Your worst WDW mishaps

[Nschur]

Just got back from great week at WDW . Everything went great... not to crowded and beautiful weather. I just had this need to post my mishap. We caught an advanced sreening of motorcars at MGM, which was great by the way. When we were leaving and it was quite crowded and there was not a lot of room to maneuver especially while pushing DD-5 in a stroller. Bear in mind that I have lots of time behind the handles of strollers, 1 -2 X a year for the last 5 years not to mention time at home. I had a perfect record, never hit anyone with my stroller. Anyway I found myself with a lady close on the left and a gentleman close on the right. I saw it coming but there was nothing I could do, she was not aware of my stroller and stepped right on the front wheel kicking it up and to the right, right into the gentleman's ankle.
Of course I immediately tried to apologize to both... the lady did not even aknowledge the incident, perhaps to embarassed. The getleman, and I use the term loosely, immediately accused me of using the stroller as a battering ram. I again tried to apologize and this time offer an explanation. Apparently this did not sit well with him and he stopped and turned on me pushing me with his shoulder. I spent years in the police dept. handling these kind of situations but I could never in my wildest imagination believe that I would get into a physical confrontation at the happiest place on earth. But here it was staring me right int the face. After this all I could do was to again offer my most sincere apology and explanation and not yield an inch physically. I am not very physically intimidating so I don't know if it was my apology are the fact that would not back away but he finally turned and left. I thank my training and common sense with keeping me from any further escalation but it was sure a surprise to have come that close at WDW. The only consolation I got from the whole thing was watching the lady who started the whole thing, by not watching where she was going, hobble off the other way.

 

[dreams4disney]

I am so sorry about the stroller issues.

This is one of the reasons I am so afraid to take our stroller (it is an umerella stroller) to Disney World. I know we will have to as our youngest will only be a month from 3. I am afraid I am going to upset soemone by following either to close or not close enough or someone is going to run into me and then let me have it. Heaven forbid I run into someone. I would feel just awful and I would be afraid of being attacked. I can see both sides of the issue I just don't want to be part of it.

We took had it on our last trip and I didn't run into anyone but I was cut off a few times but never hit anyone. I was probably going to slow. I am telling you the stroller issue really as me worried about our next trip. With all the bad posts on these boards I cringe everytime I think of it.

 

[Nschur]

I wouldn't let it bother you too much. Considering the childs age I highly reccomend the stroller. I really don't like the idea of towing a tired cranky child arround the parks. As for my case I just couln't believe he did not want to accept an apology. I believe most people, especially those with children are pretty tolerant especially after an apology. Good luck have fun and expect the unexpected.

 

[JLTraveling]

I wouldn't worry too much about the stroller incident. It is horrible when people act like that in those types of situations, but the reality is, stroller mishaps seem to be an everyday part of life when in big crowds. My dad has an ECV and is an excellent driver, but when he lived in the New Orleans French Quarter, and took it out during Mardi Gras, you can believe there were quite a few drunks that ran into him, then acted like it was all his fault. As for WDW, we were there last weekend with some friends, and decided to hop to the MK and head for Tomorrowland just before Spectro started. There was supposed to be a clear lane on the sidewalk for people walking through, but of course it turned into a huge traffic jam. We had Dad's ECV, friend's wheelchair, and friend's daughter's wheelchair, and we ended up in a long line of strollers and wheelchairs, where everyone was bumping the person in front of them's ankles in an effort not to get separated by those on foot who were trying to weave through the line. Again, it's horrible that the guy had such a rotten attitude with you, but you did exactly the right thing standing your ground, and I wouldn't let it upset you.

In 1000+ visits to the parks, I have had my own share of mishaps. I was run over by someone on a rented ECV, actually catching my ankle and bringing me to the ground. Of course, that jerk reversed quickly and was gone before I got up. But the best actually happened to my little cousin. We took her to the MK, and she wore sandals. She was about 9 or 10 at the time. While waiting for Spectro to start, she had an enormously large gentleman stamp hard directly on her foot. And, of course, he growled at her about being in the way when she exclaimed in pain. She was in enough pain that we took her to first aid. We were given free one day park tickets, along with a front of line pass for one day!! And when we went to Planet Hollywood that night, she started telling her story to the employee out front, and he let us bypass the rather long line and seated us immediately!! She swears next time we go she's wearing sandals again LOL.

 

[annsteere]

I accidentally spilled soda on the woman in front of me waiting to go see its a bug's life. She came to a sudden stop and I was so enthralled with finding animals on the "tree of life" that I bumped right in to her. How embarassing. I apologized immediately and wiped her back with my handkerchief. Lucky for me she laughed at me for being a 50 year old kid who could get so busy looking at the tree that I forgot to watch the line.

 

[agnes!]

