Your Oldest Disney Memory

[zeitzeuge]

I'm being sentimental today. Not sure why. Usually something prompts this. A few nights ago, I was looking through some old Disneyland photo's and remembering our family trips from when I was young. I had to call my Mama and talk to her about it. Although my memories of my youth are hit and miss, I remember more detailed information from our trips to the west coast to go to Disneyland. I know for a fact that it was these early years trips and my Mother and Father probably being bigger Disney finatics then us kids, that set my Disney obsession in motion.

Here are some early memories that stick out in my mind:

1. Dad always carried cash only for a trip. I was probably 13 at the time. After purchasing our ticket books for the day, I glanced down and saw his money clip on the ground with about 2K in $100 bills. I picked it up, handed it to him and it almost ruined the trip for him. He got sick to his stomach.

2. Mom and Dad didn't like thrill rides which is probably why they loved Disneyland more then anything. They would ride POTC, IASW, HM and Storybook at least 2-3 times each in one day.

3. I had my Silhouette cut on Mainstreet at the age of 13 and last year at the age of 42 I had it done again. By the same woman.

4. The Main Street Electrical Parade was one of the most amazing things we had ever seen at that time. When I got to see it again for the first time in SO many years last year at DCA, I actually got teary eyed.

5. I have a phobia of clowns or anyone in a costume, so I was terrified of the Characters. Except for Mickey Mouse, which we actually have a picture of me talking to him, wearing some sort of Peter Pan hat with a 3 foot high feather. I MUST get that thing scanned and uploaded.

My mom still gets all sad when we sit and look at 700+ photos from a Disney trip. She's 81 and can't get around as well as she use to and refuses to be wheeled around or ride a scooter. I see where I get my stubborness from. I'm still working on getting her to go. Oh, did I mention she won't Fly either?

All of these memories started me on my path to being a Disney Dork. I thank my Parents for that.

What are some of your ealiest memories of the parks that set you on your road to your obsession?

 

[rosiep]

Those are beautiful memories...thank you for sharing.

I was deprived as a child and did not get to visit Disney until I had children of my own. I do however, remember the New York World's Fair. I was only 3 years old but I distinctly remember the lights dazzling me. I remember riding it's a Small World and being mesmerized by the dolls. There is a portrait of me at the WF, with a single tear in the corner of my eye..my Mom said it was time to go home and I didn't want to leave this glorious place.
As an older child I remember Sunday nights at my Grandmothers house and the Wonderful World of Disney. I remember thinking that I would never be "rich" enough to ever see such a magical place.
Naturally, when I was old enough and we took our daughters to Disney..I felt like a millionaire.

 

[wallyb]

3. I had my Silhouette cut on Mainstreet at the age of 13 and last year at the age of 42 I had it done again. By the same woman.

This one's soo cool!



I didn't get to go to WDW as a child.
Didn't get there till in my 20s - So just 10 years ago.

 

[rosiep]

This one's soo cool!



I didn't get to go to WDW as a child.
Didn't get there till in my 20s - So just 10 years ago.

Who are you kidding?? YOU'RE the woman that cut the Silhouette !

 

[wallyb]

Who are you kidding?? YOU'RE the woman that cut the Silhouette !

I'm going to hurt you.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I'm being sentimental today. Not sure why. Usually something prompts this. A few nights ago, I was looking through some old Disneyland photo's and remembering our family trips from when I was young. I had to call my Mama and talk to her about it. Although my memories of my youth are hit and miss, I remember more detailed information from our trips to the west coast to go to Disneyland. I know for a fact that it was these early years trips and my Mother and Father probably being bigger Disney finatics then us kids, that set my Disney obsession in motion.

Here are some early memories that stick out in my mind:

1. Dad always carried cash only for a trip. I was probably 13 at the time. After purchasing our ticket books for the day, I glanced down and saw his money clip on the ground with about 2K in $100 bills. I picked it up, handed it to him and it almost ruined the trip for him. He got sick to his stomach.

2. Mom and Dad didn't like thrill rides which is probably why they loved Disneyland more then anything. They would ride POTC, IASW, HM and Storybook at least 2-3 times each in one day.

3. I had my Silhouette cut on Mainstreet at the age of 13 and last year at the age of 42 I had it done again. By the same woman.

4. The Main Street Electrical Parade was one of the most amazing things we had ever seen at that time. When I got to see it again for the first time in SO many years last year at DCA, I actually got teary eyed.

5. I have a phobia of clowns or anyone in a costume, so I was terrified of the Characters. Except for Mickey Mouse, which we actually have a picture of me talking to him, wearing some sort of Peter Pan hat with a 3 foot high feather. I MUST get that thing scanned and uploaded.

