Why Did You First Go To Disney

[#1 TITANS FAN]

As a kid, I wasn't a big Disney fan, more into Bugs Bunny/WB toons. In 97, I won a free trip from the company I worked at as a bonus incentive and fell in love with the place. Went back the next year and have been going at least twice a year since. Goodness knows how much that 'free' trip has ended up costing me

 

[floridagirrl2]

Since I'm a Floridian, I had been several times over the years since 1974, when I was a senior in high school. I went once with my best friend's church group in high school, once with (different) best friend & her kids 10 years later, then twice with DH in the late 1980s.

But what got me hooked was going to the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot in 2003. DH wanted to go back to Epcot...I thought Epcot was pretty small fun, but we hadn't been in years so I thought I would humor him. He wanted to park hop, and the cheapest tickets for park hopping were the Florida Residents Seasonal Passes. Then I saw there was this festival going on.....we came, we saw, we got sprinkled with pixie dust, we were conquered by the magic of Walt Disney World!

We're now in our second year of annual passes, and we just went to the World a month ago and are yearning to go back! We're going to two out-of-town bluegrass festivals in March, an Alison Krause concert in Atlanta in April, and an out-of-town wedding in May, plus having work done on our house, so our budget is pretty tied up with non-WDW stuff right now.

 

[SaraMc]

The first time I didnt have a choice. My mom was 5 months pregnant with me. So I think I fell in love with it in utero. Then we went again when I was 11 which I think we went simply because I kept asking for a trip every birthday and christmas.

 

[DrTomorrow]

When I was in Elementary School, the big event that we'd waited years for was 6th Grade Camp - a week in the Michigan winter at a camp with all our schoolmates - bunk beds, ghost stories and even square dancing (at 12 YO, to us, girls were somewhere between ewwww and oooooh ). We spent months working on various "camp" things: sing.a.long songs in Music, journal covers in Art, the aforementioned square-dancing in Gym. So, of course, on the Thursday before Departure Monday, who came down with a serious strep infection that would keep me in bed for almost a week? Yep, yours truly.

Well, I was disappointed (not Veruca Salt-ish by any means, though); at that age, things seem so important. However, that Monday - when all my friends were on the Bus To Funland, my Dad came home from work early and told my Mom and I that he'd booked us a week at WDW over Easter! At the Contemporary Resort - Tower room, no less! Now, this was Easter of 1973, so WDW was still pretty new and exotic - I was the first in my peer group to go.

To this day, although I know it's a little weak in the theming department, the CR has a special place in my heart. And yes, I took my own DS there - 11th floor, MK view....

 

[princess aurora]

Hmmmm? My first time...I guess a family trip not much input since I was so young.

My choice...with my husband 5 months pregnant with my first child. I wanted to experience WDW as an adult before we had kids thinking it would be a while before we were able to come back.

Well somehow we keep managing it every few years. Initially it was hubby that was hooked. Somehow he was able to convert me

 

[Tara]

First childhood trip:

My dad was in the military and we were stationed overseas for 4 years (2yrs in the Philippines and 2yrs in Guam). In Guam the only TV we got was two-week old stuff brought in from LA network affiliates -- so lots of Disneyland commercials. My mom used to cry when they came on because she wanted to take her babies to see Mickey Mouse! We got transferred to Florida next in 1977 (I was 6 and my brother was 4) and the first thing my parents did once we were settled in was take us to WDW.

First adult trip:

My ILs gave us a big chunk of cash for our honeymoon as a wedding gift. We intended to go to England for 2 weeks, but were intimidated by going it alone and didn't want to be on a tour on our honeymoon. After much debate, we decided to each take a week and plan it, and on a lark I chose WDW. (And DH chose Nova Scotia!!) I had no idea what I was getting myself into!!

 

[Tinkerbellmom33]

We went for the first time when I was 30. My parents never took us for whatever reason and I always wanted to go. Friends and family told us how much fun it was. It was so much more than we expected and the kids love it!! They're hooked as much as I am!

 

[jimmytammy]

I remember as a kid when WDW opened in 71 and I always wanted to go.

Finally, in 99, I made it. But under some odd circumstances.

My DFIL had 5 yrs to go to retire from the USPS. His wish was for he and my DMIL to take a cruise to celebrate. Sadly, he got ALS(Lou Gehrigs disease) and wouldnt live to see his dream. But his wish was for my DMIL to take Tammy, me and our kids and Tammys DB and his family on a cruise shortly after his passing. That would be a total of 9 people in all.

My DFIL passed away in Oct. 99. My DMIL informed us about a month later of his wishes. At first the cruise idea was OK, then we started thinking small children on a cruise....not a good idea. So Hawaii came up....small kids.....long flight....not a good idea.

Well, the rest is history! WDW was mentioned and the lightbulb came on.

We have been back at least once every year since that time. DMIL jokes with me that she has helped to create a monster.

If we could have Tammys Dad back, we would trade in anyday for the trips. But life throws us curves. And we get left to deal with what comes our way.

We probably still would be looking at WDW being to expensive had we not taken that trip in 99. But because of lifes changes, we re-evaluted our lives. Those trips we hold dear now. We only get the kids for one go around. Life is short.

Writing this helps me remember why we love WDW so much!

 

[my3princes]

My first trip was on my honeymoon. Dh and myself have been hooked ever since. Now we take our 3 ds. They are also hooked and never want to vacation anywhere else.

 

[gardengal]

We watched the Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday night, I remember seeing the plans for the hotel with the monorail going through it.

One day when I got off the school bus my mother was screaming hysterically and jumping up and down. I was scared until I realized she was saying "We are going to Disney World!"

I think there was a waiting list for the contemporary and we had gotten in.

It was my first ever plane ride. I remember getting off the plane in August and being hit by the humidity. It was awesome!

Michelle

 

[swatts1]

We watched The Wonderful World of Disney when I was a child too. And my dad was a big fan of the Mickey Mouse Club in the 50's. So in 1969, when I had finished the 6th grade, my family took the big family trip, driving from Maryland to California (a 3 week trip) to see Disneyland. It was the MOST magical experience ever. Then, the year after WDW opened we went to Florida and even stayed at the Contemporary, in the main towers. For a family that always stayed in HOJO or Holiday Inn, this was REALLY special. Since then, I've been to WDW about 18 more times (including 4 in one year). My children are college age and they love it just as much as I do. Unfortunately my husband is "Disneyed Out" but as long as there is a golf course or two, he can be kept happy.