My boyfriend (28M) and I (27F) just got back from a trip to Disneyland — we’re both huge Disney fans, and we go maybe once every year or two. We don’t have kids, just enjoy the nostalgia, rides, food, etc.
While waiting in line for a ride (Haunted Mansion), a woman in front of us with two young kids was visibly annoyed. One of her kids was having a meltdown, and she kept turning around and glaring at us. Eventually she snapped, saying something like,
“This park is for families. It’s disgusting that childless adults are clogging it up. You don’t belong here.”
I was honestly shocked but tried to stay calm. I told her that Disneyland is for everyone, not just kids and parents. She rolled her eyes and said “I guess being selfish is trendy now.”
I didn’t raise my voice, but I said something like, “We paid just like you did — and honestly, throwing tantrums doesn’t seem exclusive to children.” She got mad and muttered the rest of the time, even trying to get a cast member involved (they didn’t do anything, just told us to enjoy the ride and keep moving).
Now I’m wondering — AITA for standing my ground? I usually don’t stand up for myself but I was really irked this time and feel sort of bad about it.
Comments
^^^^AUTOMOD Thanks for posting! READ THIS COMMENT – DO NOT SKIM. This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read this before contacting the mod team.
My boyfriend (28M) and I (27F) just got back from a trip to Disneyland — we’re both huge Disney fans, and we go maybe once every year or two. We don’t have kids, just enjoy the nostalgia, rides, food, etc.
While waiting in line for a ride (Haunted Mansion), a woman in front of us with two young kids was visibly annoyed. One of her kids was having a meltdown, and she kept turning around and glaring at us. Eventually she snapped, saying something like,
I was honestly shocked but tried to stay calm. I told her that Disneyland is for everyone, not just kids and parents. She rolled her eyes and said “I guess being selfish is trendy now.”
I didn’t raise my voice, but I said something like, “We paid just like you did — and honestly, throwing tantrums doesn’t seem exclusive to children.” She got mad and muttered the rest of the time, even trying to get a cast member involved (they didn’t do anything, just told us to enjoy the ride and keep moving).
Now I’m wondering — AITA for standing my ground? I usually don’t stand up for myself but I was really irked this time and feel sort of bad about it.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
NTA.
“Disney Adults” are a thing. Part of researching before you go is understanding that there’s going to be alot of line time. That means alot of cranky little ones and overwhelmed parents.
Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our voting guide here, and remember to use only one judgement in your comment.
OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I feel like I shouldn’t have snapped at the lady and maybe me sticking up for myself was rude.
Help keep the sub engaging!
Don’t downvote assholes!
Do upvote interesting posts!
Click Here For Our Rules and Click Here For Our FAQ
Subreddit Announcements
Follow the link above to learn more
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA – Enjoy the money that you spent at the park. You have every right to be there. Enjoy the food. The laughter. Enjoy the cast members. Enjoy life. That’s not being selfish. It’s creating a mental Woo-Saaaaa from the crap going on in the world today and enjoying the nostalgia of yesterday. Keep going and hug Goofy for me next time 🥰🥰🥰🥰
NTA. I agree with her though. Y’all should just wait till after 4 pm or something. I dunno, would love to work this out.
Definitely NTA. I’m a child-free adult, a Disney fan, & enjoy going to the parks. The last time I went did involve my sister, BIL, & their daughter. Their friends are older & huge Disney buffs who go to the parks, with or without their kids/grandkids. Disney is absolutely for everyone.
NTA
NTA. She was ridiculous. Disney is for everyone. I go solo sometimes and have a blast.
NTA, at all. Disneyland is “family friendly” which means it is for EVERYONE.
NTA. Disneyland is for everyone. I don’t even think little kids should go because they’re too young to wait in the lines or even understand or appreciate where they are. I mean was she really there for her kids or for herself? Maybe she should have just gone to McDonald’s Play Place or something.
The park is for people with money. It’s hard to believe somebody there wasn’t aware of that.
NTA
she was hassling you when she was AHEAD OF YOU IN LINE? wtaf. NTA and some people shouldn’t be allowed in public until they can learn to share.
NTA
NTA. My parents still went just them when they were in their 50s. I went with my husband for our one year wedding anniversary, we were in our 20s. Some people can be absolute miserable asholes can’t they.
NTA. Look. Disney adults are cringe af and yes, they are contributing to a decline in the disney park experience. Overcrowding and overpricing have long since hollowed out the family-centric Disney vacation. All true.
However. That’s Disney’s problem. They could take steps to decrowd the parks and schedule family exclusive hours, but they don’t – because adults with disposable income make them money. Its not your personal fault that single young adults are encouraged to attend the park. She was out of line targeting a single person and blaming them personally for the fact that disney trips aren’t worth the money and aggravation. She got taken in by the most overpriced family vacation in the world and that’s on her.
She was having a hard time with her kids and decided to try and make it your problem. NTA. You did great.
NTA, you paid the ticket and have every right to be there. That being said while there’s nothing wrong with being a Disney adult, it’s good to have some self awareness. Last year I took my 3 and 5 yo to Disneyland. As we were getting on the carousel I lifted my 3 yo up into one and when I turned to put my 5 yo on the one right next to them so I could hold both ( we clearly had two kids and went to two open horses next to each other) a fully grown woman had hopped onto my daughters horse while my daughter looked like she was about to cry as there were no longer any open horses. The woman moved after I did ask her nicely to do so, but the lack of consideration really rubbed me the wrong way. Disney adults become so because they had magical experiences there as a kid lots of times, so make sure you’re not taking away that wonder and experience from a little one now.
