When did you know you were hooked?

[bibbidiboo]

When did you really realize you were hooked on Disney?


For me it was on our Honeymoon. DH wanted to really go to WDW, I said sure--i'd been there before, but so what. Little did I know what affect it would have on me. Not only is a Honeymoom magical enough, but just being in the World for an entire week (we never left Disney property) was something I never imagined--You forget about everything else.

It was our second to last day of our trip, and I was feeling really bad about going home. Literally, I was dragging my feet. We took the boat from the boardwalk to MGM, and I didn't want to go in the park--It was almost like torture--I stopped at a bench and my DH came over cuz I was crying--He told me --We'll come back--I promise! He's kept his promise, but it was at that moment on the bench, that I realized that I had been bitten by the mouse.

Tell Me your stories, I love to hear them

 

[Simba's Mom]

I didn't realize I was hooked on any of our first 3 trips there. Kept trying to convince everyone (including myself) that we really needed to go back "for the kids". But it sort of grew, that feeling of missing it. Then, one night, DH came in to the living room and found me studying a MK map. I was trying to find all the restrooms in the MK and figuring out how many of them I hadn't visited! I think when I had to explain that one to DH, that's when I finally admitted to myself that I must be hooked. Anyone else find that moment at home rather than at WDW?

 

[my2boys]

I was always a Disney lover as a kid growing up and Disney World was always a favorite vacation memory for me. I went on three trips from '80-'92.

I got officially hooked after I found this website!!!! The excitement of everyone else and the energy on these boards.....you can't help but become obsessed. Needless to say, those first three trips took 12 years to complete......since finding these boards I am about to embark on our 4th trip in four years!!!!!

Thanks DIS!!!! Couldn't live without you!!!

 

[gshoemate]

After our first trip in 2000. After we got back to our little town on Lake Michigan, we couldn't find anything to do. I remember sitting on a picnic table at the beach and we were going crazy because we were bored. So we went home and started planning for our next trip.

 

[Basser]

On our first trip in 1999, we fell in love with WDW so much that we purchased DVC with OKW as our home resort and have visited every year since.

 

[nataliesdaddy]

when I got hoem from our last trip and I was still chronicling our vacation, creating and editing dvd's of our trip, and 2 months later still answering people's questions on the disboard

 

[helenk]

My first trip to WDW was in 1983, my son was just a little over a year old, and I just loved being in the MK, we went back in 1987 a few months after my daughter was born.
Both of these visits we stayed off site, when I started to plan a third trip in 1991 I started researching staying onsite and really got into planning etc, I had to cancel that trip. My daugter was 4 at the time but she was really disappointed that she could not go to Disney. I promised her we would go but I then went through and divorce so the next trip was not until 1995. We stayed in the Allstar sports by then my children were 14 and 8 and being onsite is what really got me hooked. In 1999 I went with my mother and my children and we stayed in the GF, during my planning I found this website. Reading about other peoples trips and ideas just put me over the edge and I love WDW and I love planning for my trips (especially now that I learned you do not have to pay rack rate for the rooms)
I have gone back in 2001, 2002 and I am going by myself this September and I am planning for a family vacation next August.
There is just something about being on Main Street and seeing the shops and Cinderella's Castle and hearing the background music that just draws me in. I know I will never get tired of going to WDW.
I would love to go to Tokyo and see the parks there, but I will have to win the lottery for that trip.

 

[ryley26]

for us it was our honeymoon. We had a great time now that our kids are old enough dd8 ds6 we just bought dvc so forty years of fun

 

[disneymom99]

I had been to WDW twice before 1999, but stayed offsite both times. I thought it was nice but nothing to get fanatical about. Then in 1999, as I was planning a family vacation, I decided to stay on property. We stayed at the cabins in Fort Wilderness and LOVED it. We vowed then that we would always stay on property. But, in 2001, I stayed off property again, and hated it. It was then I knew that if I could not stay on property, I would not go back. We bought into DVC in 2002 and love it. I always wondered why I didn't do this in 1999. Live and learn I guess!

Now, my family, including my DH, have become Disney Fanatics. My DH wants to move to Orlando when we retire (in about 30 years) and work at WDW!

 

[llp479]

When we were planning our 5th Disney trip in 5 years, I said to my DH what was that DVC? Looked into it and bought sight unseen in '98. Love WDW so much, last year we bought another DVC contract - now we go at least 2 times a year!

Going home to experience the magic in 16 days - can't wait!

 

[jimmalru80]

DW and the kids wanted to go to WDW for years but I was not having anything to do with an "amusement park"..........until it was time to go home from our first magical stay in'96. The total experience of it all was something I wanted to do again and again and again. At first it was every two years, then every year and so the story goes. Looking forward (already) to June '04.

 

[fklhou]

After our first trip.

 

[Crichton]

It was a funny story for me - because I didn't want to go the first time. It was our belated honeymoon and I wanted to make DW happy by fulfilling her dreams of a WDW trip. So we went and it was wonderful, but I didn't realize how wonderful until we got back.

It was the next day after being back when I was looking at forums to join, sites to read up on, trips to plan, that I realized just how hooked I was. Just the planning and the checklist of things to do and try is addictive.

 

[jacksonsmom]

As a child & young adult I loved Mickey Mouse & Disney. I brought all the movies, even as an adult without children at the time. I brought stuffed Mickeys & the Mickey T-shirts.

I never went to WDW as a child, it was my dream to one day go to WDW & meet the Mouse in person.

Finally last month that happened. I think I was "hooked" the moment we were in our town car & we started seeing the sign that said "Walt Disney World" I was HOOKED right then & there! LOL

Now since we have been home, we have a December trip plan, a June 2004 trip plan & an April/May 2005 trip plan

Yes, I am hooked!

 

[SuiteDisney]

I was never not hooked. I was raised on Disney (Thanks, Mom!). We first went to WDW four months after it opened.

 

[grinningghost]

I think I was always hooked too. I remember just loving Sunday nights and the Wonderful World of Disney. Went to WDW in 1972, but only have foggy memories of it. Went again in '76 and I think that's when I really got hooked for life. If Disney Channel put the good old stuff back on, I'd probably be living and breathing Disney 24/7.

 

[Disneymoon04]

From the get go! My mother is a Disney nut so I grew up with all things Disney and every other summer.

 

[drcmk]

I was reluctant to take our 3&4 year old DDs to WDW in 2001 because I felt that they were too young and that in June it would be too crowded and hot. But it fit in well with DH business trip and we certainly didn't want to send Dad to Orlando without us!

Anyway, I did my research. We had a lovely (albeit hot and crowded) time. I loved the trip more than anyone else. I knew I was hooked when I started planning our next trip as soon as I got home from the first trip. Sadly, I have been planning for more than two years, but only four more months to go!

 

[Minniespal]

Our first trip in 1999 ~ The moment I walked into the Magic Kingdom!!!!!!

 

[shafke]

On our 2nd trip... we were staying offsite and visited friends staying at FW and thought... this is nice... we should stay here next time...

By the way... I'm not hooked, I can give this up any time I want. I could go cold turykey right now if I wanted to.. I just don't want to right now... besides I like it and its not illegal or anything and nobody gets harmed... just don't take my PC away again... I need my Disney fix.