Mistake you will not repeat next time...

[jlsmith376]

My big mistake was overscheduling through naptime. If the kids usually need a nap at home, the definitely will at WDW!

 

[RussTKD]

If you're staying at WL, and it's late October/Early November, and have a balcony where you can see Wishes, resist the urge to open your doors to watch the show.

The area around the lagoon is full of these little bugs called midges. They come out in late fall (late October/early November). And they like light. And white ceilings.

Fortunately they don't bite. However, seeing a few hundred of them in your room at 11PM is a bit disconcerting.

Adding to the list... Never making more than one Character Breakfast reservation on a trip. The breakfast buffets aren't that good, and the cost is simply not worth it.

 

[Stitch407]

You want a never again, I will never again go with family. Adult friends are so much more fun to go with. No strollers, lots of drinks and everyone can take care of themselves. I love going by myself, and also many local families have mommy-daughter days or father-son days. So much easier than a group. You get a lot more done too.

 

[GoonieBride]

I have been to Epoct three times, amd still haven't seen Illmuninations! There is no way we are going to miss it this time. It looks incredible.

my favorite fireworks show!!
my first kiss with my DH was at Illuminations in Japan!

 

[jennapens]

Just a few things. First the biggest regret is that I still haven't seen the Candlelight Processional. We usually go between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I have no idea how I miss this every year.

Biggest mistakes... Thanksgiving Day Dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe (mediocre at best, waitress wasn't really having fun) and going in September one year. I can not stand extreme heat, so I'm not sure exactly what we were thinking going at that time. And my personal favorite, running out of diapers on the next to the last day of our trip last year. None of the stores had DD's size (yes, we actually had the front desk call around) No car, so DH took a taxi to Publix. Those diapers cost us $70.

 

[GoonieBride]

I have to be careful to not pass the Dole Whip stand more than once a day or I will get one everytime, lol!

We now will never go w/o packing our own breakfast or eating in the room first. Actually, we packed a lunch this last trip too. Saves TONS of $$ and we would rather save that $ for special dinner dining. Besides, we have done the dining plan and it is just TOO much food for our family. We like to eat but we felt like that is all we were doing!

We have also learned to time out our FP better and if we really like a ride, we will get a FP AND go on if the line is quick that way we can ride more than 1 time that day.

Finally, we will bring a stroller for our 6 y/o daughter. She can and will walk most of the time, but for the long walks and convenience of being able to hang a backpack off the back it is priceless!

We do the same thing! we bring breakfast, pack lunches and snacks and drinks. for the price of that we paid for to bring out own food for 3 days, it cost just as much for one lunch for my family.
plus we always bring a stroller. so much easier to just put DS in the stroller at the end of the night when leaving the park or for naps!

 

[GoonieBride]

My biggest "mistake" was going with another family. We love them dearly and there weren't any problems at all, but I was the trip planner and I spent most of the time worried that if I made an error it would not only ruin our trip, but theirs too. This time we are going with just the 4 of us so the pressure is off.

OMG right! I have to same thing with our friends! Just because I used to work there doesn't mean that I am the Disney know it all! I will forget something or make a mistake. Plus Disney is always changing. What was great 3-4 years ago is not the same now. oh well can't please them all.

 

[suorkaterina]

Great thread! We went on our Disneymoon in Sept. 2012 and I had planned it out so perfectly. Last time we went we totally rushed everywhere which was great for my then boyfriend since it was his first time. But this time I just made sure we did low crowd days, had some nice dinners planned but we had a longer stay(10 days) with lots of time for relaxation.

So this is what our mistake was. We spent all our budget on more nights so that we had no money to buy things, to do extras(like watercraft), and at the end we barely had enough money to cover the extra meals not covered by the meal plan because we had done 2 double credit signature meals.

Another mistake was eating more table service dinners than lunches. The fact is we always have the best meals at lunch. From now on, I'm sticking to lunches. Except California Grill which was great our first night. Another mistake there was that we didn't have the extra money to go all the way with our signature meals, like order wine, appetizers, etc.

Our last mistake was concentrating on rides instead of enjoying all the little stuff we had time for but didn't do.

If I had it to do over again I'd do 7 days, have more spending money, plan more special events. Not that I'm complaining, we had a wonderful honeymoon ! I'd say I'd learned better for next time but...in a few months we will be living down there so no more vacation planning for me! Though I will probably do the dining at lunch thing from now on when we do head over to the parks for a nice meal.

 

[scottmel]

I love threads like this! Very helpful. We go yearly and I still make mistakes! Ones I won't repeat:

1. We love split stays but I will not spilt stay mod and deluxe again. Spent the first part of my week hurrying the days along so I could check into YC CL and get my balcony! This year -deluxe to deluxe on the split stay.

2. Ordering a meal for myself. Just so much food. We are better to split a few entrees at the table than everyone getting their own. We wasted so much food last year.....

