Your earliest Disney park memory: how old were you,especially if you went as a child?

[SCDisneyMom]

Christmas 1984...I was 5 years old. We have a lot of pictures from that trip, but the only thing I remember is riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad & Peter Pan. I remember looking at Big Thunder and feeling SO excited because I was going to ride it alone with my dad (alone = without my annoying younger sister! ) and it was my very first roller coaster. Less than 20 years later, I got to experience both rides with my own child.

 

[avic77]

My favorite memory was: My mom and dad bought my sister and I hats at Disneyworld. We both had on our hats, and as we were walking around the park, someone took my hat right off my head (my sister's hat "disappeared" as well)! I turned around and King John from Robin Hood was standing behind us. He had one hand behind his back, and of course - I knew he had taken our hats. I asked him for my hat back, and he acted as if he had no idea what I was talking about. Then, Robin Hood came up behind King John and rescued our hats. He bent on one knee and returned it to my sister and me. Then he shook my dad's hand and "pretended" to kiss my mom's hand before he and King John engaged in a sword fight right in the middle of main street. We still talk about this - it was so cute and "in character." They were also the only characters we met in Disneyworld, so they really stood out.

I would LOVE to go back in time to meet Robin Hood in WDW. It was the very first Disney movie i ever remember seeing and it has always been my favorite. I was probably only 5 or 6 and was at my paternal grandparents house. They were "rich" enough to have a huge satilite dish that got Disney TV. It happened to be playing one of the days we were visiting them.

 

[followthatmouse]

It was 1978 and I was seven. We arrived in Orlando very late at night and the cab ride was through areas unknown as it was pitch black. Well, it was pitch black until the entrance plaza. The bright lights were a physical shock, but nothing to the intake of breath a few minutes later when I first laid eyes on Cinderella's Castle. Those spires and lights appeared to float above the surrounding darkness. It is a sight I shall never forget as it brought such a response. It was some moments before I could breathe again. The next day, I remember my DM pinning a 2-day pass to my shirt before taking into the Magic Kingdom and the wonders beyond the turnstiles.

 

[MightyGitis]

My first trip to Disney World has a funny story that my parents still tell to this day, which has helped me keep scraps of memories from the trip even though it was 24 years ago.

I was 4, and in preschool. My sister who was 2 was not. I remember it was the last day of the year, and my mother picked me up. She came alone in the car and was talking to my teacher, Mrs. Merritt, about HER trip to Disney World. I was rather attached to Mrs. Merritt, and had been insisting for days that we were gonna "See her in Dinney World". Despite my parents gentle assurances that there were going to be a LOT of people around, and we were unlikely to run into her.

I don't remember most details of the days, but I remember about half way through the trip, we were coming out of Peter Pan, walking by the theater that now houses Philharmagic (but was unoccupied at the time), and it was afternoon when I saw her across the court yard in front of the carousel.

According to my parents I hopped out of the stroller shouted "Missus Mewwitt." and took off into the crowd. Now as an adult I can imagine how terrifying that moment had probably been for them as I disappeared through the crowd. But they once that rushed through the crowd they found me attached to my pre-school teachers leg. She was there with her own daughter who was much older.

It's the only time I've ever run into someone I knew from outside, IN Disney World.

 

[Boo Bear]

I was 6 and went with my big sister (9 at the time) and my parents. I just remember how I wanted to ride Space Mountain over and over and over again. We also stayed at CR 1990 and I remember the restaurant had M&M pancakes. I also remember going to the Poly for something and learning how to hula dance.

 

[daisy1031]

I dont know how old I was, but from photos I was pretty little, but I remember being TERRIFIED of the wolf/fox from Phinochio (sp) cause he was a bad guy... I still dont like him lol... when I was little (baby on up) we went to Disneyland frequently (almost every summer ) I know while visiting my grandma in Southern Cali.

One of my cousins has 2 little kids ages 2 and 4, that she or her sisters take pretty frequently as they dont live far from Disneyland.

Remember it doesn't matter if they really "remember", I dont remember majority of the trips really.. but little kids of all ages know who the Disney Characters are, and if they remember meeting them for the first time or not doesnt matter awhole lot, its more just meeting them, and pictures... and they often will remember from the pics anyways.

 

[ppb1701]

I vaguely remember astro orbiter from a trip my grandparents took me on when I was about 3.

 

[jgplimdesign]

My first trip was at the age of 4 (1974) ----for me I think a lot of my memories come from seeing photos that were taken from that trip----more than me actually recounting moments from that particular vacation. . . I do have more vivid memories from the 1976 trip (then 6)---as I remember my brother (then 2) in his stroller. . .

 

[ducky_love]

I remember kissing Figment on the nose because my Daddy carried me and Dreamfinder carried him!

 

[denecarter]

I remember several things from my "early days"... we took a Chevy Chase-style Family Vacation from Texas to California in 1969. I remember several parts of the trip that included Disneyland. At Disneyland, I recall driving a car into a train (Mr. Toad's Wild Ride), getting a caricature (me as Tinkerbell), and hitchiking ghosts riding with me and my aunt. What I don't remember about that summer was the first moon landing... wish I did!

