So, last night of a short trip with my four year old. It is his first time here, and my first time here in 10+ years. I booked an after-hours at animal kingdom for tonight and I am already back in hotel. Feeling emotional. Disappointed trip ended on this note.
To fill in
My son and I go to the lobby around 6 and as what time they suggest we leave for the after hours. They say they recommend leaving soon, because they usually let people in fairly early. I say "6:30"- the say "oh yes for sure."
Okay, so we get there abut 6:15. Its raining. They aren't letting anyone in. We are just standing in rain. Finally, about 6:45, they let us in. Its now thunder storming HARD. Like, really bad. Okay- I immediately feel a little sad knowing some rides will be closed, knowing I spent all that money, but I decide to suck it up- this will be a life long memory and the rain will only make it more exciting I think. Plus, it was the risk I took
First- we decide to do bugs life. We just need to get in somewhere. I mistakenly took my stroller, so when I got to the door to go in the standby area, they told me they would take my stroller and park it by the others. We go in the theater, and the people before us won't leave- the rain is too bad. The doors won't close. They are trying to pile back in. Its chaos. Finally, they all get back in and sit through the movie with us again. Long delay.
Okay- movie is good. WE leave, its pouring- As I exit, I tell person working about stroller situation and ask where it will be parked- "With the others" I am told.
So I walk "to the others"- its not close. Its a good 5 min walk, in absolute POURING rain. No Stroller. I ask someone else "Oh it should be here. Its not?" We are looking everywhere. 15 min later, after phone calls "Oh, its by the exit actually, you just didn't see it" (it was parked at the exit row behind us) Walk back, pouring rain, get stroller.
Next, we need another indoor ride! Dinosaur. We walk over there, and DINOSAUR IS CLOSED- okay, so not only are the outdoor rides closed, but now also DINOSAUR. But wow, suddenly triceratops spin is opened. Which is weird because its pouring. I guess they were desperate to have some ride open there. Of course my 4 year old sees it, and wants to ride- why not, we are already sopping wet.
So we get on. Then the operator comes up to us and says " You guys should really sit in the front row. The front row lifts you up and down. "No, its fine" I say- He says "No you REALLY should. If you don't you won't be able to go up and down".... oookkk So we move to the front. I get off first and as my son is getting off SLIPS, FALLS and his leg gets TRAPPED under the ride, the part with the stars and the concrete.
He is four, so he is screaming, sobbing. I am trying to unstuck his leg. Everyone is looking dumbfounded. That ride 100% should not have been open- he was in tennis shoes, and slipped and fell SO hard. I finally get his leg out and pick him up trying to console him. The operator says " Is his leg okay?" I tell him I don't know, I need to sit him down and look at it.
I find the exit sit at the bench. His legs are bleeding. There are FOUR workers around, and not one has asked if we are okay. They are laughing and chatting. He is SCREAMING sobbing (over dramatic 4 year old, but they were bloody). Finally, I say " EXCUSE ME... my son needs a bandaid"- I am told "There's a store over there." and points to a store.
OOOOOKKKK so I am carrying my child, with bloody legs, who is hysterical, in the pouring rain, to a store. And as I reach the store, the store is CLOSED. So I have no clue where to go, so I go back to the people working there
"That store is closed" I say.
"Well, you will have to find another somewhere." They say
"My child just got injured on your ride. Your ride is too slippery, and Im thinking it shouldn't be operating right now. He is hysterical and bleeding. Can you please help me get a bandaid or something?"
"No, we can't give you a bandaid because we aren't allowed to."
They then literally turn around and start dancing and laughing....
It was INSANE. There was absolutely ZERO concern for him, or for me, a single mom, with a bloody and screaming crying child, in pouring rain, no clue where to go to find a damn bandaid, and NO one willing to help.
So I just walk off. IDK where I am going, but I finally find a store where someone happily sells us bandaids.
At this point, my child wants to leave. I can't blame him. Its pouring rain, he's hurt- but I still want to try to have some fun so I start asking around for where our "free food/drinks" are
Oh, they are all closed except one, on the opposite side of the park, for "worker safety" So, in the entire after hours, there was ONE stand open for anything. I said, I just need a water, can I please get a water somewhere?
