Never Again With Relatives!!

[JLTraveling]

If your group can't even make it through the planning stages without wanting to kill each other, that may be a sign to just call off the trip! Still, we had some fun and learned a lot in the process.

Cast of Characters:

Me, Lisa, early 30s -- I was practically raised at Disney, and worked there several times. I love Universal equally, and have also worked there. I've traveled a lot, and I'm used to delays/surprises. I generally go with the flow and am not real picky.

DF, my dad, Andy, mid-50s -- A Disney nut to the highest degree. Goofball sense of humor, lots of fun to hang out with. Absolutely loves showing people the parks and sharing bits of trivia along the way. Up for anything, and always manages to find the good in any person or situation. Also travels extensively. Disabled with an ECV and a GAC.

DC, my cousin, M., mid-20s -- M.'s my dad's brother's daughter. She moved with her mom to TN after her parents split up when she was little. She came to FL every summer until age 12. She had a rough childhood, and my parents kind of took her in over the summers. More like a sister than a cousin, but we hadn't seen each other much in 10 years.

DCIL, M.'s husband, J., mid-20s -- He's never been on vacation. His biggest trip was a drive with his brother to Biloxi from Nashville, straight there and straight back. We took him to a haunted house in Alabama when we were there a couple of years ago, a two-hour drive from his house, and it was a big deal trip for him. Big, quiet, and seemingly laid-back.

DU, M.'s dad, my dad's brother, S., mid-50s -- A real enigma. Sometimes loves us, sometimes hates us. Used to love Disney, but hasn't had the money to go in years, though he lives an hour away. Currently unemployed and living with a real witch who controls his every move. Only joined us on Magic Kingdom day.

Pre-trip summary: Dad and I are full-time RVers, and decided to spend some time in the Orlando area, where we were both raised, this year. M. always adored Disney and Universal, and had been talking about showing the parks to Jonathan. So thanks to some good travel deals, we offered her a birthday present -- Roundtrip airfare to Orlando, a week in an offsite condo, tickets to Disney and Universal, and a few table-service meals on us. Their counter-service dining and extras would be their responsibility.

The trip was originally scheduled for May, but for a variety of reasons was postponed until September. They also decided to drive down rather than fly, and we reimbursed them for gas. With the trip rescheduled, we also offered tickets to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal, but told them that if they wanted paid express passes, they could purchase them (Dad gets free disabled express for HHN, but only two passes).

Since the trip was rescheduled, we also made arrangements for my uncle S., M.'s father, to join us. His birthday was Aug 9, so Dad and I paid to upgrade his one-day birthday ticket to a FL Resident seasonal pass. However, his psycho live-in girlfriend informed him that he was only permitted to attend on our Magic Kingdom day.

Trip dates: Sept 21-Oct 1.
Tickets purchased: 6-day park hoppers, 7-day Universal/IOA, HHN Frequent Fear for them. We have APs for Disney and Universal, and we bought HHN Frequent Fear for ourselves as well.

Day One, Monday, Sept 21 -- Travel Day
Much drama had ensued with M. and her father, and I was already feeling skeptical about the trip. It was clear that there was a lot of baggage and bad blood, but Dad remained hopeful that the Disney magic would help to overcome it. Still, I took my time and dragged my heels getting ready. I'm sure it didn't help that as a freelance writer, I happened to get swamped with work in the days leading up to the trip, and was quite exhausted.

M. called around noon to say that they were on the road and really excited. Thank goodness she did, as their plan was to take Interstate 65 south. Great plan, if they were going to New Orleans!! We got them back on track and sent a MapQuest to their GPS. Still, she sounded really happy, and the feeling was infectious. I put on my happy Disney face and managed to get packed and the RV into storage.

Dad and I checked into the condo that evening and went to Walmart to buy household items and decorative touches like candles. We also did the "make your own Mickey ears" at Downtown Disney, creating a custom set of ears for all of us, plus S. We bought a pound of fudge at Goofy's Candy Co, a tribute to the time when M., then eight, polished off an entire pound on the hour-long drive from Universal to our then-house in Lakeland.

M. and J. got caught in the extremely bad rain and flooding in Atlanta, but managed to arrive around midnight. We were still at Walmart, so they met us there. Much hugging and excitement ensued. They were thrilled to see the condo, a 2-bedroom unit with a large living room, dining room, kitchen, and best of all, two bathrooms. There's also a lovely, fairly large private porch overlooking one of the two pools.

