Not our finest moment as a family..whats yours lol

[DLB]

Our last trip, my son who was 5 at the time decided he was mad at us and wanted to walk alone by himself. (when he gets upset which isn't often, he just needs a little time by himself and then usually he just comes back in a great mood) so off he ran down the main road in MGM. Luckily I was on a scooter and could keep up with him. So I just stayed a little ways behind him and let him think he was on his own. Trouble was everyone was watching him and thinking he was lost. It wasn't our finest moment, but it didn't last long. Once he calmed himself down we were able to enjoy the rest of our day!

 

[Hannathy]

Mine is from this past December. We were on en extended family trip for 13 and it had been a long day. None of the 5 kids were behaving very well, a few had downright melted down even though we'd had an easy morning and slept in until noon, knowing we'd be out late at Epcot for our CP package.

So everyone was stressed and irritable. Before the CP started, I specifically asked my 6 y.o. If he had to go potty. I think we even had gone about 3 times at the restaurant.

So I was put out when, in the middle of CP, he says he has to go. So I grab his hand, haul him out of the theater across the sidewalk to the bathroom in the American Pavilion. I'm literally dragging him along behind me and to my horror, he trips and wipes out. Really hard. And I'm not sympathetic. All I can do is holler at him to hurry.

In retrospect, I must've looked crazy and likea horrible mom.

Nahhh You are a much nicer Mom than I would have been. My response would have been hold it!!

 

[TheNotSoGreatGonzo]

On DD's 3rd birthday, we were trying to make it to Akershus for an 8:05 ADR. My DS6 and I ran ahead as we were running a few minutes behind. As my wife and DD came up (DD in stroller), my DD is crying and she's covered in puke.

My wife takes her into Akershus bathroom to change her clothes, but she still smelled like puke the rest of the day.

The posed picture with Belle is funny due to the expression on Belle's face as it was pretty obvious that she could smell it.

 

[fairestoneofall]

i personally had a meltdown. my sister and i had taken my kids one June. it was hot and, since DH wasn't there, i had to be mom and dad (which is fine). DD has always wanted to meet Fawn, but we always seem to miss her. anyway, it was reported that she was greeting, so we stood in the very long line. DD knew that it was possible Fawn wouldn't be there by the time we got through the line.

anyway, after finally getting through the line, Fawn, of course, was no longer greeting. i was trying to video-tape and take pictures. the CM took my digital camera (she offered) and then took NO pictures with it. when we left and i realized that she hadn't taken any pictures, i was frustrated.

i'm not going to lie. i had a moment of whining and complaining. and then, i realized how little it truly mattered in the grand scheme of things and got over it. but i wasn't proud of my pouting.

 

[Cals dad]

After reading all these other posts, I remember my first meltdown too. Again, this happened at Epcot.

It was the early 80's. Epcot had been open for maybe a year or two. I was 4, maybe 5. The one thing I wanted to see was the dinsosaurs in Universe of Energy. All day I keps asking when we would go on it. If I remember correctly, the first time we got in line, it broke down, so we had to leave. We past the ride a few more times throughout the day. I kept asking when we were going on. We finally got on the ride, and it broke down again in the very first scene. We all had to get off again.

By this time, it was getting close to being dark, and the ride was going to close for the day. Well, that did it for me. I threw the biggest fit any child of that age could throw. I was tired, shoes were soaked because it had rained hard that day. I was in no mood to be dissapointed. My parents and sister still wanted to see the fireworks show. Throught the whole show, I just sat there with my back to it, crying. I refused to watch it. I just wanted to go back to the hotel if I couldn't see the dinosaurs.

You know, I think it might have been another 2 or 3 trips before I saw the whole ride. It broke down at the first scene at a couple more times. I remember being sad each time, but never threw a fit like I did that first time.

