When was your first trip?-ours was 15yrs ago today!

[Julia Ann]

15yrs ago (actually yesterday but didn't have time to post) we flew to Orlando to the place that I had wanted to go to forever. Excited beyond belief (me and my DH were 25) and nervous too with not knowing what to expect.

We booked a package holiday where we didn't know which hotel we would be staying in (i wouldn't do that now!) and it cost us £500 each! which I actually sold my car to pay for it as i was due to get a company car.

How the World has changed since then - there was no Animal Kingdom and no Islands of Adventure but we still managed to have a jam packed trip - how do we manage to fit it all in now?

When was your first trip - how has it changed since then?

 

[princess jackson]

Due to lack of knowledge we travelled July 4 1999. Very busy, can not remember cost stayed at travelodge on 192 eat every night at ponderosa.

Changes other than rides for me is staying onsite and eating onsite.

First and lasting memory the smell of fresh popcorn on main street

 

[igk]

June 1979. My parents took me for a few days. We were on a bigger trip to visit their friends in Colorado but we had a week in Florida first.
We stayed at the Americana Dutch Inn, which I believe is now the Regal Sun Resort in LBV.
What is now Downtown Disney was a smaller development of shops and restaurants, and I remember hiring a small speedboat on the lake.
There was only the Magic Kingdom of the four parks then, and a lot of today's attractions weren't there of course. No Big Thunder or Splash Mountains. Space Mountain just blew me away though! That was in the days when you 'paid' for attractions with tickets. A tickets for things like the Main Street USA transportation, and E for Space Mountain.

I went to River Country which again was vastly superior to any swimming experience I had ever had.

The next time was June 1987, when I dook DGF, who is now DW.
That was her first trip to the USA. We stayed on International Drive at the Sheraton World.

 

[disney_princess_85]

My first trip was in May 2008. I loved it and I've been a further two times since then.

 

[suzybear6]

My first trip was 16 years ago now...I was there 7th, 8th & 9th September 1994 (found the photos the other day with date stamps on them!).

I was spending 2 weeks driving around Florida at the end of a 6 month trip around the world. I couldn't go to Florida without going to Disney so we did the 3 parks..MK, DHS (or MGM as it was then) and Epcot..1 park each day and then moved on to the gulf coast. We camped at Fort Wilderness campsite in a small 2 man tent...bet there's not many people here that has done that!

I'm not a roller coaster fan, so didn't bother with Universal or any of the other parks, but fell in love with Splash Mountain and the Tower of Terror!

Can't wait to get back there now and this time I'm taking my Dp and 2 children

Luv Suzy

 

[fizz13]

December 1990, my grandparents hired a villa in Kissimmee and took me and my brother, flew out between Christmas and New years for 2 weeks. Wow, I can't believe its 20 years ago already!!

There was no giant hat at Disney Studios, Universal Studios was brand new, Roger Rabbit was everywhere as was Jessica Rabbit who was plastered on the sign of Pleasure Island (which i was too young to enter, you had to be legal to get in the complex at all if I remember) and Captain EO was awesome and new technology. I do remember a fitness playground in the Wonders of Life pavillion and thinking that pavillion was really cool.

gosh things have changed a bit

 

[kevin harrison]

My first trip was in 1998, my second trip abroad and my wife's first.

We stayed at the legendary Wynfield Inn! , never will forget it as long as I live, Swastika carved on the door, couldn't shut the curtains, chair against the door at night..

We drove onto I - Drive looking for the Wynfield and can recall being really overwhelmed about it all, no idea where to go, no one I spoke to understood what I was asking - that's when I learned that American and English is really two separate languages.

I remember being excited thinking that the next day we would be at Universal Studios - that was our first stop, as I was and am a big movies buff. I remember not being able to sleep watching the promo on the hotel TV system over and over again. I remember being able to order pay per view TV and watch a movie on demand ! - unheard of here at that time !

Someone had told us about Ponderosa, that was our first meal - remember being completely confused about how to order.

I remember eating at the Village Inn and my server taking my glass away and bringing me another - I was fuming thinking "I am not paying for that, I didn't order it" - not a clue about refills !

Other than that I remember very little, I recall lots of lying by the pool and lovebugs, can't remember what my wife and I went on, didn't do character meals, as we didn't have children at that point. I resolved when my kids were born that I would take photos of everything.

 

[Cochise]

Ours was 5 years ago on Saturday, very priviledged to have been 4 times in total and the fifth this time next year Although a new car would be nice too

 

[Rachey_101]

.

 

[tinks_1989]

May 1999 I would of been 9 so back in the good old days where mum and dad paid we went with my grandparents as well the pool was huge

 

[dixonsontour]

July 1997 - I was 22 and had just left law college. With bf also 22 who is now DH. Paid for by selling building society shares (was it called carpet bagging - you got shares when they changed to banks)

He had been when he was 17 with his mum and dad.

We did a TCD flydrive and did universal then toured around - did miami and the keys and were hooked. My memories are getting stung for under 25 car hire, getting sunburnt at turtle beach nr sarasota and being told I shouldn't wear a fanny bag!

I think next weeks trip is our 13th to Florida. We've also toured alot in other parts of the US. Used to have two decent holidays to US most years prior to having DD who is 4.

But I only went to disney on our first trip with DD.

Good idea for a thread.

 

[brer_rabbit]

My first visit was in August 1987 - 23 years ago!!!!

MK was celebrating it's 15th birthday - the parade had the song "15 years, we're having a party".

I was only 4 so I don't remember much about the trip, luckily we have a lot on video as dad had one of those huge camcorders!! I remember having breakfast with Minnie at the Poly (I think), and dinner in the castle with King John from Robin Hood - he kept threatening to chop off our heads

We stayed at Treehouse Villas - don't remember much about that tho!