I would have gone further than you did and told the staff that this woman was harassing you. Because that’s literally all she was doing – harassing you in the hopes that you would get out of line. NTA
NTA, obviously. She was pissy because her kids was being a shit and leaked out at a random stranger for no reason. Let it go, she means nothing
NTA. And congrats on joining the “Childless Millennial at Disney (and ruining it for families)” demographic.
Edit: because obviously the Childless Millennials are the only reason those poor put-upon parents have to wait on long lines with their perfect little angels.
You had an awesome response. Good job, you were to the point and you weren’t rude. She was.
Who insults people for enjoying the happiest place on earth? 🤨🙄Jeez.
I don’t know if you were an asshole or not, but I’ve learned it’s not worth responding to every person.
I have empathy for that mom and that she was dealing with kids melting down. Her anger was probably more directed at the situation than you.
The better option for you would’ve been simply to smile and ignore her.
NTA, and kudos to you for being polite and being the GROWN UP in the situation.
Sounds like JD Vance. Unless you socked her when you pushed back you are not an asshole.
NTA…Have fun and ignore your mother’s negativity. She obviously needs some magic in her life.
NTA – She’s just jealous that you didn’t have screaming kids of your own to make you just as miserable as she was.
NTA. I’d have said “actually, it’s amazing doing what we want without children hanging out of us being brats, we actually get to enjoy it”.
NTA.
You are 100% correct: Disneyland/Disneyworld is for everyone and anyone who loves Disney.
One could argue you shouldn’t have lost your cool. One could also argue you were provoked. In any case, it didn’t go beyond words. Cast handled it right. I’d say don’t let this witch live rent free in your head, and enjoy any theme park whenever you are of the mind.
My retired friends with their very adult children and their spouses, no grandkids, have special passes and go multiple times a year. It’s their happy place. NTA.
She is frustrated her children were making a fuss and took it out on you, NTA. Disney can be for anyone.
NTA. Absolutely NTA. And thanks for giving her the burn.
There is no way you are the AH, unless you punched her or something, which would have made you the second AH. This woman needs to stay home next time. She’s obviously incapable of enjoying herself and is determined to make life miserable for everyone around her.
An easy NTA.
NTA. It seems she was just mad and found a convenient scapegoat in you and your boyfriend. Disney doesn’t bill themselves as just for children because it isn’t. It’s for all fans of Disney, not just little ones that their parents can’t control. If she did a better job raising her kids maybe they wouldn’t be throwing fits in the middle of Disneyland, you know, the happiest place on earth.
Meh. Standing your ground didn’t accomplish anything and it gave you an ikky feeling. Kind of like the guidance of don’t wrestle in the mud with pigs because they like it and you just end up dirty and looking like a pig. You are NTA, but you still dipped a toe in the mud.
Disney theme parks could not survive without “Disney Adults”. I know more people who go to Disney as an adult without kids frequently than I do families. Disney wants Disney adults. NTA
My husband and I lived half an hour from Disneyland in the 90s. Growing up on The Wonderful World of Disney, we went there 3-4 X a year, and if friends or relatives were visiting, we brought them, too. At that time, it was probably 75% adults and 25% kids. Very few strollers. This lady is insane.
INFO: Did you fill up on Dole Whip to console yourself after having experienced that silly encounter?
NTA. As long as you’re being respectful and not pushing in, it doesn’t matter if you’ve brought no kids or 30 (or anything in between). She’s in the wrong, you’re golden!
NTA. The dedication plaque outside of Disneyland reads: ”To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”
Walt made it very clear that his creations were for EVERYONE. The young and the young at heart.
Disney is for everyone. You did nothing wrong!
NTA and honestly, I would have mocked her.
I’d tell her something like I can afford to come to disney every day because I‘m a childless cat lady, and maybe she should have invested in birth control. Then I’d stand there LMAO in her face.
There is literally a sign when you walk in “to all who come to this happy place, welcome”. NTA even Walt said it.
NTA. Walt himself said that the parks were for everyone.
Do not feel bad about standing up for yourself – she’s taking her misery out on you.
NTA
It’s also presumptuous of her. What if you were trying to start a family or were unable to? Or recently bereaved? And even if that wasn’t the case, how is it any of her business?
Block and bless. You could’ve turned it into a whole thing with her but there’s no winning arguing with a toddler having a tantrum.
I’m personally “over” Disneyland but I certainly don’t criticize or hate on people who want to go there. It’s a park for “children” of all ages. You are NTAH, the mom in front of you was.
NTA. As someone who grew up near Disneyworld, you’re right, and it’s people like her who try to micromanage every aspect that actually ruin Disney for kids. There are Disney Adults who are weirdos, but most adult Disney fans in the park understand appropriate behavior and are totally welcome and fine in the parks. Most people on a Disney trip will never meet a weirdo, they’re sufficiently uncommon.
NTA. Disney is for all ages. As for the mom, if she did her homework, Disney does provide accessibility to children with issues dealing with the crowds and long lines. My granddaughter received these services (as she is autistic and doesn’t do long lines well), they don’t have to have the specific diagnosis, but a clear description of the results. They simply allowed us to sign into que, and come back after the same wait time for the line, then get into the fast pass line. Still a little wait, but worked exceptionally well for our family. If this mothers child was simply a brat, then maybe she should have not chosen to go to Disney with her. SMH.
I mean, you didn’t even throw yourself at her passive-aggression, she spoke to you first. What did she expect you to do, silently pack up and leave? She’s mad because you, what, said a thing that’s probably written right there in the Disneyland castmember handbook? I honestly can’t believe you bothered posting this because no serious person would call you TA.
NTA.