Family with 2-year-old pays for Disneyland holiday for in-laws with 3 teenage kids, they complain when they have to stay in the smaller camper van: 'This isn't big enough'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Apr 1, 2025 9:00 PM EDT

Despite the fact that they are meant to be all about relaxation and enjoyment, vacations can be a stressful time. Just when you think you have temporarily left the everyday stresses of life behind, some new and pressing ones come to take their place. 

This is especially true when you are on holiday with your family. A vacation with relatives is one of those experiences that has a tendency to bring entitlement and unresolved conflicts to the surface, and what's worse is you don't even have the space to get away from them when it becomes overwhelming. Even with the most accommodating of family members, there is a lot to plan to make sure that you all enjoy yourselves.

When relationships are already strained, it can often lead to an unhappy situation. Considering the money and effort it takes to go on vacation, it is something that most would want to avoid at all costs.


 

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    Cheezburger Image 10488308224
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • One woman was feeling the unpleasant side effects of this after a family vacation to Disneyland started to go wrong. She, her husband, and their 2-year-old son had gone to Disneyland with her brother-in-law, his wife, and their three teenage kids. She and her husband had paid for everything, including the rental of an extra camper van to accommodate their relatives.

    The camper van they owned was bigger, but the smaller family planned to stay in it because it accommodated some of their essential needs. However, the brother-in-law's family immediately began complaining that the rented camper would not be enough for them.

    The woman insisted that they didn't switch, leading the family and her husband to complain about her. She wondered if she was being selfish.

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    Welcome Bless Sweet CAMPER MARSHA SB
    via Jens Behrmann
  • 03

    AITA for forcing my in-laws into a smaller space for their larger family?

    So this story is my family (husband, me, 2yr old) and his brother's family (BIL, SIL, and three teens: 18, 16, 13) So we are at Disney this week. We arrived today with our camper and rented another one from the resort. When we got here for check in, we were told the other camper was set up, got the keys and was shown some features. It was small (I think 25ft) with the only privacy being the master bed. There is a bunk and the dining table folds into a bed.
    via Rae_ven1
  • 04
    We set up our camper (40ft toy hauler) and I'm in the middle of putting out linens, opening up the back porch for my toddler to play and getting his space set up (sleeps in the garage area) when the in-laws roll up. We all greet and my husband shows them their camper. Immediately they start down the "this isn't big enough. We are going to have issues. We really don't like this" comments. Now we paid for the camper rental, the spots, the tickets into the park and for some upcoming dinners they wa
    via Rae_ven1
  • 05
    I said no that wasn't going to work cause our bed in the master is specifically for my back. They went on about how they can't afford Disney and it's really disappointing that all we rented was a small trailer for all of them to fit into without regards to their comfort. I came back with "it's only for sleep for your family. I don't know if my son is going to be overwhelmed and having a familiar space for him to play and relax from the noises and crowds is why we brought ours" and they stormed o
    via Rae_ven1
  • 06
    Am I the ah le because i don't want to sacrifice my own comfort to appease them especially since we have paid for this entire trip? The only part they had to pay for was to get here and they flew (with some assistance from my husband cause I "threw a fit about that") AITA?
    via Rae_ven1
  • 07

    Outsiders couldn't believe how her family had treated her.

