Any MISTAKES made on past trips?

[psiprez]

*one-week-to-go dance!!!*

 

[amwhitaker]

Not making a long enough trip!

 

[pamslovestigger]

Packing to many clothes....we bought tons of tshirts there
Packing to many snacks, toys, etc....We didn't even use all of our snack credits!!!!
Not buying a charm bracelet.....

 

[ZoZo]

bump!

 

[scrapbookworm]

My biggest thing is that somehow, when growing up, I was told (or maybe just impressed upon) that I needed to buy a souvenir for EVERYONE in the family. It didn't really dawn on me until our trip in May 05 that I was buying maybe one thing for myself, and 10 things for 10 other people in the family. We were spending more money on souvenirs for extended family (who would never do the same, LOL) than we were on ourselves. I actually had to make a conscious effort to stop trying to "find something" for everyone in the extended family, and just buy things for us. I was seriously stressing over trying to find the "right souvenir" for each family member. (I guess that doesn't sound quite right in words, but I think you KWIM)

Now if I see something that really jumps out at me (such as the Benford Tools beer mug for my stepdad- big Home Improvement fan), then that's ok. But I had to let go of the mentality "oh we need to buy something for your dad, and something for my mom, etc".

So that's my mistake on past trips (even non-Disney ones)- buying too many souvenirs for people who aren't there and could care less.

 

[Blackunicorn]

I didn't realize what a pain it was to be around someone like that until our last trip. My cousin (20) came with us and her and I shared our own room. She was GLUED to her cell phone the whole time trying to reach her BF and she was supposedly so excited to be going with us! We went to Country Bear Jamboree and she was text messaging him the whole time during the show. Then we went to the Comedy Warehouse and she kept checking her voicemail messages and then asking me what was said by the comedians because everyone was laughing. I about died laughing when she was still looking at her cell phone on the big drop on Splash Mountain (of course I had to buy that picture ).Then I absolutely LOVED the 2 a.m. phone calls from her BF and her fighting with him saying "There are no boys in our room! I promise!" every single night. Then when she wasn't on the phone with him she wouldn't stop talking about him. "He's so perfect. You know he used to be a model for Abercrombie & Fitch. And he used to be an astronaut. And right now he's a firefighter/police officer. And he's going to school to be a rocket scientist. And he's a millionaire." It brought back memories of how I spent my trip when I was 19. I felt sorry for her especially now that they're broken up! Oh well...but I don't think I'll be going to WDW with her again anytime soon.

It's funny and a comfort to hear that other people do this. I **was** the 18 year old on the phone to her boyfriend the whole trip. My mother had asked me if I wanted to go, and I gave her a kind of half-hearted "sure" which I didn't feel meant I was committed. Then I fell in love with this guy and didn't want to go. My mother said, "Well, you're going and that's that!" I spent the whole trip--three weeks in a motor home driving across country!--racking up enormous phone bills (I think it was well before cell phones were in common use) and arguing with my family. I barely remember WDW, and I'm sure I made everyone around me absolutely miserable. I think I also lost out on years of enjoying Disney, because I was so unhappy during that trip. When I went to Disneyland with my husband and children in 2002, we loved it, and go every year now! If I hadn't been missing "that guy" so much, and had enjoyed myself, maybe we would have gone to Disneyland sooner.

In a teeny tiny bit of self defense, I might have responded better if my mother had told me that they had already paid for me and backing out would cost them a lot of money, rather than demanding that I do as told. And I've been married to "that guy" for nearly 15 years now. Not much of a defense, but it's all I've got.

 

[GoN2WDW2]

My parents and I went to Disney World in July of 2005. We went to Boma in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. BIG MISTAKE! To sum it up, we ended up getting pizza in the POR food court less than an hour later.

 

[pedro2112]

Driving instead of Flying for nostalgia's sake.

 

[dbenlee]

One of the worst things that we tend to forget is that it is a VACATION and we don't have to go full tilt all the time. Part of what we take a vacation for is to slow down from our busy daily lives. Our first trip to WDW as a family 2 years ago, we spent the entire week trying to squeeze every little thing in, that by the time we got home we were more exhausted than we would have been staying home and working long hours. No we make it a point to sleep late if we want to and if there are things we miss, we'll get to do them on our next trip!!

