Your first visit to WDW..............

[soar2014]

It was 1978, I turned 13 and it was my birthday in July, my parents couldn't afford a vacation with 6 kids, so my dad's newspaper got a free hotel stay for us at Daytona. We drove to WDW and got to the MK around 10am. I remember my dad saying to us as the monorail went by the POLY that we could never afford to stay there because the rooms cost $100 a night! I remember wanting a plastic orange ball filled with orange juice but we were poor so I had to drink from the water fountain. The best rides used E tickets back then. The overhead trams, what did they call it back then? The buckets that hung from a cable, I rode them and I went on the 20,000 Leagues under the sea sub. I saw a parade and I don't remember the rest.
I fell in love with the idea of Disneyworld back then because my BFF had a record (a large vinyl one) that we played over and over with the audio of the Haunted Mansion. I also fantasized about the POLY because my dad said it was never going to happen and because Hawaii five-o was big back then. I saw the Don Ho show a lot and The look of the POLY was so enticing. In 2012 I eventually did stay there. 34 years later.

Tell me what was the trigger for you. Your first trip to the mouse. Why did you get sucked in to this THING we all have. (You know what it is, you just can't put a name to it)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That was the skyway: http://www.yesterland.com/skywaymk.html

For me-my first visit, to my knowledge was a day trip.

The trip that sealed the deal was ca. 1981 and involved camping at Fort Wilderness.

 

[soar2014]

Thanks for the pics Lisa, that takes me back!

 

[W.E.D.]

1976. I was four. I really only remember flashes of the trip.
The trip that sealed the deal was 1989 when my folks took me for my graduation present. Only three parks and we had only three days, but I was hooked!

 

[taythecray]

Same as W.E.D. My first trip was when I was four and I only remember one thing: loving the tower of terror I have a picture with Mickey but I don't even remember that. Trip that sealed the deal is the one I count as my official first trip, Dec 2013 (took a while) 0_o Parents never had the money for a vacation like that (there are 7 of us) so I decided to splurge and go with my boyfriend for the Christmas party. We only bought the party tickets for one night and stayed off-site with his family. I can't even think of words that described how I was feeling when I finally made it to Magic Kingdom. So now I have this mindset that if I don't go every year I will just miss out on everything So far so good! Went again for another full day trip in Dec 2014 and have our next trip planned (a whole week this time!) for January 2016

 

[IrishNYC]

1981. I was 10, and it was WDW's 10th anniversary celebration. We didn't have a lot of money, and we didn't stay on site. We stayed at a hotel in Lake Buena Vista that I think was a Howard Johnson and I think it might be the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort now. Epcot was in the process of being built. We spent maybe 2 days in the Magic Kingdom, a day at River Country, and a day at Sea World. I remember being terrified of the Haunted House, and I stayed outside alone and cried while my parents and little sister went in.

 

[mchelle77]

Mine was in 1997 at 20 years old! It was my first vacation ever. My husband (then just my boyfriend) and I drove to FLA with his parents (from Boston). My MIL worked for a hotel, so our off-site hotel was only like $30 a night (we all shared) and the castle was a CAKE. I was so disappointed to not see the castle as I always saw on TV and in pictures. I went on a lot of rides by myself because my husband didn't like rides back then (our honeymoon there in 2003 changed that) but I was just so happy to be in a place I never thought I'd ever get to see. We've since turned our daughter into a Disney nut too.

 

[crazylady]

I went a couple times as a kid and did not catch the Disney bug. The first time I went as an adult was 1996. My friend made me take pictures with all of the characters and I loved how much of a kid I felt like while I was there. My favorite memory was having a beer and a soft pretzel on the Streets of America for lunch. It was my first beer in an amusement park, and I was a grown up so I could have whatever I wanted for lunch, even if it was a soft pretzel! And I still laugh when I think of riding the Tower of Terror for the first time. I think my friend pee'd in her pants she was so frightened!

 

[chelseabun76]

This isn't funny knowing what has happened with the outbreak of measles at DL, but I was in Grade 2, 1984, and I had the measles while on my very first WDW trip I was so sick, and basically slept my way through our vacation on my moms lap. Not really the first Disney trip everyone hopes for, but my next trip in 2007 was MUCH better when I took my own dd for her first time.

 

[Badgerfan]

First trip was in 1976. I was 5 so I only remember bits and pieces. I remember as we drove close to the Magic Kingdom, there were signs to tune your radio to whatever frequency, and they welcomed you and told you info. for what ever reason, at the time I thought that was cool. I remember liking Mission to Mars? its where Stitch is now. The other memory I have is saving my allowance for months leading up to the trip, and buying a stuffed eeyore. I recall being a very proud and happy 5 year old after that purchase.

