Who has been here since fhe beginning?

[ToyStory3]

I heard a Dis Podcast that mentioned the beginning of the boards. It made me curious about the history. Who has been here since the inception of the boards? I saw a post once about a time when all of the boards crashed and everything was lost. I'd be interested in hearing about that. Just curious. Thanks to anyone who has some history to share!

 

[lovetoscrap]

Since the Welcome Board is used by mostly new members I am moving this to the Podcast board.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I've been on the boards since 2005, but was lurking starting in 2004.

 

[SamSam]

I've been here since 2001. I learned so much AND saved so much money from the tips I learned on the boards. I lurked for many years before finally starting to participate a little bit.

I don't remember the crash, I do remember talk about the crash.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

My join date was Feb 2005, but I lurked for years before joining. (I used another board back then). I think my first WDW trip was Feb 1972, (clearly recall my 1973 visit). I went every Feb for years, but then had a bit of a gap. Since 1999 I've gone to WDW at least once a year (mostly more).

I know I used several Disney websites by 2000 (ones I still use!). I'd say my lurking here goes back to at least 2002.

One website about saving at WDW just celebrated it's 13th year, I remember when it was new. I had already been using the internet for WDW.

The reason I lurked for so long was that, in my opinion, the DIS community was too small back then. The other board was much better populated; especially by CM's. I switched because the other board got mean and very poorly regulated, while the DIS grew better. The final straw was the day someone threatened my life because I asked about the hotel tax rate at the All Stars. (It is 13%, where most of WDW is 12.5%. AStars are in a different county.)

***************
I distinctly remember going to WDW, and feeling unique to have discovered the internet, until one day when I was in the now defunct Tink's Treasures Gift Shop early one morning. Back then, Waking up Tinkerbell was magical treat bestowed each morning upon a little child as a surprise treat.

I knew about it because I had been there a number of times already. In walks a teenager and her mom starts yelling at her. Very public. The girl was WAY to old to appreciate the experience. Girl pouts and argues. Mom loudly insists, asserting she read about it on the web. Girl begrudgingly asks to wake Tinkerbell.

In my mind, that was the day the internet ruined the Disney experience. (well, severely damaged) Before that, WDW had all kinds of surprise treats CM's could bestow upon guests. A handful of folks knew about some, but rarely asked, and never DEMANDED those treats. Sadly, most are gone. One reason they no longer exist is because too many first time guests DEMANDED them as though entitled. Instead of surprise magic, it was an ugly expectation.

I joined the DIS and others because back then, it was a great way to discover secret ways to save. For several years, almost all my posts were on the budget board. Just as there are no longer secret surprises, there are very few 'secret' ways to save at WDW. At least not good ones. Back then, the budget board was ONLY about saving money on trips to WDW. Then it morphed into something else. In my time, I've tried almost every semi-secret legal way to save money at WDW. I've learned that most involve serious loss of time, and or park experience.

Nowadays, I mostly use the DIS to keep up with things like new openings, new FP+ strategy, and giving basic advice to newbies (getting from MK to Epcot, what to carry, etc.)

 

[2Tiggies]

I remember a similar thread being posted a few years back and we went down to the bottom of the page and selected to show all threads from the very beginning and it was interesting to see there were a few familiar names there. I assume that the 'beginning' would have been after the crash, but I wasn't on here then so have no knowledge of it other than vague recollection of reports. Strangely, I seem to no longer be able to call up posts more than a couple of years back no matter how I tweak the filters

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm coming up on 10 years here on the DIS. Certainly not the "beginning" but still a fairly long time. I can't recall the first podcast I listened to, but it was while Bawb was still with us.

 

[parrotheadlois]

I've been around since September 2001. The DisBoards were my trip planninng guide. I can find posts of mine going back to October 2001.

I don't remember the crash.

I don't remember when I discovered the Podcasts. I listened to the Dis and another one that also had a Boston guy. Eventually I just settled in with the Dis. I don't remember the first podcast I listened to. I remember driving home from a trip we took to Vermont and listening to podcasts most of the way. Bob was a favorite. I also listened to what I guess was WDW Today - they also had a Boston guy, I enjoyed that one too.