We went to Seaworld as that was the only other big theme park but it had no rides!

It's strange to think back then there was no Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios or even Universal!

 

[higgy66]

I was there for Halloween in 1988 and although Disney didn't do what they do now I was blown away with how much the USA celebrated Halloween and I've been a big fan ever since.

Like the others have said - not much was really there but we still had a busy time packing it all. I'll never forget arriving at MK and Seaworld and being blown away by the size of the places.

Also it was weird being asked for ID everytime we went to a bar as my friend and I were both 22 so thought that was very strange!

We went to Chruch Street station and were told about the famous Flaming Hurrican drinks where you got to keep the commemorative glasses. Well I wanted a set of six so my friend and I had 3 each by the end of the night could hardly stand up!

We stayed at the Holiday Inn on international drive which offered the free shuttles to everywhere. We then had 2 weeks down in Miami which was fantastic and very relaxing after the buzz of the parks. 2 young ladies in Miami - boy we had a great time clubbing and shopping!

I paid £1096 and went with BA Holidays. 22 years ago that was a fortune and I bought and sold beauty products on the side to raise some extra cash. Anyone for Implulse?

 

[strawberry blonde]

June 1991 for our honeymoon. DH doesn't do hot and I don't do cold so I suggested Orlando as there would be lots to do in the parks. Didn't realise that we would have thunder,lightening and rain every day at 3 o'clock and such humidity. We ended up sitting down in the queues as we felt we would faint.
Didn't put us off though....... have done 7 trips just not in June

On our last day we did Universal which was quite new. Every ride broke down at some point so we were refunded our money.

Can't believe I booked Orlando without really looking into it. Just heard the words 'Disney' and thought book it. Now I plan about a year in advance

 

[Dimplenose]

1998 - A Package holiday with Virgin. We stayed at ASSp and had to buy our park tickets as part of the deal. The kids prices were simply 50% of the adult ones.

We had inherited £5000 a couple of years previously and had decided to wait until DD was 4 and DS was 7 so that they would remember this once in a lifetime holiday.

We took a Virgin coach trip to Kennedy Space Center, went to Discovery Island (one of my favourite places), and had breakfast at Chef Mickey's because it was included on our ticket.

Animal Kingdom had just opened and had boat trips around the lake but no Asia so it was very small.

We've been 3 times since but it has never been as good as the first time when the kids were little and everything was new to us.

 

[janiebubble]

1990, I was 20, in my first year at uni and rang home to be told by my mum they'd booked our summer holiday. At that age I was incensed that they'd booked without asking me, then she told me Disney World - it was some crummy motel up by Altamonte Springs - took forever to get to Disney ... but I was hooked. I truly thought it was the holiday of a lifetime, I'd never get to go back ... hmm!!!

 

[irisheyes123]

My first trip was june 17th 2000 I remember we flew through london and the air traffic control systems crashed had to sit on a plane for 5 hours on the runway it was really hot that day too but was worth it all when we landed in orlando We stayed in my aunts old villa in oak island harbor I have lost count on how many times I have been now

 

[Latte Lover]

My very first trip was in 1975 when I was 9 and my sister 7. Magic Kingdom was the only park then, so we had 3 days there, but we also went to KSC and Jellystone Park (Yogi Bear's place!). It really was the trip of a lifetime for us. It was a competition prize and was somewhere our family could never have afforded to go to otherwise. I remember the park being more open, much more topiary figures everywhere and so clean! My sister and I were completely obsessed with riding the Dumbos!

The characters seemed to just wander around, with no proper queues for photos so our photos of them were a bit hit and miss. The characters I remember were mostly from Robin Hood and Alice in Wonderland. We only saw Mickey in the Parade!

My favourite food memory is ordering "just" a chicken sandwich as I wasn't very hungry and when it came it was a huge multi-layered affair with chicken, bacon, cheese, salad etc. One of the best sandwiches I have ever had!

I didn't manage to return to Florida until 1997, when DH and I took our own children. It was truly magical seeing it again, though the castle had been dressed up as a big pink cake for the 25th anniversary, which was a bit disappointing!

My sister and I will be returning to Disney together for the first time next Saturday. We can't wait!

 

[Julia Ann]

- that's when I learned that American and English is really two separate languages.

I remember eating at the Village Inn and my server taking my glass away and bringing me another - I was fuming thinking "I am not paying for that, I didn't order it" - not a clue about refills !
.

That's just reminded me of a couple of things too - my DH (then DB) was asking for Tomato Sauce for his hot dog, but was given a funny look, then he asked for Red Sauce and still the funny look, until i finally remembered KETCHUP!

Also our first nite of arrival we drove to I-Drive (when you could easily park for free!) and order a pizza (can't remember the restaurant) they were pretty slow bringing it, we were so excited at the free refills that we drank about 5 cokes each before the pizza arrived and i couldn't eat the pizza as i was going to burst

I'm enjoying reading all your "first" memories, i hope it's brought back some happy thoughts

 

[amystevekai&bump]

My first trip was in Oct 1979 - so 31 years ago (I was 5!!)

There was only the Magic Kingdom, Kennedy Space Centre, Circus World, Cypress Gardens & the Stars Hall of Fame - and I'm not sure when Sea World arrived as my early Florida trips all haze into one !!! We used to spend only one week in Orlando and one week in Sarasota (as believe it or not there wasn't enough in Orlando to occupy us for 2 whole weeks at that time!!!)

I remember that we mostly stayed in Howard Johnson motels and the Contemporary Resort (there was only the Contemporary and the Polynesian to choose between at that time).

I also think there must of been very little in the way of souvenirs at that time as I recall all of us (mum, dad and me) all had beige sweatshirts with brown pictures of the castle on!! - nice!!!