I have several other memories of that trip and earlier events... the two most vivid are the day my 18 yo aunt died (I was 4 years and 2 months old) and being in the hospital to have my tonsils removed (I was 2).

 

[Twins22]

My earliest memory of DW was my first trip when I was 8 yrs old in the 3rd grade. We were staying at the Contemporary Resort, swimming in the pool. All of the sudden I see Donald Duck walking by the pool. I couldn't get out of the pool fast enough. I gave him the biggest hug and then my Dad snapped a pic of us. I know I got him soaking wet but he didn't care. To this day that is my favorite picture ever.

If y'all can tell me how to post a picture I will post it.

 

[Cayenne]

When I was a little over 3, my parents took me on my first Disney trip. They've always talked about how, since they were taking me when I was FOUR, they hoped I would remember at least a little of it... But recently I went and did the math- nope, not four, I was just barely 3! But anyway, I've never remembered anything from that first (and only) trip to Disneyworld. But as I've been planning this trip coming up this August, I've been thinking about Disney a lot, obviously, and something occurred to me. I sat my mother down, and told her I was going to tell her something I remembered, and she was going to tell me where I remembered it from.

It turns out I have a very, very vivid memory of the area with the squirting fountains in the ground outside of Ariel's Grotto, as well as the queue for and the meeting of Ariel. I distinctly remember talking about how much I wanted to touch her tail in the line, and then when I met her I was so distracted by all her beautiful hair. Ariel and I talked, got our picture taken - and then, when I went to walk away, I realized I hadn't touched her tail, and so I ran back to touch it. Funny what the mind can hold on to, huh?

 

[danceintherain]

My earliest memory of DW was my first trip when I was 8 yrs old in the 3rd grade. We were staying at the Contemporary Resort, swimming in the pool. All of the sudden I see Donald Duck walking by the pool. I couldn't get out of the pool fast enough. I gave him the biggest hug and then my Dad snapped a pic of us. I know I got him soaking wet but he didn't care. To this day that is my favorite picture ever.

If y'all can tell me how to post a picture I will post it.

To post a picture, you have to upload it to a website like Photobucket. Then you click on the button at the top of the posting window that looks like a mountain. You copy and paste the location (URL) of the photo into the box, then click ok.

 

[BSK]

My only childhood Disney experience was at DL (when I was 7) and I have many distinct memories of it, especially the rides.

My earliest memories are a few blurry snapshot memories from when I was 2 1/2.

When my daughter was very young (18 months), my entire family (all 27 of us) spent a week in England, and my daughter actually has one vivid memory of that trip, so it is possible to produce a memory fairly early in life.

 

[chskover]

1980 was my first trip and I didn't appreciate Disney. I remember we didn't have to many coupons and all the good rides were coupon E. I remember 20,000 leagues Under the Sea, but didn't get to ride it. We did get to ride Pirates and watch the Tiki Birds.

 

[kinggartk]

My memory, was 1978. I was 10 years old and Magic Kingdom was all there was. I don't remember a whole lot about it, but I do remember standing in line for an absurdly long time for Sapce Mountain with my Dad, only to get ready to board and Chicken out.

A waste of what was probably 30 mins to one hour of time.

 

[mom2princesss]

My first trip to Disney I was 6 and my brother was 4. I remember quite a bit. I completely fell in love with the Peter Pan ride! I remember meeting Winnie the Pooh. I do have other memories of other vacations as far back a 3 years old.

My Dh was 33 on his first WDW trip and some of the details are still fuzzy for him

We like to take our kids for their first trip between 2.5 and 3, depending on how their birthday falls. We go in Sept so sometimes they are younger and sometimes a little older. We know they probably won't remember much but we certainly will and love to watch them at that age. It is also so much easier to take a toddler in pull-ups instead of having to play beat the clock to the bathroom

 

[kidd_freeper]

June 1972 at WDW. I was 9 yo

EPCOT hadn't been even started. Kissimmee was a small trailer park town.

No Space Mountain. But there was the Skyway ride and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

The Hall of Presidents went up to Richard Nixon. Since Watergate hadn't been broken into yet, no one booed (except my Democrat mother).

Everything was a ticketed ride (I still have some unused "A" tickets from that trip). We paid an admissions fee and we bought a book of tickets. The "E" tickets were highly coveted, and you had to plan very carefully how you were going to spend them. This meant that not everyone went on the rides together. The present method of one admission price is way better.

Some people here miss the old 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride. I remember it being an extremely lame ride...you could easily see the surface of the water from in the ride vehicle under water, but the audio of the ride tried to convince you that you were deep under water.

Riding Haunted Mansion for the first time was wayyyy cool.

There was no "Meet-and-Greet" lines to see the characters. The characters walked around freely. It really added a lot to the Disney atmosphere. I miss that aspect...the idea of waiting in a line to see a character is weird and sort of sad.

We stayed until the park closed late at night, and then some. They were washing down the sidewalk in front of the Hall of Presidents. And the sound of the park background music has stuck with me ever since.

 

[gk90]

Great stories everyone! Any more?

 

[ben1993]

Summer 1999, Disneyland Paris, I was 6 years old and I remember we barely went on any rides, we were fascinated with character meet and greets!