Anyone have a spouse who's definitely NOT a fan of Disney?

[LuvMyEAR]

DH has made many Disney happy trips over the years but now in his 70’s, he is well and truly done. Our grandchildren are all in university, and while they enjoy theme parks, they are high energy and thrill-ride loving guests, which has never really been DH’s style. I can soak up the atmosphere and people watch endlessly!

He loves to get away from our cold winter and visit his sister and husband for a couple weeks. I stay home. When we want to travel together, we are happiest on a cruise. It works!

 

[sheilafri]

DH has made many Disney happy trips over the years but now in his 70’s, he is well and truly done. Our grandchildren are all in university, and while they enjoy theme parks, they are high energy and thrill-ride loving guests, which has never really been DH’s style. I can soak up the atmosphere and people watch endlessly!

He loves to get away from our cold winter and visit his sister and husband for a couple weeks. I stay home. When we want to travel together, we are happiest on a cruise. It works!

There are infinite ways to vacation. Find what works for you, as an individual and as a couple, and go with it.

 

[sheilafri]

I feel almost like this post was written about and for me! DH and I are DVC and have been for about 25 years. We were much (much) younger then. Now DH is disabled and retired. He was never the biggest Disney fan but agreed to join because it made me happy and only if we could make Hilton Head our home resort. I wanted Boardwalk but he won out and HH is one of our home resorts which has been a big regret of mine because we have only visited 2 or 3 times since we bought in.

Now that he is disabled and totally disinterested I wasn't too worried because my bestie is as big a Disney fan as I am and she and I have had a decade of wonderful girls trips but this past May was our last one as she is now disabled and unable to travel. I am not in the best of health either and admit the parks are no longer my favorite thing but I love the resorts so much! DH and I have a trip scheduled to stay at the VGF (resort only - no parks) next month and most likely he will not want to make the trip. I am so sad to be faced with the idea of traveling solo. My siblings either hate or are indifferent toward Disney and although I have a gaggle of nieces they are not "into" Disney either. I don't have a ton of girlfriends but the ones I do have are not interested in Disney travel.

I am determined to take this trip next month even though it will most likely be alone. This board and a couple of Disney solo Facebook groups are giving me the courage to forge this new and very unfamiliar path with all the joy and gusto I can muster. It's Disney after all - how bad can it be solo?

Thanks for letting me vent.

I love Disney solo. I can admit here that I get a little disappointed when DH says he wants to go. It’s so freeing to do exactly what you want, when you want. Sure there are moments of loneliness and times I think it would be nice to share a moment with someone. Ultimately, I guess I like a mix of solo and accompanied trips. Just decide what you want to do, go with the flow and enjoy the moments.

 

[ZerasPride]

I love Disney solo. I can admit here that I get a little disappointed when DH says he wants to go. It’s so freeing to do exactly what you want, when you want. Sure there are moments of loneliness and times I think it would be nice to share a moment with someone. Ultimately, I guess I like a mix of solo and accompanied trips. Just decide what you want to do, go with the flow and enjoy the moments.

Thank you for sharing your experience! I ended up taking a niece with me a couple of weeks ago. No one in my family wanted me to go alone. I found it funny. Anyway, we had a ball and I realized something: as much as I love Disney it would not be my preference to go alone. I will always want to have at least one companion. I hope to one day get up the nerve to travel to a Disney destination alone. I may start with Vero Beach or Hilton Head and only for a few days to see how I like it. I admire everyone who enjoys or even prefers solo travel!

 

[ZerasPride]

DH has made many Disney happy trips over the years but now in his 70’s, he is well and truly done. Our grandchildren are all in university, and while they enjoy theme parks, they are high energy and thrill-ride loving guests, which has never really been DH’s style. I can soak up the atmosphere and people watch endlessly!

He loves to get away from our cold winter and visit his sister and husband for a couple weeks. I stay home. When we want to travel together, we are happiest on a cruise. It works!

My husband and I too are happiest on a cruise when we travel together. As his health continues to decline we may not even be able to enjoy that together but theme parks have not ever been and never will be his "jam". I am definitely trying to find a way to navigate around this new normal.

