Disney Is For Kids- Not Excited

[TiggerD]

I, too, thought Disney was for kids too and boy was I wrong. The very first time my DH took me to Disney, I stepped into the MK and I became a kid all over again. Well we have taken our children and now grandchildren to Disney and are heading back just the two of us in September for the 16th time. Your husband will love it, once he gets some of that pixie dust on him. Good luck...

 

[knewton64]

I know where your hubby is coming from all to well, I was just the same before we finally went last year.

As a vacation goes, I was massively impressed with Disney by the time we checked into our resort. It just went so smoothly even though our flight was delayed and we arrived after midnight.

For the first few days I liked the parks fine but wasn't too excited about it until my "Ahhh, now I get it!" moment came one evening at the CBR where we were staying.

Coming back across the bridge after dinner we noticed they were setting up for a movie on the island so we decided to stay and see it. It was Hunchback and it was fun sitting under the stars watching the movie as a family, when suddenly, the fireworks at Epcot started. I turned my head to see them and realized that this was a very special moment for our family and I got really depressed to think that our daughters would soon be off to university and these events would be very rare, if they ever happened again.

So we'll be going back for Christmas to recapture some of the magic of our first trip and I'll bet it'll be even better.

----------------------------------------------------------
....I too was crossing that very same bridge - with a great big ol choc chip cookie in my mouth when I heard a sound....I looked off on my right and saw the most beautiful sight..the sight of fireworks from Epcot...... I walked a few more feet back to my home (Aruba #5026) - sat down on the bed and cried (ok---I am willin to admit it). That was the most perfect way to cap off a perfect day. Oh and yes, I almost dropped that cookie as my mouth literally fell open watching the fireworks. They stopped me in my tracks.
And yes, I agree with the other posters.....it's all about compromise. You come across like me....a "on the go alot" WDW person...while your other half is a laid back person.
Well....why can't you guys enjoy WDW in your own way and say in the middle of the day...meet up somewhere?
this way, you have your vacation the way you want it, and he has his vacation the way he wants it. A win win.
And yes, your age or his age has nothing to do with this. It's all about having fun.
Now?? hey I am just a little kid having fun as I am going back to the House of Mouse Oct 2009 and then a 7-day DCL cruise..
Enjoy your vacation and have fun. Are you planning on doing a trip report???? I hope you do. Keep us posted. Listed below is my trip report from January...happy reading!

www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2062857

 

[Dizisfun]

Thanks for all the great responses.

He's a pretty laid back guy. When he goes on vacation, he means va-ca-tion. So lots of relaxing has to be in the picture. I am worried about that a bit because I want to get up and go see as much as I can at Disney. He’ll be the type that wants to go for half a day and then just chill out until the next day. Or he'll just want to spend a whole day not really doing anything.

He likes the beach, going to the movies, and going out to eat. He also loves to dance- me not so much. He's not generally picky which is why I am having a hard time understanding why he's not showing me any kind of enthusiasm.

I bet if they had a "Wii World" he'd jump for joy.

P.S. knewton64, how old do you think my husband is because I didn't say.

Tell your husband that there is sort of a "Wii World" at Downtown Disney. There is an arcade type place where you can a build virtual roller coaster and enjoy the ride. We have never been in there, and I can't remember the name of the place, but I'm sure that someone on the Dis boards know what I am referring to.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I second the idea about research. WDW offers so much to do that doesn't involve standing in line to see Mickey(which can be great fun too). If you can show your husband all the adult friendly activities there are to do there, including the golf courses, the different restaurants and the resorts, then he may change his tune.

Since he likes the Wii, he may enjoy such attractions as Buzz Lightyear in the MK with the shooter gun and targets or the Toy Story Mania ride in DHS.

 

[DisneyBelle27]

The arcade place in Downtown Disney is DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Themepark

It's definitely worth checking out if your DH is into video games. Here's a quote from Disney's website:

"DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive theme park is a one-of-a-kind gaming experience in the Downtown Disney area. Discover 5 floors of cutting-edge technology, virtual reality and 3D encounters fueled by Disney innovation and imagination.

