What did you pack that you wish you hadn't?

[pbrim]

There are mutiple threads on what you should take. What did you take that turned out to be a waste of weight and space better spent on souvineers?

My last trip I took way too many clothes. I will be half to a third this time and plan on washing if need be. Lots of things can be worn more than one day (I travel during the non-hot part of the year) and no-one is going to notice or care if you wear the same thing two days running.

 

[HLDisney]

Toys for my DD to play with on the plane, on line, and in the room. My DD was so enthralled with the plane, she spent most of the time reading the airplane magazines, catalogs and looking around (admittedly, we only had a 3 hour flight so it might be different if you have a longer flight)

While we were waiting on ride lines, we just spent the time looking around at decorations and talking with our friends.

And we weren't in the room often enough to play. We left in the morning soon after everyone woke up and by the time we got back, it was usually time to get ready for bed....or if we had extra time, the kids watched TV or played with whatever was around (brochures, maps, etc) or whatever souvenirs they already had gotten.

This time around, my DD is older so she'll probably either be doing HW or playing with her friend in her "free" time.

Helen

 

[katrina1122]

Too many clothes, I didn't need half of what i brought...though in my defense we went in Feb and had to pack for all temps.

Too many books, didn't end reading anything, too tired!

Video camera, harldy ended up using it. DH had the regular camera and we just stuck to that. We don't have kids though, with kids we might be more willing to carry something like that extra around the parks.

Too many shoes. I thought I'd change into dressier ones for the evening dinners, boy was I wrong. I stuck to my uglier, yet comfy sneaks because my feet hurt too much otherwise. Fashion faux pas? Maybe. Did I care? No.

Bandaids, etc. I never needed anything but pepto, and that we didn't pack. I just got some at the gift shop. Sure it was more expensive, but all the other stuff adds weight to checked luggage. So from now on I'm buying those items as needed. Of course I'll always have tylenol, rx meds, etc regardless.

Didn't pack, but desparately needed? Eyeglass repair kit...my lens popped out on Space Mountain. Miraculously it stayed in the car and we got it back, but had no way of popping it back into the string lining. DH had manage with a key and a small pocket knife. Took him 3 hours one night.

 

[Letterhead]

Clothes for me too, despite the fact I reduce the amount I take every time. Last visit I took 3 outfits for 3 weeks, and it turned out to still be too much! Next time I'm taking my underwear and one change of clothes.

 

[pbrim]

Last visit I took 3 outfits for 3 weeks, and it turned out to still be too much! Next time I'm taking my underwear and one change of clothes.

My mom does that on her trips. As in 3 weeks long trips with a single carryon bag! She celebrated her 65th birthday on the Great Wall of China, her 70th climbing Manchu Pichu, her 75th on an African Photo Safari, and her 80th with a cruise to Antartica! (Although I think she took a little more on her Antartic cruise as she didn't have to carry her own bag all the time.)

Her 60th she celbrated by getting a college degree. She always says she never quit, she just took a 40 year maternity leave.

She has a couple of outfits of light weight wash and wear that she washes out by hand every night and hangs up so they are dry in the morning to put back on again.

I am not quite that frugal in my packing, but I'm working on it.

 

[nicki.momof3]

Things we took and did not use.

1. Over the door shoe organizer - did not need it at a moderate resort
2. Power strip - room had outlets

One thing I loved that we brought:

1. dollar store picnic table cover. We put it on the ground asn sat on it while we waited for the parade. In Dec. it is nice not to sit on the cold ground. We threw it away when we left. It iwas small and took up no space in our bag.

 

[kwdw]

An umbrella. I knew I didn't plan to use it in the parks - I took a couple disposable ponchos for that. But for this last trip, I thought since we were there for 8 nights and had a car, I might need it when we went somewhere. I was wrong..... I went to Disney 6 times this past year and never used an umbrella. I think I took it four times - and never used it. Hopefully I remember this on the next trip as that will be at least a year from now.

 

[leebee]

Over door shoe holder. Even at POP, we didn't use it. I set up the ironing board in the closet area and we used that as additional shelf space. Also my hairdryer... I know the one at POP isn't super-duper, but it was good enough. Plus, my hair suffers from terminal frizziness while in FL in August, so it isn't really necessary to get it totally dry in the first place. My hairdryer took up a lot of luggage space, and I'll be glad to leave it home on our next trip (in 12 days!!)

 

[duffy]

All those room organizing things that are always recommended, like the over-the-door organizers, hanging shelf things, etc.

Didn't need them, they were just in the way. Luckily, we had driven down, so there was no issue of them taking up precious space.

Power strip. What was I thinking? There were plenty of outlets.

 

[Momtoryanandmike]

Clothes, clothes, and more clothes! I thought we'd change before going to dinner-we didn't. We were just too tired to do anything other than eat then sack out. Since we went during the coldest temps in 20 years I did have to wash our winter stuff mid-week and never needed the shorts. Pack light!

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Hmmm.... I really wanted to join the conversation, but can't think of anything that I took and didn't use. Maybe you all will jog my memory. I am a pretty careful/organized packer, so we do really well. Hmmm... I'm sure there was something.

