Your first Visit

Fantasrick · Post by **Fantasrick** » Sep Sat 24, 2005 5:59 pm

Talk about your first visit to Walt Disney World. Mine was in 1981, when I was 4 years old. I can still remember it. My brother was afraid to go on Space Mountain, and my sister was exhausted and threw a temper tantrum during the 10 year celebration show in front of Cinderella's castle.

Post by **js3901** » Sep Sat 24, 2005 7:10 pm

I was about 6 months old, and don't remember a thing about it. I mean, I can barely remember wat I did 2 days ago, let alone over 24 years ago....

MouseMan · Post by **MouseMan** » Sep Sat 24, 2005 9:16 pm

My first trip was the fall of 1975. I was a sophmore in high school. It was during the Bicentenial celebration they were having at WDW and they had high school bands back then march as part of the America on Parade, but only in the afternoon version not the night-time version. (So does being in the parade make me a former cast member?) It was a bit different then. Only the MK park was there. The Comtemporary hotel was there, but I'm not sure about any of the other hotels. I went back three years later in the summer of '78 and then didn't get back until my honeymoon in April 1994!

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Sep Sun 25, 2005 1:52 am

My first trip was sometime in the early 90s. Don't remember much because I was too grouchy from the heat to enjoy anything. I do remember staying at the Contemporary Resort. But that was such a long time ago, and I've made more...happier memories of WDW.

Fantasrick · Post by **Fantasrick** » Sep Sun 25, 2005 1:09 pm

I remember staying at the contemporary on that first visit too. I had to have mickey mouse pajamas.

mickster68 · Post by **mickster68** » Sep Sun 25, 2005 1:13 pm

Hmm...I was about 5 years old (1973). I remember camping out on Main Street to catch the afternoon parade, and my grandmother on patrol to make sure no one dared to block our view. She nearly mowed people down to get to the characters! We still laugh at the pictures of that trip. Grammy is in the background of every one, looking very serious, as though she's policing the area--what a trip!

mjs805 · Post by **mjs805** » Sep Sun 25, 2005 9:04 pm

My first visit was in 1974. I was 6 years old and my brother was 4. We stayed at the Polynesian Village (that is it's proper name) in what was then the Samoa longhouse with a view of the Magic Kingdom. Our family was convinced that we had found paradise. My brother and I spent entire days in the pool. We thought the waterfall slide was the coolest thing ever. This was the first of many stays at the Polynesian. Our family established many little traditions that we would repeat on every trip thereafter. My favorite was that we always rode the Pirates last before leaving the park on our last day.

Space Mountain didn't exist yet. None of the Mountains did. The Mickey Mouse Review was one of my favorite rides, along with the Pirates. We thought the Electrical Water Pageant was the technological advancement of the century! The Monorail was the coolest thing ever. I remember going home and telling my friends about this really cool hotel where the monorail goes right through it. One of the best things was that the Magic Kingdom stayed open until midnight and the crowds were nowhere near what you see now in the summer.

I miss the days when it was just the Magic Kingdom, Contemporary, Polynesian, Golf Resort, the Campground and the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village. You just had more time to relax and enjoy the hotel and didn't feel so rushed to see everything. Everything was spotless and the cast members were so nice that you really felt like a VIP. Don't get me wrong, I still love Disney World, it's just that bigger is not always better.

These days, I have my own family, and we are Vacation Club members. We have started our own traditions and the Beach Club Villas are our little piece of paradise. The Polynesian will always be my favorite, but as a Vacation Club member, I don't think I will be staying there between now and 2042 (unless I hit those 6 lucky numbers).

My Dad only wishes the Vacation Club existed when he was spending all of that $$$ for the Polynesian.

Mike
(I hope I didn't ramble on for too long)

Post by **spaulo** » Sep Mon 26, 2005 11:04 am

1992. Right before Andrew hit. I was 12. The weather was very odd and they actually closed Typhoon Lagoon while we were still there. I think after we flew out, Andrew hit two days later.

lovesdisney44 · Post by **lovesdisney44** » Sep Mon 26, 2005 6:56 pm

I don't remember the year, but I do remember my older brother and my older sister and I going to MK - ALL BY OURSELVES - from the Wilderness Campground while my dad stayed back at the camper and slept.

