Travelling with friends and family horror stories! For gentle fun.

[PghLybrt]

Not really a horror story but it could have been!

My Dad took me, my GF, brother and his wife and kids. My Dad hates WDW. He always has and always insists on taking us since we were born (we are now in our 30's). Well this time it was with 2 very small children. I knew it would not go well. We stayed at the Yacht Club and spent the 1st day at the Magic Kingdom. Wouldn't you know it was the 1st time that they filmed the christmas parade ahead of time! It was wall to wall people. My Dad turned to me and said " Can i go back". I said sure, thinking we would catch up with him for dinner. When we went back for dinner I found thet he had checked out and went home!! He litterally took his rental car and drove all the way back to PA!! However before he did that he used his pass to walk into MGM, Epcot, AK and one of the water parks! (We did not have hoppers , he used all 5 days in 1 day!) ( and yes i still have his pass and when they look it up it shows that he did just that!)

He was happy that we had a good time, so i guess that is what is important.

 

[walkdmc]

LOL at your Dad just leaving. I don't know what's more funny, that he left left, or that he visited a water park along with all the others before he left,

Maybe you guys should take it personally?

 

[PghLybrt]

LOL at your Dad just leaving. I don't know what's more funny, that he left left, or that he visited a water park along with all the others before he left,

Maybe you guys should take it personally?

LOL I would but I knew he hated going! He now insists on going on DCL, i tease that he can't take a lifeboat home!

 

[ReneeA]

We met up with good friends this past trip a couple times - our first day in the MK and one am in EPCOT. I really like them, and their oldest is my DS8's best friend.

I didn't think it was horrible, but we go annually for a long trip, and they go almost as oftenas we do. That means that they have a distinct touring style, and we definitely have our our routine. Unfortunately, we discovered that the two are not even remotely similar. It rained our first evening in WDW, we met them in the MK. They wanted to leave, we wanted to stay (we had just gotten there!!). We go every year the end of August...we are used to afternoon/evening showers. They don't tour in the rain. Their kids wanted to ride some rides with our kids. Our kids like the thrill rides - theirs don't. Our kids were baffled that they didn't want to ride Splash Mountain several times since there wasn't a line.

We ended up just giving up meeting after the second morning in EPCOT. It felt too difficult to keep a group of 8 together and everyone happy. We went our separate ways and didn't meet up again, even though they were there several days into our trip. I felt pretty bad, but it seemed as if it were for the best.

We've since decided that we aren't the type of family that can do WDW with others. We are just set in our ways, and go so often that we know what works best for us.

 

[TinkBride]

In March 2004 me, my ex, my sister, her husband, their 2 kids, my mom, dad, brother, and grandma went on a trip. *sigh*

My BIL, brother, and ex are all anti-disney and anytime we went to the parks they would follow behind and make fun of everything, everybody, and anything they could imagine. My grandma was in a wheelchair and it was crowded for spring break so we were trying to navigate everything with a wheelchair and stroller and all try to stay together (my sister insisted we did not split up). Nothing specific happened that trip it was just a bunch of chaos. We fought daily - because one group would want to do one thing - then the kids would cry because they were bored waiting. Then my sister would beg us to let the kids do something - so then all the adults were standing around and waiting. My sister is a commando style park hopper. I plan, but I like to do things at a slower pace. My sister would get mad because we were not keeping up as she sprinted around the park with the stroller. Then my mom would get mad because my sister was not being more understanding. Then me and my brother would be pissed because we were standing around arguing. It was craziness. Then (we rented a house) when we would get back to the house my brother and ex would hide in one of the rooms and watch crank yankers all night. My nephew was obsessed with Monsters, Inc. at the time so the video was on constant replay all week when we were at the house. It rained the entire time - so we were cranky, annoyed, and just had the most horrible time - EVER.

Oh - I forgot. All the girls had breakfast ressies at CRT one morning and we just planned on meeting the guys at MK after breakfast. We stood in front of the castle for 3 hours trying to find the other half of our group. Because they had been stuck in traffic at the maingate for 2 hours. And once they were able to make it to the park the castle show started at the exact time we were supposed to meet in front of the castle. Never plan to meet in front of the castle - EVER! Once we met up the blame game started about where we were supposed to meet - so that was another fight....