J. was exhausted from the drive and went to bed early, but M., Dad and I stayed up talking until nearly 4 am. Thankfully, the next day was a planned down day to relax.

Coming up: Day Two, Is a Hotel Tour Really That Exciting?

[Dizneydawn]

Here and for the first time first!

[JLTraveling]

We all slept late on Day Two, having been up until almost 4 am. Groggy but hungry, we were ready to embark around 1 pm. Destination: Contempo Cafe, and then a tour of the resorts.

I should pause here to explain that throughout the eight months of planning, I tried my best to engage M. and J. Whether they wanted to do the actual planning or just give a few opinions, Dad and I were trying really hard to incorporate their needs/wants/likes/desires. They kept saying repeatedly "You guys are the experts. We trust your opinions. We're sure we'll like whatever you come up with." Contempo Cafe, as well as the Sci-Fi and a ride on ToT for our Hollywood Studios day, were literally the ONLY things they specifically said they wanted to do at the parks. Outside the parks, they wanted to see the hospital at Celebration (Dad's home hospital, and since M.'s mom's a nurse, it's not quite as weird as it sounds) and MouseSurplus. So Dad and I put a lot of time and effort into creating a schedule that incorporated the few things they said plus a lot of things we thought they would like.

Since Dad needed his ECV, we all piled into his van. The van has some sort of weird electrical problem where the battery drains when the A/C is on and the car isn't moving, so we flip it off for a minute at traffic lights. Occasionally it doesn't start, but we have a massive power booster that provides an instantaneous jump.

Everyone was excited as we headed out, but J. and M. started complaining almost immediately about the heat. I tried not to pay attention, since I figured they would acclimatize over time. They complained loudly, though, every time we stopped at a light and had to turn off the A/C.

We decided to park at the TTC, since we weren't sure how long we would spend touring the resorts. We parked in the disabled lot with Dad's placard, and began walking in. Both J. and M. started whining about the length of the walk from the car to the monorail, but I chalked it up to still being tired from the drive.

A monorail was just pulling into the station, and there was no line, so M. and I broke into a jog and Dad turned up the speed on the ECV. J. stopped short and stared up. "I have to get on that?" "Um, yes, that's the general idea. That goes to the hotel where we're having lunch." "I'm scared. I don't think I can do it." Thank God he didn't hear about the crash in July, or we never would have gotten him on it! M. talked quietly with him, and he eventually agreed to go.

Once actually on the monorail, J. seemed to relax and we made it to the Contemporary uneventfully. Monica was excited to actually disembark at the hotel, since she'd only ever been through it on the Express line.

We found out about the food pickiness that day. Dad and I quickly settled on our order, and M. and J. wanted to split something. Between the two of them, though, it seemed that almost every option was ruled out--he hates mayonnaise or any creamy sauces, she hates virtually any vegetable, on and on.

I don't remember what they eventually settled on, some kind of sandwich and fries. I had the Chicken Caesar Salad (yum!) and Dad got the Beef Flatbread (equally yum!). Everyone enjoyed watching the monorails pass by as we ate.

Then the shopping tour began. I was genuinely shocked but excited at how into shopping J. seemed to be. Both of them looked at almost every item, bought candy, tried on silly hats, and seemed to be having a wonderful time. At their lead, we hit every shop at every monorail resort, plus the AK Lodge. By the time we got to the Lodge though, I could tell J. was crashing. He enjoyed seeing the animals, but started complaining that we had already been at it for around six hours, and he was ready to go back to the condo Oh boy, this was going to be a long week.

We abandoned dinner plans at Ft Wilderness and went back to the condo. They had noticed an Olive Garden on 192, and they offered to buy us dinner there. I suppose now is a good time to mention that apparently Olive Garden is M.'s favorite restaurant, and J. normally takes her there once a year on her birthday. I should also mention the couponing. M. has become a completely obsessed coupon clipper, and she had one for Olive Garden.

J. and M. insisted on driving, which resulted in getting completely turned around. They were sure they knew where it was, and drove around in circles for about half an hour, despite Dad and me both trying to tell them how to get there. We eventually arrived, and were told there was a 30 minute wait.