Don't miss Pirates of the Caribbean, Virtual Jungle Cruise, CyberSpace Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Astroblasters, Animation Academy and much more!"

And don't give up hope! My DH and I (no kids yet) are going to WDW for the 3rd year in a row in July and we both LOVE it!!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

I figure your hubbie is the same age as me.......29 and a bit!

Disney is more than characters.
It's a whole world waiting to be explored.

Somebody in my building at work asked where I went on vacation:
I told her I took a world tour:

I flew across Canada via Montreal where I took in Cirque Du Soleil (wow!) and spent sometime in Victoria BC and visited the nearby Butchart Gardens.
I flew down the coast to California, and went hanggliding! Over orange groves (mmm, we could smell the oranges) and vinyards (darn, no wine fumes). We were SOARIN' along a river, so low I was sure my feet would get wet! We also visited the movie studios- got to go behind the scenes of so many movies, and see various real props used in movies. They put some shows on to show how stunts were done.
Then over to Hawaii, where I strolled along the beach, laid in a hammock, watched fireworks from the beach, and saw many Polynesian forms of dance, while eating fresh juicy pineapple. Even got Lei'd. (I said Lei'd! I meant I was given a Lei..artificial, but I'd be allergic to the real one anyway).
From there I went to Japan & China, ate some great food, had a great shaved ice treat, and did a bit of shopping. Saw the display of TerraCotta Warriors (not the originals, but still a moving display). Watched some charming young acrobats doing a street show, and a display of traditional Japanese drummers.
On to Morocco, for some bellydancing (I watched... didn't dance.. that would be scary), and some great music. I had a lamb Shwarma, and wandered thru the souks. The architecture is so different from N. America, and I was reminded of a trip to Qatar.
I then headed down to Kenya, and soaked up the African Safari atmosphere, watching the animals from various locations of the resort, and even taking a few small truck trips thru the Savannahs. The food was amazing. I did a quick backtracking to the China (Tibet)/Nepal border for a trip up Mount Everest. That included a visit to a local museum documenting various expeditions and encounters with the elusive Yeti----AND WE HEARD HIM!! We only saw his shadow, but OMG!!!
After that bit of excitement we headed to Paris France (via Munich Germany! Oomp Pa Pa! Ich liebe das Biergarten!), where we relaxed with some fine dining. We strolled around a bit. It was so neat to see the Eiffel Tower. Even noticed somebody's easel with a painting in progress. He must have stepped away for a moment. Checked out the boulangerie, also a wine store (?is that called un cave?)
Later we went up to England and toured some of the countryside, checking out the gardens, the diff types of english cottages. Of course, I bought english tea supplies-love my Twinings!. And british fish & chips are just like being home! It was cod, it was fresh (actually, prob frozen, but very fresh tasting), crisp and hot and the chips were great. With malt vinegar it was great. And it's so neat to hear the British accents! I even came across some street performers doing a Monty-Pythonesque show in the street! And watched a Beatles clone band! Oh! and some chaps in Kilts doing Celtic Rock (hee hee, they played some music from home--Great Big Sea style!)
Because there are no direct flights from London to Newfoundland anymore, I flew across the big pond to Boston and did some exploring along the beach area, the board walks, and continued around the states learning of the presidents, the frontier days, and so forth. Man, we don't have Funnel cakes here, they are so yummy with icing sugar. Many stops on my vacation I watched films of various countries and events, but there was one showcasing American events that was particularly moving (bring a tissue or a box...)
Every so often, I'd just kick back and spend a morning at the pools. I spent the day at the beach lazing in an inner tube floating down the canal or rocking on the waves. I even donned a mask and snorkel and floated with the fishies! That was amazing.
And once in a while I went for the adrenalin rush: I'd jump on an inner tube (or my butt) and went down a winding and/or steep water slide. I'd get on a roller coaster in the light of day or in the dark of a building.
And sometimes I visited my inner kid and waved at Mickey, Goofy, Donald and the gang. I was impressed to see their summerhouses and to be invited inside--Mickey's house is decorated just like I thought it would be! Oh to be a child and have a parent give me that bedroom!

