How I failed at running Storm Kings Thunder

So right after my last game session with the players another player told me he would like to GM starting the following week. At first I was confused, why would he want to run a game when I was running one?!? But then I suddenly realized it was because me campaign was getting super boring. That the players were spending more time on their phones than listening to my story. Which at first made me kind of angry, but then I realized that I had run the game into the ground. That I had failed to provide a compelling story that the players wanted to continue to engage in. Here is a list of the things that I think I did that caused it to fail. Which I hope I can modify and improve upon in the future.

Failure #1 Gave the party BAD-ASS Gear for no reason

Here I thought it would be fun to give each party member a legendary item at the beginning of the game. Which then allowed them to destroy giants at level 5. Also I had allowed a 3rd party class to be run which many party members thought was over powered. Here I thought it would be alright, but might've also led to the demise of the campaign.

Failure #2 Gave the party a Crap Ton of Side Quests They Couldn't Follow

Chapter 3 of SKT had a number of small quests that each of the NPCs gives to the party. Way to much too quickly and made them feel lost in going around the lands of Icewind Dale. They were running around the main roads by Bryn Shander killing Giants as well as going to Ironmaster to help get additional troops to defend Bryn Shander, without really understanding why they were doing it.

Failure #3 Threw Too Much at the Party Too Quickly

Here I had them going through cities and random encounters very quickly. And I didn't fully tie in the fact Sirac of Suzail was them main cause as to why Frost Giants were following them in the ocean and on land.

Failure #4 Added the PAX West Cloud Giant's Bargain that made no sense

This I thought was fun, but didn't really tie into the main quest line as I should've made more information about.

Waterdeep has some Sexy Men!

The party returns from the Cloud Giant Castle in Neverwinter to find out Sirac of Suzial has taken their horses and cart and sold it for gold.

The somewhat crazy Gallagher is glad the party wasn't killed by Balakar. So he gifts the party with 4 Adult Hippogriffs and 2 young ones. The young ones can fly with a small size person, but not a medium size person.

The party is upset that Sirac has sold their stuff, so they hunt him down and beat him up. They take him to the Temple of Tyr (Tire). There they meet up with Lannister, who tells them that he would like them to go to Helms Hold to find out what is going on.

They go to Helms Hold and find out a number of their soldiers have gone missing. They ask the party to investigate. The party doesn't really want to.

They use their Hippogriffs and go south. As they are flying south they find a huge Frost Giant Warship similiar to the one they took out earlier. As they approach a large boulder on fire floats by them. The party looks down and sees a Frost Giant waving at them.

They land and approach the Giant. He looks like a frost giant, but with a helmet of a Dragon bone on his head.

Cloud Giants Bargin

The party has received a request from Bombra Gallagher to fly up to the Cloud Giant Castle that is floating above Neverwinter. With the request is a note regarding how they can become members of Acquisitions Incorporated. The party doesn't seem impressed and they are a little upset over the fact they were attacked as a 'test' of how strong they are.

Given the bad impression Bombra has given them, they decide they will do the assignment reluctantly. In which they review the note and decide they don't really want to join this new group of adventurers.

Miss Gallagher also gave them a skull to carry to help them with the assignment. Din doesn't like talking skulls, so she puts the skull into a bag so she doesn't have to hear its voice.

The party decides it would be fun to use the flying Gryphons, so they fly up with the Gryphons to the Tower of Contemplation.

When they arrive at the Aerie, they see a sleeping Chimera that they were to successfully ignore. And then sneak into the tower. They then go into a large art room full of art paintings and other exotic items. They ignore these artifacts and go to the door that leads to the main part of the castle.

There they meet with a Armored Horror and a Smothering Rug. WHich they dispose of quickly.

They go across a walkway to the main island. They then enter a large tower with a large tomb in the middle. They avoid the tomb and continue onto one of the smaller towers.

They then meetup with Olanthar and Balakar.

Alric casts Charm Person on Olanthar, which given his divination wizard attribute, automatically causes the Giant to be succumbed to the Charm Person spell.

They are able to convince Olanthar that they mean him no harm, which infuriates Balakar into action. She then activates the choker on Olanthar's neck and then blows into a large whistle.

Eventually the wistle summons a young white dragon, which Siuri is able to speak with. He tells the dragon that the party means him no harm.

Finally Olanthar and Balakar fight it out, with Balakar being disposed of.

Here the party has entered the throne room of Olanthar, with Balakar at his side.

Frost Giants Be Damned!

The party returns to Bryn Shander, but not as what it was when they left. The city was attacked a couple more times after the party had left. Now the city is in turmoil, with everyone taking care of the injured and providing emergency services.

Marshall Shandom provides each party member a broach, which represents Defenders of Iceland Dale. When the party reminds him that its pronounced Icewind Dale, he slaps himself! Stupid!

Then the party leaves the next morning with Sirac of Surzul accompanying them on his warhorse. He really wants to get to Waterdeep and discuss with his father the Ring of Winter.

The party goes to Fireshear, ignoring the fact they could easily take hippogriffs to Waterdeep in less than a day of flying. And getting a ship that will take a week instead.

As they travel the open seas of the Sea of Swords they come across a giant warship filled with Frost Giants. Captain Yellowbeard yells for speed to help them run from the Frost Giants.

But Alric, Din, Boonlogin, and Jom jump on Alrics flying carpet and set forth to destroy the ship. Once they get within 450 feet of the ship they start to fire ballista giant size arrows at the flying cloud/carpet.

The party somehow does some serious damage to the ship. Din goes unconscious a couple of times as boulders and arrows pummel their flying craft.

They then decide to ditch the ship and return to The Running Coward (Yellowbeard wasn't that creative).

They finally get to Neverwinter, but then see that a flying fortress is above the city! As they disembark the ship they receive a note to meet someone at a local pub.

They go into the tavern and get ambushed! But the party has some serious fire power and take out the ruffians no problemo.

Then a small gnome comes out of the woodwork (litterally!) and offers them a real quest since they have proven themselves in combat.