My family does not normally fight about things - but this trip brought out the worst in all of us.

Of course we laugh about it now - but we learned a very important lesson. Anytime we vacation as a family we MUST make time for space away from one another. If you try to do everything together all week long - it turns into a disaster.

 

[Pakey]

We take our adult children and their spouses on a vacation every other year. In 2009, we went to WDW and then on a Disney cruise. There were 11 of total, 10 adults and our 3 year old grandson, doing his first Disney trip.

Because I was using mileage points for airfare from different airlines, we were not all on the same flight. 6 flew on a flight where a kid got on the plane already very sick with the flu (mom made a comment that she wasn't cancelling the Disney vacation). 3 of this group ended up very sick for a few days of the vacation and couldn't leave the room. We were on the deluxe dining plan and threw away many credits as a result.

The 5 of us on the other flight had mechanical problems, missed the connecting flight, then missed the 2nd connecting flight and ended up arriving at WDW a day late. Because we were staying DVC and had to pay for dining plan at checkin (which I had planned to do), one of our sons ended up having to charge it so that they could check in since they ended up arriving first.

One son/daughter in law (parents to the grandson) had huge fights. Huge. Some of the photpass pictures are pretty funny (looking back now) because of the tension in the group. It was bad enough that this son ended up sleeping in one of the other son's villas for a few nights. They were so bad that for a great deal of the time, we just took our grandson and left them to be hateful so that at least our grandson could have some part of a first Disney vacation.

Our grandson ended up being terrified of everything at WDW. He's noise sensitive and after 20 WDW trips, we were pretty immune and didn't realize how noisy all of the attractions are, even the kiddie ones.

We got on the monorail and shared a car with someone with terrible B.O. And then the monorail broke down. For eternity. There's nothing that screams magic more than sharing a stuck monorail car with fighting children and B.O.

On the cruise on Pirate Night, where we were all wearing matching shirts, the same son got incredibly drunk and obnoxious and I made several apologies to strangers until my husband and I decided to just retreat to our cabin.

I feel bad for our other children but we've decided that was our last family vacation. And we're still shocked that it was this son creating the drama; he's 30 and we've never seen what we saw on this vacation.

 

[Disneymommy2006]

We have gone with friends and family on 3 of our Disney trips. We've never had any bad experiences like the ones that have been mentioned here. I think that's because each group/family has always done their own thing when it comes to the parks and plans. The whole group generally planned to meet 2-3 times throughout the week at certain parks and often planned meals to meet up but this is the best way (IMHO) to do Disney with friends and/or extended family!!! We even had a Grand Gathering Safari on one trip. Everyone likes different things and approaches the parks differently...we are a rope drop kind of family but our friends and family like sleeping in more so this just worked best for us...

 

[TinkBride]

I forgot about another trip.....I went with my parents when I was 17 and before we left my Grandpa (who had been in a nursing home) was not doing very well. My mom had given up her job about a year earlier to take care of my grandparents and needed this trip very badly. Everyone pushed my mom and told her to go on the trip and insisted that if she stayed home that everything would be fine and she would miss her trip.

Well we drove from Ohio (18 hours) straight through to Disney. We arrived at the resort exhausted from the drive at about 12:00 AM. At 6:00 AM we got a call from my sister that my Grandpa had passed away at 2:00 AM. Needless to say we had to head home (without ever setting foot in the park.) About 6 hours into our drive we got to Cordele, GA (I will never forget that town...) and the car we were driving started to overheat.....so we pull over and luckily there was a Ford dealer at the exit. They had to order a new radiator that was going to take 3 days to get in. My mom flipped her lid! Totally broke down in the dealership crying about how she wouldnt make it home for the funeral. My parents are totally old school and have no credit cards (ZERO!) and never have so they were not able to rent another car to get home - so the dealership had to take my sisters credit card over the phone and fax to rent my parents a car. 6 hours later we were on our way back to Ohio for the funeral in a rental car. We arrived home 3 hours before the funeral. The day after the funeral we had to drive back to Georgia to return the car and pick up our van. At this point we had been in the car for 48 hours in a 72 hour period. Since we were already in GA (12 hours from home), with the funeral behind us, my mom and dad said screw it and we headed to Disney for a week.

