Am I crazy for saying no to some pixie dust? Has anyone else did anything this crazy?

[aprincessatlast]

Don't beat yourself up too much. Whats done is done. Just tell yourself that the upgrade would have made you enjoy your vacation less because you both would have felt inclined to stay in the room all the time to soak up the "once in a lifetime" view/room. This way you will be spending the amount of time you intended in the room and enjoying the parks. I think you know your wife best but I would generally agree with others and not mention it.

 

[ELSA711]

[/QUOTE

I've been married for 21 years, I would have killed my husband. Wow! Do not tell your wife.

I am on the 12 year mark and if it was just me and DH - I would have killed him if he did take it.
Way to much, I am a minimalist though. I hate stuff!
Less is more

OP- I would expect my DH to do the same and decline

 

[Juliet25]

I am going to have a conversation with my husband
"dear, if Disney ever calls and wants to up-grade us and I'm not available you say yes, its always yes"

OP, I hope you took pp's advice and didn't tell your wife...

 

[larryz]

Wow... interesting responses!

It seems some folks think the op was ungrateful, possibly even harming (or at least thoughtlessly inconveniencing) the resort somehow by not freeing up the room he'd actually booked and paid for! Seriously, I can't imagine Disney won't be able to upgrade someone else.

Other folks think he should keep this like a shameful secret, never telling his wife. Isn't it possible she'd agree with his reasoning? I know my husband would (in fact I just asked him, confirming what I already knew). Even if I disagreed I can't imagine being angry about it, considering they've already booked club level at the GF! Really, how much more luxury do two people need?

People saying he needs to learn to accept gifts gracefully, like he'd somehow done something horribly rude and uncouth, and probably makes a habit of rejecting his birthday presents, if they aren't precisely what he asked for.

And comparing it to insisting on paying for free water or parking deliberately out of the way? How is that even remotely related? If anything, it's more like politely declining a refill on your soda, because you're no longer thirsty.

I generally expect drama and controversy on this board, but this one actually surprised me. Clearly it's a sensitive subject with some folks!

Imagine the drama had OP reported taking the offered upgrade!

 

[ChimCher-ee]

I think that your wife will consider it sweet that you thought that a lovely one-bedroom (king) suite at the Grand Floridian was 'just right' for the two of you on the occasion of your 10th Anniversary.

It is all of the other couples on your Best Friends and Family List who would have loved to help you celebrate - in a two-bedroom suite at Disney's premier hotel - that you'd better worry about ...

This, exactly! If my husband took the upgrade I would feel a vague pressure from having the extra room but no one to fill it! (Especially the kids...) You planned the perfect anniversary for you two, and you stuck by it. Great!

 

[ELSA711]

This, exactly! If my husband took the upgrade I would feel a vague pressure from having the extra room but no one to fill it! (Especially the kids...) You planned the perfect anniversary for you two, and you stuck by it. Great!

Agreed 100%
And if they do have 4 kids at home, the extra empty bedroom could do more harm then good. I know I would be thinking my kids should be there in this nice big suite
JMO

 

[niroc]

Ok, OP here and time for some updates:

First, I love all the responses this post has generated. I love to hear the reasons why people think it was a good or bad decision. To each their own. There is no right or wrong here.

Second, it was not my intention to be "ungrateful". It was simply not using something I didn't need. It would be like me ordering a 16oz ribeye and the waiter telling me I was upgraded to the 48oz ribeye free of charge. Obviously, I don't need to eat that much steak. Why take something just because it was free?

Third, I did tell my wife and she agreed with me a 100%. As I said in my original post this is our first trip to Disney without the kids. If we were upgraded to a suite and had an empty bedroom it would just have been a reminder that we left the kids at home and that they could have been here with us. We are the kind of people that never just dump off the kids so that we can go out. We are lucky if we have one or two "date" nights a year. We had children for a reason and we love being with them. It was a hard enough decision to leave them home this trip but we also wanted to do something special for our anniversary.

Keep the comments coming, I love them! But as I asked in the original post to anyone else ever say no so some pixie dust?

 

[Magpie]

Imagine the drama had OP reported taking the offered upgrade!

Ooooh, good point!

I mean, I'd have thought posting, "I got a Grand Florida upgrade!" would just get congrats. But, who knows?

