When did you become born again?

[wedway71]

I hope I did not offend anyone. I was having a little fun with term "Born Again". I am actually not religious at all but was using that as kind of a description of an awakening experience.

This is going to sound weird.....(no I have not been drinking) but I think when you really have the Disney Bug, things actually look and seem different from others that just visit for vacation. Cant explain it...

either you get it or you dont.

 

[omgthatsfun]

I know I've loved Disney since the first trip I can remember at the age of 6, but I probably realized it when I was around 8 and entering my teens. It didn't strike me like lightning..it was more a feeling of just total happiness, for lack of a better word. I felt as though everywhere I looked was sparkling with magic, and I couldn't imagine wanting to be anywhere else. That's when I knew. Now I beg my parents constantly for trips back to Walt Disney World. :king:

 

[Hrudey3032]

My awakenoing was in October of 1999. I hadn't been since I was a teen in Jr.High and at that toime I didn't really enjoy it. When we went that 1st day on our Oct'99 trip and ended up going for 8 days overall I was very hooked. I couldn't wait to go back. I have been going almost every year since and I feel as excited to get on that monorail for the 1st time each trip as i did when I rode it in 99.The next time I go I just hope I can take my dad when he gets out of the hospital and rehab as it is something we always loved to do together.

 

[tiggerzgirl83]

I think it hit me on my first visit in 1992 when I was 10 years old. Ive been going every year since and just cant seem to get enough...i absolutely love it..I just dont get the people who just cant get the magic. I am happy I did...89 more days!!!!:sohappy:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I hope I did not offend anyone. I was having a little fun with term "Born Again". I am actually not religious at all but was using that as kind of a description of an awakening experience.

This is going to sound weird.....(no I have not been drinking) but I think when you really have the Disney Bug, things actually look and seem different from others that just visit for vacation. Cant explain it...

either you get it or you dont.

I get it! Very nice view of the world, this way....

 

[CrayonWarrior]

I've always been a Disneyophile. And if I have children, they too will be Disneyophiles. I will make sure of that. :animwink:

 

[peterparkerr]

My very first visit to Disneyland gave me a new experience that made me realize there was more to life. Looking forward to the next one.

 

[DarthGrady]

As a life time Floridian, I have always gone to WDW frequently. Usually to ECPOT, but also to MK several times, MGM a few times, and now DAK once (and probably not again for a while). As a kid I would have to be dragged out of The Imageworks, and would ride JII over and over. We would do SSE on the way in, and on the way out! It was great as a kid, especially in Communicore.

But then life happened and I had a long dry spell. A combination of school and work would keep me away for a good long while. It wasn't until a trip back to EPCOT in 2006 with my GF (now wife) sparked my love of WDW again. That was my "born again" trip!

The whole day after riding JIYIwF I was humming One Little Spark, just like old times. I got to drink a beer at the Rose and Crown for the first time and had a whole new appreciation for World Showcase. I was sad to see what they did to Horizons and TLS, but riding UoE and LWTL again were great! I also got to see WOL one last time before it got nixed.

Since then we have been going back alot. I started visiting these boards and learning alot! I have also been watching all of Martin's EPCOT videos, re-living past memories of those wonderful early years!

 

[Victoria]

I hope I did not offend anyone. I was having a little fun with term "Born Again". I am actually not religious at all but was using that as kind of a description of an awakening experience.

This is going to sound weird.....(no I have not been drinking) but I think when you really have the Disney Bug, things actually look and seem different from others that just visit for vacation. Cant explain it...

either you get it or you dont.

Absolutely! There are people who enjoy going to Disney for vacation. They show up, hit all the major rides, swim in the pool, have a nice meal or two, and go home. Then there is the rest of us. The people who eat, sleep, breathe it. We are the ones who notice the most minute details, the slightest changes, and keep the hope alive that something new and exciting is always around the corner.

I know many people who have the 'Disney Bug' as you put it. They (myself included) are the ones who could go to the parks for an entire day and never set foot on an attraction and still say they had a great time. For the true fanatics Disney World is way more than just characters and rides. It is an entire state of mind and a place that feels like home. Very har to explain, but I think it is safe to say enough people here know exactly what I mean. :animwink:

As for my "born again" experience, it is hard for me to pin point. I was raised in a Disney-loving environment. My room, toys, clothes, and vocabulary were heavily laced with Disney from a very young age. We made the annual pilgrimage to WDW starting in June 1989 when I was 5. We returned at least once a year after that. The older I got the more obsessed I became with everything. I would say that in 2003 is when my obsession kicked into high gear. I experienced a personal tragedy that year in conjunction with it being my Freshman year of college. Disney became my refuge from the rest of the difficulty in my life.

