Any MISTAKES made on past trips?

[psiprez]

My biggest mistake was a painful lesson indeed. I'd gotten badly chaffed on my inner thighs after getting soaked on Kali River Rapids. It hurt so bad for my legs to touch and we were planning to go to E-night at MK that night so I came up with the bright idea to put whole strips of moleskin over my chaffed thighs. During E-night the moleskin started rolling up around the edges so I decided to duck in the bathroom take the moleskin off and put new sheets on. When I took the moleskin off all my skin ripped off with the moleskin! I was a mess! I barely made it back to the room that night. I had to buy gauze and wrap my thighs but the tape wouldn't stick from getting all sweaty. I ended up having to rent an ECV to get around the parks for our last two days. Now, I take and use Bodyglide and it prevents chaffing.

OMG! We don't go on Kali or Splash Mtn because I don't want to deal with the wetness and all. BUT...my kids had started to wear me down about Kali for our next trip. I read them your post, and now it is a non-issue!

(I had my legs waxed for the first time for my Junior prom years ago, and the woman ended up ripping the skin off the whole front of one calf. I went to the Prom with gauze wrapped up my leg, but at least I could still walk and dance!)

 

[florida-again]

2. Being 19 and stupid and in-love while at WDW. All I could think of was my boyfriend back home, and I tried to go back to the room every 5 min. to call him (I wasn't fortunate enough to have a cell phone), and I couldn't wait until the end of the vacation to be back home with him. Well we broke up 6 months later. And I missed all of my vacation.

I've done this! me and bf had only been together....3 days when I left for WDW! On the other hand three years later we're still together and have been to WDW together twice already!

I guess I must've had a hunch!

 

[bopper]

It's interesting to see how many people on this thread regretted going with extended family. Since we are leaving in less than three weeks to go to Disney World and we are meeting six members of our extended family.

I think it should be o.k. though. We are pretty good about going our seperate ways when need be!

Being able to break up is the key. We went to WDW for "the millenium" and we would break up into more than one group. Usually a couple of families would go together. We did have some meals set up ahead of time to go together, and of course we spent all New Years Eve, from 7:30am (when guests not staying on premises were turned away)to midnight, but even then we broke up during the day and got back together later.

The key is to plan some things together, let others know what you are doing, but if they have a different touring style then let them do their thing!

 

[bopper]

I planned everything- booked the trip, read the book, made index cards with tips on them , and booked 2 character meals. So my regret is not including my family with the palnning. The morning of the Princess breakfast I had to drag DH and DD to the breakfast. "We are on vacation we want to sleep in!" Lesson learned.

I have finally learned to do no more than two early park days without having a sleep-in day. Having the unexpiring magic your way tickets helps me not feel obligated to go to the parks.

 

[bopper]

OMG! We don't go on Kali or Splash Mtn because I don't want to deal with the wetness and all. BUT...my kids had started to wear me down about Kali for our next trip. I read them your post, and now it is a non-issue!

The key is to dress for wetness. You need to have shorts that are not cotton (and certainly not denim) and that dry fast. Then it isn't too bad.

 

[Breakfast@Tiffany's]

This has been such a great and informative thread to read, thanks everyone! As I am a girl who packs a huge bag just to do errands around town, I know I'm in trouble, but will try to contain myself. DH will be proud if I can pack for Disney trip in three bags or less!

 

[kjs1976]

If you are going with your extended family of all adult ages, agree before you go that everyone will most likely do their own thing each day and if you happen to do the same thing, then yea for you and you can be together! Otherwise, plan a few meals or meet-ups at nightly shows and agree to have a lot of fun!

You can never plan enough!!!! For me, making a list anh checking it thrice has been the key to excellent trips. Because we have had everything and more in terms of what we packed and researched, our last three trips have been perfect! Our DL trip a few weeks ago where we planned only two things; get there extra early and go right to Space Mt, was good, but could've been better had I done my research and PLANNED!

Don't buy groceries unless you know your room will be ready! We got there at 2PM last trip with a hot car full of groceries and our room wasn't ready yet at POFQ!!!! I panicked and we tried to load up the grocery bags with ice from the vending machine to help! It worked fine and our room was read in 45 min, but it was a stressful 45 min!!!

 

[lsteadman]

GLADE PLUGINS - FOR THE BATHROOM!

You are already in close quarters in the Pop & All-Star Rooms. I have already purchased a plug-in for my next trip.

That is a mistake or learning experience you don't make twice. Bring some type of airfreshner. All that dining plan and DDE discounts make you eat more!

 

[ZoZo]

1) Bought way too many groceries at the store after arrival; didn't eat half of the snacks we bought. Would have been fine with cereal, milk and pop.

2) Thought I had broken in my shoes pretty well, but didn't! [They were my everyday workout shoes, but didn't hold up to 12+ hours per day of walking.] Ended up with a big blister on the bottom of my toe which bothered me for several days. Should have brought my oldest, crummiest shoes just in case - not too pretty, but have never given me blisters.

3) Too many clothes. Wasn't sure how convenient the washers/dryers would be at Shades of Green, but was pleasantly surprised! They were just down the hall from our room. Quick, convenient - should have brought half of the clothes I brought.