That was the most horrendous trip in my entire life......

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We went on a group trip with friends a few years ago. We are NEVER NEVER doing that again.

We were all at the same resort. Without my knowledge, Friend requested connecting rooms. They ended up being WAY across the resort from us, but Friend was mad that the request wasn't met.

Friend went to the gym the day before the trip. Friend fussed for FOUR DAYS about being sore. This was NOT Friend's first time at WDW, so the walking was NOT a surprise!

Friend would forget stuff at the hotel and then get mad when the rest of us wouldn't stop in our tracks and offer to go back to the hotel. This was a GROUP TRIP, which meant Friend intended for us to STAY IN A GROUP!! No exceptions!

Friend bought the DDP but didn't do any research, so EVERY time we went to an ADR I had to explain AGAIN how it worked. If I chose to pay cash for MY meal Friend got very fidgety. Friend kept a list of the ADRs and made sure to show up for each and every one early. And as the week went on, Friend went to ADRs earlier, and earlier, and earlier. Half an hour before our ADR at Chef Mickey's my family was still in MK. Friend was at the Contemporary, calling my cell phone because we weren't there yet.

Friend insisted on having certain dietary PREFERENCES met (NOT allergies) so that chefs were coming out to our table to discuss our meals.

Friend wanted to stop to eat every couple of hours. If we were still swallowing food at a buffet at 9 AM, at 10:30 Friend was whining about needing a snack. And Friend going to have a snack while the rest of us did something else was unacceptable. Friend was ready for lunch at noon, and if we didn't go to lunch THAT MINUTE friend would pout. Or Friend would tell me "Fine. We'll go on this ride now ONLY if you PROMISE we'll go straight to lunch afterwards." Do not pass GO, do not collect $200. If my family eats a buffet breakfast we typically don't eat again until around 7 PM, so this pattern made us CRAZY.

At meals Friend would eat to the point of being uncomfortable, then proceed to tell us about it in great detail. And it wasn't like this just happened once - it happened repeatedly.

If our group was separated, Friend called my phone IMMEDIATELY. We went to every park, every ADR, every everything together.

Friend fussed that Housekeeping wasn't thorough enough.

Friend fussed about something CONSTANTLY, but it was never the same thing twice.

The best thing about the trip was that DH and I were so irritated with Friend that we didn't spend much time fighting with each other.

 

[EveJer]

We usually make 3-4 trips a year, and a couple of years ago our friends asked if they could go with us during our christmas trip. She just loves Disney and hadn't had a chance to go for years, so we said sure. Well they both have difficulty walking so they said they were renting scooters when they got there. As there would be no room for them and scooters in our car it was decided that they would take their truck (with ramps they purchased) and follow us. She assured me that they would be able to move the scooters on and off their truck with no problem. So off we went.

We live in the Florida Panhandle and it is usually about a 51/2 hour drive... but as he is a bit older than us, he doesn't quite drive the same.... 7 hours later we arrive.

Their scooters were waiting for them at the hotel when we arrived. Thank goodness. We went to our rooms, side by side, not connecting.

When we set out the next morning, I realized that they would not be able to move the scooters on the truck by themselves. After a few days of me helping them, I finally told them to 'stand back' and let me get it done!

While in the parks she would lead the way and he would follow like a little puppy, she would turn left, he would turn left, she would turn right, he would turn right.... and lord help anyone that got in her way. One time we went to take a break at the front of mainstreet and he got seperated from her. We found him going round and round the flag pole.

One nite we got back to the hotel and she had to go to the office for something, so off she went and he followed right behind. We went on up to our room (5 floor) and were standing on the balcony when she returned, but he was not with her. We asked where is 'Bob' and she said 'I don't know', we told her that he was right behind her on the way to the office, and apparently she did not see him. So as we were looking out to the parking lot, my wife jokingly says 'Bob' and then, from the floor below, we hear 'Yes?'! He had gotten off on the wrong floor!!....

When it was time to leave and come home we said... you know the way home and we will see you when you get back!!

We love them very much, but needless to say they will not be going to Disney with us anytime soon.