My mom still gets all sad when we sit and look at 700+ photos from a Disney trip. She's 81 and can't get around as well as she use to and refuses to be wheeled around or ride a scooter. I see where I get my stubborness from. I'm still working on getting her to go. Oh, did I mention she won't Fly either?

All of these memories started me on my path to being a Disney Dork. I thank my Parents for that.

What are some of your ealiest memories of the parks that set you on your road to your obsession?

What a beautiful story.

My first trip to Disney wasn't as a child, I was attending FLETC in Glynco, GA and a bunch of us cops went down for Easter weekend.
The story is nowhere as sentimental as zeitzeuge's so I'll keep the details to myself.

But I also get teary eyed thinkin' about it because I lost some of those same friends 9-11 as they were from NY and the NE US.

 

[wallyb]

a bunch of us cops went down for Easter weekend.

You were a cop!
Do you still have your cuffs?

 

[MonorailMan]

3. I had my Silhouette cut on Mainstreet at the age of 13 and last year at the age of 42 I had it done again. By the same woman.

I agree with Wally on this one. That's pretty cool.
There's a man named Gary who works at the Kona Cafe, and he's been working there at least since I was 7. When I saw him/talked to him last October I almost started crying. One of my memories would be talking to Gary every breakfast while we were at WDW when I was 10.......and 4 years later when we came back we had Gary as a server again, and he stopped and looked at us for a few seconds and asked us, "You guys are from Michigan, right?" .........That was 4 years later! He even remembered my grandmother who came with us during the previous trip, and asked about her because she didn't come with us that time. I can't even remember what I did yesterday, let alone who I talked to over 4 years ago! He's even more handsome now than he was back then.

I guess my first memory of WDW would be: I did something to my finger a few days before going to WDW for the first time when I was 7, and as we were driving down to Florida it started to hurt pretty badly. We wound up going to some hospital in Tennessee and it turned out my finger was infected. (One of the joys of having diabetes, I guess.) After having it lanced I had this huge white cast-like thing put on it. I remember going to the Magic Kingdom and the thing on my finger glowed in all of the dark rides, which just fascinated me for some reason. I thought it was the coolest thing because I had never experienced black lights before.

 

[jenn&nelsonrego]

This one's soo cool!

That one is my favorite too...

My first trip to WDW was a whirlwind 16 hour marathon visit to the MK when I was 15. My aunt lives about 2 hours away, so we stayed with her and went to MK for one day only. There is a picture of me sitting up against a building on Main Street looking so wiped out...

So I guess that is my oldest memory, but not my favorite....

 

[Goofyluver]

What a beautiful story.

My first trip to Disney wasn't as a child, I was attending FLETC in Glynco, GA and a bunch of us cops went down for Easter weekend.
The story is nowhere as sentimental as zeitzeuge's so I'll keep the details to myself.

But I also get teary eyed thinkin' about it because I lost some of those same friends 9-11 as they were from NY and the NE US.

You were a cop!
Do you still have your cuffs?

Down boy.




And great memories OP.

I have the greatest picture from when I was 5 of myself and my father walking hand in hand up Main Street. I was lookin' at it just the other night. Those childhood memories have been replaced by memories of taking my own kiddo. I have the same picture of he and I walking up Main Street, hand in hand. He's getting older now and doesn't want to hold my hand anymore...so I threaten him that I'll dance in public if he doesn't.

 

[Saxton]

This one's soo cool!



I didn't get to go to WDW as a child.
Didn't get there till in my 20s - So just 10 years ago.

Ditto on both counts! It's amazing that you got to go back to the same woman again.

I didn't get to go until I was in college with some friends so no childhood memories.

 

[DVCajun]

My earliest memories of Disney involve food. Huh. Wonder if that's significant?

They used to bake little loaves of bread on Main Street. Does anyone else remember this? The smell was heavenly and we got one every trip.

I also remember having breakfast at the Crystal Palace before a day at the MK, except that it was a counter service restaurant then and I got a wonderful cherry covered belgian waffle!

The year was ... approx. 1975. Or so.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

My first trip was to MK with my middle school orchestra. I was 13. Same age my DS is now. Wow. Those 25 years got away from me when I wasn't looking.

I remember being amazed by how CLEAN it was. I remember eating burgers from Pinocchio's. I remember riding "If You Had Wings". And Mr. Toad, and the People Mover.

 

[pixierella]

We only went once when I kid but I was 7 and can remember a lot.

My brother got chased around by Capt Hook, a lot. We have no idea what the deal was but it seemed whenever Capt Hook showed up Louis knew ro run.

