It’s true — even those of us who frequent the Disney Parks every day still make mistakes!

Over the years, we’ve made TONS of mistakes, actually — but they’ve allowed us to be able to provide you all with advice so that you don’t end up making the same mistakes we did (and sometimes still do.)

From outfit choices to leaving things behind, here are 11 mistakes we’ve made in the past that have MAJORLY inconvenienced us, the Cast Members, or the visitors around us at Disney World. Don’t be like us — read through our mistakes to make sure that your trip goes as smoothly as possible, you’ll be as comfortable as possible, and you’ll be as courteous to others as possible. Without further ado, here are all the BIGGEST mistakes we’ve made at Disney World.

1. We Wore White.

We know, we know. It’s classic. It’s summery. It can be easily matched with EVERYTHING so you can wear it again and again throughout your trip. We definitely see the appeal and why you’d want to pack something white.

BUT. Unless you’ve pre-treated your clothes with stain repellent the same way you’ve treated your expensive couch at home, leave the white clothing in your closet! From melting chocolate, to drippy popsicles, to who knows whatever that liquid was that you sat in while riding Dumbo, there are so many recipes for disaster once you’ve added white clothing into the occasion. Trust us and opt for black or patterns instead.

2. We Wore Uncomfortable Shoes.

Disney World is the PLACE for taking millions of photos. That being said, we all like to dress like Disney World is our own personal runway from time to time. However, Disney World is also the place to casually walk half marathons all over the parks each day. From Doc Martens, to TOMS, to strappy leather sandals — we’ve worn them all to Disney World.

And they all led us ASTRAY and down the road to Blisterville. Please. Opt for something comfortable. There are plenty of stylish options that will keep your feet happy and won’t distract from your runway-worthy Disney ‘fit. We love to opt for Hoka ONE ONE sneakers or Teva sandals. 

3. We Left Our Phone in a Ride or Bathroom Stall

We get it. Sometimes things happen and you drop your phone or leave it behind. However, most of the time these things can be easily prevented by simply putting it away! Keeping it in a small park bag while on rides or in the bathroom will keep it much safer than holding it, setting it down somewhere, or keeping it in your pocket where it could fall out.

As people who have left their phones on rides and in the bathroom, and as ex Cast Members who have had to attempt to retrieve phones, trust us when we say that investing in a simple and easily accessible park bag is the way to go when it comes to your phone, tickets, MagicBand, and more. As a little extra encouragement: If you drop your phone on the ride, maintenance at Disney can’t access it until the end of the day or whenever their next ride walk-through is. As simple as it seems to retrieve it, it isn’t simple. Put your phone away!

4. We Went On a Water Ride While Wearing Denim

Wearing denim to the Disney Parks is a… choice… in itself, but if you find yourself walking around Disney World in some jeans, overalls, or denim shorts, take heed of some very valuable advice. Avoid water rides at all costs!

Denim is so uncomfortable when wet and takes forever to dry. It can also be the culprit for some serious chafing if you aren’t careful. If you must wear denim for the sake of your Disney outfit, don’t go on Kali River Rapids, and say a prayer that it doesn’t rain.

5. We Didn’t Research A Ride Beforehand

It’s always a good idea to know what you’re gettin’ into before you get into it. Especially if you have littles. There have been instances where a ride didn’t seem that scary, but then we and our children come off shaking in our boots.

We recommend always doing proper research on Disney’s rides and considering whether or not they are a good choice for you and your family.

6. We Forgot To Pack Enough Baby Care.

A good rule of thumb when packing anything is to pack way more than you think you will ever need. This includes diapers, snacks, and extra sets of clothes for the littles. We have forgotten extra diapers way too often and have had to purchase diapers from the parks while kicking ourselves, because we know we have plenty at home or in the hotel room.

If you do forget diapers, you can always grab them from select merchandise locations or at the baby care and First Aid centers in the parks.

7. We Forgot To Pack a Phone Charger.

As much as we hate to admit it, visiting Disney World requires quite a bit of planning throughout the day on your phone. From checking wait times, to booking Lightning Lanes, to taking photos, to locating your car at the end of the day — it’s all so much easier with a phone. That being said, the battery can run out FAST, so you don’t want to be stuck at Disney World with a dead phone and no charger.

If you do forget a charger, you can run and grab a Fuel Rod from several merchandise locations throughout Disney World. They’re portable batteries for your phone that you can switch out again and again! However, it’s simpler to let this serve as a reminder to pack a charger for the parks.

8. We Didn’t Check the Forecast.

Central Florida is the type of place where you’ll want to check the forecast every morning. And then again at lunch time. And then again at dinner. And then again at bed time just to make sure tomorrow’s forecast hasn’t changed again.

Continuously check the forecast so that you can plan to be inside when the rain hits, and so you can know whether or not to grab your rain jacket or umbrella when headed out the door. We recommend choosing a jacket, poncho, or umbrella that can easily be compacted to fit into your park bag.

9. We Didn’t Grab the Free Water

Even when you think you aren’t thirsty and that you don’t need water, you probably do at Disney World. In that heat, it’s so easy to become dehydrated before you even know it. It’s annoying to carry around clunky water bottles and even more annoying to buy a $5 bottle of Dasani, but there’s always a solution.

You can grab free water cups from quick-service restaurants and a few snack stands around Disney World. Take advantage of this and grab a few extra waters when you’re walking around the parks so that you never have to worry about getting dehydrated.

10. We Were Looking At Our Phones and Not The Walkway

Yes, Disney requires being on your phone A LOT. Yes, there’s a time and place to handle all the planning! There have been too many times that we were walking around the parks on our phone and have accidentally bumped into someone, gotten hit by a stroller, ECV, or wheelchair, and there have been times that we’ve even face planted.

If you need to be on your phone, step to the side or sit down while doing so. Watching where you’re going is important on crowded park days, especially when not paying attention could result in you getting injured or inconveniencing someone else.

Bonus: We Thought We Didn’t Need Sunscreen

Sometimes, we think we’ve gotten a deep enough “base tan” or we believe it when the forecast calls for clouds and rain all day. WEAR THE SUNSCREEN. Even with base tans and clouds, you can still seriously damage your skin by not protecting yourself from those UV rays.

Lather yourself and your kiddos up with some SPF and save yourself from painful shoulders, lobster faces, and we hate to say it — but skin cancer. Sometimes the effects of the sun aren’t even visible to the eye. It’s better to be safe and just put on sunscreen as a precaution. Plus, it’ll help you have glowy skin in the parks all day. Who can argue with that?

Well folks, there you have it. We hope that you can learn from the mistakes that we’ve made in the past to save yourself from some uncomfy park days. We’ll continue to keep you updated with all our best park tips and tricks, so stay tuned for more

Don’t forget anything! Check out our ultimate packing list HERE.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made at Disney World? Let us know in the comments!