People can take vacations, but entitled attitudes rarely do. Whether it's due to a sheltered childhood or overly-generous parents, these kids were sure to pack their privilege in their carryons. These onlookers from all around the world share their worst encounters with wealthy tourists, proving that too much money can rub a lot of other people the wrong way.
All content has been edited for clarity.
Just Stop The Whole Plane
“I heard of one 15-year-old girl who was going on an exotic vacation to some pacific island or something. But her favorite show was on TV the day of their flight, and she really wanted to see it. Her parents delayed the flight so that she could watch an episode of her favorite show.”
Such Easy Solutions
“My stepsister blew a Paris vacation because she didn’t bother to get her passport renewed. A week later her sugar daddy bought her a vacation to Mexico for a week. She missed that one too.
Also a year earlier her mom got her a 7-day cruise (she loves to spoil her) that she missed because her mom didn’t bother to check when her spring break was.
It keeps me up at night thinking about all the money that has been wasted to get her out of the country.
My step sis gets a cruise for Christmas she’ll probably miss because she broke a nail or something dumb, I get a sweater…”
Just Another Day For These Kids
“I went to a destination wedding in Mexico at a resort. Some rich kids rented a golf cart, tore through the streets and flipped the cart (injuring people and causing a huge commotion and traffic jam).
A Mexican lady comes out and begins to scold them for their behavior. ‘You wouldn’t act this way at home!’
Rich kid responds, ‘I promise you we do.’
It was the earnestness of his reply that got me.
He really believed he was placating her with that response. There’s gotta be a German word for something being funny because the other party is aloof to their own behavior.”
What A Waste!
“I went on a cruise with a rich friend. Dinner was served as a three-course menu, and you could order as many different courses as you want. Rich friend would order 2 plates of food per course, eat a single bite or two, and throw away the rest of the food. My family was extremely poor when I was younger, and even though we are much better financially now, we still refuse to throw away even the smallest leftovers. All those plates of food wasted hurt my heart to see.”
Notice Anything Special?
“When I was in boarding school in Southeast Asia, one of my co-boarders who was from Malaysia handed me some mail saying, ‘Do you notice anything special about this envelope?’ When I checked it out I realized his face was on the stamp. He was royalty.
A kid from Taiwan was also attending same boarding school. My advent calendar had little chocolates, his had a remote control car, Sega Game Gear, etc. etc.
Another teenager (16 years old) was arguing on the phone to his grandfather that he didn’t want a Porsche, he wanted a Ferrari…”
He Was Culture Shocked
“I once saw this Aussie guy in a Thai pub on Koh Samui who he wanted to show bar girls that he was rich by lighting up his cig using a burning 1,000 baht bill (around 25 US dollars). He probably did not know how Thais love their King, and that the King just recently died, and his face is on the bill. It was definitely illegal. The rich kid got his butt kicked so hard.”
He Was “A Little Termite”
“My visa in China was sponsored by a mega rich government family. It was a teaching/home stay program.
The youngest child, four, was a sweetheart, but the oldest, who was ten, was a little termite. One memory that stands out was one breakfast he decided he didn’t want cereal and asked the chef to make him pancakes. There wasn’t enough flour in the kitchen though, and he full on chucked a tantrum, throwing spoons at the chef.
Poor chef spoke to the family driver and they picked up some flour and a bunch of other ingredients for pancakes, enough to feed a family with pancakes for the next two weeks. He ends up making the most beautiful, buttery looking pancakes I had ever seen, it was something out of a commercial, and all of this within fifteen minutes.
Kid takes one mouthful then decides he wants toast instead.
Another memory I have is Chinese New Year. Family hosted a massive midnight banquet, and there was so much food leftover. I asked the driver what were the family going to do with all of this leftover food, and he says they’ll trash it. When I asked why not donate it to a homeless shelter the kid harks up and says, ‘The poor don’t deserve our food! That’s their own fault because they’re poor!'”
When Money Sits Above The Law
“I work in an extremely wealthy community and a local bar owner has this son who is all kinds of addicted to drinking and substances. Anyway, the son was in Mexico on a binge and ran over and killed someone. He is now back in the states living it up because Daddy just paid off whoever he needed to pay to get him back, scot free.