Us three siblings got chosen to do some kind of parade with folks dressed in Colonial period clothing.

We stayed at the Contemporary! Holy smokes that was cool. We were so lucky in 1977 to be able to stay there.

Elvis died the week we were there. We found out at breakfast. The whole hotel was sad.

We got to ride up front on the monorail.

I got to see the original Laua at the Poly. It was the most amazing thing back then. Going back last year, not so amazing.

That was the most amazing vacation I ever took. Each year when we get to go back it's just like being that little kid all over again.

 

[rickwelch49525]

Wow, seeing this thread really brought back some memories!

We went to WDW the first time in the Spring of 1971, before it opened. I was five years old. We went to the preview center I remember I bought a Minnie Mouse! My parents booked two rooms at the Poly for $20 a night (!) for the next May.

It was a great vacation in 1972. I don't remember much of the rides, more the character interaction. Dumbo used me as a rest and Flower snuggled me into him as he greeted other guests. Then all of the sudden he let go and spun around putting his fluffy tail right in my face! I can still remember that feeling. I also recall the dwarfs marching around in a row.

We had dinner one evening at the Contemporary. I think it was after dinner we discovered Chip and Dale around the shops. They saw us and started chasing us! It was so much fun. I don't remember getting caught, but I still can see them running toward us!

It was a great trip and I don't think I will ever forget it!

Rick

 

[OrlandoMike]

I, as most of you, spent Sunday evenings on the living room floor watching "Uncle Walt" talk about this magical place! I knew I would never ever get there, because it was in California, and you had to fly there. Back then only rich people flew, and we were by no means rich!

One summer Mom and Dad decided we were going to Florida for vacation, you could take this new thing called the Interstate and drive right there! Can you believe we would actually have to get off of I-75 every few miles cuz the darn thing wasn't finished yet!

Well we got to Florida and decided to hit Disney World. I remember it was hot, and humid...

Lets see.....that was in August........




August of 1971!

Yep! We got there 2 months before they opened!


Did ya ever want to reach up in the front seat of the car and smack your parents?

Well, we got to go to the preview center, where the lovely hostess showed us what it would all be like in two months when they opened! I was fuming the whole day! I never got back till Spring break in College.

I drive past the preview center a few times a week and still laugh to this day!

(It's the AAU building on Hotel Plaza Blvd)

 

[MonorailMan]

I, as most of you, spent Sunday evenings on the living room floor watching "Uncle Walt" talk about this magical place! I knew I would never ever get there, because it was in California, and you had to fly there. Back then only rich people flew, and we were by no means rich!

One summer Mom and Dad decided we were going to Florida for vacation, you could take this new thing called the Interstate and drive right there! Can you believe we would actually have to get off of I-75 every few miles cuz the darn thing wasn't finished yet!

Well we got to Florida and decided to hit Disney World. I remember it was hot, and humid...

Lets see.....that was in August........




August of 1971!

Yep! We got there 2 months before they opened!


Did ya ever want to reach up in the front seat of the car and smack your parents?

Well, we got to go to the preview center, where the lovely hostess showed us what it would all be like in two months when they opened! I was fuming the whole day! I never got back till Spring break in College.

I drive past the preview center a few times a week and still laugh to this day!

(It's the AAU building on Hotel Plaza Blvd)

The reason I know about the hellish experience of driving down I-75 is because my parents refused to fly anywhere. We would take 2 and a half days to make the journey from Michigan. All I can say is if you've never driven through Atlanta during morning rush hour, you simply haven't lived.

As far as watching Walt on Sunday goes--I'm waaaaay too young to know anything about that.

 

[OrlandoMike]

As far as watching Walt on Sunday goes--I'm waaaaay too young to know anything about that.

Well that's a shame! Cuz back in the day, no matter what happened, you could count on Uncle Walt taking you to some exciting adventurous place at 7:00 every Sunday night!

 

[MonorailMan]

Well that's a shame! Cuz back in the day, no matter what happened, you could count on Uncle Walt taking you to some exciting adventurous place at 7:00 every Sunday night!

They showed those reruns in my home town on Sunday afternoons. My home town was kind of screwy.

 

[OrlandoMike]

When I finally did get to Disney one year on Spring Break I remember being floored by the Haunted Mansion!

And for some reason the Tiki Room and the People Mover stick in my mind as things I was really impressed with also!

I had lunch at the Crystal Palace, and it was a Cafeteria at the time!

I also remember parking the car and couldn't figure out why I couldn't see the castle! Little did I know I was still a good few miles from the entrance to the park!