Need help convincing my wife!

[Dusty Duck]

Hey guys! I'm new to this forum and I'm looking for some help! I want to take a WDW resort vacation SOON! My wife has never been and it's taken a lot of convincing to even get her to consider it. We are still newly weds (we were married in October). I've been to and stayed on the property many times and I want to show her the magic! She seems convinced it wouldn't be much fun for her or us since we're adults. I've tried explaining to her that its not at all just for kids! Although its always turned me into one whenever I've gone in the past . She's a fan or relaxing and romantic vacations. I know we can find all of that at WDW! Help me out guys and gals! What are some ideas?

 

[UberPlannerMom]

Would she trust you to plan the whole thing out and have her just show up? Then you could show her the fun of the trip plus carriage rides and amazing pools and such...

 

[Patti1]

Would she trust you to plan the whole thing out and have her just show up? Then you could show her the fun of the trip plus carriage rides and amazing pools and such...

Too old for WDW magic? We'll, then my DH and I must be aging backwards. There are so many things to see and do that are romantic. We are in our early sixties, have been going every other year for sometime now. We love POR, such a lovely resort, try for Magnolia Bend. Take a carriage ride, take the boat to Downtown Disney both beautiful and romantic. Hang at the pool, take long walks around the resort. Resort hop, each are so unique, soak up the ambiance. Fireworks and spectaculars, hand-in-hand and little quick kiss, oh so romantic!!! Beautifully themed restaurants and excellent food. And the parks, we love them all and have been during all times of the year. Our favorite time to go is between or right before Thanksgiving and Christmas, all of the decorations just add to the magic. Don't try to do it all, take an easy attitude, and you and she will have such a wonderful time. And you'll be like us and look at a photo and day "you know, it is time to go back and make new memories!" Have a magical time, and be sure to book at least one meal with Mickey and the gang or the princesses!!!!!

 

[wendysue]

We have been there 8 times with NO kids. It is wonderful....

 

[jlsHouston]

Well she is missing out. Why don't you plan a hypothetical itinerary. Get some brochures of the resort you would stay at...and tell her she gets to pick the next vacation.
I brought my boyfriend for his 60th birthday. He had been to DL years ago when he was in boot camp. So he kind of had a MK memory.
We were on property with my daughter and kids and his daughter and kids at CBR. It was late October so cooler temps and F&W at Epcot.
Well he wasn't overly thrilled with the vacation. We were there 5 days and 4 nights. We never made it to AK.
He's never said a word about joining me in my subsequent trips to WDW. Of course I never ask to join him on the hunting trips...I guess we like different experiences.
He'll do a beach vacation but WDW wasn't his thing. He thought it was a lot of walking. He thought the food was so so except F&W. That was the only part of the trip he really liked.
I hope you convince her to go and I hope she discovers the magic so you can share many more visits to WDW together in your future!

 

[lilclerk]

I don't plan on having kids at all, but man do I love WDW!
Definitely plan for a more "adult-oriented" time, like during the Food & Wine Festival. Maybe she'd like a spa day. I know it's tough for some of us to consider, but maybe stay off property, where she doesn't have to be immersed in the "magic" constantly. When I brought my boyfriend for the first time, his biggest draw was seeing La Nouba.

@WDWFigment has this article on his blog that you might get some good information from, too: http://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-adults-only-tips/

 

[Betsyboo]

My husband and I have visited three times in recent years with our son who is now 10. This year, actually 14 days from now, we'll be visiting again without our son to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary and his 40th birthday. There are so many things I'm looking forward to experiencing as an adult that we wouldn't get to with our son. We'll be taking a couple of tours - Keys to the Kingdom and Wild Africa Trek - and also dining at a couple of places we wouldn't if our son was along. I think WDW is great for families AND couples. Hopefully you can convince her.

 

[stevehousse]

Stay at a deluxe. Eat at signature restaurants. Do the Africa trek at AK one day. Drink around the world and shop in Epcot. There are lots of fun things for adults to do. I would come up with an itinerary and see what she thinks. She probably won't know what any of it is, so use the Internet to be able to show her pictures or videos of those different experiences...