And for all that travelling, I slept in the same bed every night. I never needed to go "off-site"
I shopped when I wanted. I ate whatever type of food I wanted. Rode trains, bus, boats. Could have rode bikes and rocket ships if I wanted to. Oh wait, I did ride a rocket ship. If fact, I was the navigator. And now the envy of all my male friends!

MONEYMAKING WIFE, tell your husband this is the trip of all trips--it's like the west Edmonton Mall--it has something for everyone! Character interaction can be just a little (just wait til he sees Donald Duck...I've yet to know a guy that didn't relate to Donald at some level!)
I would suggest, if budget allows, stay onsite at a deluxe resort and be sure you'll have a room with a full balcony:
Animal Kingdom Lodge: get Savannah view.. like being in Kenya!
Polynesian Resort
Yacht Club, Boardwalk, Beach Club, Old Key West, Sarasota Springs
All these places are a vacation in them selves, and not as loudly Disney themed as, say, Pop Century or any of the Allstars.
You won't have a balcony at a moderate or value resort. And a value resort may not give your husband the relaxing vacation feel.
I stayed at a moderate: Port Orleans Riverside, and loved it. But I want to try as many resorts as I can and I also want a balcony. This Sept I'll spend the 1st wk at a Value Resort, and then move up to a Deluxe Resort in the Epcot area--I'll then have a balcony and also be able to walk or take bus to the DHS or to Epcot....that will be good for several meals and evenings!
Also, decide some restaurants you'd like to eat at, and quietly make your tentative daily schedule and make some ADRS (just, please cancel the unneeded ones, don't be a no-show!)
And I haven't even mentioned Downtown Disney for the cinemas, house of blues, shops, art galleries, seafood restaurants, (I did mention Cirque du Soleil..La Nouba)!!

 

[jliucci]

Last jan my boyfriend and i took a trip to wdw. It was his very first time there and he LOVED it!! In fact he asked me just last week if i would book another vacation in disney for this fall. We have done many vacations before such as the bahamas and cruises and yet he said disney was by far his favorite. If your DH is not so thrilled about it i would suggest avoiding a few things that may seem kiddish. For example i took my bf to chef mickey our first night and he wasn't really impressed. It was kinda late in the evening and we were the only couple with out little children with us.

Our favorite thing to do is grab a drink and take a stroll around the world showcase in epcot.. its really romantic @ nite

 

[Bill Brown]

Disney parks aren't for everyone. My sister and her family (when my niece and nephew were kids) booked a 1-week WDW vacation. They were bored to tears and left on their 3rd day, never to return. Some years ago, took my dad to DL. That trip was as much fun as going to the dentist for a root canal. My advice is not to drag anyone to a Disney park, because they will make your trip miserable. Go solo and have fun, instead.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Disney parks aren't for everyone.

Sad, but true!

 

[jonathanlikestrains]

oh it's so fun he'll love it!

 

[Dizny Dad]

WDW should not be considered a "Park" thing. DW and I enjoy many of the facilities and resorts outside the Parks (and for free mind you) and look forward to doing them again and again; DTD, visiting all the luxery resorts duriong different holidays, restaurants, walking trails, and exciting events at many of the resorts.

I find it interesting to read different books on WDW; lots of behind the scenes stuff, history, etc. It is truly facinating, and gives one reason to look into different things in the "World". Ever been to the Horse Museum in the World?

WDW is absolutely an adult thing, with a facade for the little ones!

 

[daisy2jae]

My husband and I went to Disneyland for our honeymoon in 2001. We were hooked from the start. The people were wonderful and we had so many things to do. We went to WDW Juune 2006 with our 9 year old daughter. She loved it. We went back again December 2007 just the two of us. We enjoyed the 3 days but we were ready to go home to our kids by the 4th day. We went back again August 2008 with our two older kids. We're now looking forward to a long trip in 2011 with our extended family. I think it's a great place to go for a few days just the two of you. If you enjoy outdoor activities and golf you could find even more things to do. Hope you get a chance to go before you have children so you can look back with your children and tell them stories of your memories of the two of you enjoying WDW.

