Couple take 13 and 15-year-old nieces to Disney World while parents pay, siblings claim it's unfair they didn't take the rest of their children: 'You're already doing a massive favor'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Feb 27, 2026 10:00 PM EST

It's impossible to please everyone in a big family.

When you get a bunch of different personality types in one room, it's impossible to make sure that everyone comes away happy. Everyone has different needs and different expectations, and there's no way to square all of those at the same time. But it's tempting to try to get on everyone's good side. Maybe you're a people pleaser, and you hate feeling like you're letting someone down. You want everyone to get along, and you want to be part of that peacekeeping. But it's not an easy task. And sometimes you end up hurting yourself when you try to make room for everyone else. It's better to draw boundaries around what you will and won't accept. And when it comes to money, you have to draw these boundaries especially firmly. 

People will try to take advantage of you if you let them. You have to be on guard for this kind of treatment, or else you'll end up in a bad way. It's no good to be a pushover, even within the confines of your own family. You get to do things the way you'd like them done, and nobody can stand in the way of that. That's what one family encountered when they were about to take a trip to Disney World. There weren't an infinite number of resources to go around, so some feelings got hurt when some people were excluded. 

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  • a crowd of people walk through a sunny theme park
    via Jakob Owens

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • But you can't take everyone to Disney World. It's a famously expensive venture, even if you're just paying for yourself. You start to add kids to the equation, and everything adds up really quickly. And the couple in this story wasn't even paying for the kids who went with them; their parents were. But when the rest of the family got wind of the trip, they couldn't keep their envy to themselves. Instead of respecting boundaries and trying to create their own happiness, they succumbed to the need to call them out for perfectly natural behavior. Read on to see what happened in the story and see what you think about it.

  • Am I in the wrong for taking my nieces to Disney, but no others?

    Backstory: my husband and I (both 30s) finally felt we got to a financial position to go to Disney World again after 5 years. He has 3 siblings with children, total of 7 kids, age ranges 5-15yrs old (4 of them are between 12-13 at time of incident). We are closest to his oldest sister "B" and her husband "J", who also have the two oldest kids at 15 "S" and 13 "L". We live about 8hrs away from all of them, so we only see them 2-3 times a year for long weekends. We usually stay with J/B for these
    via u/KylenCat22
  • Due to my husband's job, we have to plan vacation a year in advance, so Christmas time of 2024 we mentioned to B that we were planning to go to Florida in Nov 2025. She asked about Disney, and we confirmed it was the plan. The next day, she asked us if we'd be willing to take her girls with us, since she and J didn't exactly want to go back
    via u/KylenCat22
  • but the girls did. At this point, we already had plans to host the girls in July 2025 at our house so we were trusted to care for them, and B offered to pay for everything for her kids too (hotel, car rental share, food, tickets, etc), we'd just be basically chaperones (one of his childfree sisters joined too, no really drama there minus one comment later). We adore the girls, so we said yes and honestly the trip was some of the best days in our lives.
    via u/KylenCat22
  • The problem: Of course this wasn't going to be a secret and partly during-mostly after-the rest of the family learned about the trip. Now, we haven't talked directly about this to the other parents, so unsure on their thoughts/hopes BUT regardless, we wouldn't take any other kids on a trip like this (even if the parents paid). We aren't as close
    via u/KylenCat22
  • to the other kids/parents, and a big issue is no one else in the family respects our "no" when we say it. Not the parents, not the kids. The other kids already know we had S and L out last summer, and even something like that we wouldn't do for the other kids.
    via u/KylenCat22
  • Due to this, we're getting a lot people saying we HAVE to be fair to the other kids and take them to Disney and/or host at our house (including the sister that joined who said we had to "s k it up" and be fair. We disagreed with her directly when she said this) Frankly, we don't want to because our money and free time
    via u/KylenCat22
  • are too valuable to us to essentially waste on being miserable. Love the kids, but in short spurts like when we visit. This ultimately makes it so we favor S and L. AITAH for doing this? I can explain more of the other relationships if requested :)
    via u/KylenCat22

  • Commenters gave their takes on the situation.