 

[cuches]

I loved having the over the door shoe organizer for all my toiletries...after a week it always used to get messy but not with that so I still would take that. I also loved the hanging shelves, they weigh almost nothing and was great for all my DD's clothes so I can have the drawers (my DH lives out of the suitcase so I had all 6 drawers for me then).

What I WOULDN'T take would be all the toys and doodads for my daughter. The flight is 2.5-3 hours long and now that we have the iPad 2 with tons of apps I think she will be entertained for a while. I also would hold back on all the clothes and do a load mid week...did that at POP last year and actually had tons of fun with MIL while DH and DD swam at 11pm. Don't bring the glow sticks/necklaces....brought them every darn trip and NEVER used them. Power strips are not necessary but nice to keep all devices plugged in together in one spot (cell X2, iPad, iPod, lap top etc...) Nice shoes, only needed croc's and sneakers (and last year I just wore the croc's)

I am sure there was more stuff we brought in the past that didn't need, I will think good and hard this trip so we don't weigh down the bags.

Tina

 

[HLDisney]

Nice shoes, only needed croc's and sneakers (and last year I just wore the croc's)

I am sure there was more stuff we brought in the past that didn't need, I will think good and hard this trip so we don't weigh down the bags.

Tina

Hi neighbor (we live in Queens )

Which type of Crocs did you wear? I'm debating about what shoes to bring and I'm torn between bringing 2 pairs of sneakers or 1 pair of sneakers and 1 pair of Crocs (the original style)

Helen

 

[KeepSwimming]

Too many clothes and shoes!


I am deliberately underpacking for our next trip (in three days ). I am taking two pairs of shoes and 4 outfits for our 8 day trip. I plan on doing laundry while we are there this time.

I am a HUGE fan of the power strip! Between the 3 of us in the room and all of our phones, ipods, laptops, and kindles, we just can't make it without one. It's nice to have it all in one place and not have to worry about unplugging lamps and clocks to free up outlets.

 

[nicki.momof3]

To
I am a HUGE fan of the power strip! Between the 3 of us in the room and all of our phones, ipods, laptops, and kindles, we just can't make it without one. It's nice to have it all in one place and not have to worry about unplugging lamps and clocks to free up outlets.

I guess that is the difference. We look at a vacation as a vacation away from everything. We take only one cell phone and only answer emergency calls. We leave every other tech. device at home. A week without our "toys" is great for family bonding.

 

[smidgy]

the Downy wrinkle spray. heard it really works well. still don't know. It leaked in the box I had it in, the box was soaked, and everything else in it! (a very nice mousekeeper found me another box!)

ps. does anyone know if it works?

 

[Owl's Friend]

Rain gear. I know it's something you have to bring, but we never used it.

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Hi neighbor (we live in Queens )

Which type of Crocs did you wear? I'm debating about what shoes to bring and I'm torn between bringing 2 pairs of sneakers or 1 pair of sneakers and 1 pair of Crocs (the original style)

Helen

I know you didn't ask me specifically, but since I am a major Crocs wearer, I thought I'd chime in. I have REALLY bad feet. I was told by my doctor that if I hadn't come to him when I did, I would've been disabled. That being said, my first trip I was in excruciating pain. Our 2011 trip I was better prepared. I had just had another recurrence of my feet issues, and this time it had gone into my ankle. I bought TONS of crocs b/c it was 2 months before our trip, and I was nervous. I favor the Malindi. However, once we were at Disney, I found my favorites were the Crocs Capris. I wore them a lot. I bought them as a last minute whim on the advice of other Disers and honestly thought I would hate them for Disney. Not the case! I love the classic beach crocs, but they are uggo, and I didn't like them for Disney walking b/c they weren't squishy enough. I am actually wearing my Capris right now, and can't wait to order more for 2012!!!

Hmmm.... I really wanted to join the conversation, but can't think of anything that I took and didn't use. Maybe you all will jog my memory. I am a pretty careful/organized packer, so we do really well. Hmmm... I'm sure there was something.

Oooh! I've got one! (and yes I did just quote myself. I'm a nerd like that!) My husband's aftershave! That was a bigtime fail. Somehow it ended up in my suitcase on the way home, so guess whose suitcase smells like a man? That's right! It's mine!!! I am assuming he shoved it wherever it would fit, and I get to reap the rewards of that winner of an idea!

 

[Stan Solo]

I brought to much sun block spray and to many rain ponchos. Mind you when I brought them their was four of us going not two. Oh well, that's two less things I'll have to buy next year.

On the power bar issue I brought a small/short one that had only three plugins. I'm glad I brought it becuse the coffee maker cord at our newly refurbished room at POR did not reach the socket and I used it to charge my iPod, iPad and camera ever night. Sure I could have put the coffee maker on the table and used a couple of other plugs in the room but I liked the set up that we had.

 

[Orangeandwild]

Not this last trip but the biggest waste we have ever found was the bigger misty fans. We took them into the parks one day and they were such a pain to carry around and used so little we never took them again. Now we use the little hand held personal battery fans that easily fit in a bag or pocket.