 

[Ragnrok23]

We seem to have some kind of a melt down almost every year. Usually its because my husband likes to go at a commando pace and they rest of us are exhausted trying to keep up. Last time I really emphasized that we need to enjoy ourselves and not be in such a hurry to get to the next attraction. I worked a little better. This year I think I will let him run ahead to get fast passes etc if he wants to, but not drag everyone along. Almost every melt down is because of exhaustion. ( One was because of an attempt to "drink around the world" ...which I would never recommend anyone doing)

I have a friend who ever year, on the first day the wife and kids stay at the hotel and swim, maybe go to DTD while the husband bolts for the park of his choosing. The next day they start the "family" portion of the vacation

 

[shalom]

While it's nice to know other families are as likely to have a meltdown as mine is, I think it interesting that a lot of us have different meltdown "styles." I suppose it'd be more accurate to say that people respond to different melt down "triggers" (and that Epcot has a lot of them ), but style sounds better.

We get down to the lobby and of corse ds SEEMs to be feeling fine chatting happily away with the manager who so kindly did this for us...because he was sick and I was a wreck

If the manager was a mother (or observant), she'd know that's how kids work. What a great story, though, thanks for relating it.

If you don't encourage your family to try new things/experiences they will never grow together as a family.

I thought your "everyone must ride first" rule would be disastrous in a lot of families, but also figured it worked fine for yours. However I think you went too far defending your approach, because I know so many families who do the same things the whole time the kids are growing up -- and, in one case, pretty much generation after generation -- who totally grow as families and are close even after the kids move out. Friend of mine who married into the generational one does think it can be a bit of a culture shock for new partners, but OTOH she knew what she was getting into before she committed to the guy, because about every third date would be something with the extended family.

Once in a while someone moves elsewhere and so there's a new location they might go visit, but most of them stay put in the same state and, as a general rule, that family doesn't grow by trying new stuff so much as by bringing new people in (sometimes through marriage but they also kind of adopt people). Not my style -- my family not only does different stuff every year, at this point we're all living in different states, none of them remotely contiguous -- but it works for them!

 

[Jenngoofys]

When I was 14 my family went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot, well lets just say I thought it was going to be more like a Six Flags park. We got there and I was so ANGRY!! I stood in the middle of Magic Kingdom and told my parents how boring it was and how much I hated it!!

To this day they still pick on me, more so now because of how much I absolutely LOVE Disney!!! I hear about that moment about once a month LOL

 

[jensen]

On our first trip to Disney, we made the rookie mistake of not giving the kids enough of a break. Well somewhere around Morocco and way past lunchtime, pretty much everyone had a meltdown. Kids fighting and crying, dad saying "is this what I spent 5 thousand dollars on" and me saying "omg what did we do" Luckily, we came upon the Tangier Cafe where we sat down, had lunch and regrouped. From that point on we learned to pace ourselves. We still refer to it as not our finest moment as a family We can laugh about it now lol What was your moment?

Our first trip with the kids... DD was only 15 months and I was still breastfeeding. We were staying at Pop and I booked a late dinner reservation at Olivia's. The server was awful and dinner took far longer than it should have. We were using Disney transportation on that first trip. So, after dinner we headed outside to wait for the bus. It was very cold that night, the wait seemed to last forever and we were all really tired. The bus finally arrived and then we had to transfer busses at DTD, so another wait.

You know where this is headed... DD had a meltdown... screaming and crying from pure exhaustion... thank goodness we were the only ones on the bus that night because I ended up whipping out my breast and nursing right there.

We've rented a car for all subsequent trips.

 

[Hoosier37]

I have a friend who ever year, on the first day the wife and kids stay at the hotel and swim, maybe go to DTD while the husband bolts for the park of his choosing. The next day they start the "family" portion of the vacation

We've already decided that on our next trip, DH and the kids are going to hang out at the pool or go to DTD while I go to Epcot so I can "take forever looking in all the shops" around the World.

Thing is, I think that is the thing I am most excited about.

 

[Jenngoofys]

[/COLOR]

I thought your "everyone must ride first" rule would be disastrous in a lot of families, but also figured it worked fine for yours. However I think you went too far defending your approach, because I know so many families who do the same things the whole time the kids are growing up -- and, in one case, pretty much generation after generation -- who totally grow as families and are close even after the kids move out. Friend of mine who married into the generational one does think it can be a bit of a culture shock for new partners, but OTOH she knew what she was getting into before she committed to the guy, because about every third date would be something with the extended family.

