How many DIS Dads are there?

[Marthasor]

I'm a DIS Mom with a DH who swears no dad actually wants to go to WDW. Is this true?! If you are a DIS Dad, can you please tell me what you enjoy about the parks? I don't think I'll ever be married to a DIS Dad, but I would sure like my DH to enjoy our trips more! Thanks!

 

[AJRitz]

I believe our current count is 668

What do I enjoy about Walt Disney World? I love the time spent with my wife and children, and seeing the wonders of Disney reflected in their faces. I love being immersed in story. I love that there's something for all of us - no one really has to compromise to enjoy themselves. And I'm a planner by nature, so I also enjoy the process of putting all of the puzzle pieces together that will ultimately become our family vacation.

Those are the broad strokes, there are plenty of more specific things as well. Like Dole Whips and all-you-can-eat bacon.

 

[theduck619]

I am the big driver of our trips to WDW. It is time that I get to spend with them surrounded by magic. I truly believe they have something for everyone!

 

[cj9200]

As a warning, we are Uber-Disney fanatics. We drink the Kool-aid joyfully (just look at the first post of this thread). To me, it is about family. My daughter is 17 and we first visited WDW when she was 18 months. We enjoy other destinations but I have many special memories of our trips to Disney while she was growing up. And I am looking forward a number of years from now taking my grandchildren to Disney.

The thing I like about Disney is yes the parks, but there is so much more to do. It is a vacation destination and you can make it what you want it to be. Want to lounge around the pool and play with the kids, you can. Drive fast in a race car, you can. Want to ride a Segway, interact with marine animals, eat in a nice restaurant, golf, go fishing or do whatever you want to do, you can.

Whatever his interests are, they can be done at WDW. It really can be quality family time.

 

[Marthasor]

What touching posts! Thank you so much!

I completely forgot about the Richard Petty Driving Experience!!!! I think I will mention that to him.

 

[10dedfish]

Dont forget to mention that the Richard Petty driving experience is adding new hi performance cars to the line up, such as... well just read this to him

http://www.drivepetty.com/media-center/press-release/petty-holdings-adds-exotic-driving-experience


Matt

 

[Marthasor]

Dont forget to mention that the Richard Petty driving experience is adding new hi performance cars to the line up, such as... well just read this to him

http://www.drivepetty.com/media-center/press-release/petty-holdings-adds-exotic-driving-experience


Matt

That is SO COOL! I am sending him that link right now!!! Thank you!

 

[10dedfish]

No problem!

 

[BigDaddyWill]

I believe our current count is 668

Yes it is and I am that Dad!

I love taking the family to WDW and I am the one that gets the planning done. We have a great time each trip and we love to go!

When you watch your child's eyes light up when they see the Castle at MK it so makes it worth it.

Will

 

[wasnotafan]

Check the user name. What made the difference for me was SWMBO getting older. No more park commando routine and now she is in charge of packing. I spend way too many hours at work and don't get enough time at home. Running off to FL for more chaos never thrilled me. Now she allows me some down time when we get there.

 

[DisneyDadC]

What do we like about Disney??? How much time to you have to read????? cause this could go on for ever.
Lets see just for starters Disney is a magical place. A place where when you are there you kinda forget about everything else outside of its property. I love being able to see the smiles ,the excitement,and the great times had by my family when there.I love going to Disney and seeing it through my kids eyes.I think if you can see Disney in the same way your kids do your times there will be make memories that last forever. From the time you have your first dole whip,to the time you meet your favorite character.The castle,fireworks,parades,shops, smells of food and restaurants.They all come together and make it special.
Well I have to cut this short.So without being able to go into all the great things of Disney.I would say.... When you go to Disney ,be a kid youself and the great times will follow.

 

[IamTrike]

My take is probably similar to Wasnotafan. Our first trip was a single day trip and while I had fun and the kids enjoyed it, I didn't think I'd ever want to go back to work. I was frustrated about lines and the cost of everything. I tried to go commando to make the most of the $ I spent and I think that only made things worse.

After a year or 2 DW decided she really wanted to go back. For this trip we worked with a Disney travel agent and started preparing 8 or 9 months in advance. We read everything we could about the parks and we found a price for a week at Beach Club with the DSP. The whole process of planning everything got me really excited (YMMV with that though). Because we had the DSP it was really neat to think about eating essentially anywhere and anything on vacation without needing to really look at cost.(yeah I know you need to factor in tips ) We also changed our touring style. We are still commando in the morning but we usually spend the afternoons back at the resorts. It helps to experience a lot and avoid the heaviest crowds.

Not everyone Dad will become a Disdad, but there are usually things that can be done to make most any person enjoy the trip more.

 

[afwdwfan]

I love Disney... I've been going every few years since my parents first took me when I was almost 4. I love it for the immersion and the memories that have been made there over the years. There's something for everyone... even if you don't think there is.

I'm kind of the opposite situation though. DW is ok with going to Disney... she doesn't complain too much, but she definitely doesn't appreciate it the way I do. She's been making fun of the fact that I have made ADR's and have a day by day schedule for our trip.

 

[DEA]

WDW for me, and for my family, is an especially magical place. My DW, older DD, and I went down for the first time a few months after my younger daughter turned 1 yo (she stayed with grandma). The grown-ups went down there with all the stress, fatigue, and lack of relaxation that can come with raising a couple of small children while both working outside the home. We came back feeling a lot less stress and with a much better attitude, and planning our next trip to bring the whole family down.

I love seeing the kids' reactions to the characters and the rides designed for their age group. My wife and I love the rollercoasters and signature restaurants. We go down without the kids for Food and Wine to celebrate our anniversary. The theming and the cast member interaction generally impress me.

Also, they make good mojitos.

What's not to like?

 

[prattpak]

It is the whole package. It is the memoires with my kids, the experience of being in the most Magical Place on Earth. Everytime we go we get "WOWed" by this place. But there is so much more to Disney then just the parks. The Cruise line is amazing and the kids still get the "Disney experience". The resorts, the Dining, the tours. There is sooooo much to do. I have been atleast once a year for the last 6 or 7 and STILL havent seen everything. Just tell him "there is bacon and dole whips" and he will be in. HEHEHE
Let him help with the planning that may get the spark going. Contact a Disney Travel agent as well, We can help you get there with a lot less pressure.

 

[baseballmickey]

I think I was born to be a DisDad. WDW was just a part of my life when I was a kid. We went nearly every summer. I grew out of a lot of things that I loved as a kid, but never WDW. As my tastes changed, WDW always had something for me. As a kid, it was about the meeting characters, watching the parade from the curb while eating a mickey bar, and the rides. As a teenager, I shunned the characters and it was all about the pool at the resort and the rides at the parks (especially the thrill rides). As a young adult, I did the College Program, the characters became cool again, and the rides were still great, and I discovered the nightlife of WDW. Then, as an adult, I took my "someday-to-be" DW. She fell in love with the place and I discovered so many other things I hadn't appreciated about WDW, like the food! And now I am a dad, and I've taken my DD 5 times already and will be taking my DS for his first trip next summer. WDW is now mostly about family time and seeing them having a great time and experiencing it all through their eyes. Having experienced WDW a lot through the years, it's probably a bit easier on me to be going as a Dad with small children and a non-thrill-riding DW than it might be for a Dad taking his family for the first time.

If he's into sports, perhaps the ESPN club at the Boardwalk, or Sports Complex, or playing golf on one of the WDW courses might be something else that would appeal to him. Renting a boat to go out on the lagoon is also something I enjoy doing.