Best "worst" moments?

[mommy2_3]

Okay, so my story is not so much Disney Magic or a CM doing anything, but another family.

We were staying at SSR last July. On the bus two days before the incident, we met another family who had a 2 yr old daughter named the same as ours (our daughter's name is familar but not common). We park hop and come back to our resort often, so over a two day period we got to know the family whenever they happened to be on the bus the same time as us. Kinda joking to each other "Are you guys following us?"

Anyway, the morning of the "incident" started off with the hubster arriving at DHS for rope drop to ride TOT and RNRC. I let DD sleep in and we came along later to make the 9:20 show of Playhosue Disney.

We walk around DHS for a bit, but it's not really our park so we decide to ride the boat over to Epcot for lunch...so many choices at Epcot.... On our way out of the park I decide to stop at the camera shop at DHS to see if photos from one Photopass card could be put on another (DD had received a picture of MM and a 20% off photopass in our room). Well, as we were on our way to the camera shop on our way out of the park, the hubster and DD got into it over something. I went in the camera shop, expecting the hubster to stay outside since DD was screaming, but noooo he brings her inside, wailing, while I wait in line behind a customer who was taking FOREVER to decide on a new digital camera. Sigh. I finally decide to leave as I am getting looks for havign DD in the store, meanwhile I am signaling to the hubster to take DD outside. He finally does, and when I get fed up and walk out of the satore due to slow customer (only one CM working in the store) the hubster goes off on me and then yells at DD.

So we wait for the boat to Epcot and I have DD under control. All is fine on the ride to Epcot.

Then we get to Epcot and the hubster wants fish n chips. I tell him that he can eat that, I will sit while he eats, and then we will go somewhere for me to eat. He gets mad again. Finally we compromise and agree on the CS place in Mexico. We arrive only to find that they are serving a new "test menu" and our favorites are not on the menu. We decide to eat anyway. I will eat anything, hubster is sooo picky. We eat and upon finishing, hubster gets a margarita and DD wants some, only since she's 2, can't quite understand why she can't.

MELTDOWN OCCURS.

So I take her out of the outdoor seating area to the nearest restroom, however the only one I can think of is the one near Norway. I arrive to find that the women's room is closed for cleaning. I see a lady standing outside the family restroom and ask if she is waiting to use it or waiting on somebody, when she rudely says to me that SHE IS NEXT!

So I go over to the curbing and LOSE IT. I broke down in tears. Between DD's meltdown still occuring, the hubster being Pi**y, and the rude lady, the tears started to flow. I sat there and I think it scared DD, because she stopped crying, wiped my tears, told me she was sorry, and kept patting my back saying "it's okay Mommy, it's okay...."

So DD and I use the restroom and I decide we need to leave the park. I'm not gambling on the day getting better.

As we walk out of Epcot, I stop at the camera place there, get what I need done and THEN DD decides she wants to push her stroller thru the park. We let her for a bit, but because she was coming close to hitting people and slowing us down, I transition her to riding in her stroller. As we walk out to the gates it hits DD that WE ARE LEAVING and she loses it again. She gets out of the stroller and proceeds to throw herself down on the concrete outside of the giftshop towards the bus stop area. I decide that there is nothing I can do (well I did try some stuff, but DD was having NONE of it), so I move DD over to the area where some benches were (after prodding her to walk) when she throws herself down again (she was not hurt) and rolls around on the ground crying. I sit on the bench letting her wail, while the hubster shoots me daggers because I am doing nothing (HELLO ARE YOU NOT A PARENT TOO???). So we are there for a few minutes, not too long, when our stalker family (only kdding about the stalker part) passes by leaving the park and recognizes us. They try to help, and do their best with DD (even their older kids step in because they are used to their younger sister doing the same thing), but it's no use. I thank them for trying, and they continue on to the busses.

After a few minutes more, I finally bear hug DD, dont't care about getting kicked or hurt, and walk over to the bus stops. Wouldn't ya know the bus stop for SSR was all the way across the lot. So we finally make it. The mother from our familair family comes up to me (at this point DD is whining and wailing, she had stopped thrashing) and takes her from me without a word. She then sits on the ground with DD, gently shhhing her and rocking her. She tells me that I need a break.

I guess the shock of a stranger holding her calmed DD down. The family told us not to be embarrassed, because these things happen. The mom even carries DD on the bus for me -- note I was not freaking out over some strangers because they had become quite familair to us since we met them two days before. We were all at the same bus stop area, so someone running off with her was not a concern. I saw it as a helpful gesture.

The bus took FORVER to come, but on the ride back to SSR DD fell asleep. We got back to SSR and my husband apologized for his attitude, and told me he'd watch DD while I could go shop at DTD. Later he took DD to the pool while I was at DTD.

