Are You 2nd Generation?

[WDW1992]

For all you Disney nuts out there - were you raised on Disney? Did your parents 'drag' you here on countless family vacations? Perhaps you are like my husband (a bonafide Disney nut) who went for the very first time during college spring break when he was 20. I went once as a kid to MK for 2 days. We *drove* down from Massachusetts with my parents, 2 younger brothers and my grandparents. Imagine - 7 days of driving and just 2 days at MK! I don't think I need to tell you anymore!

DH and I have been making annual pilgrimages to WDW since my daughter was 3. She is 7 now and this will be our 4th family trip. I wonder if I am buriing my kids out on WDW or if they will continue to love it as much as we do!

 

[BigNorm]

I've gone every year since I was three and I still can't wait to get back. Personally I don't think it's something you ever grow out of. My father keeps saying "This is the last year," but we're going back this year yet again and I can't wait. They might just think it's the same old thing now, but when they get older they'll realize it's the one place they can still be a kid and get away with it!

 

[CMA]

New Guy... This is my first post.

I'm 32 Years old and during the 70's and 80's we went to WDW just about every year. I had my first visit when I was 2 and although I don't remember many of the earlier visits, we have lots of pictures.

I remember when the only places to stay were the Contemporary and Poly. In those days, a stay in the Wings at the Contemporary was Slummin'.

 

[leeocean]

I was brought up on Disney. I've been every year I have been alive (23 times now). My parents had a second home in Palm Coast so it was always easy to drive over and spend the day. I now go every year with close friends and we have the most amazing time. I just wish that I could go more often. :lol:

 

[Tramp]

...we were too poor to go to Disneyland and WDW didn't exist when I was a kid....but I saw Walt live every Sunday night on the Wonderful World of Color and feel blessed that I did...

...my parents died before I was able to take them to the World...so I'm making up for it now....my daughter is hooked forever and the tradition will surely be passed down ...

 

[Don L Duck]

First time I went was on my honeymoon when I was 21.When I first stepped onto main street I wanted to move in one of the buildings and live there forever.I did not want to ever go home to this day I get so depressed when we have to leave.

 

[Dawn S]

I grew up in Texas & never really left that area. In 1989, my dad's job transferred him to FL. I stayed behind, but later came to visit...just before Christmas. So, my parents took me to WDW to try & encourage me to relocate & it worked. Before that, I was always a Disney fan, but I was a fan of the animation. I figured WDW was just like the other parks I had already been to...nothing special. Boy, was I wrong. My parents still don't understand my love for WDW or why that is the only place I ever want to go, but they are both big fans of Disney animation still & both have their own collections. They're just not really the them park type.

 

[GGG1]

I was at WDW as a little kid in the 70's when there was only the MK and the Contemporary and Polynesian were the only places to stay. It seemed like the park was jammed all the time as it was the only place to go. Since 1990 i have tried to go at least every other year and will be taking my 3 year old son down for ther first time in Feb 2003. I cannot wait to see his reaction to all of it.

 

[mkt]

my mommy called me her "little WDW souvenir."

I never understood what that meant.. :brick:

 

[Married@WDW]

My parents were Disney nuts, but didn't have the money to go every year. We went three times between my 6th and 16th birthday. But once I hit college, my parents were more well off and I had money of my own, we started going much more often, and I started going with friends too!

My husband's family are scary about their love of Disney -- we're from the Northeast and his parents and sister moved their over the last three years. They used to go at least once a year and my husband went to UCF.

Now, my parents, my in-laws, and my husband and I are all DVC members. And who knows -- maybe someday we'll have third generation Disney nuts!

 

[epcot71]

i went to wdw in 1971-when they opened.i have pics of my grandparents with me and pics of my parents with me-now i have pics of me with my kids at the same photo spot my grandparents took a pic of in 1971!

 

[DisneyHog6]

I am definetly a second generation Disney Nut! I guess you could say I became one at the same time. My first time there, was also my parent's first time. It was 1985, and I was 11 years old. I've been 15 times since, and 10 of them with my parents. We loved it, and kept going back for more. We even kept going as a family, even after I had grown. My parents are done there right now for the first time as "empty nesters" actually. Everybody wave to my Mom & Dad in WDW... :wave:

We got it bad...:sohappy:

 

[kaos]

I am DEFINATELY first generation. I'm 27, and have been to WDW 32 times (Sunday will be 33, and July will be 34). I guess I should stop counting now that I moved to Florida...