The trip that did it for me was probably the next one in 1982. We were there in the summer and just missed the opening of epcot by a couple of months. I remember we could take the monorail over there, and they would stop it as you were going around spaceship earth and telling you all the exciting things that you could do when the park opened in Oct. I was so bummed that we were so close to the opening but not going to be able to actually experience it. After that trip I knew I had to get back. I eventually did get back in 1992, and got to see Epcot and Hollywood studios (Disney/MGM studios), took my wife to WDW for our honeymoon in 1997, and have been here many, many times since with our kids.

 

[wdwrich]

Our first visit was in the summer of 1979. We only had one child at the time and he wasn't quite 2 years old. We stayed off site (the only time we've done that), and spent a couple of days at MK and a half day at River Country. DW cried on the curb in town square when we left MK for the last time that trip. Needless to say, we've been back many times since.

 

[ModernArtist]

1975. I was 10. I remember when we rode the monorail and it went through the Contemporary that was the most amazing thing to ever happen to me. My little head nearly exploded trying to process it. I had never even been on a train before that let alone a monorail that went through buildings!

 

[yeheyprincex2]

It was 2002, I was 22 years old. It was my first trip to Orlando with my then boyfriend(now husband). It was his ideas to go and I went along with it. We stayed off site some terrible hotel cant remember the name.
We visited Universal, sea World and only one Disney park. We asked our family members which Disney park we should go to and we went with Epcot as our only Disney park to visit. I have very few memories except I can remember it was June hot, hot hot, riding the three caballeros and taking a picture with Snow white and one of the dwarf, eating a meal in Italy.
We though Epcot was boring and I cant believe we listened to my husband sister and only went to Epcot. We have learned lots since then and now we are pros and love Disney.

 

[SJSloan]

I love this thread and reading everyone's stories.

Mine wasn't one trip, but several trips that built up my love of all things Disney.

Growing up we never went on vacations as a family, maybe one trip to the beach in my first 12 years of life. Then when I was in 6th grade, probably 1996, I tried out for an AAU basketball team, made it, and my life was never the same. Each year we travelled to a national tournament held in Orange County, FL (?), about an hour from Disney. However, my very wealthy Coach always reserved Castle view rooms at the Comtemporary for us and all of our immediate familes. Our never-expiring park hopper tickets were handed out to each family member. We returned to Disney each year for 7 years straight. To say I was spoiled by my Coach and Disney is an understatement. We stayed for 2 weeks one year! It was our only family vacation also. Disney to me has so many great memories associated with it; friends, family, the fact that I was so very fortunate!

Now as an adult, I am even more of a Disney nut. Thankfully I have converted my husband and his children, who never visited Disney before we met. We honeymooned in Disney and hope to visit every year. I haven't stayed in at the CR since my basketball days, but the memories that place holds are indescribable. We as a family are making new memories are other Disney properties.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

There year was 1992. I was eight years old and the 20th celebration was still going on. My family and I flew into MCO, got a rental car, and drove to Caribbean Beach. As we were pulling in, we saw hang gliders and fireworks. It was Surprise in the Skies at Epcot. What a site to behold that was! I also have fond memories of a character breakfast with Mickey and friends at the Lilly Belle (not Fulton's). I remember seeing both Tower of Terror and Splash Mountain as they were being built. I also remember seeing Wilderness Lodge getting built as we rode past on the monorail. Funny thing is, Splash Mountain is my favorite ride at Magic Kingdom, Tower of Terror is my second favorite ride at DHS, and Wilderness Lodge is my favorite resort. I was hooked right away. I loved every second of it and looked forward to all of our other trips. I knew I had to do the college program in college and my parents were convinced I wouldn't love Disney as much after working there. They were wrong. It just made the Disney Fever worse.

Here's the commercial that I remember watching that got me so excited for our trip.

 

[Masonmj84]

My first trip was in 1988 on a high school band trip. Back then, it was just MK and EP (and we stayed off-site). Went again with my family a few months later and also stayed off-site (our family growing up had 6 kids and my parents couldn't afford to feed that many of us on property, even one counter service meal, so my mom packed sack lunches every day). Didn't make any touring plans on either trip (and there was no FP in those days) so I remember waiting in a lot of long lines (especially for Space Mtn.). Thought WDW was fun but somewhat overrated and wasn't wowed by the overall experience.