Another dumpster fire in this rich town happened about 15 years ago. A woman was married to this pharmaceutical CEO and was watching her step son when he fell from the stair railing, plummeting to his death. Weird circumstances surrounding this event as well.
The following week when all the family was in town for the funeral, they found her hog tied, bound, and gagged, hanging from the outdoor balcony. The only other person in the home at the time was her brother-in-law. Her death was labeled a suicide.”
There Were Many Eruptions On That Trip
“I one time went on a private school mission trip to Costa Rica, and on Thursday, the last day we were supposed to be there, the local volcano had a pretty major eruption.
The leaders of the trip explained to everyone that they would probably not be able to get everyone out until Monday. Chaos erupted. As we take these trips the week before Spring Break (called Minimester), people were MAD.
I listened as an oil magnate’s son and the son of a well-known former NFL player began talking about calling their lawyers to sue the school and the organizer of the trip. Other girls cried about not having an entire week for Vail, while one worried about missing the kickoff to her cruise. Students were calling their parents and begging for earlier flights home, even though these could also be canceled for ash. About 50% of the trip was trying to book alternate accommodations, and I definitely heard private jets mentioned more than a few times.
If you fly when volcanic ash is present, the engine can explode. The earliest people got out was Saturday at 10 p.m., after getting to the airport at 5 a.m. for their original flight.
I got out Sunday morning at 1 p.m., due to having cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening lung disease. When I got back, my lung function had dropped 30%, and I spent my entire spring break in the hospital.
After we got back, it was found out a wild and, uh, ‘polyamorous’ party was had amidst the chaos of finding out flights were canceled, among other things private schools looked down on. As we had a 24/7 conduct policy, the trip resulted in two expulsions and about 10 suspensions.”
He Lived In A Rich Bubble
“I made a friend when I attended school in the Philippines. My friend, who’s standards are over the roof, always had this simple looking pen, always clipped on his pocket.
Me: ‘How much is that?’
Friend: ‘Around 150 pesos.’
I was shocked. 150 pesos is like half of my weekly allowance and it is a big sum of money for those who live in the Philippines.
I did not know that a simple looking pen costs so much.
One day at lunch, he told me he lost the pen in homeroom and in our homeroom, if you lost one, you’ll never see it again because of our classmates that are ‘too broke to buy a pen but spends almost hundreds on in game purchases’ (I study in a private school, scholar of the government. Most of my classmates are rich enough).
I tried looking for it so he won’t have to spend another 150 for his pen. No luck.
He got no pen for the rest of the day but I lent him a cheap one that does the same.
The next day, he came to class with three of the same pen he lost. I asked why and he said,
‘In case I lose it again, I won’t have to go to the supplies store to buy another one. It’s a tiring job to drive and buy that thing.’
Indeed, he is some sheltered rich kid. Has over 50,000 pesos for his monthly allowance and he always go to school with some expensive car.
Another time, he invited our squad for a game time in his crib while his parents are away. As soon as we sat on the couch, he threw bags of chips (those big sizes) and told us to eat. The kid didn’t know how to cook but when another friend asked for water, he opened the fridge (we’re allowed to do so because we are his only friends) and found bags of fresh produce. That friend asked the rich kid, ‘Then what is the purpose of those?’ and the rich kid said, ‘Mom was too lazy to cook. That’s why.’
The friend who opened the fridge offered to cook good food instead of that bags of chips. We ended up eating pancit (those noodles that you buy like in Chinese takeout).
Minutes later the rich kid complimented, ‘This is way better than the Chinese takeout we used to buy,’ he said.
Nonetheless, he got that rich kid syndrome but immersed himself into the reality of his lower class friends. We also taught him practicalities that he basically used everyday of his life as he was not taught at an early age. This was in senior year.
We taught him how to cook, to wash dishes, to spend less and save money, go to class in a jeepney (a public utility vehicle in the Philippines) instead of their car, and a lot more things. His parents tried to return the favor by inviting us to their special events or treating us with a night ride in their expensive car to go to the lavish community in our city and just go crazy, but we did not accept any of it. We just told them that when he wants to immerse himself with us, we will do it so he can learn something. When they insisted, we said a good coffee with them was enough.
We’re in college now and I was surprised when he took Computer Engineering instead of Fine Arts (He’s a gifted painter) I asked him why and he said, ‘My parents’ wealth is their own. I’m taking a more practical course so I can earn for myself in the future and stop depending on them. I would not have this kind of mindset if you guys did not taught me how to value a single peso.'”
Because Water Stains Last Forever
“So, some of my old co-workers at a summer program happened to be on Catalina Island at the same time as Brandi (some Disney Star, I think? I don’t know anything about celebrities) was there on a huge yacht. They overheard an exchange where she complained about her shirt being WET. Not dirty, but wet. And her friend told her that it was okay because there were dryers on the yacht.
Brandi’s response? ‘Girl, I’m just gonna throw it out.'”
Now That’s One Smart Student
“In my first year at a university in the UK, my flat was flooded in the first week so I was temporarily transferred to one of the posher halls of residence on campus. Amongst others, it boasted to be home to the children of politicians, TV stars, and royalty from the UK and abroad.
One such kid, connected to some obscure arm of Indian royalty was experiencing rather a hard time of it. This halls had everything delivered on a platter for the residents, rooms were cleaned, laundry collected and meals were provided 6 days a week only on Sunday did the residents need to fend for themselves. And every Sunday this young lady had a freaking meltdown to the extent that it became a spectator sport. Even after I’d moved back to my gross flat I’d pop over to my friends there for lunch or a brew just to catch a glimpse of the hilarity that ensued.
She demanded one of the residents make her some tea then responded by throwing her crockery at them when they told her in the most Mancunian way ever exactly where she could shove her teapot.
She once spent an hour waiting for her toast, not realizing that she had to push the thing down.
She called campus security because someone was cooking food that made her hungry but would not share it.
And many more… but then it stopped. Peace reigned every Sunday but she seemed as feckless as ever. It turned out that a rather enterprising resident had offered to spend the day as her servant for £500 per day. That arrangement lasted the remainder of the year, for making tea, toast and such like this lad managed to pay off his tuition fees (and buy a few rounds!) with money to spare and she didn’t even bat an eyelid at the expense.”
Merry Christmas, It’s Josh
“My friend was from a family of a bunch of super rich Americans who had moved to my country. In elementary school, my friend really wanted a little brother named Josh for Christmas. Ridiculous, right? Her parents literally bought a baby, named it Josh and introduced them on Christmas. Imagine being some rich kid’s Christmas present.”
That Nanny’s Day Was Made
“My family and I went to a tourist resort in Colombia and the attractions had fairly long waiting lines. So my wife, our 14-year-old daughter, and I were lined up to ride a western-themed train/roller coaster. Almost right in front of us was a gaggle of Arab women with one girl and three boys of between six to ten years. The Arab women were in their early twenties and they had their (I guess) Philippine nanny with them. Her comparably cheap dress and shoes made her really stand out from that crowd. From the print on the shirt of one of the boys I guess that group was from the United Arab Emirates and clothes, accessories, shoes and cell phone screamed ‘stinking rich’.
In my time I’ve seen a few unruly kids. The little girl was shy and sweet, but the three boys were havoc unleashed and totally out of control. Utter unadulterated spoiled spawn. Screaming, running around, bumping mercilessly into bystanders without any courtesy while the Arab women (at least one must have been the mother) clearly didn’t care. No, the nanny had to deal with it, but it was clear that she was totally out of control as well.
When she got a call on her cell, she picked up and from the way she talked it must have been with family or a loved one from the way she behaved. The oldest kid came over with a smirk, kicked her in the shin, pried the cell phone out of her hands and must have flat out hung up the call out of spite.
For the next 20 minutes until their turn to enter the roller coaster wagons, the nanny tried to get her phone back. Obviously she wasn’t allowed to give the kid the deserved smacking or could use loud and stern words. From the looks of it she wasn’t even allowed to touch the brats. So it was a constant silent pleading, while that spoiled brat gleefully thumbed through her phone, making sure to keep it tantalizingly out of her reach and on several occasions he even tossed it to one of the other kids, who (luckily) managed to catch it without dropping it.
When the line had moved up, the female roller coaster attendant gestured the gaggle of them into the first car. Four seats each. Three women and the little girl into the first car. The three Satan’s-spawn boys and the nanny into the next car. That left one of the UAE ladies. She hopped into the next car, but started screaming when the roller coaster attendant tried to seat a young Colombian couple and their daughter with her. She was furiously tattering off in Arab, spit flying and gesturing wildly, making clear that she wouldn’t sit with them in the same car.
The female roller coaster attendant only argued once with her in Spanish, basically told her to sit down and shut up or to get out of the car.
The whole crowd in line started cat-calling and clapping when the roller coaster attendant sternly pointed them all to the door. They Arab ladies kept arguing with the boys throwing a tantrum, but then security showed up guided them out. Not just out of the attraction, but out of the park as we could see during our own ride.
The icing on the cake? The nanny’s face when she stepped out of the wagon. The hint of a satisfied grin was hard to miss. Finally someone had stood up to that entitled pack and that must have made her day.”
He Had No Respect
“I worked in accommodation at a seaside hotel during the summer months at a university in the UK. Every year there was a rich family who would fly in on their helicopter. We would stand at the windows watching it land. The family in general was nice enough, nothing unusual to note.
One time though one of my co-workers ran up to me, aghast and raging. She told me she had greeted the father and the son who were walking down the corridor towards the lobby. So, like any good member of staff, she held the door open with a smile for them both to pass through. The father thanked her but the son, following close behind (I think he was about 10 or 11 with a snooty demeanor) chided, ‘Why did you thank HER?? She’s just a cleaning lady!'”
The Odd One Out
“I used to go to high school with the daughter of the Polish ambassador in Australia. One day we were all talking in class about our homes and were talking about the new Playstation 2 Slimline that came out. I’d been struggling to save up enough to contribute towards the console with my parents and she said, ‘I would give you the one from my living room but then I would have an odd number.’
She had 6.”
Still On Mommy’s Dollar
“I was dating somebody who I met whilst living in London. They had moved from America and were working in a business full time, so he had a good wage.
We went out to dinner one time and whilst we were paying he turned and went, ‘I can’t believe I have to pay for this.’ So I was like, ‘Haha what?’
And he turned and said, ‘Oh well my parents gave me a debit card to their account and I’m waiting for the new one which means I have to pay for my own meal.’
Meanwhile I was paying for my food out of my own pocket when I didn’t have a lot of money because I didn’t have a job at that moment. It just baffled me that a 25-year-old man was upset at the thought of spending his own money when he worked full time at a good job.”
Imagine Being THAT Rich
“I once met an American abroad for her gap year type thing in France. We were chatting about traveling for the Christmas holidays and I said I was annoyed because I bought my tickets home kind of late and they were really expensive.
‘Oh is the price different if you buy in advance? I didn’t know!’
I was a bit flummoxed and asked how she usually buys her flights if she doesn’t buy in advance.
‘Oh I just take a taxi to the airport and ask for a ticket to Jacksonville, Mississippi!'”
A Rich Kid’s Worst Nightmare
“According to my rich cousins, the hardest thing they ever had to go through was having their golf cart run out of battery in the middle of a golf course inside a ridiculously luxurious resort in Punta Cana where they had no reception. They had to push it to the resort’s tennis club so they could charge it, and after waiting for a deadly hour, they were able to drive it to their vacation mansion.”
“He Had Never Washed Dishes Before”
“I was working at a summer camp while in college that catered to rich people from all over the world. Kids would fly in from India, Mexico, Germany, France and of course the United States.
I was on the trip staff as a canoe trip guide when it came time to clean up after I had cooked dinner. I told the kids they all had to pitch in to help to get food coolers repacked and the dishes washed and repacked. I walked over to the bench where we were cleaning the dishes with a nice enough 14-year-old boy who was set to do some scrubbing. As we got started cleaning he stated that he had never washed dishes before that moment — and it showed. Not an uncommon response from any young teenager.
As we both cleaned I asked him who washed the dishes at his house. He said, ‘We have a butler.’
I responded, ‘That’s nice, but when you head off to college and get your own place you’ll need to know how to clean up your own apartment.’
He flatly stated, ‘I get my own butler when I go to college.'”
They Were Above The “Peasant Level”
“I went abroad last semester without any friends from my home university. I ended up living with a bunch of girls who go to a southern/moderately prestigious school.
The club we often went to had a tier system in which each ascending level cost more to access than the previous one. These girls refused to go on the ‘peasant level’ of the club that was free to go on after you paid the cover fee and opted for paying 40€ for a wristband to stand 3 feet up on the second tier, or much more money for a different wrist band to stand a whopping 10 feet above the bottom tier.
Yikes.”