Talking my DH into an adults only trip! HELP!

janiceinwonderland

Earning My Ears
Joined
Mar 26, 2019
Here's my dilemma, we are both in our 50's, I've been doing only adult girls trips since the 2000's, my DH seems to think we cannot go without his daughter who I love and adore, she is 8, and loves Disney but he thinks its just for kids... and yes he knows there is adult things to do along with adult beverages, we both love craft beers. So any tips on talking him into a grown up Disney trip? TIA!
 
It's not just for kids and hasn't been for a long time. Plan it for Food & Wine and you may have an easier time. Now, another thing you need focus on is the aspects he loves. That will be your big selling point.
 


I would just leave a nice guidebook in the bathroom, he will start looking through it. I would explain that I wanted to do a 2-3 days ticket, whatever you decide, sleep late, ninja strike our three fastpasses and eat a great meal at night, then return for fireworks. If he likes to enjoy cocktails, do a monorail trip and visit a lounge in each resort. Make time for golf, fishing, private cruise...whatever he likes. For my DH it is afternoon naps and ninja strikes to the parks, Stacy in the mornings on the TV and at least one meal at Morimoto Asia. He naps while I hit the pool. When he balks at the idea just tell him it is important to you and mean it. Then the next trip he gets to plan. My DH hates to travel, but does do Disney. He likes the town car from the airport, having a DVC villa and sleeping, like I stated before. I just get up earlier and strike out on my own and we meet up later. Just go for a long weekend to plant the seed...if done well, he will see the light Grasshopper.
 
Then the next trip he gets to plan.

Don't do this.

I'm hiker/backpacker. If my significant other told me that I would be planning the next trip, I'll end up having her in a tent in another country or in Dracula's castle for Halloween via G Adventures or another touring company.

I think, I'm the opposite of your husband. I like to do as many rides as I can in a day when I go to theme parks. One day, we tried to get into BOG when it first opened for lunch, but we didn't know that they were only providing reservations to onsite guests. SO then I decided let's go to EPCOT. We jumped on the monorail and went over. But then I decided that I wanted to hit HS, so we took the boats over. We hung out there for part of the day, and then it started raining. SO I said, let's go back to EPCOT. But because of the rain, they shut down the boats. SO we walked back to EPCOT. We ate dinner there and saw the light show. However, you have to remember, we parked at MK. SO then we had to walk back to the monorails at EPCOT take them back to MK and then take our car back to our hotel. As a hiker, this didn't bother me. My significant other was exhausted. But we got up and hit the parks again the next day. That's what I call a vacation.
 
It's not just for kids and hasn't been for a long time. Plan it for Food & Wine and you may have an easier time. Now, another thing you need focus on is the aspects he loves. That will be your big selling point.

thats what I am trying to do!! I wouldn't even mind just the swan/dolphin food and wine fest and do a day at epcot too..

If he doesn't want to go, don't try to talk him into it. Go without him.\\

There has to be a reason for him to want to go

I already am, in Oct doing a girls trip, but he DOES want to go he just doesn't know it yet haha

Talked my husband into an adults only trip for our 10th anniversary. Big selling point was going during Food and Wine!

yes, I am talking that up big time

I would just leave a nice guidebook in the bathroom, he will start looking through it. I would explain that I wanted to do a 2-3 days ticket, whatever you decide, sleep late, ninja strike our three fastpasses and eat a great meal at night, then return for fireworks. If he likes to enjoy cocktails, do a monorail trip and visit a lounge in each resort. Make time for golf, fishing, private cruise...whatever he likes. For my DH it is afternoon naps and ninja strikes to the parks, Stacy in the mornings on the TV and at least one meal at Morimoto Asia. He naps while I hit the pool. When he balks at the idea just tell him it is important to you and mean it. Then the next trip he gets to plan. My DH hates to travel, but does do Disney. He likes the town car from the airport, having a DVC villa and sleeping, like I stated before. I just get up earlier and strike out on my own and we meet up later. Just go for a long weekend to plant the seed...if done well, he will see the light Grasshopper.

hahaha I have guidebooks a plenty!! I almost took him for a 2 day-er on his bday in december, but then christmas, so I ended up taking him to Hard Rock AC overnight. I actually think he was a bit disappointed when I didnt drive to the airport! But I love Stacy any time of day, it drives him nuts LOL, he is into the parks and rides and all, its just trying to change his mind for an adults only trip.

And he did plan this years trip, which is a Norwegian 7 night eastern Caribbean cruise.

