We All Want Magic But to Expect Perfection?

[Epcotgal8]

I wasn't sure what thread this should be on so forgive me. My family has been going to Disney World for years. We love it. We've had magical times and as on ANY vacation there have been less than magical moments. This happens with kids of all ages, adults who are tired and grumpy, etc. I've helped lots of family members and friends plan trips so when my co-worker asked if I'd give advice for their Disney trip I said sure. He gave me his wife's email and I sent her lots of info and she did lots of research on the internet.

Oh my goodness! They got back after their trip last month and ranted and complained to me how awful it was. I was shocked and wanted to know what happened. My coworker's wife is over 300 lbs and is not used to walking and when they checked in to their hotel she wanted a complimentary wheel chair for her stay. The lady at the front desk gave her info with rental numbers for wheelchairs and ECV's. They were furious. Then once they did rent an ECV they were angry that when they went to a ride they didn't get to the front of the line. The audacity that they had upwards of TEN minute waits for some things. What? A 10 minute wait sounds good to me! They also got mad that when they showed up for dinner 10 minutes late they had to wait 20 to be seated. This is was at Chef Mickey's at 8:00. Hello?

Their son turned 7 while there and I don't know what they read online and I don't know what they were expecting. But even though the cast members and other guests wished him Happy Birthday they were angry because they thought they could get a full blown birthday cake at every meal. They didn't appreciate a cupcake. I kind of think they expected Jack Sparrow himself to show up at their room.
Both of their sons are very accident prone. Even here at home. Apparently they had a problem at WDW keeping their hands out of the water on boat rides etc and got cuts and bruises, and kept getting hit in the head running into things looking backwards. Ok. I have sons and I know this stuff happens. But even though they received medical treatment they were angry Disney didn't do anything for them.

And OMG (I'm being facetious) there was a June Bug inside their room at All Stars and it was only May! Blasphemy

They said ride CM's were rude, some restaurant CM's were rude. My co worker says they probably won't go back. I had to bite my tongue from saying, "For the sake of Disney CM's and other guests please don't." But I didn't. That's why I'm venting here. We've encountered a rude CM here or there but that is not the norm. Turns out they got to see all the characters they wanted, rode everything they wanted to, and loved the food at every sit down restaurant. Yet they are disappointed in Disney.

My advice is to go with the flow. You can't control the weather, the crowds, or other rude people but just make informed decisions and remember YOU'RE ON VACATION! I know you paid lots of money to go to WDW but so did all those folks around you. Slow down. Your attitude will determine how much Magic you will have in my opinion.

 

[L&Lfan]

They sound like the family from hell!

 

[plutosbuddie]

Oh my gosh.. A ten minute wait sounds amazing, lol. What an awful family (sorry) it's just too much..

 

[wendyt_ca]

All I can say is WOW!
It blows my mind sometimes the expectations some people have. Those were just ridiculously unrealistic expectations. Although from the sounds of things these are people who feel entitled. I have family members who are the same because their daughter is in a wheelchair. That sounds terrible but they get in an outrage if their adult daughter doesn't get special treatment everywhere she goes and things for free as well.

Honestly in these cases it's all about the attitude. Some people just look for a negative in everything and nothing makes them happy. I have an 11 year old brother who is autistic who we took to Disney a year ago and we didn't even get the pass because the waits we reasonable to me (under 30 mins) and he seemed to be just fine waiting. I should be outraged that there were lines at Disney! Maybe Disney should have closed the entire park down for just them so they could ride all of the rides with 0 wait lol!

Disney is better off without someone like that being there. It certainly is all about attitude! We don't need extras for our vacation to be magical. We have even had trips where POTC or Splash kept breaking down but we didn't care. Things won't go perfect but hey we are at Disney so we just go with it!

 

[Epcotgal8]

They sound like the family from hell!

I wasn't sure if I was being overly defensive because I love Disney. I thought they'd be fine because they had done so much research. Maybe they did too much and expected every special extra they've read COULD happen? SMH.

My husband joked they probably send a secret code through their Magic Bands so when the CM's scan them it says, "Beware! Problem Guest" LOL.

 

[Aliceacc]

Just curious... does this guy show the same uber-entitlement mentality at work?

I think that some adults lose all their sense and really do expect a Disney vacation to be just like a commercial. Like they're the only ones on the planet who have ever heard of the place, and Disney provides them with their very own fairy godmother. Because, you know, they're more special than anyone else.

You did what you could. They would have had a miserable time no matter where they went.

 

[Mikie]

There are some folks who see the silver lining in everything and some who are determined to be miserable no matter what (and always blame others for it!). I wonder if they even know how unpleasant and unhappy they are, or if this is just their "normal"

Disney may sometimes suffer from their own hype and good reputation. If you go in expecting little and experience great CMs and maybe even a little pixie dust, you're thrilled! If you hear all these good things, feel entitled and expect the royal treatment everywhere, nothing short of riding on the lead parade float on Mickey's lap will be enough!

