Anyone have a partner who dislikes Disney?

[jvz82]

I've been with my husband for 15 years (married for 12) and we've been to Disney together 4 times, 3 times with our kids and once before we had kids. I grew up going to Disney about every 2 years and I love it. He had never been to Disney before our first trip together 10 years ago.

Unfortunately, he just really doesn't like Disney world. I have tried various types of trips, hoping to somehow make it more enjoyable for him. This last trip we did fewer park days and more days at the resort to see if he would enjoy that more. Nope. He loved the resort days but has no interest in going to the parks. He says they're too crowded and it's just kids whining and waiting in lines. It just breaks my heart when he says that stuff because the kids and I love it so much, and I want him to love it too. This was our first trip with just our family (usually my siblings and their families and my parents go too) and I was really hoping he would develop more of a love of it when it was just focused on our family.

To be fair, he was pretty supportive of me planning our last trip and has reached a begrudging acceptance that this is just who I am and that Disney will be a part of our lives. But he will basically do whatever he can to try to get us to not go or to go for as short a trip as possible.

Anyone else dealt with this? Anyone taken trips without their partners?

 

[GenGen22]

My fiance & his two boys are not fans of Disney at all. We have gone on a couple of trips together and only me & my daughter love Disney. We live in CA and me & DD wanted to get DL AP's but he said not to buy them for him & his two boys so, we started going on these mother daughter trips. The last time we went together we added other non-Disney parks and other things like wax museum & studio tours etc. He preferred this. One day me & DD went to DL while him & the boys went to a non-Disney park. This was another time he preferred to go. He does like Starwars so, I'm hoping that will get him to wanting to go but we'll see. So, your not alone.

 

[Elle23]

I am married (25 years) with 4 kids (19, 17, 14, 13). My husband and 2 older boys don't care for Disney, so my younger 2 kids and I went last week for 6 days. We had an absolute blast!

I doubt those 3 will ever go, and that's ok. I don't think we would have had nearly as much fun dragging people along who didn't want to be there.

We are all taking a long trip to Colorado this summer as a whole family so we can all do something together.

 

[bugarwitch]

I have the same issue. I LOVE all things Disney, my DH, of 42 years, not so much. I spent a full year planning our last trip to WDW, and made so many plans and reservations for things I hoped he would enjoy so much! I split many of the expenses with him too, so he wouldn't feel so much sticker shock. I thought he really enjoyed our trip! Ironically, at dinner tonight, I casually mentioned another trip to WDW, sometime in the future. He immediately and defensively stated that he wants to go to other vacation places. But, he never says where he would rather go.
I am seriously considering planning a trip without him next time. Honestly, not sure I am brave enough to actually do it. Not sure how to manage it all alone...but wish he could compromise and at least discuss it!

 

[MSPeeler]

Oh no! That's heartbreaking. I don't know if I could marry anyone who disliked going to Disney World! j/k
Thankfully my husband and kids have always wanted to go. At least he doesn't down right refuse to go... yet.

I would suggest the option of him not going at all (if that is do-able for you) and gauge his response. Good Luck!!

 

[adisneyaunt]

Totally Dislike, no ...but if he didn't go back he'd be fine with it ( I cringe even Typing that)
... I'd say he has lovingly Accepted and Indulged My Obsession... which likely Influenced his
UNLove of it. No turning back now..
He enjoys making me happy ...and
I'm one Lucky Lady!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

My partner has a higher tolerance for the parks than yours does, and has a few things that he enjoys in each park. But even then, he likes to get in and spend as little time as possible and get out, because he just gets freaked out by crowds. He is, like your partner, totally about the resorts. Once we started planning our trips knowing that we would spend half of our time apart, with him spending more time at the resort and me spending more time in the parks, and made peace with that, our trips got a lot better. It's just really important to let our significant others like what they like and dislike with they dislike. I think you're ahead of the game that you can get him to go to Disney at all. That in itself is a blessing. A mixed one, but it could be a lot worse.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

My DH has gone twice to DL and numerous times to WDW. The magic is over for him. On our last couple trips, he sought other entertainment and relaxed by our pool while the rest of us got our fill of the parks. He appreciates the quality of the Disney vacation experience and highly recommends it to anyone who asks, though. I am glad that he made and shares great memories with me, our children and grandchildren, and don't want to tarnish those memories with overkill.

