Tell us your DIS story...

[BernardandMissBianca]

Our favorite destination is Walt Disney World in Florida.
WDW is our Home away from home, our family escape. My husband works on the road 45 weeks a year, 45 weeks of missing birthdays, anniversaries, the kids milestones, and even every day life. However along with that travel comes a very special perk, a mandatory 3 weeks vacation a year. We pine and plan for those 3 special weeks, a time that we can escape from the world of computers, pagers, and cell phones. We can turn the rest of the world off when we drive through those magical gates. We go to WDW for several reasons, the most important is a quote from Walt Disney himself, "I felt that there should be something built where the parents and the children could have fun together."
We are not the only people that feel this way either, when DH gets a business call while we are there and he tells the caller that we are on vacation, their typical reply is "it will only take a minute" if he tells them "no, I am at Disneyworld" the response is "it can wait til you get back."
Disney is sacred.

You ask how deep is my passion for Disney. Well, typically we are planning our next trip before we have even finished with the one we are on. We have a Christmas countdown on our mantle that I have altered to be our Disney countdown. We managed to take 4 trips in 2005, April, August, October, and December. April was a trip that my oldest son earned after completing his math tutoring 3 months early, August was a trip just for my mom and myself, her very first trip to the World. October for my 2 youngest boy's birthdays, and December for our very first Christmas there. We even shipped a fake tree complete with Disney ornaments down for the occasion. We took our daughter on her very first trip to Disney for her first birthday this past March. We have to start her on the right foot after all. Well she remember? Probably not, but through our scrapbooks, pictures, and stories she will know how truly magical her first trip to the World was.
I also help most of my friends in town plan their trips, I like to spread the magic! In our sleepy little town I am considered the resident Disney expert, a title I proudly bear. But don't ask me about Disney unless you have hours to spare, I can talk your ear off about the wonders of Walt's magical dreams and how they have become reality.
I belong to a Disney web forum, where we not only talk Disney but we also have our own Scrapbooking sub-forum where we share our stories, layouts, and ideas.
I will fly 3000 miles for the scrapbooking getaway that WDW hosts every August even though there are retreats closer to Connecticut. I sacrifice not having my tools for several days because I ship them down ahead of time, and I will check my luggage and carry my paper on the plane with me. If that's not passion I don't know what is.
It makes me sad when we can't go but it hardens our resolve to make it a priority to save enough money to go again. It is extremely important to us as a family to make the effort to go back to Disneyworld.

I have only finished scrapping one trip to WDW, that was our very first trip for our oldest son's 8th birthday. I have hard time because I feel the need to scrap every picture that DH takes. I don't want to skip anything and I want to be able to relive every minute of our trips through our books.
I did do the title page though for our April 2005 trip. and this is my favorite page to date. The quote from my then 4 year old sums up our whole families passion and love for all things Disney. He turned and looked at me during the show illuminations at Epcot and whispered, "Mommy this is the bestest bacation ever." Makes me cry every time I think about it.

So that scratches the surface of our families favorite destination. Thanks for bearing with me as I gush about the place I love.

Sincerely yours,
Buffy
admitted Disney addict

 

[Towncrier]

Like others, I cannot remember exactly what the circumstances of my finding the DISboards was, but I do know that the timeframe was late summer in 1997, right after a trip to WDW. We purchased an interest in DVC in 1995 and started our annual pilgrimage to Florida. It was after our 1997 trip that I did an internet search using AltaVista (there was no Google), and I came across a website called "WDWInfo". I immediately registered and started reading. I found out all of the things that I SHOULD have done on my trip. I could have kicked myself. That being said, I started contributing to the boards and discovered legions of people who shared my love of Walt Disney World and all things Disney. Over the next few months and years, I drove to Chicago, Cape Cod, Allentown, and a host of other locations to meet with other DISers. I contacted a couple of DISers in Northeast Ohio and started setting up DISmeets that were a little closer to home. Initially we met at local shopping malls. Through a series of events on the DISboards, we ended up hosting a Memorial Day picnic at our home. It was so much fun that we decided to have the picnic annually, spending part of the weekend at Cedar Point, and even having a breakfast at our home for those folks from out of town who made a weekend of the event.

