What's Your DIS Story?

[*NikkiBell*]

Whether you just discovered the DIS Boards or have been here for awhile, I think it'd be neat to hear your story.
How did you first come to the site? What's your DIS story?

​

 

[SaraMc]

I found the site through a google search. It was about a month before a much anticipated vacation after a 4 year hiatus of going to the world. I didnt post much and learked a lot. I spent most of my time learning things about planning and getting ready for our trip.
I cant believe Ive been on here 7 years.

 

[disprincessatheart]

I was wishing for my then boyfriend (dh now) to propose and have a Disney wedding. In my search for information I found the dis. I spent most of my time for the first several years on the weddings board. Eventually I found the podcast, then the podcast board. After we finally had our Disney wedding, I had to branch out from the weddings board. Now I'm a podcast, theme parks, budget and dvc boards person.

 

[dissybroad]

Found out about the boards in the UG while planning a four generation RV trip to FW. I like the first hand perspective of members here and I frequent the camping forum most frequently so I don't get too "homesick" for the Fort.

 

[doconeill]

It was around 2006 when I discovered the site, and around then also started listening to the original podcast (thinking, "Hey, that's Nancy from that radio station..."). I think I hit them independently and only discovered later that they were related.

It was probably shortly after our first Deluxe stay (at the Poly, with a free upgrade to concierge!), and the first trip for our first DD, and we really caught the Disney bug (well, caught it worse) and I was starting to research more and more, like DVC, etc.

 

[paulasillars]

Joined the Dis when I was researching for what turned out to be a post 9/11 trip - we arrived in Orlando 3 weeks later.

I then mostly lurked off an on for our following trips in 2003 and 2006.

Come 2007, when planning for our EBPC cruise, I jumped in to the cruise thread with both feet and since then we have done long cruises with a lot of the same cruisers/Dis'ers so its coming back to friends.

I've been listening to the Podcast from pretty much right when it started. I remember Julie doing the video competition way back... I cried when Bob died...

Now I tend to just keep up with which ever cruise thread I'm next going on, come to chat when I can and stalk my Dis friends on Facebook

Very occasionally, I come to the Podcast board too....

 

[sayhello]

In 2006, I was looking to rent some DVC points for a WDW trip, and someone pointed me to the DIS as a good place to do that. I posted on the DVC board, but had to retract my request when a conflict came up & I cancelled the trip. I kind of forgot about the board for a while.

Then, when I was on my first ABD in 2008 (Southwest Splendors) my Guides mentioned that people would post on this place called the DISBoards, and might show the different pins they got. I searched for it, and found it was the same board I'd joined for the DVC rental. I started posting on the ABD board, and, for me, that was "the DIS" until I signed up for the Med Cruise in 2010. I then started posting on the DCL Board, also, for the cruise.

After I signed up for the DIS Exclusive Knights & Lights trip in 2011, I thought I should listen to this Podcast that these folks I was going to travel with kept talking about.

Sayhello

 

[KristaTX]

I noticed this week that I just had my 10th anniversary of being here on the DIS. I found it in early 2002 as I was planning yet another Disney trip. A friend at work had pointed me in the direction of the DIS.

In 2003 I went to WDW for the first Mousefest - an event done by AllEars, the Passporter people, and some other groups. I went over to the DISMeets board and found myself invited by a DISer named figmentvi to a big meet she was having at the Crystal Palace. I met several now long-time DISers at that meet and on that trip, many of whom have become good friends of mine that I look forward to seeing every December and at other times. A couple of those people have become best friends of mine, and others have become good friends and acquaintances. I have visited DISers in Ohio and Massachusetts, as well as done multiple Disney and non-Disney trips with them. Several of them from other states have visited me here in Texas.

Here is a link to my trip report from that first Mousefest/DIS trip in case anyone is interested in reading it http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=477061 .

During that 2003 Mousefest trip, Dan Murphy suggested I participate over on the Community Board, and that's where I got most involved (can I admit that on the podcast forum??). For a several years I was the person planning our local DFW DIS meets along with KathyTX/WebmasterKathy.