 

[auntfrannie]

Not really a horror story but it could have been!

My Dad took me, my GF, brother and his wife and kids. My Dad hates WDW. He always has and always insists on taking us since we were born (we are now in our 30's). Well this time it was with 2 very small children. I knew it would not go well. We stayed at the Yacht Club and spent the 1st day at the Magic Kingdom. Wouldn't you know it was the 1st time that they filmed the christmas parade ahead of time! It was wall to wall people. My Dad turned to me and said " Can i go back". I said sure, thinking we would catch up with him for dinner. When we went back for dinner I found thet he had checked out and went home!! He litterally took his rental car and drove all the way back to PA!! However before he did that he used his pass to walk into MGM, Epcot, AK and one of the water parks! (We did not have hoppers , he used all 5 days in 1 day!) ( and yes i still have his pass and when they look it up it shows that he did just that!)

He was happy that we had a good time, so i guess that is what is important.

Wow! Just wow!! All these stories are exactly why I won't go with anyone but certain members of my immediate family (i.e., my sisters and their families). I was talking to a cousin about disney and she said she would be glad to share a trip with me. I think I got that scared "deer in the headlights" look because I just stared and changed the subject. A Disney vacation is too important to me to take a chance with ruining it with the great big unknown!!

 

[skyfire1982]

My mom is extremely stingy. If everyone is miserable but she saves an extra $20, she considers it excellent financial planning on her part. Case in point:

My mom took my brother and I to Disney about 15 years ago. Those frequent flyer miles needed to be used, and she found a really, really cheap tour! So on our MK day, we got dropped off by the tour company first thing in the morning. We actually bought lunch in the parks, but we split two lunches amongst the three of us. To save money, of course. That wasn't too bad at the time, and it was an awesome day to visit the MK, since I remember my brother and I racing on Splash Mt. 2 or 3 times in a row, in our own personal little boat, during the parade time - absolutely no lines! Anyways, dinner time came up. Food? No ... too expensive, and she already bought food in the parks that day. We can wait till we go back to the hotel, she has food there. Except this was el cheapo tour, so we didn't get picked up until 10 or so, and we were starving. Tour bus eventually makes it's way back to our Howard Johnson's motel, where finally, at 11, my mom busts out her hot pot to make ramen. Absolutely famished at this point. Hot pot slooooowly tries to boil water. I say slowly, because 20 minutes later, the water is still lukewarm. Brother and I are about gone with hunger at this point and are whining very loudly, not having had anything to eat since lunch. Mom insists hot pot will boil eventually. I think she gave up 5 minutes later and we threw the ramen packages into the lukewarm water hoping it'd soften up. Nope - I have not so fond memories of eating somewhat-soft-but-mostly-crunchy ramen in tepid water at midnight.

Sigh.

 

[minandmick]

While in the parks she would lead the way and he would follow like a little puppy, she would turn left, he would turn left, she would turn right, he would turn right.... and lord help anyone that got in her way. One time we went to take a break at the front of mainstreet and he got seperated from her. We found him going round and round the flag pole.

 

[PennyLane1084]

I can remember back in '95ish I was in Disney with my family. We were in the China Pavilion in Epcot watching the movie and my Dad ask me to hold his sunglasses. Back then he was really into those "Blu Blocker" sunglasses (I don't know if anyone remembers them. but they were his FAVORITE). After the show and the whole commotion of getting out of the theater without losing each other, I must have dropped his sun glasses. He was so mad and when my mom tried reasoning with him, he got even more mad and when back to the resort.

Another time in '99. My dad made our family go on Alien Encounter (which is now Stitch's Great Escape) My mom and I were TERRIFIED the entire ride. When we got off my mom was so mad, nearly in tears because the ride was so scary, that she started yelling at my dad. I remember her calling his a few choice words, and my brother saying "Mom I don't think you can say that in Disney World."

 

[DisCopper]

I'm happy to say that in 40 plus (or more... I lose count) trips to Disney, I've never been stuck with people who would produce a horror story.

Yeah, there were minor disagreements, but nothing that ruined the trip.

