How much time do you spend at the outlets & DTD?

[laughinplace199]

I need a good strategy for our next trip. DH hates shopping, so he usually waits in the car with DD9. He calls my cel every 20 min to see if I am done yet. On the other hand, I LOVE to shop and can spend well over an hour (or more) at each WDW outlet store, and more at the World of Disney... The problem is it takes me a ton of time to navigate the stuff, then go through the tons I picked up. Do you have any special strategies or tips to get through everything quicker, so I get my shopping fix, and DH doesn't get antsy? Me going alone isn't an option- I can get lost if you spin me around, and yes, he takes a portable dvd player and DD has her DS in the car. The WDW outlet stores are the biggest challenge. TIA!

This is a joke, right?

 

[duffy]

I sure hope this is a troll thread, but what the hey, I'll bite:

1. You could take your child with you.

2. You could leave your cell behind, or at least shut it off, so that your husband's passive-aggressive method of trying to control you won't work.

3. You could take a bus or a cab so you don't have to worry about getting lost.

4. You could use the maps of the area so that you don't get lost shopping. Grown ups who are in a new, unfamiliar place learn where to go, why can't you?

5. You could buy a gps. And learn to use it. Again, part of the being a grown-up.

He's being passive-aggressive by calling you every 20 minutes, and you're being passive-aggressive by using the "I get lost if I get turned around" ploy. He needs to get a grip and let you shop in peace, and you need to learn to get around on your own feet, for God's sake.

I feel sorry for your child, who has to sit in a car and miss the sights at Downtown Disney. She won't enjoy the Lego Store? The dragon statue in the water? The stores? What the heck?

 

[Alesia]

If I were traveling with people who didn't like to shop & I did, I'd be the one doing the adjusting.

If you're staying onsite, DTD is easy--just take the bus. That way, your husband & daughter can do something else--be it the pool, a park, or just sitting around doing nothing. Then you hop on the bus and go back when you're done.

If you must do the outlets (and I must agree with those who say outlets are over hyped) either use GPS to get there or maybe even take a taxi. Again, your husband and daughter can do what they want.

I agree. There are plenty of options that don't require your husband and daughter to spend hours waiting for you in the car.

I feel sorry for your child, who has to sit in a car and miss the sights at Downtown Disney. She won't enjoy the Lego Store? The dragon statue in the water? The stores? What the heck?

I can't speak for the OP, but although my daughter like DTD well enough, she would rather die than spend hours (or even 20 minutes) shopping in outlet malls. I'm assuming that her daughter doesn't enjoy it either.

 

[frannn]

DD doesn't enjoy shopping as much as I do; she prefers to play her DS. I have urged them to do something on their own, and they have, on occasion, left to get snacks, gas, etc. DTD is not a big issue. The outlet stores I like to visit are the WDW merchandise stores, and the Dooney store. I can spend time in there. To respond to an earlier poster, I am extremely responsible and grown up, and own a GPS. I choose not to drive to the outlets on my own because 1) we rent the car with DH being the sole driver, 2) I am uncomfortable driving an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar state. Other people may have no issue with this, but I do. DH chooses to sit in the lot because we are hoping it will be quick...we usually have an ADR or park scheduled for after the stores. My point in asking the question is to see if anyone had a strategy to make the shopping go quicker or more organized. For example, loved the tip about going to DTD early in the morning. If there's a best day to visit the WDW outlet store (like when they get a shipment of new stuff), that would be good to know. I would like to get the shopping done quicker so we can get on with the fun stuff. Wish anyone here who had a hurtful comment would just keep it to themselves, any productive advice is appreciated.

 

[kirstenb1]

okay, about the strategy. We have Williamsburg Prime outlets about ninety minutes from home here. So the Orlando outlets, I try to hit only the stores we don't have here, or the ones I really love. I'm kind of minimalist, so that means Coach, Adidas, and I just realized Orlando has a North Face outlet. I find the Disney outlets hit or miss, so they're optional. so it's just like WDW, figure out your "must do" attractions, and leave the rest optional.

