How to convince a Disney-reluctant DH About This Page:

[Disneybine]

I somehow managed to talk my DH into a WDW vacation (coming up in April). He has been to DL Paris and Anaheim (each once) before but he's just not as enthusiastic about it as I am. When I mentioned taking Disney vacations more often, he wasn't very responsive either (to say the least).

So, I was wondering, how do you get your DH (or DW, for that matter) in the Disney spirit? I'd really like him to enjoy himself at WDW this April so he'll agree to go back soon!!! I appreciate any tips you can give me! Oh, and you DHs out there: What do you like about Disney?

I need !

[debe]

I have one of those . He doesn't help with the planning but once we are there, he has fun. However when I ask "What would you like to do next?" I usually get a response something like Whatever you want to do!!! ... We just got back from WDW and the last time DH was there was 5 yrs ago.

Know how I usually do my Disney trips? I usually go with my bestest buddy Linda (her DH isn't a Disney person either) and we have a FANTASTIC time without our DH's .

Hang in there! Do your trip planning and he will more than likely have a great time once you ate at WDW

[jhoshowski]

What is there not to like? Does he like to golf? Got it. Fine dining? You're covered. Watersports? Theater? Movie Making? Zoology? The great thing about WDW is that there is truly something for everything. You know what his interests are - work with it!!
My DH and I have found that although it is a family vacation, we don't have to spend every minute together. On our last trip, there was one day where he took our DS9 to Disney Quest, while I took DS4 to the Magic Kingdom. On another day, I took DS9 to MGM to ride TOT, RnRC, and Star Tours, while he took DS4 to Celebration to see Chicken Little at the theater. A few trips ago, I spent a day at the spa while he took DS9 (who was about 4 at the time, DS4 was a twinkle in our eyes) to Blizzard Beach.

I guarantee that if you think about what your husband likes, there will be plenty that he will enjoy at WDW. Just make sure to make time for what everyone wants to do, and you will have a blast!

[TurtleKent]

Plan, Plan, Plan...

Make sure to include some special time for him (or her)... Know what they are into and find the Disney way of doing it.

Get them involved. Let them look over menus and make resturant suggestions...

Make them feel that when they are there they are pampered beyond belief. BUT, dont make them feel like they are schedule like a platoon. Allow for some "stray off course" fun...

MOST of all remember, the best thing about Disney is sharing it with your loved one.

[Steph A]

I am lucky in the DH loves watching the kids at Disney so I have him for a few years. After that I am going to try to appeal to what his likes are, Disney golf, staying at the wilderness lodge, going to the Daytona 500, etc. Anything I can do just to get him to Florida. Once in Florida, we have to at least make a quick stop at Disney.

I don't think he will ever have my love of Disney, but that's ok. I have enough LOVE for the both of us....even if he is just "along for the ride".

Good luck!
Steph A

[snoozin]

SOmetimes it helps to not make it so "Disney" intense in his mind. Don't dwell on Disney Magic, Disney this, Disney that. If he likes to golf, mini golf, eat, sit in the sun, whatever, let him know, "how does this sound" and lay out a day without drowning him in the fact that "Disney" is the prefix or suffix to 90% of the stuff there!

Ditto to the "not every minute together" thing also. I often split up, even if it's only an hour or two, and let him do his own thing... sleep late, sit by the pool. I'll sometimes take the DD's off so he can just have some down time.

SOmetimes (well, many times) mine gets overwhelmed with my planning and OCD'ing about all the fun stuff I want to read up on, so he gets just bombarded with it all. Maybe ask if he WANTS to be involved in the planning, or would rather you just surprise him!

[NanaTink]

My DH is getting more into the magic than before. Our boys are grown and it's just the two of us. We've taken different vacations, but what brings us back to Disney is the pampering, the feeling that everything is taken care of, the ability to let everything go in our "real world" lives and live for the moment, the fun. We can be kids again! And we are and we have a blast! And almost everyone else around you is too.

[tndisneyfam]

My DH doesn't really get excited about Disney until we get there. When I am planning he always suggests his fave restaurants, rides, etc. So months before I am thinking about planning a trip I always ask him for more recommendations and ideas. I don't play all my Disney cd's when he is home, because I think he could get Disney burnout. Good Luck!

