Your worst moment at a Disney park?

[Monorail Bob's dd]

I have had some memorably bad experiences over the years at Disney but it is still my happy place. When I was 7 and my brother was 4, we were staying at the Polynesian. While my mom was relaxing in the room, my dad took us down to the pool. I was a pretty good swimmer at 7 but my brother at 4 was still kind of shaky in the water. While my dad read the paper in a lounge chair, I was carrying my brother around in the pool. I suddenly started sliding down the slope and my head was under water. I got my brother up onto my shoulders so he was fine but with holding him, I could not get over to the side. It felt like an eternity before the life guard finally noticed that I needed help and he jumped in to rescue us. My mom was furious at my dad for not paying attention, he had no clue anything had happened until he saw the life guard jump - oops.

On my senior trip, I found out a child I was very close to had passed away. I was devastated and just wanted to come home. The chaperones on the field trip made me come to Medieval Times that night even though I just wanted to stay in the hotel room so I could make phone calls. That was terrible and I will never set foot into Medieval Times again, too many bad memories.

In 2007, I planned our family's first trip to Disney. My girls were very excited, we decided to go the week of my older 2 girls' birthdays. Upon arrival on my 9 year-old's birthday, she became miserably sick with a sinus infection. We were in the Magic Kingdom and had an ADR in Cinderella's Castle for her birthday dinner. We have pictures that night where she is looking like death warmed over. By the time we got back to the hotel that night, her temp was 102. By the next morning, it was 103. I called my ped and begged him to call in an antibiotic for us but he refused since he couldn't see her and know for sure what she had. I knew it was a sinus infection, she had had several in the past. We scrapped our plans to go to Epcot and I called the front desk at POFQ and asked for medical help. They sent a shuttle to take us to CentraCare where she was diagnosed with a massive sinus infection and put on strong antibiotics. We aslo bought several otc drugs to try and patch her through the rest of the week. She was a bit better the next day but felt pretty miserable through most of the week. Kind of disappointing given how excited she had been for her first trip. She also puked one night that week all over her bed from coughing so hard, we had to call housekeeping in the middle of the night to call away the linens and get new ones - not fun.

 

[BBQMommy]

I can't complain or add any stories of my own. Waiting for the other shoe to drop next trip ... Not a germaphobe, but, gosh!, after reading all the sickness stories I may need to bathe in anti-bacterial gel next time at WDW

Thanks for all the stories -- kept me compelled for 26 pages

Caryn

 

[39CINDERELLA]

any moment my DH is there he is a very GRUMPY person

 

[TheSallytohisJack]

I think I was around 12 or so when my family decided to give Animal Kingdom a try for the first time. While walking around, we somehow lost track of my dad and after an hour of searching, waiting, and unanswered cell calls...my mom made the decision to go back to the hotel because she assumed that's probably what he had done. We get back to our room, and he's not there. Call his cell 3 more times..."user is unavailable". By this time, my sister (who was 3 at the time) is fussing, so my mom tells us to go put our bathing suits on and we'll go down to the pool. As we're walking out the door, here comes dad walking down the hall...and he doesn't look too happy to see us.

There was about 10 minutes of yelling on both ends before the story finally came together. Apparently, dad stopped to videotape some gorillas and the three of us (not noticing) kept walking and got seperated by the crowd. After looking for us for awhile, my dad remembered some attraction that my mom had been wanting to go to next, so he figured he'd catch us there. I can't remember what attraction it was now, but he stood outside of it for two hours watching everyone that went in and came out. Finally, he just decided to go back to the hotel because he knew we would all end up back there at the end of the day anyways, and he wasn't getting any cell reception.

Dad put AK on our "never again" list, and still hasn't let us live it down to this day. In fact, DH and I went there on our honeymoon, and the first thing my dad asked DH when we got back was, "She didn't try to leave you to live with the gorillas, did she?"

 

[SenoiaDawg]

In Dec 2009, my DS3 was newly potty trained. He did well while awake, but needed a pull-up when he slept. Anyway we were in AK and he was riding on my shoulders. It was a couple of days into our trip and he was getting tired and laid his head on top of mine. Before I knew it he was out cold and proceeded to release Niagra Falls down my back.

At least I got a new AK KS t-shirt.

 

[mma800]