It was pretty exciting, though, as we didn't have a "grown up" to tell us what to do. I think all they had back then (1975?) was the Magic Kingdom. What fun we had!

Blackie Pueblo · Post by **Blackie Pueblo** » Sep Tue 27, 2005 5:41 am

Geez, I remember it was in the 80's and being a kid, but I don't remember how old. I remember we drove down from Illinois (my father,mother, little sister and I) and it was late at night and we kept looking for our hotel room near Disney World but there was nothing but empty land for miles. My folks kept saying it couldnt be out here. My parents were so tired and suddenly i saw fireworks in the sky. I remember how funny it was cause i yelled out I saw fireworks and my parents being grumpy and tired told me to be quiet and go back to sleep i was dreaming. But then I saw it again, and then they did. It was so funny.

When we got to the park the next day I remember it being like a dream. It really was so magical and more fun than I can remember. I remember we spent two days at Disney world and one day at Epcot. I remember it rained one day at Disney and we wore those awful ponchos and still had a blast. I remember eating funnel cake one day and I don't remember where but we were sitting outside at night, eating funnel cake together in those ponchos.

I also remember at Epcot riding Journey into Imagination. I think I had so more fun with the hands on exhibits at the end then the ride, not that I didnt love the ride. Wow, this is a great topic, I'm almost choking up!

Blackie Pueblo

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Sep Tue 27, 2005 6:39 am

I was 8 in 1976 on our first WDW visit (had been to DL the year before). We stayed at the Contemporary and if I recall the attractions were still ticketed!

CDAbleson · Post by **CDAbleson** » Sep Tue 27, 2005 7:48 am

My first visit was in 1974, which I barely remember, as I was 6...Fortunately my grandfather lived in Lakeland, so we actually were driving in and out for the day...Also because of my grandfather being there, we would visit 3-4 times per year.

Started staying at Fort Wilderness in 1976, and still have VERY fond memories of MANY stays there...There were 4 kids so FW was very economical for my parents....I just remember thinking River Country was the greatest thing in the world, when it opened.

swarlock · Post by **swarlock** » Sep Wed 28, 2005 2:38 pm

My first visit was in 1976 on an unplanned vacation. I was entering high school and the off season was the only time I could go. So I had to get permission from my teacher and she was nice about it. I lived in New York City back then.

There was so much I wanted to do. Especially The Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square. I almost chickened out of it too. Since then it's been my favorite attraction.

Now that I live in Florida (For Nine years) I can go to the park as many times as I want by myself and I'm an annual passhoilder. I don't regret it at all.

RiaLucia · Post by **RiaLucia** » Oct Sat 01, 2005 12:18 pm

Well, my first visit to any Disney theme park was when I was about two. My mom grew up just outside Anaheim and still has family in the area. I don't remember that visit and have fuzzy memories of subsequent ones when I was maybe 5 and 6.

My first trip to WDW was when I was 8 going on 9 and it was a blast. We camped near St. Augustine and drove to Disney to do MK for a day from open to close.

What I do remember about early visits to DLR is hating fast rides and my mom dragging me on to Space Mountain at DLR and me crying, screaming, and clinging to her side, loving Captain Eo because I loved Michael Jackson, thinking Star Tours was pretty neat, and that's about it.

ericpabear · Post by **ericpabear** » Apr Sat 15, 2006 1:26 pm

My first visit to Walt Disney World was Oct. 4th, 1980. My wife and I were married Oct 3rd, and it took awhile to drive there. We saw everything and done everything for $500 dollars, and had money left over. I like to tell that to people that have been to WDW, cause they are so amazed. How did you do that ? Then I tell them The Magic Kingdom was the only resort at that time, and they only had 3 day passes.We stayed off grounds and parked in the sea of cars at the resort. I remmeber the tram going real fast through the parking lot. Had to hang on tight. Not life threatening, just fast. Man, what a great memory. Every time we go is a great memory, but not like the first time.