Help My Husband hates Theme Parks

[Aussie Princess]

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading this site for a while and finally decided to join in the fun.

We are stopping at DLR as the final leg of a World Adventure which is taking in Europe and NYC and Canada before flying home again to Australia.

We will be in Anaheim for 6 days commencing 16March - 22 March .

We are spending 3 days at DLR and DCA and i have a slight issue my DH does not like theme parks and i love DLR i last visited 12yrs ago with my family as i was a teen at the time and i have been dieing to get back there since.

He is not excited about experiencing DLR and DCA because he doesnt like theme parks.

Is there any way around this? I dont want him to be miserable for the 3 days and i dont want to end up in the lines on my own (even though that may have its advantages)

I dont want him to go into it with his mind made up about DLR and DCA before he experiences any of it.

Has anyone had this experience previously and has it turned out favourably in the end?

 

[BecBennett]

Ooh, tricky....

My best suggestion is to explain the differences between DLR and other theme parks. Yes there are still long lines, lots of people and over priced bad food, but DLR is like a world in it's own...

One thing I learnt to avoid with my theme park hating DF is buying park food - like hot dogs and what not, book PS for every meal if you can, it may take some time out from the parks, but the better quality food, and getting away from the crowds more then make up for it.

Build up the fact that many of the line ups for the rides are attractions in themselves, unlike Dream World and Movie World and the like here in Oz, the lines can be interesting, and even fun!

I also found that by getting really excited for it myself, some of it rubbed off on DF, he must have figured if I was that excited, it's obviously something special!

Good luck!

 

[jasy]

Well my DH didn't want to go to DLR and DCA on our honeymoon but he didn't have a choice :wink:

Now that being said the reason that he didn't want to go was because he is tall and usually at amusement parks he can't fit on the rides, etc. so it's very uncomfortable for him. He was EXTREMELY skeptical about enjoying himself.

After walking around the park and going on some rides he realized that Disney is not your run of the mill amusement park, it caters to people of all sizes and he DID fit on all the rides, comfortable! He had an amazing time!!! He was the one dragging me onto Screamin cause he wanted to go again.

This is a man who HATED amusement parks and HATED rides, when we came back from our honeymoon no one could believe that DH actually had a good time because he had been so vocal about his hate of amusement parks.

Now he is getting more and more excited for our upcoming trip in two weeks and he wants to go on Screamin in DCA first thing :

I also wanted to add at least for my DH that part of what made the entire trip enjoyable for him was seeing how happy I was there (sounds sappy I know but this is what he told me), he had a hard time NOT enjoying himself because I was and I'm like a little kid at Disney.

Good Luck, I hope your DH will come around. Remember too that there are other things to do at Disney other than rides. If your DH likes sports check out ESPN zone in Downtown Disney, also check out the different shows like Aladdin.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Not sure if it's in your budget, but what about the Segway tour at DCA? I would think that even if a person wasn't that interested in the information given on the tour that it would still be fun to ride around on a segway for awhile.

Or how about searching for Hidden Mickey's so that he has a mission? You could get the hidden Mickey's book and use the clues to go on a scavenger hunt looking for them.

 

[LauraAnn630]

He may need professional help! LOL

 

[PinkBudgie]

I think you need to find out what exactly it is he doesn't like about theme parks, then address that issue.

One place I like to eat to get away from the crowds is Whitewater Snacks in the GCH. It has good food, you don't need a PS, and it is quiet over there. I really feel like I can just sit and relax.

Welcome to the boards!

 

[jakoky]

HI there, we did our first "family" disney trip in 04...i grew up going to DL, but this was the first disney experience for my dh and all 3 kids....he nearly drove me crazy before we went...he basically said, this trip is gonna suck, i dont even want to ******* go, and i was like ...WELL, we get to DW, and first day in by dinnertime, the kids and i were exhausted....(3 hour time difference, and to due with flights and getting to airports, 2 mornings in a row up before 3 am), we decided to leave for the motel....my husbands words were something like this "I am NOT leaving, i want to go on some more rides" ....So for us, DW in 04, DL in 06, DL in 07 and coming back to DL in may....my husband LOVES it....he is still the one hardest to get out of the parks at night.....hopefully once you get there the magic will take over...i think my husband was blown away minutes after entering the park!!!
sharon

 

[bumbershoot]

I think you need to find out what exactly it is he doesn't like about theme parks, then address that issue.

Absolutely!

 

[caligirl stuck in va]

Before our first family trip to DL, DH was not, uhm, looking forward to our 5 days in the park. He thought it was much too much time for "rides and stuff". Now, he had been there before many times as a kid with his family, but not for years since he had been an "adult". DH typically won't go anywhere there are crowds.

I think it was Day 3 when he said "Man, I can't believe we only have 5 days here. We totally have to come back."

Yes, it is a lot of excitement, stimulation, crowds etc. but hopefully he will feel the magic. DH and I both agree that these are the best vacations and the best possible spending of our hard earned money!

ETA - We went to Kings Dominion for a work party - having been there for less than an hour, DH says to me "This place is no Disneyland!" DL is not like any other theme park - there is hope that this most magical of theme parks will make your DH happy!

 

[Aussie Princess]

Thanks everyone very helpful.

i always tell him its an experience not a theme park and he doesnt seem to buy it.

I think this stems from where he grew up out in the bush and all there was a water park for them. so he loves water parks no dramas there.

But we went to the Gold Coast for our honeymoon and he went on Superman Escape ( i love roller coasters but i didnt really want to go on it - i felt it was out of my comfort zone) and i believe thats up there with the best rides on the Gold Coast.... sure afterwards i was shaking for 30mins but he wasnt very well.

I explain the only ride that could be bad was screamin *** hes never been upside down on a ride.

but i will of course push on and make sure he gets the best experience out of DLR and DCA as possible....

 

[bumbershoot]

Poor guy, sounds like he was really shaken by that ride.

Make sure he knows that there are last minute exits for all rides, he doesn't have to ride *anything* he doesn't want to.

And if all else fails, generally they let you go around and around and around again on Heimlich's Chew Chew Train and Pooh, if there are no lines. Nice, calm rides, and Heimlich even involves nice sweet smells of watermelon and animal crackers.

 

[azdisneylover]

Aussie Princess,
I hope you can convince your hubby to enter Disneyland with an open mind. If he does, the magic will surely take over and he will be hooked! When you walk thru those gates, you are transported into a wonderful place full of fun, happiness, smiles, sort of like a wonderful dream! Disneyland is so much more than thrill rides. If you want just thrill rides, go to Magic Mountain. Disneyland entertains all your senses and makes you wish for more. Lots of music, great smells, smiles, corny jokes, beautiful plants, beautiful people, yummy treats, and enjoyable rides for every style and taste.
Wishing you the best on your vacation.
ps tell your hubby he could go to New Caledonia while you are at Disneyland

 

[blackjackdelta]

There are no rides at DLR that will even get close to Superman Escape. There is NOTHING extreme at either park. Screamin does not even hold a candle to that ride. He does not have to ride anything that he does not think he will enjoy. Keeping an open mind and going with the family flow he might find that he really likes what is offered.
What does your hubby like?

Jack