Don't do this.

I'm hiker/backpacker. If my significant other told me that I would be planning the next trip, I'll end up having her in a tent in another country or in Dracula's castle for Halloween via G Adventures or another touring company.

I think, I'm the opposite of your husband. I like to do as many rides as I can in a day when I go to theme parks. One day, we tried to get into BOG when it first opened for lunch, but we didn't know that they were only providing reservations to onsite guests. SO then I decided let's go to EPCOT. We jumped on the monorail and went over. But then I decided that I wanted to hit HS, so we took the boats over. We hung out there for part of the day, and then it started raining. SO I said, let's go back to EPCOT. But because of the rain, they shut down the boats. SO we walked back to EPCOT. We ate dinner there and saw the light show. However, you have to remember, we parked at MK. SO then we had to walk back to the monorails at EPCOT take them back to MK and then take our car back to our hotel. As a hiker, this didn't bother me. My significant other was exhausted. But we got up and hit the parks again the next day. That's what I call a vacation.

LOL, we would love draculas castle! thats a dream. anyway your trip sounded great, rain or not, disney is so much fun. We also like to pack in as many rides as possible. We have learned to slow down a bit and go swimming in the morning.
 


We have no kids and will be celebrating "2" 25th Anniversaries!!!
Our wedding and our 1st trip to WDW!!!
I am 52 my DW is 64. We LOVE Flower and Garden and focus our trip on relaxing and doing the parks at our own pace.
We both love trying out the new food venues and still love the rides and the bits of Disney magic that ones finds. Although,
sometimes there are things right in front of your eyes but you dont notice it because you are racing around with Fast passes, etc.
I LOVE taking special time to capture some great photos and videos as well.

Enjoy!!!
 
I go solo often when DH is on scuba trips. We went together a few years ago (in October) for our 30th anniversary. I rented points at the Boardwalk, and we spent a lot of time at Food & Wine. Jellyrolls was a lot of fun. If you really want to convince him, plan a trip to his tastes, be that a relaxed trip or park heavy one. But if my DH really did NOT want to go, I wouldn't try to make him go.
 
DW and I made one or two trips per year for many years before I retired and we became Disney snowbirds. Disney is not just for kids. Though it sounds like your DH understands the possibilities but still links Disney with kids. For me, I grew up with Uncle Walt on TV and WDW just brings back all of those memories.

I agree that Food and Wine typically enhances the adult interest in Epcot. DW and I are more fond of Flower and Garden.

I agree with previous posters that pushing him into a visit probably won't be productive. Though it seems to me that a few nights in a nice hotel in the middle of a wonderful resort with plenty of thing to do would sound pretty good.
 
We have no kids and will be celebrating "2" 25th Anniversaries!!!
Our wedding and our 1st trip to WDW!!!
I am 52 my DW is 64. We LOVE Flower and Garden and focus our trip on relaxing and doing the parks at our own pace.
We both love trying out the new food venues and still love the rides and the bits of Disney magic that ones finds. Although,
sometimes there are things right in front of your eyes but you dont notice it because you are racing around with Fast passes, etc.
I LOVE taking special time to capture some great photos and videos as well.

Enjoy!!!

that sounds fantastic!! and relaxing!

I go solo often when DH is on scuba trips. We went together a few years ago (in October) for our 30th anniversary. I rented points at the Boardwalk, and we spent a lot of time at Food & Wine. Jellyrolls was a lot of fun. If you really want to convince him, plan a trip to his tastes, be that a relaxed trip or park heavy one. But if my DH really did NOT want to go, I wouldn't try to make him go.

I was going to go in December for his bday, and surprise him, (but my car had other ideas, and I needed to replace all 4 tires) He was actually a bit disappointed we were not getting on a plane that day... I think for a 3 day weekend he would be fine with it.

DW and I made one or two trips per year for many years before I retired and we became Disney snowbirds. Disney is not just for kids. Though it sounds like your DH understands the possibilities but still links Disney with kids. For me, I grew up with Uncle Walt on TV and WDW just brings back all of those memories.

I agree that Food and Wine typically enhances the adult interest in Epcot. DW and I are more fond of Flower and Garden.

I agree with previous posters that pushing him into a visit probably won't be productive. Though it seems to me that a few nights in a nice hotel in the middle of a wonderful resort with plenty of thing to do would sound pretty good.

I agree with this! But we can skip the Magic Kingdom - I think that park he associates with children most he does enjoy the adult side of Disney. I was also thinking of doing the Swan/Dolphin food and wine weekend with a day at Epcot.
 
