Well...I finally got the NO I was expecting.

[stamot]

Im sorry for you. Maybe you guys need to come to a balance. I dont negotiate with my husband. He knew what he was getting when he marry me. I he dont want to come then he can stay home.

This happened to me recently as well. My wife said to me "I am tired of these trips to WDW. We either go somewhere new or i am going to leave you".

Man, I really am going to miss her

 

[Magpie]

There is NO free "fastpass" at universal .Either you stay at a Universal resort and get unlimited express pass( not good for Forbidden Journey,Rip,Ride Rocket ,ollivanders or Pteranodon flyers), or you have to BUY the express pass. The cost of the express pass depends on the prjected crowds for a day.The crowds go up, the price of the Express pass goes up.Plus unlike Universal resort guests, it is limited to ONE ride per attraction.As a universal resort guest you also get early entry into Wizarding World of Harry Potter, one hour before everyone else

Which pretty much makes up for the lack of an Express pass option on Forbidden Journey, since you can get in and ride it first before the crowds get there.

What we did was hit Ollivanders first, then ride Forbidden Journey, since (as long as the ride hasn't broken down) the queue moves quickly and there's plenty to entertain you.

The Ollivanders show is NOT worth more than a 10 or 15 minute wait. But it's fun if the line is short.

Oh... and you can't ride Pteranodon Flyers at all if you don't have a young child in your party. Every adult has to be accompanied by a small child, or they can't ride. They're really strict about that.

(We never rode Rip, Ride, Rocket because I'm a coaster weenie.)

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh... and you can't ride Pteranodon Flyers at all if you don't have a young child in your party. Every adult has to be accompanied by a small child, or they can't ride. They're really strict about that.

It's got to be the hardest job at Universal, being a TM and having to explain the height restrictions every 5 seconds. And it's a bummer when you have just the one kid, because you can't all ride together! (and once DS grows above that height stick, no more unless we have another, and even then we'll have to wait until they are tall enough!)



OP, Universal is awesome and I highly recommend taking a trip there. We're doing a Disney-free Orlando trip in February (although we will be coming from DisneyLAND, LOL) and will be spending several glorious days onsite there, we cannot wait! Being onsite allows for such relaxation when you're in the parks, because of the included Express Pass.

And apart from that, you could do the beaches on the gulf or ocean sides of the state...

So many options for non-Disney trips...so much time to plan for the *future* Disney trip.

 

[walkdmc]

Yep! Going solo in Jan. Can't wait!

I would love to do this but what do you do? How long are your solo trips? Is Disney as "magical" when you visit solo? Do you miss your family, as in, "Joe would love seeing that"?

 

[NancyIL]

I would love to do this but what do you do? How long are your solo trips? Is Disney as "magical" when you visit solo? Do you miss your family, as in, "Joe would love seeing that"?

I'm not Steve's Girl, but I LOVE my solo WDW trips! There are no whining kids or spouse, and I can do whatever I want, when I want! My Dec, trip is 11 nights - which will be my longest stay at WDW without a cruise in the middle. Do I miss my family? Nope!

 

[jking6]

You can tell her what I told my husband when he said that - "that's OK. You don't have to go."

I agree with this one and I am taking my 3rd trip within 15 months in 2 weeks without my husband of 34 years. he has to stay home with the dog. It's just me and my DD. He said spend the extra money to fly that you would spend on me as I do not really care to go again.
No hesitation here

 

[Planogirl]

I've been to WDW many times and plan to go more in the future but frankly I'd go nuts if I went only to WDW. I'm a bit of an explorer and seeing WDW is comfortable but not exactly new. Also, I'm so fascinated by other cultures and foods and the beauty of nature and historical places that I know that it wouldn't work for me.

But to each their own! We all have to choose how to spend our vacation dollars.

 

[walkdmc]

OP, I felt the same as you but we took a wonderful vacation to the White Mountains in NH for under $1000 for 5 nights. The natural sights were just amazing, made me feel good to be a human. I think everyone needs to see some natural splendor between Disney trips. I think you'll be surprised at how much you enjoy the non-Disney trips.

To make it fun, watch movies about your designated location. DH and I watched Northern Exposure before our NH trip (it was the prospect of seeing moose that made us pick Northern Exposure, LOL).

You could always go to Vegas a see some shows. Or stay in NYC and go to a Broadway show. There are a lot of stimulating non-Disney trips to be made.

 

[mattsdragon]

Sorry brother. My wife gave me the same line. So we're doing a cruise. Of course its a Disney Cruise, but we gotta use the points on something right.

 

[CatelynnMarie]

Well, since she's from THAT side of the ball court, why don't you two split the vacations. Eventually she will want to go back. Like one year make a huge trip, the next year, go back to disney; OR make small trips here and there. There has to be compromise so that both of you don't have to go alone and can still enjoy traveling together.

 

[AJA]

Aww it will be ok. We skipped Disney in 2010. It will make your next trip that much sweeter.

I would suggest a trip to UN (UN rocks! stay onsite) and a Royal Caribbean cruise. - they partner together for land sea packages.

 

[bjscheel]

We have decided on an every other year schedule. DH would go to WDW all the time, partly because it's a vacation from driving (which is what he does for a living). So now 2013 would be a Disney year and we are going to try DL for a change (except he is concerned about driving in CA- I want to hit San Diego too). In between we have done or will do- Wisconsin Dells, Colorado Springs, Branson...plus we go to family church camp every year at a lake 3 hours away.

 

[Love Tink]

To make it fun, watch movies about your designated location. DH and I watched Northern Exposure before our NH trip (it was the prospect of seeing moose that made us pick Northern Exposure, LOL).

I know you're just trying to be nice, but I have to mention...the location where they filmed Northern Exposure is located an entire continent and almost 2,500 miles from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The setting of the show (Alaska) is even further away.

Just....ouch.

 

[NancyIL]

I know you're just trying to be nice, but I have to mention...the location where they filmed Northern Exposure is located an entire continent and almost 2,500 miles from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The setting of the show (Alaska) is even further away.

Just....ouch.

The show takes place in Alaska, but it was filmed in Roslyn, Washington: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roslyn,_Washington

 

[lizabu]

I get it. Disney World is awesome but there is a whole world out there to see and you will never see it if you just keep going back to Disney World every year. You guys should pick a place you both are excited to go. I love Disney World too but I've decided I want to see the world too. I got to cruise the Nile and ride a camel around the pyramids in Egypt last summer. Next summer is Sweden and I think the trip after that I'm going to Israel and the Dead Sea and I want to see Petra. There's a whole wide world out there to explore.

 

[Planogirl]

I know you're just trying to be nice, but I have to mention...the location where they filmed Northern Exposure is located an entire continent and almost 2,500 miles from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The setting of the show (Alaska) is even further away.

Just....ouch.

In fairness, they did say that it was the prospect of seeing a moose that got them to watch Northern Exposure. Are there moose in New Hampshire? Whatever, for me any excuse to watch Northern Exposure is fine.

 

[NancyIL]

I get it. Disney World is awesome but there is a whole world out there to see and you will never see it if you just keep going back to Disney World every year.

I agree. I go to WDW every year, but I go other places as well. I would never make Disney parks/cruises my only vacation destinations.