Princeton's Ask the Doctor May/June 2018

When Your Spouse Dislikes the Mouse By Dawn Gunther

It’s hard for us Disney Fans to imagine that there are people out there that don’t like Disney. We all know that a Disney vacation promises to be full of entertainment, excitement, and adventure and they ALWAYS deliver. With commercials that boast about memories that will last a lifetime: who could not love going to the “Happiest Place on Earth”? Sadly, there are people out there who don’t share in our love for big eared; big hearted family fun. Some folks just don’t get “it”. I know about this first hand and struggle with this issue when planning our family vacations. My husband doesn’t get my Disney obsession, which I can completely understand. I don’t fully get his fishing obsession either, especially since it’s catch and release. Tome that is equivalent to shopping all day long and coming home empty handed, which would never be my case. To not be able to enjoy a Disney Park is another issue entirely and requires some strategic planning. I have managed to bring Hubby to Walt Disney World and Disneyland with great success. There are several key factors that one must consider when attempting to require a non-Disney lover to visit the parks. Visiting during the off-season is even more important since crowds will only help to prove any Disney dislike’s point. Seeing crowds and waiting in long lines is a sure-fire way to ensure they will never return. Remember, your goal is to succeed in EVERYONE having a MAGICAL vacation and not a miserable one.

H E A L T H Y M I N D & S O U L

First , consider what are your partner’s likes? Do they like golf, fishing, boating, fine dining or maybe just hanging out by the pool? Well as you know, being a seasoned Disney Fan, Disney has something for everyone. Taking this into consideration, I took it upon myself to book a private Bass Fishing trip for my husband and son with Disney Tours. They fished early one morning on Seven Sea Lagoon while my younger son and I did some much-needed souvenir shopping. This allowed me to fulfill my shopping needs without boring my Hubby. My husband and son enjoyed the fruitful fishing experience and could create their own special memories outside the park. A win-win for all! Second , on vacation, your non-Mickey loving friend may want to sleep in. Like most hard-working people, sleeping in defines the word “vacation”. “What do you mean we need to get there before the park opens”: is what you will probably hear if you so much as attempt this rope-drop ritual. If you can’t waver from your instinctive desire to be the first one in the park, then I suggest doing this once during a week-long vacation. If you do decide to instill this military-like schedule, you will have a very unhappy soldier unless you leave mid-day for a little R&R. Heed my warning, allowing a non-Disney loving friend to leave mid-day has a high probability they won’t return the same day. Sleeping in isn’t all–bad so let them sleep. If you are an early riser, this gives you time to enjoy your resort while they are catching some much-needed shut-eye. When you do get to the park, your entire family will be refreshed all the way until the nighttime parades and fireworks. Not so bad!

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ASK THE DOCTOR September/October 2016

MAY/JUNE 2018