Our Chaotic Disney Trip: A Flat Tire Adventure

Family Travel

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Table of Contents

Why I Dread Disney

I don’t even like Disney.

My last trip with Christina’s extended family was from 6 AM to 10 PM to get our “money’s worth.”

When I imagine hell, it’s an eternity in line for “It’s a Small World,” engulfed in the inescapable odor of poo-filled diapers and feet, being elbowed by sweaty people eager for a 15-minute ride with a mind-numbing song.

So yeah, I was already dreading this trip.

The Stressful Start

Despite my reluctance, we had planned this Disneyland trip for weeks.

Christina, Brynlee, and I were ready.

Bags packed, car loaded, snacks and diapers accounted for.

We were set for a magical weekend.

Christina doesn’t think one day in Disney is enough. So we were leaving Thursday for LA to have dinner with my friend Jared (which didn’t happen) and stay overnight in a hotel before driving the rest of the way.

I wanted to leave early, but the day had been a nightmare.

Last-minute meetings piled up, and a cryptic message from one of my clients left me in a worried loop.

I tried to call the client back, but no luck. And that made things worse.

So, late departure it was.

Christina, ever patient with my nonsense, had everything ready and waited all day for me to finish work.

She even laid out my clothes, but in my haste to leave, I forgot things.

No extra shirts and no sweater, despite the forecasted chilly, overcast weather.

The Blowout

We were about 20 minutes outside of Tehachapi.

Christina was driving, and I was trying to get on Wi-Fi to resolve the business issue and reach my client again.

Then there was a loud POP, HISS, RUMBLE.

“Is that our car?” It was.

The steering wheel jerked, and we pulled over.

In the middle of the Mojave Desert.

Nowhere near an exit or a tire shop.

Perfect.

I looked at the tire.

It wasn’t just flat, it was obliterated.

“Open the hatch,” I yelled as I yanked and tossed the two weeks’ worth of supplies we had packed for our two-day trip into the desert sand.

As I yanked up the tire compartment, I was met with a big hunk of styrofoam in the shape of a tire.

Fancy car. No spare tire.

I sweated and swore in the desert heat, wrestling with an Acura tire kit for the first time.

I was furious.

The sun was scorching, I was drenched in sweat, and the goo from the kit was everywhere.

Knowing we needed them, I yelled about not getting new tires earlier in the week.

Christina was on the phone with AAA, trying to get a tow.

Meanwhile, I could hear Brynlee inside the car, enjoying the cool air conditioning while watching Paw Patrol on her tablet at full volume.

She cheerfully mentioned, “Daddy is fixing our tire.”

The Limp Back Home

Somehow, I got enough goo in the tire to make it hold for a few miles.

Christina was on the phone, dialing every tire store in the area.

There weren’t many. And most were closed.

Then one picked up.

SG Soto Tire Repair. Thirteen miles away, in the opposite direction.

They were close to closing, but the guy who answered promised to stay open for us….

We limped back to Tehachapi, driving on 10 pounds of pressure, goo bubbling out.

Every bump was a reminder of how badly things had gone south.

Brynlee finally fell asleep, and Christina was quiet, probably plotting my demise.

We pulled into SG Soto Tire Repair with ten minutes to spare before closing.

And true to their word, they waited.

They replaced the tire quickly, and we were back on the road.

I felt better about the tire.

But I was dirty, sweaty, and annoyed by the chemical sludge under my fingernails.

“This can’t be good,” I thought.

The Arrival at Disneyland

When we finally arrived at Disneyland, Brynlee was ecstatic.

But she kept saying, “Daddy needs to get new tires.”

Great, now she thinks tire shopping is a normal part of Disney.

TL;DR

Our Disney trip was a nightmare. It started stressful, with a blown-out tire in the Mojave Desert and a rushed repair. It was chaotic but memorable.

5 Disney Travel Tips

  • Always check your tires before a long trip.
  • Pack extra clothes and layers, just in case.
  • Keep your car manual handy for emergencies.
  • Have a backup plan for roadside assistance.
  • Bring entertainment for kids to keep them occupied.

Here are some common questions about traveling to Disneyland and dealing with unexpected issues on the road:

Glossary

Here are some key terms from our adventure, defined for clarity:

  • Disneyland: A famous theme park in Anaheim, California, known for its attractions and characters.
  • Mojave Desert: A large desert in the southwestern United States where our tire blew out.
  • AAA: An American Automobile Association that provides roadside assistance services.
  • Tire Repair Kit: A set of tools and materials used to fix a flat tire temporarily.
  • Tehachapi: The town where we fixed our tire before continuing to Disneyland.
  • “It’s a Small World”: A popular but often maligned ride at Disneyland featuring a repetitive song.
  • Wi-Fi: A technology that allows devices to connect to the internet wirelessly, which I was trying to use to resolve work issues during the trip.