Dad's diabetic, and his blood sugar was starting to crash. M. ran to the counter and got him a bread stick, and I think we were also bumped up in line, because our beeper went off about five minutes later. Dinner was good, standard Olive Garden fare. J. hated his lasagna, but filled up on salad and bread sticks.

Back at the condo, they went to their room pretty much instantly. Dad and I let them know that the next day was Magic Kingdom, and we wanted to be there for rope drop and the opening show, so they should set their alarm for 7 am. We watched a little TV and went to bed around midnight.

Coming up: Day Three, Five Very Different Personalities Hit the MK.

[JLTraveling]

Originally Posted by Dizneydawn

Here and for the first time first!

Welcome! Put on your seat belt, because this one's a heck of a ride!! Hope you enjoy it

[Jdougherty]

OMG,

that sound like vacationing with my Husbands ENTIRE family plus mine..... I've vacationed with each and almost all at one time.... never agian.......oh the flash backs..........

[bnewman27]

just getting enough posts in

[stacopp]

Having done the vacation with extended family that didn't go so well, I am signing up to see what happens! Looking forward to the TR

[JLTraveling]

Welcome, Jdougherty and stacopp! You guys are already making me feel better! It's easy to feel alone and completely off-balance when well-meaning trips turn into disaster, and while I'm very sorry you both went through it, I'm so glad to know it's not just me!! Hope you enjoy the TR!

[JLTraveling]

Can We Get There Already?
Despite our admonitions to set their alarm, M and J were completely passed out the next morning. At 7:30, I tried pounding on their door. No answer. At 7:45, Dad and I stood outside their door and sang "It's a Small World" and "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirate's Life for Me" very loudly and very off-key. M and J have two small kids who stayed home with Grandma for this trip, so at 8:00 I put on my best baby voice and started whining "Mommy! Mommy!" M opened the door within seconds! She also gave me permission to come in their room from then on to wake them up.

Since they were clearly exhausted, we checked in again with M and J. "Do you want to go to the park all day, or do you want a hotel break in the afternoon?" Historically, we've gone all day from open to close. Every time M's been down, she's done that with us. But we knew how easily J got tired, and we knew M wasn't a kid anymore. She quickly informed us that it was Disney, and NO WAY did she want a hotel break. Her dad (S) was also joining us that day, and she wanted to soak up every moment with him (despite the fact that they were planning to spend several days with him after the Disney portion of the trip).

Main Street USA
Everyone put on their Mickey ears, and we headed out, again taking Dad's van. S would call when he arrived at the park. We were running late, but managed to see part of the opening show from the monorail.

We watched the second opening show (the one on Main Street with the trolley car), and then headed to Guest Relations to get birthday buttons (we'd decided we were celebrating all of our birthdays on this trip) and family reunion buttons. We also got a First Visit button for J.

At this point we realized just how much M and J smoke. After each and every stop, whether an attraction or a shop, they needed a smoking area. Dad and I are smokers too, but we smoke less than a pack a day between us. They smoke better than half a CARTON a day. Thankfully (I guess), he also uses snuff, so he can put in a dip and be okay without stopping for a couple of hours.

We parked Dad's ECV and took the full train loop around the park. Despite his ride fears, when J saw BTMRR he decided he could do it. He was unsure about Splash though.

We were back on Main Street at, where else, the smoking area when S called at around 10 am to say he was in the parking lot. Despite earlier saying that she couldn't wait to see her dad, M decided he could catch up. It was time for rides. So off we went to Tomorrowland.

Tomorrowland
First up was Astro Orbiter. Dad and I got separate rockets, and M and J rode together. He's well over 6 feet tall and extremely broad, so you can imagine how comfortable that was! But that's ok, it was their decision. Turns out, though, that another of J's fears is heights. He initially refused to ride until M begged and cajoled him. We kept an eye on their rocket the whole time, and he was literally white and gripping the sides as tightly as possible. She took the rocket to its full height once, and he immediately made her take it all the way back down!

After surviving the scary Astro Orbiter, J needed a break. S still wasn't in the park, so we headed to CoP. S called almost as soon as we sat down, and we told him to meet us there. J and M had absolutely no comment after the show, so I have no idea if they liked it or not.

When we came out, S was at the drink cart across from CoP. Rather than waving him over, M decided it was the perfect time to call her kids. She disappeared into the bushes by the smoking area with the phone. J went to join her. Dad and I waved S over and made a big deal out of giving him his custom Mickey ears. He put them on and went over to M, standing directly in front of her for more than five minutes before she ever acknowledged him. She finally got off the phone and gave him a hug.

