What do you remember about disney from your childhood?

[Rasvar]

Mickey Mouse Review - still miss that corny show.

If You Had Wings - I always loved the large multiscreen sequences.

The original slide at the Poly pool back when you were allowed to go from the Contemporary to the Poly to swim (ie also back when the resort monorail never stopped at the TTC).

The Poly Wave machine - I was five when we first stayed at the Poly in the opening month of the resort. Somewhere, I have some old photos of me in the waves on the shore of Seven Seas Lagoon.

Tom Sawyer Island before it was kid safe.

 

[NYwdwfan]

If I ever came across one I promise you'd I'd freak out, be on the floor crying, then clean the shelves like a mad-woman. When I do, I'll save ya some boxes and send 'em to ya. :animwink: :lol:

I'll do the same! :animwink:

I just remembered another one...

When I was about 9 we were staying at the Poly with my cousins and our parents let my sister (13) and my cousin (12) go to the Magic Kingdom alone at park open so they could get a lunch reservation at the Diamond Horseshoe. Mind you, this was around 1982 and we had no cell phones, etc. My other cousin (also 9) and I were SO MAD we weren't allowed to go with them - we had to stay back until all the grownups were ready to leave the room. My sister and cousin made the reservation and then ran over to ride Space Mountain a few times. I think we met them there around 11. Thinking back I don't know what's more unbelievable - that our parents (who are totally overcautious in every regard) let 12/13 year olds go to the park alone or that the Diamond Horseshoe was so popular you needed to get a reservation first thing in the morning! :lol: I remember the show being so cool.

 

[bgraham34]

Technically they did go under water...just barely! I used to love looking out the porthole and seeing the water line about 12 inches above - I felt like I was in on some big secret that the rest of the people in the sub didn't know.

Yeah I knew that after a few trips but I honestly though you really went way under.

 

[danpam1024]

I remember wanting to go on POTC, but being terrified of the cannons. I was also scared of HM particularly the candleabra in the hallway. I also remember the bug in the electrical light parade and my favorite, chocolate covered bananas.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

ok, im originally from so. california and my grandma and grandpa lived in orange county from the time there were actually oranges there lol....disneyland was built not 5 miles away from their house off of ball rd...living in so. calif. was a priviledge just for the fact that my brothers and I grew up at disneyland, when disneyland was just the magic kingdom! i can still close my eyes and see it....during the summer when we were staying with my grandparents, we would go out in her backyard or on the st. with my grandma at 9 pm and watch the fireworks every night over the course of the summers...and on the windy days, we would hear the sounds of the park! the riverboat horn, etc...my grandma i can say was the one who started me on my path of the love of disney....its kind of a family staple...my aunt was there opening week and disney is just something that goes back along time...now we live in north carolina, and in 2010 i took my family to wdw...it was the first time i did anything disney park related since 1999, the yr we moved out here....and wdw is now my favorite place in the world...again...seeing the world through my adult eyes and my son (3 at the time) was so unexplainable...i could see myself through him, tearing up the parks like my brothers and i did throughout the late 80s and 90s...now in april will be our second trip, and my daughter will be 18 months...i cant wait to see her reactions from the sounds, smells, and sights that wdw offers....when i go now, i take my grandma with me in spirit, and i always have an ice cream treat in her favor...she used to kill some ice cream at the carnation ice cream parlor next to the castle in disneyland lol...and everytime i see wishes, a part of me is 10 yrs old again in my grandmas backyard......thanks walt

That is seriously sweet. I love that. Some of my earliest memories at WDW are also intertwined with my grandparents which is something I'll always totally treasure. My grampa was the biggest kid I ever knew. I sure do miss him.

I'll do the same! :animwink:

I just remembered another one...

When I was about 9 we were staying at the Poly with my cousins and our parents let my sister (13) and my cousin (12) go to the Magic Kingdom alone at park open so they could get a lunch reservation at the Diamond Horseshoe. Mind you, this was around 1982 and we had no cell phones, etc. My other cousin (also 9) and I were SO MAD we weren't allowed to go with them - we had to stay back until all the grownups were ready to leave the room. My sister and cousin made the reservation and then ran over to ride Space Mountain a few times. I think we met them there around 11. Thinking back I don't know what's more unbelievable - that our parents (who are totally overcautious in every regard) let 12/13 year olds go to the park alone or that the Diamond Horseshoe was so popular you needed to get a reservation first thing in the morning! :lol: I remember the show being so cool.