Just got back from great week at WDW . Everything went great... not to crowded and beautiful weather. I just had this need to post my mishap. We caught an advanced sreening of motorcars at MGM, which was great by the way. When we were leaving and it was quite crowded and there was not a lot of room to maneuver especially while pushing DD-5 in a stroller. Bear in mind that I have lots of time behind the handles of strollers, 1 -2 X a year for the last 5 years not to mention time at home. I had a perfect record, never hit anyone with my stroller. Anyway I found myself with a lady close on the left and a gentleman close on the right. I saw it coming but there was nothing I could do, she was not aware of my stroller and stepped right on the front wheel kicking it up and to the right, right into the gentleman's ankle.
Of course I immediately tried to apologize to both... the lady did not even aknowledge the incident, perhaps to embarassed. The getleman, and I use the term loosely, immediately accused me of using the stroller as a battering ram. I again tried to apologize and this time offer an explanation. Apparently this did not sit well with him and he stopped and turned on me pushing me with his shoulder. I spent years in the police dept. handling these kind of situations but I could never in my wildest imagination believe that I would get into a physical confrontation at the happiest place on earth. But here it was staring me right int the face. After this all I could do was to again offer my most sincere apology and explanation and not yield an inch physically. I am not very physically intimidating so I don't know if it was my apology are the fact that would not back away but he finally turned and left. I thank my training and common sense with keeping me from any further escalation but it was sure a surprise to have come that close at WDW. The only consolation I got from the whole thing was watching the lady who started the whole thing, by not watching where she was going, hobble off the other way.

This is not a WDW mishap, but talk about people not stopping after causing accidents(aka as 'hit-&-run" drivers) ...

I live in the DC area. About four years ago on the Beltway, a car cut in front of me, causing me to have to slam on my brakes. My van skidded (this was at the end of morning rush hour, btw). Another car came along and hit/clipped my back bumper. My van almost rolled over during the skid. My vehicle ended up facing the wrong direction, maybe about 8 feet from another car. No-one was hurt, little damage was done,
BUT...
the person who initially caused the accident did not stop
the person who hit my car/(clipped my bumper) did not stop.
The only person who stopped was someone who was not involved at all, who couldn't believe that someone hadn't been killed.

Glad to hear you had a good time in spite of your hit-&-run driver...
agnes!

 

[JDarling]

Let's see - what's my "worst" mishap? Getting stranded in the Magic Kingdom on our last night with no way back to our hotel for 3 hours? Nope...

It's got to be on our honeymoon - where an SUV backed over the hood of our rental - pontiac sunfire. Then he tried to convince us that everything was fine and it wasn't worth calling security. It was dark and we wanted to take his word for it. (We were at the gate to the CBR, and someone in front of him was taking too long getting the gate opened, so he decided to back up - right onto our hood at about 1am.) Luckily, a sercurity gaurd said "No way" and saw the whole thing. He called security and they filed a report. Security was so sweet about it all though! While DH was working with someone to file a report, they gave the kids in the SUV beanie chip and dale dolls (Just like the ones you can purchase in the parks). And seeing the "Just married" on our car, they gave me a Pegasus beanie! I was going to buy one anyway, so now he's an extra special souvenier!

 

[MKFan-PR]

A couple of years ago we were on the bus returning to CBR from MK, and we were standing, of course. The bus stopped on a traffic light. When the bus started moving again, the driver realized too late that a car in front of him was stopped because of a mechanical problem (at least that's how I remember it). The bus driver was left with two options: hit the car or slam the brakes. He chose the second. All those of us standing quickly fell down like dominoes. I remember falling down and, with one hand on my DD (I had her in my arms), trying with my free hand to grab on to something, but then giving up and wrapping my DD with both arms to protect her from the fall. Nothing happened to us, but as I fell my head snapped back and hit my DW in the cheek. We were startled but ok. Disney Security and paramedics came in immediately. One lady in front was complaining of pain in the rib area and was taken to the ER but beyond that nothing serious (Thank God!). DW got an ice pack for her cheek and was offered to be taken to the ER for a check, but she declined (she's a RN and she felt fine). Everybody transferred to another bus (where lots of nice people offered DW a seat), and we got to CBR. That was our first day of the trip. But we didn't let it ruin our vacation. Thankfully the rest of the trip went well (DW had some soreness for a couple of days but she was fine).

Of course, after that, we take it easy when traveling in buses, and we don't mind waiting for one where at least DW and DD can sit.

 

[dreams4disney]

The bus stopped on a traffic light. When the bus started moving again, the driver realized too late that a car in front of him was stopped because of a mechanical problem (at least that's how I remember it). The bus driver was left with two options: hit the car or slam the brakes. He chose the second. All those of us standing quickly fell down like dominoes. .