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Reading the description of this family, I secretly hope they did encounter some CMs with an attitude. You get what you give. Sounds like they had a chip on their shoulder determined to hate the experience before hitting Florida.

 

[OasterP]

... Like they're the only ones on the planet who have ever heard of the place, and Disney provides them with their very own fairy godmother. Because, you know, they're more special than anyone else.

Wait.....no personal fairy godmother??!??!?!!

 

[ebradley23]

It always amazes me when people say they had a horrible vacation. Really?!?! Unless something tragic happened, how can an entire vacation be horrible? If you're able to afford to take a vacation - life is good! I can only remember taking two vacations when I was a kid (both to Branson), because my family couldn't afford them. I would have loved to have gone on this family's awful vacation back then. We've had some awful experiences on vacation. Food poisoning from the last meal we ate in Venice is one example. My poor DH was explosive just hours before we had to board a 12 hour flight to our connecting airport. Luckily I wasn't as bad, because I only had one bite from his meal. Still wouldn't say it was an awful vacation. In fact, we tell the story laughing now. We were so miserable it was comical. It's all in your outlook. I choose to wake up each day and have a great day. Needless to say, most days are just that - great! Vacation days are even better!

 

[Aliceacc]

Wait.....no personal fairy godmother??!??!?!!

Ummm, do we have to have "the talk"???

 

[kaybird]

I know I am typically the glass is half full person, and I am labeled as "drinking the Koolaid" on these boards. I go to WDW expecting a good time, and looking to have one. If I have to wait longer, or something is not as I expected, or a CM or guest is having a bad day, I would never think to mention that to a friend or on the discussion boards, because it is a non-issue. The family mentioned apparently regards everything as an issue. I suspect they would not have a magical time no matter what. I do agree that sometimes peoples expectations are higher, and because of the internet, feel entitled to whatever spontaneous magic might have been granted anyone else that went. It all makes me tired. I need another trip!

 

[vicb]

Karma.... enough said!


Three years ago DH and I went to WDW during Easter week, something I swore I would never do. But to see my DS march down Main St. USA with his band was what made me change my mind.

It was hot all week 90 degrees, and crowded. We knew it would be so DH and I consciously decided to stay mellow, smile and go with the flow (not easy for me haha). It worked! We met such nice people, guests and CMs. People gave us surprise FPs (the old kind) for Splash and TSM. Servers in restaurants were very friendly in return, especially in WS. In long hot lines we would strike up a conversation with people around us and all commiserate about being there Easter week. It turned out great...

So I believe you get back what you put out there.... Karma for your co-workers family!

 

[JimmyV]

Maybe they would have been better off at Universal since they sound like Vernon and Petunia Dursley!!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Quite a few of my well-off friends take their kids to WDW once, during crowded days, not because they want to but rather, if I can explain it because that is what is expected.

So I walk them through the whole process, do what I can to make it easier but if you go over Christmas it is CROWDED and they aren't happy. THEN I get the what is wrong with me I love it.

 

[wendyt_ca]

Maybe they would have been better off at Universal since they sound like Vernon and Petunia Dursley!!

 

[Karbase8]

Wow just wow! I can't believe this family! Although I am not surprised we have a lot of entitled people in this society today! It puts things in perspective I am brining my DS14 who is in that lovely teenager phase to WDW but first heading to Universal, I am going to just roll with it as as you said no vacation is perfect and this family really puts into perspective for me! Wow!

 

[wdw4rfam]

Yup, my friend booked their first trip, during Fourth of July week. Didn't want to be tied down to ADRs so she insisted that they would be fine walking up to restaurants because they couldn't ALL be full, she didn't want to plan anything. She got back and called me saying it was the worst vacation ever and how do we do that EVERY year??? Easy, we don't go holiday weeks, we make ADRs and have a somewhat plan. Just like I told her.....

 

[LBIJim]

Wow just wow! I can't believe this family! Although I am not surprised we have a lot of entitled people in this society today! !

I believe it. Easily. There are plenty of people who go with unrealistic expectations. And plenty more who do no research and are overwhelmed when they get there. Then they come back saying Disney is hell on earth.

I wonder what this family would say about the SDMT commercial vs. the reality ot it.

 

[Drinehart811]

This family makes me feel a ton better about what I consider to be "overly high expectations". They just must be regular. Lol. I remember one trip to DLR I had just broken a toe and was having a hard time walking. I was a little disappointed that they didn't offer wheelchair rentals that I could take from Disneyland hotel into the actual parks (you have to do a separate rental at each and walk in between) so I had to rent one offsite. I would NEVER expect that I wouldn't have to pay for the rental! And sometimes I had to wait, sometimes not so much. No big deal!