[Chat] Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

[skeetchd1]

It's an odd question for fanatics like us to ask - but necessary I think to learn from each other's mistakes, etc.

Mine was last night.

A couple of examples:
We got on the jungle cruise ride and specifically asked the man loading us not to put us in the very back under that speaker because we have sensitive ears - so he sat us directly under it. Our ears were ringing the rest of the night - had to take tylenol just to get to sleep. Of course, our error was expecting the man to actually cater to us when there were other people in line - should've just stood aside and waited for a less crowded boat.

Went to DCA got a rita's margarita, stood at the counter and waited, no joke, 20 minutes for the girl to finish wiping down the walls asking her if she was open to no reply from her and when we finally got our drink it had zero alcohol in it. Should've got the hint after 10 minutes. lol

Parked in Downtown Disney after coming back from lunch to go see a movie (we'd won some disney dollars recently) and lost our parking ticket and ended up having to pay $30 for less than three hours of parking - that was our grocery money so that wasnt fun. Of course, we told the man at the gate this while my wife was genuinely crying from the impact of it and he didn't care. Shouldn't have gone to Disneyland when we only have $30 in grocery money and not expected a multi-million dollar company to not find a way to overcharge .

Anyways, this is a place for whining about bad stuff as long as you throw in a tip or two for the rest of us to avoid having the same trouble. ENJOY!

[bee1000]

Re: What[apostrophe!]s your worst experience at Disneyland?

I went to Disneyland when I was in college, and went with people who were not really into Disneyland at all. They were a drag, and it was a miserable day.

[matterhornlove31]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

Mine was probably this past Sunday. It was my birthday and I went to goofy's kitchen. I took tons and tons of pics with all the characters. it was my girlfriend, my mom and I and we had a flipping blast! I cannot tell you how awesome the characters made that day lunch for us. My mom couldn't stop talking about how interactive the person in the Goofy costume was and everything. We took a million pictures and it was something to cherish... and then we went to turtle talk with crush and in front of the animation building was Dopey. We waited in line and just as it was our turn to take pics, SNOW WHITE APPEARS!!! So we took pics with Dopey and Snow White and it pwnd!!!!!!!
Then we went to watch turtle talk and suddenly my camera gets lost!!!!!!!!11111oneoneoneone
I was so upset for the rest of the day. I lost the camera and I couldn't help but be angry at myself for losing so many awesome pics of us and all the characters. Obviously the memories remain, but the tangible was lost. I went to lost and found and filed a report and then went at the end of the day and still no luck.
The rest of the day was a bummer for me because it was as though the gods wanted to mock me and because several villains were out and the line for them was short and I had no more camera. It was a personal downer for me since as a kid I was so shy to take pics with characters and now that I am more open to that I really wanted to do it, especially since it was my birthday.
The rest of the day we saw Mulan, Mr. Incredible, Farmer Mickey, Farmer Goofy, Pimp Mickey (I dunno what he really is, but it's suppose to be Mickey's halloween costume, but I call him pimp mickey because he's just wearing a purple suit with a purple hat, all he needs is the feather), Witch Minnie, Jafar, The Hag, Cruela, Captain Hook, and the info desk said that Jack and Sally were out and about, but I didn't see those two with my own eyes. I got so upset because all the lines to take pics with all these characters was super short and I lost my camera. BOO!

(sorry for the lengthy whining)

[splash114]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

matterhornlove31: Don't give up hope. A couple of years ago we went through the same thing (we lost a Disney bag with our camera and souvenirs) and reported it to lost and found. About 3 days later we got a FedEx package from Disneyland with everything we lost. So don't giv eup hope. There are plenty of good people out there.

[splash114]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

I can't say that I've had a bad experience at Disneyland, but my works experience does not involve anything to do with Disneyland. We went as a large group several times when my wife and I were first married Someone brought along a friend who was a complete bore. He complained the whole time (they should get more roller coasters, I can't believe I have to wait in line for this, the food sucks, etc.). After several hours a few of us managed to "get lost" walking from Splash Mountain to FanatasyLand. We had a great tiem the rest of the day. I only wish our good friends who were stuck with this guy could've joined us.

And last winter we got soaked on Splash Mountain. It was late afternoon and starting to cool down. We were miserble until we could get new clothes.

[RedHandedJill]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

It's a pretty long and detailed story, but I'll try and shorten it as best I can...