Liberty Tree Tavern
After a quick spin on the TTA, on which we briefly got to see the Space Mountain tracks, it was time for our lunch reservation at Liberty Tree Tavern. Poor S walks with a cane and really needs an ECV, which his girlfriend would have loaned him, but he's stubborn. So he was walking way slower than the rest of the group. I dropped back to walk with him, which I think he appreciated. That became a theme of the day -- M and J doing their thing and either me, Dad or both trying to make S feel welcome.

Lunch was a success. The menu wasn't exotic, so everyone was able to find something they liked. Dad and I split the pot roast, which Monica also had, and Steve had the Colony Salad. J got the appetizer-sized Declaration Salad, but ended up eating a little off everyone's plates. We had the Tavern Fried Cheese for the table, and since we were celebrating, everyone got a free small chocolate cupcake with sprinkles. Good conversation ensued, and we relaxed in the air conditioning for nearly two hours.

Since we were in Liberty Square anyway, we hit HM and HoP. As part of a group of five, I volunteered to ride HM alone. It was my first time ever riding it alone, and I couldn't believe how many small details I noticed without someone else distracting me! If you have the chance to do HM alone, take it!! Turns out J's an American history buff, so he was overawed by HoP. It was our first experience with the new show, and we all agreed it was fabulous! No more going to HoP to take a nap, lol!

"RIDES!"
By this point, it was nearly time for the 3:00 parade, which S and my dad both specifically requested. There was just one small problem. M was ready to do "RIDES!" I'm not sure what she considers HM, TTA, Astro Orbiter, etc, but they were not, in fact, "RIDES!" She had been whispering in my ear ever since lunch about how much she needed to do "RIDES!" and by 2:45, I had enough. I tried to gently tell Dad that perhaps M would rather skip the parade, but apparently my frustration came out in my voice.

Dad and I had a bit of a meltdown, which culminated in leaving the parade and him taking off at top ECV speed to Fantasyland, which contains lots of "RIDES!" Our argument lasted through most of Fantasyland, but thankfully was mostly silent glares or snide comments made in undertones, rather than a full yelling match. I'm sure those around us appreciated that! Meanwhile, M, J, and S refused to comment on anything except PhilharMagic, which all declared to be "Awesome!" even though it's not a "RIDE!" J managed to conquer his fear of Dumbo, which he rode alone (me with S and Dad with M), and take his elephant all the way up for a few moments.

Dad took M and J on the Teacups while I waited with S. He got it going so fast, it was literally rocking on its base. Turns out J also has a problem with dizziness, so we sat on a ledge outside the "RIDE!" for about 15 minutes while his head stopped spinning. M loved it though.

Next up was Mickey's Toontown Fair where Dad, M, J and I all enjoyed Goofy's Barnstormer. I was proud of J for doing it. S waited on a bench. M bought some princess ears for her youngest, and J got cotton candy. I got bitten by a no-see-em, and still have a large red welt.

Frontierland and Panic Attacks
We briefly strolled through Toontown, but M was ready for more "RIDES!" so we headed over to Frontierland. S flatly refused to do BTMRR. Jonathan commented a few times on waiting with S, but M begged and cajoled. Eventually he agreed to try it, but there was visible tension mounting between them. M adored the ride. J said he felt like he was going to have a heart attack the whole time, but he was glad he tried it once.

Next up was Splash. J REALLY didn't like the look of the drop, and tried to beg out. M started begging and pleading, and soon turned to anger. Finally J said he would do it. Surprisingly, S also decided to ride.

Now here's the thing with S. He and my dad had cardiac stents placed within a week of each other, in the same spot, in the same hospital room! Dad's always been tough and fearless, and as soon as he was cleared to resume thrill rides he did so. S's always been weak and scared, and enjoys the excuse NOT to ride them, though he has been medically cleared. He builds himself up into panic attacks when he tries things. We did Expedition Everest on S's birthday. He was fine until it went backwards, at which point he had a panic attack. When we got back to the station, he had to lay down on the concrete until he got his breathing under control. He turned down medical assistance but accepted a wheelchair, which I pushed for the rest of the afternoon. So I was really surprised he decided to do Splash.

