WDW with an Anti-Disney Spouse?

[crostorfer]

I know I can't be the only one....

Let me start by saying that I love my husband dearly, but we are very, very different. I absolutely love Disney and Disney World and I am sooooo looking forward to the opportunity to take my daughter there to experience every single darn princessey thing there is to do there. I don't care if there is a 60 minute wait in 90 degree weather to ride Splash Mountain, I will just be happy to be there...that and having read every guide book, being there once myself, and reading this board I have come to expect these things. I starting planning our trip when we found out that we were getting the economic stimulus check. When I originally planned for this, I planned on me just taking my 5 year old alone because I knew that my husband wasn't interested. Now all of a sudden he wants to go. The three things my husband hates most in this world are :

1. Heat
2. Large Crowds
3. Waiting in line for anything. (We can't go out to dinner b/c he won't wait 20 minutes for a table!!!)

So in a nutshell, he is going to be muy miserable at every park on every day. Does anyone have any suggestions for Dad diversions? I am so not opposed to spending our "family" vacation apart if it will keep him from making me and DD miserable. I've already planned to shell out the dough for the Dale Earnhardt nascar racing excursion, and I'm drawing a map from our hotel to the Boardwalk so he can sit in the ESPN Zone, and I'm planning a world beer tour at Epcot. Is there a Hooters near the WDW entrance? Maybe a gentleman's club I can send him to? I just need to keep him cool, distracted, and happy. Help me!!!

P.S. To let you know how non-Disney savvy my DH is, he thought the $1500 we get from the stimulus would cover a weeks hotel, park tickets, and any spending money we would need for the 3 of us. Ha ha ha ha ha

 

[trekkie2]

no great suggestions, but my sisters husband is really sweet and does not like Disney for the same reasons that your spouse doesn't. the best part is that he doesn't care if my sister and I go. we had a great trip in January, he got to stay home and eat fast food and watch football for a week and we got disney. hope you find a good solution

 

[RMulieri]

MY DH HATES disney.Flat out refused to go back for years.This Sept we are taking my DD4.What changed? nothing.He still HATES disney.But I think that because I gave him the choice to go with us as a family or stay home probably helped.Plus, it is no longer all about just him or me.This is about our DD( I think that won him over)I also told him if he was going to be miserable while we are there to stay at the resort.His brother has been working on him, and finally got him to admit that he may actually enjoy himself.I love my DH dearly but he does not get the "magic".Maybe because his parents never took him anywhere.No day trips,parks,beaches or family vacations.His mom said that my FIL was not into all that family stuff.My family went on an anuual trip to WDW or some other destination.TO ease Dh into it ,I did let him pick the resort and most of the dining choices.The one thing I will not budge on is MNSSHP.He says no.I say it is the only thing I want for my birthday this year, and I have always wanted to go.He can stay at the resort if he chooses .

 

[dawnball]

We just got back from a week-long trip with my disney-hating spouse. He hates exactly the same things your husband does. Heat, lines, crowds. He also thinks that most of the rides are lame.

What we did:

We stayed offsite, at Windsor Hills. Having some extra space to spread out in at night really helped a lot. We did no sit-down dinners on property, because the food isn't worth the waiting. We did visit the Outback once, and went early so there was no waiting for a table.

My husband did 2 theme-park days (one MK and one AK). Our group was large (DH, DD and I, my parents, my sister, my niece) so we split up and got together a lot. That let DH ride all the bigger rides (splash, BTMRR, Everest, Everest, Everest) and we used FP for everything we could. If there was a wait for our FP to mature - we rode things that had no line, or we grabbed an ice cream, or whatever.

We did several water-park days - the water parks had no lines to speak of, since we weren't interested in summit plummet - just tube rides, lazy river, and the family raft ride. Sometimes after the water parks the rest of us would head into a theme park and let him have some alone/down time in the townhouse.

We took a day completely off - went and picked citrus, hung out in the windsor hills pool, etc. We took the backroads segway tour at Fort Wilderness, and that was a lot of fun - very outdoorsy and no real waiting.

We were also very careful to pick lower-crowd options - the ferry is less crowded than the monorail, but takes longer. We walked from the car to the gates instead of taking the tram, etc.

It really went very well, and DH enjoyed himself, although he did say that 2 park days were enough for him.

Now we're planning a Busch Garden's Williamsburg trip for next spring, and I have to be sure not to over-schedule us, since I'd like to do everything - and that will make him crazy and cranky.