 

[JenSop]

DH and I don't have kids, but LOVE going to Disney!

Now, we both had our first trips as kids. I went for the first time when I was 8 and was hooked immediately, and went on several trips as I was growing up.

BUT - to do Disney as an adult for the first time was AWESOME! We went there on our honeymoon in 2001. We're now making it an annual thing. We bought into DVC in 2007 and have been enjoying that too. Last year, we took my parents and grandmother with us to let them experience Disney as an adult. They had a great time!

These are the things we enjoy:

-The rides (that'll never change!)
-The restaurants. We love going to the more adult restaurants and trying new things. Including yummy alcoholic drinks.
-World showcase at Epcot. So fun to walk around the countries - shopping, drinking, and eating!
-Hanging out by the pool!
-The Magic Kingdom at night. I think that's the most magical time of all in MK.
-Animal Kingdom - we really love animals.

If your DH likes the feeling of "getting away", I'd suggest staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Definitely feels a little more "out of the way" and you can't beat a savannah view - stepping out and seeing the animals right outside your room!

Good luck! If you do your research, you can make this a trip he'll never forget and he'll soon be asking when you're going back!

 

[aubriee]

Maybe choose to go to WDW during the Food and Wine Festival. He'd love wandering around the booths in World Showcase, listening to the Eat to the Beat concerts. Perhaps schedule a backstage tour or a Segway Tour around World Showcase. Be sure to stay at either a moderate or deluxe resort as they are more peaceful, laid back and quiet, than the Values (although I personally love all three). How about scheduling a couple's massage at the GF spa, then dinner at a Signature restaurant that night. Be sure to add the DDP and go to some of the nicer restaurants. Rent some ski raycers and go out around Bay Lake one day. Let him go parasailing or on a fishing excursion. Does he like golf? How about La Nouba?

This may sound counterproductive, but be sure to schedule a character meal. Due to finances my mom didn't make her first WDW trip until she was 72 y/o. My dad had to go into a nursing home that year and I was finally able to take her for her first trip. WDW is something he would have never even considered. I had to talk her into it, as she too felt WDW was just for kids. I was really shocked that her favorite thing we did was the character meals. I wasn't sure she'd even like them, but she loved them. You should have seen that 72 y/o face light up when those characters paid her attention. She enjoyed them as much as any kid there. You'd have to know my super serious mom to understand, but her behavior was totally out of character. She had said before we left that it would be a once in a lifetime trip, but she fell in love with Disney that trip in spite of herself. She has since been back four times in the last few years and we are planning another trip for this year.

You might also want to consider a trip in early Dec. WDW is just magical at Christmas. It's my favorite time of the year.

 

[JenSop]

Yes - the Segway Tour is awesome! I highly recommend it!

 

[DisneyInDel]

I am a husband of 30 years..a father of 28 years..and a child of 51 years.
I have come to realize that I dont want to vacation anywhere else but WDW..
We have been to many places, seen many things, but we always come back to WDW..the only reason that I can think of is the feeling I get when I'm there..and even when I'm planning my next trip..I dont get the enjoyment from a cruise, an all inclusive or a week at the shore..

Maybe your husband will get the same vibe when he gets there..it is most definitely just for kids..but not just the young ones...kids of all ages..

After all..its the happiest place on earth.

 

[-Rockettower Plaza-]

So why do all of you adult and solo travelers go to Disney? Maybe if I have some outside feedback I'll know how to respond to this killjoy.

My husband and I adore:

- The attention to detail: The gardens, fountains and buildings are perfection. The most photogenic place on the planet. Hehe.
- The creativity and ingenuity: Take a look at Mission:Space. WOW!
- The resorts/spas: Nothing is more romantic than a night stroll around the Polynesian.
- The restaurants: We look forward to not just our evening meals, but THE PRESENTATION!
- The AMAZING cast members: Disney puts a huge emphasis on providing an incredible experience for all guests. The cast members are helpful, kind and (even if it's just for show) happy to be there.