The DISmeets were not limited to events outside of WDW. Much to the dismay of my wife, I signed up for a whole list of DISmeets during our next vacation to WDW. During our 12 night stay at Old Key West, we attended no less than seven separate events. I met several people on that trip who have become lifelong friends.

As the years have passed, I cannot recall just how many times I've gotten together with DIS friends in groups large and small. I've laughed and cried with people whom I would never have met had it not been for that chance encounter with WDWInfo. I have learned to pray for others who are in need, and I have received countless prayers when I was in need. This was no more apparent to me than four years ago today when I slipped and fell on a patch of ice, severely injuring my ankle. The outpouring of care, concern, and love from the DISboards was key to my recovery. The cards, flowers, phone calls, visits, and posts on the DISboards made me realize just how large a community this had become.

The kindness of the people here on the DISboards has been shown to me time and time again. I can recall one instance where I was planning to drive solo from NE Ohio to Orlando and a DISer whom I had only met once offered to let me spend the night in his home (conveniently located at about the halfway mark of my trip). What makes this so amazing is that he was not going to be home at the time of my trip, so he was going to send me a key to his place. That's just one example of the kind of people who make the DIS a special place.

I had the pleasure of being on the first 7-night cruise of the Disney Magic and, upon my return, was part of a Disney chat where I tried to answer everyone's questions about that trip. It was also on that cruise that I met and spoke with Castmember "Matt" (who I later discovered through an interview on the DISboards was none other than Matt Ouimet, the president of Disney Cruise Lines). On our next cruise, I had the great fortune to bump into our very own Pete Werner. What fun it was knowing that the man who was responsible for this very site was on the cruise. It was also on that cruise that we met another family from NE Ohio that subsequently helped our son with his application to the college where he is currently attending. This is just one example of how the DISboards has helped in my life and the lives of my wife and children.

The DISboards has expanded my universe to include so many wonderful people and memories and to increase my enjoyment of all things Disney. Thank you Pete and all involved who brought the DISboards into being and who, by your continued efforts, keep this place as magical as Disney.

 

[eva]

Like Towncrier, I joined back in the days when there was only one board. That was before Pete had moved to the Orlando area. I know it was before we joined DVC in the summer of 1997. But the DIS has become such a part of my life that I can't remember exactly when I wasn't visiting here nearly every day. How did I find the DIS? Like a whirlwind romance, I can't really remember. It's all a daze. I don't know if Pete remembers me. But we shared a MK Fireworks cruise with my DH and 2 DD's back in June of 1998. After that cruise, I was sold on the DIS. Pete is just so great. And he had such words of encouragement for our first DVC stay and a few mishaps we had encountered.

Since then I have been to many DIS Meets and have arranged a couple myself. The Drink Around the World Meet a few years ago had to be my favorite of all time. Just imagine a meet with all adults that started in the French pavilion at 11:00 am and ended in the UK around 6:00 pm with over 40 people. Another great meet happened at the 50's Prime Time Cafe with a ride on TOT after. How I kept my dinner down is still a mystery to me. My most recent meet was on a Western cruise this past September. What a fabulous group of people. We had dinner on that cruise with Lucky Penny, Scottie (DH), Custard Tart, and her DH. It was so great to be able to chat with people for an entire year before the cruise.

I don't know how to put into words how the DIS has enhanced my life. But it definitely has. I have met so many fabulous people. And that each one of them has the same fascination with Disney and the DIS is just too good to be true. My post count is fairy low for someone that has been here so long. I do post when I feel that I have something to add. But most of the time I feel that everyone else is adding to my experience.

Pete, thanks so much for all the sweat and tears you have gone through over the 10+ years. I hope you feel it was worth it. I know I sure appreciate it!

 

[dheinle]

Well here is my Story. I was fortunate enough to be sent to a conference for work (Voicecon) in 2004 that happened to be located at the Dolphin and Swan. The hotel was full so we stayed at CBR. I took my wife and daughter along, my daughter was only 22 months so all we had to pay for was my wifes airfare.

Anyways I started to hear about this Disney Vacation Club thing and I wanted more info. I did not want to go to the tour offered by Disney but I wanted more info. So I did a google search for it and found the DIS boards. It found a ton of info and decided it would be cool, but we could never afford it.

