In 2000, I went for the first time to WDW as adult. It had been years since I'd been and it was going to be even more special since I was going with my first born (4 yr old DS at the time) and my mom.
Sidenote: my mother is notorious for getting sidetracked in "la la land"... not a good mix when it comes to meeting a certain place at a certain time.
We had only ONE day at MK. Everything was going fairly smoothly until after lunch. We split up... my mom took my son one way, I went another and we agreed to meet back in front of a certain place at a specific time. I remember CLEARLY telling my mom: "I'll be waiting for you RIGHT HERE." I pointed to the area, the specific bench, etc. She just looked over her shoulder, my son's hand in hers and said, "Ok, ok".
When it came time to meet back up... my mother never showed. No, I don't mean she EVENTUALLY showed up. I mean she NEVER SHOWED UP. I stood there at our designated spot the REST OF THE DAY with some brief trips to the bathroom and the "missing person's" area (can't remember the name). I remember standing there for hours on end watching the same people go by hour after hour but my mom and son never showed up. (We obviously didn't have cell phones or walkie talkies.) I didn't want to wander the park looking for them either since the #1 rule of getting lost is staying PUT, especially if it's at the place where you agreed to meet.
I actually got worried that something awful happened, like my mom misplacing my son and she was busy looking for him while I waiting for the 2 of them to show up! I remember thinking I could care less where my mom was, I just wanted my little boy back!
I FINALLY gave up and was practically in tears as I walked out of the park. I remember seeing part of the lovely parade and wished I could share it with my DS. But I also was just hoping he was alright.
Sure enough, back at the hotel, there they were - just fine. My mom was fuming claiming she waited for me at the spot we agreed upon. I told her that the place we agreed to meet was "X" and she thought it was somewhere totally different (that's about the millionth time she's had this type of confusion so I should've known better and not split up with her in the first place!).
What was even more frustrating was that she didn't wait for me at her "supposed" spot very long. She took my son and went around the park doing all sorts of rides and shows without me, all while I was standing at my "post" waiting for them!!
At least my son had a good time... I on the other hand couldn't have been madder at my mom. I don't even like thinking about that trip.
I'm going back this June. It will be the first trip back since that awful trip in 2000. But this time, I'm now presented with a different type of challenge: INLAWS... 11 of us total ages 1-63. One of these days, we'll get a "normal" more low-key trip with just me, DH and our kids!