My mom had a tumor behind her left eye and was getting brain surgery. She didn't want my brother and I to be there when she got our of the hospital because she didn't want us to see her bandaged, stapled, and drugged up. My aunt who lives in Santa Barbara, was having a birthday party for my younger cousin, so we went down there and helped, as a distraction. Once I was down in Santa Barbara, I could barely swallow food or even smile because I was so worried and scared that I wouldn't see my mom again (a melangioma is a very serious surgery that can leave some people paralyzed or even kill them). After my cousin's birthday party, we decided to all head over to DCA. While there, I just felt sick to my stomach with worry and grief. I tried to enjoy myself but I just couldn't stop worrying.

As we were leaving the park later that night, I started to feel really sick. I ended up throwing up in front of the "R" in the California letters. My aunt took me to the bathroom and cleaned me up and I confessed to her there for the first time how scared I was, and she just held me in the women's bathroom with everyone staring at us.

The next day I was fine, for finally getting that off my chest, but every time I go back to DCA, I still get that same wave of sickness and worry for a little bit. Wasn't that just a cheery story? Sorry to put a damper on things with my serious story. :shy:

[RedHandedJill]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

Mine was probably this past Sunday. It was my birthday and I went to goofy's kitchen. I took tons and tons of pics with all the characters. it was my girlfriend, my mom and I and we had a flipping blast! I cannot tell you how awesome the characters made that day lunch for us. My mom couldn't stop talking about how interactive the person in the Goofy costume was and everything. We took a million pictures and it was something to cherish... and then we went to turtle talk with crush and in front of the animation building was Dopey. We waited in line and just as it was our turn to take pics, SNOW WHITE APPEARS!!! So we took pics with Dopey and Snow White and it pwnd!!!!!!!
Then we went to watch turtle talk and suddenly my camera gets lost!!!!!!!!11111oneoneoneone
I was so upset for the rest of the day. I lost the camera and I couldn't help but be angry at myself for losing so many awesome pics of us and all the characters. Obviously the memories remain, but the tangible was lost. I went to lost and found and filed a report and then went at the end of the day and still no luck.
The rest of the day was a bummer for me because it was as though the gods wanted to mock me and because several villains were out and the line for them was short and I had no more camera. It was a personal downer for me since as a kid I was so shy to take pics with characters and now that I am more open to that I really wanted to do it, especially since it was my birthday.
The rest of the day we saw Mulan, Mr. Incredible, Farmer Mickey, Farmer Goofy, Pimp Mickey (I dunno what he really is, but it's suppose to be Mickey's halloween costume, but I call him pimp mickey because he's just wearing a purple suit with a purple hat, all he needs is the feather), Witch Minnie, Jafar, The Hag, Cruela, Captain Hook, and the info desk said that Jack and Sally were out and about, but I didn't see those two with my own eyes. I got so upset because all the lines to take pics with all these characters was super short and I lost my camera. BOO!

(sorry for the lengthy whining)

I unfortunately left my camera on a bench on Main Street and didn't realize where I left it until a couple hours later. When we came back to the benches, it of course wasn't there, so I filed a report and the whole sha-bang. Unfortunately, I never got my camera back and I live with grief over that each day.

I've heard some stories about lost items with happy endings, so don't give up hope!

[Mojave]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

I've never had a bad experience at Disneyland.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

Speakng of lost cameras - a friend of mine lived in Tokyo for several months. She left an expensive camera on a city bus in Tokyo, and did an extensive search for it. Three days after she left it, she found it on the same bus, in the exact spot she left it. Nobody had touched it in 3 days, in the world's most populous city.

[Hank McCoy]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

The few and far between worst experiences for us at Disneyland have always been other guest-related. Mostly the repetitive flash pictures on Pirates after kind (and then not so kind) reminders of the no flash picture policy. (And yes they spoke English)

The worst would be a later evening portion of our visit, and two teenaged looking guys had a hat with the scrolling message on it of "Show me your t**s". As if that wasn't offensive enough (I double checked and we weren't at Daytona Beach on Spring Break), another teenaged looking girl with another guy walked up to them and acquiesed to their request. Just feet away from where my family (including my Kindergarten aged son and his 3 yr old brother) were walking. Disgraceful.

[Bruce Bergman]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

matterhornlove31: Don't give up hope. A couple of years ago we went through the same thing (we lost a Disney bag with our camera and souvenirs) and reported it to lost and found. About 3 days later we got a FedEx package from Disneyland with everything we lost. So don't giv eup hope. There are plenty of good people out there.