J was terrified the whole time. Every little bump or hill, he started screaming and cursing. In the photo, his hands are gripping the bar as tightly as humanly possible, his eyes are screwed shut, and his mouth is open in a wild scream. It's kind of cute, actually. S did fine the whole ride, but freaked himself out for the drop. I was sitting next to him, and had to talk him through breathing exercises from the bottom of the drop back to the station.

Meltdown in Adventureland
So J was miserable and S was miserable. I wanted to get to Adventureland to do my two favorite rides, Jungle Cruise and Pirates. It was already 7:15 and the park was closing at 8:00. Monica started whining about riding again, and I put my foot down. I said I was going to Adventureland, and anyone who cared to join me was welcome to do so. S and J looked thankful that they didn't have to do Splash again. Dad immediately checked his watch and agreed with me. M was furious.

M sulked and threw death glares at everyone throughout both rides. J got cranky, whether due to being hot and tired or annoyed with M. S was tired. Dad and I enjoyed the rides, and tried not to let the others get us down.

We walked out of Jungle Cruise just as Wishes was starting. We ran up to the side of the castle, which isn't a great view, but we intended to surprise M and J with the Wishes Dessert Party later in the week. Turns out M loves fireworks, so she was finally happy again, or so we thought.

Dad, S and I were bewildered when Wishes ended and M stormed off. I caught up to her and asked what happened, and was informed that "J didn't put his arm around me during the show. He knows I love fireworks." I tried to talk calmly and soothingly to her, but it was too late.

The Aftermath
M and J turned on each other in what I can only describe as a firestorm. The entire way out of the park, they were hurling insults. When we got to the ferry boat, J went upstairs with me while Monica remained on the lower level with Dad and S. This is when I found out this was their "Make up or break up" trip, and it looked like they were breaking up for good.

J got me to switch seats with him for the ride home, so he didn't have to sit next to M. S followed us to the condo. Dinner was supposed to be Olive Garden leftovers, but nobody but Dad ever actually ate that night.

The fight continued to escalate to the point that I thought we would get kicked out of the condo, if not arrested for disturbing the peace. They hated each other, they just wanted to go home and get divorced, just horrible things. I'm a trained therapist, so I offered to mediate if they wanted it. They said they did, so we sat and talked (well, I talked, they yelled) for hours. They finally wore themselves out around 2:30 am, cried and hugged and kissed and made up, and went to bed. S ended up staying over on the sleeper sofa, though he left before I was up the next morning. And for some reason, he didn't take his Mickey ears.

Day Four, Forget Epcot, We Need a Day to Recover!

[MouseKTeer]

Joining in!

We had 3 generations in our little travel group to the world this summer. The difference in age between the youngest and oldest was 58 years So you've got me hooked on what's gonna happen on your trip.

How did you choose your offsite condo? Just curious...

[JLTraveling]

Originally Posted by MouseKTeer

Joining in!

We had 3 generations in our little travel group to the world this summer. The difference in age between the youngest and oldest was 58 years So you've got me hooked on what's gonna happen on your trip.

How did you choose your offsite condo? Just curious...

Welcome, MouseKTeer! I honestly think our trip could have been wonderful if M and J hadn't been teetering on the brink of divorce beforehand. Or if he had ever traveled before and had some idea what to expect. We ended up feeling so trapped inside their drama, and neither of them could seem to let it go.

Dad's retired from the Dept of Defense, so he qualifies for the Armed Forces Vacation Club. They get an ever-changing inventory of timeshares that haven't booked for a particular week, and we can choose any available condo anywhere in the world for $329 per week. There were several available in the Disney area for our dates, so we used Trip Advisor to narrow them down, and eventually settled on Orbit One. It's on Entry Point Rd, which is Sherberth Rd on the other side of 192. That's a very convenient back way to the parks, and the drive takes all of five minutes. The condo is fabulous, and I would highly recommend it!

[JLTraveling]

The Plan
According to our well-crafted plan, we would have two days at Epcot. Part of one day was to be taken up with a Gifts of a Lifetime Amazing Race birthday surprise for my dad, so we figured we would do that and Food and Wine one day, and Future World a separate day. This was to be Future World day. Of course, the plan didn't take into account midnight fights. Nor did it take into account that M REALLY hates Epcot, but didn't tell us for fear of "hurting our feelings."