    Rough-Distance1... The "you HAVE to be fair" crowd? easy to say when it's not their time, money, stress, or responsibility. you're allowed to say no. you're allowed to have boundaries. and you're definitely allowed to spend your vacation with the people you actually enjoy traveling with.
    via u/Rough-Distance1030
  • Gabby_Craft NTA, the other parents expecting you to take their kids too is entitlement. Especially if you don't know them well. You're already doing a massive favor to your husband's sister and husband.
    via u/Gabby_Craft
  • A black and orange mickey mouse cap illuminated by lights
    via Brian McGowan

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • thefanciestcat NTA IMO you are treating the kids fairly. Here's why: We aren't as close to the other kids/parents, and a big issue is no one else in the family respects our "no" when we say it.
    via u/thefanciestcat
  • If S, L and their parents acted like this, S and L wouldn't be going to Disney World, either. Everyone had the same opportunity to respect each other. What you're actually being pressured to do is disregard fairness, IMO.
    via u/thefanciestcat
  • Stunning-Pop6789 Definitely NTA Did the rest of the family know that you and husband didn't pay for your nieces?
    via u/Stunning-Pop6789
  • sallyskellington NTA - as a mother of 3 it's absurd to EXPECT anyoneeee to do ANYTHING like this. Good on you for doing what you can and don't give in
    via u/sallyskellington
  • Accomplished Oil... Nta and this may be controversial to some but aunts and uncles can play favourites. It's based on the relationship you have with the kids and their parents.
    via u/AccomplishedOil7672
  • Fickle-Cabinet3... 100% NTA I am part of a very large family. I love all my nieces and nephews, but I have a different dynamic with some and am closer to some than others.
    via u/Fickle-Cabinet3956
  • The parents of the other nieces/nephews lack self- awareness and are a bit entitled to automatically assume you should take their kids out of "fairness".
    via u/Fickle-Cabinet3956
  • veebeex08 NTA but it really does s k for the other kids. They're probably wondering what they did wrong for you to not want to connect with them more. Sucked when it happened to me growing up. I always wondered why they never chose me since we're
    via u/veebeex08
  • all her niece. Was too young to understand that it wasn't entirely personal. I remember trying hard to impress her growing up. As an adult, I just try to avoid her. It was too much hurt for too much of my childhood without any explanation. I am sure she could see
    via u/veebeex08
  • through me and knew I was trying my best to be the chosen one next time. But she never did. She's a trauma I'll never forget. I get it now and understand as an adult- but the child me was hurt one too many times and it just doesn't make sense for me to be around her as
    via u/veebeex08
  • an adult. I stopped going to the rare family get togethers at her place sometime in my teens due to what she did. She didn't choose me and I certainly won't choose her. Hahaha not me feeling bitter for my child self!
    via u/veebeex08
  • PhilosopherFrost... NTA I think the key info here is that you chaperoned the eldest of your niblings. Kids are hard work, younger ones especially have greater needs- no insult meant here, it's just a fact. Plus if they're
    via u/PhilosopherFrosty906
  • not the best behaved kids that's additional stress. It's perfectly ok for you to not want to deal with that during your breaks & vacations. You weren't secretive about it & their parents specifically asked you to take them with you, they didn't force you like the others are attempting & they covered it financially. Were the others willing to do the same?
    via u/PhilosopherFrosty906
  • Personally I don't think you're being unfair, not all familial relationships are the same or as close. It sounds to me like they're wanting to foist their kids off on you for what is a big trip. It'd be a no from me too. The sister who came with you then flipped it can do a more expensive solo vacation from now on as well.
    via u/PhilosopherFrosty906
  • fishofhappiness NTA next time they ask questions about it just say that the bs entitlement is exactly why you're not interesting in taking their kids anywhere, even if they pay
    via u/fishofhappiness
  • Slow-Visual9562 NTA. You and your husband thought it through and S and L had a blast. Totally fine to spend your time with the kids you're closest to it doesn't make you a bad aunt/uncle, it just makes the trip more fun and real.
    via u/Slow-Visual9562

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nephews family dynamics family drama disney brother disney memes family feud family sister nieces
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