What was your FIRST...

[HappyCamper87]

Disney Experience?

My first encounter with Mickey was at the Disney on Ice show in a major city near mine. It must have been before I was six, because I know the Mickey and Gang Birthday inviation in 1st Grade was inspired by the Ice show.

I was absolutely in love with Mickey from that day forward. I remember having the program for years and looking through it every few months.

So, what got you hooked on The Mouse?

 

[RvUsa]

My first memory of WDW was when I was like 5 so would have been 73 ish. I can remember my Dad holding me in the "elevator" on HM and the lights went out, and the CM took my hat, and when the lights came back on, "no one" could find it. Back then, I think the stretching room was smaller and more like an elevator, at least that is how I remember it. Then I remember the ghost sitting on my shoulder.

I loved seeing the HM through my sons eyes these last couple of trips LOL. It was really cool.

 

[HappyCamper87]

My first memory of WDW was when I was like 5 so would have been 73 ish. I can remember my Dad holding me in the "elevator" on HM and the lights went out, and the CM took my hat, and when the lights came back on, "no one" could find it. Back then, I think the stretching room was smaller and more like an elevator, at least that is how I remember it. Then I remember the ghost sitting on my shoulder.

I loved seeing the HM through my sons eyes these last couple of trips LOL. It was really cool.

I feel ya John, I thought I loved Magic Kingdom when I was a kid but there is nothing like seeing it through your kids eyes.

I took a day trip to the MK with my 10 year old DD, she was 9 at the time. We hit MK at rope drop, went on the train straight to Splash Mountain and rode it twice in a row and then went to TM and did the same thing. DD 10 still talks about it and thank goodness I loosened my budget wallet and bought the picture on Splash because I love seeing it every day.

Sorry to ramble feeling sentimental tonight for some reason.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

It was the 70's and I was fairly young. We flew to Orlando (without my little sister!) and stayed at the Polynesian! It was my first love (hence the screen name). It was only MK, CR the Poly and FW back then. Not as many crowds either! I have been hopelessly devoted ever since!

 

[auntie]

Probably dating myself..but here goes:
We went to Florida to visit relatives that had recently moved there from NY. A girl's only trip. My mom and I, my little sis,(thus the Auntie!)..and my cousin..same age I was. I think we were 14 or 15 and it was the first year the MK was open. They weren't finished with it yet. The Poly and the Contemporary were there. We stayed off site,...we tried to get into Disney resorts, but NO luck. I remember walking Main Street, and thinking it was just wonderful. Then we saw Winnie the Pooh ...who was my sis' favorite character. I remember taking pictures of her with Pooh..and she was thrilled. I remember when we left that evening on the Ferry we were able see the fireworks while sailing across Seven Seas Lagoon. I thought to myself that it was the most magical day ever. I knew I'd be back!

 

[seabee]

I first went to Disney for a dance workshop with a group of girls in highschool. It was the summer going into my junior year(and I promise we were not annoying like the cheerleaders!!) Anyway, I fell in love and 1 of the girls and I swore we were going to work at the world after grad. I also figure skated as well as danced, so senior year came and Disney On Ice came to town. They were holding auditions so I tried out. I made it, only I wasn't 18 so I had to wait. I was so excited!! Well a lot happens in a year. I ended up ripping my knee to shreds and couldn't really skate anymore. Fell in love with a military guy(DH) and got married a year after grad. I always wished I could have gone with DOI. When we had our first child we were living in Sicily and we tried many times to take her to DisneyLand Paris but it never worked out. We eventually brought BOTH our girls to DL in California in 02 and I was hooked again. Since then we did 1 more trip to DL and 3 trips to the world. A month before DH was injured we decided spur of the moment to take a Disney trip(don't really know why). I am so glad we did because it was a blast and that is one of the last memories we have before he was hurt. Disney is a very important place to us! PHEW, I feel like I just wrote a novel, sorry about that!

 

[auntie]

I feel ya John, I thought I loved Magic Kingdom when I was a kid but there is nothing like seeing it through your kids eyes.

Oh Lord..you are right. As much as I cherish the memories of going with my mom and sister when we were young. The memories of my daughter meeting Cinderella outside the Castle, brings a tear to my eyes. The look of sheer awe and wonder on her face as Cindy knelt down and cuped her little chin in her hand. Oh no...it's going to be another one of those "I need a tissue threads".

 

[juligrl]

My first Disney memory is when I was 4 and my parents took me and my sister (then 9 months old) on vacation to Disney World. We drove down and camped in our tent at Ft. Wilderness. I vividly remember going to see the campfire movies - Cinderella was one of the movies and I remember thinking that was so neat . I also remember being terrified on POTC!

