When your parent (or any parent) ruins an experience for you

[superchc80]

The only thing I recall from my first visit to WDW in 1989 is my mother and father complaining about my hair. Mind you my dad had a military cut and my mother's hair was so short that she looked like a man, but somehow my long, straight hair was an issue. I specifically recall waiting for Kitchen Kabaret to begin and my parents spent the whole time making fun of me, telling me I had no self respect due to the way I looked and that I was ugly. They told me I should stay away from them because I clearly did not care about myself. I sat there crying, trying to figure out why my parents would do something like that in public. People around us were telling my parents they were cruel and one lady put her hand on my shoulder and told me I was "beautiful" and to not listen to them. We spent three days at WDW and the only thing I can recall from that trip was the nonstop bullying I endured from the time I awoke until the time I went to sleep. I honestly do not recall riding any other ride on our trip other than Horizons where I heard I looked my "best" because we were in the dark. Now as a parent we take our children every year and I admit, only here, that I think about that 1989 trip repeatedly while there.

Oh sweetie. I'm SO sorry that you had to endure their insecurities like that. It definitely speaks volumes about them, doesn't it? Honestly, I'm not typically a proponent for violence....however, I totally volunteer to super glue long wigs on their heads and throat punch them for you. After I'm done, I'll treat you to a Dole Whip, Churro and Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Bar. *hugs*

 

[John C. Shepherd]

No matter what it is, my MIL will ruin it all.

 

[jaklgreen]

My parents ruined my life by refusing to take me to Disney as a child. ( Well maybe not my life.... but I was pretty sore when they said No we wont be going to WDW for a vacation. And we never did.) I had to wait until I was an adult.

Me too! What was worse is that we had next door neighbors that took their kids every year and came home telling us how amazing WDW is. They bought me my first set of Mickey ears. They started my love for Disney long before I ever went. Thank you Al and Connie.

 

[danyoung56]

About 5 years ago I was in Disneyland, waiting in line for the Storybook Land Canal Boats. In front of me was a 4 year old girl, her mom, and her grandmom. As they approached the front of the line, little girl gradually decided that she didn't want to ride, and it slowly escalated to where she was screaming in terror. Grandmom brilliantly picks the girl up and practically throws her in the boat, the same boat I was in. Of course little girl was totally scared and really started screaming. Then little girl just starts to stop crying when grandmom points and says "oh look, we're getting eaten by Monstro." Of course this totally terrified little girl, who then spent the rest of the ride screaming. I was so ticked off at grandmom and the lousy way she handled the situation!

 

[jaklgreen]

About 5 years ago I was in Disneyland, waiting in line for the Storybook Land Canal Boats. In front of me was a 4 year old girl, her mom, and her grandmom. As they approached the front of the line, little girl gradually decided that she didn't want to ride, and it slowly escalated to where she was screaming in terror. Grandmom brilliantly picks the girl up and practically throws her in the boat, the same boat I was in. Of course little girl was totally scared and really started screaming. Then little girl just starts to stop crying when grandmom points and says "oh look, we're getting eaten by Monstro." Of course this totally terrified little girl, who then spent the rest of the ride screaming. I was so ticked off at grandmom and the lousy way she handled the situation!

See, this is why we do not travel with any extended family.

 

[Ricky Spanish]

13 years ago, my daughter was granted a Make a Wish trip to Walt Disney World. She was 3 years old at the time. We (wife,daughter, and myself) went for about 5 days and stayed at Give Kids the World.
My parents and younger sister decided to meet us in Orlando. They stayed closer to Downtown Disney(at the time).
Every morning we would pick them up at their hotel( because we rented a mini van) and drive together to the parks.
What I didn't realize was how much of an A..hole my father had become, since I had moved out of my parents house many years before.
We knew he was a jerk, but it had escalated.
So every day, it was constant complaining.
How hot it was, the prices at the parks, the crowds, etc.....
If I had known that he had gotten that bad, I would have never agreed to him being there.
My mom and sister were totally embarrassed, to the point that they would leave the parks early every day to get him away from us.
I was upset
This trip was a gift from my daughter's doctors, a way for us to enjoy something "normal" after enduring her illness.
I guess my father couldn't see that.
I guess he couldn't change for a grand-daughter that he almost lost.

My daughter had a great time, but she doesn't remember much.
My wife and I managed to ignore "Gruf" as much as we could and celebrate our daughter survival.
My mom and sister, not very happy during this trip.

 

[danyoung56]

After reading that, Ricky, I'm just about over the moon ECSTATIC that I'm traveling solo in a few days!

 

[Maerj]

My parents ruined my life by refusing to take me to Disney as a child. ( Well maybe not my life.... but I was pretty sore when they said No we wont be going to WDW for a vacation. And we never did.) I had to wait until I was an adult.

Same here. We didn't go when I was a kid but I think that had to do with people telling my parents that it cost $10,000 to go there and all that was there was a bunch of $10 hot dog stands. They promised every year that we would go, we even got as far as packing our bags and loading up the car. But we didn't go. I eventually went with them, decades later. Unfortunately that trip did NOT go well.

 

[jaklgreen]

Same here. We didn't go when I was a kid but I think that had to do with people telling my parents that it cost $10,000 to go there and all that was there was a bunch of $10 hot dog stands. They promised every year that we would go, we even got as far as packing our bags and loading up the car. But we didn't go. I eventually went with them, decades later. Unfortunately that trip did NOT go well.

