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What Do You Carry Around a Coaster Park?

MestnyiGeroi

Giga Poster
I'm always a little curious as to how most enthusiasts manage their belongings when they go to theme parks. What do you usually bring, and where do you put your stuff when you go on rides?

A. I bring my phone, the park map, my sunblock, my glasses, my refillable drink bottle, snacks, a lunch, a diary, a paperback, some layers of clothes for the evening, my headphones, my meds, and my lucky teddy bear. So of course I need to bring my backpack/bag/purse to carry it in. I store my bag in a locker at the start of the day and return to it occasionally OR I carry my backpack/bag/purse everywhere and stow it in a locker or a bin on the platform for each ride I go on.

B. I only bring what I can fit in a fanny pack/bum bag.

C. Whatever I have I hold in my hands, even on the ride.

D. I go minimalist and only carry what will fit in my pockets.

E. I always go naked and outrun park staff when necessary.

F. Other.


For me it is almost always D: I prefer to carry only what I can fit in my pockets. But once I had all the change in my pockets fly everywhere while riding Tatsu -- happy that it was only coins I was losing that time, I changed my approach and bought what I call my roller coaster shorts: they are basically what are called cargo shorts here in the States (shorts with lots of big pockets), but the key is that all of the pockets have zippers. This is the system that works best for me.
 

GuyWithAStick

Captain Basic
Interesting topic!

I mix B and D- I don't use a 'fanny pack', but rather a large lanyard with different compartments. It holds my pass, phone, money, and other miscellaneous things I need for my visit. It's super convenient, as everything is right there, and you usually don't need to put it in a bin/locker- you can ride with it!
 

MestnyiGeroi

Giga Poster
Interesting topic!

I mix B and D- I don't use a 'fanny pack', but rather a large lanyard with different compartments. It holds my pass, phone, money, and other miscellaneous things I need for my visit. It's super convenient, as everything is right there, and you usually don't need to put it in a bin/locker- you can ride with it!
A lanyard with compartments? At the risk of sounding weirdly nosy, could you post a picture of the kind of lanyard you mean?
 

GuyWithAStick

Captain Basic
I usually wear something along the lines of these:
il_fullxfull.1075779281_4bea.jpg

A clear compartment for my pass, and inner compartments for money and my phone. The one I wear is larger and has a few more compartments, but it's the same idea.
 

GuyWithAStick

Captain Basic
I wear it like a normal lanyard(on my chest), but tuck it in my shirt when I'm on a ride. I find it to be quite convenient with accessing my phone, money, etc. :)
 

Howie

Donkey in a hat
Dude, you said 'fanny pack'. Giggity!
In England, 'fanny' means something else entirely.

I'm a D person myself, pockets only. Phone (for pictures and gloaty Facebook updates - 'Look where I am today, gloat gloat), money (for food and crap souvenirs) and fags.

(Yes yes I know, I said 'fags', giggity - in America 'fag' means something else entirely etc... )
 

Hixee

Flojector
Staff member
Administrator
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I'm A-lite or D.

I'll usually take a rucksack with water, suncream (if required) and my camera and lenses. I'll then either leave the bag on the platform, or use lockers (although I try not to use lockers if I can avoid it).

The exception to that is if I've got somewhere to leave the rucksack (for example, in a car) - in which case I'll usually head in with just wallet, keys and phone, with a view to popping out to the car at some point to collect other stuff. I've used this tactic well for a while, starting the day getting all the creds and stuff sorted (whilst also scoping out bag-drop and locker situations) without carrying much stuff, and then popping back in later with my camera to get proper pictures.
 

Ireeb

Mega Poster
When I go to a park we usually take one backpack per 2 persons with us, containing a few small bottles of water (about 1 liter per person), some food (if allowed) coats if it gets too cold and I always take a powerbank with me as well. In the park we can then take turns carrying it (it isn't too heavy though), and since nothing important is in them, there is no problem with dropping the backpack(s) in the station. Important stuff like wallet and phone remains in the pants' pockets.
 
