What got you hooked?

[Maddad]

I didn’t become hooked until my 4th trip. The first time I visited was when I was 16 with my aunt. We did parks in the Orlando area for a few days and then met some more family members at the beach. Second trip was with my girlfriend, now wife. It was a combination Orlando/Daytona 500 trip. The third time was when our daughter was 2. We visited family in Tampa and came over for a day. Up until this time I considered Disney something fun to do but was never the main reason for the trip. In 2013 we made the decision to take the three kids for a week long trip just to Disney. It was something I wanted the kids to experience but wasn’t particularly looking forward to. I shuddered at the price and was expecting plenty of long hot days listening to children complain while being stuck as the family pack mule. My wife’s friend was a travel agent that specializes in Disney and was able to give us plenty of great advise beforehand.

I loved every minute of the trip. The kids were great the entire week we were there. The crowds never seemed horrible. Every cast member was nice and helpful. Because we opted for the meal plan the only time we had to think about money was tipping the staff and purchasing souvenirs. Everyone had an amazing time. Upon returning home I told the wife that I wanted to do the trip as often as possible until the children seemed to want something else. I don’t know wether it was the theming of the hotel and parks, the disconnect from everyday life and stresses or all of the special moments with the kids. All I know is that I cannot wait until this summer for our next trip.

I was just wondering what hooked you on WDW?

 

[larryz]

I was brainwashed as a child, watching the Disney shows on TV. When I was able to do so, I actively steered my activities, including in one case, a job selection, to get close to a Disney park location.

Then I came to my senses, and now I'm only slightly obsessed instead of totally brainwashed.

 

[marni1971]

Since you ask...

https://d23.com/wdis4u-martin-smith/

 

[John park hopper]

What got me hooked? I grew up on the original Mickey Mouse club (watched it every day) with Bobby, Annett, Jimmy etc watching the serials Spin and Marty on MMC Watching the Wonderful World of Disney (hosted by Walt) every Sunday night. Watching all the original Disney movies Old Yeller, Davey Crocket, Dumbo, Lady and Tramp etc etc. Had the rackcoon skin cap and all. First visit to WDW May of 72. Have seen many changes over the years some good some bad but still a big fan- am I hooked guess so. Planning a trip for May 2019

 

[LUVofDIS]

Me, it was my first trip to the World. I was 23 and it took a month of my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three nephews and wife to convince me to pay all that money for rides. I felt that WDW couldn't be any better than Cedar Point or Kings Island. The thing that finally changed my mind to go was Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was opening that year and it was described to me to be the Demon Drop on steroids and I love me some Demon Drop.

So I was all in, we reserved a room at the Contemporary and made a reservation for the Hoop-Dee-Doo. Bought tickets through AAA and applied and received a Disney Visa card to save some dough.

We drove from Michigan and stopped in every state we entered to play football. This was not only one of the best parts of the trip, it also made the twenty two hour ride easier to do. I was actually able to drive the full way there. The other thing that we did that is now very memorable was my wife and brother-in-law had to listen to the fabulous seventies CD's all the way there. Every time we stopped they would trade CD's. I like seventies music just fine but this was too much. Run Joey Run has been permanently etched into my brain.

We crossed the boarder into Florida around four in the morning and decided to sleep for a couple of hours in the car before continuing on to Orlando.

After finally arriving at the Contemporary we checked into our rooms. We had a garden wing room with a big tree right in front of our window. After unpacking we went pool hopping instead of wasting a ticket on a partial day. The pools were amazing and I started to realize this was not a typical amusement park just by the pools.

Well since I have droned on so long I will finish by saying that almost everything we did was amazing. From MK to EPCOT to MGM Studios to Typhoon Lagoon and even River Country and Discovery Island. It was all amazing and I can literally say it changed my life.

The quality and the stories and attention to detail were all unmatched for a theme park.

We have been to Cedar Point twice, and to Kings Island once since that first magical visit and though they are both better at thrill rides they just pale in comparison to WDW.

