Who Took You to WDW for the first time?

[Dog Ate Mouse]

My father was getting sickly and my Mom always tried to get me places to see and do as a kid. Due to my fathers health we could not afford to travel to FLA and could not afford to go to WDW. I always watched every Sunday night the Wonderful World of Disney. I always dreamed of going there when I was a little boy. My Sister and soon to be Brother In-Law told my parents they want to take me there. At the time I did not know about the discussion. They told me a week later. I was so pumped and excited. I never seen this place other than a sneak peek on TV that you would get once in awhile, But I really wanted to see Mickey Mouse. I went the year that Space Mountain had opened. Florida was amazing and space Mountain at the time was terrifying but I rode that ride and as so happy after it was over. I was blown away by all I seen and done. From that day on I had to one day go back and promised myself as a little boy that when I grow up I would go there a lot. Well here I am going on 56 and have done just that, and plan to back again in September/October of 2019. You see this is what happens when you sometimes chase your dreams, you just might catch them. WDW is such a special place in my mind and heart and will go there until the good lord says it is time for me to come home. Until that day I will be there.

SO what is your story?

 

[Patcheslee]

We grew up without even food money, so the idea of Disney was nothing more than wishing to win the lottery. Fast forward to 2008 I'm making decent money and stay on budget with a newborn. I'd order the planning CD and get prices but then it was not within reach to save. By 2015 things are better, job raises and paid off auto loans so was able to save back and took my kid by 2017. I took myself, but from where I'm standing it's a big accomplishment to be able to do things I grew up without and wishing for now. It makes me appreciate every second we can do things together.

 

[belledream]

My parents, but my mom is the real planner. Fast forward to my own adulthood, and she always says, "I've created a monster!"

 

[NickWilde]

My parents took me in 2010 for February break. I really loved the trip. My seven-year-old mind was completely blown, and I can still remember the pure happiness I felt when meeting Mickey, who was my favorite at the time. We haven’t been back since, as my parents have a sort of “one and done” attitude. We did go to DLR in December 2014-January 2015. My love for the Disney parks rebloomed in late 2016, and I’ve been wishing to go back ever since. I’ve been feeding the want to go by watching videoes and browsing these forums: But it just makes me want to go more.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I took myself, my wife and my two daughters at age 35 in 1983. I had heard a lot about WDW and as a kid I used to watch the Mickey Mouse Club when the Mouseketeers were visiting Disneyland. I know we would never be able to afford to go to California from the East Coast so I just stopped thinking about it. As I grew up and got married and started to have kids, there just wasn't any money left for anything other then food and shelter. So if anyone thinks that back when admission prices were cheaper it was easier to afford to go... I'm here to dispel that idea right now. Perhaps, if you lived next door, but, not if you had to travel.

 

[Larry Mondello]

I took myself.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

My mom won a mother's day drawing contest that a local radio station had that was for a family of 4 to Walt Disney World for 5 days and 4 nights. My Mom was the only one of the family that went to WDW before than and that was before Space Mountain opened when she went.

WDW only had 3 theme parks at the time I first went. DHS didn't have TOT or Rock'n Roller Coaster yet. DHS also was know as Disney MGM Studios at the time.

The contest had free airfare, free Mears transportation, free stay at Yacht Club, free 3 meals a days, didn't have to pay for tips, free park admission, and free water park admission.

 

[LUVofDIS]

The year was 1994, it is a long story but, it took my wife, her sister and husband and their three kids to get me to go. And now I am a fanatic. Thanks everyone.

Before going to Disney, the only places I had really been was Kings Island, Cedar Pointe and Frankenmuth. Oh, and Niagara Falls.

 

[DisneyGigi]

I went as an adult, with my husband, and 3 year old son. Always dreamed of it as a kid, we went to Florida more times than I can count. My dad just wasn’t into going to Walt Disney World. Florida to him - was beaches. I have made up for it though, as an adult. I like to think had he known how much it would have really meant to me, he would have taken me. I am very thankful for the many memories of the beach trips though.

 

[wendysue]

I watched the Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday night and said that someday I would go there. We could never afford it when I was growing up and probably shouldn't have gone on some trips as an adult due to finances, but hey, you only live once! My husband and I have now gone about 14 times. Retirement is highly overrated..have to keep working for Disney trips.

 

[Sans Souci]

My mother and step father, my grandmother took my brother and me. We drove down from the suburbs of Chicago in a Ford Maverick. I was very young (pre-K age), but I remember things like our car spinning out in Kentucky on an icy road and being in awe of the monorail going though a hotel. There was only MK at that time and we stayed at the Contemporary. I remember the portrait at HM scaring me, getting a pair of blue Mickey Mouse sunglasses and thinking the People Mover was the coolest thing ever.

 

[Semo]

My wife took me the year after we got married. That was in 1978. I was hooked and we have now went over 80 times. She was born in Clermont, Fl and her grandmother lived at Winter Garden, Fl so we go visit her family while we are in Florida and go to Disney World every trip.

 

[correcaminos]

Parents took me and my siblings when I was 5. Only MK at that time though we got to see Epcot being built. Not really much backstory to it all since I was young and really didn't know much before we went. Fell in love though and have been regularly going back since. Raising a new generation on Disney too.

 

[networkpro]

Summer of 1972 my maternal grandparents took me 8 and my brother 10 to the Magic Kingdom and we stayed at the Contemporary in the now non existent North Wing.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

My parents.

 

[John park hopper]

May 1972 me and the first wife went-- just got out of the service, only park was MK I can still remember how great it was

 

[MinnieM123]

Unanimous decision: my mother and I took each other to WDW in 1985. Wonderful memories. Oh, we were even able to get a reservation for dinner at King Stefan's Banquet Hall (Cinderella Castle) -- on the day we arrived! Good times.

 

[Minnie1976]

A friend had come back from WDW and I wanted to go. My husband wasn’t to interested but we went. That was in 1976 and we haven’t stopped going. I have been about 30 times and he has been a few more.

 

[CoreNovawarAMM]

My parents and my grandparents (on mom’s side) took me in Sep./Oct. 1999. Since I was 3 at the time, I don’t remember much (although we have pictures to help “jog my memory”). I vaguely remember getting my picture taken with Donald inside the Mexico pavilion at EPCOT, and with Mickey Mouse at MGM.
Now, my family and I live about 10 minutes away from WDW, and it’s been a blast! I guess we go to a least one park on an average of once a week.

 

[Tiggerish]

Traveled with a bunch of HS classmates to Daytona Beach for junior year spring break in 1980. Some of us took a bus from Daytona to WDW to visit Magic Kingdom (that’s all there was at the time).

My second trip was my honeymoon in 1986.