 

[Asellus]

I would also suggest that you go in off season....the crowds will be less. I sympathize with you...my husband hates lines and crowds too. (He does however know how much it costs....which does make it harder)
Blame Disney for the 1500 thing.Oh- also I don't do well in heat either...thats why I am going in December (average temps seem to be in the 60s)

 

[snickerboo]

My dh hates all of those things, too, but he loves WDW. Don't count out how the magic will effect your dh, especially when he sees how magical it is for his little princess. I'd also say do the rope drop park entry thing so it's less crowded when he's there and rides are easier to get on, and go back to your resort/hotel when you can tell the crowds are getting to him. And if he knows you're going to do that for him, he'll probably be more agreeable. This is what we always do and we go back at night for parades and fireworks. Take frozen water bottles in a backpack and keep them out of the sun so they stay cold longer. If he likes a cold beer, wouldn't hurt to get a room with a mini-fridge at a minimum so he can get a cold beer we he goes back to the resort!

 

[tina_la]

are we married to the same person?

really that is my husband also. He had never been (did you say if your husband has?). This past Sept changed his mind.

He HAtes crowds so Sept was perfect for us. When I was planning he would say why are you doing all that? The foolish man thought you just showed up at disney and were done. (I wonder where we would have eat with him making ADR's. who am I kidding he still doesn't know what a ADR is)

He had a blast (he does enjoy rides but I think it was the family time away from the stresses of work). LOved it so much he made me book for this year too. Still doesn't want to make plans or talk about it which is why I get on here.

 

[Deffenm]

DH does not like WDW either. Last Sept. we went and I booked him a fishing excursion so he would get to do something he enjoyed. He loved it and had a great guide but once his 2 hours were up he was ready to go home again. The only other thing that made the trip some what enjoyable for him was the "Free" food. He loved the sit down resteraunts. He said the only way he would go back is if we ate every meal at a sit down resteraunt, we stay at Wilderness Lodge or Ft. Wilderness, and he did not have to go into the parks every day. So since we are a family of 5 it is going to take me a long time to save up enough money to meet his needs.

 

[Mickey1974]

My husband claims he doesn't "hate" Disney, he's just not as enthused about it as the kids and I are. His only trip has been in July of '05 when we went on a whim with some friends. I had never been there during that time so I had no idea! When we got home he confessed that it wasn't what he expected it would be...he was disappointed. So now I keep telling him that I'll take him in January when we usually go, there's virtually no crowds then, the sweltering heat is turned off and you can walk onto almost every ride. So we'll see if that can turn him around.

 

[Taja]

I know I can't be the only one....

Let me start by saying that I love my husband dearly, but we are very, very different. I absolutely love Disney and Disney World and I am sooooo looking forward to the opportunity to take my daughter there to experience every single darn princessey thing there is to do there. I don't care if there is a 60 minute wait in 90 degree weather to ride Splash Mountain, I will just be happy to be there...that and having read every guide book, being there once myself, and reading this board I have come to expect these things. I starting planning our trip when we found out that we were getting the economic stimulus check. When I originally planned for this, I planned on me just taking my 5 year old alone because I knew that my husband wasn't interested. Now all of a sudden he wants to go. The three things my husband hates most in this world are :

1. Heat
2. Large Crowds
3. Waiting in line for anything. (We can't go out to dinner b/c he won't wait 20 minutes for a table!!!)

So in a nutshell, he is going to be muy miserable at every park on every day. Does anyone have any suggestions for Dad diversions? I am so not opposed to spending our "family" vacation apart if it will keep him from making me and DD miserable. I've already planned to shell out the dough for the Dale Earnhardt nascar racing excursion, and I'm drawing a map from our hotel to the Boardwalk so he can sit in the ESPN Zone, and I'm planning a world beer tour at Epcot. Is there a Hooters near the WDW entrance? Maybe a gentleman's club I can send him to? I just need to keep him cool, distracted, and happy. Help me!!!

P.S. To let you know how non-Disney savvy my DH is, he thought the $1500 we get from the stimulus would cover a weeks hotel, park tickets, and any spending money we would need for the 3 of us. Ha ha ha ha ha

Believe it or not, there is! Or was--probably still is! Not too far from DTD. So that takes care of one evening or afternoon for him!

What does he like to do on vacation? Just hang out and sleep in? If so, ask him to agree to one park day at the beginning of your vacation, then let him just relax--unless he chooses to join you.

Oh! And at DTD there is a cigar place--I think it's kind of a jazz club that has cigar smoking. Sort of a gentleman's club, if he enjoys that! Although I should say there was. I noticed it 2006, but wasn't looking for it in 2007, so no guarantees!

