[Dopey]

Originally Posted by dadofthree

oh WOW...what a memory? both good and bad. I was 13 and it was summer...around the end of July. My Dad had been sick, and nobody could figure out why. My mom told me I was going to stay a few days with my sister who is 15 years my elder. After 1 day, my sister told me that we needed some more clothes for me, so we ran back by my house...I remember her packing almost EVERYTHING and thinking that it was odd. We left the house and ended up at the regional airport about 45 minutes later and 1 and a half hours after that we were in Memphis, TN and then on another plane - when we got on that plane my sister finally told me we were going to WDW. We stayed for 2 weeks - all the while my Dad was getting worse...was transferred to Memphis and by the time we got back to Memphis it was discovered he had lung cancer and was in the late stages of it. He stayed in that Memphis hospital for 3 months before coming home. So, many emotions wrapped up in my 1st WDW trip...but I guess the one that over-rides more than any, is the realization now...how much my sister cared for me - knowing she would have rather been with my Dad - but took care of me and did everything in the world to shield me from the pain my Dad was going through.

oh wow, dadofthree, that is heart wrenching.

[dadofthree]

oddly enough - it was an awesome trip. EXACTLY what I needed before the battles began with Cancer. My dad lived for eight years until finally losing that battle, and those two weeks will always mean alot to me.

[WishUponAStar]

I was 5 years old, 1983. I was absolutely TERRIFIED of Snow White's Adventure and Pirates of the Caribbean. The Witch in Snow White still freaks me out a bit, & those horrid trees with the scary faces. haha.

I've never skipped a year since 1983.

[tigger]

Originally Posted by dadofthree

oh WOW...what a memory? both good and bad. I was 13 and it was summer...around the end of July. My Dad had been sick, and nobody could figure out why. My mom told me I was going to stay a few days with my sister who is 15 years my elder. After 1 day, my sister told me that we needed some more clothes for me, so we ran back by my house...I remember her packing almost EVERYTHING and thinking that it was odd. We left the house and ended up at the regional airport about 45 minutes later and 1 and a half hours after that we were in Memphis, TN and then on another plane - when we got on that plane my sister finally told me we were going to WDW. We stayed for 2 weeks - all the while my Dad was getting worse...was transferred to Memphis and by the time we got back to Memphis it was discovered he had lung cancer and was in the late stages of it. He stayed in that Memphis hospital for 3 months before coming home. So, many emotions wrapped up in my 1st WDW trip...but I guess the one that over-rides more than any, is the realization now...how much my sister cared for me - knowing she would have rather been with my Dad - but took care of me and did everything in the world to shield me from the pain my Dad was going through.

Wow. What a great sister you have.

[timkelmom]

I was 6 on my first trip and we camped off property. I don't remember much except being too short to ride Space Mountain and loving the Country Bears and Tiki birds.

I remember more about the trip from NJ to FL in the back of my dad's pick-up with the cap on it, way before seat belts became mandatory. My brothers and I had a lot of fun in the back of that truck. My dad put a piece of carpet in there and we played board games, card games, we could stretch out, we had all the snacks and drinks. We stopped several times along the way at various FL tourist traps, but it was a really fun trip.

[princesslindsey]

I was 8 on my first trip. The rule in my house was that we couldn't go until my little sister turned 5, so the summer after she turned 5 we went. I remember my sister being about 1/4 inch too short to ride Splash and Space mountains and she cried for hours. I felt so bad for her. But, Mom surprised me by bringing me back for emh (I kept thinking it was the middle of the night and Disney World must never close!) so we could ride Splash and Space. I loved them! She let me ride them over and over. I also remember on that trip that my sister and I bought every character hat they had! Not kidding! I still have them. They were the big hard plastic ones, you know? We wore them everywhere... I love happy memories.

[MerlinMatt]

I was 6. My godmother was 22 (approx) and to this day is a big fan of Disney (she now lives with her husband about 20 miles NE of WDW).

We took a 6 day trip. 3 days in Florida and then 2 days with family in Houston before flying home to Boston.

Most memorable things on the trip:
- the attractions I remember most were: Pirates, Tiki Room, Haunted Mansion (I STILL get the same ghost hitchhiker! ), IASW and the SkyWay (now defunct)
- hotel keys were plastic cards. In 1974, that was ADVANCED technology (we stayed off site in a place that has long since been leveled)
- I would only eat in one place and only eat one thing: hot dog at Pinnochio's Village Haus (I think it's always had the same name)
- I was amazed that everyone on the plane knew my name (I was wearing Mickey ears with my name on the back)
- On the third day, my aunt called home and when I got on the phone with my dad, I started crying, much to my aunt's surprise. I actually don't remember that, so I always tease my aunt that she's making it up.