I had found this site back in 2001 and I lurked religiously up until 2005 when I decided to join. It was only then that I started finding people who were just as obsessed as I was. Las year I began regularly meeting up in WDW with several members of this forum and the internet Disney fan community in general. My Disney life hasn't been the same since. Experiencing the place I love with people who feel the same exact way is an amazing thing.

 

[montyz81]

As a life time Floridian, I have always gone to WDW frequently. Usually to ECPOT, but also to MK several times, MGM a few times, and now DAK once (and probably not again for a while). As a kid I would have to be dragged out of The Imageworks, and would ride JII over and over. We would do SSE on the way in, and on the way out! It was great as a kid, especially in Communicore.

But then life happened and I had a long dry spell. A combination of school and work would keep me away for a good long while. It wasn't until a trip back to EPCOT in 2006 with my GF (now wife) sparked my love of WDW again. That was my "born again" trip!

The whole day after riding JIYIwF I was humming One Little Spark, just like old times. I got to drink a beer at the Rose and Crown for the first time and had a whole new appreciation for World Showcase. I was sad to see what they did to Horizons and TLS, but riding UoE and LWTL again were great! I also got to see WOL one last time before it got nixed.

Since then we have been going back alot. I started visiting these boards and learning alot! I have also been watching all of Martin's EPCOT videos, re-living past memories of those wonderful early years!

My story is very similar to yours. I went in 1981 and 1983 right after Epcot Center opened. (I missed Horizons opening by 6 months.) Life then happened to me as well. I then went back in 2000 with my wife after a trade show in the Swan and Dolphin. (I missed Horizons closing this time by almost a year. I wish I had seen it.) We went to Studios, MK, and Epcot. The last thing I saw was Illuminations and my love of Epcot was rekindled. I remember in 1983 I bought an Epcot Center Poster Map that hung over my wall. I loved Epcot Center at 12 and still love it today. I just came back from FL last week and in the 7 days we were there, I was at Epcot 2 full days, MK 1/2 a day, Studios 1/2 a day and AK about 4 hours. It's safe to say that Illuminations and a ride on the MK VI brought me back to WDW. That said, I still remember the sound of all the doors opening in uni cent on the MK IVs. That manual unlatching will never go away in my head. Now my son has taken on a very big interest in Monorails. We are up to 5 colors so far in our collection. Blue, Green, Orange, Red, and Gold.

 

[Toveck]

Well, I started out as a Disney hater. Well, maybe that is a bit too strong but I definitely didn't like Disney. I had never been there as a child, being from Pennsylvania, it was quite a trip and my family would never step on a plane. As I got older, I thought that it was just too corporate, like the big greedy moneymaking machine and figured there was no way it was really that good.

Even after having kids, 1 in 1999 and 1 in 2000, I still didn't want to go. I told my wife that the kids were too young and they wouldn't remember it. I fought going for years and finally gave in back in 2007. We planned our first trip 5 weeks before we went and somehow got every ADR my wife wanted (she was almost Disney obsessed for years).

We got there and the first day we went to the Magic Kingdom. I walked in and saw the castle for the first time. It was like that scene from the Grinch movie where my heart grew a couple of sizes, right there. That was when it hit me.

We were only there 4 days, but I didn't want to leave! On the way home, I was already talking about going back!

Ever since, I have been the one obsessed! I just can't get enough! Now my wife is the one that gets mad because I'm always trying to scheme a way to get back to Disney! We went the first time in June of '07, then again in June '08, and June '09. Now I have her convinced to go back in January '10!

I'm like a little kid, a 40 year old little kid, but a kid none the less and I'm sure now that I will never ever grow up!!!

 

[foreverbelle]

Lets see here. I have always been a Disney fan..always. I think as a child like many, I always always wanted to go to the world. My parents did everything they could to make sure that we went. Even if it was only the 2 times, once as a kid, the 2nd as a teenager. And while they liked it, I loved it. I think when I went as a teenager I realized how much I did and told myself I would return.

However it wasn't until I returned with a friend in 00' that i just became nuts about it...

And when I met my now husband a few years later I did all I could to convince him we needed to go. My husband had no part of it for awhile he being the anti Disney fan...it all changed on our honeymoon in 06'....he became just as hooked as I was....

and now we go nuts if we don't get down there every so often.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Well, I started out as a Disney hater. Well, maybe that is a bit too strong but I definitely didn't like Disney. I had never been there as a child, being from Pennsylvania, it was quite a trip and my family would never step on a plane. As I got older, I thought that it was just too corporate, like the big greedy moneymaking machine and figured there was no way it was really that good.

Even after having kids, 1 in 1999 and 1 in 2000, I still didn't want to go. I told my wife that the kids were too young and they wouldn't remember it. I fought going for years and finally gave in back in 2007. We planned our first trip 5 weeks before we went and somehow got every ADR my wife wanted (she was almost Disney obsessed for years).

