@cc1013, your trip wasn't abnormal. 1,2,4, or older...some kids are sensitive to change and stimulation. Our first trip was in 2012 and our kids were 8, 7, and 5. Our youngest has always been, ah, vocal and demonstrative when things don't align with his vision. He could be a tyrant regularly and WAS on our trip. Our first day was stressful for him and GMR did him in after listening to the kid next to us LOSE HIS MIND through the whole ride. He wanted to do Jedi Training but, the minute Vader's theme started, he took off and stayed as far away from him as possible-poor kid. My lack of enthusiasm for DHS may be influenced by this trip. #3 wouldn't allow any of us to go on inside rides without throwing a fit, even though we didn't make him go in there. He was fine with the outside ones, though, and loved Barnstormer. He loved Splash during the drop, but was super agitated inside the mountain. IASW, PP, and Pooh were a nightmare. He wanted to eat every 30 minutes from stress. He thew fits regularly over "whatever". Our second trip, two years later, was much better. He would go on inside rides and threw less fits. He's 9 and MUCH better! We're hoping for a low fit-throwing ratio next year. He's a nag, sensitive to change, still a bit of a tyrant, and loves the thrill rides. His siblings would rather skip the thrills. There's always compromise.
My older two were fantastic and I regret that their wonderful behavior was overshadowed by the youngest. We told them how much we appreciated their patience and made sure they were able to do a lot by taking turns hanging out with ol' yeller. Gah! What a stressful trip that was!
Anyway, it is what it is. I didn't laugh about that first trip for a while, but it's a good story now! Yours will be, too. You'll go back when they're older. It won't be what you envisioned and there will be melt-downs, but it will be easier. I bet you'll want to go back after the next one, too!
To keep it on topic. We stayed at Poly CL for most of the trip and it was a refuge. Plenty of food for the stress eater, snacks on our pool day, and we were there for breakfast and in the evenings because the kids were DONE pretty early. They couldn't last long enough to stay up for EWP or Wishes. OUT by 7:30. DH and I would drink a glass of wine on the balcony and gird our loins for the next day.