When did you fall in love with Disney World?

[elysian]

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[LegoMom3]

My love affair with Disney started when I was about 20 years old! I had never gone to Disney as a kid, but knew I wanted to, so decided to plan a trip of my own as an adult. I purchased Birnbaum's "Official Guide" and read it cover to cover, and that was the beginning of the magic!

I finally made a brief 3-day trip when I was 21 and was then hooked for life! I didn't get back for another 9 years - - but that time stayed for a week at Fort Wilderness and saw the full scope of Walt Disney World.

Now our whole family is making it an every-other-year adventure, and someday when I'm blessed enough to finally live in Florida, we'll be AP holders!


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[DisneyTN]

My love for Disney goes back to when I was only a couple years old. The wallpaper in my very first bedroom was covered with Disney characters. Apparently (though I have a very foggy memory of this), my bedtime tradition was to say goodnight to many of the characters before going to bed.

As a child I would read the Little Golden Book series, as well as other children's books containing popular Disney stories. Growing up in the 80's, I have fond memories of The Disney Channel....the *Good* Disney Channel before everything became Hannah Montana-ized. During pre-shool/early elementary school years, I would spend mornings watching shows such as Pooh's Corner, Good Morning Mickey, Donald Duck Presents, Dumbo's Circus, etc. Those were my all-time favorites as a child.

My first trip to Walt Disney World was in 1986 when I was in Kindergarden. Was hooked on the magic from day one, and have been ever since.

 

[freesone]

September 2000, on our first trip to WDW. We have been back at least every September since, and have no plans to stop either.

 

[kckmom]

I went several times as a child, and have always loved the princesses, but it wasn't until I was in my 20's that I really started to appreciate the warmth and fun I experience when in Disney. Now that I have 3 princesses of my own, it is better than ever!!

 

[RaindropsOnRoses]

I fell in love with WDW as a little girl of 4. We were staying at the Contemporary Resort and that night, I watched the Main Street Electrical Parade. Those are the best memories.

 

[Dismom55]

I fell in love with it when I heard of its opening in 1971, got married in 1972 and wanted to go so badly, but just did not have the money for a honeymoon. Finally made it there in 1985 just after Epcot opened and fell more deeply in love with WDW. Have managed to go back twice since then and planning another trip next year and 2011.

 

[lcubed]

usually I am a lurker, but I HAD to respond to this one! I am getting all misty just reading this stuff.
I have been going to Disney since before I can remember. I was less than a year old when they opened, and I think my first trip was around when I was 2 or 3. I have photos of me in the parks from about age 5 on up to 1993. One of my favorite photos was actually a portrait done in a dress that my mother had made for me out of Chip & Dale Fabric. I would go every year for my birthday, and then we would usually take 1 to 3 more weekend trips throughout the year up until I was about 15. (did I mention we lived near Orlando) We then moved overseas for 4 years, but within a week of being home my Mom Asked what was the one thing I wanted to do most? Well, go to Epcot of course. (My Favorite park). My family and I all attended the opening of Epcot ( I still have my commemorative ticket stub from that trip) (We had 14 people go) and it was amazing! About a year after coming back from overseas we moved to NC, I grew up, started a family and have only been able to get back to Disney twice since 1989. My children have been once(MK only), they were 2 & 4, but they really don't remember much. We are getting ready to go again for 5 days and I cannot contain my excitement!
Disney, for me, is such a part of my family & childhood, I cannot imagine a world without it.

 

[Boog's Mommy]

I fell in love with Disney on my honeymoon in May 2009. My husband and I were watching a parade in the Magic Kingdom and Ariel's float was passing by. Dancing around on the ground were fish and they were holding scarves. The fish grabbed a few children from the audience and started to dance around with them, then they used the scarves to play limbo with the children. Just seeing the happy smiles on all of the kid's faces made me cry. My husband looked at me and asked "Are you crying?" Like he was almost in disbelief. I looked at him and said "I'm just so happy to be here with you". He put his arm around me and we watched the rest of the parade. It was a magical moment for us. We have been going back every 1-2 years ever since.

 

[perla75]

During my first trip in 1979-I was 4 years old & mesmerized!!

Then I fell in love with WDW all over again as an adult during my last trip with my DF

 

[ToddyLu]

I am a Disney addict. Like some of you my parents could not afford the trip to Disney World. We did spend one day in Disneyland on a trip to visit family in CA in 1978. I remember very little about that day. My brother and I always said we would make it to WDW one day. My DH and I did just that. We didn't have a real Honeymoon and for our 8th anniversary in 2002 we booked our first trip. I read the books through and through. My first experience was walking up Main Street USA and seeing the castle for the first time. I was the 34 year old screaming. "it's the Castle, the real Castle" and hopping up and down. We both are hooked and go yearly. After Katrina in August 2005 we had a December trip planned. Like so many others we lost the contents of our home, my MIL's home, and then my FIL passed away 5 weeks later from cancer. When they turned on the Osborne Lights December 2005, having never seen them before, I lost it. DH was there to comfort me and it was instant healing.

Not only is Disney fun but you can actually heal your hurts there. I don't think there is any other physical place on Earth where you can do that.

So we go yearly, brother and parents have been now. MIL and BIL usually go, too. I think we all see the Magic and know in our hearts it is a slice of Heaven on Earth.

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

Like many of you, I remember watching the "Wonderful World of Disney" and seeing the grand tour of Disneyland when it opened. I remember thinking that I would never get to see it because it was on the west coast and I was in WV. I became a major fantasy, especially to the Mickey Mouse faithful follower .

