First time

I_heart_Tigger

Well-Known Member
My mom and sister and I talked about this at Easter dinner! It was 1975, I was 3 and my sister was 5. I was too scared to go on HM or POTC which are now my two favourite rides.

We met almost the whole cast of Robin Hood - Robin, maid Marion, friar Tuck, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Prince John - I loved back then that they just wandered around the parks and came up to you

I also met Snow White and all 7 dwarfs.

We stayed near Buena Vista Village which I think had just opened a couple weeks before (that's what my mom recalls).

Apparently she had kept some old tickets - the A/B/C tickets etc until she sold the house in 1997 and they must have gotten tossed out or lost in the move :(
 

Mrsdonaldduck

Well-Known Member
My first visit was 1971 and I was just over a year old! I wish I could remember but I don't but, something definitely resonated from this trip because I am a Disney nut
 

ifuhadwings

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ps I love your name! If you had wings was my favorite ride!
Remember when If You Had Wings was a free ride back when you had tickets? Also do you remember the guy holding up a fish he just caught and the fish gets bigger and smaller in one of the little films? That ride was so fun. So much to look at. The song was so great too. Wish I could ride it again!
 

Clamman73

Well-Known Member
Supposedly when I was baby in '73...First pic that I know of me there is a picture of me with other kids at the Poly Luau in 1976 watching the puppet show that they did. It's kinda funny since I'm the little one in the back of the group. Gotta scan my parents 35mm slides of the old trips.
 

draybook

Well-Known Member
September of 2008. I was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, so I grew up going to Disneyland. We moved to PA in 1991, and I visited CA in 1992. That was the last time I would set foot in a Disney park for a very long time. Then, one night while watching this commercial, , I told my wife we had to go to Disney. It was her pick, Disneyland or Disney World, but we had to go! She had been once around the age of 2, so it had been a long time for both of us. I was very excited, as this would be my trip, her second(might as well been the first), and the first trip for our children. Since 2008, we've been blessed enough to have visited WDW 6 times and we're headed back this September.
 

Clamman73

Well-Known Member
Remember when If You Had Wings was a free ride back when you had tickets? Also do you remember the guy holding up a fish he just caught and the fish gets bigger and smaller in one of the little films? That ride was so fun. So much to look at. The song was so great too. Wish I could ride it again!

My favorite part was always when you'd go down the runway and the seat tipped back, and the flamingos going back and forth.
 

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
It was in 1971, The Magic Kingdom was new! Walking down Main Street and seeing the trollies, horses and hearing barbershop quartets. It was not crowded and the characters walked right up to you and goofed around. The music and the smells of popcorn and cotton candy and the lights. The magic shop was so cool. The penny arcade was the real thing and just charming. It was "magic" at first sight! I couldn't express the feeling when I was 7, but the feeling of that first time is still with me 41 years later. I guess growing up going to WDW throughout my life has allowed me to still let myself feel the magic.... Your first time?

I agree completely. My first time was 1991. My dad was the only one out of us who had been before, which was back in 1973. He obviously knew what it was all about, but all I had was the rumours of what it was like. Well, I loved it. I was almost 11 years old. I swore the Hall of Presidents were real people talking. For whatever reason Small World sunk in with me rather well and it still does to this day. I don't know what it is to be honest but it just "hit" me. Rides like Pirates just amazed me. Nothing had ever been seen like that before for me. Even at a young age I felt something different about that place that couldn't be captured at a rollercoaster park.

18 years later in 2009 I am all grown up and want to take my wife for the first time. I'm 29. It had been a little bit of a hiatus since I last went. I had become a man since then and I told myself that I shouldn't get disapointed if it just doesn't feel the same. Yeah, right. Nothing changed at all. That same swooping feeling came over me.

Then in 2012 my wife and I leave our 18 month old son at home and go to SoCal. It was a parent's trip and we thought he would be too young for some of the things we were going to do. I had grown up and loved WDW and that was my "home" park. Yeah, I wanted to see the original Disneyland for the first time but I told myself not to be disapointed if it just doesn't feel the same as WDW. Well the feeling was the exact same and in some ways better. So I agree with you, nothing changes as you get older and if it does I feel sorry for those people and glad that isn't me.
 

englanddg

One Little Spark...
It was in 1971, The Magic Kingdom was new! Walking down Main Street and seeing the trollies, horses and hearing barbershop quartets. It was not crowded and the characters walked right up to you and goofed around. The music and the smells of popcorn and cotton candy and the lights. The magic shop was so cool. The penny arcade was the real thing and just charming. It was "magic" at first sight! I couldn't express the feeling when I was 7, but the feeling of that first time is still with me 41 years later. I guess growing up going to WDW throughout my life has allowed me to still let myself feel the magic.... Your first time?

The thing is, you don't see this as much at WDW....characters are often behind lines, etc. And many of the Main Street Transport vehicles have been long shut down.

However, you DO still see this at DL (I just got back from a trip in Feb)...which really took me back to they heyday of WDW.

Somethine DL still does better than WDW.
 