3. We always rent a car but last year DD wanted to return the car at YC so we could take the Magical DEPRESS to the airport. HATED IT. Bus ran late, they were calling cabs for people so they didn't miss their flights, sad bus ride in misty rain. UGH. Keeping car for whole trip this summer!

I am nostalgic when I read about others bringing family and friends. A few summers ago we were there teh same time as good friends of ours but we met up every couple of days for a few hours and it worked out great. I don't think I could full time vacation wtih another family...

 

[Chabby]

I made a few mistakes: 2 of them regarding strollers!
1- I rented a double stroller for my 1yo and 6yo (thinking we could go comando style while they napped). It turned out to be very difficult to carry on Disney buses, so we exchanged it for a single. But DD had already thought she didn't have to walk, so she got whinny
2- Renting a stroller in the first place! We should have brought an umbrella stroller from home. You can carry it on the plane and use it in the airport, and they are super easy to fold and carry in the bus.

The other one I regret was not getting a preferred room. The walk to the main building took us 10-15 min!

 

[sharadoc]

Eating a BIG late breakfast at Crystal Palace in June! It was SO hot and we were so full that we couldn't function. We walked to Tomorrowland, rode TTA and went back to the room. Waste of a morning.

Going without checking best parks per day. Once we realized how much better crowds were on the recommended parks, we never looked back. We paid TGM for years, now easyWDW seems to work for us.

Not paying attention to resort activities. Once we realized how much fun the kids could have around the pool, we built that into our vacation and it was wonderful.

 

[Dis_Dreamin]

Biggest mistake, that I won't do again...

Late evening events, followed up by pre-rope drop breakfasts. Multiple days in a row.

Did the Fireworks Dessert party on our arrival night on our last trip, which got delayed by >1 hour due to rain. Ended up getting to the resort near 11pm, just to get up at 5:30 to get ready for breakfast at Epcot with princesses. Long park day followed by breakfast at Tusker House the next morning...then finally Fantasmic! that night followed by breakfast at Crystal Palace the next morning. By the end of Day 3 we were totally wiped out, and still had 7 more days to go...
Oh, did I mention we were up at 5:30 every morning those first three days...yeah, not a good plan.

 

[homeschoolmomof4]

Going to a hard ticket event on the day of arrival. Never again.

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

Taking my mil in August. I did everything I could to accommodate her-- stayed off site in a 3 bedroom condo, left the parks between noon and 1 each day for lunch and down time, packed snacks and h2o for the parks etc. The second to last day of our trip we stayed at the condo, hung out etc until 3pm them headed to MK for my DS (then 14 months) 1st haircut and my DDs BBB. The plan was hair etc then take a slow tour around the park and watch one last wishes as our flight the next day left at 6pm.
NOPE! By the time the girls were done with their hair she was cranky crabby and ready to go. And since we were off site that meant we had to leave too.

 

[Sarya]

Not reading a thread like this before leaving in 20 days. I have learned alot.

 

[Tinker_Tam]

I will never add on a resort overnight while I am currently at WDW. When I called from the resort, it was to be added to our reservation. The reservation was booked without a last name and could not be found. We were locked out of the room so we were unable to get the confirmation number. After an hour and half discussion with the manager at check-in, I was given a card to enter the room and get the number... but my family had to sit on a bench by the check-in desk to prove we weren't leaving. We ended up wasting 3 hours of the evening we added on. I was livid! Will never happen again!

 

[bvkramer]

I will never go 7 months pregnant again.
I will never move our vacation dates to accommodate my in-laws who only cared about our nephew and not our kids anyway.
I will never stand quietly while people push in front of me when i've been saving a parade spot for 3 hours at SWW.
I will never book a two week vacation with a toddler again and try to go to the parks everyday. which i hope means i never have to open the door to AKL management and explain the screaming sounds that have been reported. (my husband had to fly hope early and my almost-3-year-old lost it. I was 7 months pregnant, alone, and I just gave up and let him have it out)

 

[ZoZo]

Spending all day in the lazy river at the water park and not constantly reapplying sun screen... I got so badly burned I got sun poisoning. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life and my dad wouldn't let me miss more than a day. Then my second mistake was wearing a sleeveless shirt after that. It hurt so much to have a shirt on my shoulders, but having my burn exposed made it worst!

I have a great sunscreen that works at water parks, Coppertone Sport spray (in the blue can). It's really waterproof -- I had to wash it off (scrubbing very hard!) with a soapy washcloth to get it to come off! You don't have to apply it nearly as often as other sunscreens I've tried, either.

 

[stink]

Biggest mistake is trying to do too much and please everybody.

New motto at WDW is Do Less, and Enjoy it More !

 

[Planogirl]

I will never be at WDW without a car. We had one for only a portion of our trip the last time we were at WDW and I really missed not having it.