    Foofieness NTA and I am horrified at how your husband is treating you let alone your in-laws. You put out literally thousands of dollars for their happiness; I wouldn't even know how to accept a gift of this magnitude. I would be crying in thanks. Please get into counseling when you get home. Individual for sure and martial if you can make your husband go. He treats you terribly and I am so, so sorry.
    via Foofieness
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    haleorshine Yeah, I actually don't care how the in-laws are behaving because this is a husband problem. He should have shut this down immediately, but instead he called his wife an a hle. Sorry OP, this was entirely on your husband to tell them to be reasonable and to not even come to you and ask about this. And you need to get on the same page about finances and spending money on his family, especially if they're going to be so ungrateful.
    via haleorshine
  • 09
    Anxieteasss Agreed! Especially bc by OP's account, the in-laws will be in Disney majority of the time and only need the camper to sleep. Whereas OP has a 2 yo that will need a good setting to stay in during the day since Disney gets overwhelming and OP wanted a good mattress for her back. In-laws may have a larger family, but I wouldn't say they need it more and her husband should've stuck up for her and their child.
    via Anxieteasss
  • 10
    Sassysewer NTA Unrelated I am available to fly down and would be delighted with a smaller camper and will babysit. Nuts to your in laws! You deserve a nice vacation as well Ps. I bake
    via Sassysewer
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    extinct diplodocus NTA. What choosy beggars! They get a fully paid trip and carp about it. My own inclination under those conditions would be to say, "Okay, if you don't like the accommodations, I'll return the rental and you can make your own arrangements." Your other problem is that your husband seems to be a people-pleasing (except you) doormat.
    via extinct_diplodocus
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    Aylauria Me too. "The camper's not big enough? I completely understand. I'll go cancel it and you can stay wherever you like with your own money."
    via Aylauria
  • 13
    omgtuttifrutti Does your husband even like you? Your in-laws can go pound sand. If they don't like the accommodations that someone else has paid for they are welcome to pay for their own ΝΤΑ
    via omgtuttifrutti
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    practicallyperfecteh The audacity of demanding someone else's OWN camper... if you don't like your FREE accommodation then PAY FOR YOUR OWN!!
    via practicallyperfecteh
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    No_Philosopher_1870 NTA. There is nothing that prevents the in-laws from paying to rent an RV or trailer that is more to their taste. If the 25-foor trailer is rated to sleep six or eight, it should be large enough for them. One compromise is to have them pay the difference on a larger trailer if one is available and an exchange is possible. It's nice of you to pay their way to Disney, and they don't appreciate it. It is always a red flag to me when a spouse or partner chooses their family of bi
    via No_Philosopher_1870
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    njdevil956 NTA but make yourself happy and don't travel with your in-laws. Camper size is just the beginning of the complaint train. Especially at Disney
    via njdevil956
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    SmoochNo NTA. Your husband is a huge spineless a hole and I hope he reads this. Keep your camper and never pay a thing for them or travel with them again.
    via SmoochNo
  • 18
    Menemsha4 NTA. You're at Disney (and you paid.) Their family of five has accommodations where everyone has their own bed (and you paid for it). You drove YOUR rig down (that you paid for) to accommodate your back and your toddler. There are a lot of ah les here but you aren't one of them.
    via Menemsha4
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    Otherwise-Topic-1791 NTA. "Well, in order for us to afford to get you a larger trailer we'll just have to cancel all those dinners you wanted and a few of the events you wanted to do. It'll be ok. I'm sure that having more sleeping space will make up for the other things."
    via Otherwise-Topic-1791
  • 20
    gfdoctor ΝΤΑ You rented this group a perfectly fine situation for a vacation and brought along your own rig. You have a husband problem, one who needs to turn a noodle into steel. If the in-laws insist on taking your rig, then they get the responsibility for your toddler's rest time too. Or your husband can manage that all by himself.
    via gfdoctor
  • 21
    Suspiciouscupcake23 NTA His family is asking why he married you...I'm asking why you married him?? People that complain about a free Disney trip are welcome to leave. They're welcome to upgrade their accomodations on their own. They're welcome to jump in a lake. They are not welcome to your stuff. If your husband dislikes it, he can move in with them too
    via Suspiciouscupcake23
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    sosopandicornio1 I don't want or know how much money you spent on them to insult you like that, if your husband is not willing to defend you that is part of the problem. The next time they call you names, tell them that they are idiots who can't even thank you for something you do for them, start setting limits with your husband because his priority is his family, his parents and his siblings, not you and your son.
    via sosopandicornio1
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    the_greengrace NTA. This is so egregious. I truly hope it isn't real. If it is, you married into a pack of AHs. You should definitely never vacation with them again. H II, I would never be in the same room with them again. And by "them" i mean the entire family, including your AH husband.
    via the_greengrace
  • 24
    Shadow11Wolf50 NTA. Make this a hill to di on. Might seem dramatic, but: 1. They didn't pay for their accommodations or entertainment. You two likely rented a camper that said it could sleep all of them. If they want the extra room, they can pay for an upgrade. 2. That bed is for your back, you don't deserve to moved. 3. Your son's comfort. A stressed, tired baby is cranky. That's not fair to you or him. I seriously doubt your husband would be willing to actually help you deal with said cranky b
    via Shadow11Wolf50
  • 25
    Huge-Shelter-3401 I'm really mad for you. If they want something bigger, then they can pay for it. But the bigger problem seems to be the husband for not standing up to his family and sticking by his wife. She should not have to sacrifice her comfort when they haven't paid for anything. All I can say is that I would have a lot of bad words coming out of my mouth if it was me and those words would probably start with F.
    via Huge-Shelter-3401
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    annang I would not stay married to someone who called me an ah le under these circumstances. NTA. And I'd bet money that your husband is casual about your child's needs because your husband is not the one who will actually be caring for your child.
    via annang

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