How do I convince him to go with me?

[Saylan]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a lurker, but a recent dilemma is forcing me out into posting.

Back-story: I'm an avid Disney World fan. I've been going since I was half a year old (so I was told) and have been a total of 16 times. I am sure a lot of you feel the same way I do about the parks and just Disney as a whole. I've had some hard knocks but to me the parks are my 'happy place' and I feel lucky that my happy place is real (not only a place I can go in my imagination). I'm very attached to my memories and look forward to making future ones.

Current Situation: I'm at a point where I want to share this place with my boyfriend (common-law husband). I've never gone with anyone but my parents (though we have met up with other families there) so this is a big step in my mind, sharing such a special place with him.

The problem is, he's never been and doesn't really see it as worth the effort and money. We're in Canada so it means a substantial time planning and arranging travel details (and passports) and I know he'd prefer to drive (yay 3 days each way) but realistically that isn't likely since neither of us are allotted much vacation time.

Can you extremely knowledgeable people maybe help me with ideas on how to show him the appeal of the parks? I think he'd like it once he's seen it but getting that leap of faith out of him is difficult. I was hoping to go in early 2011 (aka booking soon) but he's a HUGE Star Wars fan and that fact Star Tours is down for now means one less item I can point to to pique his interest. The only other things he has shown interest in Disney-wise is Toy Story (1, 2, and 3) and Monsters Inc..

If it helps, the closest to a Disney park that he's been to is our Canadian version of Six Flags. I suspect that's what he's picturing when he looks at the price. He doesn't really like roller coaster rides (weak stomach) so I'm when trying to explain there aren't many rides like that and that there is tons of other things there he could experience. He says he hates rides but won't tell me what about them he hates. It's not going upside down or heights, just he doesn't like them, so I can't even pick out say a nice ride that's slow and relaxing because I don't know what about rides he dislikes.

Lines result in him being angry and cursive (working on that though cause he knows I hate hearing all the cursing even if I'm frustrated like him waiting in a line).

I've recently started running and made a decision to try for the Princess Half Marathon. I've decided I'm going to give it a shot (if I'm in a good shape for it). Here's some of the things that have since come from that:

a: I've asked my parents to hold that weekend, so they will be able to come down and cheer me on if I do this (my mom doesn't do rides either, so my partner can sit and sulk with her [which might in the end motivate him to come on the rides and 'have fun' instead of sit on a bench in the sun with my mom]).

b: He concluded (with a well-timed question of my own) that going for just the weekend would be dumb so we should stay the whole week and see the parks ("because I know how much you'd love to do that" he said!)

c: He knows he'll look like a horrible person if he doesn't come and cheer me on in my first race ever.

He sometimes seems to focus on the 'I want to be there and see how happy it makes you' part and then reverts back to the 'it costs so much and I could put that money towards better things'. Roller coaster conversations to say the least.

The best things I can do right now is find the best price for this trip. It'll be during the free DDP offers but I don't know if we should do that or hope for hotel discounts. I know that the race offers 'special prices' for select resorts but they don't seem all that cheap. I'm going to try this weekend and snag a more up-to-date planning book while the book stores here are having a sale. I know the race weekend is in a peak season and I'm wondering if it'd be better to make a second reservation for after the race weekend for the rest of our stay to get a lower price.

I'm just wondering if the DDP is worth it at the expense of a possible room discount (not that I've found any and I have no idea how to get the PINs). It'd be his first time so I think we'd do a couple of Table Service restaurants and he's usually a voracious eater. Prices would be an issue for him and he would probably choose to not order pricier, nicer things if he had to worry about the prices (and/or he'd complain after, which has happened in the past on short trips).

I apologize for the long-winded post... I think I'm just babbling because I'm at a loss as to how to show him how awesome this trip could be!

Thanks for any suggestions you guys can provide!

 

[Pjimmeyer]

Hmmmmm. How about some of those travel channel shows about Disney? Those come on quite regularly. You could also get the free DVD they will send you from the WDW website that help in planning a trip. Seeing these things might pique his interest a bit more. Also, you can order a free set of very nice maps from WDW so that he can physically see how much there is to do in the parks. You can even match these things to individual ride videos on youtube.

I wish I could think of better ideas to help out. Hopefully others will chime in with a few more ideas. It might come down to him seeing how very much it means to you.

Best of luck to you and

 

[disneychic2]

Not sure going during the 1/2 marathon for his first time would be that great. Since he hates crowds, I would try for a time when there are the least crowds. I agree that the specials on the travel channel would be helpful.

Bottom line is, there is potential for his ruining your "happy place" for you on this trip. Sounds like he really doesn't want to go. Why not grab a girlfriend and your mom and make it a girls trip?

My 17 year old son had no interest in Disney and DH and I were planning our trip there when he walked into the room, saw the video and decided he did want to go. We all went and had a blast! So, good luck to you, hope it works out!

 

[ddoconnell]

Definitely the Travel Channel videos....they show alot of the different things that WDW offers! If he still tells you that he doesn't really want to go then I would have to agree with a previous poster and tell you to get a girl's trip together and go and enjoy yourself!

 

[Saylan]

Thnks for the suggestions!

I have ordered the video, just waiting for it to arrive. Unfortunately, we can't order the custom maps in Canada, just print them (and they end up getting chopped up).

Unfortunately, I don't have any girlfriends who would want to go. My mother said she'd be going only to cheer me on in the race and my father (in another conversation) has said they have no intention of going again so I'm not sure they're likely to go with me.

I'v told my boyfriend that he doesn't have to go, but he needs to decide so I know how many tickets to order. He seems to be against me going alone but I said I don't want to make him do something he doesn't want to and it wouldn't be fun for either of us. He's started to sit with me while I look through some up-to-date planning books this weekend. I don't think he realised that this "I hate rides, it's not worth it" stuff was really starting to upset me.

As for going during the race: Yeah, I thought about the crowds too. I've thought of maybe waiting till Star Wars weekends in May, but for myself I really want to do the race, so I'm just not sure if I should go alone for the weekend and plan a trip for us another time. I suppose that's another option.