Anyone married to a "Disney Downer"? About This Page:

[Gin7274]

My DH loves Disney as much or more than I do. He loves to plan the trips with me. It's a good thing, because if he didn't, I sure would miss him!

[korki-rad]

Originally Posted by threebeesatdisney

So I have been reading this thread. Did she go last May? I would have let DH behind if he was like that! Why let him spoil my fun?

YES! We went! DH ended up having a great time, in spite of himself (although we had some issues with his sisters). While he won't agree to going EVERY year, I don't think our trip was our last. We have been batting around the idea of a Disney cruise in the next 3-5 years and possibly a trip to see Disneyland sometime after that. (He even entertained the possibility of a cruise this next summer to celebrate our 10th anniversary, but since DS will only be 2 and since money's a little tighter than we expected, we both agreed to wait a bit longer.)

What turned him around? Well, for the most part, my planning and all the help I got here on Passporter. As much as he didn't want to get up to hit rope drops in the mornings, once we did one, he was absolutely sold on getting to them every time -- his family never went into the parks until around noon, when it was sweltering hot and super crowded. He had never done TS at WDW, only grab-n-go CS...the ADRs we had made a big difference in getting the whole family refreshed...time to sit down, cool off and be waited on. And just seeing things through the kids' eyes -- there is definitely a change in perspective when you become a parent! Oh -- and the fireworks cruise got a definite thumbs up.

Now, don't get me wrong, he still grumbled every time we got the check at TS and he still says he just can't believe how much it all cost...but the words "well, when we go back...." come out of his mouth at least once a month. So there is hope!!!!!

[stretch2864]

Sorry to hear that.

DBF is kind of the same way. WDW is just not his thing, and I know he would never want to spend the money to go there. I figure that we can't always have all the same interests, so I respect that. Having said that, I still go! DD and I went a year ago to celebrate her 21st birthday. The year before that I went with a friend who had never been to Florida before. The year previous I went with my friend that I often go to WDW with and her kids. I had a wonderful time each time. Although I would love to go with DBF, I wouldn't want him to be miserable the entire time. I would rather just go with friends or family who do enjoy going. DBF and I can do other things together or go other places instead. Good luck!

I should have read all the posts before posting! I'm glad you had a great trip, and will be going back sometime! Maybe the WDW magic worked on your DH!

[stefffe]

Originally Posted by pparm

Sorry to hear that, I got lucky. He likes to go as much as I do. I'll never get a solo trip!

Originally Posted by Gin7274

My DH loves Disney as much or more than I do. He loves to plan the trips with me. It's a good thing, because if he didn't, I sure would miss him!

[bradbeckyk]

I'm also curious to see how your trip went. It drives me crazy when we ride the buses and people just complain about how terrible this or that is or how expensive everything is.

[klositis]

DH isnt a downer, but hes not a die hard like I am. Hes not exactaly happy that Im going in March with friends. No park tickets just a resort visit hes frowned each time I say something about the "filght out" Im flying in and out and thats something he wont do. I think hes scared that the plane will crash or something horrible! But hes not complaining. We ( he and I ) are scheduled for a 1st honeymoon trip in Sept and I think hes actually liking that idea cause its just us two. But when it comes to family vacation, he always seem to find a way "NOT" to go. Hes a workaholic and thinks that the working world wont turn without him.
I hope your DH sucks it up and if he begins to make the trip miserable, get up and out early and leave him in bed!!LOL

[fairestofthemall]

My dh just does not want to pay for it! I am trying to get him to agree to the 3 for 4 offer. I tell him to look at how much we would be saving to which he responds, compared to what? I say going to Disney any other time of year! He drives me crazy! If we do not go in May, we will not be at Disney until December 2010. 2 years without a Disney trip? That is just crazy talk!

He likes to go, just doesn't like the cost. He does complain occasionally while we are at Disney about the cost and when we get back, I have to listen to it for about 2 weeks. I told him when we go not to complain because it makes me feel bad. I agreed to go! He should just be quiet and have fun!