Anyways on the trip my wife and I fell in love with Disney. We back the next year. The year after we rented DVC points and took my son to get his first haircut at the main street barber. We were just there again the week after thanksgiving.

After seeing the AKV rooms this time around my wife was sold on DVC. I found a small resale at TTS and bought it. We passed ROFR and are waiting to close!

Thanks to the DVC board for all the great info.

I started listening to the podcast about a year ago and since then have started to listen to a bunch more podcasts. Some disney and some techie stuff as well. I never really got the whole podcast thing until I started listening to you guys. Now I rarely listen to the radio in my car, I always have podcasts loaded up.

Thanks
Dennis

 

[Partridge4ever]

I found the DIS ages ago. It may have been as early as 1995 because I think I was expecting my first baby. I started planning our first trip before she was born. She'll be going on her 20th trip next month. There was one message board back then. It was here that I first heard of DVC which at the time seemed like an unattainable dream. And a few years later, it was here that the wonderful people on the DVC board answered all my questions and welcomed me home in the year 2000. I remember the announcement that Pete was moving to Orlando and being so excited for him. And I remember crying when I learned of the death of his father. Thank you, Pete, for founding this website that has enriched so many lives!

 

[Ellen aka Snow White]

I am another one here at the "Disney Information Station" from the beginning - when there was only one board then it grew into two and then there was that debate board! Thankfully Pete realized that board was not what this site was about and took it down - which of course caused debates!! Then there was the "discussion" of posting FULL details about your trips - now known as trip reports. Pete do you remember when you discouraged taking up bandwidth to summarize your trips?? We actually had a phone discussion about this very topic!

I found the site when we were planning our second trip to WDW - our first trip we went without doing any homework - who knew the place was so big! Planning - was it really needed?? Welllll yesss!! So for our 2nd trip I did my homework and found this site. I don't post often but I do read a lot. I have watched it go from that one board to all these that are here now, from introducing chat to being THE lunch time chat host and now the podcast. I have seen a lot of people come and go - I have only met one - Jackie from NS. Hopefully one of these times a dismeet will time out AND I can convince my family to attend a meet.

I to was here before Pete moved to Orlando and remembering the stress of the decision to do so. Then through the sad time of his father's passing.

What does thist site offer me - other than great planning information, this site offers me a place to come and feel at home. I can't get to Disney as often as I would like but I know I can come here and "virtually" be there. Thanks Pete for all your hard work over the years - congratulations on being a success at something you were willing to step out on a leap of faith to do.

Ellen

 

[MenashaCorp]

I am another one here from the beginning - when there was only one board then it grew into two and then there was that debate board! Thankfully Pete realized that board was not what this site was about and took it down - which of course caused debates!! Then there was the "discussion" of posting FULL details about your trips - now known as trip reports. Pete do you remember when you discouraged taking up bandwidth to summarize your trips?? We actually had a phone discussion about this very topic!

I found the site when we were planning our second trip to WDW - our first trip we went without doing any homework - who knew the place was so big! Planning - was it really needed?? Welllll yesss!! So for our 2nd trip I did my homework and found this site. I don't post often but I do read a lot. I have watched it go from that one board to all these that are here now, from introducing chat to being THE lunch time chat host and now the podcast. I have seen a lot of people come and go - I have only met one - Jackie from NS. Hopefully one of these times a dismeet will time out AND I can convince my family to attend a meet.

I to was here before Pete moved to Orlando and remembering the stress of the decision to do so. Then through the sad time of his father's passing.

This site offers me a place to come and feel at home. I can't get to Disney as often as I would like but I know I can come here and "virtually" be there. Thanks Pete for all your hard work over the years - congratulations on being a success at something you were willing to step out on a leap of faith to do.

Ellen

You sound like someone who needs to take a Podcast cruise with us ... You'd no doubt provide a fascinating perspective. The same goes for all of you "Back when there was only one board"-ers. I remember my brother running a BBS before Al Gore invented The Internet. Would love to hear stories... Hear the DIS-evolution.

