'Favoring My Son': Mom Backed for Refusing to Bring Ex's Child to Disney

Thousands of internet commenters banded together in defense of one mother who refuses to bring her ex-husband's other child on a trip to Disney World.

In a viral Reddit post published on r/AmITheA**hole, Redditor u/Tro_Mig_Ikke (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) said she wants to bring her 13-year-old son to Disney as a reward for good grades but explained how her ex recently threw a wrench in that plan.

Titled, "[Am I the a**hole] for refusing to let my ex's kid come with us to Disney?" the post has received more than 10,500 votes and nearly 2,500 comments in the last nine hours.

Writing that she and her ex had their first-and-only child 13 years ago, the original poster said her marriage deteriorated after an emotional affair turned physical, and her then-husband fathered a child with another woman.

Now, the original poster said her son and his half-brother are "somewhat friends," and that both boys spend time at each other's houses. However, when rumblings of a Disney trip came about, OP's amicable relationship with her ex-husband turned sour.

"The problem now is that I'm planning on taking me and my son to Disney as I've been saving it up for him as I believe he should go there at least once in his life," OP wrote. "I believe that my son must've told his half-brother, as my ex-husband called me and asked me what day I'm planning to leave."

"I was confused initially, but I realized what he was talking about, and told him that it was just gonna be a trip for me and my son," OP continued.

After reiterating that she is only bringing her son to Disney, the original poster said her ex-husband became irate and speculated that his second son is being punished for his past actions.

"He started to get mad and accused me of favoring my son over his half-sibling and trying to be petty for his past actions...and told me I should [have] at least offered for his son to go too," OP wrote. "I told him no, as I wasn't gonna pay for another plane ticket and other supplies, and that if his son wanted to go, he needed to pay for himself."

"Now my son says that his dad was 'disappointed' about my decision and [told him] to go try to 'change my mind' so his half-sibling could have fun too," OP added. "A few of my friends who heard about the situation say I'm [the a**hole] for not letting his brother go on the trip...and that I'm being selfish and petty."

For the last half-century, a trip to Disney World has been a staple for families across the United States.

However, the cost of a trip to Disney World in 2022 is much different than the cost in 1972, and serves as a major barrier of entry for many of those same families.

At the end of last year, Disney-travel-dedicated website Mouse Hacking reported that an average, five-day trip to Disney World including park tickets, lodging and transportation would cost $5,731 in 2022, a 7 percent increase from 2021.

This March, Urban Tastebud Disney, a site similar to Mouse Hacking, reported that a "cheap" family trip to Disney World during the summer months will cost around $3,800, while an "expensive" summer trip will cost upwards of $6,800.

However, with travel website Hopper (via ABC News) recently reporting that domestic airfare costs have increased close to 50 percent since the beginning of the year, just flying to Disney World can rack up a major bill before entering the park.

Throughout the viral post's comment section, Redditors acknowledged this overwhelming cost and agreed with the original poster that, if her ex-husband wanted his son to be included in the Disney trip, he should be responsible for the financial burden.

Responding to the original poster's assertion that she was accused of "favoring" her son over her ex's, Redditor u/CalgaryChris77 offered a simple response.

"As you should, that isn't your child in any sense," they wrote in the post's top comment, which has received more than 20,000 votes.

In a separate comment, which has received more than 5,000 votes, Redditor u/projextd echoed that sentiment.

"You don't owe your ex anything," they wrote. "You don't owe the child anything."

"If he wants his sons to experience Disney, then he can take them together. You don't owe your son's friend a plane ticket and admission ticket," they added.

Redditor u/FoolMe1nceShameOnU, whose response has received more than 3,000 votes, said that the original poster's ex-husband is "delusional" for thinking OP would bring his child along on such an expensive trip.

"Your ex is delusional," they commented. "The fact that you are kind enough to allow THE CHILD HE HAD WITH THE PERSON HE CHEATED ON YOU WITH into your home at all, ever, basically speaks to you being an unusually and extraordinary patient and forgiving person."

"Why on Earth would he think that you WOULDN'T (or shouldn't) favour your son over, again, a child you are not in any way related to, who in fact was the product of an affair your own husband had outside of your marriage?" they continued. "Make it make sense!"

Newsweek reached out to u/Tro_Mig_Ikke for comment.