Can Anyone Share Positive Disney Convert Stories?

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I am wondering if anyone can share with me stories about how their spouse or s/o changed from a non Disney person into a Disney person? My DH does not have an emotional attachment to Disney. He went one time at the age of 13 with parents that hated everything about Disneyland..the heat, the prices the crowds. My DH in turn new nothing but hatred for the happiest place on earth. I on the otherhand have Disney in my blood. My grandparents lived 20 minutes from DL and we went every chance (about once a month) we could get and never got tired of it. Now we are going in 5 weeks . My DH has not said but has hinted that this is our once in a lifetime trip. I do not think I can handle not going again. I mean I will go again but without him. I was just wondering if Disney Magic has ever turned a non Disney person into a Disney person? If so can you share your stories?

 

[DisneyMagicMommy]

I'm in the same position as you. My DH did not go to disney as a child. His first trip was on our honeymoon. I have gone many times in the past and it is like home to me so I just assumed he would love it too. After all...it was our honeymoon...and that is magical right? Well...he thought disney was ok. I think he went in expecting more thrill rides...i guess i should have given him a lesson in all things disney beforehand. We are leaving in 2 weeks and this will be our first time taking our kids...i'm hoping that once he sees it through their eyes he will get bit by the magic bug and love it just as much as i do. I just plan on taking it slow this time...we won't rush down main street this time...but we will go slow and take in all the sights, sounds, and smells that make is so magical...and hopefully...with the 6 days we will be there he will start to love it too.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I'm in the same position as you. My DH did not go to disney as a child. His first trip was on our honeymoon. I have gone many times in the past and it is like home to me so I just assumed he would love it too. After all...it was our honeymoon...and that is magical right? Well...he thought disney was ok. I think he went in expecting more thrill rides...i guess i should have given him a lesson in all things disney beforehand. We are leaving in 2 weeks and this will be our first time taking our kids...i'm hoping that once he sees it through their eyes he will get bit by the magic bug and love it just as much as i do. I just plan on taking it slow this time...we won't rush down main street this time...but we will go slow and take in all the sights, sounds, and smells that make is so magical...and hopefully...with the 6 days we will be there he will start to love it too.

I know what you mean. We all just assume everyone will love it as much as we do. I expect my family to cry at shows about Disney not looking at me funny when I do. At least your DH never went as a child (just can't imagine that one). Let me give you my DH's only Disney experience.
Day 1 leave Montana
Day 2 arrive in Las Vegas and visit his stepfather;'s dad.
Day 3 arrive @Disneyland at noon in the summer...stepdad complains, hates everything Disney. Entire family leaves the happest place on Earth at 4pm.
Leave So Cal and arrives in Las Vegas that night.
No wonder it took so long to get him to agree to go.

 

[DisneyMagicMommy]

I know what you mean. We all just assume everyone will love it as much as we do. I expect my family to cry at shows about Disney not looking at me funny when I do. At least your DH never went as a child (just can't imagine that one). Let me give you my DH's only Disney experience.
Day 1 leave Montana
Day 2 arrive in Las Vegas and visit his stepfather;'s dad.
Day 3 arrive @Disneyland at noon in the summer...stepdad complains, hates everything Disney. Entire family leaves the happest place on Earth at 4pm.
Leave So Cal and arrives in Las Vegas that night.
No wonder it took so long to get him to agree to go.

Boy oh boy...that sound like one fun disney vacation to me

It's sad when people go to disney and can't to anything but complain the whole time. and 4 hours? wow...at least give the place a fighting chance before calling it quits. talk about killing the magic.

I do agree with you on the crying thing...my dh thinks it's absolutely hilarious...and that i'm a bit crazy...because I cry everytime i here "When You Wish Upon A Star".

 

[disneyohana]

I can't say that my DH is now a Disney freak like I am, but he has come to like it more w/our DD, 2 1/2. He really enjoys relaxing at EPCOT, getting coffee, snacks, seeing the fireworks show, but w/DD there he seemed to enjoy everything more. The breakfast w/Lilo & Stitch and the castle were great and he told me that he liked that. We relaxed while watching DD have the time of her life. He really liked the Caribbean Beach Resort pools and grounds. We like to visit the monorail hotels for meals in between time at the parks. Oh, and he likes MGM and the waterparks. As for the MK, it seems like he really enjoyed it most this time because we had breakfast before the park opened at the castle and we came into the park relaxed. There was no one in lines so the day started out magical. Using the rider switch worked well and made his time at the parks better for going on the big rides. All that said, DH still wants to go to a hotel on the ocean for his vacation and then every other vacation I choose Disney. Haven't been able to turn him into a freak like me yet.

