How I Packed Everything Into a 2-Liter Sling for a 3-Day Universal Orlando Trip
For my 3-day, 2-night trip to Universal Orlando, I wanted to challenge myself: could I pack everything I needed into my everyday 2-liter sling?
Turns out, it was totally doable.
The main motivation was flexibility. I’d be spending my entire third day at the park after checking out of my hotel, and I wanted the option to leave straight from Universal instead of doubling back just to grab my things. Since my plan was basically two full theme park days (plus an arrival evening), I could strip my packing list down to the true essentials and leave the rest at home.
I travel with a single everyday-size backpack year-round. If you want the exact gear I use (beyond what’s I packed in this challenge), here’s my complete one-bag gear list → My one-bag (30L) packing list (full breakdown) →
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Flat lay of all the items I packed into my sling bag (upper left).
Sling I used
I used my Osprey Ultralight Collapsible Stuff Waist Pack (*). It was what I had on-hand at the moment, but the bag is very light and spacious. It also converts easily from a sling to a waist-strapped fanny pack, which was necessary to comply with the bag policies for certain rides.
Packed sling.
What I Wore
I wore one outfit for the entire trip:
Merino wool lightweight long sleeve
Merino shorts
Lightweight windbreaker that packs tiny
Comfortable sports bra
Merino underwear
Merino running socks
Trail running shoes
Thoughts on what I wore:
The weather was mild all three days (high 65-70F, and low 45-50F). This makes merino a great choice since merino prevents odors, regulates temperature when the weather changes, and still dries relatively fast if you get splashed on water rides. If the weather were hot and humid, I would've gone for quick dry, lightweight synthetics, like running tanks and shorts, to optimize for drying speed.
Merino running socks are my go-to for long days on my feet without stinking. Since my feet don't sweat much, wearing them for two full days worked well, but each night I made sure to air them out.
Quick-dry fabrics are key. If absolutely necessary, you can sink-wash for your clothes to dry by the next morning. Both lightweight merino and synthetic athletic clothes should dry overnight with hotel AC.
What I Packed
I used Ziploc bags as “packing cubes” to compress and save space:
3 pairs of merino wool underwear (one extra for just in case)
Phone
Power bank (small 5000 MAh, enough for one full charge)
Charging block and charging cable
Airpods
Wallet
Face moisturizer in contact lens case
Floss (packed in the contact lens case)
Travel size toothpaste
Toothbrush
4 pairs of daily contact lenses (two extra just in case)
Hair tie
Lip balm
1 extra Ziploc bag for water rides
Thoughts on what I packed:
The powerbank was totally necessary since I used my phone a lot to navigate the park and for entertainment while waiting in line.
Packing 2-3 days worth of moisturizer and floss into a contact lens case saved a ton of space vs. bringing the full-sized containers.
I could've probably saved some more space by using smaller Ziploc bags, but I only had access to the gallon ones.
Packed sling with items inside.
Overall Reflections
This was a really fun challenge, and I learned some things that I will be applying for future small trips too, like utilizing contact lens cases as tiny containers for liquids and other small essentials.
I used every single item I packed and didn’t feel like I needed more. That kind of intentionality was very satisfying.
The freedom of traveling with just this 2-liter sling was pretty awesome, like checking into and out of the hotel with just that little bag, barely needing to unpack, and spending a full day at the park without worrying about returning for luggage. Everything I needed was already with me.
Overall, I feel like I’ve discovered the ability to travel ultralight and the joy of doing so. I’ll absolutely be doing more of this in the future.
