Understanding that you’re in an abusive relationship doesn’t usually happen overnight. Many survivors say it takes small, ordinary moments to realize something much bigger is wrong.
For one woman, that moment came at Walt Disney World in Florida, over a single burger.
The Burger That Ended an Abusive Marriage
TikTok creator Jubilee (@jubilleedawn) posted a two-part storytime explaining how a Disney World dinner exposed the reality of her marriage.
“Story time about how this Disney World burger caused my divorce,” she begins, before detailing a years-long cycle of emotional and physical abuse.
She says she met her ex-husband, who she calls “Ted,” while part of a religious cult at 18. A prophet allegedly declared that “God was giving” her to him, and they married soon after.
“At first he did love bomb me,” she says. “So I thought I was living in a fairy tale.” But within months, things shifted, and he became controlling, manipulative, and at times violent.
Over time, his beliefs became increasingly unhinged. “He told me he was going to own the entire company of Disney,” she says. “Not the CEO. The whole thing.”
On their honeymoon at Disney World, she adds, he told her he believed he would never die. “He said he’d be the first to live forever because no one has had as much faith as him.”
The Disney Trip
Years later, the couple took a family trip back to Disney so Jubilee and her cousin could run a half-marathon. She says she had trained for months while managing fibromyalgia, and she was excited for the race. But things turned sour almost immediately.
“The vibes were off,” she recalls. “Every time my cousin suggested something, Ted would shoot it down.”
The night before the race, he allegedly picked a fight after admitting he lied about not being able to get them tickets to a Star Wars ride. She says he refused to let her sleep, ripping the blankets off and keeping her awake until nearly morning.
Even after she ran the race, the tension didn’t stop. That evening, they went to Animal Kingdom’s Yak & Yeti restaurant, where she ordered the Kobe beef burger.
Her cousin, disappointed with his own meal, admired hers. “So I take my fork, grab a piece, and give it to my cousin,” she says. “That’s when Ted’s demeanor completely shifts.”
‘You Disrespected Me as the Man at the Table’
Ted allegedly went silent through the rest of the dinner, then exploded. “He said he was upset that I gave a bite of my burger to my cousin before offering it to him,” she says. “He told me it was disrespectful to him as the man at the table.”
Outside the restaurant, he began shouting. “He told me he was going to strand me in Florida and throw out my ID and credit cards,” she recalls. “It was humiliating.”
Back home, she tried to confront him. “He still wanted me to apologize about the burger,” she says. When she asked if he would ever yell at her in front of future children, he told her, “If you deserved it.” That’s when he allegedly lunged and strangled her.
Jubilee says she couldn’t swallow for days. After calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline, she learned she was in an abusive marriage. “I answered 13 of the 15 questions,” she says. “He had done those things.”
She filed for divorce two days before the COVID-19 lockdown began in 2020. “When I look back on that burger, I’m just so glad I ordered it,” she says. “Because this burger truly gave me my freedom.”
What Experts Say About Abusive Dynamics
According to the Center for Women’s Health, domestic violence is far more common than most people realize. One in four women, one in seven men, and up to half of transgender and non-binary individuals will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime.
“Abuse can take many forms,” the organization explains, referencing the Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs’ Power and Control Wheel. Beyond physical violence, abusers often use emotional manipulation, financial control, or social isolation to maintain dominance.
Leaving isn’t simple. “It typically takes seven attempts to leave an abusive relationship,” the center notes. Financial abuse, present in 99% of cases, can make it nearly impossible to walk away safely.
Experts recommend listening without judgment and avoiding pressure to flee. “Survivors are the experts in their own lives,” says Morgan Evans of Raphael House, an organization that partners with the Center for Women’s Health. “They know what’s safest and best for themselves and their children.”
@jubileedawns Replying to @´ཀ` best burger ever. @Disney Parks #disney #disneyworld #divorce #storytime #ex ♬ original sound – Jubilee Dawn
Commenters Rally Behind Her
Under Jubilee’s video, viewers were shocked.
“‘I joined a religious cult when I was 18’ oh, am TUNED IN,” wrote one person.
“Narcissists create drama with food and sleep,” another added. “So typical.”
Another viewer shared, “My mom runs the domestic crisis hotline. Thank you for trusting them.”
The Mary Sue has reached out to Jubilee and Walt Disney World via email comment.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