 

[let'sgo]

My DH didn't want anything to do with Disney so when I suggested going his response was, "Isn't that a place for children?" I told him that Pleasure Island was only for adults. Then he asked, "Well, is there anything to do there?" Can you imagine that??? Anyway, we went, and I made sure to plan things that I knew he would like--signature dining (he loves good food), renting a sailboat at the Grand Floridian, Segway Tour of Epcot, World showcase in Epcot, the Comedy Warehouse, etc., and he had an excellent time. I still don't think that he likes it as much as I do, but he came away with a positive experience.

 

[mbc35]

My husband had been to Disneyland a few times growing up, but it wasn't his idea of a fun vacation. When his parents said they were taking us and our three kids to Disney World six years ago, he was not too excited, but since they were paying for everything, he went along. And loved it.

We went again last year with his parents and our now four kids. He loved it again.

At his suggestion, we are planning to go back November 2008.

A couple of things we did that I think helped him enjoy Disney:
1. Go in the off-season. My husband hates the heat and hates lines. Reducing those two things has made a huge difference in his enjoyment of the parks.

2. Get there early and use a touring plan. Again, see the line issue. We are morning people anyway, so this works for us. If your husband wants to sleep in, I would find a touring plan that accommodates that.

3. Pay attention to what your family likes. My husband hates parades, and even the rest of us get bored of them pretty quickly. So we plan to avoid the parades. We'd rather ride with shorter lines.

4. We keep everyone fed, watered, and relaxed. We stay off-site and leave the park everyday for a nap in the afternoon. This makes parenting sooo much easier.

Good luck.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Thanks for all the posts so far. I have tried to make sure we have things planned that my DH likes. We were originally going to stay at The Poly but my DH loved the idea of FW cabins so I changed it. I also have made sure we are eating at places he would enjoy. Don't get me wrong we are not going to kill ourselves trying to get him to have a good time. But I figured me and the kids will have a great time no matter where we eat or where we stay so why not make it places that DH will like.

 

[sskem96]

My DH's first trip to WDW was on our honeymoon, and I had only been once 8 years before that. We didn't do much planning for that trip since we didn't have internet, but we got the Birnbaum's guide so he could see what it was all about. It was 4th of July week, so it was very crowded and hot. We ended up hanging out at Downtown Disney a lot, just because we didn't know any better. We both had a good time, but I wouldn't say there was any Disney magic.

In 1999, we went to MK for one day while visiting friends who live in Ft. Lauderdale, and it was very hot and crowded, so not much magic there either, but the man does love a vacation, so we decided we'd go back when the kids were 5 and 8.

I started planning our 2005 trip about a year and a half ahead of time. I found the dis which made my planning so much easier, and made me realize how much planning you need to put in to a really good trip. I read the UOG from cover to cover. I took my husband and kids into consideration when planning activities. DH didn't do any of the planning, but he knew I was spending hours on the dis figuring out every detail. We had the best vacation ever! I didn't know at the time if we'd ever be able to go back, but a couple weeks later as I was going through pictures, DH told me he was ready to go back already! We started saving and making plans, and we get to go for 10 days this time, and DH is as excited as me and the kids! DH actually came with me in Feb., and even though I was at a conference most of the time, he went to the parks on his own and had a blast. He got to share a fishing excursion with another family, and he loved it so much that we're all doing it together this time. The only thing he doesn't care for is having to cram into a hotel room for so many days, but I told him that by next time we go in 3 years or so, we should be able to buy DVC, and he's all for it!

 

[Desnik]

DH had never gone to WDW as a kid. His first time was on our honeymoon. We split WDW with US and he liked it but wasn't hooked. Then we had DD and took her and I guess it made him like WDW more. Now I think I've created a monster!!LOL He use to make fun of my obsessive planning and hours on the DIS, but just told me the other day he wants to join the DIS!!!(and add a 3rd contract to the 2 DVC contracts we have already!!) We tried staying at the different resorts onsite and once he saw the resorts and that WDW wasn't just the MK, he was hooked. Then we became DVC members and this Nov will be our 3rd trip this year! I guess you can say he just caught the magic. WDW has a way of doing that to people. We both get teary eyed when at our favorite attraction and watching the wonder in our kids eyes. I did have to learn that he likes to sleep late on vacation and no comando park touring so when we go I make sure I plan some days to sleep in. I also make sure I have some days for swimming and taking it easy, my DH and DD love that. When it comes to Disney I think people either get it or they don't. Hopefully your DH will.