 

[DSNY4ever]

I have to admit that I found the forums first when I applied for CMO. I was so excited to find a room of other people excitedly awaiting the contact date of the top 20. It was fun to have people to share that moment with, even though most of us were crushed that day (including myself). But then I discovered the Podcast and all of the other fun threads on here and it has been great! I don't get to visit the parks that often, but reading and listening to all the fun gives me a little magic at home (and gives my husband a break from having to hear me talk about it to him!). Since I work from home it is very quiet and boring most of the time, but the podcast brightens my week. It is so fun to listen to the good, the bad and the magical! Thanks for sharing and spreading the pixie dust everyone! I have read funny stories, seen amazing pictures and learned lots of tips that will stick with me for trips to come...and I can't wait to learn more!

 

[kaylajr]

My Dis storys starts years before my registered date....

In Feb 2000 we went were headed to our first ever Family WDW trip. ( I had been once as a teen). It was me DH and our two DD's Then 4 and 6.
I was looking for Info and found the DIS... Stayed mostly on the TPAS board at that point.
Well somehow along the way I lost touch and lost my user name and posts so in 2003 after getting back from our 2nd trip I registered and started all over again. This time I became brave and ventured onto the CB. I have never looked back...

We went back to WDW in 04 taking my MIL and SIL...Now you would have thought somewhere on the DIS I would have learned that was a BAD IDEA but we survived it.

On the CB I found a wonderful Diser Named MEANLAUREEN who had created a game called WPASADI. It was a creative outlet when I so needed one. It introduced me to wonderful people some of whom I still remain friends with.
We have had three "seasons" of the game and Each one has brought wonderful and special DISERS into my life.

I Joined the DIS MODERERATING TEAM a few years back and LOVE MY JOB.
I love helping to make the DIS the special place it is for everyone. I recently was appointed to the welcome board. It is great helping newbie disers find there way around.

We are headed on our first ever Disney Cruise this April followed by a few days in WDW. I am excited and still learning new things here on the DIS everyday. I start my day here in the AM and check in before bed almost everyday....I couldn't imagine a day without the DIS

 

[tinkbutt]

I have just recently graduated with my BFA in photography and am awaiting word from grad school I am hoping to go to NYU we'll see.... anyway as a last get away till I go through two more years of school we are going to use our DVC points. I have been a fan since birth and between going to "the world" at least once a year since 88 and as my father worked for Mickey for ten years I have always been in love with disney.

I have been trying to find new things to do since my family has been there so many times.( although my boyfriend has been there only once which makes it great to visit with a newbie and see the magic win them over, in this makes me love it more) but I found your site and it by far has the most up to date information and it is great.

Your pod cast has been making the days go by so fast it's been great thanks for the poo jokes and all the laughs!!!! I have your same twisted humor
thanks for all that you guys do pod casters and all who make this site run

 

[Justin Jett]

Hi All,

Long time reader who finally figured out how to post. I look foward to meeting everyone. You seem like fun people. My introduction to the podcast was Bob's ECV (Electric Varley Cart). That is the greatest thing I have ever seen! Being in a wheelchair myself, it is fun to see cool ideas like that. If Bob becomes President, he may put a "wheelchair lane" on all streets, instead of a bike lane. Bob has my vote!

My username is a combination of two Greyhounds that mean the world to me:
Justin: Challenged me to show people what I can do.
Jette: Taught me to be myself, and to stick with what I am good at.

My Disney history:

1978 - A 3 year old Skip boards a Walt Disney World monorail for the first time, and is totally amazed. I devote my life to becoming the guy who drives the monorail.

Throughout my life, I keep my passion for Disney and the desire to live in Orlando.

1996 - Having graduated from Grimsley High School, I decide to spend a year on the farm with my Grandparents. Annoyed by the lack of television on the Iowa Sheep farm, I buy a satellite dish for Grandma and Grandpa. The dish gets the Sunshine Network, a channel devoted to 24 hours of Florida!!!! I learn of the University of Central Florida, and the Orlando Solar Bears Hockey Team.

Hockey in Orlando, Florida. That is the calling for me to make the journey to fulfill my lifelong dream.

1997 - I arrive at Vista Way in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. A short time later, the dream was shattered, due to medical problems. I had to return home, but Disney told me that I am welcome to try the college program again after I get well.