When I heard in that WDW was opening I didn't really expect a chance to go there either, at least not right away but after I graduated from college in 1975 my family (DM, DStepDad, DB, D1/2S and DStepsister) went to the only park open - MK. It was great! Then I ended up getting a job about an hour away and went a couple of times then. In 1981 my friend, her friend and I planned on going again but only her friend and I went. It was great because we stayed at the DTD hotel.

Many years passed and I did not return again until 2000 when my DSon was ten and he made his first visit. The magic was overwhelming! I was hooked all over again. We have since visited twice, one of which was the DC ('06). We have been to Disneyland-Paris and I am planning a trip for next summer to take my niece and her two children on their first trip. I can't wait because the magic never stops and the party is always waiting to happen!

 

[waltdisneyworlddreamer]

I fell in love the first visit when I was a kid. Unfortunately my parents just didn't "get" the magic (it was hot, crowded and a long drive from ky) but I knew there was something special about that place and have had the magic ever since. I didn't get to return until 10 years later when I got married and now we are trying to go at least every other year. It amazes me that the first glimpse of the castle still brings tears to my eyes and I cry when I watch my children watch Wishes. Love it!!!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I wote about this about an hour ago in my introduction thread. Then I saw this, I had to tell a bit more. As a kid we visited Disney and I enjoyed the rides, but that was pretty much it. I was an only child being raised by my grandparents so I missed the "family" part. My husband and I took our then only child to DW for her 3rd b-day. We started the first day with Chef Mickey. She was so excited, it was amazing. They did the "Celebrate" song and she was just so excited, I was falling for DW for sure. We left breakfast and got on the monerail and she thanked us for taking her to Disney, saying it was the best day of her life, and we got to tell her that she hadn't even gotten to Disney yet, that was just breakfast. She was amazed that more was coming. When we got off the monerail and arrived to see the castle which was so beautifully decorated like a birthday cake for DW's b-day, a sight I will never forget and if I start to I took a whole roll of photos (remember those days) of it to remind me, she was stunned, and I cried like a big baby (or a mama) and I was IN LOVE!!! I, for the first time, saw Disney as an experience and not just rides. Something about seeing it through your kids eyes. I have 3 kids now, they all have given me great memories like that, but for that child, that is my favorite Disney Memory of her and when the LOVE first started. With each new memory, the love grows...

 

[bennythepug]

I would have to say I was a reluctant disney recruit. I had several friends who honeymooned there and I could never figure out why (never having been). Then my brother moved to Orlando for work. He eventually got a job at Universal and has a girlfriend that is a disney cast member. Well, having kids at this point, he insisted we come down for a visit.
It was Nov. '01 and was indeed love at first sight. We are going back for our 4th visit and it is certainly my happy place.
Can't believe I waited so long

 

[MegaPrime33]

I would say first time I was at the park in mid to late 80s was when I got hooked. I remember going on everything; Haunted Mansion, T-Mountain, Space Mountain, and spaceship earth. I then went when I was about 23 with my sister and brother in law. That was amazing. I felt it was even better going more as an adult than a child because you can walk around and see everything at a decent pace. I then went back again when I was 26 with my then gf, now wife, and we had a blast. Went on everything! And now anytime mentions the word "vacation", all I think about is going back to Disney.

 

[disneyplanningdad]

I fell in love w/ WDW on my first non Disney vacation AFTER being at WDW w/ kids. That's when I realized that Disney is the best place to bring the whole family and for everyone to be happy during the entire visit.

 

[dawneg]

I still get a thrill thinking about some of my favorites from the early years (first time was '75 when I was 12): If You Had Wings over and over again to keep cool, being able to ride Space Mountain seven times in a row late at night on a high school band trip, the Welch's grape juice stand outside of "It's a Small World," staying at the Contemporary with my girl scout troop and thinking we were hot stuff. A less proud moment (but hey, it's kind of funny) was getting kicked off IASW in college for carrying on a bottle of something on New Year's Eve (yes, they had infrared cameras even back then).

Now I'm planning my kids' first trip and we're staying at the Polynesian. My husband and I both remember thinking back then that the Poly. must be where the rich people stay, so we now think we're living the life....

 

[DisCopper]

As a kid, I wanted to go from the moment WDW opened. I remember commercials, and some stuff on "The Wonderful World of Disney" (or whatever it was called at the time). I was frantic to go... but we were a blue-collar family and trips to Florida were out of the question.

We finally made a family trip in the late 70's... 4 hotels on property and Magic Kingdom only. I was hooked! We went a couple more times as a family- the last being about 3 months after EPCOT opened.

Then I hit college, and between work and school, Disney just wasn't going to happen. Friends and I tried to plan a trip once, but it didn't work out. I wasn't too upset... I'd grown up and lost the magic.

A few years after college, I started dating a girl who'd just been for her first trip. She was HOOKED, and we went on a trip that year. MGM and Pleasure Island had just opened. I was HOOKED again.. I was amazed by the changed... it wasn't just for kids any more!

A year later, she and I were planning a vaction to the Caribbean. I'll never forget the night, sitting around a table full of brochures from various islands and she said, "You want to just go to Disney?" That was it.

I've been 1-3 times a year ever since (with no end in sight).

I guess I really became a Disney nut when the internet came along. I realized that I wasn't alone in the madness! I read RADP for years and finally discovered this board this year.

Next trip....... Tokyo Disney next March! But I'm guessing I won't make it that long and will have to take another trip to Florida before that!

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

The first time I went was in 1972 and it was love at first sight!