Battle of the Bags: The Best Disney Park Bag for Your Visit

It may be hard to admit, but your gear can affect your theme park experience. And there is no “one size fits all” bag or brand for a visit to the Disney Parks (or any other theme park). Every guest’s priorities and plans are unique. We’ll compare vacation styles with four brands frequently seen at Disney Parks: Designer Park Company, Orbitkey, Loungefly, and Lug to help you find the best bag for your park day.

[Brands are presented in alphabetical order.]

Designer Park Company

Designer Park Company’s bags are unique in this showcase in that they were designed with theme park days in mind. A number of its included features are unusual compared to other brands in this showcase.

Designer Park Company Bag Highlights

The Rope Drop Backpack was recently updated to include a zippered pocket to hold your ear headband (in addition to the strap from the original design) as well as a luggage strap on the back. We reviewed the first Rope Drop Backpack (which you can read here) and found it to be full of clever touches that helped make our trip easier. Beyond what we already mentioned, highlights include an impressive storage capacity, a hidden net built into the backpack’s bottom, a pocket for displaying trading pins (with included locking pin backs), and compatibility with Designer Park Company’s Shweitzer Hydration Kit (sold separately). It is also worth mentioning that the company’s Master Gracey Backpack is essentially the same bag, but with an even greater storage capacity, if that is what you are looking for.

The Park View Crossbody Backpack offers more ways to wear your bag in exchange for trading out a few of the features found in the Rope Drop Backpack. It can be worn as a backpack or a crossbody bag, and the main compartment opens wide thanks to gussetted siding. The majority of what fans know and love from the Rope Drop style remains, but the bottom net is not included. And while it is still built to accommodate the Shweitzer Hydration System, it should be noted that it only works while in backpack mode and is not ideal for use with the company’s The Backside of Water Bottle (a standard plastic one is recommended instead). That said, this bag is a great option for park goers who don’t need absolutely all the bells and whistles of the Rope Drop, but still want the functionality that is synonymous with this brand’s bags.

The Single Rider Bag is the most “hands-free” style. It retains Designer Park Company’s ear headband compartment and pin display pocket, but, perhaps because of its belt bag format, the overall layout also offers some unique features, such as an RFID-blocking card and cash section, and an elastic key clasp.

Who Do Designer Park Company Bags Work Best For at the Parks?

Designer Park Company is the ideal bag brand if your Park Day plan involves staying from Rope Drop to Park close. Their bags are created with park visits in mind, and as such, the necessities for and potential situations that could arise during a trip are taken into account with their design. Concerned about needing to stop for water? Use one of the bags with a hydration system. Love to pin trade? All of their bags include a pin display pocket. And the generous storage capacity in all of their products means that you don’t have to leave anything at home if you don’t want to.

Exclusive Designer Park Company Discount

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Orbitkey

Orbitkey might be newer to the Disney “game” than the other companies, but they were well-established before that. Their Disney collection has expanded over time to include additional bag styles and other types of accessories.

Orbitkey Bag Highlights

The Daily Tote has the largest capacity among the Orbitkey’s Disney-inspired bags. Measuring 15 inches long, 5.5 inches deep, and 11.4 inches tall, its interior not only boasts a padded laptop compartment, but also a pocket built to hold a water bottle and several zippered mesh pockets. The exterior portion has a luggage pass-through strap, a front pocket with a magnetic closure, and a hidden zippered pocket on the back, all topped off with padded handles. The Daily Tote can easily be “plussed” with Orbitkey’s Crossbody Bag Strap, Essentials Bag Insert, and Essentials Bag Trio, all sold separately.

The Sling is the most commonly seen Orbitkey bag at Disney Parks, and with good reason. It can hold a remarkable amount of items (you can see our experience here), is made from water-resistant material, and is comfortable to wear. The cable pass-through window on the inside was useful when charging devices on the go. And the way Disney and Pixar characters were incorporated into the bag’s design is sure to be appreciated by fans.

As the name implies, the Sling Mini takes the original Sling and shrinks it into a smaller format. The dimensions for this bag are 145 millimeters tall by 250 millimeters long by 30 to 60 millimeters deep, versus the Sling’s 180 millimeters tall by 275 millimeters wide by 30 to 100 millimeters deep. But the overall features of the bag remain unchanged.

Who Do Orbitkey Bags Work Best For at the Parks?