 

[MaddieB223]

My DBF (Disney Boyfriend…is that one of our abbreviations? ) generally likes Disney. He’ll go with me to the movies and has gotten me Disney related merchandise as gifts. We’re planning on going to WDW together this summer with some of my family members and I am definitely more excited than he is lol. I think he’ll enjoy being there, but if we had it my way, we’d be DVC members going every other year and making all the memories!

 

[R2Daddy]

My wife doesn’t dislike Disney, but she’s definitely not as into it as I have become. I’ve spent hours selling her on DVC with 8+ spreadsheets showing the value compared to our cash trips (we like deluxe resorts). She’s finally on board with it with a smaller purchase (150-200 points), but we like to stay in 1 bedrooms for a week so this amount will need some banking each time. If it were up to me I’d take 2-3 trips a year. I just love the quality, convenience, and sheer amount of things to do. Beach condos are great, but I like having more activities and places to explore. Not to mention quick trips downstairs to pick up mobile food orders.

Although I wish she was into it like me, I’m glad we have an imbalance otherwise we’d likely make some bad financial decisions!

 

[Transferteck]

My DH can't stand Disney and rolls his eyes whenever I talk about it. We (I) bought DVC back in 2008 when our kids were 3 and 5 years old. He enjoyed the trips we took when the kids were younger, but his last trip in 2016 was his breaking point and he hasn't been back since. He does not like the "dawn-til-dusk" touring style that we did with the kids and he does not "appreciate" the Disney entertainment and nostalgia the way I do.

We have a great arrangement now...

My birthday is in October so I use our DVC to take a trip to the World for my birthday. I usually go with my best friend who is "in a relationship with Mickey Mouse", but I have also gone with my kids, parents and sister. My husband's birthday is in November so he takes a week (or more) to go up north and deer hunt with his brother. My oldest daughter is also an avid hunter so she usually goes along with him. It works out perfectly! I do not want to sit in a deer blind in 20-degree weather, waiting for dinner to pop out. He doesn't want to walk 15,000 steps in Orlando in 80-degree heat.

This year, my friend decided she would like to go in December. I have never been to WDW over the Christmas holiday so I happily obliged. Since this October is my 50th birthday, my hubby graciously said he would go with me for a quick, 3- night, NO PARKS trip. We *are* going to a park, though. If I am going in October, I am not going to miss the halloween party. I don't want to overload DH because I am hoping that this trip might open his eyes to all that WDW has to offer. We are going to eat dinner at Topolino's, attend the halloween party and enjoy the HDDR. In addition, I somehow managed to get a studio at Copper Creek for all three nights so we plan to enjoy Geyser Point as well. We stayed at WL for our honeymoon in 2002 and have not been back there since.

We will see what happens...

Take him to Geyser Point. He will love it.

 

[R&RsMom]

My husband has never been a huge fan, but he enjoyed the parks when our girls were young. They are now adults with their own families. He has no interest in going to WDW now. Last trip he went on with us, he did not want to go in the parks at all. He was bored, and it was difficult to meet him for meals. But WDW is my hapoy place. My younger daughter loves it so much she is a part time TA. My olde4 daughte4 enjoys the parks as well. So, these days, I go solo or with daughters (with or without their families) and my husband and I do a non-Disney vacation together. We just got back from Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, in fact. It works for us.

 

[dvczerfs]

Definitely should’ve been one of the top conversations on a first date.
What does everyone say now days? Do your homework! Lol
My Italian mother, who I can hear her now reading this thread would say, you made your bed, now lay in it. lol.

 

[rangerxenos]

DH used to come with me every few years, but after our last trip to WDW together, we decided that we were both happier when he stayed home, LOL! Theme parks are not his thing, he doesn't like crowds.

Now I travel with friends or solo if I can't find anyone who can afford to go with me (time and/or money, WDW is an expensive vacation that not everyone can afford.)

