With so many items made for little ones, it's hard to navigate what you really need and what's just too much. I've gone to the park with way too much and I've gone with too little, and I've changed a few of our OG products after using them and not being thrilled with their functionality. Every baby is different and every parent has different necessities, but the list below is what changed the game for us.
I'm only sharing our absolute favorites, because I think they will change the game for you too!
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Bow - Something to Talk About | Top - Target | Paci & Clip - Ryan & Rose |
Without further ado, here is the Batts-Family-Must-Have-Theme-Park-Packing-List (it really rolls off the tongue) :)
Wild Bird Ring Sling - I have to start with this because the first time we went to the park with Tallulah, I didn't bring my sling, and boy was that a mistake. Aside from the fact that we had to park the stroller and carry her way more places than I ever thought, she so wanted the comfort and closeness that a sling brings. With a particularly little baby - she was three months when we first brought her to the park - having her in the sling while we ate would have been wonderful. The first time we went and I didn't bring a sling was not a very pleasant dining experience for us - we learned our lesson. Also, breastfeeding a baby in the sling is also way simpler than I originally realized.
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Bow - Hadley Girl | Sunshades - Target 2018 Collection | Paci & Clip - Ryan & Rose
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Headwrap - Bailey's Blossoms
High powered fan for the stroller - we've found that most baby fans don't have as much power as we want for Tallulah in the park since Orlando, although beautiful, can get pretty toasty and muggy for about nine months of the year. A great mom-friend recommended this particular fan and we can't get enough of it. It works so well and we love how easy it is to clip, set and go. Plus, the battery life is excellent. (We also are a huge fan of the City Mini GT Baby Jogger Stroller we use! It’s so smooth to push around the parks and fits the new stroller regulations no problem!!)
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Romper - Target previous collection | Paci & Clip - Ryan & Rose
Ryan & Rose clips - as anyone who follows me on instagram knows, I am a huge fan of all things Ryan & Rose - a paci and paci clip company who also makes amazing cutie tensils for babies. Tallulah wears a paci clip and paci everyday, but I didn't realize just how awesome the clips are for theme park travel until a few months ago. We love having a few toys and teethers we can interchange throughout the day in the stroller to keep things interesting for Tallulah. Instead of having to pick things up that she throws out of the stroller, we clip everything using a R&R clips. The parks can at times be sensory overload for a little one, so having a paci available for comfort works really well for Tallulah. We also like to have her water bottle clipped to the stroller so I can access it easily to make sure she's hydrated. They also make these amazing "double lotus" clips that you can clip to a plush on one end and the stroller on another. We love them - if you can't tell ;)
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Minnie Ears - babyGAP previous collection | Bib - Sincerely L & I |
Paci & Clip - Ryan & Rose | Onesie - Target previous collection
Bloomers - Gift | Socks - amazon
This one is a two parter... Diaper Bag with Stroller Hooks - many of you I'm sure have had the joy of experiencing bag check with a little one. Although I'm incredibly grateful that the security guards at Disney do such a thorough job to make sure everyone is safe, it definitely is one of the most challenging experiences you have to go through as a parent in preparation for a park day. As far as diaper bags go, I originally got myself a really nice Honest Company backpack before Tallulah was born because I thought we'd love it... although it is beautiful, it was not as functional as we needed it to be, so I discovered (from another mom-friend) this super functional (and way more affordable) diaper bag that we've officially transitioned to. But what changed the bag-check game for us was getting stroller hooks!!! I didn't even know that was a thing! The diaper bag comes with removable fabric straps to hook onto your stroller. Although this is awesome for normal use, it's hard to remove them and put them back on every time you go through bag check. Cue the stroller hook magic!! Now we just have these hooks on the stroller and can easily slide the fabric straps on and off which makes bag check a breeze!!
Milk Snob Covers - these are a breastfeeding mamas dream! And the fact that they have Disney patterns make it breastfeeding in the park so much easier and cuter. I’m a bit of private person when it comes to breastfeeding in public, so this is perfect for me. I’m not a fan of the baby care centers in the park, so I love finding a quiet bench and using my Milk Snob cover. It’s wonderful!
Simply Bibs - these are seriously the best bibs ever - so easy to clean and the snap keeps the bib on, even if your baby loves pulling things off of their neck all the time lol. I'm all about minimizing the amount of outfit changes due to food messes. It is absolutely a must have for the park. One wipe and it's clean!
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Bow - Hadley Girl | Bib - Simply Bibs| Dress - Target 2018 Collection | Shoes - adidas
Sunscreen & Sunhat - one of my favorite things about living in Orlando is that we get a lot of Vitamin D, even in the winter. We love using Aveeno Baby Sunscreen and a super wide brim sunhat to keep Tallulah free from sunburn so we can stay out in the park as long as we want.
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Hat - Amazon | Bow - Hadley Girl
Top - Bailey's Blossom previous collection | Shorts - Buck and Baa previous collection
Baby ear protection - we didn't realize how many times we'd need to use these! Huge must have. They are perfect for fireworks and most shows throughout the day. We were surprised how well Tallulah did with wearing them after she got used to them. Plus, I felt way more comfortable taking her to more experiences in the park knowing sound volumes wouldn't be an issue for her little ears.
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Bow - Amazon | Bib - Sincerely L & I | Paci & Clip - Ryan & Rose
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Bow - Hadley Girl | Bib - Sincerely L & I
Diaper changing pad - I'm a bit a of a germaphobe, so bringing a portable diaper changing pad makes park diaper changing stations a lot more pleasant (although she usually likes to touch everything in arms reach on the table... but that's what post diaper changing hand washing/wiping is for). :)
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Bow - Hadley Girl | Top - Jamie Kay | Pants - Target | Shoes - adidas
Bonus - Baby Goosebumps PJs for the drive home - going to the park in the late afternoon and staying into the evening is my favorite because it tends to be cooler and less crowded. With a little one, staying out late isn't always easy or great for the sleep schedule. We've found that if we're staying out later, we like to put her in some jammies for the ride home so we can easily transfer her from her carseat to her crib when we get home. (This practice is especially great to do when it’s not as hot and sweaty out. In the spring and summer, we usually don’t like to wait until the next morning for a bath after the parks. So we just put her in these awesome jammies, which are perfect for summer weather, after we’ve washed the sunscreen and sweat off at home). We have tried SO many types of PJs and someone told us about Goosebumps brand... holy moly, they are the softest fabric and most comfortable and breathable jammies ever. I especially recommend them for chunky little ones since they are so stretchy :)
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Pajamas - Goosebumps
Tallulah's Wardrobe
Pajamas - Goosebumps
I hope this list helps a bit :) If you have any different must-haves for your little one, I'd love to read about them in the comments section!
(Some of the links above are from affiliate sites)
- Amanda