What Event Made You a WDW Fan?

[toonaspie]

I can't say there was a particular moment that made me a WDW fan. I think it was a given that my 7 year old self at the time was going to love Disney regardless.

I don't really remember much from that trip either, except for one particular night when we were at Epcot...the colorful lighting of Spaceship Earth and Future World, the warm Florida air, and there was this one particular souvenir that we got. It was a fiber optic wand that lit up in these cool neon colors. (Do they still sell those?)

I guess that was my particular moment/event then.

 

[kathy884]

It took me 35 years of coming and turning 48 to become a real fan. My parents took me and my brother regularly since the 1970s when the park opened. I always loved the whole Florida experience, spending time with family and often extended family on vacations, but didn't have any particular love for WDW in particular (no hate or anything though). Then I was out on my own in my 20s and my parents were still loving to go with my brother and his family (he had little ones young) and my husband and I would meet the group for a few days just to see everyone, skip some of the trips, etc. We were more into skiing and the western US. Then we had our own little one when I was 35 and again we still would come for a few days to join my parents and my brother's family. They would go for a week. We'd join for a long weekend, mostly to see everyone. // I always during this period preferred a place like Cedar Point with the coasters. And DH and I have always been more into National Parks than theme parks if you know what I mean (favorite thing on vacation is to go to pristine natural places).

Anyway turning 48, deciding on a fun place to go with my teenager, and not liking thrill rides so much anymore made me fall in love with WDW finally. It look me getting to that age and place in my life to actually plan a trip there vs. popping in just to see other family members. These too were just trips with me and my son. DH really doesn't care for Orlando or theme parks, was totally cool with our going, but wanted to skip it stay home. If you have junior high/high school plus age kids who like to be a kid with you at Disney -- now that is fun and magical (a fun teen/parent bonding experience). And easy. And a one on one kid trip is just so much easier and less coordination that the extended family trips of 10+ people. I still only like to go to Orlando for four nights/three days. More than that is just too much of that scene. But I am in love with mini trips now. But like I said, it took me 35 years of going and getting to a certain point in my life/age to really appreciate the place. And actually SeaWorld is my favorite park in Orlando, followed my the Magic Kingdom.

So the event was having a blast one on one with my 13 year old son there and I haven't looked back and have done a few different one on one mini trips there with DS. DS is now 21 and he and I did a one on one trip to Disneyland.

I think, though, the tide is turning. DS will be joining us for a trip to Colorado this summer. But the mini Orlando trip is going to be with a friend not mom. And I actually think that is perfect and makes sense at this point in his life and ours. // So another change, but that 13-21 year stretch in age for him was my Disney love time. I did a mini trip with him almost every other year. // I'm actually on these boards as he asked me to help him plan that mini trip he and his friend are doing, and I am loving helping out with. They are going in September to celebrate birthdays, picking a time that's not too expensive or crowded. That's a hotter time than I would like too, but they can deal with the heat and it's a short trip.

DS still loves traveling with us and next year (2018) is going to join me and DH in Key West, joining an extended family group of 16 in Sedona in May/June, and going to me and DH to South Dakota in August.

 

[MNash87]

Watching the Walt Disney specials on TV, then going to WDW when I was a child. The only trip there our family was able to take during my childhood. My wife and I have been several times since 2000 and the trips were great. But what made me a lifelong fan was the TV specials and our first trip the year after it opened.

 

[GPC0321]

I love threads like this!

I could write a novel on all of the things that have made me a WDW fan, but I would say that the #1 thing that got to me way back 40 years ago when I was 3, and still got to me last year when I was 42, is just entering the Magic Kingdom and walking down Main Street USA. That is the very heart of WDW to me, and as much as I love so many other aspects of all of the parks, there is nothing that compares to hearing that music, seeing CMs with big bunches of balloons, and getting that first glimpse of the castle. You truly do feel like you have been transported to a different world.

I will say that Animal Kingdom rivaled Magic Kingdom a bit for me this last trip too. I'd only been to AK once before, 17 years earlier, and it was still very new and had a bit of an unfinished feel to it. But this last trip we made rope drop for our AK day, and it also felt like we were getting ready to delve into a different world. I like that it's so different from the other three parks, almost like a vacation within a vacation. I love animals, so just getting to walk around and look at them and learn about them is fun to me. I know you can do that in any zoo, but as with everything else, Disney just puts their spin on it and takes it to the next level.

When I was about 9, I think, we went and EPCOT had just opened. That place was beyond awesome to me. Spaceship Earth, The Living Seas, The Land. I couldn't get enough. Sooooo cool!

Hollywood Studios has failed to impress me yet, with the exception of their former Star Wars fireworks show, Symphony in the Stars. That was amazing! I'm hoping the new Star Wars land will finally give me a reason to love HS, because it just hasn't struck a chord with me yet. I do like Tower of Terror though.

 

[disnut8]

Has anyone else noticed that sadly, many of the things that got people WDW fans have been eliminated by Disney? Most importantly, I wish Disney would notice.

Like the different ticket options? I really don't think 2017 World is going to appreciate going back to that, It's a different time and a different day. I wrote about my first trip back in 1977 but I've been over 60 times since then. I am accustomed to the changes. Some I like, some I don't. But, the world moves on and when it does, sometimes we, the normal people who walk around Disney World, have to move on as well. I love Magic Bands but don't like PhotoPass. I don't like seeing River Country in its current state but love that many resorts have great pools so you can take a break and not have to do another theme park. Pin trading to me, stinks and the changes to pressed pennies is even worse but looking for a special thing in each park makes me happy. From that 15 year old girl to this now 55 year old woman, other than being literally stuck in a hotel room because of a hurricane, Disney World is still my magical place.

 

[beccasmom]

I loved everything about it on our first trip in 1981 ....our room at the Contemporary, the monorail, meeting Mickey Mouse, buying my first monogrammed ears, the wonderful fireworks..... But the Main Street Electrical Parade was probably the clincher. The theme music still gives me goose bumps and brings back those wonderful feelings.

 

[jpeterson]

Flights of Wonder. Yes, the bird show.

Let me explain. I had never been to Disney World with my family. Wife and I went to Animal Kingdom 1 time back around 2009, because we happened to be in Orlando for a wedding and her cousins were going that day. It was fun. Had fun, but wasn't wowed.

Fast forward to 2016 and we now have 2 children, 5 and 3. Wife insists that we should go to Disney World. I think it's too young but begrudgingly go along. First park day is Animal Kingdom and we pop into Flights of Wonder. I'm enjoying the show just fine but I look over and see my 5 year old son. He has sheer joy on his face. That moment right there, when I saw how it was affecting my kids, made me a convert. Followed that trip up with another trip last May where we bought annual passes. We will be returning in August, the whole family for 6 days, but I will go solo 5 days before them! Already have the week of thanksgiving reserved as well. Pretty much all because this once-begrudging dad became a convert.

 

[Coral Reef Diver]

Seeing the Contemporary Resort with the monorail running through it. That is so cool and futuristic.