 

[LuvMyEAR]

I hear you about the “new normal”. This aging business is definitely not for the faint of heart. DH is very fortunate still an active and reasonably able-bodied guy, while I no longer fall into that category. I navigated around on our last cruise by walker, but that is getting harder. Our days of travelling just as a couple may be behind us entirely. DGH cannot push a wheelchair nor can we manage to transport a rented ECV on our own. Strong, energetic younger relatives are a blessing.

My husband and I too are happiest on a cruise when we travel together. As his health continues to decline we may not even be able to enjoy that together but theme parks have not ever been and never will be his "jam". I am definitely trying to find a way to navigate around this new normal.

 

[Lyndarella]

Quite an amusing topic for me... DH always SAID he liked going to WDW. However, he thought vacation was for REST!! What a silly notion! I have my hand on the door-knob at sunrise....He took forever to get going, and wanted to spend park time in restaurants, rather than on rides. We found compromise somewhere, and always seemed to have a good time. How could you not?

 

[tinkerjo]

This thread kinda made me sad. DH doesn’t like WDW as much as I do but as long as we do it “his way” he’s happy. He likes being out of the park early (3PM or so) and then relax in the room watching TV. So after a few trips figuring this out, we only stay onsite. That way I can enjoy the resort or go back to the parks (I have never done it solo and think it would make me lonely to do it that way)

 

[zavandor]

However, he thought vacation was for REST!! What a silly notion! I have my hand on the door-knob at sunrise....

You won't believe it, but I'm told people like to sleep in vacation, rather than waking up at 6am to go and rope drop Rise of the Resistance. Crazy, isn't it?

 

[Simba's Mom]

You won't believe it, but I'm told people like to sleep in vacation, rather than waking up at 6am to go and rope drop Rise of the Resistance. Crazy, isn't it?

LOL, this reminds me of the first time I didn't get up and out until around 9:00. Mom invited herself along on, what was to be, a solo trip. Being the good little daughter, who knew Mom slept a lot later than me (especially at WDW), I told her she could determine when we left in the morning-so on the first full day we didn't get out until close to 10:00am! And worse, there were plenty of people we passed who were calmly sitting and eating breakfast outside BC Marketplace. That's when I learned-there's a whole community of "those people"!

 

[CarolynFH]

You won't believe it, but I'm told people like to sleep in vacation, rather than waking up at 6am to go and rope drop Rise of the Resistance. Crazy, isn't it?

LOL, DH and I have been like that for several years now and frequently didn’t enter a park until after lunch or even after supper.

But now we’re getting ready for DGD’s first visit, and DD and DSiL are accustomed to getting up very early. So I’m preparing to get up and out to the parks early too. Thank goodness the toddler still takes an afternoon nap, because Grandma is going to need one as well!

 

[DVCjj]

Been going for 53 years (yep...stayed at Contemp first year opened).
DH definitely does not love it as I do. He appreciates the creativity and I do catch him numerous times out of the corner of my eye actually thoroughly enjoying a ride (Remy, Test Track for sure) but could go once every few years and be happy. He knows how much it means to me along all lines so he's a good sport, though he loves when I go 2 separate weeks with my younger adult daughter & he 'only' goes nowadays when we snowbird 55 minutes away. (which entails numerous day trips and a 10 day January trip for our anniversary).

I bought DVC contracts from money (not huge) I won in a nursing home lawsuit from my mother's nightmare...extremely stressful experience for me. He didn't mind at all my using the money for that (my mental health) and calmly and nicely simply signed his name after mine by the Mickey Head on the million pages of the contracts. DVC put his name first & I made them switch the names around. I get so darn tired of that because I handle 100% of the finances all the 60 years we're married. Yes we're old and yes, we still walk 18,000 steps at Disney.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

My husband is definitely not a Disney fan, we have four young kids and live in Australia so there is no chance I could take a holiday alone! I just need to accept we can only do it every 5 years or so. But it's hard that there is zero excitement from his end to the vacation.

 

[tx911]

One day I was thinking about ADRs for an upcoming trip, and asked my wife about it.

She casually said she didn't really care because the food isn't very good at Disney anyway.

It took a good while for my mouth to close. Idk if that wound will ever heal