Worst Mistake You Ever Made

[goodferry]

What's the worst mistake you ever made on a Disney Trip?
Ours was staying at a friends house in Orlando. We figured it would be no big deal, since they were only like 20 miles away. We were wrong. Traffic in Orlando can be heinous! We were traveling with two young boys in August and it was hot and miserable. Our second trip we stayed at CBR and it was soooo much better. We went in Feb. and were able to go back to the room when the kids needed a rest. It was the difference between a horrible and a magical experience

 

[zurgswife]

Staying 1 night in a cheap hotel off site that I didn't research...

YUCK!!! So, ended up covered with bug bites...and someone tried to get into our room during the night...good thing we had the security latch shut....

Now I know that there are cheap hotels that are clean also..

 

[daannzzz]

My biggest mistake was over researching my first trip. I read every guide book, went to every website and looked at every picture I could find. By the time I got to WDW I knew my way around, knew what every resort looked like and what all the parks would be like. There were, virtually no surprises. Imagine how awesome it would have been not knowing what the lobby's of the WL or GF looked like and walking in for the first time. It would have been much more of an adventure if I hadn't known so much about all the attractions in the parks.

 

[kirkharrod]

BIGGEST MISTAKE LAST TRIP: not making a plan for a sit down meal every day. The one day we did not have priority seating reservations for a meal, we went to bed hungry.

2nd biggest mistake: walking too far in one day for my 8 and 6 year old children. One day we walked 13.7 miles ( I had a pedometer). My daughter's arch in her foot was sprained from too much walking.

 

[georgina]

I would say the biggest mistake I made was not researching our first two trips enough. Didn't know about a lot of things, especially discounts. We went through a travel agent the first time, who it turns out, didn't know a whole lot about Disney either. The second time, we used a Disney Club package, but could have done better with a separate room discount and hoppers. Oh well, now I know.

 

[dixielander]

Using a Travel Agent!!!!

Back in 1998, we went to WDW with our kids for the first time, and used a travel agent.

To make a long story short... our upcoming trip in May is going to cost us LESS than that 1998 trip did, and we even have an extra person this time!!!

Ultimate Park Hoppers were a big waste of money for us!

We only went to the parks on 5 days, and essentially paid for 8!

 

[dixielander]

Booking through a Travel Agent in 1998.

Not knowing any different, we went to a travel agent in the local mall, and booked our vacation through them.

To make a long story short, our trip back then cost us more than our upcoming trip will cost us, and we even have an EXTRA person now!!

Ultimate Park Hopper passes were a waste of money for us, we only went to the parks on 5 of the days we were there, and essentially paid for 8!!

Luckily, our trip was fantastic!!! So, all was not lost, it's only money.

Can't wait for our trip in May though, it's been 6 years!!!

 

[madalex]

Two mistakes:

1. Not planning properly for a trip in 2000. We purchased a "package" (with UPH), but then did not arrive in Orlando until 4:00 on the first day. We did end up going to Epcot that evening, but if we had not, I would have paid for a day of passes that would have gone unused.

2. Not planning meals properly on one trip. We like to have sit down dinners and we don't like buffets or counter service for dinner. One trip, however, we defaulted to counter service twice because I failed to make all the PSs we needed and then we could not get something we wanted at the last minute.

Neither of these was the end of the world by any means, but both events have informed my trip planning since they occurred.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I think of these more as learning experiences than mistakes... I listened to coworkers who told me the cheapest place to buy park hoppers were at TDS. I wondered why I listened to them since they hadn't been to Disney in years I could have saved some money if I had gone through the ticket brokers listed on Mousesavers. I also thought staying on property was too expensive so I stayed at the Wyndham Palace ... this was before I knew about AP rates, room-only ocdes and the DISboards

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Well, our worst mistake may be during our next trip, we'll be staying offsite at Gaylord Palms.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

I really think our worst mistake was not finding The Dis soon enough! We payed rack rates our first three trips. I had never heard of AP's or codes until I found this wonderful forum and web site. And the information I have learned since joining The Dis is priceless.

 

[Dalpal]

You took the words right out of my mouth DisneyFreaks !
I really agree with you, without the "Dis" I would not have been able to go as many time as I have.
This will be our 5th trip and I didnt know about the dis and codes until my 3rd which I thought was going to be my last for awhile and then I found out that it is affordable IF you have a code.

 

[gemini1029]

Going at Easter in 2000, the park was sooooo crowded, we didn't get to do half of what we wanted. I should have known it was going to be bad when I had to change our check in days because the campground was booked for the week I wanted originally.
never again will be go at a holiday time.

 

[whtyger97]

not checking the time that disney quest opened, and waiting almost a whole morning waiting for it to open.

 

[Harambe]

First trip bought Length of Stay Passes and we didn't use all the days & options. So we wasted some money there, but as someone else said - a learning experience.

One other mistake - going with friends that practically ruined the trip - pushy, complaining, and chronically late! We now prefer to go by ourselves.

 

[Kimickey]

The biggest mistake I ever made was going to Disney last August six months pregnant. I had a good time, but I got dehydrated (thinking I was drinking enough, and I wasn't). I then got sick and was confined to my room for a day to recover. The walking exercise was great, but not at the expense of my health.

 

[mep319]

Using a Travel Agent!

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

The Worst Mistake I Ever Made was not purchasing my DVC Membership when I first took the tour back in the early 90's.

 

[goodferry]

We also made the mistake of going with friends last trip. It was fun to have someone to share the experience with BUT they are smokers and we are not and I know we spent at least an hour throughout the day finding someplace for them to smoke. We brought hand held communicators to try to find each other when we split up, but so many people do that you end up with interference. Next time we go with friends we will bring our cell phones to keep in touch.

 

[Divamomto3]

I prefer to think of them as "learning experiences."

1.) Not paying $250 more for the week with a code to stay at the Beach Club Standard view vs. Swan Resort View w/ balcony at nurses rate plus the resort fee plus the rollaway bed fee.

2) Not having dinner priority seatings every night. We like sit down dinners and if you do not have PS's, often you are left with either counter service or gross sit down food like at Gullivers Grill.

3) Not building more resort days into our trip. Hiking it through the parks all day and evening long every day of your trip is too hard for adults and the 3 kids alike.

Great thread...