1997 - 2001 - I bounce between various sports venues, theme parks, and game companies.....but alas, I never again find my true self.

2002 - I find Project Racing Home Greyhound Adoptions. I Gets fascinated by the whole thing, and chickens out of finishing college.

November 3, 2004 - Two very big back and white Greyhounds arrive from Jacksonville, Florida. JUST BELIEVE and KAT VETTE presented a unique challenge to me, and I loved their personalities. They are too funny, and love life.KAT VETTE also had markings in the shape of Mickey Mouse.

March 2005 – The Derby Lane Greyhound track in St. Petersburg, FL asks me to do a presentation on Greyhounds and wheelchairs. I agree

May 2005 – Kimberly, the kennel directot, adopts KAT VETTE to a family in Orlando. I loved the fact that the “Mickey Mouse Greyhound” would go to live in Orlando.

June 2005 - Orange County, NC Greyhound recovery effort takes its toll on me. After 7 days of literally no sleep, I start thinking about Disney again.

July 2005 - Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom presents a new fireworks show, "Wishes." The theme of the show is "All your wishes will come true if you just believe." Since Justin's name was Just Believe, I took the theme and adapted it for my speech at Derby Lane.

August 2005 - NBC does a story about the Walt Disney World college program. I then call Disney to see if their offer to come back to Disney was still good. They remembered me, and my reciting attraction scripts from memory.

All signs are beginning to point toward trying Disney one more time.

September 2, 2005 - Mom and I visit the Magic Kingdom, to see the new “Wishes!” show and check out the Just Believe lyrics of the sound track. I realize how much I missed it all. I told Mom "I have to do this!"

September 4, 2005 - Kimberly introduces me to the lady who sent us my 2 best canine friend, JUST BELIEVE and KAT VETTE.

October 2005 – I meet Taylor (who adopted Kat Vette) and she tells me about wanting to start a new adoption group in Orlando.. I come up with the idea to put a kennel on International Drive. This made Taylor giggle, but little does she know, I am krazy enough to try it. LOL

It has taken a long time to find myself again and rebuild my self confidence, but I am back on track toward a Disney career. I am currently enrolled in Brevard Community College’s “DirectConnect to UCF” program, and finishing my AA degree online.

I really, really want to do the Disney Advantage Program! Problem is that the next Advantage Program overlaps the 5th Anniversary Party at Project Racing Home. It is important that I be there. I have decided to interview next Fall for the 2009 Spring Advantage Program, which starts in January 2009. I plan to apply for the Disney College Program's Spring 2009 Advantage Session, then finish Brevard after the Disney College Program. Once I get my AA degree, I plan to attend UCF’s hospitality school, and (as stated in my March 5, 2008 Podcast E-Mail) specialize in theme park management.

I want to be the monorail guy on the platform, who asks "How many in your party?"

Sorry to ramble on.

Skip Potter (or should I call myself "Wheelchair Boy")

 

[CaliGirl15]

The journey I took was a little backwards but in some ways the more rewarding than is I would have taken the right path. My story starts with me leaving a wonderful magical place where there is even a castle to go off on my own. To many people in this world my idea to go off seemed a bit crazy but I felt it was time for me to spread my wings. There are so few moments in life where you can truly fly higher than imaginable. I took my chance and left for Hawaii to work on a cruise ship. After seeing the depths of hell I like Alice had found my way back to my magic place. Disney also had a place in my heart and I let my brain lead the way and it just made me unhappy. Now that I have found my place in the Magical world. Along the way I saw some of the most amazing things to the worst things in life but like every life you must learn how to live it. I do remember the first time I had ever felt happy in the world It was in the china pavillion at epcot on a trip when I was 14. Everytime in my life where I was happy it was in Disney and from there I knew where I need to be. This is my disney story

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Like many people I found the DIS when planning a trip in 1999 (NYE) going into 2000. I had searched for Walt Disney World info and came up with a place called Werner Technologies. Low and behold that was the DIS that I first found. Then I lost my origional registration somehow. So when I planned the next family reunion trip I reregistered in 2004 under my current name. I love it here. I used to mainly use the Resorts board and Restaurant reviews. Then one day I found the poscast boar and clicked that magic orange listen now button. I have been hooked ever since. This is the most friendly board on the DIS and I love how close everyone is. I am hooked, drank the koolaide, whatever you want to say. So thank you Pete for making this wonderful community for all us fans!!