I agree it would be disasterous in a lot of families, it could totally ruin a day in the park. My daughter is 11 and we dont drag her through the line screaming and yelling we give her time to prepare. We choose a new ride to try each trip. She gets to choose the new ride as well. I guess it sounded like I was a tirant dragging them from ride to ride making them ride and making them hate it more. I have them ride in hopes they will like it and ride with me in the future. Some now that she is older we have given another try because when you are younger some things seem bigger and scarier than they are when youre older. ( Malestrom for example was scary when she was younger, now not so much, she laughs that she use to be afraid)
We too do the same trip year after year (Disney World), while we are there we try a new place to eat, and new rides. We also visit new places each year, and bring friends, each trip is different in its own way yet the same. I guess I was just refering to Growing together as experiencing new things and bonding over them. When you share experiences weather they are the same thing over and over or something new it brings you together. Our family currently grows by adding friends I understand your point of view and agree

Once in a while someone moves elsewhere and so there's a new location they might go visit, but most of them stay put in the same state and, as a general rule, that family doesn't grow by trying new stuff so much as by bringing new people in (sometimes through marriage but they also kind of adopt people). Not my style -- my family not only does different stuff every year, at this point we're all living in different states, none of them remotely contiguous -- but it works for them!

.

 

[Jenngoofys]

To be fair, this sounds awfully judgmental too.

The best thing to say would simply be "it works for my family", because it's true. There isn't a one-size. What works for you may not work for others. I ,personally, would never have forgiven my parents had they forced me to try things I didn't like. Eventually I got up the gumption to try it on my own (or not in some cases), I just don't believe in strong-arming folks to "be courageous. . However, it sounds like something that really works well for you guys and that's great! But there are MANY valid ways to "grow as a family".

You're right it is judgemental but was it really necassary for this person to make such a comment in the first place? NOPE!!! So I guess in all fairness if they hadnt put their two cents in, I wouldnt have put in mine. I can admire your belief in not strong-arming people into being courageous, but without a little push here and there we'd have alot of non-motivated people in this world. For us eliminating fears of most rides allows us to enjoy the parks more together. When she was younger she was afraid of Maelstrom, Splash Mountain, Mission Space, Tower of Terror, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bugs Life, Dinosaur, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, and a few others. Curently she is still afraid of Tower of Terror, and Splash Mountain. If we had not taken her on those rides she would never know she liked them. She hates Tower of Terror, and thats fine she doesnt have to go on it, I ride it by myself, or with people we travel with. Through process of elimination we have decided she doesnt like BIG Drops. I explained in an earlier post she chooses which new ride to try and we talk about it before we go she knows what to expect before she rides, theres no screaming,or crying in line, I dont torture her its her choice which new ride to try. I also agree it doesnt work for every family in fact it could ruin a whole park day and in some cases the whole vacation.

 

[loveysbydesign]

LMAO at these stories, tears are running down my cheeks! Thank you fellow Disers' as I really was in dire need of a good laugh. Thinking about which meltdown I should post!

 

[sexyravenfan]

This was in 1994 and we were staying at Dixie Landings. I was 7 at the time and my brother was 8. Well it was mid July and was hotter than all get out. We decided to go back and go in one of the quiet pools by the Mansions. Well my brother threw a fit and did not want to go. In the mean time, my mom had a migraine and told him to go back to the room with her while me, my younger sister, and my dad go to the pool. So she gets a shower and tells him to watch tv, well he leaves the room and comes to the pool without telling my mom. It was almost dark outside and we are having a good time in the pool when my brother shows up and my dad was like "you came here by yourself?" and he said yes. So we get out and decide to head back because it was dark and my sister who was 3 at the time needed to go to bed. Well here comes my mom screaming and crying with a towel around her body and one on her head down the pathway as we were walking back. At this time, my younger sister was crying as my brother got screamed at the whole way back for scaring her and leaving the way he did. Then I got screamed at for laughing at the way she looked. It was a quiet night in the room. We still talk about it to this day.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

I have two meltdown staories to share both from the first trip I took as an adult to Disney with my DBF (now DH).