Despite the late night, Dad and I were up and moving by 8 am. We weren't about to wake M and J though. Since M had finally voiced her Epcot hatred during the previous night's fight, we decided to just cancel the day and use it as a relaxing reset for everyone.

M woke up after 12:30 and was upset that it was so late. She was also furious that S hadn't stayed to say goodbye. Clearly the fact that the witch he lives with was probably furious that he didn't come home the night before never entered M's thinking. She got J up and we let them come up with a new plan for the day.

M decided on MouseSurplus, the hospital at Celebration, and Downtown Disney. We suggested adding Spook Hill, a quick, free, ride-through old Florida attraction that's just down the street from MouseSurplus, and she agreed.

Can We Make It Through a "Relaxing" Day?
It was scorching hot by the time we left (2 pm in Central FL in September, what did they expect?), and M and J were whining about the heat from the moment we stepped out of the house. Remember the electrical problem in Dad's van? Every time we stopped at a light and flipped off the A/C, they yelled and proclaimed that "we're going to d-i-i-e-e-e-e!" (picture a stereotypical 12-year-old girl being told she can't have new shoes).

We went to Celebration first and thanks to Dad's disabled placard got a parking spot just outside the front doors. If you've seen Celebration Health, you know it's pretty spectacular. And M ASKED to go. So we were surprised when she kept rolling her eyes and declaring the hospital in Nashville ten times better. Needless to say, we left pretty quickly.

The van didn't start when we got back to it, so we used the power booster (the only day during the entire trip that it didn't start, incidentally). At this point, M was standing outside the van, hanging off the door, whining "Why don't we just take MY ca-a-a-a-r? I don't know why we have to take this piece of (deleted for family viewing)." Well, there are two good reasons. The one I voiced is that Dad's ECV doesn't fit into M's ca-a-a-ar. The one I didn't express is that I've ridden with J before and I value my life. VERY dangerous driver, and I don't get scared easily.

Back in the car, despite the fact that we were on the highway and the A/C is super-cold, the pair of them continued to make pointed snide comments about the heat, just loud enough that we could overhear. 20 minutes later, I got sick of hearing it and told them to both shut up. We hit the McD's drive through, where M, Dad, and I got lunch, just before MouseSurplus. J wasn't hungry.

I warned M in advance that MouseSurplus wasn't air conditioned and asked if she was sure they wanted to do it during the hot afternoon. She assured me that they did. Well, I don't know if it was the heat or just them, but both rolled their eyes, stamped their feet, and rushed through the shop as quickly as possible. Now, I'll give them that it wasn't the best merchandise day MouseSurplus has ever had, but that's hardly my fault.

They did enjoy Spook Hill. It's a cute optical illusion that doesn't involve getting out of the car, and I think they were happy to just sit and enjoy it. Then Jonathan decided he was hungry, so we had to go find him a McD's. Can't the boy just eat when the eating's good?

Are You Sure This Is a Good Idea?
At this point, M and J were both complaining of headaches and stomach aches, but they still wanted to go to Downtown Disney. So against our better judgment, we agreed.

We had taken M to Downtown Disney when she was here for a couple of days in March while her dad was in the hospital. She had a wonderful time and was excited about everything, and she said she wanted to share it with J. So we assumed the evening would go well. You know what happens when you assume, right?

As we were driving up, the Characters in Flight balloon was in the air. M finally got truly excited for the first time the whole trip. She was staring with her mouth hanging open, and pointing, and begging to ride. Dad and I hadn't done it yet, so we said that if they wanted to go, we would buy the tickets. I wasn't sure J and his fear of heights would be up for it, but to my utter amazement, he immediately said yes. M was beside herself with excitement.

We got a great parking spot in front of the movie theater, and went directly to the balloon. There was a fairly long wait, because the wind was kind of high, so they were only taking six at a time. Both M and J said they wanted to wait.

Now, M and J already had a reservation for parasailing in Clearwater later in the trip. Yet while they were waiting for the balloon, M completely psyched herself out. She went from fearless excitement to utter terror. Only she didn't express it. She made a slight comment, "Oh my gosh, my heart is really pounding. I don't know if I can do it." Knowing M and her general lack of fear, Dad and I started gently teasing her. Among other things, I said, "Gee, I don't know. If you can't conquer your fear on this, maybe you shouldn't go to Halloween Horror Nights tomorrow." Totally said and meant in a teasing manner.