I hope this helps. Maybe he'll convert!

 

[Tabcans]

I've been wanting to go to Disney for years but all I could think about was the cost.

I decided that I am just going to save the money and go next year. I don't need to spend $10,000 when it's just my husband and I going.

My husband is not excited at all. He doesn't think it will be a good trip and he says that Disney is for kids. I was trying to explain how it wasn't, but he wasn't buying it.

"Then why do they make all the men shave their beards if they want to work there if it's not just for kids?" and various other responses.

The killer part is, he's never even been! So how can he say what it is and isn't?

He totally killed my Disney high.

So why do all of you adult and solo travelers go to Disney? Maybe if I have some outside feedback I'll know how to respond to this killjoy.

Oh not to worry! When I brought my kids for the first time it was just them & me, I hadn't been since I was a kid & fully felt I was doing it just for them; to complete a list of places I wanted them to see before the were grown. Well let me tell you, when that magic feeling takes over, when your every need is thought of before you try to think of it......well, it's the most relaxing trip you could ever go on. I'm serious! Disney took the time over the years to compile & address every little worry/suggestion/concern/complaint that every guest ever mentioned and saw to it that they would anticipate all that for the next time someone came through. As a single Mom, that was the biggest thing that made it feel so rejuvinating, and it STILL feels rejuvinating after 13 years of going there. You absolutely DO NOT have to spend 10k, not even close. I would recomend Disney's port orleans FRENCH QUARTER, it's the smallest of the resorts, has a bit more of an adult atmosphere without breaking the bank like the Grand Floridian would. There are boats right there to go to downtown disney (spectacular ride at night) or you can go on a short stroll along the shore to Port Orleans Riverside and rent a boat of your oun. Worry not! There are great restaurants that he would love, like "Raglan Road" or "Captain Jacks" in downtown, there's the Coral Reef where you are sitting in front of thier enormous fish tank and get to see up close and personal some pretty wild fish & there are divers that come by to wave at you too. There is the Beergarten restaurant in Epcot which has an oom-pa-pa band and fantastic German buffet. My son is in his twenties now and LOVED it there when we went this past December. It is not "rides" in Disney really, it's attractions........hard to describe, but honestly, he will be a believer after just one trip. Just be sure to make your dinner reservations as soon as you can before you go. Don't worry, Disney knows what they are doing & they will win him over!

 

[WDWCNY]

Hopefully you can get him to come around. Both DH and myself(no children) love WDW. We have been going since Honeymoon in 2002.

Things that might help him look at it a different way. Get the DVD of the Disney World site. This DVD is free last I knew. Watch for the TRavel Channel to have shows on Disney.

When you do book your stay talk with a AAA agent they seem to know when the best deals are. I would recommend Port Oleans French Quarter. It's a little smaller and on the quite side. Well atleast everytime we have gone and stayed there. They have carriage rides and you can take the boat to Downtown Disney. The bar when we stayed there was really nice.

Best time I have found is during The Food and Wine Festival. Usually lat August through late October. You can try different foods, wines and beers from all around the world. This is at EPCOT and Illuminatios is one of our favorite fireworks.

If he likes relaxing by the pool, you can also make this intresting by doing some pool hopping at the different resorts that allow it. You can explore the resort and he gets a different view other then the same pool for the whole trip. They have two waterparks that he might be intrested in.

If he likes food...So many restaurants to choose from.

There is so much more. Keep reading the Disboard. I get so much information from the different threads.

 

[Cinderella]

Hi there - I only married my husband in 2006 and took him on his first trip in 2005. Because I was taking my kids too, he didn't really get that it was going to be fun for adults too. But he was really blown away by it all - so much so that he insisted on going to WDW for part of our honeymoon.

Aside from the parks, he loved the resorts, the dining, golf, spa, segway tours, boat rentals etc. There's just so much to do, for kids and adults. It really is worth the cost.