 

[SheilaHeartsDisney]

if my husband turned that down I would kick his butt. If you booked club level I would assume you plan on staying at the resort a lot in order to get your money's worth. But what's done is done. A king room at GF will be awesome too.

Never had I said no to some pixie dust.

 

[larryz]

It would be like me ordering a 16oz ribeye and the waiter telling me I was upgraded to the 48oz ribeye free of charge. Obviously, I don't need to eat that much steak. Why take something just because it was free?

Breakfast and lunch the next day...

 

[Magpie]

Ok, OP here and time for some updates:

First, I love all the responses this post has generated. I love to hear the reasons why people think it was a good or bad decision. To each their own. There is no right or wrong here.

Second, it was not my intention to be "ungrateful". It was simply not using something I didn't need. It would be like me ordering a 16oz ribeye and the waiter telling me I was upgraded to the 48oz ribeye free of charge. Obviously, I don't need to eat that much steak. Why take something just because it was free?

Third, I did tell my wife and she agreed with me a 100%. As I said in my original post this is our first trip to Disney without the kids. If we were upgraded to a suite and had an empty bedroom it would just have been a reminder that we left the kids at home and that they could have been here with us. We are the kind of people that never just dump off that kids so that we can go out. We are lucky if we have one or two "date" nights a year. We had children for a reason and we love being with them. It was a hard enough decision to leave them home this trip but we also wanted to do something special for our anniversary.

Keep the comments coming, I love them! But as I asked in the original post to anyone else ever say no so some pixie dust?

That's awesome! So glad to hear your wife is on board.

To answer your question, all our pixie dust moments have been utterly uncontroversial. Family of the Day at HS? Sure! Free birthday cupcake for our son at the Crystal Palace? Awesome! But... I passed on getting picked by Olivander at Universal, because I'd already got to do the wand choosing ceremony once on a previous trip, and the gentleman next to me seemed to want it SO very much. So I shoved him forward instead, even though it'd have been fun to do again.

As for the adults only trip, I well remember our first trip without the kids. It was truly magical! I love my family, but when I'm with them I'm always in mom-mode. When it's just my husband and me, I feel sexy and carefree, like I felt back when we first fell in love. It was strange at first, and occasionally we'd say to each other, "I wish the kids could see this!" But ultimately we had such a wonderful time that adults only Disney trips are now a regular part of our lives.

Mind you... the "kids" are now 17 and 19.

 

[Grandma G]

... I did tell my wife and she agreed with me a 100%. As I said in my original post this is our first trip to Disney without the kids. If we were upgraded to a suite and had an empty bedroom it would just have been a reminder that we left the kids at home and that they could have been here with us. We are the kind of people that never just dump off the kids so that we can go out. We are lucky if we have one or two "date" nights a year. We had children for a reason and we love being with them. It was a hard enough decision to leave them home this trip but we also wanted to do something special for our anniversary ... But as I asked in the original post to anyone else ever say no so some pixie dust?

You planned the perfect anniversary for you two, and you stuck by it. Great!

My husband and I were married for fifty years. And although neither of us - to my knowledge, at least - ever brushed off a speck of Disney pixie dust, I believe that he would have made the same decision as the one that you made. And I would have thought it a very thoughtful and romantic thing for him to do. So, I'll just echo ChimCher-ee's 'Great!' and wish you the very happiest of many anniversaries ...

In my humble opinion, sir, you did good!

 

[wendow]

OP, my dh I are celebrating 20 years of wedded bliss and will be there next week also! Happy Anniversary to you both and I hope you have a great trip!

If my dh had been offered an upgrade such as you were offered, I would have wanted him to turn it down. We are about to go away for the first time in 13 years and I am going to miss my kids terribly. If we had a big room where the kids could be with us, I think that would be a constant reminder that they were not with us. I think it would make me miss them more. Just my thoughts and others probably will not agree as it does seem crazy to turn down the pixie dust.

 

[PetePanMan]

I may have if the view was better but I wouldn't sweat it. Remember You are staying in a club level 1 bedroom at GFV!

 

[niroc]

OP, my dh I are celebrating 20 years of wedded bliss and will be there next week also! Happy Anniversary to you both and I hope you have a great trip!

