DH (who I adore and I think we have a really good marriage) hates Orlando, Disney, and theme parks. We were slow learners though. Me, I grew up going to WDW and have a Disney loving extended family who loves to meet up there. Also, I love a little trip to theme parks for a quick fun get-a-way. When we didn't have any children and were first married knowing this, if let's say my family were gathering in Disney for the holidays or something like that, I'd keep our visit really quick, like four nights, three days while the rest of the group was there for 10 to 14 days. When we had our son, I did two or three trips to Disney/SeaWorld with DH (4 to 7 nights) meeting up with extended family and it was really a lot of pressure for me as I would try to find activities DH liked, and his lack of enthusiasm and complaining brought me down (theme parks for sure are not his thing). He likes Gatorland as alligators are native to the area, and it is the antithesis of a world class theme park. He likes the Cirque show. He likes the Blueman Group show. He liked indoor sky diving in a wind tunnel on I-drive. He used to like Boma (first time we tried it). Second time he complained that they no longer had the more interesting African dishes. Some of those had been replaced with more basic theme park fare. DH is fun to travel with and enthusiastic if it's a place he wants to go, but OMG is he a Disney poop.
Finally and we are slow learners (This was after we had been married 10 years), we figured out what is best for us is to have me and DS go to Disney (We both love it - mini trip - usually just four nights so we have vacation funds for something else we all like too) and have him stay home. And we all do a different vacation we all enjoy the same year (usually going out west) -- we all love the mountains, US National Parks and things like that. He had no issue with my using some of our family vacation budget doing mini trips with DS, was just so happy not to go, and I had so much more fun just going with Disney loving people (mother son bonding trip or meeting up with extended family) (way way way more fun for all of us).
Now DS is grown, married, etc. I though every year do a solo trip to Tampa to visit a cousin who is in assisted living there and usually add two nights in Orlando and visit my favorite nephew who lives there for an Orlando / theme park fix. Next year this will be a day visiting monorail resorts, a dinner at Boma at the Polynesian, and watching fireworks from the Polynesian and a second day at SeaWorld with a a special meal at Sharks Underwater Grill (It's a solo trip, but my wonderful Disney SeaWorld loving nephew will be accompanying me.). I treat him to any meals / theme parks, etc. Last time I was in Orlando I did a day at the MK (doing the Keys to the Kingdom tour) with my nephew. And hey I even sleep for free in my nephews guest bedroom and plan my trips for his slow time for his outdoor adventure business so he's super game to join me on whatever we plan.
And lol, I told one of my co-workers that I was doing a mini trip again and including time with my favorite nephew in Orlando. And he said to me, "Are you sure he's really your favorite nephew. I think he's your favorite nephew just because he lives in Orlando.
We were slow learner but DH and I are so much happier not going to Orlando together! I've been going down without him for 28 year now (every year or every other year). I turn 64 this month.
). Personally, I think he was concerned about me driving down with the kids by myself although the oldest was 17 at the time and the youngest was 7, so I wasn't dealing with tiny ones.
) He comes usually every 5 or so years.