 

[LeighM]

I grew up in a Disney loving family (the movies not the parks). On Sundays, I would watch Michael Eisner introduce the Wonderful World of Disney. I grew up watching the older Disney movies my Mom and Grandmother loved. Then the Little Mermaid came out and the love of Disney became stronger. I would always watch Disney Afternoon cartoons, watched the mailbox for the Disney Store catalogue, and waited for the free preview week of Disney Channel lol. I wasn't able to get to WDW until 2012 when I was in my early 30s and that just sealed the deal. It's probably a good thing I didn't grow up going to the parks!!!

 

[Stripes]

Since you ask...

https://d23.com/wdis4u-martin-smith/

Aww, it's little Martin

Anyway, I was hooked in much the same way. I've always loved the parks, but it was a trip to California Adventure and seeing Cars Land for the first time that really blew me away. And since then, I've invested a lot of time going back to older attractions and learning what makes them tick and appreciating them in all new ways.

 

[mousekedoc]

My first trip I was 11. Mom took me to River Country. Lots of kids. An instant band of pirates running and jumping and swimming. It was a great day. My second trip was senior class trip. I thought, yeah, I grew out of that kid stuff, but I’ll ride Space Mountain a few million times. But my buddy and I and half our class turned back the clocks. We all enjoyed that trip not for Space Mountain, but for fun between the rides. We rode everything, a whole bunch of us singing It’s A Small World in the end.
Took my wife for her first trip at the age of 30. She was of the opinion that waiting in long lines for rides in super heat was silly. She envisioned Six Flags. That day, her eyes sparkled as she became a kid again. We bought DVC that time.
So for me, The Magic Kingdom is a time machine. Through my life, with each trip I take with a newbie,I get the joy of witnessing someone remembering what it’s like to be a kid again.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Since you ask...

https://d23.com/wdis4u-martin-smith/

I couldn't see it without joining and I darn sure wasn't paying.lol I hate that.

 

[eliza61nyc]

So my first trip was a disaster and I hated it. Not Disney's fault, lol I was an obnoxious teenager and we combined the trip with a trip to see my grandparents who refused to believe in A/C. Long story short, it's a wonder my mother didn't smother me in my slept.

lol, fast forward 25 years later and we took our sons to the world. We stayed at Ft. Wilderness and my son's being all testosterone, loved it. spent more time trying to catch those little salamanders than anything. I think I cried the first time I walked down Main street. we've been going back ever since. became dvc members in 2001.
funny story, our eyes were bigger than our wallets and finally by the second date my late husband looked at me and said, "Eliza we really can't keep spending 60.00 dollars a day on ICE CREAM!!

 

[marni1971]

I couldn't see it without joining and I darn sure wasn't paying.lol I hate that.

Sorry bout that (if you’re interested)

 

[eliza61nyc]

Sorry bout that (if you’re interested)

View attachment 284820

WOW thank Marni, that was awful nice. great article.

 

[winstongator]

I couldn't see it without joining and I darn sure wasn't paying.lol I hate that.

I google-fu'd and found it on his site that is a collection of some awesome video.

 

[winstongator]

Sorry bout that (if you’re interested)

View attachment 284820

Do you mind links to your video site?

 

[marni1971]

Do you mind links to your video site?

Not at all

 

[Kadiem]

1983. I believe that the ability to escape reality for a bit sealed the deal for me. My first visit was in August of that year. I was 13 and my Dad had passed away unexpectedly the month before. We were all devastated and the world just stopped for my family. My grandparents drove me, my younger sister, and my Mom down from Alabama. We had no reservations of any kind, and it was the first time my grandfather had ever driven in Orlando. It was a grueling road trip, with many emotions on full display. But it was totally worth it. Walking onto Main Street for the first time, I felt like a normal kid again. It was an indescribable feeling.

I wouldn’t go again until 10 years later with my wife. The same feeling of not caring about the outside world while in the parks was surprisingly still intact. We took a few trips until ‘95 but didn’t return again until 2001, when we were able to take our 4 year old daughter for the first time.