I agree with this! But we can skip the Magic Kingdom - I think that park he associates with children most he does enjoy the adult side of Disney. I was also thinking of doing the Swan/Dolphin food and wine weekend with a day at Epcot.[/QUOTE]

Funny but I was really not interested in Disney - this was back in 1990 - but my 16 year old daughter wanted to go so much so we got a 4 day hopper pass which was the norm in those days - and MK was our first stop. Moaned all the way there, were staying on International Drive - moaned about the huge car park, moaned about the boat to get to the park, moaned about the queue at the ticket check in (no security lines then - would have moaned even more if there were!) walked through the arch under the railway into Main Square - stopped, looked around, soaked up the atmosphere and haven't moaned since! Well not about Disney. MK really caught my imagination and showed me what Disney was all about - now I can't get enough of the place.
 
My husband and I go a couple of times a year on an adult-only trip. The first time, my husband just went to make me happy. Now, he is the one who usually suggests the trip! My strategy would be to research and find the activities that would really appeal to him. The first time I took my husband, I planned several special events. We did a Segway tour (they have since closed the one we tried, but they still have one that begins at Fort Wilderness, and it is really fun!), a really special meal at Victoria and Alberts, a backstage tour, and the Drink Around the World Showcase at Epcot. Since then, we have gone back many times, and he loves Jellyrolls, a Monorail Drink-a-Thon (for both the Drink Around the World Showcase and the Monorail Drink-a-Thon, we found these great inexpensive, personalized passports online - just google or PM me - that make having a beer at lots of places a game), and, a bunch of special Food and Wine events (we really loved Party for the Senses). Another really awesome event is Savor, Sip, and Sparkle: Celebration at the Top, which is on Sunday nights (and some Saturday nights) at the Contemporary Resort at the California Grill - you get unlimited appetizers, desserts, beer, wine, sparkling, some bar drinks, and a great, private place to watch the fireworks. He even loves floating in an innertube in the water park. And, I stress, he was NOT a Disney guy.

I also recommend choosing a resort that would appeal to him. We love the Beach Club because the pool is so awesome and it is walking distance to our favorite park, Epcot. But I would pick one that has a theme that he would love.

It might be fun to create a PowerPoint of the events that you think he would love, and then project it on your television during a special dinner at home....
 
Tell him that this is something that you want to do and that you would like him to go with you. My hubby is not a huge fan of WDW but will go every few years when I ask him to, otherwise I go either alone or with our kids. He should want to go for you even if it is not his choice of vacations.
 
My wife and I went without the kids in May 2018. Excellent time. We spent most of out time in EPCOT looking at the countries and spent much time, and lots of cash, at the Ragland Road. It was great to do things the kids would not want to. We were never rushed.
 
I'm one of the minority on the boards who don't go to the Food & Wine. Visited last year while it was going on and it was super annoying having the full sidewalks and I had wine spilled on me twice.

DH was "okay" when I mentioned WDW the first time we went. I handled the reservations and FP's. Made a schedule. And he loved it! We missed FP's when we wanted to nap, waited in line if we wanted a particular ride, indulged in treats from each park that we normally wouldn't buy when the kids were with us. It was all about enjoying our time. The Pandora rope drop line was about the only thing that nearly got us, but even he said it was worth the wait. You didn't say if he likes rides at all. My guy wasn't a huge ride goer until that trip. Now, he's All.The.Rides!

And let me just say that without littles, sometimes it's soooooo nice to walk the opposite direction of the parade route.
 
DH and I have gone on several adults only trips. My DH was skeptical at first as well. Once we did it, he was hooked! It’s a very different experience than going with kids...not better or worse, just different...and sooo much fun!

If part of his hesitation is his daughter’s disappointment she doesn’t get to go (our big worry before our first adults only trip), we’ve found that it goes over much better when we can tell them when their next trip to WDW will be. We also point out that ours is just a couple nights and theirs is a week or more.
 
Here's my dilemma, we are both in our 50's, I've been doing only adult girls trips since the 2000's, my DH seems to think we cannot go without his daughter who I love and adore, she is 8, and loves Disney but he thinks its just for kids... and yes he knows there is adult things to do along with adult beverages, we both love craft beers. So any tips on talking him into a grown up Disney trip? TIA!
Your DH sounds a bit like mine. He’s fine staying home. He loves Christmas though and asked if I’d like to go for a long weekend in December. What about being at Disney would he enjoy?
 

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