Venting: My Disney trip is turning into a spreadsheet war with my aunt
I need to vent for a minute. I'm starting to lose my mind.
I'm 26 and planning my first Disney World trip as an adult. I saved up for this with side gigs (and honestly a few too many hours on reward apps on my phone), and it's my big treat. I purposely chose a slower pace: fewer reservations, no Park Hopper on a short trip, and more time to actually be in the parks instead of rushing every minute.
Then my aunt kind of invited herself into the planning. She acts like there is only one right way to do Disney and that if you do not optimize every minute you're wasting money. She keeps pushing Park Hopper, sending minute-by-minute itineraries, and treating any suggestion of downtime like I'm being irresponsible. Now it's a spreadsheet war with color coded plans and checklists.
What gets to me more than the logistics is the attitude. She's already weirdly judgmental about other parts of my life, and now that vibe has followed me to my vacation. If I do not rope drop and cram everything in, apparently I'm doing it wrong.
I want to set boundaries without starting a family fight. Has anyone dealt with a relative who steamrolls the planning? How did you tell them, politely but firmly, that I'm paying and I want this trip to be fun, not a timed exam? Also, please tell me that taking it slow with one park a day is not some unforgivable Disney sin.