But that only works if you make a report of exactly what was missing.

Matterhornlove31: Write up a list with as many details as you can come up with - Camera make and model (and serial number if you have it), Brand and size of the memory card, what you were wearing that day (so they can compare) and what you took pictures of, and anything else that might have been lost at the same time. Clothing: brand, color, size, style, anything unusual in the pockets (like a bag with merchandise) that can be used to ID it.

Then call the Disneyland Switchboard at (714) 781-4000 (*) and ask for Lost & Found. If they haven't seen the item yet, get a fax number for sending in your list. (* One of those phone numbers that is permanently engraved on my brain. If they ever change it, it'll be heck getting it back *out* again...)

Everybody: Mark All Your Stuff. It's a lot easier for them to get lost items back to you if it's got a readable name and phone number inside or on the back. Clothing items, use a Sharpie Rub-A-Dub laundry marker on an inside pocket or tag.

Or look around, you can still get the Iron-In Name Tags at Carol Wright and from fabric & sewing stores - but use just the last name and the landline phone number in the family least likely to ever go away. You can write in a first name with the Rub-A-Dub if you'd like to avoid World War Three with multiple kids. (Last batch we bought only had to be tossed because it listed our 213-883-XXXX line, and that changed to 818 in... Yeesh! - January 1984 (link) )

Cameras and electronics, a Sharpie ink marker or P-Touch/Dymo tape label inside the battery door - and mark the door and the battery too. They fall off and out and get separated in the pile.

Other metal things like pocketknives, the good old Wen Engraver works a treat. Silicon Carbide tip that bounces up and down 60 times a second ands makes a line of dots in the finish, you just write your name and phone number neatly in a concealed spot.

--<< Bruce >>--

[Sorcerer's Apprentice]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

I've never had a bad experience at Disneyland.

Me either guest relations has always provided compensation for ride breakdowns, whenever we took time to stop by and mention them.

[matterhornlove31]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

But that only works if you make a report of exactly what was missing.

Matterhornlove31: Write up a list with as many details as you can come up with - Camera make and model (and serial number if you have it), Brand and size of the memory card, what you were wearing that day (so they can compare) and what you took pictures of, and anything else that might have been lost at the same time. Clothing: brand, color, size, style, anything unusual in the pockets (like a bag with merchandise) that can be used to ID it.

Then call the Disneyland Switchboard at (714) 781-4000 (*) and ask for Lost & Found. If they haven't seen the item yet, get a fax number for sending in your list. (* One of those phone numbers that is permanently engraved on my brain. If they ever change it, it'll be heck getting it back *out* again...)

Everybody: Mark All Your Stuff. It's a lot easier for them to get lost items back to you if it's got a readable name and phone number inside or on the back. Clothing items, use a Sharpie Rub-A-Dub laundry marker on an inside pocket or tag.

Or look around, you can still get the Iron-In Name Tags at Carol Wright and from fabric & sewing stores - but use just the last name and the landline phone number in the family least likely to ever go away. You can write in a first name with the Rub-A-Dub if you'd like to avoid World War Three with multiple kids. (Last batch we bought only had to be tossed because it listed our 213-883-XXXX line, and that changed to 818 in... Yeesh! - January 1984 (link) )

Cameras and electronics, a Sharpie ink marker or P-Touch/Dymo tape label inside the battery door - and mark the door and the battery too. They fall off and out and get separated in the pile.

Other metal things like pocketknives, the good old Wen Engraver works a treat. Silicon Carbide tip that bounces up and down 60 times a second ands makes a line of dots in the finish, you just write your name and phone number neatly in a concealed spot.

--<< Bruce >>--

Thank you very much. Honestly, when I filed the report I gave the make of the camera, but it was vague. Where I really was descriptive was the pics I had in the camera. I remembered I had over 200 pics stored and I gave the locations we had visited that day and several other ones. Hopefully the info i gave is enough, but at the time i didn't know the make of the camera, but now that i do I can fax them this information. Thank you very much!