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I think it's all how you sell it. People who have never been have this misconception from their lack of experience that it's all about kid stuff. There's truly no way to show them it's for "kids of all ages" without them learning first hand. Still, you know what she likes, so if you want to get her on board...you need to come up with a trip plan that fits what she likes along with some things to make her realize that there is no such thing as "too old for Disney."

1. Pick a resort where she could really relax and get a romantic vibe
2. Plan in downtime from the parks doing more romantic things - i.e. maybe a stroll on the Boardwalk, an Illuminations cruise, Wishes from the Poly beach, etc.
3. Pick meals that could be romantic and/or where she'd be wowed.
4. Take her to a pre-park opening breakfast in the Magic Kingdom and get there early- even my 60 something age parents found this to be absolutely magical and said they'd have no qualms about trying it again without any of the grandkids in tow
5. Maybe go during F&G or F&W so there's a little more to offer her
6. Do something special like flowers or a custom cake- either to your room or at a special meal
7. Wishes timed meal at Cali Grill - even if it's not the quietest meal - is super special
8. If you don't go during F&W or F&G, maybe consider the holidays since there are just so many magical things for all ages at that time
9. maybe plan some special tours or activities to make it a more unique experience
10. If you stay at a resort with pool cabanas...rent one for one of the days where you have down time
11. If she likes shopping- consider some extra time in DTD
12. If the timing is ever right (i.e. you can see mid trip that she's embracing the experience) and you find out what her fave Disney character was as a kid...surprise her with something of that character (maybe plush or jewelry?)

All in all, I think you'd need to bring her in with the relaxing and romantic, build in a great trip underneath it all, and then let the rest happen when she experiences it first hand.

 

[Mr Toad]

Bribe her...

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

dh and i have been there hundreds of times, and NEVER with a child! there are so many great restaurants to eat at, nice spas, and beautiful resorts all on disney property. if you go in october (maybe for your anniversary?) you can hit the food & wine festival, which is amazing. i like a lot of @HouCuseChickie's recommendations...
-stay at a deluxe resort - or DVC. saratoga springs and old key west are beautifully themed, but are not mickey-heavy.
-plan out restaurants! maybe choose one character meal just to show her the magic - book later times to try and avoid more of the rambunctious kids. 1900 park faire was one of our favorites and is a very pretty restaurant... and it gives you the opportunity to see the grand floridian. california grill is a great romantic option. we're doing chefs de france for the first time on our next trip in october. we also love the atmosphere at beirgarten. and saana at animal kingdom lodge villas is great - beautiful views and a very nice menu.
-check out the fireworks packages. they have cruises which are not cheap but might be really nice. or plan out your own thing - find someplace neat on property you can view. like from the contemporary - get some drinks first, then go watch the fireworks before going back to the hotel. ditto at the poly, watch from the beach.
-there is other stuff off property. orlando outlets aren't too far (not great, not horrible). beaches aren't too far either; maybe you could do 3 or 4 days at disney, 3 or 4 days at a beach in daytona or cocoa beach. there are casinos within a couple of hours drive.
-or consider a disney cruise! there aren't any rides, but she could get a taste of disney magic. they have excellent food, some child-free restaurants, and so many child activities you don't really see kids all over the place. plus the ship will dock at some really beautiful, relaxing beaches.

 

[lilclerk]

-or consider a disney cruise! there aren't any rides, but she could get a taste of disney magic. they have excellent food, some child-free restaurants, and so many child activities you don't really see kids all over the place. plus the ship will dock at some really beautiful, relaxing beaches.

Good call! Maybe do a land/sea so you can do both.

 

[rnese]

Uh...Hey Boss! Take her on a romantic, magical boats ride. It's a Small World! It gets them "in the mood" every time! For what? I have no idea!

