How to Pack for a Day at a Theme Park

When I am going to a theme park, I like to be prepared for any circumstance that will have a negative impact on my day. Theme park food can make a huge negative impact on your budget and low blood sugar can have a huge negative impact on the quality of your day. Even if you have budgeted for a meal in the park, I recommend packing snacks.  Essential oils are great for helping me feel comfortable for a variety of situations. If you are trying to get every last penny’s worth of your entry ticket by staying open to close, you are probably going to experience discomfort of some kind.  Here are my tips for making the best of your day at the Park.

Tip #1 Research the food rules for the park you are visiting.

All Parks have similar rules, but check the website to know the nuances of the park you are visiting. When my family visited Aquatica this past October, one rule was no family sized bags of chips. Everything had to be individually portioned. For Busch Gardens, you can walk in with a cup of soda, but have to throw away  the disposable straw and lid (reusable straws that go with your refill cup are fine). All parks have size limits to coolers.

Tip #2 Pack all the food groups

For Disney, I either throw a granola bar and apple in my purse or  I pack a 12″x7″ thermal zipper pouch from ThirtyOne.  How much I pack, depends on the length of the day and how willing I am to buy food. For a full day you need to have food from a variety of categories:

  • Protein – hard boiled eggs, cheese, protein bar, protein shake, nuts, nut butter, chick peas
  • Fat – nuts, nut butter, hummus
  • Fruit – Apples, dried fruit, oranges, bananas
  • Vegetable – carrots, celery
  • Complex carbohydrates – I like Belvita snacks. They are filling and can be eaten slowly over an afternoon or all in one sitting.
  • (optional) Something sweet – If you packed Disney themed cookies you made at home, you can redirect any kids to your budget friendly treats and away from the expensive cupcakes.
  • (optional) Something to flavor the water. Water is free, so you can save money and calories by drinking water and adding your own flavor.

Example snack: Peanut butter with apples. I find apples and peanut butter to be a filling snack because it has fiber, fat, protein.

Hub Grass Picnic

 

Tip #3 Pack extra food for yourself when traveling with nieces

My nieces believe that whatever I have is better than whatever they have. Since it can be frustrating finding something they will eat, I will typically give in, let them eat my food, and find something else for me to eat. I have learned to minimize their impact on my own lunch by bringing extra of the food I know they will steal.

Tip# 4 pack essential oils

Essential oils are a beneficial addition to your bag and worth the extra weight. Here the oils I pack for a day out:

  • Peppermint – This is a cool and refreshing oil. I apply at the base of my neck to feel relief from the Florida heat. This can either be applied in a roller bottle or with a spray bottle.
  • PastTense – This is a blend from doTERRA that I use for pain relief. There is a good chance something is going to hurt during the day and rolling this blend on makes it feel better.
  • OnGuard – Another blend from doTERRA that I use. I have a spray bottle that I can use to spray the table we are going to eat on, my hands, and I have even used it as an underarm spray.
  • Lavender – Can help soothe irritated skin and emotions. To soothe skin, I use a roller of diluted lavender and apply to the spot that is bothering me. For emotions, I apply to the pulse points on my wrists, rub them together, then hold a wrist up to my nose and inhale. This method gives me topical and aromatic benefits.

    Cooling down with Peppermint

Leave a Reply