Backpack For Disney Theme Parks

I already made my tripod recommendation earlier. So here's my backpack recommendation.

Almost everyone who visits Disney theme parks carries a bag of some kind. Some of us try to carry as little as possible, possibly a waist pouch, while others carry almost everything but the kitchen sink, especially if you have a child (or more) with you. But for the "typical" Disney park guests, they tend to carry just one bag.

Now, if you haven't figured out that the best type of bag for you to carry is a backpack (or some variation of it), then you need to have your head examined. It is my personal opinion that this is the most convenient type of bag for one to bring to a Disney theme park. Not only are you able to have both hands free while carrying the bag, but it also puts less stress on your back and shoulder as you stand for long periods of time in various attraction lines.

However, not all backpacks are created equal. There are some that are more suitable than others for the sole purpose of going to a Disney theme park. Here, I will outline what I think is the requirement for a good backpack for one to carry along while enjoying a wonderful Disney theme park.

1. Good padding on the strap and on the back. This goes without saying. You'll be carrying it for a long time and comfort on your back and on your shoulders is important.

2. Durability. A backpack during a Disney vacation (or any vacation for that matter) will undergo various rugged and harsh treatment. It might get stuffed under the seat at Soarin', Gets dumped on the ground when you're about to get your picture with Mickey, or get crushed while you sat and wait for the parade. And if you use it as a carry-on on the plane, it will have to survive being stowed away on the plane. So it better be made of good fabric good stitching and not start to tear apart after a few uses.

3. Minimum number of compartments. "WHAT?", you exclaimed. One would think that lots of compartments and pockets would be better, but think about it. You have go through bag check every time you enter a Disney theme park! The more compartments and pockets you have in your backpack, the slower you will get through. If you don't believe me, next time you go through the bag check line, look at the people in front of you and see how slow it takes when someone has a lot of compartments in his/her bag. In my opinion, the best backpack is when it has only two compartment - the main, large compartment, and a smaller compartment out front to keep the smaller items. That way, you only have to compartments to unzip when you reach the bag check table and the security officer only has two sections to look into.

4. An external pocket to hold a water bottle. To me, this is almost a must since I often to go WDW during the hot summer months. Being able to reach for a bottle of water without having to open the bag and while still carrying it on my back is a convenience I do not want to be without.

That's it. Those are my minimum basic requirement for a backpack for a Disney theme park use. There are of course, other nice things to have with such a bag, such as a headphone cord port, an inside pocket to hold a cell phone, etc. But those are optional stuff. These 4 basic items are my requirement for choosing a suitable bag for a Disney vacation.

So, do I have a bag that satisfies all of those 4 requirement and more? Why yes, I do! I don't work for these guys so don't get any commission for recommending this (darn it!). The backpack that I use is Columbia's "Hood River Classic Pack". You can find it almost everywhere, and online (Amazon carries them). I use it when I travel elsewhere too, so it certainly has been put through a lot and it still hasn't shown any wear and tear. It has the added advantage of having reflector strips on the shoulder strap and on the front of the bag itself, so if you happen to be walking at night wearing it, a vehicle can see you better no matter if they come from the front or back. It has a small pocket inside the main compartment where I can slip my cellphone in while going through airport security, and it also has a key clip that I can hook my key chain to so that I always know where to find it.

The best part of it is that, this backpack is relatively inexpensive! The retail price is around $40, but you can get it for about $30 at Amazon, or even less than that if you buy it after school starts. I bought mine right around that time and got it for $14.99! Honest! If I had known how good the bag was, I would have bought 2 more, because I don't think I will ever need to go looking for another backpack.

So that is my backpack recommendation.

Zz.