First Disney memory and is it still there?

[IsThatYouTigger]

What is funny is that some of my main Disney memories revolve around my dad making phone calls from the AT&T or something Bell....(I really think that's who had the sponsorship outside of Spaceship Earth) phone booths for our dining reservations for later in the day. We lived in Winter Park and my Dad would take my brothers and I out to the parks and would have my Mom meet us out there around dinner time. So I can remember getting to EPCOT and riding 'the Big Ball' and my Dad would list the countries that had reservations available, we would choose, and then go ride some more rides!

 

[Raidra]

I had just turned 7 when we went to Disney for the first time. It was 1987. I remember the Figment ride, and meeting Dreamfinder and Figment. Figment tickled me, and I thought he was awesome. I still have the giant Figment stuffed animal that I got that trip. I also remember meeting Minnie in a big empty cafeteria type place, she had something like a space suit on, and she held my 6 week old baby sister while I stood next to her. Still have that picture, as well as one of Figment tickling me.

I also have vague recollections of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

We went back again in 1991, then again in 1996, so I'm not sure what of my other memories are from the first trip or later trips (like Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, etc.. the attractions that are still there).

 

[phoebusII]

I remember riding 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It was my first ride at WDW. Also, needing to buy more E tickets because we ran out, though I still have an A ticket in my photo album from that trip. This was around 1974 or so.

I also remember riding Space Mountain, going up that long incline before the launch and how exciting it was to pretend to be a real astronaut, then being so scared and screaming my head off for the whole ride. If memory serves me right, at the time we sat two per seat, one in front of the other and my little brother was sitting in front of me. He developed an ear ache on that vacation and blamed it on me for screaming in his ear during the ride.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

My first Disney memory was when I was five. I was at the World with my grandparents, aunt, and cousins to celebrate my birthday. We had reservations at Chef Mickey's (I remember we had a table facing the monorail and I thought it was the coolest thing!) I received a birthday cupcake that meal. The best part was when I met Chip and Dale. One of them led me away from the table, while the other stole my seat at our table and tried to hide my cupcake and steal it! It was the greatest character meet I've ever had, and my first memory of Disney. They stayed at our table for quite some time, too!

 

[SoarinSC]

To be honest, I can't tell you my first (can't remember!), but I can tell you one of my favorite.

We spent a weekend at the WL in the early 2000s with some family friends from New York. They had never been, so we went all out and spent the entire day on Saturday at MK and topped it off with dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe. Needless to say, they were tired, particularly their youngest daughter. We were all chatting and next thing we know, we look over towards her and see her face planted in her mac 'n' cheese. She did an all-out face-plant and just fell asleep at the table. It was pretty funny to see and something we'll remember for a while.

WCC is still there too!

LOL! One of the greatest WDW stories I've ever heard! Thanks for the laugh

Can't remember my first-first, but my strongest first-trip memory was a ride on the Jungle Cruise. Had to be around 12 or so...just remember trying to wrap my young brain around the fact I was actually at Magic Kingdom.

 

[dawnhaze]

My only early memories of WDW are riding Splash Mountain with my dad in our thick winter coats during a cold December, and my mom getting sick on Body Wars and having to lay down on the ground after we got off the ride. Which I guess might be why she didn't go on Splash Mountain with us. This was in 1994-ish? I guess? lol

 

[Dreamport]

My first trip was in '88 at 3-years-old. One of the best things about having poor vision before the age of 5 is I can tell which recollections are actual memories and which are forced-perspective ones from watching our VHS tapes over and over again, not that those tapes don't at least help to jog the true memories. They're like 2-3 second vine video clips, but they're still up here *knocks on the ole' noggin*.

I can remember walking through Mickey's house and being completely enthralled by all of the things in the kitchen. Tied on is being absolutely terrified of him since he was so much taller than me, up until Mickey knelt down and signed "I <3 you" at me. I've loved him ever since. The house is gone and so is the place where Mickey and I first met.