Things have changed over the years for me and for the DIS, and I find myself spending less time here than in years past. But I still come here almost every day, and try to attend some of the events my other Disney friends are going to such as the Harry Potter meet this past December and the first Toy Story meet.

I guess I should take this opportunity to say that I am very grateful to Pete and the DISboards. The DIS has brought a few special people into my life that I would never have met otherwise .

 

[WaltD4Me]

Nine years ago (I can't believe that) I was starting to plan a large family trip for twelve people. I remember Googling Disney World planning and the DIS was the first thing on the list. I clicked on it and never made it to any other sites on the list. To this day my family still talks about how great that trip was and I owe it all to the DIS. Before that I just bought a Birnbaum's guide book and showed up. I went to back to WDW five months later for my 40th birthday. I was totally hooked on the DIS. Then I remember hearing about the podcast, I was still on dial up at the time and got DSL specifically so I could listen to it. Good times.

 

[1Grumpy9]

I am fairly new to the site, but I found the DIS by a Google search last summer. My friends and I were planning our trip and I found this "wild and crazy place"...LOL!!! I have pointed others to here that I hear that they are planning on going to Disney. I am glad I found this place...and I have learned so much more about WDW that I didn't even know.

 

[jpeka65844]

DH planned a "delayed" honeymoon for the two of us for March 2005 through DU Travel which he'd found through Google. When he told me we were going, he also told me "They have message boards where you can post questions and read others." I've been hooked ever since.

We had a great time on that first trip and never looked back with 9 trips so far and 3 more in the pipeline over the next 18 months! We became DVC members in the summer of 2006 which is about the time I started listening to the Podcast. I was commuting 40 minutes each way over a few days for a work conference and remember listening while on the interstate.

I've listened with envy as The Roundtable and other listeners have cruised, indulged in Toy Story Mania, lived Harry Potter's world, and explored Hollywood and Europe together.

I am so thrilled to finally attend a group event!!! DH and I will be on PCC 3.0!!!!

I love the team's senses of humor and what each and every one contributes to the discussion! Thanks for being such a great group of folks to listen to!! I can't wait to meet you all!

 

[DVCJones]

I found the Dis in 2005 after doing a Google search for information on Disney World and DVC. We had just bought DVC and I wanted information for planning our first DVC family vacation.

I was a lurker for a while before joining the boards. I eventually found the podcast and joined the boards because I found the information to be excellent and I enjoyed the humor of the entire podcast crew. I cried when Bob died...got excited when Julie announced her first pregnancy (and 2nd too)... I love listening to the excitement about the many adventures of crew...whether it be podcast cruise planning, Adventures by Disney trips, children, weddings...etc.

Even though I don't personally know any of you, I feel lucky to be part of a community of friendly people who share a love for not just Disney, but friendships (real and virtual)

 

[jennbunn]

I joined a few years back when we were planning our first trip to Disney. As I was planning my DH lost his job so the trip kept getting putting off. I loved coming to the boards to keep up on all things Disney. I then got a IPOD and discovred podcasts. I am hooked and listen to every show. We did get to go on our first trip last March and we are planning on going back next may. Thank you to Pete and everyone for the boards and the podcast : )

 

[jennbunn]

I joined a few years back when we were planning our first trip to Disney. As I was planning my DH lost his job so the trip kept getting putting off. I loved coming to the boards to keep up on all things Disney. I then got a IPOD and discovred podcasts. I am hooked and listen to every show. We did get to go on our first trip last March and we are planning on going back next may. Thank you to Pete and everyone for the boards and the podcast : )

 

[Cherinva]

It's kind of a long story, so I'll try to make it short....In December of 2006, I had won airline tickets at my Christmas party....I knew instantly that my girls and I were going to WDW with them....it had been 8 years since our last visit...I contacted the TA that had provided the tickets and she said that she would book the entire trip for us, not just the flights. I didn't know about ME, DDP or even staying on property....it was an awesome trip and I learned so much.....on the flight home, we decided that we were going back the next year. After returning home, we went to the grocery store and saw a lady wearing a WDW jacket and we started up a conversation....she told me to check out some websites for planning the next trip.