Jedi totally wins...but here is mine

2005- first trip with my 2 girls ages 5 and 4
I had uber planned every detail......
We were GF club level RPC. On our first day entering MK at rope drop and rushing to get to CRT for an 8am ADR, I went to guest services to get a GAC for my dd who has autism. The gates opened just as I left the desk and I turned and tripped over a velvet rope thing and landed smack on my elbow before I smashed my head on the lovely octagons with the names on them. When I regained consciousness, the mouske-EMTs were there. All I wanted was to get to the princess breakfast! I got some ice and was sore but fine. My dd was so upset seeing me "down" that she threw up all over her clothes. The great CMs radioed ahead and had some clothes sent to the castle for her.
The next day, my arm was like a balloon. My dh is a surgeon and correctly diagnosed me with compartment syndrome which required emergency treatment or I could lose my hand. I took a taxi to Celebration hospital alone as dh was with the kids. As I had had a miscarriage a few weeks before my pregnancy test was still elevated and they would not give me an X-ray until they we sure the hcg levels were coming down. I spent 24 hours on a stretcher in the hallway of the ER as the we no beds available! Then they transferred me via ambulance to ,see a hand surgeon at Orlando hospital, where I was left on a stretcher for a long time as multiple gunshot wound patients were treated.
After an MRI and a small procedure I was discharged back to GF. Disney had arranged for my dh to have a VIP tour guide to help him with the kids and the guide stayed for the rest of our week. ( He was the same guide for Princess Di) He was awesome! We also had a sitter from Kids Nite Out each night. I spent the rest of the vacation on painkillers with my arm elevated on an IV pole in the room. Disney could not have done more to help us out. They offered to have their nurses come by to change my bandages, but my dh was able to do it. The Concierge CM even called Delta and had us put in first class for the flight home. While my family was in the parks, the CMs called and checked in frequently to see if I was okay. It really was a bummer to be stuck there alone, but the great cm's made it all a bit easier.
It seemed like they were worried about being sued, but it was my own stupid fault to trip over the rope and refuse to have my injury treated asap. Disney was great bin a terrible situation.
When we got home, I was seen by a specialist who said that a few hours more would have caused enough damage to my nerves and blood vessels that I would have needed amputation.

 

[Jedi_Galvatron]

Vomiting from the eyes? Seriously now folks.....

Tell that to my eyes. First of all I'm not claiming vomit spews from my eyes but an acidy discharge does in fact come out of my eyes, I wish it weren't so but it is. Thanks for caring though.

 

[delaneyc52]

Mine too was at AK. DD's sneakers were soaked from Kali (the CM said she couldn't be barefooted & she had no other shoes) & she was starting to get a blister on her heel. We decided all would be OK if she had dry socks to protect her feet. For the next 40 minutes we scoured every gift shop but NONE had socks! We finally found a 3 pack of $$ princess socks & got those! Our frenetic quest was rewarded, however, cause just as we were leaving the shop, the parade came back around & we got a great, uncrowded view !

Just curious...the CM said your DD could not be barefoot on the actual Kali Rapids ride??? We always slip off our shoes and put them in the center compartment of the raft. And we suggest it to all first timers on the raft who are wearing real shoes or sneakers! Nothing worse than wet sneakers!!

 

[lovebug33]

I've never seen anybody vomit from their eyes, which would be quite distressing, but when I vomit, it comes out of my nose, too. It is quite yucky!

 

[lovebug33]

Just curious...the CM said your DD could not be barefoot on the actual Kali Rapids ride??? We always slip off our shoes and put them in the center compartment of the raft. And we suggest it to all first timers on the raft who are wearing real shoes or sneakers! Nothing worse than wet sneakers!!

I'm assuming she meant in the park. There are health regulations I am sure about going footwearless in the parks.

 

[Court475]

KRR has signs everywhere that say shoes are required.

Jedi - your story is awful, but has had me laughing hysterically. I don't kmow if I'd EVER be able to laugh about it if it had happened to me or my kid though.

All these illness stories make me wish we could walk around WDW in a bubble.

 

[luvestodizz]

Our very first trip to WDW and I had a ticket meltdown. It was me DH my parents and my 5yo and 1 yo. I had everyone's tickets and we were entering Epcot. Of course I didn't have them out, was fumbling around in my bag and wasn't sure whose was whose- not that it really mattered then. DH is telling me to hurry up with the tickets. My parents were waiting and I felt very un-Disney like.

Now when we go I bring a small bag with everything at my fingertips LOL

 

[PixieMama]

Some of these stories are really horrible! Yikes!

Mine isn't too bad, in comparison... but our "worst" moment at WDW was during our 2007 trip. It was our first family trip... me, DH, and our DDs who were 6 and 4 (at that time).

It was our 4th day of being in the parks and we were at HS. We had just finished watching the parade, which our DDs weren't all that interested in. It was soooo hot, sitting in the sun watching the parade... I think that's what made us all so cranky. I can't remember what it was we were trying to get to once the parade was over, but for the life of me I could not read the HS map... couldn't figure out where we were and how to get to where we wanted to go. I just remember we started walking when my oldest DD started wailing because she had lost her sunglasses. I (sort of) went off on her, saying she should have been more careful with them... it was just the last thing I wanted to deal with at that time and I said to my DH, "That's it, I am DONE. Get me out of this park."

Luckily, we were right near the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" play area so DH took the girls in there to blow off some steam and I was able to grab some water and cool off in some shade. 15 minutes later everyone was fine and we went on with our day!

Hopefully, that will be the "worse" moment of any trip to WDW!

 

[mommycrawford]

I can't believe there wasn't a better response to a health code violation!!!!! Oh man...my DH would have made the loudest complaint on the planet if a CM's response to a disease carrying dead bug in our FOOD had been "oh well..." ugh.