:lol:

Also back in the day before cell phones we would go out to WDW for day trips since we were locals. We would get in the parks and my parents would set a time and place to meet back like the corner by Casey's at 4:00. Then the 4 or 5 of us kids could just go on our own as long as we stayed in our assigned pairing. We didn't even have watches. I bet I've said the line, "Excuse me. Can you please tell me what time it is? Thank you." a bazillion times. Our ages when we began this practice? 9-12. My sister and I were on our own and we were 9 & 11. My brothers were 11-12. Unheard-of to do such in this day & age but things were different then. It was fun because if we spotted our folks in the distance we'd run & hide so they wouldn't see us.

I also remember the Diamond Horseshoe. I guess maybe during the off-times you didn't need reservations or anything. The eating part was optional then. I ~loved~ that show! I loved the can-can costumes. I soooo wanted to be one of the dancing girls so bad!!!! :lol:

 

[Donaldfan3000]

My first memory was my dad pushing me on a hammock in 1995 at the Caribbean Beach Resort!

 

[rct247]

I remember being scared to ride Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror. I rode them both anyways, but held onto my parents arms really really tight the entire time and kept asking if something was going to pop out at me. I was 10 years old.

I remember thinking it was really cool to get a sneak peak at Mulan in production at The Magic of Disney Animation.

I remember us riding the Skyway from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland. My mom was afraid of heights and she even rode it. At least I think she did.

I remember thinking Epcot was boring.

I remember fighting through crowds at Fantasmic, but purchasing CD and glow hat.

I remember buying my first How to Draw Mickey Sketchbook and drew a picture that eventually was hung on the podium at the Polynesian Resort monorail station.

I remember eating at Liberty Tree Tavern and Goofy using his ear to cover up my uncle's bald head.

I remember eating at Pizza Planet and getting Buzz and Woody's autograph there.

I remember watching the preshow entertainment before Beauty and the Beast that is no longer there today.

I remember watching Tapestry of Nations and IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth for the first time. I remember visiting the Millennium Village.

I remember swimming in the Seven Seas Lagoon at the Polynesian Resort.

I remember sitting in the front of a monorail.

I remember riding Horizons and thinking the pick your own ending was cool.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

I remember when my father got back from Desert Storm he took me alone on a impromptu trip to Florida and surprised me with a day in the Magic Kingdom.
I clearly remember having lunch at El Pirata y el Perico eating one of the best hot dogs I had ever had and an orange soda. Then I remember boarding the Disney World Railroad in Frontierland and looking over the fence at the progress being made on Splash Mt. Also on that trip we rode on the Skyway, 20K Leagues Under the Sea and other rides that are not there anymore.
It was probably one of my favorite trips anywhere from my childhood so much so that I could go on and on though I won't for fear that this post will be quite long and may bore you.

 

[Dwarful]

We did more trips to DL than WDW. But we did make it to WDW once in awhile.
I remember riding BTMRR with my dad and the old man in front of us lost his false teeth on one of the downhill turns. I didn't know they were false teeth and kept my mouth closed on every ride the rest of the day!

I remember riding the Skyway across the park (quietly freaking out) while dad took 8mm film of the whole park. Watching that footage now...dad had to know I was scared as all get out.

I remember dressing in our nicest summer clothes because going to WDW (or DL) was a very big deal. My dad would never have dreamed of going to the parks in shorts or a tank top...no way!

 

[Disneydreamer23]

My first Disney trip 1991 i was 2, i remember riding dumbo pirates of the caribean and my sister threw my new pohahantas the racoon Meeko stuffed animal over board, my mom had to buy me a new one.. but the thing i remember MOST is at Universal, When Et says your name at the end and i just remember i thought we were really at ETs planet and we were really flying I miss!!!!!

 

[Texas84]

This brings back memories. My Dad was stationed at McClellan AFB in Sacramento when I was a kid and he would take the family to Disneyland in the summer. I remember the original sign, parking at the Disneyland Hotel to take the monorail, ride tickets, and that one last field across the street. I can't remember what they grew there. Strawberries maybe?

I remember wanting to go to the Blue Bayou but Dad said we couldn't afford it. So I said someday I would take my parents there. So this fall that is going to happen!

We were talking about it last week and Dad was saying Disneyland even had discounts for Vietnam vets back then. So thank you Disney for always supporting our military!

 

[surfsupdon]

I remember mostly the games my sister and I used to play at the Aruba quiet pool at Caribbean Beach with other kids who were on vacation too.

I remember the huge family reunions before Grand Gatherings, and the funny arguments that would ensue.

And I remember that feeling of driving onto Disney Property and SCREAMING out things we saw as we drove to our Resort--"palm tree, Tower Terror, Dolphin" and other landmarks.