If my dh had been offered an upgrade such as you were offered, I would have wanted him to turn it down. We are about to go away for the first time in 13 years and I am going to miss my kids terribly. If we had a big room where the kids could be with us, I think that would be a constant reminder that they were not with us. I think it would make me miss them more. Just my thoughts and others probably will not agree as it does seem crazy to turn down the pixie dust.

Happy Anniversary and I wish you a great trip as well. We definitely think alike.

 

[RachealM]

I'm a little shocked at some of the posts flaming the OP : / That being said, I'm not sure I would have been admirable enough to pass up the chance to stay in a suite with a partial castle view... even without the kids in tow.

What you did was very nice because I'm sure they probably just made the next call on the list and someone else happily snagged the upgrade. Happy Anniversary to you both and enjoy your trip! It's nice to see that your wife supported your decision, so that's all that really matters

 

[BadPinkTink]

reading this thread and all the different answers, I get the feeling that people wont take upgrades if they are a solo or just a couple. Its like people don't feel they deserve special treatment. Life is too short, bad things happen to good people. Take the upgrades, take the free gifts, don't live a life of regrets.

People think that they shouldn't accept these little bits of extras as someone more deserving should have them. YOU are that person, YOU are special, YOU are unique. Just say yes and appreciate every special moment you experience, whether as a solo traveller or with family / friends or sa. Tragedy or trauma or something bad may just be around the corner and then you will look back and wonder why you gave up a free extras. Live life in the now and just do everything you can. Create memories as some day those chances will be gone.

 

[myrtleturtle]

I would have done what you did, and so would my DH. We live by the motto "enough is as good as a feast."

 

[Magpie]

reading this thread and all the different answers, I get the feeling that people wont take upgrades if they are a solo or just a couple. Its like people don't feel they deserve special treatment. Life is too short, bad things happen to good people. Take the upgrades, take the free gifts, don't live a life of regrets.

People think that they shouldn't accept these little bits of extras as someone more deserving should have them. YOU are that person, YOU are special, YOU are unique. Just say yes and appreciate every special moment you experience, whether as a solo traveller or with family / friends or sa. Tragedy or trauma or something bad may just be around the corner and then you will look back and wonder why you gave up a free extras. Live life in the now and just do everything you can. Create memories as some day those chances will be gone.

That's not the impression I got from most folks, and that's not why I would have turned down the upgrade, either. The op said that all that extra room would have made him and his wife feel awkward about not bringing his kids along on their planned romantic celebration. And it's not like the Grand Floridian Club Level King he's already getting is a hovel! (Google it - it's a thing of beauty!)

Me, I used a Goldilocks analogy earlier that I think fits my personal feelings quite well. Goldilocks didn't want the biggest bed. She didn't want the softest. She wanted the one that's just right. And I don't think anyone would accuse Goldilocks of thinking she didn't deserve nice things.

So, for me, the fact that turning down this opportunity would mean some other family gets pixie dusted is just the icing on the cake. I get what I want, and I get to make someone else happy, too! It's a win-win, and who could possibly look back and regret that?

Your feelings on this topic are perfectly valid, but so are the feelings of people who would choose differently. You're not selfish for wanting to take it, just as I'm not "living a life of regrets" for wanting to turn it down.

 

[Nancyg56]

OP,don't feel bad-during Year of a Million Dreams,some Guests actually TURNED DOWN the ultimate upgrade-a night in the CINDERELLA CASTLE DREAM SUITE!!!!

No way! The first year they offered this suite on that every night promotion, my DD, my DSIl and I wandered the parks hoping we were chosen. My poor DH did not get the commotion, all eyes scouring the parks for the dream squad! WE were 7 all together so you know he was the first one who would get the boot if that squad chose us! LOL! Alas....not us.

This, exactly! If my husband took the upgrade I would feel a vague pressure from having the extra room but no one to fill it! (Especially the kids...) You planned the perfect anniversary for you two, and you stuck by it. Great!

Us too. AS it is, if we travel sans family, we last about three days before my DH tells me that he enjoys a walk on the beach with me, but that without our DGD holding our hands in between us, something is missing. If we were in a suite in WDW, an empty bedroom just staring at us! Well that would just be a constant reminder that we left family members behind.