 

[Minnie]

Yes, not purchasing certain things when I saw them so that I had to spend those precious last couple hours of vacation running around rather than enjoying it by the pool.

When I stop and think about it some of the best times Ive had at WDW are those few moments when I've let go of being commando and simply enjoyed being with my family.

 

[Amlee]

One thing I have found when traveling with family is getting my own room. Out of 5 children, I'm the only one not married and no kids. When we travel I always get a room of my own. It's my little place that I can get away from them all. I'm use to traveling by myself and doing my own thing. (been to WDW twice right by myself and loved it.) So I have no problem with spliting from them.

Also I realized when I first started traveling I thought I had to buy gifts for everyone. That isn't the case now. If they want stuff they need to go themselves!

I think everyone over packs! That is just human nature.

But my WOREST mistake was getting back to the Atlanta airport to get my car and realizing my car keys were back on my nightstand in Ocho Rios.

FYI a locksmith wont unlock a car without proof of ownership. EVEN if that proof is locked up tightly in said car.

 

[labdogs42]

My biggest mistakes were #1 - going during hurricane season and #2 - not getting travel insurance. 'nuff said!

Here's hoping our May 2006 trip is much better!

 

[sweetiepapeetie]

1. letting my husband "pack" his own clothes. I don't know what he was thinking, bringing "work" clothes? whaaa???? and too much of it to boot!

I will be the one that packs my dh's clothes when we go for this exact reason!!!! I have seen the man pack for himself and I'm not keeping track of his stuff. He once left home to go to Chicago on a Friday afternoon, planning on returning Sunday, so what does he pack?

4 Pairs of pants. 2 jeans, 1 pair of cords, and dress pants.
1 pair of shorts
6 different tops.....What the heck do you need that many shirts for??
2 PJ sets
4 pairs of shoes!!!! (I don't even own four pairs of shoes!!!!!)
and then add to that all of his tolietries!!! INSANE!!!!

I do not in any way understand why he would have needed this much stuff for such a short period of time, I'm someone who can be gone for two weeks and take a carry on for pete's sake! I finally broke down and asked him why....His answer was "Because I don't know what I'm going to feel like wearing"

 

[Kath2003]

Not Disney but....

Buying a large Donkey at Universal Studios - I had to carry him on as hand luggage he was so awkwardly shaped. He's sat downstairs now - a cool student house decoration Meeting Donkey that day was the highlight of my trip to Orlando last summer:



(I'm on the left - the other two are my sisters, obviously!)

Donkey and I had this conversation:

Donkey: Have you met Shrek yet?
Me: Shrek sucks. And he's just a guy in a suit.
Donkey: Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I like your green shoes.
Me: Thanks. You know, I once got bitten by a donkey.
Donkey: I'm not gonna bite you.
Me: Maybe you should. Maybe you'd like it?
Donkey: Hey I have a wife, and she's a big scary dragon.
Me: But she's not here.
Donkey: ......true



Also wearing sneakers on the Popeye ride at IOA. They were drenched. We were soaked through. But since the damage was irreversable, we rode another four times ...my sneakers were ruined though. TAKE THEM OFF BEFORE YOU RIDE!

 

[heart4dis]

1. we videotaped over our Animal Kindgom day...
2. we didn't weigh our bags and had to re-shift at the airport (luckily I packed in extra-large ziplocks so I could move clothing very easily)
3. we forgot to put our exposed film in one place and hand carry it.
4. I packed aspirin, etc. but there was just too many detail things to remember to carry and they didn't make it into our belly bags. I ended up buying some at the parks. It was fine. (you can also go to first aid and get some complimentary)
5. remembering to pass the camera around so mom gets in pictures, too!


by the way...it's always easy to say later that you wish you could have slowed down but what would you give up?!! Our kids would have loved to spend more time at the hotel (HIFS at the time) but they weren't willing to give up time at the parks, either!

