HELP! My DH is feeling left out... what can I plan for him??

[AliVal]

Hi everybody. I am planning our family vacay to WDW in September. It will be my DH and I , our 2 little girls (3yrs and 7 yrs) and my parents. I have been on these boards constantly researching everything I can to make sure that this is a vacation we will never forget. I am still making my ADR's and was up till 2am the other night switching things around and my DH finally exploded at me and said "Do I get to pick or plan anything???" and ya know, I was so busy making sure that I get lots of Disney stuff to have goodie bags for our girls, and making sure that we have reservations for character meals for the girls, and gathering information to rent a scooter for my father and making sure that we plan for down time for my parents, that I just didn't think about fun things for myself or my DH (well, the fun thing for me will be to see the look on my girls faces when they see this truly magical place) But do any of you have any suggestions for things for me to plan for my hubby??? He is an outdoorsman, he's a golfer and loves really good steahkouses. Any suggestions???? Thanks!!!

 

[tchrrx]

Leave the girls with their grandparents for a morning & go on a Segway tour with your DH.

 

[poohfriend77]

I agree that the look on my kids' faces are the only "special" thing I need at WDW, but it's nice you're trying to plan something for your DH. Maybe you could ask your parents to watch your kids one evening, and you and DH could go out for a nice dinner. Show him the menus from a couple of the steakhouses, and let him pick one. If it's too late to get ADRs, you could still ask for his input on CS restaurants, or ask what one thing HE really wants to see/do/ride at each park, and make sure you make time for it.

There are lots of golf courses nearby too, but I'm guessing that's not really fun to do alone? I don't know... I'm not a golfer.

Maybe he was temporarily irritated that you're spending so much time planning (and neglecting him ) now. DH has asked me if I can talk about ANYTHING other than Disney when I'm in full planning mode. I'm sure once you get there, he'll get caught up in the magic, and he won't be wondering what's in it for him.

 

[AliVal]

haha Poohfriend, I think you hit the nail on the head with that one (the neglect part - lol)
The segway tour sounds like fun too!!! Thanks!!!

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Can you share some of the sites/books with him, and let him pick what activities he's interested in? Sometimes the things I think DH will like are totally different from the things he picks out himself!

 

[Kidnurse]

Why not plan one of the nights there as a romantic or fun date night for just the two of you? Let him pick what you guys get to do and just cut loose!

 

[LadyShea]

My DH likes to golf, and will do so alone or with whomever (sometimes golf course hook you up with another group). He plays whenever we are on vacation including at WDW and he had a great time. He said the WDW courses are really nice.

Perhaps your DH merely wants to give some input, for both himself and the rest of you? Can you show him the website or a book and let him pick out some things?

 

[Familycircus]

Have him rent a SeaRaycer and cruise around the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.

 

[tinkslite]

My supportive and understanding DH has vacationed on one coast or the other with the Mouse every year for the 15 we've been married. He doesn't like planning so my doing that is fine, he always says: Just Surprise Me. He Likes:

Cane Pole Fishing at PORS and Fort Wilderness (catch & release)
Taking out the Sea Racers
He wants to try a catamaran sailboat this time
There are also fishing excursions out on bay lake ($$$) but he would enjoy that.
My husband does not golf, but his best friend/business parter does, and says a tee time at any of the WDW golf courses is worth it.
The Yachtsman Steakhouse is our favorite
His favorite ride is Buzz Lightyear's Astroblasters in Tomorrowland (I think it might be called Space Ranger Spin in FL, same ride). It has a video game component that makes it extra fun for hubby.
He also enjoyed getting a tall stein of beer in Germany at Epcot.
Getting a drink and lounging by the pool while the kids swam.
Evening Fireworks
and the backstage tour we took at MK
OH! and the surfing lessons at Typhoon Lagoon! He says he'd like to try parasailing on bay lake

Hope these are some ideas for your hubby.