Princess_AmyK

Well-Known Member
My first trip was 1999 and spectro magic was stilll around. I remeber chasing Snow White in the Spectro Parade down the street and she brought me back to my mom. I also remember seeing my big tough Texas Dad cry for the first time, but it was tears of happiness. :D
 

All Disney All The Time

Well-Known Member
My first trip was 1999 and spectro magic was stilll around. I remeber chasing Snow White in the Spectro Parade down the street and she brought me back to my mom. I also remember seeing my big tough Texas Dad cry for the first time, but it was tears of happiness. :D
This dad knows the feeling. We have 3 kids and watching each of them on their first ever trip when they got their first glimpse of Main St., USA was quite the moment. And we got to experience it 3 separate times. Priceless. I often have wanted to chase Aurora, Tink or Alice, but the wife frowns (quite vigorously) on such behavior.
 

gooftroop5

Well-Known Member
It was 1983 and I was 7. My brother was 4. We vacationed to New Smyrna beach and drove over to WDW for the day. It rained and rained and rained and rained on the day we chose to visit Magic Kingdom. Did I mention it rained? I still remember my dad buying us all yellow ponchos with Mickey on the back of them. I honestly don't remember much, but I have some pictures. The one thing I DO remember is riding Space Mountain. The 4 of us rode together and I just remember my brother screaming the entire time, "GET ME OFF OF HERE! MAKE IT STOP! I WANT OFF!" My kids now know the story and we always reenact it every time we ride Space Mountain.

I wasn't able to return to Disney until I was 18 with some friends after graduation. Now we go 1-2 times a year with our kids.
 

ifuhadwings

Well-Known Member
Original Poster

ifuhadwings

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Yes.And there was a feeling that you were going really fast on airboats and racing cars. VERY SIMPLE & VERY COOL!
I agree completely. My first time was 1991. My dad was the only one out of us who had been before, which was back in 1973. He obviously knew what it was all about, but all I had was the rumours of what it was like. Well, I loved it. I was almost 11 years old. I swore the Hall of Presidents were real people talking. For whatever reason Small World sunk in with me rather well and it still does to this day. I don't know what it is to be honest but it just "hit" me. Rides like Pirates just amazed me. Nothing had ever been seen like that before for me. Even at a young age I felt something different about that place that couldn't be captured at a rollercoaster park.

18 years later in 2009 I am all grown up and want to take my wife for the first time. I'm 29. It had been a little bit of a hiatus since I last went. I had become a man since then and I told myself that I shouldn't get disapointed if it just doesn't feel the same. Yeah, right. Nothing changed at all. That same swooping feeling came over me.

Then in 2012 my wife and I leave our 18 month old son at home and go to SoCal. It was a parent's trip and we thought he would be too young for some of the things we were going to do. I had grown up and loved WDW and that was my "home" park. Yeah, I wanted to see the original Disneyland for the first time but I told myself not to be disapointed if it just doesn't feel the same as WDW. Well the feeling was the exact same and in some ways better. So I agree with you, nothing changes as you get older and if it does I feel sorry for those people and glad that isn't me.
Yes.And there was a feeling that you were going really fast on airboats and racing cars. VERY SIMPLE & VERY COOL!
Yes!!! Oh my gosh me too I wish I
Just could ride it again :(

I found the fish guy on You Tube, but I don't know how to post it here.I can't believe I just watched that fish guy. SO MAGIC!
 

ifuhadwings

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I agree completely. My first time was 1991. My dad was the only one out of us who had been before, which was back in 1973. He obviously knew what it was all about, but all I had was the rumours of what it was like. Well, I loved it. I was almost 11 years old. I swore the Hall of Presidents were real people talking. For whatever reason Small World sunk in with me rather well and it still does to this day. I don't know what it is to be honest but it just "hit" me. Rides like Pirates just amazed me. Nothing had ever been seen like that before for me. Even at a young age I felt something different about that place that couldn't be captured at a rollercoaster park.

18 years later in 2009 I am all grown up and want to take my wife for the first time. I'm 29. It had been a little bit of a hiatus since I last went. I had become a man since then and I told myself that I shouldn't get disapointed if it just doesn't feel the same. Yeah, right. Nothing changed at all. That same swooping feeling came over me.

Then in 2012 my wife and I leave our 18 month old son at home and go to SoCal. It was a parent's trip and we thought he would be too young for some of the things we were going to do. I had grown up and loved WDW and that was my "home" park. Yeah, I wanted to see the original Disneyland for the first time but I told myself not to be disapointed if it just doesn't feel the same as WDW. Well the feeling was the exact same and in some ways better. So I agree with you, nothing changes as you get older and if it does I feel sorry for those people and glad that isn't me.
I know. I'm glad there is still that place in our hearts. Feel sorry for all the"grown ups"
 

ifuhadwings

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The thing is, you don't see this as much at WDW....characters are often behind lines, etc. And many of the Main Street Transport vehicles have been long shut down.

However, you DO still see this at DL (I just got back from a trip in Feb)...which really took me back to they heyday of WDW.

Somethine DL still does better than WDW.
I was in Anaheim once and we went to Disneyland, I was so psyched,but the park was not letting in any more people. One day I'll get there. One of my best friends grew up there in the 60-70s and she says Disneyland is the real thing and WDW is just a copy. I'll take the copy any day.
 

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