S

SimonSays99

Guest
That depends....

(most) US parks - loose articles not permitted on the coaster station, no storage on coaster stations
- only daylong locker key or key phrase slip and some cash

(most) non US parks - loose article storage permitted on the station - depending on temps either inside my jacket pockets or inside a shoulder bag which I leave on the station or inside free storage provided on the station - never had any problems with anything getting lost just dropping it there with multiple train operation
- full wallet with cards and cash
- smartphone and camera
- anti-allergy nosespray
- printed park-map (if a new park)
 

Will

Strata Poster
While it depends on the park and the type of day I'm having, on the whole, I'm one of those dreadful goons who brings a bag with everything in - wallet, camera, keys (if I've driven), clothing for if it gets hot, clothing for if it doesn't, water, emergency painkillers and fags. Very occasionally, I'll bring sun cream, but usually if I do, it rains and if I forget I get burned (looking at you, Marineland!!)
If I'm at the park alone, I'll often leave my phone in the car to avoid interruptions, because I'm antisocial like that :p If it's just a lazy few hours at Alton for example, I'll get by with just wallet, keys and fags, though that presents a problem in itself if I'm not wearing a coat or shirt with fastening pockets.
 

Rachel

Coaster MILF
Probably A. I normally bring a small backpack and tend to carry the same stuff I do in my handbag plus a few extras.
So phone, purse, camera, keys, water, headache tablets, makeup, sunglasses, suncream (if its sunny) etc.
 

Mysterious Sue

Strata Poster
Oh god I'm such an A. I need my whole life with me just in case I might need it. My bag is usually 20% changes of clothes 50% snacks and 30% phone, purse, keys, pens, tissues, extra snacks, water bottle, hair brush, make-up, spare paper, park map, poncho, cred lists, umbrella...

Parks that force you to put your bag, or (heavens the thought of it) your phone in a locker are the absolute worst. What if I want to take photos of the queue line?
 

Smithy

Strata Poster
Trackies with a zip pocket so I can have my phone, car keys and wallet secure. All I really need.
 

DelPiero

Strata Poster
Usually zip pocket clothing for phone, keys, wallet, map etc. Sometimes I'll take a bag, but it's rare.
 

zazobo

Hyper Poster
I would say I'm a B.

I decant my credit cards/ cash into a small purse and have a couple of glasses cases (one for my normal specs and one for sunglasses) then my phone and usually some pain killers (post gerst) and that's about it. If it's a warm European park i'll bash in a bit of sun cream and take a bottle of water.

I have a designated 'theme park bag' because I'm a winner.
 

Edward M

Strata Poster
I'm certainly a D. I like not having to deal with bags or lockers in the parks. I've had no problem just using my pockets, so I will likely continue to do it.
 

MestnyiGeroi

Giga Poster
Am I the only one who's occasionally tried this low-tech approach? When I know that I'm going to be going on water rides, I put my wallet and money inside a sealable plastic sandwich bag, and put the whole thing inside my pockets. It works.
 

MestnyiGeroi

Giga Poster
Dude, you said 'fanny pack'. Giggity!
In England, 'fanny' means something else entirely.

I'm a D person myself, pockets only. Phone (for pictures and gloaty Facebook updates - 'Look where I am today, gloat gloat), money (for food and crap souvenirs) and fags.

(Yes yes I know, I said 'fags', giggity - in America 'fag' means something else entirely etc... )
Yes, I know about "fanny" in Britain, so I offered what I thought was the British equivalent, the bum bag -- which, by the way, is not a phrase that rolls off the tongue for Americans. It sounds either like something in place after a colostomy, or like the police container for deceased homeless people.

You people who said pockets only -- have you switched to zipped pockets? If not, do you worry that your phone may someday fly out after one inversion too many?
 
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