 

[NC Del]

OK, to give a slightly different POV, I am not a huge Disney person and I too am a fan of relaxing & romantic vacations but everyone's definition of that is different- mine= Caribbean resort, beautiful water, drinks by the pool, fine dining, lack of screaming/crying/splashing kids (no offense to my own two four yr olds...) .. so I would say, don't try to sell it to her as a romantic/relaxing vacation b/c really, it's not, if her definition of that is similar to mine. I would sell it more as something fun/different to do that has a lot of things to offer adults and is something YOU would enjoy and you really want her to just give it a try once. I agree w/ someone else to go during some event that is geared toward adults, I think the food & wine festival would be really fun. I am being totally honest here, I would not do a character meal with someone who is not really excited about Disney to begin with- I would go to higher end restaurants that might not have as many little kids running around, later reservation times, choose a resort with a really nice pool (do any of them have adult pools? I have no idea), and then maybe she will warm up more to the idea & place and want to return and do more of the Disney 'fun' stuff! If she happens to like roller coasters & rides, Universal is probably a little more fun, Epcot is really fun/interesting for adults and maybe do a park hopper so as to be able to visit the MK for a little but not commit to a full day there? GL!

 

[onesandzeros]

I’ve been to WDW many times. It fascinates me to see many kids zonked-out in their strollers
in the afternoon, while the parents continue to enjoy the parks. I “jokingly” said to my then DW
that at the next stockholders meeting I was going to propose kids be banned from the parks.
That the parks were more for adults wanting to recapture that youth carefree feeling. I admit that’s true for me, but I have adult friends who view Disney as a kids destination and hate the idea of visiting. To each their own!

 

[Andrew C]

Good call! Maybe do a land/sea so you can do both.

Great idea! And definitely worth it.

 

[Club34]

You married her why? j/k

I have found that it can be tough for adults who have never been to WDW to get the same level of infatuation and addiction as those of us who were indoctrinated as youth. I know I am privileged but I cannot believe when I meet people who have never been. Strange to me. Of course, ignorance is bliss as I have had to budget 2-3k to that damn mouse every year of my life.

On topic- perhaps 2 trips? A few days at a seaside resort to give her what she wants, but then cap it off with an introduction to the greatest thing on the planet for a few days . Do it up right by taking some of the suggestions from your peers above.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

You have a lot of great examples that have been provided to you. I think if you set aside a day where she can do one of the spa treatments (of her choice) and a nice meal at a signature restaurant or even Victoria and Alberts you may be able to sell her on it. On the cruise you also have a nice spa (which I have visited many times) where you can get couples massages either at the spa on ship or in the open air cabanas at Castaway Cay!
Carriage rides, night time boat rides, romantic restaurants, the fireworks going off over the castle, the romance at sea dining at Palo or Remy. Whatever you choose, make it about her and she will come along. Let me know if you need any more help convincing her LOL

Pam

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Maybe you could compromise. Do a Disney trip this year and then let her pick the vacation destination next year. Or maybe since you said she enjoys relaxing vacations you could do disney for a few days then tack on a relaxing cruise. Personally we do disney as a couple all the time. We sleep in, eat at signature restaurants, we've done the couple's spa day, and this year we are trying Cirque Du Solei in DTD.
My fiancé never wanted to go to Disney but eventually gave in for me, our whole flight through check in at CSR he wasnt too excited to be there, BUT on day 3 of our 7 day vacation he had already said he couldn't wait to go back the next year. He doesn't like to plan the trips but he definitely has favorite parks & restaurants now. He has already told me to start planning our 2015 trip lol. Disney definitely worked it's magic on him.

 

[3Caballeros]

It depends on what she considers romantic. Is it a spa and high end meal or would she be the type that would find new enjoyment by relaxing in front of the castle with a dole whip awaiting the fireworks with her husband?
Show her pictures of things that would show adult interests...there are shows that are not geared to kids (Beauty &the beast at Hollywood), there is the safari at AK, downtown Disney and events (food&wine). I would not show pics that highlight characters or parades.
I would suggest a mid-November trip & not a value resort. I think if you gear the trip toward her type of relaxing & romance, she will want to go back next year.