That said, I am absolutely thrilled that he did want park tickets for this year's trip! He knows this is going to be the last one of its kind, as our DHs will jr high and their school and sports commitments won't be as flexible. Being perfectly honest, travelling with grandparents may become a bit less cool, too.

 

[fractal]

My wife swears she's not going back; but she will. I just have to bribe here with other trips first.

 

[klmall]

My DH enjoyed the first few family trips but has only tolerated the others at best. Buying him a ticket is truly a waste of money but he insists on going into the parks with us for at least part of the day. He proudly brags that the last trip he didn't ride a single thing! We have also done many trips elsewhere and I try to plan Disney trips only every 2 or 3 years.

jvz82 - Just go on your own! I've done 2 solo trips and loved my time there. It's easier than almost anywhere else to travel alone and I feel very safe there. Just go!

I even convinced him yesterday to go ahead and buy tickets for a yet unplanned future trip. Whether that trip will be with him in 3 or 4 years or with my sister doesn't matter.

 

[nicolej92]

My fiancé isn't as big of a fan of it as I am. However, he enjoys it. We will be probably be going every other year there and then substituting some of his trips in on the off years .

 

[notrub98]

Yes. I am obsessed with Disney and he absolutely hates it. The kids and I went without him and we will continue to do so. We are all happier and he is very supportive of us going ...

 

[jvz82]

So my original post got moved to a different forum, and then I couldn't find it! And I didn't get any notifications that anyone replied so I thought nobody did, lol. Whoops!!!

Thank you for all the replies! Yes, we have contemplated me going without him. Unfortunately with having 4 kids and them all being so young, I can't possibly take them all by myself without him. But I've thought about taking the older 2 by myself, but then how can I not bring the littles?! I've also contemplated flying down with my sister to do a marathon or something! Trying to change things up somehow.

My partner has a higher tolerance for the parks than yours does, and has a few things that he enjoys in each park. But even then, he likes to get in and spend as little time as possible and get out, because he just gets freaked out by crowds. He is, like your partner, totally about the resorts. Once we started planning our trips knowing that we would spend half of our time apart, with him spending more time at the resort and me spending more time in the parks, and made peace with that, our trips got a lot better. It's just really important to let our significant others like what they like and dislike with they dislike. I think you're ahead of the game that you can get him to go to Disney at all. That in itself is a blessing. A mixed one, but it could be a lot worse.

You are absolutely right with all of that. Yes, it's really the crowds for my husband as well. There are rides and attractions he enjoys but not enough to make it worth it. He loved all the dining at resorts, and he loved our resort. I think you're right that we need to plan more of the trip where we can separate and I go to the park with some kids and he stays with the others. We really only did that once... he took the little boys back to the resort at 7 pm to sleep and I stayed with my older kids to see fireworks and go on more rides until late. It worked well to separate and I think we could do more of that during the day as well.

 

[jvz82]

My DH enjoyed the first few family trips but has only tolerated the others at best. Buying him a ticket is truly a waste of money but he insists on going into the parks with us for at least part of the day. He proudly brags that the last trip he didn't ride a single thing! We have also done many trips elsewhere and I try to plan Disney trips only every 2 or 3 years.

jvz82 - Just go on your own! I've done 2 solo trips and loved my time there. It's easier than almost anywhere else to travel alone and I feel very safe there. Just go!

I even convinced him yesterday to go ahead and buy tickets for a yet unplanned future trip. Whether that trip will be with him in 3 or 4 years or with my sister doesn't matter.

Thank you! I've actually been contemplating a trip with my sister to do a marathon, if she can swing it financially. I've never considered going without my family because my kids love it as much as I do, but mama needs a break too. That way I get my Disney fix and my husband can be home letting me, haha.

 

[klmall]

Thank you! I've actually been contemplating a trip with my sister to do a marathon, if she can swing it financially. I've never considered going without my family because my kids love it as much as I do, but mama needs a break too. That way I get my Disney fix and my husband can be home letting me, haha.

Yes, mama definitely needs a break whether you go alone or with your sister! Another possibility is to bring just one or two of the older kids next trip and then the other kids on another trip when they're older. Might be hard on those left behind but certainly doable.

Let us know how it all turns out!