[jiminy78]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

Mine was at DCA in June last year. We were trying to leave the park during the Electrical Parade (bad idea to start with). We got stopped at Sunshine Plaza and when they allowed people to cross we went for it. 2 in my party made it through and 2 were stopped after crossing more than half way and told to go back. There was still plenty of time before the next float came, it hadn't even come around the bend yet. The CM insisted we return for safety even though it was closer for us to keep going then to return. There was a nice girl waving us on at the other end but the rude CM wouldn't budge and forced us back. The worst part was there was not another break for crossing so we had to wait for the parade to end while half our party was on the other side. I kick myself for not turning him in that night but after that fiasco the last thing I wanted to do was wait more at guest services.

[OogieBoogie]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

1) While waiting in line to get on Splash Mountain, near the window where you can see Brer Rabbit singing, I was leaning on a handrail which had a nail sticking out of it which I didn't see. As I stood up it hooked onto my shorts and ripped out the entire back end of them thus giving a full moon to the group behind me.

2) A few years ago I was down at the park with my brother and his family. While seated next to my sister in law at Pizza Planet, she got sick and threw up all over the table and me.

I think those are the only 2 bad times I've had in the park.

[Homan]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

Mine was the first monday night in August when the passholders could go back to the park. I was back in LA for the first time since the 4th and I had nothing to do after work. So I decided to go straight from work in Woodland Hills to DL at 430pm... Traffic.. traffic ... oh the traffic. I didn't get to disneyland untill 715pm.......... then the parking that night it was insane. I wasn't inside a disney park untill 745 pm. By that point my nerves were shocked and I couldn't enjoy myself. That experiance almost killed disneyland for me.

[Mickeyfan3]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

I can't say I've ever had a BAD time at Disneyland...but I've seen plenty of parents who've forgotten what it's like to be a kid and have made the trip miserable for their kids.

Most disappointing time at DL? When my then bf (now husband) and I went to LA w/ another couple to see a Raider game. (That should have been my clue. I'm NOT a Raiders fan at all). Okay, so we did what the guys wanted and went to the game (they lost, yeay!!!) and the next day it was supposed to be all about DL for Michelle and I. We went early in the a.m. Lunch at the DL Hotel, which was our mistake. They sold beer. The guys had a few and suddenly they're too tired to go back to DL. Woudln't take the car and let us us catch a cab later or vice versa. And yes, Michelle and I still give Scott and Sam grief about it.

Umbrella stroller, with ribbons attached to the handle & our name printed in indelible ink on the handle stolen from in front of Splash Mountain. Thankfully I'd taken our packages with us on the ride. We were waiting for friends, so I decided to go looking to see if someone had grabbed it by accident. Found it buried behind other strollers at Pirates. The ribbons had been removed, and they had a sweater d over the handles so you couldn't see the name, and their packages left in the basket.

I dumped their stuff on the ground and took my stroller back after confirming it WAS mine! If their stuff got trampled it served them right.

And, when I was 4, my parents and I were on the submarine when the hatch didn't close and the interior flooded going under the waterfall. We were taken to the DL infirmary. I thought it was a lot of fun! I'm sure we got some free goodies or something out of it......big adventure.

But I've never had a bad time there. I just can't get enough of it.

[BC_DisneyGeek]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

Was at the end of It's A Small World, back outdoors but still in the boat, backed up by the usual backlog of boats, when it starts to rain heavily. We're talking downpour here. Wasn't prepared and couldn't go anywhere. Just a few feet more and we would have been under the bridge, lol.

[PCordova]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

I've never had any absolutely terrible experiences that were not caused by me, myself, and I, really. For instance, once I developed a migraine and became dehydrated because I put off aspirin and water too long (hey, I thought the fun of D-Land would heal it away!). I've avoided a few projectile vomits from nearby children, and dealt with my own son's meltdowns in the park, but nothing really stands out as being an absolutely horrible experience.

But what really drags my experience down is when I observe a parent or two completely ruining their children's time with ridiculous behavior. I hate seeing parents in line threatening a child if they have second thoughts about a ride or flat out lyng about the intensity of the ride if the child asks. Sometimes people forget what the world looks like through a child's eyes, and that Disneyland has the opportunity to be such an engaging, heart-warming place...if parents allow it to be.

[Gandalf75]

Re: Whats your worst experience at Disneyland?

Didn't happen at Disneyland, but rather when I came home. I took my niece to Disneyland and had an awesome trip. I took tons of pictures. A few weeks late my bf (now hubby) and I were at her dance show. I had not yet put the pics on a disc. He was playing with the camera and erased all of our pictures from the 5 day trip. I was so mad and still am!