I am so incredibly sorry that someone was so ignorant and cruel and MEAN. I would not have been able to control myself. I'd have lost it and made that person feel HORRIBLE by informing them as to the reason why my mother got to "cut the line". Oh man. Rage MONSTER even thinking about it!!!
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Hmmm...my worst moment at Disney...

probably a day at DHS. My step daughter was 8 at the time and she was just in a persnickity, contrary mood. I told her that she either had to have her hair in a pony or a headband. When it's loose she puts it in her mouth and that is just GROSS. It makes her father gag. He has a "thing" about hair being out of her face. So she chose a headband. I reminded her that that headband would stay on her head at all times, there would be none of this "on and off" business.

I should have known better.

It was HOT when we got to DHS. As we were heading to ToT, out of the corner of my eye I saw her slip it off her head, but at the moment I was getting a band aid for her brother who had a bleeding bug bite. In my head I was thinking "She is fixing to break that head band..." And just as I was about to turn to her and tell her to put that thing back on her head...SNAP went the headband...then a sideways look and half hearted "OOPS".

I was hot. I had a migraine. I wanted to SCREAM.

Instead I told my hubs that I needed a minute, and I walked away...and I CRIED. I did NOT want to spend the day dealing with defiant kids. I was gone for about 20 minutes. When I returned I found that my DH had made his contrary daughter purchase a pony tail holder with her own money. Then he put her hair in a very unfortunate looking attempt at a pony tail.

She was rather mortified at her wonky appearance. So I sat down with her and brushed her hair and put her hair in a proper pony tail. She turned and looked at me and said "Sorry I broke my headband. Sometimes I just lose my MIND..." I told her that I did the same thing sometimes. And that was that. She was good as gold the rest of the trip.

She still remembers that day (she's about to be 12!) and now every time we go to DHS she says "Don't worry, I won't wear a headband!"

Glad to catch you back on the boards Miss C !!!!!

 

[goofyernmost]

I'm assuming she meant in the park. There are health regulations I am sure about going footwearless in the parks.

Kali has a foot rest that is about 6 inches above the floor. I didn't know anything about it since I had never ridden it before so I kept my feet on the floor. Big, big mistake. My clothes dried pretty quickly but my shoes were completely soaked. I squished around all day long. Very uncomfortable. I would never take my shoes off in a public place like that because you just don't know what or who was there before you, but the foot rest would have been a good alternative.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

It has to be when my 2yo and 4yo were sent through the Haunted Mansion alone. Yes, hands down, that was my worst moment, realizing the doombuggy was not going to open for me to climb in, and the old man running the ride was not going to stop the ride. I can still hear their screaming as they entered the dark tunnel without me in the car with them.

 

[CTmommyx3]

It has to be when my 2yo and 4yo were sent through the Haunted Mansion alone. Yes, hands down, that was my worst moment, realizing the doombuggy was not going to open for me to climb in, and the old man running the ride was not going to stop the ride. I can still hear their screaming as they entered the dark tunnel without me in the car with them.

that is awful i would freak out esp hearing them scream without mom with them

 

[wtccheermom]

When I was 10 my grandpa had a heart attack while we were in Disney on vacation.

 

[Matty_Disfan]

It has to be when my 2yo and 4yo were sent through the Haunted Mansion alone. Yes, hands down, that was my worst moment, realizing the doombuggy was not going to open for me to climb in, and the old man running the ride was not going to stop the ride. I can still hear their screaming as they entered the dark tunnel without me in the car with them.

I just LOL'd but only because that would be a nightmare...

 

[DeniseinNS]

I have a few from our first trip last March.
-We decided to do child swap on test track because my 8 year old daughter was afraid to go but my 4 year old son loved it. I went first with my little guy and they told my husband where to go while waiting for me. We got off the ride and I told them my husband was waiting to swap with me and they directed me where to go. It ended up being the exit and we could not find my hubby/daughter. It took 30 minutes to find them and I was a bawling mess by then.
-Same day we went on Spaceship Earth and the ride had issues and stopped while we were going backward down an hill in the dark. My kids were terrified and we were there for 25 minutes before we ended up walking down.
-We lost our camera memory card at Animal Kingdom on day 6 of our 8 day trip This ruined the rest of my day and we ran around trying to recapture some of the places that we had visited as I cried the entire time. Later that evening it was at the resort waiting for us, it had been found, what are the chances of that especially since we had not given our names to anyone we had just mentioned to one lady we talked to that we were staying at POP and where we were from!!! We call that our Disney Magical Moment.
-On the way back from HS one evening after Fantasmic we were on a very crowded bus and a soon as we pulled away my son threw up EVERYWHERE, it was all over him, all over me and all over the seat and floor. The poor people on the bus with us had to deal with the awful smell the entire way back to POP. Once we got back and cleaned up he threw up all over one of the beds and we had to call for new bedding at 12am. Turns out he had the norwalk virus and then passed it along to his sister as soon as we arrived home.

We had alot go wrong on this trip but we still had a great time and try to remember the good rather then the bad.