When did you become a Disney fan?

[Pluto Parking]

What made you become a Disney fan? Was it a movie? First trip to the Magic Kingdom?

I remember going to Disney World when I was 4 and loved it. In school I did a book report every year on Walt Disney. Every art project I did in school had a Disney theme. I always dreamed of working there.

Were any of you like me....or was I just a strange kid?

 

[tigsmom]

I watched the Wonderful World of Disney as a kid growing up. I loved the movies and cartoon shorts. And Walt always seemed like a terrific grandpa.

My fate was sealed in 1978 when I made my first trip to the MK.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Birth...my folks immersed me early and often. Even though I didn't make any trips for about 12 years, once I returned around age 18 or so, the genetic coding was still there. I suppose I'll always love the darn place, no matter how often I make it there.

 

[jeanylaser031]

when i was 4 years old i saw the new mickey mouse club in 1973. That's why i became a disney fan.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I watched the Wonderful World of Disney as a kid growing up .

My first exposure too, a British bank Holiday tradition was always the hour long Promo for Disney.

However I became a fan the moment I walked up Main St

 

[Laura]

I've been going to Disney regularly since I was 6 months old so I've just grown up with it. Now that I'm married with my own kids and I can plan my own trips I tend to be a little more obsessed than I was as a child when my dad did all the planning for us.

 

[ncbyrne]

I was married with kids before WDW was even built! However, once Epcot was built it's been a favorite vacation destination.

 

[BigNorm]

I came out of the womb a Disney fan. My first trip was when I was three (imagine there were only two parks back then). It's just one of those things that's natural like Fred and Ginger or Lester and Earl.

 

[jesserin]

I've always been a fan - but i didn't become a HUGE fan until May of 2002 - My boyfriend (now hubby) and I took a 15 day trip together to WDW - we both desperatly needed a vacation and we had the absolute time of our lives... we spent 15 days and never strayed offsite - not once. We parked our car when we checked and didn't see it again until the day we checked out... it was a magical trip - we took 9 rolls of film... I have an entire scrapbook just of that trip, we ate in every restaurant we could dream of - we had both really plugged into the gym the previous year - so we were both really fit - which made touring the parks on those long days no biggie at all... (of course i compare that to being pregnant now and i get tired just walking the dog)

Overall, it was so fun "finding" that love for disney together - that now we're hooked - we've even planned our babies first trip this november... and he/she'll only be 3 months old... (we decided to start 'em young! )

 

[GenerationX]

It didn't hit me until our first trip in 2001. I had been to WDW once as a kid and to DLR twice. I remember all three visits were fun, but we didn't stay on property, nor did we do any character meals. Disney wasn't the focus of any of the three vacations, but rather a diversion.

We decided in 2000 that we were going to WDW in 2001 and, based on a friend's tip, decided to stay on property. The total immersion in the Disney magic - the quality, the theming, the CMs - won me over. But what really put me in the fanatical category was watching my sons' reactions to the Disney experience. They were so fascinated, overjoyed, and thrilled by it all. That blew me away. Three days into the trip, I was already pouring through our guidebook to figure out where we would stay the next year!

 

[nibblesandbits]

I have been going since I was little and I actually used to hate Disney World (gasp!) I didn't like to ride rides and at the time I would dread taking trips there. Everything turned around for me in 2000. I went with my family and I was about 16 at the time and I just had the best time. It was then that I fell in love with the Disney magic and have been obsessed since.

 

[Legacy]

When I was about 14 I went (I had been many times before though, as just something to do...). That one time though, while I was watching the second Spectromagic of the night (always catch the second show), Geppetto pinched me on the cheek and Snow White blew me a kiss.

I don't know why, but that was the moment.

 

[barnum42]

My first exposure too, a British bank Holiday tradition was always the hour long Promo for Disney.

I remember those, I think they were called "Disney Time" some in vogue kid's celebrity would introduce an hour's worth of clips from past and present Disney films.

I also remember watching re-runs of the old Disneyland TV show from the States and being captivated by Walt talking about Disneyland. I never got to go as a kid, but I've been making up for it since

 

[uklad79]

When I was a kid in the late 80's early 90's I went a couple of times and enjoyed it. But it wasnt until my friend who was a big fan of Disney went to work at DLP in entertainment. I decided I would go to DLP for the 10th Birthday and it was great. Then I decided to go to NY in 2003 and WDW in 2004. I went in May and had the most amazing time when I saw Illuminations I was moved and when I saw Wishes I was in tears I loved everything about the parks I bought a book on Imaginering all the park soundtrack CDs and a pal mickey (The exchange rate between £-$ makes Disney seem reasonable). As soon as got home I saved every penny so that in Novemmber I could go back for 3 more weeks. I guess you could say I am hooked :animwink: This year I am working 7 days a week to pay off my loan so that next year I can apply to work at Epcot under the International Program. If thats not being a fan I dont know what is. I guess when you get the bug you get it bad style
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[Boo's Mom]

I've been a disney fan since I was a little child. I grew up on disney cartoons and started to go to disney when I was like 5 I think. I'm a disney nut now!..

and Pluto Parking, I was a strange kid but not because of disney....I was just a strange kid lol....(still am, just a crazy 18 going on 19 year old big kid)

 

[joel_maxwell]

well, i actually wasnt born yet.......... you see, my parents took my sister when i was still in my mom stomach and was a few months from birth :hurl: . well, as you know, fetus's can hear music and what not, so my mom gave me the tour of the magic kingdom those couple of days.

i had a small obsession with superman when i was a child, but it was mostly CHiPs, Dukes of Hazzard, and disney.

 

[LouDisney]

Honestly, I have been a fan for as long as I can remember. I watched the movies, watched Wonderful World Of Disney growing up, you name it. My mom will tell you since day 1

 

[TTATraveler]

I have been going to WDW since I was 6 years old. Thanks to having parents who are Disney freaks, I got a healty dose of Disney from the get go. I grew up on Disney and will always continue to visit the Mouse.

 

[tigger248]

I'm not sure exactly what age I was. It's been for as long as I can remember. My first character obsession was Minnie Mouse. Now it's none other than the one, the only, Tigger!

I know I loved Mickey's Christmas Carol when it came out. I watched it year round. I also used to imitate the parade from Donald's birthday celebration when he turned 50. I still remember the song "Happy birthday, it's Donald's birthday. Happy, happy, birthday to you". I had a Santa Clause placemat that I'd dance around with and pretend it was one of the signs that the parade dancers had. I think I was like 1. I was born in 1983 and Donald turned 50 in 1984, didn't he?

But, the deal breaker was most likely in 1988, when I first went to WDW. I loved it! I'll always remember eating in the castle and I remember Cinderella coming to our table. At the time, I didn't know it was her job to go to all the tables, I just thought that we were special. I also wanted to take all my toy/stuffed Minnie's to WDW to show the "real" Minnie Mouse. There were considerably fewer Minnies than there are Tiggers now, but still, it was a lot. On that trip, when I was 5 years old, I decided that it was my dream to one day work at WDW. I achieved that dream in 2002 when I participated in the college program.

 

[mrtoad]

I have been going to WDW since I was 4 and went every year as a child. Also when we were kids my parents would drop myself and my sisters at a local movie theatre and we would watch a Disney movie every Sunday. You can't that today which is sad.