But, the funniest part about the trip was how jealous my brother was. He was 3. My aunt told him that he was too young and that when he turned 6, she'd take him. She wasn't serious. She never thought he'd remember.

Sooooo, at his 6th birthday, here was the exchange between my brother and my aunt:

BROTHER: "Auntie, I'm 6!"
AUNTIE: "Yes you are! And you're so big too!"
BROTHER: "But Auntie, I'm 6!"
AUNTIE: "Yes, you've already told me. I'm so proud of you"
BROTHER (now a little more excited): "Auntie, don't you remember? I'm 6!"
AUNTIE (a little confused) : "Ummm, yes, I know. You're 6!"
BROTHER: "When are we going to Disney?"
AUNTIE: "What?"
BROTHER: "You said that when I turned 6, that you'd take me!"
AUNTIE: "I did?"



She took him 3 months later.

[tinker2222]

It was 2006, I was 28 and it was my long awaited Honeymoon We had our 5 year old DD w/ us and the look on her face when we drove buy the "Welcome" sign for the first time....... I thought she was going to faint!

I fell in love instantly, with everything, from the "Welcome Home" when we drove in, to the Mickey shampoo in the shower, to the first time I walked into the theme parks.
I was not ready for the Grandness of Disney, at all. I remeber sitting on the curb at (then MGM) and just trying to taking it all in.

We stayed at OKW & really,really,really, over paid, to say the least.

We also drove, from MA. NEVER do that again.

I've been addicted ever since

[allirella]

I was 2. Apparently, up until that point, I was in love with Mickey. Sadly, seeing him "in person" scared me to death!

The first trip I remember was the summer I turned 7. It was a one day trip to celebrate my Grandmother's 55th birthday.

Here's what I remember:
~ Space Mountain was awesome!
~ Snow White was the scariest thing ever. (Special thanks goes to my cousin who purposely put me on the side closest to the witch.)
~ Dumbo.
~Oh, yeah, and my grandmother passed out while we waited in line for the sky lift.

Ahhh, memories.

[mrsmouse]

I was 17 and it was my Senior Class Trip. We didn't spend too much time in the park that I can remember. It went by so quick and I didn't really "experience" Disney as all of us were just happy to be out of school and cutting loose. The next time I was 28 and we went with another couple and they fought the whole trip. After that it was only the 3 of us and family on our other 10 trips. To think of where we started and where we are now (DVC members), it is like night and day.

[disneycouple30]

It was in 1973 to Disneyland we were I was 28 the wife was 25. To WDW it was in 1987. We can remember the pirate ship that was a restaurant in Fantasy land. We were station out there at Vanderburg AFB, then everytime we went oversea and travel thru Ca. Then in 1975 we moved to Irvine Ca. and we went every sunday for the 30 months we were there plus atrip or two each yr to WDW. We started going to WDW after I retired from the Air Force (1987) and at one time we were going 4 times a year. Plus for five yrs we went to Disneyland each time I went out to Ca for conferences. Now it only once a year to WDW

[Justin]

Originally Posted by cinderbella

I was 5. I don't remember much other than I was terrified of the Haunted Mansion and I freaked out when I saw Alice (my hero) riding on a mushroom in the parade.

, you where freaked out about Alice on a mushroom? I do admit I hated the chatacters to back then. I'm with you on the Haunted Mansion thing though, oh and Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, And Space Mountain.

First visit was probably around... 6, I think.

[MerlinMatt]

Originally Posted by Justin

, you where freaked out about Alice on a mushroom? I'm with you on the Haunted Mansion thing though, oh and Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, And Space Mountain.

When I was 6:
- MK was the only park and there were 2 resorts: Contemporary and the Polynesian
- Space Mountain wasn't open yet, nor was the Astro Orbiter or People mover
- Frontierland stopped at Tom Sawyer Island. There was no BTMR or Splash.


It's really amazing to see what's there now....

[Princessbaby]

I was 23 and on my honeymoon! If only we could go back in time because there are so many things I did not know back then. But, I didn't have much control over the planning because my DH planned the whole thing We had a great time and we are thinking about an adult only trip after the first of the year.

[denvilsmom]

Hello I was 21 and just got married in 1976. We go when ever we can and raised our kids to love disney. I've been trying for 3 years to get my grandson and my husband and me there and hopefully next year will be the year. He's 5 now and went when he was 1 and not since.