We were spending 3 days in WDW at the Swan before my family joined us and we would be renting at house. As my first ride at WDW on my first trip was ToT I wanted to take DH for his first ride at Disney to ToT. We get up way before rope drop and decide we will walk to DHS. We I missed the turn and we end up at EP so we walk backand catch the boat to DHS. After riding ToT and a few other rides we decide to make our way through EP to the bus to MK. Well I got turned around again and we end up lost in World Showcase... I know its a circle but I'm trying to be independant and show my DH my faourite place in the world. As we are walking over the bridge from France to the UK we start arguing about which way we are supposed to go to get to the front of the park and a couple walks past as I am sitting on a bench in the UK crying and says... "this is the happiest place on earth!" I snapped out of the funk we looked at the map and got through to the buses.

A few days later we are in the MK with my (twin) sister and parents and we decide to park hop but we need to pick up the car so we get to the monorail.. well my DH and my DSisdo not always get along, they both like to be in control so they are snipping at each other and I hate conflict and each are asking me what I want to do trying to get me to side with them I start bawling my eyes out on the monorail platform where we are actually in line to get to ride with the driver (when they still allowed that) but we are a party of 5 and only 4 can fit with the driver. DH and I ended up riding in the car behind the driver (me still bawling) while my DSis and parents rode with the driver (with my DSis bawling)... it's really a wonder DH agreed to marry me at WDW!

 

[pfalcioni]

I praise the good Lord I am NOT related to you! your "rule as a family? " you like thrill rides, hubby and daughter doesn't. how did that become a "family" rule?

Way to be the only judgmental person out of EVERYONE in this thread. This isn't a thread asking for advice. Advice is Off Topic here as this is a thread asking for stories.

Just share your story, if you don't have a story to share, move along.

 

[Jennasis]

You're right it is judgemental but was it really necassary for this person to make such a comment in the first place? NOPE!!! So I guess in all fairness if they hadnt put their two cents in, I wouldnt have put in mine. I can admire your belief in not strong-arming people into being courageous, but without a little push here and there we'd have alot of non-motivated people in this world. For us eliminating fears of most rides allows us to enjoy the parks more together. When she was younger she was afraid of Maelstrom, Splash Mountain, Mission Space, Tower of Terror, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bugs Life, Dinosaur, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, and a few others. Curently she is still afraid of Tower of Terror, and Splash Mountain. If we had not taken her on those rides she would never know she liked them. She hates Tower of Terror, and thats fine she doesnt have to go on it, I ride it by myself, or with people we travel with. Through process of elimination we have decided she doesnt like BIG Drops. I explained in an earlier post she chooses which new ride to try and we talk about it before we go she knows what to expect before she rides, theres no screaming,or crying in line, I dont torture her its her choice which new ride to try. I also agree it doesnt work for every family in fact it could ruin a whole park day and in some cases the whole vacation.

"Well she did it first/started it!" is rarely an acceptable defense.

However, I like that you have a personal family philosophy and stick to it.

 

[ars0525]

Here is what I have learned from this thread....

...if ANY child says "I'm gonna puke" or "I don't feel so good" or anything along those lines, I am believing the warning!!! And then give you a nice wide berth.

 

[cancersucks]

Way to be the only judgmental person out of EVERYONE in this thread. This isn't a thread asking for advice. Advice is Off Topic here as this is a thread asking for stories.

Just share your story, if you don't have a story to share, move along.

We all have enough "life" going on- who needs the negativity?

Anywho-

Some peoples attitudes (WDW or Otherwise) Can make a meltdown situation even worse. I have commented that since having kids, you can really pick out others that do or have had little ones before. (or in the case of this thread, WDW adult meltdowns!) If My child is having a meltdown at Disney, on the airplane, at the grocery store, ect. Some people look at you like "Shut that kid up" where others, that have been in your situation, look and give you that "look" that is like half smile half "I've been there, it happens, you'll be ok!" look. I always prefer the second. Actually helps my mood Vs. the "judgemental" look that just fuels my fire.

