My Boyfriend Doesn't Like Disney!

[PrinceCharming28]

My boyfriend and I have been dating for 7 months (it's actually our 7 month anniversary today). He says I'm too obsessed with Disneyland and gets annoyed when I talk about it. He calls it a kids amusement park and thinks it's weird that I love something that's so childish. Disneyland is a really big part of my life and has been for a long time. It breaks my heart a bit that the person I love most in the world doesn't want me to talk about my favorite thing in the world. I think he's so mature that he's forgotten how to be a kid again. Any ideas on how I can get him to like Disney more?

 

[disneyaddict101]

My boyfriend and I have been dating for 7 months (it's actually our 7 month anniversary today). He says I'm too obsessed with Disneyland and gets annoyed when I talk about it. He calls it a kids amusement park and thinks it's weird that I love something that's so childish. Disneyland is a really big part of my life and has been for a long time. It breaks my heart a bit that the person I love most in the world doesn't want me to talk about my favorite thing in the world. I think he's so mature that he's forgotten how to be a kid again. Any ideas on how I can get him to like Disney more?

You can't really force someone to like Disney. If they don't they don't. I'm lucky enough to have a bf who loves Disney. What I think you should do is sit down with him and tell him what it means to you. Ask him to give it a chance. Maybe watch a Disney movie. Even doing some research may help too. Look up stuff on Walt Disney, how Disney came to be. Even how some of the rides were made. For a more mature person it could make it more interesting. But don't like talk about it 24/7. I could see were that (not saying thats what you do!) would bother someone. I think explaining where your coming from to him might help. good luck!!!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I agree with the above poster's comments. But just remember mature people respect their partner's opinions and passions and doesn't belittle them. Just make sure you are getting the respect you deserve.

 

[BecBennett]

Kick him to the curb! you can do better!!

All that aside, my DH sounds very similar, however I ignore his protestations and continue to talk about Disney to him anyway

I'm so good at it I even convinced him to get married at WDW. DH doesn't enjoy the parks as much as me, but he does admit that when Disney does something, they generally do it better then everyone else, which is why he relented to the wedding.

Don't talk to him about the parks, talk to him about things that he would enjoy doing, when I convince DH about the next disney trip I want to take, I start talking about the meals we can get, or when it comes to WDW about things like the driving experience. Stuff that he will get excited about.

 

[lana772]

I agree with the above poster's comments. But just remember mature people respect their partner's opinions and passions and doesn't belittle them. Just make sure you are getting the respect you deserve.

I completely agree with this. Respect is a MAJOR part of love.

Also- When DH and I were dating I didn't like DL either. I had only had bad experiences with it. It took 10 years, but my DH got me there. Now he says that he created a Disney monster.
Maybe your BF doesn't have any happy Disney memories and you should make some with him.

Lana

 

[Goofy_Mom]

I "warned" my DH of my Disney obbsesion before we started to seriously date. I let him know that it's a big part of my life and that we (at the time my DD and I) went at least once a year. He had never been. He had never been. He likes to go with us, but not all day. We usually start the day together and then he'll go watch a movie or hang out in the hotel. Sometimes our son will want to go hang with his dad so DD and I can move a little faster in the evening hours and do some stuff that a little one doesn't like to do.

 

[carisa81]

I love Disney, and all things Disney, too. My DH thinks Disneyland can be fun, but he is, in no way, the fan that I am. I'm lucky that he likes going one time a year. If it were up to me, we would go twice a yr. I ALMOST got my way this yr, but my in laws didn't want to go. They don't like Disney. Boo. Poor me. I don't have any advice for you, except make some fun memories with him in Disneyland, and hopefully he can, slowly, become a fan.

 

[Beach Mouse]

Dump him!

 

[MatterhornYeti]

Time to get rid of him for someone else.

 

[StageTek]

I agree with Beach Mouse and MatterhornYeti. Respect is a wonderful thing, but that’s
different than mutual enjoyment. I dumped a girlfriend after a few months when she
didn’t share my love of Disney. She was respectful but we never really had a good
time at Disneyland because she thought the whole place was for kids. Not worth it.
So I found someone who shared my passion. Night and day difference going with
someone who is going because they love the park (and you) rather than going because
they are being respectful.

Many people in my life thought I was crazy to dump her over that. I didn’t.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Dating is a time to see if you two are a match. Maybe it isn't a match. Or if you think it is, then accept that you probably won't be going to DLR with him and decide if that's how you want to live your life. Don't count on being able to change him. (If he does ever change his mind- that's a bonus. Just don't count on it).

 

[sherilaine]

Not trying to pry but your age and his would shed more light on this. If you are both teenagers, then that is much more different than if you are in your 30s say.

Obsessions, such as one for Disney, can be the most innocent of things. But as we age, life tends to wash down the time we have for such obssessions - although it is an incredibly great escape from and reward for, the most serious parts of our lives, to just lose yourself in this magical world.

I think respect is a big part of a relationship, but that has to go both ways as well - sometimes people do not share similar interests and dating is a way to work that through. 7 months in? My suggestion is to be yourself and let him be himself and if things do not work out, then better to find out now.

 

[awdsmama]

Has he been to Disneyland? Did he have a bad experience there?

 

[blackjackdelta]

Dump him!

I agree, why start with a person who does not enjoy what you do, your swimming upriver.

Jack

 

[ahsquared]

My husband does t love disney, but he likes it enough to get us a dvc membership and takes us every two years. I can't imagine someone not liking Disney!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I'm ROFL about the "dump him" posts. But really, if this is a huge issue for you, I'd consider moving on. Common interests can be important but not necessary HOWEVER, respect is key. Always.

My husband is a total dork lately for steampunk. Do I wanna do anything steampunky? HECK NO! However, I totally love seeing the weird stuff he creates for it. I'm proud of all of the things he makes/comes up with because he is SO PROUD (and really, they are fantastic.)

I would never tell him he's silly for liking something that is so important to him. I have told him that I totally understand WHY he likes it (he's creative) and I'm glad he found a cool/weird hobby.

I've met people who don't 'get' our love for Disneyland. We don't love characters..we don't love characters outside the parks, we don't love the merchandise (with a few exceptions) but we love Disneyland. Those people's opinions don't matter to me. . . but my husband's opinion would hurt my feelings if he said that stuff to me, ya know?

I realize that this isn't what you're asking..so I apologize for joining in the 're-evaluate' camp LOL.

You can't change someone. You can show them what you see and if they still don't see it, they probably won't. You either will need to be ok with that (and so will HE) or it might be time to explore other options. In ANY CASE, he needs some respect, yo

 

[larina]

So, how are things with the boyfriend?