when did you realise you loved disney!

[Jessie&Buzz]

For me it would Oct 21, 1996. The first time I stepped foot in the MK with my new hubby was just magic! Disney World was actually his idea for our honeymoon. I just wanted to go anywhere as long as we were together. It was one of the best trips of my life. I actually cried when it was time to go home. I just didn't want to leave. I still get that way every trip.

According to my parents and pics I was at the World when I was a small child. I don't remember any of it.

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

I guess my story is a little different. I had never been to Disney World when I realized I loved Disney! I collected all of this Disney stuff and talked non-stop about Disney World like I was an expert and had been there. This was all before 9th grade. Then, we got the Internet. I constantly looked at Disney World pages and tried to imagine what it was like to really be there. I didn't get to go with my parents as a little kid which makes me sad sometimes. I don't have those memories like many of you do. However, I'm glad it worked out that way now. See, the first time I ever went to Disney World I was 23 and married to my high school sweetheart. I got to share my first real look at Cinderella castle with the Prince Charming in my life. I wouldn't trade that for anything (even all of the Disney deprived years leading up to that).

 

[tink68]

I would have to say 4 years ago when I went for the first time with my DH and DD. I loved it and when we had to leave I actually cried. I knew I had fallen in love and would be back and I have been every year since then. I leave in 9 days for a trip with DH to the Yacht Club!!:sohappy:

 

[jedimaster1227]

I've always enjoyed the parks. About three-four years ago, I got bored on my computer and searched "Disney Future" and "Walt Disney World Future." I started finding all of these concepts (rumored or not) for the company that interested me. Next, I looked into the history of the company (becoming quite adept when learning the whole story). I ended up dating a girl who (along with her family) was into Disney. I originally bought by annual pass to be with her, but after our relationship ended, I realized that I still wanted to go to the parks as often as I was (which was at least once or twice a week). I started work on my site/campaign, gaining friends in the community. As my knowledge base grew from my research, my nostalgia and memories of my earlier childhood spent at the parks started to rekindle. That was when I knew I really did want to be a part of the company someday. And that is when I knew that I loved Disney.

Plus, working on Celebration 25 has been one of the greatest pleasures I have had since my interest in Disney first grew.

Now, if you want to start a "best memories" thread, my nostalgic moments will be shared in detail...

 

[foldmama]

Well, for me it was at the age of 23 when I finally stepped onto Main Street in DL after growing up in the 60's watching the Walt Disney Show every Sunday evening before bed time. As a child I wanted more then anything to go to Disneyland!

 

[wdwmomof3]

I already knew that I was hooked but when I watched Wishes for the first time, it got me good. That was it, I am a Disney freak!!

 

[disneygirl1]

I always wanted to go to Disney, but my parents would rather spend there vacation at the beach. So when I was 19 my best friend and I decided to go. From the moment we started planning our trip, I knew that I was officially a "Disney Freak" I have been going every year or two since then and now its all the much more fun now that I am able to share the experience with my son. I am proud to say that I have passed along the "Disney Freak" gene to him. He has been going since he's been about a year old, now he is 5 and I love watching the joy and excitement on his face when he finds out we're heading back to the World. :sohappy: 64 more days till were "going home".

 

[AndreainNY]

At the age of 35, on my very first trip, my very first time in a park, on a Saturday afternoon in late October, as I walked down Main Street and saw Cinderella's Castle for the very first time - I was HOOKED!!!!

 

[Since1976]

I realized it as my family and I were leaving WDW after our 3rd trip (the 2nd that I was old enough to remember) in 1990.

As we passed the entry gates and back out into the real world, I realized that I had just spent a week in pure heaven -- the long lines, heat, and crowds notwithstanding. I think I even shed a tear.

Little did I know that I would not return for another 12(!) years, on my honeymoon.

 

[lilclerk]

I'd been to Disney once when I was six, and I don't remember much of that trip except Spaceship Earth and meeting Minnie.
I went in high school with the music department for Magic Music Days. It was a great trip, and when I got home I spent the next few years learning about the company and its history.
Last summer, I was going for a walk with my love, and smelled some flowers that overwhelmed me with memories of WDW. I needed to go back. A week or two later, our best friend told me he was the only one in his family that had never been there.

I started planning our trip that night. We went this past February and I knew during that trip, being there with two people that I love, that we would be back there many many times, making memories with each other and with our future families.

