Ever been to WDW w/someone who is afraid of EVERYTHING?

[addicted_to_WDW]

Last January we went to WDW with my MIL and SIL. My SIL would not ride anything. Finally we convinced her to go on Spaceship Earth, and she ended up mad at us because we didn't tell her it would be dark in there.

I love WDW, but that trip was just awful...why go if you refuse to do anything? Anyone else have a similar experience?

 

[mcnuss]

Well, last year my DD was in a wimpy mood and did not want to ride much.

To be frank, after the first day of cajoling, pleading, etc..., all of us ride riders made a pact not to say another word. We told DD she had to stand in line with us and then we'd switch off bc the rest of us were riding, no ifs ands or buts. It was irritating as heck, but we refused to be sucked into a cycle of whining, bribing, etc... and end up like the not-so-happy families you see all over the place. In the end, she was actually happier bc no one was trying to push her into riding, and it took all the stress off of us, too.

 

[nativetxn]

Fortunately, no.

How old is your sil? My 6 year old nephew had problems with dark rides when I took him to wdw a few years ago. I warned him about all of the dark rides before we even boarded. It never occurred to me to warn his grown mother.

How interesting. Well, everyone is different, I guess. I would think to warn someone about TOT or RNR or Space Mountain but I would never have thought to warn a grown up about SSE. I suppose she would have been angry with me too. I just wouldn't have thought to warn her.

Oh well, she will get over it. You don't have to take her again. Find someone fun to tour with, I'm available

 

[CamColt]

We had an experience like that when DS was going through a "stage". He was 3 1/2 and wanted to do nothing...and complained about it all too. My then 8 month old was easier to deal with than him...it was a tough trip. We had extended family with us and all did an enight. DS & DH ended up going on BuzzLightyear once for the enight and we even left it early! After that I vowed never to take him anywhere again, LOL. On the good side, we did book another WDW trip 11 months later...and the same DS had the time of his life. I was never so happy when he got off of Dumbo and yelled "I want to do that again!!!".

 

[TheLorax2000]

I went with my aunt (whom I'm very close with) and is afraid of everything. She wouldn't do spaceship earth because it went backwards. There's the dip in Pirates ( yeah, the real little one). LOL ....But we had a great time. She really enjoyed the Disney Magic, the shows, fantasyland rides.

I knew going in that she had all these fears and I go pretty often so it wasn't an issue for me. Plus she didn't mind at all when I took the kids on rides that she prefered to skip. She just hung out and people watched... sometime I stayed with her... sometimes not.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Well, my SIL was 40 at the time and got all huffy anytime we wanted to do anything without her. Never again!!!

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by addicted_to_WDW
Well, my SIL was 40 at the time and got all huffy anytime we wanted to do anything without her. Never again!!!

I agree, addicted! If I were you, SIL would definitely not be coming again.

 

[BethR]

Originally posted by addicted_to_WDW
Well, my SIL was 40 at the time and got all huffy anytime we wanted to do anything without her. Never again!!!

*I'm* not even THAT bad!

 

[Fantasia Sam]

My DBF is a bit afraid of rides like Space and Splash. I managed to get him on BTMR last year and he was fine but since then we have visited Disneyland and he didn't wanna come and ride with me. I got him on Splash for the first time saying that it was a ride inside like Pirates with the one big Splash at the end. Unfortunatley I had forgotten about some of the swooshes inside too and he was so not happy but enjoyed the big Splash at the end. I won't ever take him on that again and he's 44

I don't mind doing RnR, Space and BTM on my own. Splash and ToT I can do when I visit with friends so again I'm not that bothered and he doesn't mind waiting.

 

[loriandmatt]

I have to chime in on the "NEVER AGAIN" note:

Last June (june was not my idea!!!) we went with MIL, SIL and her family (DD 6, DD 10 and HD)

Whiney childen who won't get on much of anything. Whimpy MIL and SIL's DH who wouldn't get on much of anything. Constant griping about heat (i TOLD them not to go in July!!!), high prices of everything, lines (did i mention that i TOLD them not to go in JULY!!!!), foreigners (again - with the July thing!!!!!), the long days....ugh!!!!

DH and i decided after day 1 of this self inflicted tourture fest......NEVER AGAIN.