 

[ADP]

I first visited Disney World in 1993. After a few years of visits I became involved in RADP (Rec Arts Disney Parks). It was the only site or community out there I could visit to keep up with the parks.
After our trip in late 1997 or early 1998 I came back home and stumbled across the DIS which was probably in beta mode at the time. I honestly believe I was among one of the first visitors to the site. I didn't post much, if at all. I just visited for information and to find out about discounts and such. I've been here ever since.

 

[robinb]

I was around when the board crashed and my join date was reset to August 1999. I believe I joined the DIS in early 1999 but became an active poster when I was put on bed rest when pregnant with my DD who is a high school freshman.

 

[jcarter29]

I wish I could say yes but I haven't been around THAT long. I lurked for about a year before officially joining the boards. Glad I was able to enjoy many many shows with Bob before his tragic passing. It has been so much fun to listen and now watch the show grow and change over the years. I always refer to the podcast team as my "friends in Florida" when I talk about them with my family and friends. It has been great to get to know some of them a little more through social media and I hope to actually meet them on one of our trips. And I did go back and listen to every show one summer after I found the show.

Kim Borcoman

 

[dixiegirl]

Been on the boards since sometime in 1998 - experienced the crash. It's amazing to think that I've been coming here for going on 16 years - amazing! Back in 1998 I could not have been more excited to find a place to find current information about Disney World and be able to share my love of Disney with like minded individuals. It was like the heavens opened up.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Not from the beginning, but I've been here since 2003 when I was planning a trip and a friend/client suggested I check out these boards to rent DVC points. I never did rent points but I found a place where similar Disney freaks liked to hang out and I was thrilled that I wasn't alone in my obsession! I was hooked from that point on! I've also listened to the Podcast since almost the beginning and love the way things have gone and the strangers who have become friends along the way.

 

[mikelan6]

I'm tool old to remember when I joined.

 

[Ali]

A very long time ago in a galaxy far far away people were afraid to use the Word Disney in a URL for fear Darth Eisner would do bad things to it's people and planets. I've been here a long time and have enjoyed it.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I joined at the end of 1998, when planning our first Walt Disney World vacation for June 1999. I was on a Disneyland Board, and another Walt Disney World board. A poster on the WDW board was a mod on the Inspiration Board here on the DIS (it's morphed into the Wish Board), and invited us to check out this site. I've been here ever since. I rarely go to the DL board, and the other WDW board self-imploded, though I had stopped going there, too.

I remember the crashes, and other 'stuff' that has happened here on the DIS, but I wasn't here from the beginning in 1997.

 

[MarkyMouse]

I don't know when I first discovered the boards but I do remember being on it BEFORE Pete and John moved to Florida! I remember Pete posting that he and John were moving to Orlando and just being blown away by it. I would like to know what year that was.

 

[catycatcat4]

I've been around for a bit. On/off depending on if I have a pass or not.

 

[Paul in CT]

My signature shows 1999, but I believe I started reading the boards a year or two before that since I was following the boards when they crashed and lost many posts prior to 1999.

I particularly remember when Pete and John were posting "live" from OKW where they bought into the "DVC". The DIS has come a LONG way since then thanks to Pete's love of technology and the great hires he has made since then. At that time, I think that Pete, John, Bob were the only staff of the DIS and there was no podcast.

 

[Paul in CT]

I joined at the end of 1998, when planning our first Walt Disney World vacation for June 1999. I was on a Disneyland Board, and another Walt Disney World board. A poster on the WDW board was a mod on the Inspiration Board here on the DIS (it's morphed into the Wish Board), and invited us to check out this site. I've been here ever since. I rarely go to the DL board, and the other WDW board self-imploded, though I had stopped going there, too.

I remember the crashes, and other 'stuff' that has happened here on the DIS, but I wasn't here from the beginning in 1997.

Mary Jo,

Like you, I was following a couple of other Disney boards, one on Prodigy and another, the name of which I cannot recall. I remember discussions about where we could go when these boards went away and then there were the DISBoards that we all gravitated to that has become the standard for many.