We got there and the first day we went to the Magic Kingdom. I walked in and saw the castle for the first time. It was like that scene from the Grinch movie where my heart grew a couple of sizes, right there. That was when it hit me.

We were only there 4 days, but I didn't want to leave! On the way home, I was already talking about going back!

Ever since, I have been the one obsessed! I just can't get enough! Now my wife is the one that gets mad because I'm always trying to scheme a way to get back to Disney! We went the first time in June of '07, then again in June '08, and June '09. Now I have her convinced to go back in January '10!

I'm like a little kid, a 40 year old little kid, but a kid none the less and I'm sure now that I will never ever grow up!!!

That's a GREAT post.

Good for you. :wave:

 

[macsmom]

Funny you say that. I ALMOST joined the Navy instead of the Air Force just because when you graduated Boot Camp in Orlando, you got to go to WDW that day for free.

I remember when I graduated from Basic in the Air Force, thinking I could have gone to WDW but instead I am here at the Alamo???

Yeah, but San Antonio is such a beautiful city. Hot, but beautiful!

danna

 

[larryl9797]

Lets see:

1. Honeymooned @ disney before it was the thing to do - Check
2. Monorail Wallpaper on PC - Check
3. Listen to 'Ride Thru's and QUEUE music when I get bored. - Check
4. Still mad about the destruction of Mr. Toads Wild Ride - Check
5. The Kid has had a Mickey themed party. - Check
6. watch the epcot and vacation promos on demand - Check
7. Majorly bummed when we could not go to MK this year - Check

it dosent look good for me does it?
:lookaroun

 

[EaglesfanNJ]

Great thread Wedway!

This is easy for me! I went for the first time at age of 23, then again at age 24. I realized after i got back from that second trip, that anytime and everytime someone around me talked about anything Disney related, i was all ears. When someone would tell me they were going, i could talk for hours... "Where are you staying? Where are you eating? What's your favorite park? Are you doing this? Are you doing that?

At that moment i knew i had the Disney-itis

 

[Jasonflz]

Well, I started out as a Disney hater. Well, maybe that is a bit too strong but I definitely didn't like Disney. I had never been there as a child, being from Pennsylvania, it was quite a trip and my family would never step on a plane. As I got older, I thought that it was just too corporate, like the big greedy moneymaking machine and figured there was no way it was really that good.

Even after having kids, 1 in 1999 and 1 in 2000, I still didn't want to go. I told my wife that the kids were too young and they wouldn't remember it. I fought going for years and finally gave in back in 2007. We planned our first trip 5 weeks before we went and somehow got every ADR my wife wanted (she was almost Disney obsessed for years).

We got there and the first day we went to the Magic Kingdom. I walked in and saw the castle for the first time. It was like that scene from the Grinch movie where my heart grew a couple of sizes, right there. That was when it hit me.

We were only there 4 days, but I didn't want to leave! On the way home, I was already talking about going back!

Ever since, I have been the one obsessed! I just can't get enough! Now my wife is the one that gets mad because I'm always trying to scheme a way to get back to Disney! We went the first time in June of '07, then again in June '08, and June '09. Now I have her convinced to go back in January '10!

I'm like a little kid, a 40 year old little kid, but a kid none the less and I'm sure now that I will never ever grow up!!!

:sohappy:Well said!

I have personally been a Disney lover ever since I went when I was about 2 years old. It is my home away from home and is my favorite place to visit.

 

[mousefanwhat?]

I've been disney since birth. I grew up about an hour from DL, my dad is a Disney freak, so he took me often growing up. We have pics of me in a stroller back in 1971 with Mickey ears!

We eventually moved from california and went thru a dry spell. We went to wdw soon after epcot opened...life happened.
I got married and we went to DL for our honeymoon...didn't go again 'til we had kids.
The first visit to wdw my daughter was 3 and I'll never forget how fun it was to see her face light up. Then again when my son was 3, same thing...very exciting!
Finally went in October when my son turned 5, in 2005, got to do the halloween party. That was it, I was absolutely hooked. Something about MNSSHP just struck me like lightening. We've gone at least once a year every year since then, twice when we could afford it.

I've told my kids a number of times...if you guys get tired of WDW for vacations let me know...they thought I was crazy..who could get tired of it? my DH that's who! bless his heart he tolerates it for his family. Like it was said above, you either get it or you don't.

 

[LoriMistress]

I was always a Disney freak. My mom took me to the movie theaters when I was two to watch my first movie, Snow White. When I was born until the age of two, DLR was basically my daycare center. My mom would take myself and my brother all the time. From there, I owned tons of Disney VHS movie tapes, would watch every Sunday The Wonderful World of Disney, and visit DLR from time to time. It wasn't until we went to our honeymoon to WDW in 2003 when my love for Disney turned into almost an obsession.