 

[3boymthr]

1. Ask GMA and GPA to babysit or sign up for the Sandcastle Club and go out for dinner with just DH at the Yachtsman Steakhouse or Shulas (even if dinner's OOP just think a date night ) then head over to the Boardwalk for drinks and dancing.
2. I've heard the parasailing is awesome if you're not afraid of heights.
3. If you can afford it the Richard Petty Driving Experience is also supposed to be really cool.
4. The WPF&M tickets will get him access to the golf courses.
5. Ask him to plan your counter service meals. This will get him involved in the entire decision making process and show him how much work really went into choosing those TS ADRs.
6. Suggest he go online to either touringplans.com or TGM and plan your daily itinerary. (Touringplans is easier to navigate, but TGM give a lot of reasons for what he suggests)

 

[Alesia]

Oh, honey, your husband already gave you the answer to your question when he said, "Do I get to pick or plan anything???"

He wants to pick it himself!

Don't ask a bunch of strangers what he wants to do. Let the poor man decide on something himself.

 

[Disneychix]

I usually give my husband one day (usually Sat cause he loves college football) to hang by the pool or ESPN club. I also try not to be up at the crack of dawn every morning cause I realize it's his vacation too!

We did do the Segway tour in EPCOT last year and it was fun. We had the whole morning to ourselves as my DM watched our DS. We felt like kids again!

 

[daisyduck123]

Leave the girls with their grandparents for a morning & go on a Segway tour with your DH.

Exactly what I was going to say!

 

[pixiewings71]

If I was you I'd just tell him you got caught up and didn't realize you were leaving him out of it, apologize and sit down with him to review what you've booked and why and ask for his help on the rest of it. Ask him what HE wants to do and yes, ask your parents to watch the kids so you and DH can have some alone time together. I'm sure he has some great ideas.

BTW, I do that too, I get really caught up in making everything perfect and we go once a month or so.....LOL Well to DL but still.....

 

[crisi]

Oh, honey, your husband already gave you the answer to your question when he said, "Do I get to pick or plan anything???"

He wants to pick it himself!

Don't ask a bunch of strangers what he wants to do. Let the poor man decide on something himself.

AGREE. Although guidance can be provided...

Would he like a date night? Does he just want to pick some restaurants for the family? Does he want guy time (like a Segway tour - that was our guys 'guy thing' last trip). Would he like to be in charge of the WaterPark day. All of the above?

And I will say - if he wants to help plan - even in minute detail in getting your touring plan down to the minute - let him! We go through the SAME thing every year where my husband helps plan the big stuff, ignores the minutiae, then gets into Animal Kingdom (its always AK) and blows my touring plan to pieces! I FINALLY said something about it - and we went through last year without him deciding the best way to spend an hour in the morning was back on the gorilla trail! Its way easier (and way less stressful) to have those discussions when you aren't standing in the middle of the park realizing the line for Everest is growing every second.

 

[Jdougherty]

Depends on what he likes to do. For my DH birthday I made arrangements with DMIL and DFIL to watch our DD and I made reservations for us to Dive in the Living Sea. I got him into Diving a few years ago and I knew it was something only the 2 of us could do so it was a nice thing and a good break from being "on" all the time. Check out the tours and ask HIM to pick something fun for either all of you or just as a couple. Dinner and maybe Fantasmic?

 

[h518may]

On our trip we did MNSSHP and Sci-fi dinner for DH.

I knew that my DH didn't want to do much research, but would want to have somethings that he particular would like. So I picked three or four things he would like and asked what he would like to do. I knew the party would be one of his favorites, he loves Halloween. As for restaurants I picked out several with the kids in mind and we talked about the rest that the adults would like.

Anyway I tried to make our trip magical for my children, but also for DH and me. This was the first Disney trip for all of us.

 

[Addicted2Disney:O)]

On fathers day DH did the scuba dive at the living seas in Epcot & he loved it!
Eat at Germany in Epcot it is one of DHs favorites & it is a fun dining experience Beer, plenty of food, live music, dancing (for the kids) a lil show