To my sister and I, as kids, Disney was synonymous with palm trees, diesel-fuel-smell, lizards, and swimming pools. Yeah I have a million memories with my family on rides, and at many restaurants, but it is the most simple things that I love to remember. Like chasing lizards on Parrot Cay Island.

 

[Joshua&CalebDad]

Being chased by Grumpy...

My mother was an EPCOT cast member back in the early 80's, I was like 4, and I remember going into MK on the weekends and when my mom had a day off. On one visit to MK my mom went to go cash her check, you could do it in MK somewhere on Main Street. while she went to handle business I went to go see Grumpy, yes even at the age of 4. I found Grumpy but somehow made him mad. The next thing I know he starts chasing after me on Main Street. I ran back to my mom and Grumpy stopped chasing me. Needless to say, I was scared to death at the time but I'm able to laugh about it now. I miss those days. :lol:

 

[Clamman73]

A quiet Lake Buena Vista with more sparkling trees and a churning paddle wheel on the Empress Lilly.

 

[smw]

Spending half the night in the massive old arcade at the contemporary, being 15ish and making out with some super hot Brazilian girl in the GF hot tub, randomly interacting with characters in the parks, and people not being dressed like they're on an episode of COPS.

 

[lilclerk]

I only went once when I was little. I was 6, and we only went to Disney for a couple days while staying with my aunt and uncle in Tampa.
My only memories are of Epcot, and they're not even great memories :lol: I remember being absolutely terrified of Spaceship Earth, thinking I was going to fall out of the car and all the way down. SSE is one of my favorite rides, but I still get nervous going backwards.
I also remember meeting Minnie in her spacey 80s getup underneath SSE.
My mom has pictures of us in Mickey's Birthdayland so we went to MK at some point, I just have no memories of it. I do remember riding the tram back to the car, though... it's strange what we remember.

 

[WorldKey]

I think it should be ok that mine is at Disneyland.....I always remember laughing at my little sister who was a few years younger than me after we got out of the Haunted Mansion and she was bawling because of the ghosts sitting in our Doom Buggy!! I'm really not a mean guy!

BTW - I hate to date myself but that was 1970 and it was a pretty new ride. It was the first time I ever rode HM and I was mesmerized!

 

[Badger Brent]

My first introduction to Disney was in the mid-70's. On Sunday's it consisted of watching the Packer's play at noon. Then out to pretend we were Bart Starr. Then be back in the house by 6pm to watch the wonder world of disney.

 

[Chrononymous]

My very first memories of a Disney park, was long before I ever got to visit.

I had a book on Disneyland (part of a series of hard cover storybooks) and I would look at the pictures and make up stories about those wonderful places. IASW seemed like a scary place, and I used to have nightmares about it.

I also used to have a Disneyland View Master, with pictures of the diorama inside Sleeping Beauty Castle...which remained one of my very favorite things when I finally got to visit at age 16.

But before that...at age 13 I got to visit WDW.
I remember just how amazing and overwhelming it all was...especially Epcot.

I think Epcot had some of my favorite memories...World Of Motion was witty and clever, Horizons was very cool and interactive,Listen to the Land was informative and interesting, Spaceship Earth was was a sensory overload...and special favorites, Kitchen Kabaret and Journey into Imagination were my favorite attractions from the trip.

It's why I am a little disappointed visiting Epcot nowadays.

I also remember loving the Tiki Room(though the people I was with left halfway through the show) and how fun Mr. Toad was.

The original Snow White ride scared the bejeezus out of me (and I was a cynical teen then!) and while 20K seemed kinda lame(and smelly) at the time...I do remember it fondly for being so innovative. I haven't ridden anything like it since.

Pirates was way cool...Haunted Mansion was breathtaking, and BTMR was exhilarating. And Journey to Mars was the stupidest thing ever. In fact, with the exception of Alien Encounter, nothing in that space was ever that interesting.

I know I probably rode more things at the time...but it was really these attractions that stand out to me.
Especially the ones in Epcot.
sigh.

 

[JillC LI]

I think it should be ok that mine is at Disneyland.....I always remember laughing at my little sister who was a few years younger than me after we got out of the Haunted Mansion and she was bawling because of the ghosts sitting in our Doom Buggy!! I'm really not a mean guy!

BTW - I hate to date myself but that was 1970 and it was a pretty new ride. It was the first time I ever rode HM and I was mesmerized!

LOL, we rode it in 1979, and my sister was also terrified of the ghosts in the HM Doom Buggy, but that was because on our ride, she happened to put her hand down on something sharp in the buggy just as we saw the ghosts in the mirror, and she swore for years that the ghost bit her! :ROFLOL: