Worst Trip ever?

[skiwee1]

I could never have an absolutely horrible trip because I'm at WDW. That said, the worse trip would have to be our stay at the WL. The transportation was horrible, the pools undersized, and the rooms small. Never again!

 

[DepCor0311]

Have never had a "bad" trip..However, coming from California, there have been 2 times where we took a "Red-Eye" flight. We arrived very early (6:00 am) and went to our hotel (BWI once and WL another time) and were given our park tickets, but could not check in until after 3:00pm. WE went to the parks to make the most of it. Both times I could not sleep on the plane and was exhausted in parks, in addition to not having a place to clean up after the flight. One time my ex and I were so tired, we slept at a picnic table outside of Epcot. It was kind of funny because I could hear people talking as they walked by..."Why would people spend so much money to come here and take a nap?...Why don't they go to their room?" Needless to say, now when DGF and I go, we always factor in a "travel day."

 

[Disneysnel]

My Dear Grandmother always said "It's not what happens to you, but the way you handle it that matters." with that in mind and the fact that I have always loved Disney, when I was on my honeymoon there (9 years ago) I really tried to keep my chin up and be happy but it was hard a couple of times as this was the trip I dreamed of for years.
We were there for 2 weeks and the second week we spent at the YC, I paid for and confirmed a lake view room. Well, when we checked in (they knew it was our honeymoon as it was on our confirmation) they downgraded us to a roof/parking lot view! I asked to be moved and I was, (after much debate with the front desk) to a view of the quiet pool way on the other side of the building. I still get mad when I think about the 250 extra we paid ( a lot to us then) for that view. On one of those days we had dinner PS's at Cindy's. I got all dressed up for this and as soon as we entered MK it started pouring and I had left our ponchos in our room! No time to stop because I had NO idea how big WDW is and we were always running late-LOL - so we showed up to Cindy's with me squishing in my high heels and we were dripping wet from head to toe. LOL- Well we wound up having a wonderful night anyways and our honeymoon was still fantastic.
I still just can't get over being downgraded on my honeymoon.

Sorry this is so long!

 

[PamNC]

It wasn't a HORRIBLE trip - but last year in May we stayed at the WL for the first time. We were very disappointed. We only stayed 4 days - then we went to Siesta Key near Sarasota for a few days which was wonderful!!! Anyway, we thought the transportation was slow and we felt far removed at WL. We thought it was a beautiful resort though. Also, we felt that the CMs weren't up to par with what we had encountered at other deluxe resorts. So, it wasn't the best of trips. Another thing that bugged us is that the rooms seemed small and dark and the pool wasn't that great. Then again, we were use to Stormalong Bay so it's not really a fair comparison. On the other hand, we tried the Poly for the first time this year and the volcano pool, although not as good as Stormalong Bay, was wonderful.

One time years ago I got sick with a sinus infection during the trip but it didn't really stop me from having fun.

PamNC

 

[PhillyPooh]

June 2002. Me, my ds (14 at the time) and dd (16). It started raining every day around 1pm and continued to rain into the night. I was tired of being wet. My son was in a bad mood from the time we landed until we left. He complained constantly about everything even saying "I hate Disney World". Can you imagine? Looking back he was going through a difficult time dealing with hormones. We just got back a couple of weeks ago from our first trip to the WL. We had an absolutely wonderful, magical time with absolutely no complaining.

 

[mhelsley]

My first Disney xmas a few years back didn't go quite as planned. We(me & DH)for the first time put ourself first and planned to excape the holiday crazy mess that is my family with a cruise followed by 5 days at WDW. Well on the day before we got off the ship i got very ill but was told i would be better in 72 hrs(not norwalk). Well we almost called our trip short but went on to WDW with some changes by car from Miami instead of plane and i slept all the way. I did start to feel a little better for the first few days but went downhill after Xmas day(2nd sickest i've ever been came home 10lb lighter). We totally miss the MK and after standing in pour rain on Xmas eve our CP part of our package was cancelled but they let us go another night. I also did make it to the Osborne Lights but we spent a lot of time in our hotel room. Still looking back it was the best Xmas i've ever had.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

My trip in June of 2000 was horrible at some points!! I took my mom, sister, and three neices and it was just a total nightmare. I paid over $1500 for this trip, so when it came time to go, I didn't have a lot of spending money. I told my mother and sister they would have to cover that since I paid for the trip. Well my sister came down with no money at all and my mom had to cover EVERYTHING!! All I heard was how expensive this was or we need to eat offsite, no I'm not buying that...etc, etc. I did have about $200 spending money, but over 6 days, that didn't go too far.
I spent a couple of days by myself and that was the ONLY time I was happy to be at Disney. I called DH everyday in tears and just didn't know what to do. He offered to come and pick me up and I told him no because at that time, he wasn't supposed to be driving alone because he was being tested for a sleeping disorder. I was at one of the happiest places on earth and I just pure miserable.
So I asked DH could we go back for our anniversary in 2001 and he said, sure, no problem. I didn't want my last memory of the SoG to be a poopy one, but unfortunately it was. DH got out of the military in July of 2000 so the next time we went we stayed at the Allstars. The SoG was wonderful, but staying with my mom, sister and her kids, just didn't whole a lot of great memories for me.
It's okay though, coz my trip in 2001 was wonderful and I can't wait for our next trip in 2006. I've offered a few people, some being the mom, sister and children again, to go on this trip with DH and I, but I'm rethinking this now as the ONLY person I trust to go on this trip and have a wonderful time with is my best friend who just got married and her hubby. I'm not setting up this trip for failure and it will be if I take mom, sister, and her family again. Don't misunderstand me, because they've all changed sooooooo much, we're a lot closer now, but I suppose I'll just pray on it and see what message I get.

 

[year2late]

It wasn't WDW, it was Disneyland.

I was traveling with my Mom and my 3 year old son. We were at the Disneyland Hotel and 9pm we were awakened by a family who had entered our room (we didn't latch). They actually stood there and argued with us that this was "their room". No big mistakes happen. They wouldn't leave and actually used the phone in OUR room to call the front desk.

Next day we go out to the parks. My mother (multiple medical problems by the way) goes back to the room before us while we go purchase lunch to bring back to room. I get up to the room and my keycard won't work. I knock on the door to have my mom let us in and no response. I am thinking the worst. I try to get the hotel maid to let us in. They insist we probably have the wrong room. The floor phone is not working and I run to the front desk and there is my mom. She is puffing on her inhalers and profoundly short of breath. The front desk the night before changed our keycode without telling us. We took it all in stride.

We had room service that evening and we got a call at 1030 at night (waking us up - including my 3 year old who couldn't get back to sleep after that)from the front desk letting us know they comped us for our in room dinner for our trouble. The guy told us we should have had our ringer off if we didn't want to be disturbed. We of course woke up late and missed early entry and magic morning.

My mom was getting fatigued the following day, so I asked the bell captain for a wheelchair. He assured me I could take it into Disneyland, but I was responsible for it and would owe $200 if it was loss. I signed a little agreement, and left with the wheelchair.

We went into DL that night and as we were exity we were flanked by security. Mind you it was not one officer saying "excuse me mam" it was 3 security gurads surrounding a mom with her toddler wheeling grandma out. We tried to explain that the hotel gave us the wheelchair and one even said "either you took the wrong wheelchair or you are lying" We assured them this was ours (I tagged it as so as I got it) and we showed them our reciept and insisted they call the cell captain at the hotel. They would not and insisted we start looking for the the one we came into the park with. WE picked up the phone to the bell captain and they acknowledged that they gave us a Disneyland wheelchair rather than a Disneyland Hotel wheelchair. The icing on the cake was that security had to accompany us back to the hotel. We were so embarrased.


Anyway. We did have a number of magic moments during the trip, but it was so clouded by the icky stuff. I talked to the manager and she looked into our complaints. She Found sometype of incident report backing up all of our concerns, She was profusely apolgetic. She said they would refund the entire cost of or package. I told them we just wanted our trip back. They even gave us the choice of a suite or concierge upgrade.

We went back 6 months later and had a blast.

We have been back to Disneyland and Disneyland Hotel at least yearly since then and have only had superb service.

 

[goofy4tink]

My dd's and my first trip to WDW was in '99 with my mom. My mom so wanted to see her Kate's first look at Cinderalla Castle. We've made other trips since then, without Mom. All very nice. Well, Mom passed away last Oct. DD was incredibly close to her Meme and was devastated. In mid-Nov my dh said.."Why don't you two go down to WDW for a quickie trip? Just get away." So we did. We went in Dec. 03. Well, long story short...everyplace we looked at WDW, we saw 'Meme'. It was really hard. I had no idea it would affect us like that. My dd was morose and cranky. We actually had mother/daughter fights. She was only 10!!! But, we did talk on the plane, coming home. We decided that we had needed to do that trip. To be together and do some heavy duty crying, all by ourselves. Dd did get sick while we were there too. High fever, exhausted all the time. Man, it was some trip. But, when we went back as a family last month, it was much better!! Now, we're taking Dad back for Thanksgiving so that he can see how wonderful WDW is during the holidays.

 

[hannahryan]

June 21-28 2004

Our 1st and last trip to WDW in the summer! The heat & crowds made us all so cranky. The heat actually made me physically sick. We went on very few rides due to the long lines. We stayed at the Poly, which was nice but much too expensive. It was so disapppointing that we almost flew home a few days early. We've learned to stick with value season.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

In January '99 DH and I went down to WDW for his convention. I was about 10 1/2 weeks Pregnant with 2nd child at the time. Had been to Dr. and knew we might be in for a miscarriage, but she said told us to go ahead and go. It wouldn't cause it, or stop it.

So we went down on Friday. First park day on Saturday and I started spotting.

Miscarried on Wednesday morning at DL-B. Went to hospital on Thursday evening. Flew home on Sunday, stand-by, where I was separated from DH. Ended up suffering panic attack on plane (may have been caused by meds they gave me).

Definitely wasn't the happiest place on earth that week, but have been back 7 times since (I think). Just never stayed in Bayou section since (too many sad memories).

Nothing that was WDW's fault, just a sad trip for us.

BTW - DD was born in 1999 (a gift from God). She started Kindergarten this year (another gift from God).

 

[dzneelvr]

Again, as many of you've said, it wasn't a Disney reason for the "bad trip".
we've never had an entire bad trip, only 1 bad incident about 10 years ago when the DD and DS were Little.

DS was punching the ghost next to him at the end of the Haunted mansion ride, and accidentally knocked off DH glasses. Well, to make a long story short, those glasses must've gone down the crack by the belt, because they were not to be found. Please know that DH is BLIND without his glasses.
SOOOOO, being a self-sacrificing DM that I am, I volunteered to take the kids and we'd stay at MK for the parade and such. DH was put in a cab and he went to an Optometrist and ordered new glasses via our home eye doctor. We all met up for our PS at Le Cellier by 7pm, so it ended well.
My DS is now 17 and he always tells his dad to "watch out for those ghost that took your glasses" before we go through the mansion.

 

[4 Princess Morganne]

Last December I planned the "Perfect" trip to celebrate my DD's 7th B-day. Complete with YC Conc, gifts in the room each day, special meals, everything.

We arrived and things went wonderful for the first 3 days - then on DD's actual Birthday - which started with the Princesses at CRT and got better all day - I woke I up the flu. Not the pukeing flu - the I can't move from the bed flu - fever/chills - the I hurt so bad I want to die flu. My DD and DH went to CRT without me and proceeded with the days events. I continued to get worse and worse. The kind folks at YC Conc finally called the "Disney Dr" to come and see me - I couldn't even walk to the door to let her in. Since I was just 24 hours into the flu she gave me a couple of prescriptions and said either I would get much better quickly - or it was the 10 day flu and I had better just pack it up and go home.

By 6:00 that night I did feel a bit better - so again the kind folks at YC Conc helped out by getting me a wheel chair. My DH and DD took turns pushing me around EPCOT so I could see the Santa's from around the world - the one thing I had really wanted to see. After about an hour sitting in the chair I had to go back and lie down. We left the next morning and right on schedule my DH came down with it the night we got home. I started him on the Rx the Disney Dr had given me - his symptoms only lasted 24 hours. In all I was terribly sick for 72 hours - so the medicine did help.

The moral of the story is get the flu med (and/or the Flu shot maybe) BEFORE you go and if you feel like you are getting sick - TAKE IT - you can still salvage your vacation.

I swore I'd never do another Christmas trip to WDW - but we leave Nov 30th for 6 days - but this time with the flu med in my medicine pack!

Morganne's Mommy

 

[ashleyrm]

What a great thread. I think it's so cool that even we disney addicts can admit that things aren't always perfect at WDW. My "worst trip" would be the only one that I didn't write a trip report for. February 2001. I'm not sure exactly why it was sub-par, but I think it had to do with the ages of the kids (13 an 15), and trying to force the recreation of a nearly perfect family trip in December 1998. We stayed at the Beach Club both times, but it just wasn't as special the second time. There was a lot of construction going on and we couldn't get the room location we wanted. I think by the time kids are teenagers, trying to put 4 "adult" sized people in a hotel room for 8 days is a mistake! We haven't gone as a total family since that trip, but have gone in separate pieces and had a great time. DH and I are going in November for our 20th wedding anniversary - our first time as a couple with no kids. I am very hopeful that it will be magical.

Becky

 

[katvan]

Our "terrible trip" to WDW was February 2003. We were driving from NC for a long weekend trip. Our best friends (husband,wife and their two girls 2 and 6 mos and FIL) had left the day before and we were to meet them. We got tied up at work and left late (Sign #1: should have waited to leave in AM, would have cancelled trip.)

A little before Savannah, GA our DS ,then 10 months, began to vomit in the car. This continued and he felt feverish so we stopped and found a hotel. In the morning DS improving, called his MD who called in med for nausea in case we needed it. (We were closer to WDW than home so we con'td. (Sign #2 should have gone home).

We arrive in WDW ,pick up med for DS who is feeling much better. We meet our friends and enjoy the evening at Epcot. One hour after returning to BCV my DH who NEVER gets ill gets sick. This continues and he finally lets me give some of our son's Rx. In the AM called my friend who we were supposed to meet and she was sick all night.

In the meantime there is a winter storm brewing and it seems like conditions might be bad on the trip home. DH still not feeling great so DS and I go to MGM and have a nice time. Next day, start drive home everything OK until below Columbia, SC where roads get very icy. So we have to stop only 2 hours from home. We finally made it home safely the next day. Unfortunately, my friends husband got sick on their drive home.

We still just refer to it as "THAT TRIP" . Luckily, we were able to have a few hours of fun.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

My worst trip (May 2002) still was pretty good, but had alot of annoying little things happen. I stayed solo at Coronado, and one night I accidently locked myself out of my room late at night when I went to get ice. Fortunately I was decently dressed but had no shoes on! Found a resort phone near the pool and called the front desk. A half-hour later someone from housekeeping unlocked my door and let me in. Felt pretty stupid!

That trip I also lost my locker key at the bottom of a tube slide at Blizzard Beach. After going down the slide, I knew imediately that I lost it, but obviously I could not retrieve it. The castmember had to call someone over to dive and find it. That took about 45 minutes, and the diver found my key. I was very nervous since if anyone else coming down the tube ride could find my key and get all my stuff!! Also felt pretty stupid!

Also on that trip, I rented a boat at Wilderness Lodge. I actually got pulled over by the "police" castmember in the Boston Whaler boat and yelled at for going too fast in the no-wake zone! Trust me, there were plenty of boats passing me going faster. I was a female alone and an "easy target" for the castmember to flaunt his authority. Never rented again.

Overall on that trip I had a decent time, but also that was the only trip I ever been on where I considered leaving a day early!

 

[jann1033]

Originally posted by WeLoveThePoly
.....

In all our trips to WDW we've always been very lucky .... health-wise, weather-wise, crowd-wise, travel-wise, etc etc etc.


Debbie

us too! we've had an occasional bad waiter or something but not a ruined trip..the worst was probably when we went with some really annoying whiney spoiled little kids ( obvioulsy not "our" little angels ) but thankfully only met them 2 days so we could endure it..even my kids ( their friends) were ready to strangle them by the time they left us for good!