 

[PeterPan09]

I found the DIS in 2006. I had just come back from a Disney vacation and was considering purchasing DVC. I had been on the tour, but I wanted to hear from actual owners, ask them questions and really see if the investment was worth it. So, I did what we all do-I googled-and up came the DVC section of the DIS! I found TONS of honest information that really helped me make my decision. I was amazed at all the different boards and the sheer volume of information-and that was before I even checked out the main site!! The DIS is my go-to for theme park questions, and I've encouraged friends to use it as well.

I started listening to the podcast after that, "met" the team and found a way to get my Disney fix every week.

Now that I'm living down here, I'm not using the boards to plan trips so much anymore, but I have found a home on WISH, and the podcast board. As a "townie" I find the podcast to be really helpful pointing out local things to do as well as hidden treasures at Disney that I never knew about-like the animation exhibit at DHS.

I have made very good friends here, met a bunch of cool folks at the DIS December event, including the actual podcast team (!) and hope to keep meeting more and more of my fellow DIS'ers in the future.

 

[mommyceratops]

Hey Pod Squad!

I'm working on an upcoming piece for the show, and I'm interested in hearing your DIS story. You all heard mine last year, how the site was started, etc - but now I'd like to hear yours. What brought you here, what special friends have you made, what keeps you coming back.

Thx
Pete

I found the Dis out of desperation... I found out I had to have surgery to remove a tumor and had to have it done ASAP. We had to postpone taking my 2DS to Disney. (I was more devastated than they were at the time they were young) I ended up having 3 major surgeries in a couple weeks span and was very sick and in a lot of pain. I was a mom of two boys who was stuck in bed healing. I turned to my laptop and replan our Disney vacation and found the Dis. I lurked for a long time, then finally began posting.

Then when we got back from Disney I kept on the boards and kept giving advise. I enjoy reading about other planning their trips their questions.

It is more than just Disney advice, I can get information on any topic in the world on here!

I love the Dis! It was the hardest thing in the world, when we were without a computer for awhile and I began working again and had to take a break, I missed the Dis so much!

Thanks Pete!! for all you do and did!!

 

[kaligal]

I'd read about the DIS in the UG. I tried to visit, but had dial-up back in the day and it FOREVER to load. Another site loaded faster, so that's what I used.

But that site brought me back here (all roads lead to the DIS, lol). Someone said they liked the site I was on better than another site which would remain nameless where everyone was evil.

"Everyone is so horrid?", I thought. Well, I had to know...and I found out.

I asked a few questions and found that the responses were quicker and more plentiful on the DIS. "This is much better than X site," I thought. And along came DSL.

Then I found a refillable mug fight. And I was SO hooked.

I now have high-speed internet...and I still like refillable mug fights. They may be my favorite threads, lol. They surely beat, "Is MVMCP worth it?", "Which is better, CSR or CBR?", "Where should we eat on our special night out?" and "How should I get from Disney to Uni?", and "What will the weather be like in January, 2012?" Those are all fine questions and important to the folks who want them answered...but you get very tired of them very quickly. Refillable mugs...not so much.

The DIS continues to be livelier than other sites. IMO, that is what sets it apart from the others. Can't have a real community of people if all everyone ever does is say nice things about Mickey Mouse. Yawn. It's the opinions and differences of people that make them unique. And a community has to be made up of a bunch of unique people or it's just a snooze fest. And God knows the DIS has had its share of unique people. Everyone brings something to the party.