 

[kg66]

Let's just start by saying that my DH has come a long way, in the past 15 years. He went from telling me that he would NEVER travel, to , "we're going in September for the 5th time in 4 years!!!! This trip will be our first with Free DIning so I think this will be the start of something wonderful. Knowing when we go down there, everything is pretty much paid for, except for bkfsts and spending money.
Whenever we spend money on a long weekend at a waterpark resort(Great Wolf Lodge) or just a w/e away, he always says, "for that much we could have stayed at Disney for a week". I've got him trained!!!
This trip he just asked for more pool time and down time, so for a 10 night stay I purchased a 4 day PH with Fun passes. This gives us 4 park days, plus 4 Water park & Fun Passes, plus MNSSHP.
We'll see if this works for him.
But like I said, he's come a long way since our first trip in 2004!!!

 

[wdwdasiy]

Just read your post to my husband and he said he will be happy to come along to keep your DH company
Really, my DH hated the idea of WDW as well when we first took our DD for her 5th birthday. Now DD is 12 and DS is 5 and we have gone most every year. DH says he can take it or leave it but every year he tells me to "start planning or what every it is you do on that computer for hours at a time".

 

[crostorfer]

MY DH HATES disney.Flat out refused to go back for years.This Sept we are taking my DD4.What changed? nothing.He still HATES disney.But I think that because I gave him the choice to go with us as a family or stay home probably helped.Plus, it is no longer all about just him or me.This is about our DD( I think that won him over)I also told him if he was going to be miserable while we are there to stay at the resort.His brother has been working on him, and finally got him to admit that he may actually enjoy himself.I love my DH dearly but he does not get the "magic".Maybe because his parents never took him anywhere.No day trips,parks,beaches or family vacations.His mom said that my FIL was not into all that family stuff.My family went on an anuual trip to WDW or some other destination.TO ease Dh into it ,I did let him pick the resort and most of the dining choices.The one thing I will not budge on is MNSSHP.He says no.I say it is the only thing I want for my birthday this year, and I have always wanted to go.He can stay at the resort if he chooses .

Wow, come to think of it, I bet thats the only reason my husband wants to go, I said that DD and I are going no matter what so you can either go or stay here by yourself. He has chosen the former over the latter. My hubby's family never went anywhere on family vacations or anything either, I think it has stunted his fun-loving growth.

 

[crostorfer]

My dh hates all of those things, too, but he loves WDW. Don't count out how the magic will effect your dh, especially when he sees how magical it is for his little princess. I'd also say do the rope drop park entry thing so it's less crowded when he's there and rides are easier to get on, and go back to your resort/hotel when you can tell the crowds are getting to him. And if he knows you're going to do that for him, he'll probably be more agreeable. This is what we always do and we go back at night for parades and fireworks. Take frozen water bottles in a backpack and keep them out of the sun so they stay cold longer. If he likes a cold beer, wouldn't hurt to get a room with a mini-fridge at a minimum so he can get a cold beer we he goes back to the resort!

I am planning our trip for the last week of April 2009. Hot enough for Typhoon Lagoon, but not oppresive heat, and lighter crowds after Easter. Our hotel comes with a fridge, (yahoo!), and I've decided the best course of action is for my 5 yr old and I to get up at the crack of dawn and be there for the rope drop and let Hubs sleep in every day. He can meet up with us later on his schedule and he can get some alone time.

 

[crostorfer]

DH does not like WDW either. Last Sept. we went and I booked him a fishing excursion so he would get to do something he enjoyed. He loved it and had a great guide but once his 2 hours were up he was ready to go home again. The only other thing that made the trip some what enjoyable for him was the "Free" food. He loved the sit down resteraunts. He said the only way he would go back is if we ate every meal at a sit down resteraunt, we stay at Wilderness Lodge or Ft. Wilderness, and he did not have to go into the parks every day. So since we are a family of 5 it is going to take me a long time to save up enough money to meet his needs.

I am actually considering changing resorts just so he can rent a boat and fish. We're military and booked at the Shades of Green across from the Poly, but that resort isn't lake or riverside. I'm considering switching to the Port Orleans Riverside because the Alligator Bayou section suits him and he can fish from the resort. Shades is such a bargain though, I don't know....

 

[crostorfer]

Believe it or not, there is! Or was--probably still is! Not too far from DTD. So that takes care of one evening or afternoon for him!

What does he like to do on vacation? Just hang out and sleep in? If so, ask him to agree to one park day at the beginning of your vacation, then let him just relax--unless he chooses to join you.

Oh! And at DTD there is a cigar place--I think it's kind of a jazz club that has cigar smoking. Sort of a gentleman's club, if he enjoys that! Although I should say there was. I noticed it 2006, but wasn't looking for it in 2007, so no guarantees!

Thanks for the info, I'm going to look at the Hooters site right now, he can spend the whole vacay there as long as it keeps him happy!!!