What is the worst packing mistake you ever made?

[TheColtonsMom]

Hoping for good advice as well as some funny stories out of this question.

So what was the worst packing mistake you ever made?

Also if it was something critical what kind of bite did it take out of your Disney budget when you had to replace it? Or did you "improvise" in order not to spend the money?

Go ahead make me laugh

 

[d1sneymom]

well this isn't my mistake but man we talk about it every time we drive down to DL and we always crack up.

My DH and I took his sister, her BF at the time and DH's cousin to DL for their HS graduation gift. We drove down and on the way we stopped at a Denny's (about 2 1/2 hours from home, 3 1/2-4 hours from DL). DH's sisters BF couldn't find his wallet. He kept looking and looking, unpacked his entire luggage, unpacked DH's sis' luggage and ransacked the whole car. We were at that Denny's al ot longer than we should have been. Turns out the bonehead forgot his wallet. He had to have his brother FEDEX it to DH's grandmother's house in Gardena.

He didn't want to let us know what had happened but honestly we were concerned and he admitted to forgetting it. He wasn't the brightest light on the Christmas tree.

 

[tink2dw]

If you follow the lists of items to pack for WDW it is massive!! I started collecting things months in advance, mole skin, instant hand cleaner, wipes, new shoes, new Capri pants, and Disney Shirts, bandages, blistex, food items Kellogg's Special K Bars, Star Crunch, Little Debbies Treats, not chocolate read the ingredients, Bagels and cream cheese. Swiss army knife[this was before 9/11.] I pack a hair dryer, brushes, tooth brushes, tooth paste, make-up[which I never used] two types of sunscreen a spray on, and a gel for faces.

I packed it All in one checked bag. Dh question me about All the Junk I Was taking, I told him it was critical!! half the stuff wasn't even opened.

But it was a good lesson in packing light!!!!

Now I pack my purse with essentials, I have a bag for my Diabetic supples, and a Disney purse carry all that I have 1 set of closes in and a sweat shirt. Then the only luggage is 1 carry on bag!! I use 2 gallon ziplock bags to pack small Items in, Dd likes to put a spacebag in her suitcase and pack in it!! Then press out the air. Dd also bought a travel purse/bag at Kmart that has a ton of pockets.

 

[ironpig70]

I am anal about packing. I lay everything out on the bed and double check it all.

Sorry no funny packing stories.


Best thing I have found for travel with kids is Tide laundry soap in bar form. Basically its like a bar of soap for your clothes. When we went to WDW in order to pack less we took less so that meant doing laundry.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

Packing mistakes from Feb/09 trip to the mouse driving down. Stroller...bought it brand new and never used it. TP, garbage bags, shampoo and conditioner. Never needed any of it, as the rest stops always had TP on hand, and the hotels supplied soap and shampoo everywhere we went. Could have used, and will take on trip coming up...paper plates and cups, plastic cutlery, trays for the kids to draw and do crafts on, travel bingo, PFD's, swim goggles, and a few other things that I can't think of at the moment.

 

[skiingfast]

Not too Disney but to LV with 3 friends. We went through the grand canyon first and all three freinds cameras died. So I ended up taking three times the number of pictures there. My batteries AA died on the way to LV. So we stopped at a CVS and bought some batteries. Then the first night we went out with my camera while they all charged thiers. One friend then the next morning filled his memory card. So he bought one on the strip.

So they learned to clear their memory cards and charge thier batteries the hard way.

 

[FourM's]

DH forgot all of his socks once! Not something you can do with out in January.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Thanks so much everyone I'm having fun with the answers so far keeping me amused as i do laundry and pack for our trip. Very glad I decided to start this thread.

 

[lapdwife]

Not bringing extra pairs of shoes when we were going on a rainy weekend. I ended up killing the hairdryer at DLH (Sorry Mickey) by trying to dry out our shoes with it. And yes, we do live 20 mins away and could have driven home for more....

 

[kaywoody]

My husband and I got married in Hawaii on the beach. He had cream colored pants and new shoes, but didn't buy any socks to wear with them. I ended up having to buy cream colored socks in the boutique store next to the hotel. I think I had to pay $25 for that pair of socks. I told him that if he has to keep those socks until our 50th anniversary!

 

[Flitterific]

DBF and I have DAPs but one of our days were blocked out on our Thanksgiving weekend trip. He had actually won two one-day PHs that we were going to use on the block out date but I totally forgot to pack them It wasn't until we were on the Super Shuttle on the way from SNA to Disneyland that I realized this so we ended up paying the $50/pp blockout date fee. I was so bummed that first day. DBF kept joking that I was lucky we didn't plan on eating at expensive restaurants (i.e. Napa Rose) or that would have cost me the meal.