I was so grateful to this family who did their little piece to try and help us the best they could. We saw them the next day ont he bus to MK and the mom said to my DD "You look much better today" and DD nodded and gave her a hug. Even the couple's older kids talked with DD and played with her on the bus as we rode to MK.

It was an awful day/moment, but this family made it so much better. Rather than having a family make rude comments, they were understanding about what had occured.

Note: Some of you may be thinking that DD needed a nap or that we tried to do too much. We did very little. DD slept in that morning until 8:30 (we usually get up early at Disney) and all we had done was watching Playhouse Disney. We have gone to WDW five times in the past two years and DD NEVER has had a meltdown such as this. It was just a freak thing. On our last trip in Feb, she even remembered havign the meltodwn and told me "Mommy, I not cry this time at DisneyWorld." Awwww. Anyway, we have another trip next week. WOOT!

i totally feel for you! i have had my own meltdown and started crying cause my 2yr old and 3yr old were just horrible! it wasnt in public but at home. i have had them have meltdowns like that in public and sometimes all you can do is just let them have it. and just like ur DD my kids would do that then after mins. of doing it they fall asleep. i think the meltdowns wear them out! im sure im going to have alot of meltdowns when we go!

 

[simba20]

i totally feel for you! i have had my own meltdown and started crying cause my 2yr old and 3yr old were just horrible! it wasnt in public but at home. i have had them have meltdowns like that in public and sometimes all you can do is just let them have it. and just like ur DD my kids would do that then after mins. of doing it they fall asleep. i think the meltdowns wear them out! im sure im going to have alot of meltdowns when we go!

The hubster and I joke about it now. When we step foot in Epcot, we pause wondering if it will happen again.

I am always proactive and transition her to new things (letting her know that we have to leave in 5 mins, then updating her with minutes, then moving on to soon, okay let's start cleaning up, let's pack up, okay we have to go) so I avoid common meltdowns like leaving the playground etc. Usually I can use a phrase or do things that will also calm her during a tantrum. However, on this day, it was a doozy. It came out of nowhere and each moment of fuss built until it all hit. I look back and go over a checklist of what was missing that morning (she slept in, she ate some breakfast...) She was very good when she was alone with me (on the bus to DHS, during the PlayHouse Dinsey show....) It wasn't until we met up with Daddy, that her fussiness started (and I will admit he not as paitient as I am), but this meltdown goes down in the record book as a doozy.

As long as she's not hurting herself or others or will bump into something while throwing a fit, I'll let her have it if I csnnot stop it. We have been working on "use your words when you are angry" but I know that at 3, she's still missing some words and thoughts. I am pretty piatient and easygoing, good thing I have a background in Child Development and Early Childhood Ed. Hence why the hubster acts lost and confused sometimes when dealing with her. He's a coach and works with middle schoolers, so he seems to think that automatic sharpness and a "look" will work with a todddler.

 

[jelloarms]

My best/worst memory was when my daughter (6 yrs) and had gotten two new stuffed animals. She was playing with another little girl at Casey's when that family left with them! My daughter was devastated. I was telling my kids to remember this feeling because this is the pain that stealing causes. As we were walking out of MK (busy day in July) a CM noticed my daughter crying and saying "Why are you crying at Disney World?" My daughter sobbed out the whole story and they gave us vouchers for two new stuffed animals! My daugher was sooo happy and I told my kids to remember this feeling because it's the joy that you give someone when you do something kind. It was a great life lesson and when I see those two stuffed animals on her bed I just want to hug that CM! (I didn't know about the cards you fill out at MK so, unfortunately, his good deed went undocumented.)

Just curious, how did the other family end up getting ahold of your stuffed animals? They didn't intentionally steal them I hope...

 

[Cee]

Back in the 70's, DH and I were in the MK waiting in line to purchase some t-shirts when DH starts to feel....ahem.....rumblings. He dumps the shirts in my arms and dashes for the nearest restroom. It's our first trip so he doesn't know where it is and frantically yells to Chip & Dale(who are strolling to their next meet and greet), "Where's the bathroom!" They start jumping up and down and pointing to the nearest one. I'm happy and relieved to tell you that he made it and now makes it a point to have his picture taken with Chip and Dale every trip and thanks them. They give him a pat on the back and a thumbs up like they actually remember. HOW COULD THEY FORGET???

 

[Squidgyness]

How can anyone hate the rainstorms? Just what you need after a warm day at the parks. Then again, I am from the UK so we are used to somewhat colder rain, we just grab some ponchos and go nuts in the rain!

My moment is when I accidentally spilled my drink, and a cast member gave me a free Fanta! On the downside I was addicted to fanta for the rest of the trip (hadnt thought of trying it - Fanta in the UK is terrible).

 

[TLinden16]

This thread would be a better fit on the theme parks community board, so I'm going to move it there now.

 

[kimis]

I would have loved to have animals block the path for that long.