I drive west and either take the exit before Sea World, or the Sea
World exit, and then backtrack a few miles. I'm really old school, and although dh has GPS, I just go by my instincts, and have never gotten lost. I know the sun is up in the east for sunrise, and sets in the west. If I have a watch, I generally can figure out where I am. I do the outlets in the evening, one night, while dh and the kids are back at the room.

My advice is to put yourself on the rental agreement as a driver. The outlets are really pretty close, like 6 miles or so. If you get turned around, they're on International Drive, which connects alll the attractions one way or another. Just get a paper map, and a Sharpie, and you can do this.

 

[ValpoCory]

I need a good strategy for our next trip. DH hates shopping, so he usually waits in the car with DD9. He calls my cel every 20 min to see if I am done yet.

Wow. Sorry, but what a jerk, especially if that is a conscious or subconscious passive aggressive move against you doing something you love just because he doesn't like it.

If I did that to my wife, she'd never let me take her shopping again.

 

[ValpoCory]

Not too be rude, but the problem isn't your indecisive shopping. The problem is your husband's attitude and unwillingness to get out of the car. Also, why is your daughter not coming with you? Why is she not able to enjoy the activities because he wants to pout in the car and harass you every 20 minutes?

I'm sorry, but you need to tell him to get a grip, get your child out of that car and enjoy your vacation without him calling you three times an hour. Quite frankly, I'd stop doing anything he wanted on vacation until he got the message.

I hope you find a solution that works for you and you are able to enjoy your trip and relax.

Bingo. This isn't the 1950s anymore.

 

[stitchlovestink]

You do understand that for the most part those outlets shops are rip offs? The prices are usually quite higher than in full price retail shops when sales are in place. The merchandise is shoddy; either made for outlets or abused and tattered from full price retail.

Disney outlets are the exception, but the merchandise there bears careful examination before purchase.

If you don't mind all those factors then have at it, but we've always found far better bargains for higher quality merchandise at shops other than the outlets.

I have to respectfully disagree with this statement. The WDW owned outlet stores carry first quality merchandise at steep discounts that is previous season or has been discontinued. I have found some incredible deals at those outlet stores!!! Especially on DCL mds as they really don't 'typically' reduce much in the stores on the ship.

But to address the OP's question...I think the best suggestion I can make it to just work your way across the store from one side to the other and not criss cross that way you not back tracking and wasting more time going from side to side multiple times. I find I tend to do that! Something on the Other side catches my eye and I MUST go see it right then and then I have to go back and I lose track, did I look at this rack yet? and if I think I am strongly interested, I put it in my basket. Then once I am done, I go thru my basket and
'weed out' based on how much I put in there. That way I don't have to go back and try to find something that I liked if I didn't find much. And if I found too much, I decide what I like better. Plus if there's only one or two left, someone else could come along and pick it up while you are 'thinking' about it. You can always put it back but you can't take it from another customer. I don't know if any of those suggestions are of help to you, but that is how I shop the Disney outlets. And as far as the hubby calling you every 20 min, might I suggest having a conversation prior to your going into the store about a better expected amount of shopping time. Maybe telling him, I expect I'm going to need at least an hour to shop, why don't you check in with me in 45 minutes so that way I'm not having to stop and dig out my phone every 20 minutes to tell you I'm not done. and then don't answer your phone until the 45 minutes are up...

 

[ValpoCory]

As far as the strategy about DTD, I've been to Disney World ~20 nights as a parent and have never been to DTD in that time. I went back in my teens before I was married, but with kids, my wife and I have a strategy where we always swap nights out while at Disney World.

Our kids go to bed "early", by 9pm. On nights where a park is open with Extra Magic Hours (EMH) until midnight or later, usually I get to go out on my own and have fun while my wife stays with the kids. On nights without EMH, I stay with the kids and my wife goes out to DTD, doing something she loves. Occasionally my wife wants to stay at the Magic Kingdom during EMH to shop, so I take the kids back to the hotel and put them to bed and stay with them.

That method is not for everyone, but it works for us, and keeps the kids on a somewhat normal sleeping pattern.