 

[kimmbagley]

Actually, on THIS trip. Mistake of not asking TA to send documents with a signature required. My Priority Mail envelope is in limbo right now with only 4 days to go. Post office says it was delivered, but I don't have it!

 

[psiprez]

Actually, on THIS trip. Mistake of not asking TA to send documents with a signature required. My Priority Mail envelope is in limbo right now with only 4 days to go. Post office says it was delivered, but I don't have it!

OMG! Hope all is fine!

 

[dandee00]

Actually, on THIS trip. Mistake of not asking TA to send documents with a signature required. My Priority Mail envelope is in limbo right now with only 4 days to go. Post office says it was delivered, but I don't have it!

Any news on your documents?

 

[pyrxtc]

bringing too much carry-on
Not having larger suitcases
buying too many in room meals, never really ate there, only used the fridge for water and milk for cereal
too many people who didn't understand there was a a plan of attack
expecting my room to be ready on time
not double checking we had everything to take home
Not saving my pictures to the laptop every night, lost two days worth on the way home
not double checking EMH when I checked in, there were some changes
making my PS' too late for some poeple in my party
not taking the time to really enjoy the view the first few days
not taking enough time for me and DH alone, even though we brought a babysitter
not being able to do the free dining plan but the BWV's were worth it
Make more PS's for dinner, we didn't have a single one
make more time for downtown disney

 

[kimmbagley]

Any news on your documents?

I ended up getting the pkg Mon at 5:30pm. The tags had the wrong date! TA called and said don't worry, I just rcvd new ones and will overnight them to you. 20 minutes later she called back to say never mind, these are wrong too!
On Wed she called again to say she has the third set now and they are correct. I am now waiting for my overnight pkg to arrive. We leave in 18 hrs.
Thank goodness for my TA. She is really earning her commission.

 

[tobie01]

Big Mistake:
Trying to save $ by staying off-site. Never again. My niece said "it felt like we didn't do anything but drive around!" And we got lost every day trying to get to the parks and navigate our way through the road system that to this day I'm confused about!

Big Mistake:
Trying to buy all the "stuff" I felt I needed; crocs, moleskin, extra water, ponchos, fans, those head wrap gel things to keep you cool, etc. I'm not saying that I didn't use any of it, I just didn't use most of it!
I'm still not sure how much money I spent trying to save money!

Big Mistake:
Trying to fit a weeks' worth of stuff into a small bag and asking my nieces to do the same. Next time I'll bring my big suitcase and not worry about it!

Next time, on-site for us and no car!

 

[dandee00]

I ended up getting the pkg Mon at 5:30pm. The tags had the wrong date! TA called and said don't worry, I just rcvd new ones and will overnight them to you. 20 minutes later she called back to say never mind, these are wrong too!
On Wed she called again to say she has the third set now and they are correct. I am now waiting for my overnight pkg to arrive. We leave in 18 hrs.
Thank goodness for my TA. She is really earning her commission.

Wow! You're having quite an adventure and you haven't even left yet! I hope everything goes well for you on your magical journey.

 

[goodferry]

Our mistakes:
1. Forgetting a bag at the airport. The skycap had stuck the tag for one of the pieces of luggage in a different envelope, so we just counted tags and got that number of bags. (14 ) Luckily we had a rental car and drove back when we figured out our mistake

2. Getting up EVERY morning for EMH, everyone needs to sleep in a little bit on vacation.

3 Staying offsite with friends.

4. Going with friends who smoke and don't watch their kids as closely as I do and who feel that eating isn't so necessary. We would spend half our day looking for somewhere for them to smoke and I was a nervous wreck we would loose one of their kids the entire time.

5. Planning an activity (ie fireworks cruise, Luau etc) for every day. We needed time to just chill.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Biggest mistake I ever made is not connetced with the theme parks.

We were staying at Sarasota and I went out to start the car, before my wife and 10 month old baby came down from the room - so that the car was nice and cool.

I started the engine and switched on the air-con, unfortunatley I then got out of the car and shut the door - it was locked.

Had to get a locksmith to come and open it up for us, cost me $50

 

[nightshaderose]

My "learning experiences" from last time (note: I don't have kids):

I tried to "see everything that might be cool" Feeling rushed does not (for me) a good vacation make.

In my attempt to "eat my way around the World Showcase" during F&WF, I made the mistake of having a glass of the Polish honey wine very early on. It exhaused me for the rest of the day, and I failed in my quest.

I brought a camera. I know that this is SOP for most folks, but when I have a camera, I feel like I have to take pictures of everything interesting I see, just to prove to the folks back home that I really saw that. I've found that I don't really like the feeling of living through the viewfinder. I'm not taking a camera on the next trip.

Going to MK on my first day (another one that I know others will disagree with). I am normally a very skeptical/cynical person, and it takes me a day or 2 to relax enough to suspend disbelief enough to enjoy it. I'm probably going to go to Epcot and watch the Fountain of Nations first this time.


I actually started keeping track of some of my "lessons" in the form of "vacation rules" (like the one in my sig) that are reasonably humerous, and help me remember.

Eliz

 

[arkansas mom]

My biggest mistake was trusting DH with the camera bag.