The other is walking into Epcot Center for the first time with my Gramma and shouting that Mickey wasn't on top of the Epcot Ball waving to us like on the TV!! (There was a commercial with that at the time). Lastly, forcing my family to stop in front of the glassmakers on Main Street USA so I could stare at all of the glass pieces. Both the Epcot Ball and the glassmakers are still there, and a couple years ago I finally bought my first glass piece.

 

[Dreamport]

Mom has loved hearing these stories so much that she wanted to share hers, too. January 1975. Mom and her college roommate were down for the first time ever and borrowed the extra Ticket Booklets her roommate's aunt and uncle had so they had plenty of D- and E-Tickets to use. "I was at first amazed at all the topiary surrounding the lake getting into Magic Kingdom shaped like the Disney Characters and just loved it at dusk when all the trees and buildings along Main Street up to the Castle were lit up like fairies." This was back when I-4 (the main highway) had only one exit for Orlando with a Holiday Inn on one side and a family-owned inn on the other and cattle ranches lining the way to Disney.

The Ticket Booklets are gone but the magic in the trees is still there.

 

[jedimeg16]

I have a handful of memories from my first Disney trip when I was 4 1/2 in 1989.

My grandparents took my older cousin Katie and me on a road trip and we stayed in the main building of the Contemporary. We only went to the Magic Kingdom but at that age I don't think either of us knew about the other parks. I remember watching the Electrical Water Pageant from our room, which I did not see again for 16 years when I randomly saw it with roommates during my second internship. And on Snow White's Scary Adventure the ride stopped right where the Queen switched to the Hag - I was terrified of the ride for YEARS afterwards - I'm glad it's gone!

But the best memory was from our meal at CRT (called King Stephan's Banquet Hall back then) - all of the kids waiting were running around and the sound was echoing off of the walls like crazy. Then we heard shoes on the stairs and as soon as Cinderella came into view all of the kids just stopped and stared. It was magical!

 

[ttintagel]

My first WDW memory is the Magic Kingdom parking lots, which are still there but have been renamed since then. We parked in the Grumpy lot on our first trip, which made for many a family joke.

 

[GoofyMB]

My first trip was when I was a kid way back in August, 1976. The things that I remember from that trip are all gone. I recall going to River Country (loved the water slides) and riding Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (I remember being so scared when I saw the train coming at us in the tunnel) and riding 20,000 Leagues (I really thought we went under water).

 

[KB'sMom]

My first Disney trip was Disneyland in 1980 when I was 4. I have very vague memories of a submarine ride and the Country Bear Jamboree.

 

[lphillip459]

1980 at Disneyland. Mickey Mouse just wandered around the park - not like now. I went up to hug him and got a picture with a few other kids. I was 16 - they were probably 3 or 4. Now it's nothing to be older and visit characters - then.....not so much!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Now it's nothing to be older and visit characters - then.....not so much!

Whaaa.....?

Pretty sure my face just this month says otherwise!
https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hph...122_248761601992764_1333225708915681231_n.jpg

 

[lphillip459]

Whaaa.....?

Pretty sure my face just this month says otherwise!
https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hph...122_248761601992764_1333225708915681231_n.jpg

I believe you misunderstood me.

In, 1980 is was odd for adults to go up and hug the characters. Nowadays lots of people (like yourself) enjoy the characters - me too!!

 

[sewmess]

My first trip was a spring break school trip my sophomore year of high school. Three things stand out:

Huddling with friends under the walkway from Liberty square to Fantasy Land in one of those sudden April showers.

Getting my Paddington Bear in UK. I wish they still had them.

