Help my Husband, Please! ***UPDATED pg 4****

[Praying Colonel]

Dan, I'm a fairly logical, analytical type who's over 40 and always just kind of tolerated my wife's love of all things Disney. Her suggestion of a week at Disney World with the kids was the equivalent of going to the dentist for me. My idea of a vacation is a week at a beach resort, making like broccoli and vegging out.

Well, we just got back from our vacation, and I have to tell you: it was so much fun, I can't wait to go back again. You're going to love it. I can't explain why--if you know, no words are necessary, and if you don't, no words will suffice. Just let me say, from one guy to another: trust your wife on this one and go into it with an open mind. You'll really have fun, honest.

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by Praying Colonel
Dan, I'm a fairly logical, analytical type who's over 40 and always just kind of tolerated my wife's love of all things Disney. Her suggestion of a week at Disney World with the kids was the equivalent of going to the dentist for me. My idea of a vacation is a week at a beach resort, making like broccoli and vegging out.

Well, we just got back from our vacation, and I have to tell you: it was so much fun, I can't wait to go back again. You're going to love it. I can't explain why--if you know, no words are necessary, and if you don't, no words will suffice. Just let me say, from one guy to another: trust your wife on this one and go into it with an open mind. You'll really have fun, honest.

That is a great post!!!

 

[dsmom]

Dan, All I can say is PLEASE go!!! You will never regret it. My husband was very anti-disney years ago also. He grudgingly went only to please me. Disney slowly grew on him and when our son arrived we continued our trips. When me son reached the age of two we knew some thing was seriously wrong, and months later he was diagnosed as severely autistic. We debated and decided to continue our trips- feeling guilty that the money could be better spent in other ways. What we have come to realize is that Disney truely is a magical place- with each trip my son made new advances- first words, first sentences, first potty successes, etc. etc.-all happened for the first time while at Disney-coincidence- I don't think so. There is just such a feeling there like no other and my son can sense that. My husband is a HUGE Disney fan now- he even cries at Illuminations -LOL- we continue to go to Disney- five or six short trips a year- and would not dream of going anywhere else. Give it a chance and the magic will get to you also.

 

[Kendra17]

praying colonel--thank you! Dan was stunned. Your post was such a "guy's" post (no sarcasm intended), that it made quite an impact. He is looking forward to it, now, more, I think. . .although occasionally he makes a comment about how he's still anti-Disney.

dsmom, your story is beautiful. My friend's child was diagnosed with autism at about 20 months or so, too. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been.

I'm so glad he's made so much progress, and hope he continues to.

Thanks again!

 

[DutchsMommy]

Kendra:

I can't comment on my DH because he is basically in the same boat as your's is (was?) - he's kinda like "ok whatever dis-board freak-job". Oh well, I just keep planning away with the knowledge that we all are going to have an awesome time (and I havn't quite gotten around to the $$ side of things - what he doesn't know won't hurt him!) Anyway - my point way about the whole flying thing....We are flying from Toronto Canada - well actually from Buffalo NY on Southwest - anyway the price can't be beat. As for the rental car - if you stay on site you really don't need one, Disney transportation is really excellent and you can get a shuttle from the airport. Anyway, whatever you choose I think DH should just go in with an open mind and heart.

 

[Trinity721]

Hi Dan! My DH (pictured below w/ DD) did not understand my love for Disney and thought I was a complete nut. Of course, he had never been there either. I miraculously convinced him to take a trip there, just the two of us and stayed for a week... He LOVED it. and he is not one to ever admit that. He's a sailor, totally a "man's man" if you know what I mean. He had so much fun and wished that we could have stayed longer!

I think what really nailed it for him was our second trip, when we took our daughter to WDW... He said the look on her face, her big smile seeing all the neat things and just being awed by the whole Disney experience, was worth every penny, worth the entire trip, and completely priceless. We will be going again in the spring and he is just as excited as I am now. (Yes, he still thinks I'm a dork for DISing... but he just doesn't know how much the DISers advice and help has made our trips so enjoyable! )

Dan, definitely go with an open mind. If you think you'll hate it, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and you will hate it. But if you go with an open mind and try to appreciate how hard Disney works to make it a magical experience for everyone, you'll enjoy it and you won't regret it.

 

[Kendra17]

Well, we returned yesterday from our trip and my husband came home with 2 tshirts, a disney antenna ball, a mickey mug, and a front license plate (well, that was my purchase for him!)! He also took a small mickey mouse to work with him to tape up to his computer!

We had a great time! And, he didn't even mention checking his email or his stocks (although ONCE I saw him check the stock page from a newspaper he found) or anything work or real life related. And, though you don't know dh, he's a newsjunkie, a politicaljunkie, follows his stocks religiously, etc. He barely mentioned work!

His favorite was MK, and we went there 3 times (including Halloween party!). He liked almost everything about WDW so much that we didn't even use our second day at Universal and instead returned to Disney!

I really thought that if he liked WDW at all, it would be because of Epcot. But, you know what? Although he liked Epcot--a lot-- he loved the countries just like I thought, his favorite was MK! And, his favorite part of MK was Fantasyland! He just kept on wanting to be around the castle!

This was definitely the best vacation! We had such a good time! Thanks, all of you, for all of your posts-- they really meant a lot, and you were absolutely right! I knew if I could just get him there. . . (he's very stubborn!)

 

[Alysa]

That's wonderful - I knew he would love it! What were the things that changed his mind? Did he have any specific reasons or was it just a great trip in general?

 

[lovesdumbo]

That is so wonderful! So glad to hear you had a great trip. Wasn't the weather great?

I think the 3rd time was the charm for my DH. I signed him up for a garden tour at Epcot and that really made it all click for him. Only problem was that was the last day of the trip. Next year he'll be going on a tour early on in the trip-maybe the Segway one. And I'm sure the pure joy of my 5 1/2, 3 and 21 month olds helped a lot too. My 21 month old isn't talking much but she had 2 new words on the trip. Moon-it was nearly full and she's not used to being out at night. As soon as we got home she ran and got one of books and pointed to the moon as she said "maaooon". And the other was WOW. She just LOVED the fountains in Epcot. One of my friends suggested she's always had that word tucked away in her brain but that was the first time she had ever really been wowed. She also loved the fireworks and even loved the fireworks in the Mexico boat road.

Can't wait for next year. Guess I'll have to change my counter.