 

[stitchlovestink]

As far as the strategy about DTD, I've been to Disney World ~20 nights as a parent and have never been to DTD in that time. I went back in my teens before I was married, but with kids, my wife and I have a strategy when we always swap nights out while at Disney World.

Our kids go to bed "early", by 9pm. On nights where a park is open with Extra Magic Hours (EMH) until midnight or later, usually I get to go out on my own and have fun while my wife stays with the kids. On nights without EMH, I stay with the kids and my wife goes out to DTD, doing something she loves. Occasionally my wife wants to stay at the Magic Kingdom during EMH to shop, so I take the kids back to the hotel and put them to bed and stay with them.

That method is not for everyone, but it works for us, and keeps the kids on a somewhat normal sleeping pattern.

That is what you would call 'compromise'

 

[Alesia]

Not too be rude, but the problem isn't your indecisive shopping. The problem is your husband's attitude and unwillingness to get out of the car. Also, why is your daughter not coming with you? Why is she not able to enjoy the activities because he wants to pout in the car and harass you every 20 minutes?

I'm sorry, but you need to tell him to get a grip, get your child out of that car and enjoy your vacation without him calling you three times an hour. Quite frankly, I'd stop doing anything he wanted on vacation until he got the message.

I hope you find a solution that works for you and you are able to enjoy your trip and relax.

I'm not really understanding how this is the husband's fault. The OP wants to shop even though the rest of her family doesn't enjoy it, but she refuses to drive herself or take public transportation. The only other option is for him to drive her. The OP has made it clear that this is what she prefers. Why she prefers for her family to wait for hours in the car instead of her just taking a cab or a bus and letting them go to the park or something is beyond me, but obviously that is her preference.

I also don't get the feeling that her husband is forcing the daughter to stay with him, so it's pretty likely that either she doesn't care for shopping shopping or her mother doesn't want her to come with her. Why should be be drug through outlet after outlet when she'd probably much rather play her DS?

 

[Maggie Lizer]

OP, I suggest your strategy be you head off on the Disney bus by yourself one day to do your DTD shopping and then your DH and DD can do whatever they want (and not sit in a car for hours on end). Then, you all meet up at the resort in the afternoon or evening.
And I'd skip the offsite outlets if it meant my DH would be sitting in the car harassing me by cell phone every few minutes. Nothing would be worth that monkey business.

 

[duffy]

Ok, let's agree that the husband does prefer sitting in the car watching his dvds and the daughter does prefer playing with her Nintendo.

If the original poster really wants to spend hours and hours shopping, why is her husband calling every 20 minutes, if he really does enjoy being in the car?

If he just enjoys calling so often, the original poster can cope several ways. My way would be to leave my phone with him. That way, everyone is happy! Husband can sit in the car, watch his dvds. Daughter can play for hours on her Nintendo. Wife can shop. (Why does he need to call every 20 minutes? Just to be annoying, I'd say.)

Not something we'd enjoy-sounds like hell to me, for everyone!-but, I don't know why this isn't possible.

I also don't know why it isn't possible for the original poster to just go by herself. She could go by herself, and if the husband and daughter want to spend the same time sitting in the car in the parking lot of their hotel, they can. This way, she's actually being independent, but I guess that's not really an option.

 

[courtneydisney]

I love to shop and go exploring in Celebration, and DH and the kids (now adults) go to the hotel pool or a water park.

Are there a lot of cool things to see in Celebration? I have a car for one day on my upcoming trip in March, I might want to add that to the list!

 

[North of Mouse]

I love to shop/browse - my husband not so much, but we always enjoy walking around DTD by the lake relaxing. If I see a shop I want to go in, no problem, my husband may make a quick survey, then cheerfully goes back out and enjoys sitting on a bench by the lake - no biggie As for the outlets, other than Disney and a couple other stores, we neither like. He usually walks around while I hit those, then we leave. We have lots of them not far from us and don't tempt us, because as a PP said, most of them are rips, I can do far better at the clearances at our local stores or nice consignment shops. Ever seen those bumper stickers - "Born To Shop"? That's me I'm not a big spender, but I sure love to browse - "cheap therapy" I call it Now, at home - different story - I just take off for the day by myself or friend and take my time!

