[Pam&Rich]

1973 WDW. Compared to today not much was open. I still remember the lack of foliage and how hot it was. We would stay onsite. I remember my first monorail ride was up front. I was 12 and DS was 6.

[Mickey Mom]

My first trip to Disney was to DL and I was 2. Needless to say, I don't remember much, but apparently I loved it and the Disney Magic has stayed with my my whole life.

My first trip to WDW I was 12. My parents rented a camper and we stayed at Fort Wilderness. The CBR was being built at that time, and so we planned another trip two years later and stayed there......I remember my parents saying, "We may never be back again", and we've been back almost every year since......a running joke in our family.

Our kids ages on their first trips were:
DS - 18months
DD - 14months
DD - 9months
They had a much earlier start than I did!!

[missymouse]

I love this thread. I love reading everyone's first memories of my favorite place!

My first trip was in July 1980, and I was 7. My aunt and uncle who are HUGE Disney fans took my family. We stayed in a friend's Florida "winter home." My brother and I slept on the couches in the living room because it was only a 2 bedroom house, and my mom and dad and my aunt and uncle got the beds. I remember that my mom bought a Minnnie Mouse pin for me and Mickey Mouse pin for my brother (NOT the same as the pins that everyone collects today-more like a picture of their head with a safety pin on the back!), and she used the pins to pin our tickets to our shirts. We only stayed 2 days, but I LOVED it! My aunt was pregnant with her first child, my wonderful cousin Molly, who grew up to be in WDW's college program. My favorite ride was Pirates, I was scared of the Haunted Mansion, but I didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't want them to think I was a baby, and Space Mountain was new-ish but I wasn't tall enough to ride, so I had to wait with my preggo aunt and brother while Mom, Daddy and my uncle rode. My mom HATES rollercoasters and came off of Space Mountain looking ! Bless her heart!I remember playing like we were Jungle Cruise tour Guides on the ride home.

[WALL]

12 years old and "In Awe" of the Magic Kingdom... 1980
Everything I had seen on TV was in front of me and I could see it for myself.

[MerlinMatt]

Originally Posted by Pam&Rich

I remember my first monorail ride was up front.

That reminds me... a lot of people wouldn't know that in the first monorail trains, you couldn't stand up!

Monorails used to have just benches and each row of benches had it's own door

Mark IV monorail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another piece of trivia from Merlin!

[Justin]

Originally Posted by MerlinMatt

That reminds me... a lot of people wouldn't know that in the first monorail trains, you couldn't stand up!

Monorails used to have just benches and each row of benches had it's own door

Mark IV monorail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another piece of trivia from Merlin!

Now I never knew that... amazing :).

[tinker2222]

[quote]

Originally Posted by missymouse

I love this thread. I love reading everyone's first memories of my favorite place!

I agree! I love everyones stories

[Dopey]

You know the people that were lucky enough like Pam & Rich and Wish and of course Merlin Matt, they have seen huge changes over the years. That must be so cool. I wish I could see their photo albums

[tinkfans]

I was 2, 1976. We started in PA with myself my mom, my dad & my aunt. We stopped in GA to pick up one of Dads Marine buddies and off to WDW we went. I dont remember much of it. I do remember being in the back seat of the car and them waking me as we were approaching the Magic Kingdom sign over the road. They tell me all i wanted to do was see Mickey(he IS the man after all isnt he!) Well, we were waiting for a parade and along came Mickey, finally....and I was sleeping!!! Oh, and I remember IASW...still my fav!
We stayed at Lake Buena Vista and had a room with a lake view (dont know if they all were) and every morning had ducks at our doorstep. probably because we kept feeding them!!
On the way back home we stopped for my first trip to Six Flags GA and i do remember riding the Parachute ride over and over and over and over again!!
aaaaahhhh!!!! great memories!
.....just remembered, I still have a ceramic Pooh Bear figurine from that trip.
my dad wrote on the bottom 'WDW 1976'

[Diaczynsky]

I was seven and in it was in 1975. My Grandmother plan the trip, I remember Dumbo and that it started snowing flurring it was President Day's weekend.

[DonnyD]

My first trip was in Sept. 1980 for our Honeymoon. The only park was the Magic Kingdom. My husband and I spent 3 days in the park riding each ride, in fact it was so empty that we would come off a ride and then go right back on with no wait, Sometimes we didn't even have to get off the ride in order to ride again.

We stayed at the Contemporary Resort facing the Magic Kingdom - What a view. I believe it only cost about $125 a night, but that was a lot back then.

But the greatest memory was the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. You see it was just built and not yet scheduled to open but when we got there the CM told us they were having a soft opening to try out the ride and we were lucky enough to be one of the first riders!!

We never did any research before heading to Disneyworld yet it turned out to be a great time - we were like 2 kids running through the park. It is something we will never forget.

[Pam&Rich]

Originally Posted by Dopey

You know the people that were lucky enough like Pam & Rich and Wish and of course Merlin Matt, they have seen huge changes over the years. That must be so cool. I wish I could see their photo albums

Funny that you mentioned pictures. Most of the pictures I have found at my Dad's house in NJ have been from the later trips (79 and 80). My sister and I have no idea what happened to the early ones mom took (73,75,77). She was camera crazy, always snapping away to create an album for every trip. And Dad never throws anything out. But I can remember that first trip like it was yesterday. Pulling up and seeing a "train" going through the hotel you were going to stay at was crazy. I knew at that point I was going to like this place.

[Val32]

I was 2yrs old. 1974?
Have a pic of Minnie holding me and Im Crying!
And my mom says the goats tried to eat my diaper bag!


That is alll I know and I remember NOTHING of course!!!

My 2nd WDW trip, I was 32yrs old!!!!

[mmforme2009]

My first trip, our first trip, I was 22 and my daughter was 4.......talk about not planning or doing homework! Seriously, I couldn't comprehend all the countries at world showcase and even wondered if I needed a passport...hahaha!!! It was the trip of a life time sharing the first experience with my daughter. I was amazed at everything and also amazed watching her and her reactions. This December will be our 15th trip and she's beginning to say "when I have a child I want to do .....". WOW - to think in a few years I could be planning a trip for my grandbaby!!!

[Dopey]

Originally Posted by Pam&Rich

Funny that you mentioned pictures. Most of the pictures I have found at my Dad's house in NJ have been from the later trips (79 and 80). My sister and I have no idea what happened to the early ones mom took (73,75,77). She was camera crazy, always snapping away to create an album for every trip. And Dad never throws anything out. But I can remember that first trip like it was yesterday. Pulling up and seeing a "train" going through the hotel you were going to stay at was crazy. I knew at that point I was going to like this place.

So fun. You go and find those early albums and then post them here, ok!?