I hate, hate, hate, how people come back with all of this over bloated misinformation. I was just talking to the guy who delivers our product last week. And he was saying how they went to WDW and how he paid extra for the FP. I told them that they are free and have always been free. He said, "no, I paid for them". Ummm I have been going twice a year for 20 years, you went once. I would think that maybe you are confused.

 

[FettFan]

My take on parents ruining Disney trips runs parallel to Johnny T's "Stop Shoving Your Kid Down My Throat".

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Angela02, I'm so sorry you had to experience that.

 

[Little Green Men]

My parents are great but at times when I was a little kid my dad would complain about stuff like doing rides or paying for stuff. Obviously parents do that but my dad would sometimes make a scene and tell my mom he refuses certain things and they'd argue. I remember he made me do an exhibit in innoventions alone once, it was some trivia thing and I got partnered with someone who didn't really speak English. He loves it now though so it's all good.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

The only bad Disney trip I had was in 2004. My Dad was making all kinds of excuses to get away from us. My Mom found out 10 days after we got back that my Dad was having an affair. I still can't forgive him for that.

 

[larryz]

...and my parents spent the whole time making fun of me, telling me I had no self respect due to the way I looked and that I was ugly. They told me I should stay away from them because I clearly did not care about myself. I sat there crying, trying to figure out why my parents would do something like that in public.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

The only bad Disney trip I had was in 2004. My Dad was making all kinds of excuses to get away from us. My Mom found out 10 days after we got back that my Dad was having an affair. I still can't forgive him for that.

That's awful! So sorry.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

What is it with dads and their never ending complaints, especially when on vacation?? My mother referred to my late father as the "Grinch" because he was like that 24-7. And it was always about money. I swear...

 

[DanielleOG]

My parents took my brother and I to Disney World when we were about 10 and 12. It was a weird age, because we felt like we were "too old" for disney at the time. I remember a few things: I wasn't super excited to go, but thought "hey, at least I'll see Mickey." I was wrong. My parents didn't plan anything at all! We didn't stay on site, we didn't meet a single character, we waiting in long lines, it was kinda bad. My mom had got us tickets for multiple days and we only ended up doing the one because we didn't want to stay longer. Another thing I will never forget from that trip was my mom forcing me to go on Space Mountain. I REALLY didn't want to. She insisted. I cried. I remember making eye contact with the CM there pleading with them to not let me go on. I went on, and I didn't like it.

I went back at 29 years old, with my boyfriend, and had the GREATEST trip ever. We stayed on site, got the dining plan, did character meals, met MICKEY, got fastpasses, went early march when it wasn't boiling hot.

Best of all, I went on Space Mountain, and absolutely loved it.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

My parents took my brother and I to Disney World when we were about 10 and 12. It was a weird age, because we felt like we were "too old" for disney at the time. I remember a few things: I wasn't super excited to go, but thought "hey, at least I'll see Mickey." I was wrong. My parents didn't plan anything at all! We didn't stay on site, we didn't meet a single character, we waiting in long lines, it was kinda bad. My mom had got us tickets for multiple days and we only ended up doing the one because we didn't want to stay longer. Another thing I will never forget from that trip was my mom forcing me to go on Space Mountain. I REALLY didn't want to. She insisted. I cried. I remember making eye contact with the CM there pleading with them to not let me go on. I went on, and I didn't like it.

I went back at 29 years old, with my boyfriend, and had the GREATEST trip ever. We stayed on site, got the dining plan, did character meals, met MICKEY, got fastpasses, went early march when it wasn't boiling hot.

Best of all, I went on Space Mountain, and absolutely loved it.

Awesome comeback trip!

 

[Brad Bishop]

The thing that I see everytime I go is one or both parents who don't want to be there or, probably more likely, don't want to be with each other. One is just complaining to the other. The kid is stuck there between the two. Maybe they're complaining about the cost (then don't go) or maybe they're just grumbling to grumble. The sad fact is: They're making it an absolute miserable experience for their kid when all they should be having is a good time.

You can say, "Hey, we really need to watch the pennies on this trip so let's not eat there," or whatever and be fine. The other parent should accept that or at least treat it with some respect. Typically the original message isn't delivered that way and, even if it is, the reciprocal response is just as bad.

It's just one example but there seems to be a lot of parents who go there who probably shouldn't and ought to reconsider how they approach people, especially their spouse, just in general.

You can say something like: I don't think we should do that because...
and you can respond to something like that with: We'll be OK. Let's just be a bit more careful going forward.
...and be both respectful and kind to each other.

That's not how most couples communicate, though. It's one of the things I've always treasured about taking my daughters on my own: We just have a good time.

 

[Phonedave]

I wouldn't say ruined a trip, by my ex-inlaws once, somehow, cost me a room.

This happend a long time ago (clearly, one marrage ago as well). Money was tighter back then. We could afford WDW, but we had to watch what we spent. This was our 3rd trip I believe, and we decided to get a cabin at Fort Wilderness,. We figured that we could save money by eating some meals in the room, the extra space was great, etc. Since those rooms sleep more than we needed, I suggested that we invite somone from my ex-wifes family (one of the siblings family, or her parents). Her parents decided to come, and they booked plane tickets. Then her mom busted up her knee (legitimately, not like "ow it hurts" - she cracked her kneecap). They looked at where we were staying and said it will never work with a wheelchair, too far, too many bus transfers, etc. We ended up staying at Pop Century - in two rooms because were were a total of 6 people. The kicker was, somehow, since I had originally offered to let them stay in our cabin for free, and that was the whole reason they decided to go, I had to pay for their room at Pop Century.

The trip was fine, and everyone had a good time, I'm just still not sure how I ended up paying for that extra room.