[simbarel]

Wining and Dining works for me! My DH is Mr. Food so I like to make sure we have some good ADR's. Cali Grill is such a good representation of how good dining experiences can be at WDW. Where are you saying? My DH has a better trip when we stay at Deluxe resorts, which usually result in spending less time waiting for/being in busses. Take advantage of fastpasses and making good use of your time while waiting for them to ripen---you want him to be touched by the magic, not recall a vacation full of waiting in LINE. Goodluck, can't wait to see what you come up with! My DH was reluctant at first, now he loves how happy we can be down there!

[Disneybine]

Originally Posted by snoozin

SOmetimes it helps to not make it so "Disney" intense in his mind. Don't dwell on Disney Magic, Disney this, Disney that. If he likes to golf, mini golf, eat, sit in the sun, whatever, let him know, "how does this sound" and lay out a day without drowning him in the fact that "Disney" is the prefix or suffix to 90% of the stuff there!

That's brilliant! I've thought before that the "Disney" pre-/suffix scares him off of anything I tell him about WDW! I'll try to leave the "Disney" part out when talking about our plans in the future.

Oh, we're staying at the ASMo (can't fit moderate into our budget) which will be a tough one for DH, I assume (we're talking HUGE plastic Buzz Lightyear and the like...). I tried to pick our ADR's mostly according to his taste so the dining part should be ok.

He's probably not gonna want to wear Mouse Ears though, huh?

[patclairesmom]

My DH is the same way. I actually have him on video at the Crystal Palace with this comment: I asked him what his favorite ride was and he said "the ride home." I'm just figuring he is one of Snow White's seven dwarf's-Grummpy. This year I have him playing golf for 2 days, and going on a fishing excursion for another day.

He is actually kind of sorta of maybe looking forward to this trip.

[Disneybine]

Originally Posted by patclairesmom

My DH is the same way. I actually have him on video at the Crystal Palace with this comment: I asked him what his favorite ride was and he said "the ride home."

[mouseman41]

I had that problem with my ex-wife. That's why she is an ex-wife. Well maybe not the only reason. Kidding aside, I think maybe you could let him help in the planning. Ask him to help choose where to eat. Give him some options where to eat, places to go, ask him what he would like to do on a certain day. Maybe he will be a little more excited if he is doing something he planned. It's just a suggestion. I have a hard time understanding his state of mind. I am just the opposite! I plan for months ahead and can't wait for our next trip.

[dixipixi]

My DH was very unsure about our first trip to WDW. I actually took our DS (then 4) on his first trip with my mom. DH had a terrible family trip when he was around 10. He has a "complainer" for a mom. It was too hot, the lines were too long, she doesn't like parades, fireworks, shopping, boating, etc. etc.

I think he had heard so much negativity on the subject for so long that he really believed it. When we came back (Aug, '98), DS told him that he "had" to go and take him back. So we started planning our first trip. We went in June of 2000. We stayed offsite and also visited Sea World, Universal, Wet n Wild, and Busch Gardens as well as all of the Disney parks. He's not a golfer and he can fish, ride horses, go boating, etc. around here, so he really enjoys the theme parks.

I thought that maybe if I didn't make it too "Disney intense" he would enjoy it more. Well, we have been back every June (except 2002) since then. On our '01 trip, we took some time to visit the Disney resorts and we have stayed onsite every trip since '03. We always schedule some time away from WDW as well. DH has always wanted to visit the Space Center so we did that last year and had a blast.

It worked for me to just be patient and take lots of time to see and do things he would be interested in to turn him into a WDW fan. Now it's the only place he wants to go!

[masonsmousermom]

I like the idea of not including "Disney" as a prefix to everything. My DH really likes Disney, but he doesn't get into it as much as I do. He would rather try some other places, but I'm always able to talk him into Disney because of it's value. I know...I know... the word "Disney" and "Value" in the same sentence! But that's how I end up getting him to agree on Disney....again! I plan another trip, wherever he's mentioned, and I figure up the cost of food, entertainment, travel fees, hotel with similar ammenities, etc. and when I add it all together, it's usually the same or more! And what get's my DH is that to pull off that vacation seems so much more hectic and more work!

That's what gets him every time! I even used this process recently to get him to agree on purchasing the dining plan for our upcoming trip...even though we are staying in our pop up camper this time at Fort Wilderness. He wanted to cook out and save some money. I showed him how we won't really save that much money, and all of the needless work we'd have to do on our vacation to cook and clean up after ourselves- not to mention the difference between hamburgers and hotdogs vs. steak, seafood, appetizers and yummy Disney desserts! Worked like a charm!