Waiting for everyone to come back to the tour bus at EPCOT and looking at Spaceship Earth and wondering how anyone could want to stay there that long (Still not my favorite park) This memory is so vivid that when we went back I could point out the exact spot the bus was parked in the lot (it's about where the #18 bus stop is now)

 

[SEA333]

My first visit (and only until I brought my own kids back in 2012) was in June of 1982. I had just turned 7 years old a few weeks before we left and it was the summer between 1st and 2nd grade. We drove to Florida from Michigan with my grandparents, my 25 year old aunt, my 12 year old aunt, and my 8 year old sister. All in a powder blue 1981 Crowne Victoria LOL (oh, the things you could get away with back then!)

My biggest memories:
1. My mom cutting about 8 inches of my hair off till it reached my ears because she didn’t want my grandma to “worry” about it on the trip and Florida was very hot in June (like MI isn’t hot and humid in the summer either). Obviously, I still haven’t forgiven her LOL
2. My sister and I constantly saying “Ohhh!” and “Ahhh!” All.The.Way.Through.The.Smoky.Mountains. My poor grandfather! He talked about that until his death in 1994.
3. Crossing the Florida State line and getting out of the car at an orange juice stand on the side of the road. We swore that we had never felt as hot as we did at that moment.
4. Driving by what was soon going to be Epcot Center – I swear I remember seeing the metal frame sphere of Spaceship Earth only ½ covered with the white tiles, but I looked up the opening date of Epcot and it is Oct. 1, 1982, so I’m not sure if that is a good memory?
5. My 12 year old aunt (she was more like a sister since she was 19 years younger than my mom, who was *her* older sister) being super excited to go on Space Mountain. They all said I was too little, which was fine by me at the time!
6. Riding the teacups
7. Seeing Dumbo and not riding it – even then the lines were “too long”!
8. Riding the monorail and seeing the castle. Being disappointed that we could walk through it, but there were no actual rooms to see LOL
9. The hitch-hiking ghost that sat between my sister and I in Haunted Mansion. Soo cool, although I was a little scared!
10. Loving Snow White. We rode it with our kids in 2012, and now it is gone.
11. Listening to my grandfather moan about how he hated that song in IASW, and my grandmother shushing him LOL
12. My 12 year old aunt telling me that the dolls came alive at night LOL
13. Riding the skyway and being scared that the gondolas would fall, but being exhilarated being up that high! Those are gone now, too.
14. Being terrified that I was going to fall out of the boat on Peter Pan. My 25 year old Aunt knew I was scared and held her arm against me so I would feel safer, and pointed out all of the cool scenes below. I will never forget that. She passed away suddenly many years later at the age of 42, 7 weeks after my oldest child was born. I will miss her forever. But at least I have awesome Disney memories with her!

 

[EeyoresTwin]

I can only estimate that it was around 1989 and I was about 12 yo. My dad and I went down for a week. We stayed at CBR and I remember chasing around the lizards. Being from NJ, lizards were pets, not the resident wildlife. Clearly anyone can tell you the lizards are still there.

I remember going to MK and going on Space Mountain. I was convinced that I was going to hit my head. Those bars and lights seemed so low....but wait a second my father is taller than me and he's ok. Oh wait, the ride is over. That wasn't fun. 20+ years later those silly bars and lights still feel so close, but the ride is much more fun now.

The other thing I remember is Discovery Island. I remember walking around on trails with lots of exotic birds. I actually found some pictures from my old (get this) 110 camera. I don't remember having to go on a boat to get there, or that it was called Discovery Island, but I have seen other DISer's photos and that is what I remember. Sadly, Discovery Island is no longer there.

 

[DisneyWisher]

It was 1971, church organized a day trip. I remember laying down while on the Teacups thinking "I don't like this". I was 5 I think I've been on it once since (still don't like it) second memory same trip. 20,000 leagues under the sea, my seat was where the squid grabbed the sub. I screamed which was weird for me because I was a quiet seen and not heard child. It scared me, I thought we were going to die. My mom had a hard time calming me down.

 

[MattRyan]

My first Disney memory is riding the ferry...and of course it is still there.