 

[Kae]

Me if I was in your shoes I would skip the outlets. And hop over DTD one morning have DH & DD meet you in a park or sleep in & then meet at the resort for pool time & lunch.

Kae

 

[FergieTCat]

OP, your post sounds so absurd to me I can't help but wonder if you're making it up just to get a reaction. Honestly, he can't think of anything to do at WDW while you are shopping but wait in the car and watch DVDs, which obviously aren't satisfying him, since he's calling you every twenty minutes?

And honestly, you can't figure out some way to get to shopping centers without your husband?

I seriously think people come on here and make up ridiculous scenarios just to bust chops.

My friend's husband would do (and has done) the same thing in a heartbeat. It's a control issue with him. Personally, I'd conveniently forget to turn on my cell phone. Or forget it in the car. Or tell him I'll call when I'm done and then turn off my cell phone.

There is no reason why he can't behave himself for an hour or so why she shops. Surely, he can entertain himself and DD9.

I give you credit, OP. I don't have enough patience for that nonsense.

 

[bookgirl]

We usually leave my step dad at the hotel if we go shopping.

But even when I'm solo, I do usually an afternoon of shopping (I'm not really a browser, I typically know the 4 or 5 shops I want to go to and I go there and buy and then leave) and both times I did DTD I did an evening (like 3 hours) again hit the two or three shops I wanted, then leave.

I do however tend to walk the whole thing as I like to walk and look I just don't do much in store 'maybe I'll find something to buy if I look around enough' shopping. I usually will also plan a snack or meal.

Okay statagies I get it.

Set a time limit. One hour per store (since you say you only do disney and dooney that's only two hours). If you have a limit you'll have to stick to it, and that way they'll have an expectation of how long you'll be. If you want to browse other stores than you'll have to budget accordingly. They will have to understand that those are your two hours. Constant phone calls means you have to make up those minutes, if they call you get to extend your time. If they can't work in those limits then there's more problems than a message board can solve. Hope you work it out.

 

[stitchlovestink]

there's a couple of things I'm going to say:
first off, if I have the time in my trip, I personally would NOT skip the Disney owned outlet stores. I have found some of my very best treasures at these stores. And they do have some great bargains. But, that is just me. I LOVE those stores! I also only go to those stores at the complex. I don't waste my time at any of the other outlet stores. We pretty much have all of the others close to me at home with the exception of a select few.
I personally wouldn't take a cab to the outlets. That's going to be pretty costly and eat into my savings of going to the outlet stores! and why would I choose to do this when I have access to a vehicle? Okay, I now know how to get to the outlets on my own. But for reasons of our own, I won't go by myself if DH is on the trip. Sure, DH doesn't enjoy shopping but he goes along because he loves me and he knows how much I enjoy it. How much I love to go to those two stores and to make sure I am safe. Safe because I have some personal medical stuff going on. And if I needed him, it would take (in our opinions) too long for him to get to me if I had the car and he was back at the resort. So our compromise is he comes with me. He would rather be a "little miserable" (lol) and know that I am safe than be comfortable but "very worried" while I was gone. He will go to the Harley Davidson store at the one outlet complex and he people watches some or window shops. He does offer to hold things for me. but if he senses from me that he is hovering too much (I give him the 'eye'), He's good about 'entertaining himself for a half hour or so and then checking back. Sometimes he finds something interesting for himself. Sometimes, he sits on a bench and just chills. But he knows how much I look forward to that part of my vacation. I talk about it. And how ironic that his biggest surprise and favorite Christmas gift this year was at item that I found at one of the outlet stores! And it was only $5.99!!
As far as Downtown Disney, this is very easy to do on your own. Or you could try it like we do. We start there as a family and when DH and DD have had their fill, they go back to the resort. And DH takes the existing pkgs with him. they take a break for a bit. And then when I get back we regroup and decide what we are going to do that night. or if we did DTD in the evening, they just go to bed before me. I'm a nightowl anyway!
So, If it's not shopping strategy or compromise that OP is looking for, I'm not sure how else to help. Sorry for rambling.... I tend to do that from time to time.