We will from now on keep WDW as a "just us" kind of vacation.


-lori

 

[ChairborneRangr]

We had a somwhat simalr experience at DisneyLand when my DS was 4.5 (he is 17 now). The dark rides were freightening him. We bought him one of the POTC flintlock style toy guns and told him to shoot anything he was scared of.

He had a blast. We had to be careful with all the gun waiving. He rode EVERYTHING he was tall enough to ride. It was really fun to watch him. He also protected DD who was 3 at the time.

Sorry about your experience with your SIL...

 

[wdwfreak]

I've never been with someone like that, but my MIL went May 2002. She went with her husband (DW's stepdad), her son, and, unfortunately, her granddaughter (DW's niece), Megan, who was 9 at the time. She REFUSED to go on any ride. She wouldn't even get in line. Splash MT was too wet, Space MT was inside, i.e. dark, even the Carousel went too fast. They actually got her on Dumbo, but Megan wouldn't let them go up because it was too high. My MIL ended up sitting the rides out with her while her husband and DS went on everything. She is normally a very patient woman, in fact, I have never even seen her upset. However, by about the middle of the second day, she was ready to STRANGLE Megan! Megan also screamed and cried every night (they stayed at WL) for her mother. A nightmare, but MIL kept her cool, didn't force her to go on aything. Huge waste of $$$ for her... When they got back, I told her about switching off.

Anyway, we're going with my FIL and DW's stepmother in September. They talked about taking Megan, and we were like NO WAY!!! We won't go with them, if they take Megan. Well, it turns out, Megan doesn't want to go anyway, even with her Mom.

She's the only person under 12 that I've ever heard of not wanting to go to Disney, especially when she's part of this family, which is full of Disneyphiles. Oh well, to each their own!

 

[XStAnt]

I can understand children being afraid of everything or just getting into a mood that they don't want to do anything. Kids are like that and if you're there with young children it's a risk you take and just have to put up with (although I understand the frustration of the people with these children).

But grownups not wanting to do anything ? That's ridiculous. I understand being afraid of TOT or SM. but SE????? POC??? I imagine they despised Honey I Shrunk the Audience. Why bother going to DW. And if you are that "afraid" of everything, an adult should know better to keep quiet and not complain to family members because SE was dark. Complaining just spoils the trip for others.

Sorry, I don't mean to rant or criticize anyone's family member. However, it just always amazes me how some people never want to have fun.

 

[threeboysmom]

I agree - it's understandable for children to be so frightened by the dark & loud noises, but an adult???? I can't believe she was mad because you didn't tell her it was dark!? Doesn't she sleep every night in the dark???

 

[ChairborneRangr]

The more I think about it, the more I think it is a control thing. SIL wanted to be in control. The way for her was to be "afraid" of everything. Anyone with an ounce of compassion and selflessness would've let people go enjoy what they wanted to without ruining their vacation. There is PLENTY to do at WDW. Shows, pavilions, the safari... lot's that aren't traditional "rides"

As my wife says "This is Disney World, anyone not able to have a good time here needs to seek professional help"

 

[MKFan-PR]

Well, my DW doesn't like to do BTMRR, SpaceMtn and ToT. But just to be with me, she's done each once. When we took our DD on our last trip (she was 3 1/2), she noticed that she was 'rubbing off' on her with her fear (our DD would get nervous or scared on Dumbo!). So she decided to muster up some courage because, in her words 'I didn't want her to be as afraid as I am'. By the second or third day, we were all having fun, and she even wanted to ride SpaceMtn and SplashMtn! She couldn't grasp the fact that she was too small!

I can go to any of the Disney parks and not do a single ride. I enjoy sitting in a bench a people-watch, or having a nice meal in any of the restaurants. But that is after 10 trips over the years. The rides is one of the things make the parks memorable.

My point (and I do have one! ) is that someone who is afraid but is considerate will not spoil your fun. Someone who isn't can ruin your trip. For a child to be scared of a ride is more or less normal. For an adult to be scared of a ride is unusual, but it can happen. For an adult to be upset and spoil a trip just because you don't like what everyone else is doing? Why did you come? Stay at the pool in the hotel! (although that would probably be too wet!)