 

[bgraham34]

The first time I went to the World in 84, i was hooked. From that point I wanted to work there. That never happened but I did work at a Disney Store so that did help me. I hope to some day work at the world though.

 

[disneyfreak174]

since forever

I was raised disney but I think I really became a freak when I was a CP there it is the faces of everyone else that really gets me emotional, reading your stories I know what you mean. I was the campfire sing-a-long guy at FW and having a 5 year go insane when she saw me in the parks during the day really got me good, I was with my GF(now wife) and I can't think of anything more magical than the enthusiasm of a child at wdw.

 

[DisneyPirate85]

I was 5 years old and it was the First time I saw the "Magical World Of Disney" on ABC it was 6:00 pm on a Sunday in 1975! I remember Tinker Bell coming out and I was Hooked been a fan now for 32 years:sohappy: Made my 1st trip in 1997.

 

[rissamattmom]

I have two defining moments when my true love of disney really evolved..... one was while on my honeymoon in MGM at WDW a CM asked my DH and I to be the grandmarshalls of the afternoon performance of the Zero to Hero Parade it was an amazing magical experience. The second was my first trip to WDW as a mother when my daughter 3 year old daughter saw Cinderella Castle for the very first time from the monorail and looked and the window in awe and announced to the packed monorail car.."Mommy, Mommy its the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. It's Cinderella Castle." needless to say I cried and even a few strangers remarked to our family how it brought tears to their eyes and brought memories!!:wave:

 

[hcswingfield]

For me, it was the first time I heard Bette Midler's recording of "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes." This was back in about 1978 or so, and I was in my early 20s. Her version of the song made me so nostalgic, and reminded me how important all the Disney memories from my childhood were. I fall in love with Disney all over again every time I go back to WDW with Vernon, starting with the drive down when we always listen to his Disney CDs to get us in the mood.

 

[Since1976]

I was lucky enough to have a dad who worked for an airline growing up so I was at disney world opening month. I got to go yearly till I was 16 or so. Then went through the I'm too cool phase.

I went through that phase too. It didn't help that during college I was surrounded by elitist fine arts majors who pooh-poohed anything commercial.

I guess you could say I was anti-Disney from age 14 to 19. (Ironically, this was during the Golden Age of Disney -- Little Mermaid, Aladdin, etc.). I thankfully snapped out of my snobbishness and have been back in love with Disney and its parks ever since.

 

[EMThompsen]

I can't remember what age I was but when the original 101 Dalmations was released I went to see it over & over. I guess I was hooked on Disney. I think I came to the realization that I'm a Disney Freak ( said with a smile on my face, of course) on the last night of my first visit to WDW. As we were going underneath the train station to exit MK the CM's were waving goodbye wearing Mickey Mouse gloves and holding up signs that read: "See Ya Real Soon". All you Mouseketeers will remember that slogan. I recall saying at the time "I'll be back.
My name is Eric & I am a Disney Freak!!!! Gee, that felt good.

 

[EPCOT.nut]

In 1975. I wore those ears constantly. I remember they were bent to hell when they were finally tossed.

 

[wedway71]

Well my story is compared to a religious revival experience......

I have always like going to WDW as a kid.Went every year since 1971.
Well here it goes.....

I was a sophomore in HS and had a project to see what we wanted to do as a career when we grew up. The teacher said if you didnt know what things do u really enjoy in life that might help me answer a possible career choice.

I had 3 weeks to do this project and had not a clue. So the last 3 nights before the project was due I was sitting on my couch drinking "NEW" Coke circa 85ish and popped on the Disney Channel. Now anybody who had the Disney Channel knows it was a totally different animal than it is today. Well they had a documentary on WDW which back then was alot different than WDW of today. I sat there hypnotized watching this show then


BAM!!!!!!!! -IT hit me like a ton of bricks. I LOVED DISNEY!!!!
Well I did the best report ever on what I wanted to do when I grow up and it was Disney.
This is when I realized I love Disney and have been a Disney Freak since.

 

[disneyguy79]

When I went to WDW on my senior trip back in '97. Since then, I have made it there every year since and have become a stockholder and a DVC member. I thought about joining the college program when I was in college and in fact, went to the organizational meeting, however I needed to make some serious cash and at WDW I wasn't going to. Oh well...I still love Disney...two more weeks to go!!!!:wave: :wave: