Men and Disneyland

[mystic_path]

I need some down right honest opinions from others!

Do guys end up LOVING Disneyland? What in particular do they like.

I am asking this question for my dad cause Mr. Indiana Jones :goodvibes doesnt know if its really for guys too. He truely believes its mostly for women and children. As much as I tell him he will LOVE IT when I take him to DL for the first time in june as the atmosphere makes you feel like your 10, you end up losing every care in the world, and he will feel that he will never want to leave. He just doesnt get it. He keeps telling me you need to have little kids to go. Ive told him there are tons for him to enjoy without little children *Granted I know what maybe down down ect* Ive told him there are 3d shows, fire works, fantasmic, parades, Star Tours, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Splah, Indie, lots of fun places to eat, and getting engolfed in all the effects etc. BUT the silly man just dosent get it. I have no shadow of a doubt that he will love it cause he is Goofy himself, just temp trasformed into Grumpy, he just needs to hear experiences of other men who have gone without having little kids around.


Please share some of your best moments that you men OR your men have enjoyed.

[XTinabell]

It took me three years to convince my man that disneyland was cool for adult men too not just children. We finally went in November and he loved it! He wants to go back as soon as we can. The things that he particularily loved was
seeing Asimo in the big building beside space mountain
space mountain
Indiana Jones
Pirates of the Caribbean
The food
The Penny stampers
Finding every Photopass in both parks to have our pictures taken
And he really enjoyed just walking around and looking at everything and paying attention to all the work and detail that disney puts into making the park such a magical place. Oh he also loved loved loved the fireworks. And he also pointed out to me that there were probably more adults than children or at least very very close.

[Pirate-Emery]

Uh... basically?

The thrills:

1. Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye*
2. Space Mountain
3. Big Thunder
4. Matterhorn
5. Splash Mountain

6. Soarin' Over California
7. Tower of Terror
8. California Screamin'

The atmosphere:

1. To feel like a kid again
2. To unwind after a stressful week
3. To escape the real world and be immersed in Fantasy, Adventure, Fronteir, and the World of Tomorrow.
4. To enjoy great food in places all over the map
5. To take in the vibe of New Orleans Square


It is most likely that the man in your life had a Disney upbringing, so try to key into that. Whenever you can bring back happy childhood memories, it will absolutely delight him.






*much more fun to call it that than Indiana Jones Adventure

[DisGirl819]

My Dh loves DLR and WDW now. When I met him I had to practically drag him to DLR. He thought I was crazy and that it was for kids and that he wouldn't like it much...yada yada. Well he loves it and let me put it this way...when I told him Rockin' Space Mtn. was only until April (our last trip was November), he said well we just have to go again! Things he loves:
POTC
Calif. Screamin'
TOT
Space Mtn. (he could ride it all day)
Fantasmic
He loved Mickey's Philharmagic in WDW

He has so much fun and loves the characters, he turns into a little kid when we go. He practically runs there from our hotel :love:
So, yes a man can come to LOVE disneyland :goodvibes

[tlovesdis]

My Dh pretends he doesn't like DL, but the minute we get there he becomes a kid and has almost as much fun as me! It did take me a few years to get him to go after we started dating, but once he went he loved it!

[abookworm]

I'm trying to convince my DH of this right now too but he's going no matter what ;)
My friend that went in December with her DH said he was leery but had a great time-his favorite was the Star Wars show. She said they soaked up the atmosphere and had a ball. And despite the high activity level she said it was really relaxing!
Good luck

[shellyof4]

My dh went with just two of his brothers about 5 years ago and they all loved it. They rode Indiana Jones and the temple of the forbidden eye**:goodvibes about 15 times I think.

There is definitely something magical about the place even without kids. Oh and as a couple we've only gone with kids, but at WDW we get sitters and go by ourselves a couple times and it is SOOO much fun! We do all the thrill rides and have a nice dinner together. It's great!

And lastly, my dh's brother and his wife have no kids and they have gone a couple of times to DL and my BIL just LOVES it! When we told him we were going, he lit up and started talking a mile a minute about what we had to see and do! It was great! (He LOVED Soarin and Tower of Terror)

[AZMickeyfans]

My dh loves DL and WDW and always has but I did meet him working there too so that might be why. ;)

My twin brothers (31) don't act like they like DL that much. When they get there they love it. They want to buy all the Pirate stuff esp. They are really into the bigger rides and never complain about anything except if we go on IASW then they usually stay off to eat. They tend to ride the thrill rides several times when we go into Fantasyland except for Peter Pan, they love that one. We usually split up when we want to do some shopping too.

[kelmac284]

My dh is not nearly as obsessed as I am but he DOES love it. He likes going for the rides but he also enjoys the shows as well as just experiencing it through the kids eyes. We have several special trips planned for this year all with different things to do and see.

We are going to go to the halloween thing in October and CP in December. We were there 2 weeks ago during Christmas week so he finally got to see the park with all the decs etc and we took the holiday tour.

We LOVE going but lately we have tried to experience something new each time.

I think all guys are different but I know mine loves it and even my dad enjoyed going but for different reasons. He enjoyed seeing the kids have a good time.

[HydroGuy]

It is true that Disney parks are not for everyone. I love them way more than my DW. But I have to admit that I had never thought it was more "woman centric". "Kid centric", yes. "Woman centric", no.

One thing that makes it easier for me is that I went to DL regularly when I was a kid, and I see the parks through my childhood eyes. Now that I have four children, I also see the parks through their eyes.

Disney parks allow me to:

1. Enter a different world
2. Feel like a kid again
3. Spend dedicated time just with my family
4. See and experience things I will not see or experience anywhere else

Things that most men would enjoy, IMO, are:

1. Soarin Over California
2. Space Mtn
3. Indiana Jones
4. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
5. Tower of Terror
6. Matterhorn, if they like rollercoasters
7. Big Thunder Mtn RR, if they like rollercoasters
8. California Screamin, if they like rollercoasters
9. Pirates of the Caribbean
10. Haunted Mansion
11. Remember Dreams Come True Fireworks


ETA - Best Moments at DLR...

1. When DS10 was four years old, he visited a live Ariel character in King Tritons Garden and she told him to close his eyes and put out his hands for a gift. When he did so, she kissed him on the cheek. When he realized what had happened, the smile on his face was priceless.

2. In 2005 we saw HISTA (Honey I Shrunk the Audience) for the first time. When they had the "mouse scene", my DW screamed hysterically. I and our four kids laughed so hard our sides nearly split open

3. Getting soaked on a warm summer day on Grizzly River Run - http://hydroguy.smugmug.com/gallery/934438/10/42788779

4. Riding with the captain of the Mark Twain on the Rivers of America - see http://hydroguy.smugmug.com/gallery/934438/4/42784122

5. When DS15 was twelve years old, he was selected to play a role in a hilarious skit outside the Golden Horseshoe

[jemilah]

My DH told me last night that there is nothing better then seeing our kids faces light up at DL . My dad wanted so badly to go with my boys at least once before he passed. I introuduced my DH to DL before we were married , kidless and he loved it!

[I'mNoPrince]

I would say I love DL as well as WDW. I have on 2 occasions had the chance to squeeze a day at DL in while in Cali on business. If I'm around that area then I get to the park some how.

[Tasmen]

My husband loves DL. He's a big amusement park fan and even though the rides at DL are not what one could call Six Flags extreme, he always has a good time when we go.

[noladave]

I have to say a lot depends on his personality.

Personally, I love going to WDW, and next month will be our 1st DL trip. It's great being around people that want to have fun. People watching is one of my favorite parts to going to any Disney park. Additionally, the memories you create for your kids will last a lifetime. Let's face it, with most families having 2 working parents, and the busy lives that kids live these days (soccer, baseball, football, etc.), it's great to get the whole family in one place for days in a row. Great family bonding time.

And if he really wants to experience Disney, I one time had the chance to go to WDW all by msyelf, just for a day. I had to be in Orlando for an event, and it wrapped up very early. Went over to WDW, hit Epcot for about 8 hours. Great time.

Again, to each his own. You would know better, but I think there's a very good chance he will enjoy it.

[Alex2kMommy]

My DH had been to DL twice as a kid, and when he found out I'd never been, he asked me if I'd like to go for our honeymoon. While I was eager to go to DL, it didn't sound terribly romantic to me, so we postponed our trip several years. Finally made it last year, WOOHOO!

In all my trip planning, I was gearing our itinerary around rides and shows appropriate for small boys and naptimes. No ToT, no Haunted Mansion, no POTC, no Indy, etc. DH took one look and said (paraphrasing), "WTH?! I WANT to go on those!" Oh! :rotfl:

Needless to say, we loved seeing the place through the boys' eyes, it's so incredible for them. But we also did plenty that was fun for us as well. DS6 could go on all the rides (at least all the ones he wanted to), so DH got plenty of thrill rides in. We did Innoventions (though I wouldn't recommend going late at night when you're already exhausted like we did.)

If I went without kids, I'd do all (OK, maybe not all, but most of) the thrill rides, multiple times even. I'd stop and look at the details on the buildings and the rides, read the placards, ooooh have dinner in a nice restaurant!

If I were trying to convince my dad to go, I would:
1. Bring up any way I could think of to save a buck. Compare the cost of a pass to the cost of the rides and attractions if you had to pay for them individually (like at a park at home.) Doesn't take long to see it's actually a deal! Point out any freebies, cheap but fun souvenirs, etc. :cool2:

2. Learn whatever I could about anything mechanical or technical related to Disney. My dad is an engineer (yes, he even used to wear a pocket protector like Dilbert!) We can't walk into a restaurant or building without him gazing upward at the HVAC systems. :laughing: He'd probably love to learn about how the rides work, or even the mechanical process of animation or film-making.

Boy, if they created a technogeek tour, DDad and DH would both be there in a heartbeat!

[ScrapperKimmyD]

My DH tolerated it for many years. This last time, we had 4 days as opposed to the 1, 2 or 3 days in the past. He enjoyed it so much more this time! Partly because we had a few hundred Disney Visa dollars to spend instead of our own money, but also because with 4 days, we were much more relaxed and didn't have to worry about hurrying around to try to cram it all in.

[mommy2mrb]

my DH is a "liker" of DLR and WDW, unlike myself and DD (we went every month when we lived in Thousand Oaks, now usually 3-4 times a year). He is going with us on our Feb trip (due to friends going) he and the other DH will be hitting all the big rides while myself, other DW (preggers) and the three DD will be doing the girly stuff. He also goes for our DD :bday: trip (the big 7 coming up), he is looking forward to when she gets brave enough for the bigger rides. He likes doing the offbeat things and we have gone on a couple of the tours which he enjoyed.

I will say his favorite character is :goofy: and he lights up when he sees him, he "denies" it, but I have photos to prove it.

Even the guys who "hate" anything Disney, will end up liking something about it. Keep them hyped up on :mickeybars: and the days will go great :rotfl2:

[AskTheChief]

The first time I went to DL with dh (about 3.5 years ago), he very grudgingly went "for the kids" and I.

Second day in the park (and dh welling up with tears on a couple occasions...the man does NOT cry except at our wedding and the births of our kids!), I hear him talking to a friend back home on his cell phone. You should have heard him go on and on about how great it was, all the cool stuff he'd seen, the rides, etc. He sounded like a little kid, lol.

He even bought himself a Goofy jester hat.

[AskTheChief]

And just tell dad that he will be creating priceless memories for his grandkids.

[LukenDC]

Wow, I'm suprised to learn that some men regard DL as childish and feminine. DL is for everyone. Anyone who refuses to go because of gender stereotypes and misconceptions is just silly.

[I Heart Disneyland!]

My hubby didn't used to be the DL nerd he is today.

I used to take the kids a lot, and he'd sit it out. Nowadays, our kids are grown and he LOVES to take trips to DL. He even suggests it sometimes! :idea: I don't know what changed, but, now, he wouldn't miss a trip to DL!!!

[disneymom8589]

We went to DLR as a family for the 1st time in 1997. I had wanted to go back there so badly since I went in 1974 with my family. Well, the rest is history! We have been numerous times in the past 9 1/2 years and last summer DH and I went to DW (his 1st time) and on a Disney cruise. He has become a convert and he's the one who pursued DVC and said he would move to Anaheim or Orlando to be closer to DL or DW in a heartbeat! pixiedust: He really enjoys sitting in the Main Street area and watching the happy families go by and loves going on the "behind the scenes" tours.

[abby]

In 1991, my then boyfriend and I were traveling to Arizona to visit his folks who wintered down there. Since he insisted on driving I insisted on going to DL. He was 46 and had never been there. He didn't want to go but was amusing me. He loved it. After our first ride on Space Mt., he wanted to go again, his comment, "just when I thought it had gone as fast as it would go it went faster." We had a great day.

Since he died three years later (by then my husband) I will always remember that DL trip as special.

[eatmypixiedust]

My honey is not that into Disney. He calls me disney-crazed and he puts up with it. We played Disney Scene- It with my sibs and they could not get a turn because I kept answering all the questions correctly. They said: "The only worthy opponent is yourself!! You're a disney addict!!" He's honestly more into cars, which is fine, because I learn things from him. I'm not going to force him to like Disney the way I do. He will accompany me to the parks now and then we always have a good time.

[TinkerbellTris]

My Dh is in denial. Hahaha. He say's he doesn't like it. BUT, he admits it's fun to spend time with me and our DS7 as a family with no interuption of work, school, etc. He also admits he looks forward to all the great food. After consistantly going for the last 7 years he finally just last year in 2006 admitted his most favorite ride was Toads Wild Ride. Hmmm, looks like we got a DL fan afterall. But on the other side of that, he openly admits he does enjoy WDW so much more over DL. That's fine with me. Now if I can only get him to wear Mouse ears.....someday. However we do have annual passes!

[Welivefordisney]

My DH and Dad both love Disney. My Dad goes everytime he gets a chance. After our last trip my DH was burnt out, but here it is 3 months later and he says 3 years and we will be back there again for a full week!!! Guys love Disney as much as the kids!!! Although they go for the thrilling rides more than the others: Indiana, Thunder, Matterhorn, Space Mountain, and Pirates..... but they do love them!!

[blackjackdelta]

I am a male who absolutely happens to love Disneyland. Up until last year I worked all the "hotspots" of the world as a combat security specialist. I am 60 years old.
I sometimes feel men put up a shield and feel that going disney is not "manly". Would like to know what the definition of a "man" is?

I agree again with HydroGuy. I went to school in SoCal and had the opportunity to experience the magic.

Most importantly for me, going gives me the pleasure of getting away from most of the world.(Accept for LA traffic.)

Honest opinion..most of the time they will not like it if they do not have the capability of being a kid again.

Jackpirate:

[erikthewise]

I suppose a REAL man would rather be in Texas roping steer and drinking liquor in some saloon. :rotfl2:

Who cares?! I'm going to Disneyland next week for the first time (after 11 visits to WDW), and finally live that childhood dream inspired by so many TV shows I watched as a child, hosted by the MAN who built it. And though he has been quoted as saying he wanted to build a place where he could take his family, I think we all know he really built it for himself!

[DLand_LVR]

My boyfriend and I had only been dating two months when I decided to buy an Annual Pass to Disneyland... Since he had promised we would go together one day, he opted in buying one too :cool1: He thought about it again when he found out I was getting the PREMIUM :rotfl2:

We bought our passes in June of 2005, renewed them in June of 2006, and will get them again in June of 2007!! :thumbsup2

Before he met me, the last time he had gone to Disneyland was in 1998 :eek: and now we go all of the time. He loves it! (At least he tells me he does) but in reality who would spend over $320 a year if he didn't :rolleyes1

Disneyland is such a magical place and its the perfect place to feel young again. Whether you are a man or a woman, 80 or 20, it just doesn't matter from the moment you walk you in :lovestruc

[PirateCutie05]

This is more of about Disney World than Disneyland...but I'm sure the same will apply. My family and I went to WDW in 96, 99, 2000, 02, 03, and 05 as summer vacations. Who kept us going back all those times?? MY DAD! (We have also been to DL...in 04 for Labor Day weekend and then as our summer 06 vacation in May. He may have also been responsible for that last DL trip.) So no, Disney is not just for women and children. My dad, who is now 48, thoroughly loves Disney as much as the women in the family!:goodvibes
In fact...for his 48th birthday in November my mom and my sister took him to WDW for the weekend!
I hope that helps!:goodvibes

[CindyH]

Yes, men can love DL. I think in particular, men who have good sense of humor, like rides, and are in touch with their inner child (his never grew up, LOL). :lmao:

My dad, on the other hand, just isn't a DL person. He gets grumpy at crowds, lines, kids, etc. and just doesn't "get it". :crowded:

[mystic_path]

Thanks for all your help. These suggestions and comments are awesome! I cant wait to show my dad. Hes gonna flip HAHA! But in a good way. :thumbsup2