Orbitkey’s bags work best for techies or those who enjoy working from Disney (it isn’t as crazy as it sounds, I promise). Many of their bags’ features, like the Daily Tote’s laptop sleeve or the cable pass-through window between pockets in Sling and Sling Mini (great for charging your phone between mobile ordering and checking wait times), are made with electronic device use in mind. And Orbitkey’s Disney and Pixar licensed products ensure that you share some Disney magic while going about your day.

Loungefly

Out of the four brands compared in this article, Loungefly has the longest history with the Walt Disney Company and the largest catalog of options, many of which are exclusive to specific theme parks, resorts, or online stores. Their Mini Backpacks are near-instantly recognizable, but that doesn’t mean that is all they have to offer.

Loungefly Bag Highlights

The Luca Machiavelli Cosplay Plush Mini Backpack lets you wear the curmudgeonly feline Machiavelli from Pixar’s Luca. This bag is particularly special, not only because it is a character that rarely sees his own merchandise, but also because of the themed details, especially the plush tail on the bag’s back and the fish “swimming” the straps.

The online-exclusive Treasure Planet Exclusive Jim & Morph Mini Backpack is sure to be a sought-after accessory for those seeking early 2000s nostalgia. The backpack’s front zippered pocket is modeled after the treasure map in the film, which opens up to reveal an image of Jim Hawkins and Morph beneath the facade. Jim and Morph decorate the sides of the bag as well.

The Lilo & Stitch Space Adventure Glow Tote Crossbody Bag with Coin Bag is an excellent example of Loungefly’s work beyond mini backpacks. This crossbody bag depicts Lilo and her bestie Stitch, riding on a quarter machine rocket, just like in the movie. And as a bonus, Lilo’s doll Scrump is included on the accompanying coin bag.

Who Do The Loungefly Bags Work Best For at the Parks?

Loungefly’s bags are ideal for those who plan on Disneybounding or otherwise cosplaying in themed attire during their visit. With a wealth of styles featuring a huge variety of characters, attractions, and movies, this brand has the most options to help you dress your Disney best while carrying around your stuff.

Lug

Lug has been a rising star among licensed Disney brands, even sponsoring major Disney events like last year’s Destination D23. While they do have many bags that feature Disney characters or attractions, and some are even part of collections for seasonal events like Holiday Time, the majority of their products work well for trips to the park.

Lug Bag Highlights

The Hopper SE Backpack is one of Lug’s smaller backpack models, measuring 13 inches wide, 17 inches high, and 4 inches deep. It is still plenty big enough to hold everything you need for a day at the parks, and with all of the pockets, it is easy to keep track of where everything is. We loved the lined pocket with a magnetic closure, designed for easy cell phone access. Another feature we especially like on this one is the rubberized, nonslip straps and handle. And if you opt for the “Crimson Large Dot” color print (seen below), the bag looks similar to Minnie Mouse’s dress.

The Legacy Collection Canter Convertible Tote Bag lets you easily switch from a crossbody bag to a backpack. Like the Hopper SE Backpack, it is available in the “Crimson Large Dot” color. But regardless of your color selection, there are plenty of pockets, including the cell phone pocket also seen on the Hopper SE Backpack.

The Skeeter Mini Convertible Crossbody Bag is the style that you see the most on theme park shelves (both in Disney Parks and, more recently, Universal Epic Universe). This style of bag can be worn as a crossbody or, by threading the strap through the loops on the bag’s back, as a belt bag. The Skeeter Mini offers a small RFID-blocking zippered pocket in the front. and two additional, larger zippered compartments in the main body. It works best when you are traveling light, but still want to show off some Disney or Epic Universe spirit.

Who Do Lug Bags Work Best For at the Parks?

Lug’s bags work best for guests who value the blend of functionality and versatility with a dash of color and character, courtesy of company collaborations. The pockets and zippered compartments help you stay organized on the go. And many of the company’s bags, including two of the three highlighted here, can be worn in different ways, which is especially helpful if your back gets tired over the course of the park day.

Let’s Hear From You – Which Bag Wins The Battle For You?

Do you have a go-to bag for your Park day? Is it one of the brands we showcased in our Battle of the Bags? Or is it another brand entirely? Let us know in the comments below!

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We also wanted to share an exciting new release from the Hawaii-based ALOHA Collection, all inspired by Moana! Find out more about this collection and where to buy it here:

Disney’s Moana x ALOHA Collection Makes a Splash

Discount Theme Park Tickets and Travel