When did you realize you were a Disney World fanatic?

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I'm getting ready to pre-order my 2010 guidebooks, and I had a flashback to 1992. I remember being 12 years old, being overjoyed to find out that they sold guidebooks to the greatest place in the world, pouring over every page, and giving WDW "lessons" to imaginary students in my room.

When did your first realize that you had been bitten by the WDW bug?

 

[sanapunk]

I was just writing something like this to my Dis pen pal. We were talking about loving those Mickey shaped straws when we were kids, that came free with your kids meal drinks. I used to use them for milk at home, and drank them out of my old MGM early 90s cups. They had mickey wearing a blue jacket, with 80s style multi colored triangles around it.

As I'm typing this to her, I realized that even as a little kid, I was an obsessed kook

 

[WebmasterCorey]

embryo

 

[MARCIAKAZ]

I was 40 when I first went to WDW in 2004. It's hard for me to imagine now, but I never had any interest in going. In my mind, it was a money-trap, manufactured-fun sort of vacation...it just held no appeal. When DH and I started talking about what to do for vacation that year, I got to thinking--my oldest child at the time was 16, and I figured we would have limited future opportunities for a real "family vacation", so we decided to go to WDW because it's one of those things that everybody should do once "for the kids".

From decision to trip was only about 4 months, so I was planning evey spare minute. I think the fanaticism bug bit me in the planning, probably from my exposure to the friendly and enthusiastic disboard-ers (dis-boarders?). Then it really started to take me over on our arrival day--we stayed offsite, but went to the Boardwalk Resort to spend the evening. When we walked through the arched entranceway to the Boardwalk, there was a rainbow above the Beach Club across the lake. We all stood there for a minute appreciating the view, then I noticed that DH discreetly wiped a tear from his eye. My unsentimental DH!! Finally, the condition became chronic when we saw Wishes at MK, then the Spectromagic parade (a total surprise-something I had not discovered in my planning!).

DH, our youngest DD-now 14, and I are hooked for life! We're still working on the other two

 

[WDWtraveler27]

July 2007

 

[momto2inKC]

On our first trip to Disney World, in 2005. Once we were there, we were hooked!

 

[Becx N Gav]

I've loved Disney since I was little and always wanted to go to WDW but we never did when I was young. Then when DLRP opened I pestered my Dad to take us - he wasn't keen. I went with my Mum for my 20th b.day and loved it.

I persuaded DH to go to DLRP too and was very happy when he said he loved it it didn't take much convincing for us to go to WDW in 2005, so I was probably born with the 'bug' - bit DH in 2004 - then just had to wait patiently until 2005

 

[tanyabanana]

I always thought I would enjoy DisneyWorld, but in May of this year my husband and I made our first trip to the World I realized that I am a fanatic. We have 2 more vacations planned in the next year and a half. My husband is on board too but lets me do all the planning and then enjoys the ride, which is the way I like it.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

I was there twice before the bug bit me!

My first two visits we went as totally unprepared tourists. Making rookie mistakes such as waiting in line for 90min or doing nothing but counter service dining. I liked it but I didn't love it.

Before my third trip, when my daugter was 5, we bought a guide book. I therin discovered the abundance of delightful planning and organising possible.

Going to Disney with a plan and with flexibilty opened my eyes. Now I am such a fanatic that I have trips planned out each year. A year without Disney (this year!!!) is like a year with no holiday at all.

I cannot see me wanting to go anywhere else!

 

[goofybeagle]

I remember going yearly as a child and always staying off property then back in 2000 my DH and I stayed on Disney property for the first time and then it happened, we were hooked, and there is no looking back now. We are now DVC members, have done DCL a few times, and try to visit the parks twice a year.

Oh....and did I say I am now a DIS addict!!

 

[mikelan6]

My parents would take me to WDW when I was a child (back in the 1970's) and I fell in love with the place then. Good thing they didn't just take me to the beach!

