Mistakes We See Families Making That Could Ruin Your Trip
How you approach your trip and your time in the park can easily make or break whether or not you enjoy your time.
Here are (in my opinion) 4 mistakes that we see people making, and a few we’ve made ourselves, that could (probably) be ruining your trip.
1. Not planning your day ahead
Some people might go into their Disney trip believing that because of how busy Disney is and how much there is to do, that trying to wing it is the better approach. However, by not having a plan, you will usually end up scrambling to decide which rides to target, standing in long lines, fighting the masses for meal reservations, and wasting a lot of time in the heat. Having at least a loose itinerary for which parks you’re planning to head to and an idea for what your top priority rides are makes a HUGE difference. If there are any rides or restaurants that are must-dos during your trip, make sure to book those in advance, if possible.
2. Not taking midday breaks
It’s no secret that Disney is hot, and depending on when you are planning to visit, the temperature can get way up into the 90s or higher, not to mention the humidity and lack of shade depending on which park you’re in. One of the biggest mistakes you could make is not taking a midday break to get out of the sun and heat. Trying to push through from rope drop to fireworks is exhausting enough as is (we’ve done it and can tell you, its not fun), but trying to do it when it 95 degrees OR with kids is going to be downright miserable. If you’re staying on property, heading back to your resort for a swim, lunch and/or nap is well worth. If you’re not staying on property or are only visiting for the day, taking a couple hours to leave the park for a nice air conditioned sit down meal at a close-by resort is also a great way to cool off and recharge for whatever your afternoon plans are.
3. Overpacking for the parks
As a mom, I understand the amount of ‘stuff’ it requires to leave the house with a baby or a toddler. However, after our first trip with a 2 year old, we quickly realized less is more when hitting the parks. Having to wear a 20 pound backpack walking around the parks, or having to rummage through said backpack looking for a snack, a diaper, or a wipe is definitely going to get old quickly. Additionally, if you’re in the stroller phase and keeping things in the stroller basket or hanging off the handle, theres a chance that those things have to be removed every single time you go through security or getting on and off transportation. Stick to the basics/necessities and adjust once you have a better idea of what you are absolutely using while you’re out and about, and leave what you’re not using in the room. The only exception to this is rain gear- you won’t need it until you need it, so that is something I’d keep with you all the time.
4. Staying off of Disney property
This one might be controversial, because staying within the Disney bubble can come with a decently steep price tag. However, as frequent Disney visitors who have stayed both on and off site, the additional cost for staying at a Disney-owned resort is well worth it for the perks it comes with (if it aligns with what your vacation plans are). If you are like us and are spending everyday, or at least half of the day everyday in the parks, that in itself makes being on property worth it. Not having to worry about renting a car, transportation, parking, or fighting traffic. Staying on property also makes taking those super important midday breaks way easier, and everything you need is there including food & a pool (which most also have a nice pool bar if you need a little refreshment). Staying on property also allows you to take advantage of “extra magic hours'“ at different parks, depending on where you are staying, and most resorts also have on-site activities each day to keep kiddos occupied if you’re taking a break from the parks.