I just remembered one from my last trip before DH and kids. Mom was diagnosed w/ cancer, and when she finished treatment we planned a quick trip to celebrate. About 3 nights in, she was looking for something and realized that a bag with 3 souviners she had bought were missing. She started getting really mad, and finally said that mousekeeping must have taken it. There was a Pooh cookie, a magenet, and a mickey glove hair bead she wanted to have put in a hair wrap with what little hair had grown back. No major purchases. I (19 at the time) simply stated it must be there somewhere, MK had no reason to take them. She BLEW up saying I was taking their side, calling her a liar, and threw a BIG fit. Dad was trying to calm her down and said I was probley right, its in the room somewhere, lets look. This made mom REALLY mad (they never disagreed let alone argued in front of us) so she starte yelling @ him for taking my side. This is new to us, so little bro (10) starts crying. Dad decides to take bro and mom to pool to calm down. I stay behind-sad- because I did not mean to "start" anything.

So I call the front desk and explain the situation, tell them I am sure they are somewhere in the room, but just to salvage the situation, are the items in the giftshop, I'll come down to buy them. They go to check and say they will deliver them to our room.

We get back from dinner (mom was silent the entire time.) and there was a bag with a bead, cookie, and magenet in our room. I think "Perfect. Situation fixed right?"

WRONG

Mom blows up at me saying why would I do that, now everyone in the lobby will think she is nuts!!! Ugggg.

After a nights sleep things were fine, and in hindsight- I think mom was just emotionally and physically overwhelmed.

about 2 months after we get back, I went in her bedroom to borrow some jewelry and see a magenet on the side of her file cabnet. Not the one MK brought from the resort, but the ORIGINAL one she had bought. I raise my eyebrow at her and she says "well, I guess the bag was packed away- I found it when we got home."

Although it ruined about 2 days of our trip, it is now a fond memory. That was our last family vacay with our mom, and oddly enough that memory makes me smile every time. I guess WDW really is magical

 

[girlsmom]

First I will start with: I am a rather dramatic person, I admit.

On the last day of each of our WDW trips, I get very emotional and my annual post-WDW trip depression sets in upon arriving at MCO to depart.

Last year, I was determined to make to MK at least an hour before RD on the last day since we only had a couple hours before DME...but of course I had to pack everything and everyone (me, DH, DD5, DD7, DD2) up first. WHile they slept in, I raced around packing up everything in the luggage to check on airline, versus luggage for hotel to hold for us to carry on versus bags to go into the park that day...then got DDs all up, dressed, teeth brushed, fed, hair fixed ect...finally, we were ready to head out to MK.

Exiting the bus at MK, DD2 realizes she doesnt have her plush baby Ariel (each yr DDs are allowed to pick a SINGLE souvenier on our last night) -claims she left it in the hotel room (the one we just checked OUT of). Then a super snotty child sneezes directly into my opened water cup that I was just about to take a huge gulp from (and I was totally parched and am a complete germaphobe)....And then I hear my best friend (also at MK that day) call out "Happy Birthday!" and I thought for a second "who in the world is she talking to?" then realize, oh....ME! EVERYONE in my family had completely forgotten my birthday (to be fair, I had forgotten myself).

Then I lost it completely... crying that my family didn't care about me, that I felt selfish for wanting birthday attention while we were at WDW for my children, that DD2 had left her baby Ariel, that MK was too crowded that day, that WDW 2012 was over, that I wouldnt see my best friend for another whole year, ect...

I told DH to go back to Pop to look for the baby Ariel in the room...and HE LEFT ME, bawling crying with all the DDs at MK alone (how DARE he OBEY my command when I was acting so crazy!) so my fit continued for a couple hours...til finally my DSister (also at MK that day) and best friend calmed me down.

I vow NEVER EVER EVER to have a birthday at WDW EVER again (this wasnt the first time my birthday had been during our WDW trip...and forgotten)