I've only been to DL 3 times... once in 77, once in 84, and the last in 95. WDW.... hmmm... I've stayed at the Contemporary and the Poly when 3 days were hard to fill up!! Also stayed at all the hotels on Hotel Plaza Boulevard. My favorite was the, and don't laugh, Howard Johnson's. I think it was because you could turn the tv on and off with a switch on the nitestand (this was before remote tv's were big in the second tier hotels). It was just so cool. But really, I am first generation, and so are my parents. We all started doing the Disney thing at the same time, so I guess in one way, I can share my parents generation with that.

 

[Dwarful]

I grew up going to Disneyland every summer ...the trip was worse than anything Clark Griswold ever imagined until we got to CA. My moms sister lives there so my dad always packed us up and drove us no stops at hotels from Illinois to California...22 hours augh! Couple of times it was in a Dodge Truck, dad bolted down some bus seats in the truck bed for the kids and luggage..must have been 150 degrees back there..but it beat the year we drove 2 adults, 3 children in a Pinto Wagon.....oh man...the only thing that kept us good on the way there was knowing DL was waiting at the other end! That and dads threat "If I have to stop this car I WILL beat you three ways...HARD, FAST, & CONTINIOUSLY!" once he said that..we knew he meant business LOL! Not sure Children & Family Services would let you get by with that now!
Now my husband and I inflict that same torture on our kids and our nieces and nephews...but Illinois to Florida is about 18 hours for us! 'Cept this year...got roundtrip, nonstop flights from StLouis to Orlando International for $90 per person roundtrip so the kids get to avoid the drive...good thing because this year we have our 2 kids and 3 tag alongs, 1 niece and 2 nephews...we love to share WDW~~~~

 

[disneydudette]

My mom never goit the chance to go down....well not until she had me.....ever since I was 7 weeks old...we've been going down every year!

 

[The Mom]

Originally posted by Tramp
...we were too poor to go to Disneyland and WDW didn't exist when I was a kid....but I saw Walt live every Sunday night on the Wonderful World of Color and feel blessed that I did...

...my parents died before I was able to take them to the World...so I'm making up for it now....my daughter is hooked forever and the tradition will surely be passed down ...

Ditto for me....except that I was able to bring my parents several times. My mother would love to go "one last time"....I'm aiming for fall, once the weather gets cooler.

(Geez, Tramp, we ARE older than dirt! )

 

[lemonade]

My parents did take me to WDW when I was a kid but I wouldn't call them Disney nuts or anything. In fact I'm the only person in my family who's crazy about Disney. They all roll their eyes when I bring it up.

 

[djmatthews]

I was never dragged to Disney from a young age or anything like that, I have only been to WDW for two holidays, and DLP once. But it was DLP that started my interest.

My Dad worked on the construction (for Main Street USA) at DLP or as it was then EuroDisney. I saw a lot of the blue prints and plans which got me interested, he explained how Main Street is just a series of facias, and explained about the utilidors and things. We went to DLP in 1992 (opening year). The rest as they say is history, our first visit was in to WDW was 1997. I suppose my Dad is more interested in Disney than my Mum, but I'm still the No. 1 in our family.

We used to have a lot of photograhs from constuction of both WDW and EuroDisney, and also various plans, however these had to be handed over back to Disney after the park completion. If only I had thought about it then and took copies.

Usless fact. When Big Thunder Mountain (DLP) under went its first tests with dummies in the train, the train returned back to the station fine, but the dummies returned without any heads. Who ever did the design or constructon for this had made the tunnel to low. :lol:

 

[pupu kala]

I'm second generation! My family went every year from the time I was 10 until I was 18. I've been back a few times since, and so have my mom and my aunt.

I'm going with my boyfriend in September, and hoping he catches the magic, as it will be his first time. My aunt keeps saying "if he's going to be part of this family, he'll have to appreciate Disney" :lol:

 

[kellympmo]

2nd Generation

I, like a lot of the other people on this thread, did not go to WDW (or FL for that matter) until I was 19-and then only because my sister & I had a dancing competition in Orlando. I don't know if it was $$ or lack of interest by my parents (probably both). The trip when I was 19 was nothing special--it was over 4th of July--it was super hot, crowded and my snowbird aunt ran us around MK, Epcot & MGM like a drill seargant (sp?). I think we got on a total of 5 attractions in the 3 days we were there. Not a lot of "Magic".

I'm glad I gave it another chance. On a lark, my husband & I went last October for 4 nights at the BC & had the best time. I couldn't wait to start planning our next trip. I don't know what it is (the "Magic"??). We are going back in September and I think we are beginning to become Disney nuts (1st generation).