Dh grew up in a family where money is the MAIN issue in every situation. Seriously, I had/have never seen anything like it. So it is ingrained in him to consider the cost of every little detail.

I hope all goes well with you. Try to tune him out and focus on the fun! Easier said than done - I know!

Danielle

[korki-rad]

I was telling DH about this thread last night and he actually got a pretty good chuckle! He said that yes, he is now definitely a Disney convert and that we will, without a doubt, be headed back sometime, probably in three years or so (although he said he'd really like to see something different and would like to go to Disneyland).

Like I said, the biggest difference for him was our planning. Even though his family went nearly every year when he was a kid, they went without a plan and they made no effort to avoid the crowds, manage meltdowns, etc. So he said that the trips he remembered were always extremely stressful and not at all fun. Our trip as a family was completely different -- much more planned, but ironically, much more relaxing, he said. He loved being there early in the morning when it felt like we had the park to ourselves. He liked the idea of sitting down and having a meal every day, having characters coming to you instead of standing in line for a two minute visit and photo opp. I worked really hard to find those neat little secrets that he didn't know about (waking up Tink, various hidden Mickeys, FastPass strategies, seeing Tinkerbell fly, etc.) He'd never been to DHS and said that he could have spent the entire vacation there -- he loved that park! He said he just saw WDW in a completely different light. And, shocker of shockers to me, Mr. I-won't-pay-on-property-prices talked last night about how great it would be to be able to do the DDP, so maybe we should consider our on site options next time.

Anyway, lesson learned -- a *planned* WDW vacation is a completely different experience than an *unplanned*, *uninformed* WDW vacation. I have a feeling that many of the PPers here love WDW so much because they've discovered the smart way to managed WDW....and the reason you find people all the time who say that they never want to come back is because they haven't done the research necessary to make WDW a truly special experience.

Oh -- and to further reduce DH's stress, we also opened a special vacation savings account a couple of months ago...that was DH's one request, that we not plan a trip until the money is in the bank to pay for it...that way, he said, he can *completely* relax. (We had most of the money for our last trip, but had garage sales and saved our coins to pay for a chunk of it too, after the planning was underway.) It has saved both our sanity -- I know there is the hope of a vacation on the horizon. DH knows that vacation won't bankrupt us!

[Minnie Lor]

I know that this is an old thread but it's still timely. So glad that it all worked out.

[saremca]

Mine is as much of a Disney freak as I am. Honestly, I grew up loving Disney and visiting yearly with my equally Disney-loving parents. I don't think I could have tolerated a Disney hater for very long.

I would probably just sympathize with him when he complains and ask him where he'd like to go for your next vacation. Maybe he will open up a little more that way and let you know what is really bugging him, or maybe he wants to have more input?

OTOH, maybe he just wants to complain. I tend to let the complainers complain without engaging them. I just nod and utter the occasional "I'm sorry you feel that way" or "That's too bad," and that usually appeases them. Sometimes they just want to be heard and have their feelings validated.

[emtpej]

My DW is a convert (thanks to all the help I got here at Passporter), but now that she is more comfortable with traveling, she (finally) wants to go other places, too. So, we will alternate trips to WDW with trips to other landmarks.

[KLBV]

So glad you had a great trip!

[Minnie Lor]

My DH used to complain that I spend too much time on here. In November he decided to join Passporter to see what it was all about. He's figured out Passporter forums are He posts more than I do. We also discuss a few posts that we have read and participate in the Sunday night games during chat.

[ilovedisney0_0]

I was married to a Disney hater - but I am not anymore!

I hope it all works out well for you. I am sure once he gets there, he will have a fabulous time too!

[soccermomof2]

Fortunately for me, DH is just as big a Disney nut as I am.

If, on the other hand, he only went to Disney to please me and then made me miserable on vacation, I would ask him to stay home and I would go with the kids.