The Meltdown
M flipped out. She suddenly stomped out of line, lit a cigarette, and motioned for J to come over. She was talking furiously, a mile a minute, and shooting daggers at me with her eyes. But I couldn't hear what she was saying. I had no idea what I had done at that point. I gave her a few minutes and then approached her to ask if she was okay. Her expletive-riddled response amounted to "I'm going to do it because you're "forcing" me to do it." I told her that I was not, in fact, trying to force her, and it was fine with me for her to stay on the ground. In a not so nice way, she informed me that she didn't believe me. Dad got to the ticket window and asked how many tickets he should buy, if any. She snapped at him to get four and flounced to the holding area.

While we were waiting for our turn, tickets already purchased, it finally came out that she thought I was saying that she wasn't allowed to go to HHN if she didn't do the balloon ride. I immediately apologized for coming across that way, and told her that I was just joking with her. She told me where to go. Now, it would have been a neat trick for me to even try to prevent her from going to HHN, because they had their own car and the HHN Frequent Fear passes were waiting at Will Call. But nonetheless, she was convinced that I wouldn't "permit" her to go.

In the balloon, J and M stayed as far away from Dad and me as possible. She sat on the floor of the balloon for most of the ride, though J convinced her to stand up before the end. As predicted, she had a wonderful time and was SO glad she had done it. Shockingly, J wasn't scared at all. They were both so proud of themselves. Unfortunately, M was still furious with me.

Another Late Night of Fighting
Although I tried to just let the fight go, M was having none of it. She kept escalating and escalating, first taking my dad aside to tell him horrible things about me, and then doing the same thing with J. But the kicker was when she looked directly into my eyes and said, "This just brings back all the times you hurt me over the years." That was shocking to me, because all I've ever tried to do over the years was help her make the best of her rotten summers and be a calming and steadying influence. So that hurt me pretty deeply. I asked her to explain what she meant, and she just clammed up.

After another hour, it was clear that Downtown Disney was done. We headed back to the car. M got in and refused to acknowledge anything or anyone. In the process of getting his ECV loaded, Dad sliced his arm open. Blood was running everywhere, and I couldn't tell how deep the cut was. I yelled and J came running to help. M started screaming at him to get back in the car and let Dad bleed. Thankfully he ignored her and located the First Aid kit while I dug around for shop towels to stop the bleeding. It turned out the cut wasn't that big, just a major bleeder, and we were able to get Dad patched up. But M not only didn't show any concern, she was furious with J for helping.

At that point, I completely lost it. I told M I wasn't surprised she didn't care about my dad, considering she hadn't bothered to show up for my mom's funeral. I told her to show some concern or get out of our car. So she flounced off looking for a cab. Then she immediately came back to ask for the address of the condo. She flounced off again, then came back and told us they didn't "have money" to pay a cab. Now, during their fight the previous night, J had pulled their trip money out of his wallet and scattered it all over the table. There were many $100 bills, so I'm not sure why they couldn't afford a $10 cab ride?

The Near Break
Anyway, they got back in the car and we rode home in silence. She immediately started packing to leave. J's got real high blood pressure, and he said he started feeling like he was having a stroke. So he went to lay down while she packed. Dad didn't want her to leave like that, out of anger, so he told her that if she left under those circumstances, then she was choosing to cut off her relationship with him. She didn't say anything, but disappeared into their bedroom. A few minutes later they came out in their swimsuits and went to the pool.

Dad and I sat on the porch for awhile to see if she wanted to talk, but gave up and went to bed around 2 am. A few minutes later, she came in our room sobbing. She was so sorry, she didn't mean for it to go like this, she loves us so much, couldn't we please give her another chance?

Although we were both really done at this point, we truly didn't want to end things on such a bad note. We told her that we loved her, and that we would be willing to try again, but that we were hurt and it might take some time to get over it. She said she understood and would make a special effort the next day.

Coming up: Day Five, Universal and HHN...Can We Live Through It?

[canoe86]

I'm heading to Disney in a month or so with my wife and four kids. When things get hectic and crazy...which they are bound to do a few times......I'm going to think back on your trip report. (make me feel things aren't so bad)

[canoe86]

psychotic. (with all due respect)

[JLTraveling]

Originally Posted by canoe86

psychotic. (with all due respect)

Why yes. She certainly acted that way.