 

[evildiva]

My Walt Disney World adventures began in 1990 when my family went on our one lbig family vacation (we've never taken a big vacation like it since). We stayed at what used to be the Grovsners and I fell in love at the tender age of ten. After that trip I longed to return, but had to wait until high school when the marching band I was in would go every two years. This allowed me to spend my 15th and 17th birthdays in the parks. I went a couple times after and then a co-worker introduced me to the Disboards in 2005. I was getting ready to leave on my first ever "adult vacation" and my coworker 'elmo2wdw' sent me a thread discussing the new Soarin' ride. After that I was hooked. I have to admit that I am more of a lurker than a poster but I was hooked none the less. I used the boards and the dis site to help plan my 2007, 2008 and the three trips in 2009. I found the podcast sometime in 2008, right before Bob passed and have been a faithful listener ever since. On my third trip in December 2009 I actually ended up sitting next to another diser "disneyaddicted" on my flight down. We were able to stike up a conversation and by the end of our two hour flight were fast friends. By the way, the flight felt more like 15 minutes than 2 hours, ask Ty she said so too. I have decided to spend my 30th birthday in the parks with a good friend of mine this year (April 11-17 actual birthday April 15). I will also be going on the Podcast 2.0 cruise with my mother. I think she thinks I am stalking the people that I talk about. There are triip reporters that I religiously read, Tiggerbell and Lurkyloo being two of them. The boards have also introduced me to a group of friends on the Community Board who are as "into" Twilight as I am. It is very fun to have a group of people that I can chat about things with that other people may not want to talk about. So thanks for starting the Dis, the boards and the podcast.

Katie

 

[froggy5657]

A lot of things came together for me to discover the DIS

I first realized I was a Disney fan when I played Kingdom Hearts, it brought back memories of watching the movies when I was little and LOVING them.

That year in late June of 6th grade we watched Hercules in school, and I felt the need to watch it 15 more times at home, I can be obsessive sometimes.

I was a member of a site called Gaia online, and they have "Guilds", which are groups of people who have similar interests. I joined a Disney guild, and made a few online friends there, but not a lot of people posted .

Because I wasn't satisfied, I decided to look up Disney podcasts and I found the DIS Unplugged (it was 2007). You (Pete) would always mention the DIS Boards, and so I created an account, but never really posted. I found the Teen Board, and would always want to go on the PodCast Board, but I wouldn't let myself until I finished catching up with all of the archive episodes. I finished listening and became a poster on the PodCast Board and met a lot of cool people.

That's My Story!

 

[HunnyBunny]

I heard about Dreams Unlimited Travel and WDW Info from this guy I worked with. I guess his boyfriend was some sort of "genius" that worked there. I went to the site a few times when I needed info, since it was easier than Disney's site. Being a "townie" I didn't really use the site that much.

Something brought me back to the site 3 years ago and I discovered the podcast. Lo and behold, that guy I worked with (we had both moved on at that point) was now doing Dining reviews. It cracked me up to hear his voice again, and I started listening every week.

I don't get to post here much. I work full time and have 2 young kids, so that keeps me pretty busy. I call in from time to time. I just recently caught back up on the podcasts after always being a week or two behind. (Lovin' my iphone for that!)

It's been great to see the evolution of the show, and how much all of you mean to each other. Hopefully, now that I'm caught up, I'll be more of a participant on the boards. If not, I'm always reading and listening!

 

[DebºoºS]

As a baby boomer Disney lover Disney has been my life's background music. Always there sometimes louder than other times.

Disney moments: Wonderful World of Color, Mickey Mouse Club, Spin and Marty, Snow White yellow records, DL viewmaster, 1st trip to WDW, all those Disney costumes, lunch boxes, crying for Bambi in the theater, Herbie, wedding, many trips with kids & kidless.
Literally Disney has been a thread in my life.

My "DIS" addiction started with a post on rec.arts.disney.parks

August 14, 1997 2:00am

Stop by and check out one of the hottest new Disney sites on the Web.
The Disney Information Station has info on everything relating to Disney
World. Be sure to check out our most popular pages, the interactive
Vacation Planner and the DVC Online point calculator!!

Pete Werner
"I'm employed by UPS....but I WORK for Disney!!"
and NO, I'm not a TEAMSTER!
Check out our web site at
http://www.disneyinfo.com



I always liked Pete's writing style on radp. Factual and friendly. No airs, just said what he felt or knew to be true. So I checked out his new site. From then on I've enjoyed many years and long lasting friendships here on the DIS.

Before I ramble over into the next post. A few of my fave DIS memories:

The first meet at the Belleview Room. The cake (always gets back to the food

Numerous meetups and meals (food again) over the years with DISers around WDW and locally.

All the laughs and tears about family, food eating or cooking, gardening, photography and oh yea WDW.