Any MISTAKES made on past trips?

[JoAnnPan]

**BUMP**​

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

A few of my biggest mistakes:

Not taking snacks with us to the parks in years past. We would just buy snacks as we went and it got really pricey. We finally took stuff w/ us on our last trip and we really saved a lot on food!

Not taking advantage of mid-afternoon/evening breaks (especially on days with EMH). I'd heard people suggest this, but we never thought we needed to do it. Our last trip, we decided to go back to our room to eat something and relax. Afterwards, we would head to whatever park was having EMH. Wow, what a difference our break made - and we don't even have kids yet!

Taking a regular purse w/ me. I normally like using back pack style purses w/ me so I don't have to worry about holding my purse on my shoulder or carrying it. I didn't do that last time and it was really annoying! I collect pins, so I had the pin lanyard around my neck AND the big digital camera I borrowed from my sister to take more quality shots. Oh, not to mention having to juggle my purse w/ all that stuff too. Needless to say, it was WAY TOO MUCH stuff hanging on me.

 

[lostacresfarm]

We were staying off resort and went to MK during east coast April break. It was a big delay to be held at TTA until 9:00 and not even get on a monrail unitil 9:15. DW and son (4) were quitting at 2:00 anyway, but I stayed with my daughter and my niece. By 3:00 the crowds were so overwhelming that we ended up giving up as well.

I would stay away on extra magic day, unless is was at a slower time and we were staying at a Disney resort.

Our first day was much better. It was our first trip and were able to get in before the gates opened by filling in a questionaire. Got a nice pin and the kids and DW rode with monorail driver. Went back that night with DD (7) and nice (10) and had a magical evening, especiallly fireworks. Thought that regular hours were enough time with 2:00 break.

 

[englishrose47]

Not bringing ping pong balls! Dgs LOVED the ping pong table at Pop and balls cost 50c a crack!!

 

[Disneykidz]

Not bringing ping pong balls! Dgs LOVED the ping pong table at Pop and balls cost 50c a crack!!

Do they charge for the paddles?

 

[englishrose47]

Do they charge for the paddles?

No thank goodness! We were first timers so didn't know about the ping pong or how fond of it DGS would be. He would play with anyone ans wqs asking anybody who walked by to play!! So we went thru a lot of balss!!

 

[moepanz]

subbing

 

[MontanaZoo]

Just got back from 9 days in WDW.
Mistakes -

Putting my filtered water bottle on the top of the tv cabinet to dry out - maid threw it away and regular water bottles didn't fit the filter cap

Following a touring plan plus extra rides, worked so well in MK we did about 20 rides before 11, I got a little motion sick (just dizzy) after Big Thunder for the 2nd time....after that we swam in the pool and did laps around it (Dig Site at CSR), went up and down our stairs at the Casitas several times during the course of the morning (4th floor), about a half mile from our room to Dig Site then did another half mile to El Centro. We were fine until my niece talked about having a pain in her ribs (I figured oh side stitch). Turned out she didn't know what a side stitch was and threw up in the bathroom at El Centro to make herself feel better when laying on the edge of the fountain for about a minute actually did the trick. So either don't do the WDW triathalon of rides, walking and swimming so close together or teach young people what a side stitch is

Not checking my second waterproof coat that I loaned my niece for how waterproof it is. I sat in my nice lands end fold up rain jacket at P&PP and was fine, she was soaked all the way through.

Thinking I could get away with not telling my niece about rides I didn't think we needed to spend the time to go on (dang Disney advertising on the buses). What's Dinosaur? Can we go on that?

Not ordering pop (ok soda for folks out east) when I got groceries from garden grocer, we got the refillable cups for CSR but the pool and El Centro were enough of a hike from our room (it wasn't that we were too tired, just had better things to do) that we didn't refill our cups very often. Thank goodness for Crystal Light with caffeine in it.

 

[MACfamily4]

Arranging a shared WISHES cruise through the DISboards w/o getting some good faith money up front - huge mistake. I made the ressie using my credit card and the other parties didn't show. We got stiffed for the entire cost of the cruise. We had a great time, but it was WAY more money than we ever would have spent on such a thing. Sharing a cruise is a fantastic idea, it just didn't work for us b/c of the people with whom we made the arrangement.

 

[L107ANGEL]

Arranging a shared WISHES cruise through the DISboards w/o getting some good faith money up front - huge mistake. I made the ressie using my credit card and the other parties didn't show. We got stiffed for the entire cost of the cruise. We had a great time, but it was WAY more money than we ever would have spent on such a thing. Sharing a cruise is a fantastic idea, it just didn't work for us b/c of the people with whom we made the arrangement.

WHAT?!

 

[mom2faith]

I HAVE to bump this because I have read it all and have been near tears several times (from laughter of course) . I have a full page of Do's and Don'ts from this thread. Thank you!! And please, keep them coming!!!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Biggest and costliest mistake:

Forgetting that I could ship items home. Bought so much stuff (wouldn't leave behind any of the souveneir cups, popcorn buckets, etc.) that I bought 2 new suitcases from the CBR gift shop (at $130 each), to bring home all the stuff we bought. As soon as I got home and told someone, they said to me: why not ship it UPS?!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

(wouldn't leave behind any of the souveneir cups, popcorn buckets, etc.)

When I went in high school, I saved everything!!! I saved napkins, receipts, bags...EVERYTHING!!

 

[psiprez]

In the middle of my own new mistake...

and that would be the fact that we are NOT planning another trip anytime soon.


Spent the years since last trip going through a divorce. A few months ago, got remarried to a Brit who has never been to WDW (!). He's so clueless about it all it's cute . I am DESPERATE to take him, but I've been unemployed for a while (thank you banking industry), but am going back to school FT in the fall. So it looks like it will have to wait a few years (*gulp*).

Nah, I bet I can't wait that long...

 

[brekin67]

Not staying for 14 days during free dining. Starting out too early in the morning on extra evening hour day in the park. Not buying DD the nice balloon on the first day. Waiting until the last day sucked, the airline would not let her take it home.

 

[LauraAnn630]

GOLDEN RULES

I totally agree with staying longer during FREE dining.

Never go with family or friends. Just your spouse and kids.

 

[SingingMom]

GOLDEN RULES

I totally agree with staying longer during FREE dining.

Never go with family or friends. Just your spouse and kids.

We just returned from a trip with my parents. I think I can say I agree with that last "golden rule"....

 

[pjajatt]

subbing

 

[etoiles]

Not checking to make sure the 'one size fits all' Dollar store ponchos would fit us with our bags on. Didn't fit with the bulge of the bag so ended up purchasing pricey Disney ponchos. At least we saved them so we can use them in the future!

Wearing crocs with socks in the heavy rain. The rain and puddles completely soaked my feet and made them turn into little raisins. I should have taken my socks off before going outside. Also, crocs were slippery wet and I fell down.

Our biggest mistake was going to Animal Kingdom for our first park the first day of vacation. DH was not used to the heat yet and was miserable. It is so big so neither of us were ready to hike or had the fastpass system down yet. Since we are not Disney experts we should have tried one of the smaller parks first with more air conditioned buildings.

Not identifying key CS places that would be great to eat at since I am a vegetarian. Had to go to multiple places to find something at Hollywood Studios since I did not want to eat just a salad for dinner.

 

[nicki.momof3]

On our first trip we were clueless. We were with our three children (ages 2,3,5) and we thought we could do it with only one smaller unbrellas stroller - ended up renting a double everyday.