I promised my daughter when she was little that we’d continue to take her to Disney until she didn’t care about going any longer. Well, that train is still rolling! We’ve been at least once every year since 2001, which has included APs, Disney cruises, and a couple of Disneyland trips...one of which we just got back from celebrating her 21st birthday last week

 

[zurgandfriend]

I grew up watching Uncle Walt and his wonderful world of color. My father drove cross country via Route 66 to Disneyland circa 1959, however I did not get hooked until the 1990’s when I had my own family, I got a late start. Going with my DW and DS made it a very special time for us, it still does.

 

[winstongator]

My experience is slightly different. My first 3 trips to the parks, ages 12, 15 (not 100% sure of the year of this one), 21 weren't so magical, with the main complaint being cost. I actively avoid the parks for 15 years, and go back with my kids, my parents and in-laws (2013). Get some magic - my daughters' screams of excitement going under the sign the first time is priceless. I'm still not 100% hooked yet. We go down the next year for Thanksgiving week where we tell our kids we're moving to FL. 8 nights at Port Orleans Riverside. Lots of out-of-the park family stuff. Kids excited about the move.

We get APs and use them a fair amount that year. My wife plans the first few trips, 2 are tag-alongs on her conferences. One awful Summer day at Downtown Disney during the worst of the construction. We enjoy it enough, and 'got our money's worth on the AP', so renewed.

We meet 2 families from NC that spring break. My daughters love experiencing the parks with their friends. Magic is building. I make a career move to being a stay at home dad, and decide the way to start that is at WDW! My wife was working so it was me and my 2 daughters. We leave straight from their last day of school for a 4-night stay at Port Orleans Riverside. They have vastly different interests in the parks: one's favorite ride is Rock-n-Roller Coaster, the other It's a Small World. The younger is terrified of the Barnstormer. We have a great trip: bus bingo, let them pick where to spend an evening (they chose Disney Springs). I find some Disney podcasts to keep the magic going on the 3 hr ride back home, and have listened to hundreds of episodes since then.

I see in them a sense of wonder that I had lost at too young an age. I reclaim that sense of wonder. It's not about maximizing the thrill rides, awesome ADRs, and great character interaction. It's about enjoying the magic of Walt Disney World. Walt's quote about Disneyland resonates with me:

But it all started from a daddy with two daughters wondering where he could take them where he could have a little fun with them, too.”

 

[Goofyernmost]

I won't bore everyone with my long winded story, but, just the edges. I was 35.. I was in advertising at the time and had received four, free, three day tickets to WDW from a travel agency. I lived in Vermont and salaries in the eighty's were not exactly high, but, my wife and I decided to take our girls ages almost 7 and just turned 9, to the world. It was our very first vacation away from New England and I was excited about the road trip. I have done several trip reports about the entire trip in the past, but, just suffice it to say that as I drove on property from an offsite hotel, I was immediately impressed and hooked on what I saw. The year was 1983 in February. Epcot had just opened a few months previous, but, we honestly didn't spend much time there... there wasn't much to see at the time and it was not organized like MK was. For us it was a huge trip and included things that we just never imagined we could do. We drove on Daytona Beach, we went to the Kennedy Space Center, on the way back we stopped in at Silver Springs and eventually made our way to Washington, DC where, since it was Presidents week we did a tour of Washington. The Smithsonian, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, our tour was spectacular because for some odd reason were were the only ones that had signed up that Sunday so the guide decided that since my youngest daughter (in first grade at the time) had just studied about Lincoln, should see the Ford Theater and the house/room that Lincoln died in. It was a lifetime memory for both me and my girls who still talk about it and tell their children about it.

Since then I have been either with my family, a number of trips as a guide for some physically and mentally challenged clients that lived in my Residential Care Home. Have gone with my girls and their families, and just as solo trips. Over those last 35 years, I have made over 45 trips to Kissimmee and WDW along with many other places in central Florida and even all the way down through the Keys to Key West, but, always including WDW.

 

[TwilightZone]

1) Many, many trips as a kid
2) Disneyland sing along songs
3) Me finding out about how cool the animatronics are via youtube
4) Me finding out about past attractions, specifically from epcot via @marni1971 and this video

oh and yesterland
(In case anyone wonders, my first past attraction loves as a kid were timekeeper, cranium command, alien encounter, food rocks, and all of dca 1.0 since I grew up with that.)