I went to find one of the sites (think it was mouse savers), and I found the DIS, so I clicked on that site and have been here ever since....and couldn't be happier about it.

I started listening to the Pod Cast, got hooked right away...went back and listened to them from the beginning......I cryed when Bob died, I smiled with joy at the birth of Julie and Corey's children, and have many laughs along the way. I was lucky enough to attend PCC 2.0 and am planning to be on PCC 4.0.

So, that's my story......

 

[Tamar]

I found the DIS during a google search trying to find updates on how DisneyWorld and guests were holding up during the back-to-back hurricanes. Was that 2007?

Edit: I see by my sig that it must have been 2004. Could that be right? It doesn't seem that long ago.

 

[pittsburghmarc]

For me, I found the podcast first. I bought an iPhone, discovered what podcasts were, and of course my first search was "Disney".

After listening to the podcast in 2009 I of course learned about the DIS.

On a side note, shortly after that, I found an app called "Couch to 5K". So I ended up 50 lbs. lighter with a serious Disney obsession.

 

[metalis4ever]

I found the Dis through a co-worker in 2008 who also loves everything Disney. I'm pretty sure I was hired because I put the Disney College Program on my resume.

The DW and I go to Disney at least once a year so the Boards help us keep updated....Who am I kidding it's all about the Disney food porn

 

[dallastxcpa]

I noticed this week that I just had my 10th anniversary of being here on the DIS. I found it in early 2002 as I was planning yet another Disney trip. A friend at work had pointed me in the direction of the DIS.

During that 2003 Mousefest trip, Dan Murphy suggested I participate over on the Community Board, and that's where I got most involved (can I admit that on the podcast forum??). For a several years I was the person planning our local DFW DIS meets along with KathyTX/WebmasterKathy.

Things have changed over the years for me and for the DIS, and I find myself spending less time here than in years past. But I still come here almost every day, and try to attend some of the events my other Disney friends are going to such as the Harry Potter meet this past December and the first Toy Story meet.

I guess I should take this opportunity to say that I am very grateful to Pete and the DISboards. The DIS has brought a few special people into my life that I would never have met otherwise .

I have to say that I am so thankful for KristaTX and WebmasterKathy. My DH, Dave and I were married in WDW in July 2003 and I planned my wedding and our family trip on a similar message board on yahoo groups. Unfortunately it wasn't till after our wedding that I discovered the DIS boards.

I will never forget my first DFW meet in early 2004 at Rainforest Cafe... and all of that wouldn't have been possible without the wonderful people here on the boards. I have really enjoyed meeting other who share my love of Disney. And although we only see each other a few times a year I feel like they are family.

Thank you to all those who make these boards possible. The podcasts and DIS radio bring a smile to my face on a regular basis.

 

[SamSam]

Years and years ago I was part of the Prodigy boards, when it went by the wayside I eventually started looking around for a new Disney Board and found the disboards. What a wealth of information these boards proved to be! I saved so much money by learning about AP codes and reading all the helpful tips that I became a Silver member to help support them.

We now own DVC, but I still learn helpful and money saving tips from these boards. Honestly, I can't imagine not visiting the boards on a regular basis, whether I have a trip planned or not.

The podcast I found about a year after it started, then went back and listened to the archives. By the time I had listened to all that was in the archives, I felt I had found new friends! What a great way to make my walks more entertaining and to learn even more about WDW. DH and I went to the first event at the Swan and met several of the podcast team, including Bob.
The next event we were going to turned out to be a sad event, but we were so glad we went to pay our repects to the team on Bob's loss. I spent the whole weekend playing podcasts, just trying to wrap my mind around Bob not being with the team anymore (he definitely was in spirit, as he is to this day).