I usually make an extensive list of things to pack and pack at least a few days in advance but didn't that time. Plus, I am not used to packing additional tickets aside from our APs (we previously had PAPs that didn't have blockout dates). But yes, lesson learned...I am never going to do the last minute packing thing again

The only good thing is that DBF found a friend who is willing to buy the PHs from him so we won't need to lose money.

 

[LavenderPeach]

If you follow the lists of items to pack for WDW it is massive!!

I saw one of those lists once and they sure are extensive. I couldn't believe all the things people pack to go to WDW. It still cracks me up that a shower curtain rod was on the list! Can you imagine packing that?

 

[pixiewings71]

the worst for us was it started raining and we had no umbrellas. We went to Target but they were out (rain was not forecast for that particular trip) because no one had them and everyone needed them. We ended up getting crappy ones at the Dollar type store next door, they were terrible and we broke 2 of the 4 before we left, one more broke shortly after, the 4th one is actually OK and DD14 takes it school. That way if it breaks or she forgets it we are only out $5. lol
We've also forgotten the chargers for our phones or the camera, the phones no biggie, we just charged them in car using the direct battery connection but the camera sucked because it doesn't take regular batteries.

 

[shamrockshake]

My husband literally forgot his suitcase at home. He loaded up my case, the kids stuff. Forgot his own bag. We were at dinner off 5, and asked how it was loading up the car. Should have been tricky with 3 adults, 2 kids and grocery's, diapers ect. When he said it was pretty easy, I knew we had a problem. Luckily my sister was flying down the next day and has a key to our house. She was sweet and brought his bag.

I forgot my son's underpants one year. We just went to target and bought a 5 pack.

 

[I5Blazer]

car keys, but then couldn't open car door so remembered

 

[So This is Love]

One time I forgot my suitcase and we arrived on Thanksgiving Day. Everywhere we tried to go to buy clothes was closed, but we finally found a pharmacy that was open and ended up buying those sweats that are on the shelf in bags that you see at those types of stores.

I was so mad at myself because I had a blanket that I had wanted to bring for the car, but we were about five minutes away and decided not to go back. My suitcase was right next to the blanket, so I would have noticed my mistake!

 

[Ariel224]

This last trip DMIL, the kids and I drove down to DL by ourselves, and two days later DH was flying down to join us. The first night there, MIL realizes that she forgot her iPhone charger. The night before DH was supposed to fly out, MIL decides she HAS to have her charger. She gets ahold of SIL, who was staying at the house and talks her through finding the charger. Because SIL goes to bed early, she has to leave the charger on the front doorstep. Then I have to call DH and sweet talk him into driving out to MIL's house to get the charger to bring with him to Anaheim.

DH arrived, and we spent our third and final night at HOJO. The next day we moved to the condo we were renting for the remaining week in SoCal. As I'm sitting at the desk in the condo, reading through the owner's information binder, there is mention of a radio and iPhone charger in the living room. Sure enough, there was a radio/iPod dock that will charge MIL's phone.


In another adventure in our Pre-Children Life, DH and I decided to do a spur of the moment camping trip. We drive 2.5 hours, set up our tent (in the dark), and then realize that we have forgotten the sleeping bags. Because we were young and crazy, we went all the way home, got them, and then returned.

 

[kailuagirl]

Last summer on our trip to DL, I almost forgot my suitcase. All the suitcaes were downstairs ready to go except mine, I had some packing still to do. We got all rushed and starting running late, BIL came to pick us up, loaded up all the suitcases in the back of his truck and we were in there car pulling out, they were laughing at how much stuff we had, carseat, stroller, 2 backpacks, 2 carryons, diaper bag, a big box full of lei's for my nephew's high school graduation (which we are also attending) and 3 suitcases and good thing he had a truck, luckily I caught the only 3 suitcase park, as there should have been 4 suitcases. Halt the car, my suitcase isn't there. It would have been a nightmare for me as I'm so picky in clothes and can't ever find anything that fits good.

Other than that I always pack way way way too much!! I always forget there are stores on the other side.....

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

DH forgot all of his shirts one time. He did not have a single one. This was before we knew Target was right down the street so we went to one of those little gift shops attached to the hotels on S. Harbor and he bought like 5 shirts. He still has one that says Hollywood on it I do the packing now...

We've forgoten to pack a night light for the kids, made a Target run for that.

 

[CrazyDuck]

I forgot my son's underpants one year. We just went to target and bought a 5 pack.

I forgot my own underpants one year.... packed everything else... shirts, shorts, socks etc.... everything but the underpants.... Was considering just going commando but figured with the amount of walking in the parks there may be some serious chaffing where one does not want it! So we make a quick pit stop at Target on Harbor and all was good!