 

[wildfan1473]

When I told DH we were going to WDW for our honeymoon - he had no say in the matter whatsoever

The passion didn't necessarily die after that, but I didn't have any way to continue with my obsession for Disney - the internet was just getting underway, and we had slow dial-up and a slow computer. But then I started planning our trip for October last year, and I found the DIS, and it's been like I've found heaven. Or gone to the birds, according to DH

 

[Disney Abby]

embryo

ditto

 

[PolynesianLily]

I'm getting ready to pre-order my 2010 guidebooks, and I had a flashback to 1992. I remember being 12 years old, being overjoyed to find out that they sold guidebooks to the greatest place in the world, pouring over every page, and giving WDW "lessons" to imaginary students in my room.

When did your first realize that you had been bitten by the WDW bug?

I totally use to do that too! I would give out park maps and such, explain where to park and which routes to take to different rides and such. Oh the joys of being a child again.

I'd have to say the first time that I realized I had been bitten by the WDW bug was after 2003 when it was my first "alone" trip with my parents and we were staying at the WL. I told my mother that WDW was my new home, and would always be my home for the rest of my life.

 

[Disney Since 73]

I remember riding with my parents all the way from Indiana in 1973 getting more and more excited the closer we got! I remember the orange groves we passed through to get to the Contemporary and seeing the Monorail for the first time! The bushes cut into shapes! The atrium at the Contemporary! I've bee hooked ever since and now I have somewhere to go in between trips where there are people just as hooked as me! Thanks DIS!!!!

 

[exwdwcm]

Probably our second trip in the 80s......I remember mom buying the Birnbaum's guide and us three girls poured over it forever, looking at the pictures of the rides, deciding what looked cool etc. We took our camper and camped in fort wilderness those first few trips. It was a blast. I think that is when I fell in love and started my OCD/Commando planning ways.

Of course then, in college, I was doing a marketing internship the summer before my junior year and one of the guys I worked with told me about the College Program. I didn't even know it existed. I was in heaven and applied later that year. Then I was accept for the Fall CP in 1996 and my love for the mouse grew 10fold then. Being an actual part of the magic made the force only that much stronger!!!!

 

[TrekBoy85]

Neither my wife nor I had been to Disney World as kids. Vacations always seemed to consist of road trips to family.

When we started dating, we talked about all the places we wanted to travel to, including Disney World. It was kind of a "we've got to see it" thing. As we started planning our wedding, somehow (and I'm still not sure how this happened exactly because it wasn't planned) we started to include a very subtle Disney theme.

Our honeymoon was originally going to be a trip to Steamboat Springs, CO (we were living in Fort Collins at the time), but thanks to a rather hefty tax refund that year, we had the opportunity to afford a more expensive trip. When I told my wife that we could change destination, without hesitation we agreed on Disney World.

Even at that point, it was still a matter of "it will be exciting" to see, but we had no idea of what was to come. On our first full day in Orlando it happened...we rode the bus to the Magic Kingdom, and as we walked through the entrance, around the train station....BAM! Two more fanatics were born!

Six months later we were in bed, and out of nowhere I had this great idea...go back for our 1 year anniversary. I'm a planner, so I began researching for the trip...that's when I found the DIS and the podcast, enabling our relatively new found addiction to strengthen.

Edit:

Finally, the condition became chronic when we saw Wishes at MK, then the Spectromagic parade (a total surprise-something I had not discovered in my planning!).

I forgot to mention this....thanks MARCIAKAZ. Wishes has ruined every other fireworks show I've seen in my life. Everytime I see fireworks, my thoughts shift to Main Street, I hear the music, and the obsession continues.

 

[aspen37]

I did not go to WDW till 2007. I have always gone to Disneyland. Then I saw a Samantha Brown Christmas special in 2006. That was when I started planning my first trip. After I got home from my first trip I sat down and planned out the next trip. This December will be my 4th trip. I will be buying an AP in December so I bet I go more next year. As much as I love Disneyland WDW just seems a little more special.

 

[mikelan6]

embryo

Did the embryo look like a hidden Mickey?

 

[FireDancer]

I knew I was going to be a fanatic before I ever stepped foot in the park. In 1990, the year before I was going to be going down, my best friend went for the first time with his family. They brought back a ton of pictures, video, and about 4 of the encyclopedia sized picture books they sold at the parks. I remember going through every page of those books, every photo they took, and a couple of hours of video just about non stop for the rest of the summer with him. I was riveted and knew I was going to love it.

Walking into WDW and seeing Main Street that next July I knew I was going to be hooked for life.