What did you pack that was just a waste?

[weloveprincesses]

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

We're actually trying it. Love him, but he's princessed out. We're doing Disney without him. And I'm sure at a much more leisurely pace.
Maggi

 

[Elmo888]

Ok, When you say no hairdryer...what resort are you staying @?? My sister said the same thing "I can't believe that you want to take a hair dryer" I have LONG,THICK hair & DD has REALLY long hair...we are staying at CBR, So I just want to be sure b4 I go out & do or don't buy one.

If you have serious hair, I would bring your own. In my experience, hotel hair dryers are never up to par. I have thick, curly hair, and I bring my own hair dryer and diffuser. Sometimes, I don't dry my hair, but if I do, I need a good hair dryer. I don't care how much room it takes!

I packed too many diapers, wipes, and hand gel. I don't know what I was thinking. I left a bunch of stuff in the laundry room of our resort for someone else to use! If you have a child in diapers, count how many diapers you use in the same time period (if you are going for a week, count diapers for a week), and add 5 or so. And buy a few (2 or 3) travel sized wipe packages. They are small enough to go anywhere.

In my defense, this was my first time traveling with our kids. I really didn't know what I was doing.

I need to read more of this thread!

ETA: Also, too much sunscreen. We were there in January and were mostly covered in any case!

 

[kckmom]

We drove down from NJ in 2005 with 2 girls, DH, DM and me. Here is a list of the things that we didn't need:

Pack & play
Hair dryer and flat iron (I mean, it's Florida, what was I thinking?)
Extra shoes (for me, not them!)
Jewelry (I then worried that someone was going to take them at the hotel!)
Too many clothes for all (I pack for 5 days and wash midweek or buy tshirts)
Pants, it never gets that cold!

We did need the cooler, since we drive straight through, but this trip we are bringing one that plugs into the car so we don't have to stop and empty and refill with ice (half the stuff got wet, yuck!)

My husband always reminds me that there are plenty of supermarkets and clothing stores for us to pick up what we need while down there!

 

[foreverprincess]

Make-up in August. I never put it on, it would have melted right off.
Also, Spanx camisol to look slimmer in pictures - too hot, never wore it.

 

[Diznejen1]

I agree with everyone who has said make-up....to an extent. Just take the basics. Just remember you're on vacation. I am no covergirl, but on our 7 day trip at CBR I packed "Extra" make-up, maybe for an evening dinner. That NEVER happened. I also packed facial stuff, foot scrub and fancy stuff like that. I really thought I would have time to give myself a mini facial and pedicure...NOT. Leave the fancy stuff home. Everyone there is chasing children and sporting wet hair from the pools too!

 

[checkwriter]

Underwear.

A WDW vacation is NOT the time to start wearing it.

 

[Figment's Girl]

Definitely agree on the makeup thing. I always take some but end up not using it.

Also, my laptop. I'm an internet addict and I always take the computer with the intention of getting online but never do. Just too tired. And I just take an extra memory card or two for pictures, and go through them at night to see if I can delete any.

While I agree about not taking the snacks into the parks, it's nice for us to have them in the room. My DS has a habit of wanting a snack right before bed and I will not want to head to the food court or gift shop for a snack at that time.

 

[myAAbatteries&aTD]

Too many pjs for the kids! They're always asleep by the time we get back to the resort and end up not wearing half the ones I pack - will definitely cut down on pjs next time!

I also buy special snacks that they don't get to eat at home to tide them over before lunch so we don't end up w/ too much leftover. They LOVE fruit and we spent a small fortune on it the trip before last. Now we take cut up oranges or apples to the parks and they devour them, plus they help w/ hydration.....

Too many toys for the trip down and back - I do this every time we go somewhere... I have to learn!

I plan clothes out by the day and put outfits in zipper bags, including panties/hair bows/etc..... helps keep the suitcases neater and cuts down on overpacking - if I don't know which day an outfit is for, it doesn't need to go! Plus this helps the kids to get dressed quickly and easily by themselves - just grab a bag and it's all there!

 

[LMO429]

Dressy clothes!!! and dressy shoes!!! I never used them! also makeup it never happened as well.

 

[If U Had Wings]

I'm a pretty good packer for all of the normal stuff, but where I so astray is in my carry on bag. I always pack way too many things to do on the train (or in the car). I usually have several books, a puzzle book, the mini dvd player and about two knitting projects.

Last year I knit one pair of socks the entire week I was there and my mom and I really only needed about a season and a half of The Sopranos to entertain us in the car on the way home. I'm trying hard not to overdo it for my flight to Disney on Saturday. I keep adding stuff to my bag forgetting it's only a 3 hour flight!

 

[suzimar57]

extra clothes - no matter how much i try to pack less, i never do.

i have "what if"-itis.

 

[MKhead72]

The little cheese and cracker packs. Kids love em' at home, but dont like them at the parks with all the other stuff. Go figure !! But ya' gotta love em' !

 

[autumnsmommy]

Too many snacks...the ones that got eaten were the smoked almonds and the raisins.
Too many shoes. The waterproof leather Tevas were all I wore except for the surf shoes for the pool and BB.

 

[hthrbells]

Too many clothes

 

[sandiegosusie]

Returned 3 weeks ago from a 5 day with DH...I actually used everything that I packed. Never happened before, so I can assume it was because we didn't have to pack anything for the kids...

 

[Andrea]

just bumping back up

 

[Diznejen1]

Most (if not all) of the resorts have them in the bathroom. I thought I was spoiled by MY hair dryer...but in never got taken out of the suitcase. I just used the one that the resort supplied!

 

[mommy2aprincess4]

subscribing so i can catch up later

 

[quiltymom]

These are the things we brought that we didn't use at all:

• anti-bacterial hand gel
• collapsible cooler
• the UG and other tour books - we just didnt' have the time to read anything at all!

Other than that, we used everything we brought. I was amazed!

 

[loopner67]

~~~ Food from home

~~~ Ponchos

~~~ Long sleeved shirts (you can buy a sweatshirt if you ever need it)

~~~ More than one pair of long pants