 

[HappyCamper87]

I first went to Disney for a dance workshop with a group of girls in highschool. It was the summer going into my junior year(and I promise we were not annoying like the cheerleaders!!) Anyway, I fell in love and 1 of the girls and I swore we were going to work at the world after grad. I also figure skated as well as danced, so senior year came and Disney On Ice came to town. They were holding auditions so I tried out. I made it, only I wasn't 18 so I had to wait. I was so excited!! Well a lot happens in a year. I ended up ripping my knee to shreds and couldn't really skate anymore. Fell in love with a military guy(DH) and got married a year after grad. I always wished I could have gone with DOI. When we had our first child we were living in Sicily and we tried many times to take her to DisneyLand Paris but it never worked out. We eventually brought BOTH our girls to DL in California in 02 and I was hooked again. Since then we did 1 more trip to DL and 3 trips to the world. A month before DH was injured we decided spur of the moment to take a Disney trip(don't really know why). I am so glad we did because it was a blast and that is one of the last memories we have before he was hurt. Disney is a very important place to us! PHEW, I feel like I just wrote a novel, sorry about that!

Thanks for sharing Seabee, probably should know your real name, but I'm slow. That is a great story.

 

[HappyCamper87]

Oh Lord..you are right. As much as I cherish the memories of going with my mom and sister when we were young. The memories of my daughter meeting Cinderella outside the Castle, brings a tear to my eyes. The look of sheer awe and wonder on her face as Cindy knelt down and cuped her little chin in her hand. Oh no...it's going to be another one of those "I need a tissue threads".

Already Teary again, like I said sentimental evening.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[LarryJ]

1971 or early 1972 when I was stationed at Mayport NS and the DW and I made a day trip in our 1968 AH Sprite down to WDW and spent like 2 hours in the park. We really got hooked when our first son was born in 1973 and we were in San Diego and did a lot of weekend trips to DL from 1972 to 1981. We did make it again to WDW in 1977 on our way from San Diego to Newport, R.I.

Larry

 

[~Kristina~]

Mine is Disney in general. I remember seeing Bambi for the first time before I was even in school. Then my aunt took me to see Sleeping Beauty at a movie theatre.

 

[kc5grw]

First trip to Disneyland in 1969. I started getting hooked on Disney before that with Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

 

[Momof626x3]

Though I loved all Disney movies all my life, my first true Disney experience didn't happen until I was 23 years old. My DH took me to WDW for our honeymoon. Of course I loved it all, right down to the Mickey Premium bars! I was totally hooked and now I have a hard time wanting to vacation anywhere else! We took our oldest DS when he was 2, and then the other two went for the first time when they were 2 and 1. And everytime we go it's a whole new experience. My youngest DS had his first meeting with Mickey during a character meal and he just looked at Mickey and said, "Da Mouse!" And Mickey went right over to him and gave him a big kiss on his head! I was glad to get that moment on camera!! Memories...

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I remember watching reruns of the Mickey Mouse Club from when Annette and Cubby were on it.....I dont know how old I was, but I know my brothers got home from school right after it went off every day and then Speed Racer would come on, and I sat in this little red wooden rocking chair about 2 feet away from the TV....Im thinking I was probably 4 years old, maybe 5...so 1972 or 73. First trip to WDW was in 82, first trip to DL was in 99

 

[PanFanAL]

My first memory was from 82 I think. My twin brother and myself were 6 I think. Anyway, we got there(offsite but nearby) at around our bedtime. Now Magic Kingdom was still the only park, and things were much different. Anyway, my Mom comes into our room and wakes us up to go watch the fireworks from the parking lot because SHE was to excited to sleep.

 

[Shannone1]

My earliest DIS memories were the Sunday night movie. It came on at 7:00 and was the only family time we had most weeks. My sisters and I actually got along for 2 hours every week.

The first time I went to WDW I was 8 years old. I went with my dad and it was just the two of us. He and my mom divorced when I was a baby and I don't have many memories of my dad before that trip. When we went WDW is was just the Magic Kingdom...the were just building the big golf ball at Epcot My dad put me in charge of remembering where we parked...and I still remember....Pluto 8 and Chip and Dale 13 !!

 

[seabee]

I remember watching the Sunday night movies! I loved that!

 

[RvUsa]

Me too, sunday nights at grandmas, waiting for walt to come on and introduce the movie. That was QUALITY family time.

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

I go back a little further but really, I'm not THAT old. It was the late sixties... I remember it being called "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" but I never could understand why they kept saying "color" I had never seen any of that "color" they were talking about.

Now, I realize we didn't get a color TV set until the mid seventies.