In OOT, it took me 3 days to get out of the Deku tree. I got stuck at lots of parts, like when you first get the slingshot and have to hit the ladder. Or when you have to jump down from a high point and break the web, or when you have to torch some web on a wall.
I was stuck in Kakariko village for a week because I didn't know how to get passed the guard that blocked the way to Death Mountain. I went through the graveyard, got the Sun Song and everything, I kept hoping I'd find something to give the guard, little did I know that I already had something, the letter Zelda wrote. I even got bored and decided to explore Hyrule field a bit and I got Epona's song and Saria's Song while I was at it. Finally, a friend told me what to do.
Then I was stuck in Zora's Domain for a good week trying to figure out how to present the Big fish (thing that swallows you) with a fish. I was certain I had to win one in Lake Hylia in the fishing mini game. I spent countless hours trying to get a huge fish, hoping that if it was big enough, the guy would let me leave with it.
It went on like this in the Forrest Temple and Fire Temple until I got to the Ice Cavern. I had no idea you could store the blue flames in a bottle and I was going nuts trying to figure out what to do. So I resorted to the walkthrough, and from that point on, the walkthrough was my best friend.