 

[Andrea]

Sharing a room with friends. Don't do it! 'Nuff said.

i agree with this, we have some friends who wants to go with us and stay in the same room. I already so no way, i dont want to do that at all

 

[samano]

Not planning one "no park" day. I figured we'd have so much fun at the parks, the kids wouldn't care about swimming at the hotel. Two years later, DD will still mention how she never got to go in the pool on that trip. LOL!
This time, we are staying a day longer, so arrival day will be spent enjoying our resort and swimming!

 

[bsusanmb]

Staying off property at Fairfield Resort and forgetting to pack my sneakers. Had to walk to the outlet mall in my dress shoes - blisters, and saw a snake on the way!
Eating all we could on the dining plan. Too much gourmet food, sick to death of steak, desserts, UGH
Thinking it would be fun to do 4 resorts in two weeks - awful, moving and packing, would only do 2 resorts.
Standing down wind during of Illuminations at EPCOT - the smoke was so bad that I got deathly sick by the next day - spent next 4 days in bed and had to go to a doctor and get medicine in FLa, and my PA insurance was not accepted as payment - $400 out of pocket...
Thinking that DH and I (at age 50) could tolerate staying at Pop Century at a really great rate - thought I could deal with anything for a good rate - moved within 2 hours over to POR...just not my idea of a vacation after raising 5 kids.
Not taking winter coats with us in Dec. It was so cold that we drove to Walmart and bought long underwear, sweat pants and shirts, gloves and hats and we were still cold!
Not buying a souvenir I absolutely loved when I saw it - by the time I got back it was gone - won't do that again.
Not joining DVC sooner - would have it paid for over and over by now!
Not bring my own toilet tissue - that stuff in the hotels is rough!
Renting a car at one of the off airport companies - what a hassle - stood in line during Daytona week for over and hour - and returning the car impossible and nerve racking - always use National Emerald Aisle now
Arriving too late for Fantasmic - standing room only - awful
DH thought the Disney raincoats were too expensive and wouldn't buy any during a monsoon - soaked and mad - so bought my own when he wasn't around and always take it with me.

 

[masdisney]

Getting the fantasmic package, we paid extra for special seating and ended up sitting with everyone else. Didn't enjoy dinner that much either (mama melrose). Won't do that again.

 

[ms.ojo]

2. bringing too many things to "entertain" DS. he liked jumping on the beds and looking at pictures from my bro's digital cameras. we didn't need to bring every book he owned!

3. same as #2 but for snacks!

I'm sure there are more things and I've done a lot of what others have said too.

oh my gosh..yes!! I let the kids pick out some toys to entertain for the plane ride..and in the room, of course then I have a couple of surprises...and we buy stuff at the parks! I learned. Last trip each child had 1 or 2 SMALL toys in their backpacks and a few wrapped surprises from me. Plenty of room to store the new thing they'd purchase on the trip!

Ditto for snacks...good for the plane ride....but we now take fewer for the parks. let's face it, we ALL would rather have a mickey bar or one of those strawberry bars than a squished chocolate chip granola bar. And like someone else posted, we learned you do NOT bring the choc covered bars...what a mess!!!!

hmmm, I LOVE this thread. Other lessons learned...

- bring the stroller for your 4-6 yr old. Makes a HUGE difference. DS would never have used one at home at those ages, but at Disney, it was a life saver. Esp when his younger sister was still so much in need of one.

- Pack for layers and pack LESS.

- Travelling w/ a recently toilet trained 2 or 3 yr old? BRING THE PULL-UPS. You don't want to be just boarding a ride when the call comes.... bathrooms are NOT always close by, even when out in the parks and their bladders don't seem to understand "Hold it just another minute dear". Oh, and be SURE to keep extra clothing & undies for them in your travel bag HOME. The stores at the MCO airport do NOT carry kids shorts. I had to buy a larger t that hung down long on ds(2.5 at the time) and he flew home wearing it, and the only extra pull-up I had w/ me. I was so worried he would do something in it on the plane and we'd be sunk.

- Book some lunches and dinners...plans change, you can cancel or try to move them around...but we've always been glad we had a place to stop for lunch and rest in a cool comfortable setting to recharge.

- when someone is slowing down, stop. This may mean leaving a park for a few hrs but it is well worth it. Sometimes, just sitting and having an ice cream will get everyone back on track. But don't push on.

I'm sure there are others.....