that allows you to leave the park and come back in without having to buy another ticket or wait on the longer lines again. This means that you can pack a cooler lunch and eat it in your car when you and your group get hungry. Some parks even let you bring in a small lunch satchel and an unopened water bottle because they know the financial strain you may have already gone through just to get there. 

Leaving the park for an hour to eat is also a good way to break up your day and find a place to sit and relax for a bit. If you’re at an amusement park that has other parks you can access with one ticket, you should take advantage of the travel time between parks to have a bite to eat and drink a water. 

If you choose to eat there, check to see if the park has an app that allows you to mobile order. This will help you ease the stress of waiting in another long line and having to decide your meal on the spot. You can browse the menu on your phone while you’re sitting and resting for a bit.

What You Shouldn’t Bring 

If you are someone who loves roller coasters, or bigger rides it is probably for the best that you do not wear flip flops, sunglasses, or a hat when you’re on a ride. You will see the catch-all nets underneath the loops with items that are now lost forever. For some people, taking these off for each ride is fine. But for others, that’s just asking for something to get lost or stolen. 

You also shouldn’t bring your designer bag with you if you’re going on rides. You don’t want to be so cautious that your day is ruined, and you have no fun. But you also don’t want to not consider certain scenarios that can happen. It’s also probably smartest to leave any vapes or drugs in the car. 

Heading to an amusement park is a great way to have a day full of laughter and fun without a care in the world. Don’t let tracking your bag down and being worried about losing your sunglasses while you hang upside down stress you out and take away from your day. Just a little bit of planning before you go will help you have a great time when there!