Never went back until 2012, when I had a family of my own. We stayed at CSR with a free dining promotion. We upgraded to deluxe dining and ate mostly signature dinners at a different deluxe resort every night. We also visited all four parks and researched everything extensively (made detalined touring plans, strategic use of FP, etc.).

This was a COMPLETELY different (and better, albeit more expensive) experince than my off-site experiences as a teenager and absolutely HOOKED me on WDW (especially, staying on-site and eating at nice restaurants).

Now, we do split stays at mostly deluxe resorts while still doing the deluxe dining aspect (we pay OOP but basically eat as if we were on the DxDP). To me, a WDW vacation is 1/3 parks, 1/3 resorts, and 1/3 food and I wouldn't bother to go to WDW if I couldn't enjoy all three aspects.

 

[sharona]

It was 1978, I turned 13 and it was my birthday in July, my parents couldn't afford a vacation with 6 kids, so my dad's newspaper got a free hotel stay for us at Daytona. We drove to WDW and got to the MK around 10am. I remember my dad saying to us as the monorail went by the POLY that we could never afford to stay there because the rooms cost $100 a night! I remember wanting a plastic orange ball filled with orange juice but we were poor so I had to drink from the water fountain. The best rides used E tickets back then. The overhead trams, what did they call it back then? The buckets that hung from a cable, I rode them and I went on the 20,000 Leagues under the sea sub. I saw a parade and I don't remember the rest.
I fell in love with the idea of Disneyworld back then because my BFF had a record (a large vinyl one) that we played over and over with the audio of the Haunted Mansion. I also fantasized about the POLY because my dad said it was never going to happen and because Hawaii five-o was big back then. I saw the Don Ho show a lot and The look of the POLY was so enticing. In 2012 I eventually did stay there. 34 years later.

Tell me what was the trigger for you. Your first trip to the mouse. Why did you get sucked in to this THING we all have. (You know what it is, you just can't put a name to it)

As DD12 would say - OMG, we're twinsies! My first trip was also in July 1978 and I was also 13 (Happy 50th btw!). We went on this 5 day "dream trip" and we thought we were the luckiest kids on the planet. We had no idea how poor we were, and I still to this day have no idea how my mom scraped together the money to take us (and my cousin too). It was a tour that my mom booked through Crimson Travel (she still has the free carry-on 30+ years later). We flew Eastern Airlines from Boston. First flight for all of us. My little brother was air sick and crying the whole time (that would be a recurring theme for the following few years). We went to Disney (it was only MK of course) and the Polynesian Village (?) and to Sea World and Cypress Gardens and, strangely, to an orange grove where we picked our own oranges to take home. I remember Space Mtn and Tomorrowland Speedway and sitting for a silhouette - that's about it but I know we saw and did everything!

 

[WendyLou]

My first trip was in 1983 when I was 3, don't remember much about it other than the pool The trip that "did it" for me was in 2007 when we took our so. For the first time and seeing the wonder through his eyes. Hooked ever since!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

First trip was in 1976. I was 5 so I only remember bits and pieces. I remember as we drove close to the Magic Kingdom, there were signs to tune your radio to whatever frequency, and they welcomed you and told you info. for what ever reason, at the time I thought that was cool.

I totally remember that and also thought it was cool.

And I loved the approach from 192 before they had all the various access points to enter the property. My first visit post-driver's license, I wanted the honor driving in. Step-dad pulled over after exiting 192 and let me continue the drive. Cheesy--but I thought it was a big deal.

 

[whitney250]

My first trip was October last year! I remember I had always dreamed of going as a kid, I remember watching Disney channel late at night in the summertime and watching the black and white shows about Disneyland. Those shows made me want to go more than anything, although I don't think either park is like the show anymore lol. It was an all girls trip, my mother, grandmother and me, and we stayed at the Contemporary so my grandma could watch the fireworks at MK even if she were to get pooped out in the parks. I researched for MONTHS on what to do, where to eat, etc (and I have to say these boards helped immensely ) I was so excited as soon as we got off the plane and I saw tons of people decked out in their Disney gear! My grandma loved the Magic Express because they played all of the old cartoons that she loved, and I loved it because I saw all of the things I saw on TV growing up on my way to our hotel. I felt like a kid the whole week, wearing my Minnie ears and a birthday tiara, where else can you get away with that?! I loved seeing the MK all decked out in Halloween decor and we had a blast at MNSSHP. One night we got really lucky and saw them testing the Christmas lights on the castle from our room! Because of that trip I am now hooked and we are planning another girls trip in December 2016.