I have been going to both Universal Studios and Disney World since 2004 and it didn’t take me long to realize that there are certain things that I have to bring, and other things that are simply nice to have with me. I started using different backpacks until I found ones that worked best for my needs. These days I bring my Loungefly or Vera Bradley bags with me and I have plenty of those to choose from.
This got me to wondering about what kinds of fandom bags other people have and what their favorite bags are to take to theme parks, so I recently asked in a Facebook group that I belong to. The results were interesting but not really surprisingly, at least not to me.
This is what I asked when I created my Facebook post:
I am doing some research for an article that I am going to write regarding the best fandom bags to use at UO, the kind that I see sold at the parks and worn by lots of people while visiting the parks. I’m wondering about a couple of things so would love to get feedback from those of you who have them or your children have them. I’m including a picture to give you a better idea what I’m talking about.
– Who has fandom bags in your home? Gender? Age or age range?
– What kind of fandom bags do you or your family members prefer using at UO?
– What do you look for when shopping for a fandom bag that you plan on using at UO?
– If your bag has those small side pockets, what do you put in them?
Not everyone who responded answered each of my questions, but that is okay. I appreciated all of the responses that I was given.
Response #1
In our house we are Loungefly people! There are durable and nicely themed. Hot Topic sells many different styles, especially Harry Potter. These bags also fit well in the parks lockers.
Response #2
I some and my 2 daughters ages 24, 21. I have Harry Potter. I have the Danielle Nicole one they sell in the park but it’s to small. I have the Ravenclaw Bioworld but I have had to return it once already for the strap breaking. My favorite is the Harry Potter Funko from Loungfly. Loungfly by far is the best quality. My daughter’s have way more. They range from Harry Potter, Jurassic Park to Loki.
Response #3
I have a Deadpool-Unicorn Loungefly for the parks, it’s big enough to hold everything I need for the day and it fits into the free ride lockers. (I’m 39 to answer the first question). My daughter (12) has asked for a Harry Potter Loungefly for Christmas.
Response #4
1. 31 Year old female
2. Harry Potter or Marvel
3. One that fits in lockers! Super important. Lol! Second most important is side pockets for sunglasses and cell phone.
Response #5
I’m a Loungefly girl usually, but they don’t fit well in the lockers and I’m terrified of ripping them! So, I just got a crossbody Beetlejuice bag from Hot Topic for $14 so if it rips, I’m not out too much!
Response #6
32 yrs old. I like/prefer loungefly. I have one Kate Spade backpack as well. Love Marvel, Star Wars, and Alice in Wonderland bags. Easy to use in parks and I can get them in the lockers, I only have certain bags I’m willing to smush in lockers though. Lol!
Response #7
I only buy Loungefly. They are a reputable company when it comes to bags and they have a contract with Disney as well. I am a 32 year old female and have at least 100 Loungefly bags that range from Harry Potter, to anything Disney Princess, Star Wars, Iron Man, Avatar the Last Airbender, and Jurrasic Park. I don’t tend to use them at the park though cause I am always afraid something will happen to them. I try to keep mine in pristine condition. If I can snag the Grinch bag for Christmas then I might wear that one in December though when we meet the Grinch at Universal Studios.
Response #8
Loungefly is our fav. My favorite bag is my Universal Monsters chibi backpack. My husband (35) or I (40) wear it.
Response #9
We’re a Loungefly family, too. We also have some Danielle Nicole. My daughter, age 9, loves her Hedwig mini backpack and I love my Universal Monsters purse, although I do not prefer to carry it in the parks. The majority of our collection are Disney bags. We have a combined total of about 40 bags.
Response #10
I have a wide variety of bags from Dooney & Bourne, Coach, Loungefly, Vera Bradley, and Danielle Nicole.
On my recent trip I used a Danielle Nicole 9-3/4 Platform bag and it was a smaller backpack with a front pocket which had a closure aspect that was tight so I felt safe placing smaller items in it. The bag also had no problems fitting in the lockers when required. I also got the Jurassic Park one from Universal Studios and plan to use that on the next trip as it’s a bit bigger and can fit the freestyle cups or a water bottle in it.
Response #11
I go for Loungefly only. The polyurethane finish keeps everything dry if you are caught in the rain and it stands up well to being stuffed in lockers and set on the ground.
Response #12
1.I have a over 100 fandom bags. Female 35.
2.Loungefly is my go-to.
3.That it matches my outfit.
Response #13
1) Me. Female. 30s
2) Loungefly/off brand (the one I use the most is my Harry Potter from Hot Topic and is not a Loungefly)
3) Most important to me is having lots of space in said bag to carry stuff I need through the parks AND to have enough room to carry both my son’s wand and my wand. While still being as cute as possible!
Response #14
My teenagers and I collect them. We have 7 I think. The tiny pockets on the side are used to hold the key chains that are attached to the bags and keep them from clinking around.
Response #15
52. I’m a Loungefly fan but don’t carry them in the park. We carry a lot of stuff and need a larger bag. Plus I cram it it the lockers and wouldn’t want to mess them up. I have the Honeydukes candy purse and two mini backpacks from the other park. I have a Grinchmas bag on order for our December trip and will carefully bring it to the park. In my side pockets I have a black light flashlight, hand sanitizer and chapstick. I keep my work badge and keys in the front zipper pocket.
Response #16
I have them and I am close to 40. I need the front pouch and as many compartments as I can get. I put my phone or mask in the side pockets. I would love to see more Harry Potter ones, especially Hogwarts House ones.
Response #17
I’m 43 (!) and I just bought a backpack of Hedwig holding Harry’s letter. The “letter from Hogwarts”’
detaches and is a fanny pack! I love that I can wear both or either one. I like the Loungefly bags a lot, but I don’t love the size of them.
Response #18
1) 30 female
2) Harry Potter world related
3) First off it needs to fit in the free lockers, be cute, hold my medications and supplies, and usually like for it to fit a cup as well. I do a lot of craft hiding and trading so it needs to be big enough to fit a few crochet buddies.
As I said above, I wasn’t surprised by the results, especially not by how many people said that Loungefly is their brand of choice. There is no doubt that Loungefly has done a fantastic job of creating purses, mini backpacks, and wallets from a wide variety of fandoms. Nor was I surprised by how often Harry Potter bags were mentioned, which is, of course, my fandom of choice.
What about you? How would you answer my questions about what you would want in a bag to take to theme parks like Universal Studios or Disney? Let me know in the comments section.