Summer Theme Park Essentials Checklist – What to Pack In Your Bag

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Going to a theme park this summer? Here is a summer theme park essentials checklist with everything you NEED to have in your bag.

It’s been a little quiet on the blog lately. Since this was the last year of high school and middle school for my girls, I’ve been busy helping them get ready for their events. I’ve been prom shopping, graduation gift shopping, and even theme park essentials shopping!

I’m sure you’re wondering what theme park essentials shopping has to do with the end of the year events, right? Well, as a graduation celebration, the schools take the students to a theme park. It’s one of the perks of attending a Southern California school. So, having some theme park experience under my belt, I knew I had to head to my local 99 Cents Only Stores to grab a few theme park essentials for them.

Theme Park Essentials Checklist – What to Pack In Your Bag

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Sunscreen

If you’re going to spend the entire day at the park, it’s important to protect your skin from the sun. No one wants to end a fun day at the park with sunburn. I have my kids apply sunscreen BEFORE they hit the parks and bring extra with them. They often go on water rides and may need to reapply sunscreen during the day.

Water

The summer weather can get extremely hot and quickly dehydrate the body. It’s important to stay hydrated by bringing water. The 99 sells 6-packs, cases of water, or reusable plastic water bottles that you can refill in the park. They even sell boxes of water enhancer packets for those that prefer something flavored to drink!

Tip: If your child is going to Disneyland for their senior school trip, opt for a reusable plastic water bottle because liquids will have to be dumped out prior to entering the park. They should be able to ask for free iced water from Disneyland restaurants to refill their bottles.

Hand Sanitizers/Wipes

Unless you’re planning on sharing germs with thousands of other people, I’m sure you’ll want to use hand sanitizers or wipes before snacking. You can skip this if you’re planning on finding a bathroom to wash your hands every time you eat, but I doubt you’ll want stand in bathroom lines just to wash your hands. Just get this at the 99. Enough said.

Snacks

Relying strictly on park food can be costly. Carrying snacks can help when hunger strikes while waiting in long lines for rides or even when waiting in park food lines. The 99 has tons of affordable snacks. Many that are my favorite name brands at prices that can’t be beat! I was able to pick up granola bars, dried fruit, fresh fruit, trail mix, yogurt raisins, gum, and more!

Tip: For Disneyland Senior trips – they are not allowed to bring snacks into the park. Instead, pack snacks that can be eaten on the bus ride to the park.

Resealable Plastic Bags – large and small sizes

I like to buy large and small resealable bags at the 99 to protect items from water rides. I pack extra clothes and towels in large resealable plastic bags. In smaller resealable plastic bags, I pack snacks, cell phones, and power banks. Resealable bags are also great to hold wet clothes.

Towel + Extra Clothes

Don’t waste your money on those drying booths at the park. These booths cost a lot of money and don’t work. My son dropped $20 in a drying booth and still came out soaking wet. It’s better to bring a towel from the 99 to dry off and extra clothes. Yes, the 99 sells full size beach towels and bath towels! If you don’t want to carry a large towel, you can also use a microfiber cloth available in automotive section in the 99.

Tip: If you don’t get wet, you can use the towel as a wrap to keep warm on the ride back home. It can also be used as a blanket to sit on to watch park events.

Cell Phone/Charging cord/Power Bank Charger

In this day and age, cell phones are an essential. We use them constantly and often as our ‘go to’ camera and communication tool. Make sure you never run out of juice by packing a charging cord and power bank charger.

First Aid Kit + Medicine(s)

A mini first aid kit is always a good idea. I picked up a Johnson + Johnson mini first aid kit at the 99 that contained band-aids, gauze, and hand cleansing wipes. The band-aids and gauze are great to use together for blisters and hand cleansing wipes can be used to clean small cuts. I bought Aleve (6 pill packet) and a Sinu Inhaler at the 99. These were perfect additions to the mini first aid kit in case a headache or sinus allergy attack happened to pop up.

Tip: Cut out medication directions and tape it to the inside of the mini first aid kit. This way, you have access to the dosage, warnings, and drug facts when needed.

Lip Balm/Lotion/Tissues (Optional)

The hot summer can quickly dry out lips and skin. My kids like to carry lip balm to keep their lips from chapping and lotion for their skin. The 99 has tons of lip balms to choose from and various travel size skin lotions.

Another item that I like to have in my theme park essentials kit are tissues. My youngest son has allergies and always seems to need tissues, so I buy tissues just for him. If you have people in your group with allergies, you’ll want to pick up a package of 3-pack individual tissues at the 99.

Sunglasses/Hat (Optional)

If you saw my Mother’s Day Garden Gift Basket post, you know that the 99 carries hats. But did you know they carry sunglasses too?! Pick up a pair of stylish sunglasses at the 99 and leave those expensive name brand sunglasses at home! No need to worry about your expensive glasses getting lost or scratched.

o, there you have it. These are my ‘must have’ theme park essentials and how I pack them. If  you’re planning a theme park trip, print out the 99 shopping checklist before you visit your local 99 Cents Only Stores. You should be able to find everything, except the sunscreen, cell phone items, and clothes at the 99. In fact, the stores are filled with so much summer goodies that you may want to add more items to your theme park essentials list!

What’s your theme park essential(s)?