"If you want to pay. If you want it for free you have to walk to other side of park."
Are you kidding me?
At this point we left.
We are in hotel.
To fill in
My son and I go to the lobby around 6 and as what time they suggest we leave for the after hours. They say they recommend leaving soon, because they usually let people in fairly early. I say "6:30"- the say "oh yes for sure."
Okay, so we get there abut 6:15. Its raining. They aren't letting anyone in. We are just standing in rain. Finally, about 6:45, they let us in. Its now thunder storming HARD. Like, really bad. Okay- I immediately feel a little sad knowing some rides will be closed, knowing I spent all that money, but I decide to suck it up- this will be a life long memory and the rain will only make it more exciting I think. Plus, it was the risk I took
First- we decide to do bugs life. We just need to get in somewhere. I mistakenly took my stroller, so when I got to the door to go in the standby area, they told me they would take my stroller and park it by the others. We go in the theater, and the people before us won't leave- the rain is too bad. The doors won't close. They are trying to pile back in. Its chaos. Finally, they all get back in and sit through the movie with us again. Long delay.
Okay- movie is good. WE leave, its pouring- As I exit, I tell person working about stroller situation and ask where it will be parked- "With the others" I am told.
So I walk "to the others"- its not close. Its a good 5 min walk, in absolute POURING rain. No Stroller. I ask someone else "Oh it should be here. Its not?" We are looking everywhere. 15 min later, after phone calls "Oh, its by the exit actually, you just didn't see it" (it was parked at the exit row behind us) Walk back, pouring rain, get stroller.
Next, we need another indoor ride! Dinosaur. We walk over there, and DINOSAUR IS CLOSED- okay, so not only are the outdoor rides closed, but now also DINOSAUR. But wow, suddenly triceratops spin is opened. Which is weird because its pouring. I guess they were desperate to have some ride open there. Of course my 4 year old sees it, and wants to ride- why not, we are already sopping wet.
So we get on. Then the operator comes up to us and says " You guys should really sit in the front row. The front row lifts you up and down. "No, its fine" I say- He says "No you REALLY should. If you don't you won't be able to go up and down".... oookkk So we move to the front. I get off first and as my son is getting off SLIPS, FALLS and his leg gets TRAPPED under the ride, the part with the stars and the concrete.
He is four, so he is screaming, sobbing. I am trying to unstuck his leg. Everyone is looking dumbfounded. That ride 100% should not have been open- he was in tennis shoes, and slipped and fell SO hard. I finally get his leg out and pick him up trying to console him. The operator says " Is his leg okay?" I tell him I don't know, I need to sit him down and look at it.
I find the exit sit at the bench. His legs are bleeding. There are FOUR workers around, and not one has asked if we are okay. They are laughing and chatting. He is SCREAMING sobbing (over dramatic 4 year old, but they were bloody). Finally, I say " EXCUSE ME... my son needs a bandaid"- I am told "There's a store over there." and points to a store.
OOOOOKKKK so I am carrying my child, with bloody legs, who is hysterical, in the pouring rain, to a store. And as I reach the store, the store is CLOSED. So I have no clue where to go, so I go back to the people working there
"That store is closed" I say.
"Well, you will have to find another somewhere." They say
"My child just got injured on your ride. Your ride is too slippery, and Im thinking it shouldn't be operating right now. He is hysterical and bleeding. Can you please help me get a bandaid or something?"
"No, we can't give you a bandaid because we aren't allowed to."
They then literally turn around and start dancing and laughing....
It was INSANE. There was absolutely ZERO concern for him, or for me, a single mom, with a bloody and screaming crying child, in pouring rain, no clue where to go to find a damn bandaid, and NO one willing to help.
So I just walk off. IDK where I am going, but I finally find a store where someone happily sells us bandaids.
At this point, my child wants to leave. I can't blame him. Its pouring rain, he's hurt- but I still want to try to have some fun so I start asking around for where our "free food/drinks" are
Oh, they are all closed except one, on the opposite side of the park, for "worker safety" So, in the entire after hours, there was ONE stand open for anything. I said, I just need a water, can I please get a water somewhere?
"If you want to pay. If you want it for free you have to walk to other side of park."
Are you kidding me?
At this point we left.
We are in hotel.
Last edited by a moderator:
