What did you pack that was just a waste?

[CathrynRose]

Snacks from home. My kids did not want me whipping out a granola bar in the parks while the kid beside them was eating a Mickey ice-cream bar.

Agree - agree - agree.

Any packed food, ended up being wasted food.

 

[daisyduck123]

We too, packed a van for a 10 day trip. We brought way too many snacks.

Next May, to lighten the load, we'll leave at home:

- the snacks
- the toys (we will bring the Gameboys for the car ride)
- my kids super heavy school textbooks. Last time, DD brought what seemed like a 10 pound math text,.....never touched it.

 

[pooh2001]

We did a food store stop on the way to our WDW resort, We bought 24 water bottles for 7 days- 4 people. We only ended up taking 2 water bottles a day in the AM - then bought cold drinks during the day. We left about 10 bottles of water for mouse-keeping or the next person in our room

 

[vanyel]

A sweater - in Sept - what was I thinking?
Mister fan - pain to carry around
a hat - never wore it

We had already pared down the snacks from home and the extra clothes.

 

[The Sweetness]

It was the juice boxes and snacks that we brought that could save us tons of $$ in the parks. I am such a sucker for the sweet smells of the bakeries and candy shops. After that time, I just pack what I think we'll use on the drive up. (bag of pretzels, a couple of waters). Its kind of like a game of endurance with us. Can we make it to the hotel to check in, or a park, however we planned it, without stopping (about 4 hours) We usually make it. Last time though we made a little boo- boo. We got to the hotel and pre-registered, then went outside to wait for the next bus (right outside the lobby) to take us to Sea World. By the time we got there and went through the line, I was a very very cranky girl. We should have ate and went to the bathroom before waiting for the bus

 

[pearljim]

Rain Ponchos - and that's a good thing!!!

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Too many snacks and clothes on our longer trips. Since we pretty much know what we will be doing from moment to moment on our short trips, we pack well. However, on our longer trips, we tend to go crazy. For our 10-day trip in May, our van and car carrier was packed!!! We took clothes we never wore (did laundry at the resort), snacks that never came out of the carrier bags, etc. Remember, there are stores close to WDW; and the prices aren't bad!!

 

[jeancbpugh]

My DH

Try our system. Go to Orlando with DH. You go to the parks. He does something else. Then everyone is happy.

 

[jeancbpugh]

Beach towels.

Bring at least one beach towel if you are driving. It's great for a blanket in the car, or for moping things up.

 

[Kim in TN]

We never eat the extra snacks we pack in the room and truthfully not many in the car (we are full from McDonalds etc where we have stopped to run off steam.
Also the toys, DS used to DVD player and the gameboy and 1 stuffed animal, other than that the bag of toys and coloring books never got opened in the car or in the room.

 

[annie1995]

Too many clothes. We ended us washing clothes anyway while we were there, and there still where shirts that we never even brought out of the suit- case.

 

[AlaskaMOM]

Way too many clothes. We have gradually learned take enough socks and undies for each day, and just a couple of changes of outer clothes, make use of the laundry facilities.
But the snack thing we really need to bring the snacks. I have older kids (17,15,11) and they were responsible to carry (in a fanny pack or over the shoulder small camera-type bag) a water bottle, their own spending $$, a snack or 2, and a camera if desired). They knew we planned on a late lunch/early dinner thing every day, and sometimes they got hungry before 2 or 3 o'clock. I know this probably wouldn't work for younger kids, but for the older ones, they wanted to go off on their own some of the time, and didn't need to worry about snacks coming from their $$.

 

[lc1965]

I like my portable Brita; I don't bring more than a few SlimFast breakfast bars for snacks; I've learned not to pack too many OTC medicines because the on-property sundry shops, if a bit expensive, have everything you'll probably need; I use a light jacket in the evenings because I always go in autumn or winter months when the mornings & nights can get chilly.

But, I am DONE taking a pair of dress shoes & "decent" clothes "in case we go out somewhere nice." We never go anywhere where I need these clothes & I get really annoyed with myself when I unpack stuff I never set a hand on in Orlando.

And, honestly, my favorite packing tip is to pack things you are just about ready to toss, anyway, like the undies with the elastic that won't last another few washes. Then you can just toss them when you're done. I do detest doing laundry....

 

[Trixiezzz]

1) Too many snacks from home.
2) Too many clothes.
3) Too much carryon luggage.

1)

This is the 2nd trip in 9 months we've taken and BOTH times we had MOST of our snacks still left at the end of the trip. And my kids love to snack.

We just didn't have time to eat them. And when we were in the parks it seemed like time goes by so fast that everytime you turn around it's time for a meal again! We do allow 1 Mickey Bar or purchased snack per day, so they never wanted mine!

---
2)
Also, I swore I'd never wash clothes ("I'm on vacation!"), but this time we did on our day off swimming at the resort. And I hate to say this: but it was so easy and quick! This time we brought enough outfits for 9 days. Next time I'm only taking 4 days worth and then washing half way through.
---

3)
I was hesitant to check much luggage so we ended up hauling one big bag a piece through 2 airports. The kids got tired after about a nano-second, so DH & I got loaded down. When we got to WDW and saw how great ME was ~ our bags appeared magically in our room ~ we said "never more!". On the way home, we checked through all our luggage and carried on only 1 small tote bag. So much easier!

 

[spot28]

One tip on the water ... if you can, freeze your water bottles... then when by the time you want cold water in the parks it will most likely have thawed enough to drink but still be cold.

 

[mickman1962]

condoms

 

[spot28]

Too funny. So...did the opportunity not present itself...or did you just throw caution to the wind?

 

[mickman1962]

Too funny. So...did the opportunity not present itself...or did you just throw caution to the wind?

It takes two to tango and DW didn't want to dance.

 

[annie1995]

condoms

 

[Bama mom to 3]

It takes two to tango and DW didn't want to dance.