We had almost the same thing happen to us. On our way back from MGM a car pulled out infront of the bus and the bus driver had to slam on the brakes. The bus had started to go through the intersection and I am not sure where that car came from. DH and I had been in the back of the buss with our kids and all we could hear was the screech of brakes and car horns. I took it that the driver in the car cut off more than just the bus. Everyone standing lost thier balance. It was scary.

 

[JDarling]

We had almost the same thing happen to us. On our way back from MGM a car pulled out infront of the bus and the bus driver had to slam on the brakes. The bus had started to go through the intersection and I am not sure where that car came from. DH and I had been in the back of the buss with our kids and all we could hear was the screech of brakes and car horns. I took it that the driver in the car cut off more than just the bus. Everyone standing lost thier balance. It was scary.

Yup - I was in one of those "slam brakes on sessions" as well - only in our case, the driver didn't see the red light. Thankfully, everyone was sitting and no one was hurt. The bus driver apologized. Between that happening one year and getting stranded the following year... is it any wonder we rent a car now?

 

[riopooh]

On the 2nd day of our Feb trip, we went to Blizzard Beach. I stepped into the pool in one of the kiddy areas to assist my DD 4 (who was completely overwhelmed and abandoned by my nephew, also 4). I tried to step around another child but didn't realized their was a step (it was all one color). My foot twisted under me and I fell into the pool - luckily not on top of anyone!!. I had a purple lump on the side of my foot immediately. It bothered me abit for the trip - I was fine until I tried to take my sneakers off. It still bothers me - especially during the day wearing dress shoes. And the past weekend I did a 5 mile hike with my DS's scout troop - and it's purple again!!!

 

[dzneelvr]

We had a "haunted" mishap on our first trip to WDW. DS was about 8 at the time and he was sitting in one of the Haunted Mansion doom buggies with DH. (DD-6 was with me). It was our first ride on the attraction.
At the end of the ride when the ghost joins your buggy, DS was fooling around and "punching" the ghost in the face....oops, he hit DH in the glasses and DH's glasses fell off. We didn't think alot of it because we were sure it fell on the buggy floor. 15 minutes later with the attraction shut down, we all concluded (CM's too) that the frame must've fallen in the crack between the moving belt and the stationary stand...never to be found again.
DH is blind without his glasses, so we led him around MK for awhile, got him lunch, and then sent him on his way in a taxi to the nearest optometrist to get a new pair of glasses. He was able to call our home doctor and have the RX faxed to the Orlando site and we all met up at 7pm that night for our PSs at Canada in EPCOT.
(I sacrificed and stayed in the Park with DD and DS--no sense in us all going along with DH, now was there??) It all worked out fine; I was glad it did because DH at the time was not a Disney fan and this was the one trip to get him to come over into the Light
Lesson: bring along your RX not only for medicine, but for your eye glasses. You never know when a ghost will "attack" you

 

[SCOTTOHIOCPA]

It's not as bad as the title sounds.

A few years ago we went to WDW with our DS 3 and DD 8 at the time. DS would start each day off by saying "I'm not going on any rides" and then I would have to put him on Aladdin or Dumbo crying and screaming. Halfway through the ride, he would stop crying and actually enjoy himself. The rest of the day, he was fine. Who knows with 3 year olds?

His second trick was anytime he didn't want wait in line for a ride, he would say "I have to go to the bathroom", then we would get out of line and go, but it was a false alarm. By the end of the week I on to this little trick, so before we got in line I would ask if he had to go. After he said "no" we would get in line.

We were in the train station and the train was pulling in just as DS decided he had to go. I figured it was another trick, so I called his bluff. Then he went right there. DW thought we should leave and go back to the hotel because moms think wet pants are apparently fatal, but instead we just got on the train and went over to Splash Mountain. The Store there sold kids underwear and then everything was OK.

So now whenever we go to the MK, we remind DS of the great train accident of 2000.

 

[disneycrazzzy]

When I was at Typhoon Lagoon on Monday (April 4th), I slipped and fell as I was leaving the wave pool. The surface is very slick! Anyway, I tried to catch myself with my hands and they slipped too. Unfortunately, my shoulder popped out of socket.

It was amusing at the time as I lay there wondering how do I get up with one arm and shoulder sticking up at an odd angle. Anyway, several of the surrounding guests asked if I was all right. I mentioned my dilemma and one kind lady from Britain asked if I "could sit on my bum". I laughed inside because of all the conversations I had had during the week with the many visitors from across the pond. After some maneuvering, I was able to sit up and in doing so; my shoulder popped back into its socket. I was more embarassed than in pain. My shoulder seemed okay right away, just a little stiff and sore and weak. The lifeguard was worthless. They really need to do something about the slick surface.