Did, uh... people complain about me...? Hopefully not. I know a lot about the Parks, and like to rattle on about them, but I try to keep myself in check and not irritate people with it.

 

[pampam]

Me too. I can just picture this poor old fella driving around and around the flag pole.

 

[luvmy2babies]

Mine is not Disney related, but because of this I'm not even telling anyone I'm taking my children to Disney until a week before. And reading this has only reinforced that decision.

Traveled with MIL and SIL once on a 5 day trip. We were traveling for my stepdaughter's high school graduation so it was planned months ahead of time. First the plane tickets were purchased. Everyone purchased their own with MIL reimbursing us later for hers. Tickets were purchased in like February, which is important to note how much time passed between that and the trip at the end of May.

We had 2 hotel rooms and dh and I paid for both of them. We have a minivan rented and dh and I paid for it. The trip is 5 days. Everyone knew it was 5 days. We were going early so that dh and I could find and purchase dsd's graduation gift. We got her a car. That means you have to eat for 5 days.

I am getting dd (then 2) ready on the morning of day 3 (meaning we had been there only 2 days) when dh comes in and says, both MIL and SIL are out of money and we have to pay for them to eat for the rest of the trip.

DH went to visit family a couple of years ago and drove with MIL. MIL had no money

Last year MIL pulled the same trick on SIL when traveling for nephew's graduation from basic training. Got in the car for the trip with no money-hotel, food, etc. was required. MIL took no money. Called dh bragging about how she was getting in the car with SIL knowing she didn't have a dime.

No thanks. Can't imagine that happening at Disney World. I might take a cruise iwith family cuz they require less planning and most everything is taken care of up front. I know what I've put into putting this trip together for dd. If anyone is going to ruin it it is going to be me dang it.

 

[jpolak]

We have traveled to WDW with my in laws several times now. Although we haven't had any horror stories, we have had a couple close calls. After the last trip I put my foot down and said that trip was the last one they come on. So needless to say they are coming with us this August so hopefully it will be better.

 

[choirchic]

Ok...now y'all have got me worried

Headed to the World on Friday for the First time with family...they all know me and DH have been there a billion times.

Wish us luck or I might be tying someone to the monorail!

 

[budbeerlady]

Oh yeahhhh. I said I wouldnt do it again but I was asked to go with my cousin and her 3 kids for their first trip. I know better after our first trip with family but alas, I am still going in a couple of months.

We took the inlaws to Disney in mid-December 2006 for 5 days. We had connecting rooms at AKL assuming the father in law would like the animals, etc. I dont think to this day he knows they are out there.

The trip alternated between feeding him, getting him a beer and finding him a bathroom. Wait 10 minutes and repeat again. HE was 45 not in his 80's! We had to leave Magic Kingdom to find something to drink for him, he couldnt believe they didnt sell beer there. By then he had driven me so nuts about it I needed a drink!

The topping on the cake was Dh and I had given him a bass fishing excursion by Magic Kingdom for Fathers Day, it was like $250. So Dh and Father in Law went at 6am for the 7am fishing trip. They came back and all I heard about was the $15 it was for the cab. No Thanks, no It was fun, NOTHING! I was irritated, it wasnt cheap and he is going on and on about how he couldnt believe the cab was $15. I pull Dh aside to tell him to give him the $15 to shut him up over this cab thing. Dh told me HE PAID for the cab and he was pretty mad about it.

We paid for MVMCP, he didnt like it. (Remember MK is dry...) They kept telling EVERYONE they were taking us to Disney. Drove me nuts, we paid for 2/3 of their trip so they would go with us. Once there he spent all of the $ on drinks so we got to cover the last couple of days $ and all tips b/c apparently he doesnt tip. Loved it!

We had to miss ADRs because instead of doing a CS breakfast they went to Boma and sat down for breakfast. So the last 2 days we got to cover their meals (remember they were broke) and share our TS with them because they used theirs up. They had a bunch of CS left that we all got to share the last day instead.

So at Christmas that year I gave him a nice framed picture of him holding one of the bass he had caught and a gift card I got free from a rewards program. (I have NOT paid for anything for him since that trip and I will NOT!) And while holding that fish picture he started in on that darn cab ride being $15 again. We need a smacking people upside the head smilie!