At what point did you discover.... About This Page:

[Joy J]

I fell in love first of all with Disneyland when I was 18 just as soon as I set foot there back in 1968. Then came my first visit to Disney World in 1976 - then again in 1983. I adored all those vacations but I never became really hooked on it back then. That particular phenomenon occurred in February/03 when I went there again for a mother/daughter bonding trip with my 21 year old daughter, Kendra. I can even pinpoint the exact moment it happened.

It was on Feb. 21 at about 3:00 in the afternoon when Kendra and I started to walk up Main Street. Kendra got her first look at Cinderella's Castle, her eyes filled up and she choked out, "Mom, this is what I've been dreaming of for as long as I can remember." She cried and I cried and we hugged each other and the trip just got more and more magical from that moment on for the duration of our stay.

It was then that I knew that Disney World was the place I wanted to be every chance I could get. So now I have an annual pass, I'm returning in August for a trip with my son and then again in December for one with my husband. Oh yeah- I'M HOOKED!

Joy

[disneyknut]

Hmm... that's a really hard question to answer.. I fell in love with WDW on my first trip in June,1980 I didn't return until almost 16 years later in April, 1996 when I saw WDW through my children's eyes..I can honestly say I was truly hooked!!!!

[wheatenwalker]

Kruggie, this is a great question! The very first time I took my boys , it was just because I thought every kid should go once. Well, of course I loved it but along came 'the divorce' (dramatic music) and it was a few years before we could go again, and of course, when we did go, I loved it. We went every year for 5 yrs and I always told my boys 'this is the LAST trip, so enjoy it', it really got to be a joke. Last year, I REALLY thought it would be the last trip, older son on the verge of college etc. BUT, we walked thru EPCOT, the fountains were going with the music and I realized, oh no, this isnt my last trip. I am HOOKED. So that was when I knew, without a doubt that I could never say this is a last trip- whew, long answer- Sheila

[MarkUK]

The first time we went to Epcot and I saw Spaceship Earth in "the flesh". It was a picture I had seen many times but seeing it for real, I was hooked.
Mark

[OffKilter_Lynn]

I guess I'll keep this great thread alive!

My family vacations were spent in the New York Adirondacks and at the Jersey shore, so I'm a "late bloomer" in discovering how much I love Disney!

My In-Laws took us (DH, DD & I), my BIL (and his girlfriend & her daughter) in October 1997. My DD was 3 and it was just the most incredible feeling to experience her first glimpse of Cinderella's Castle. To see everything through her eyes was (and still is) priceless.

While we were down there, MIL asks if we'd like to go on the (brand new) Disney cruise next year. Would we LIKE TO?! Like she had to ask twice!

So in August 1998, we all headed back down and were the third sailing of the Disney Magic during her inagural year. Was I hooked? Definately! Positively! Absolutely!

We returned 4 years later (DS was born in 1999) so I once again got to experience that priceless joy of seeing Disney World thru your child's eyes.

Our next trip is Nov/Dec 2003 and have also planned on returning in Oct 2004. So while we have to scrimp & save a bit, I love being able to give this wonderful childhood to my children.

Isn't that what being a kid is all about? [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]

[kadterp]

Gosh have I ever not loved Disney? I would say it was in 1990 when hubby and I went there for 4 nights after his friend got married. That was also my first time staying in WDW and fell in love with everything!

[Kruggie]

Gee I never answered my own question! Now that I have had ample time to ponder (in a Don like fashion of course) I guess I can safley say that It was my first trip as a kid...I was only seven, there was no epcot, just MK. It was the most amazing thing that happend to me. I had forgotten that as I grew up, then had kids of my own and wanted them to see this place for reasons I wasnt quite sure of, but knew it had to be done. I waited along time before we could afford the trip, and I knew that first boatride across the lagoon. I remembered. I had feelings in my gut that I didnt know I ever had but were so familiar. Like an idiot...I cried. The park was magic, and I remembered it all and shared it with my kids, and I knew that I wouldnt let them forget that feeling. We would have to go back again and again.

[Shell_of_the_South]

Originally posted by Suzie:
I swear there was a rainbow and the angels sang.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">I loved this!! I really loved reading all your stories. I had been twice with my parents as a child, and I liked it, but I wasn't hooked or anything.

Never thought about going back until we had kids. We thought it would be a one-time vacation, so we waited (and waited) until all 3 kids were big enough to ride everything.

Then in Sept. 2000 we finally made it. Upon seeing the WDW arch, DS shouts, "I made it, I finally made it!" Then our first view of Cinderella's Castle was another magical moment, I felt like taking a kid by the hand and skipping down Main Street! And then we ate dinner our first night at Chef's Mickey's. The atmosphere was so fun, I just knew I wanted to be a part of this place forever!

Now I kick myself in the rear thinking of all the years before we had kids we could have been enjoying this place, but we just thought it was a place to take kids! Now I am so hooked I would go every year, if only I could afford it! I dream about WDW all the time - it is embedded in my subconcious I guess!

[MrsM]

I can't remember the exact moment, but it was after our honeymoon. We spent a week in Jamaica and a week at Disney. While we were at WDW, I remember telling DH that we should come back again sometime, maybe for our 10th anniversary.

When we got home, I just couldn't stop thinking about it! We went again 11 months later, then again 7 months after that, etc.! Every time we would go, we'd say "We'd better enjoy this, because we won't be coming again for a few years!" but then we became DVC members so now I'm always daydreaming about how to use our points!

[Tim & Toby]

I definitely knew that I would share an incurable affection with "The World" and "The Mouse" when I was about 8 years old and on my 2nd visit to WDW. It was the first time that my folks let me stay up late enough to watch the fireworks over Cinderella's Castle. Even at that early age I knew I would love Disney forever! Disney is also a love my fiance shared and I had no idea. I was living in Florida at the time (why did I leave???) when my fiance (then just a friend, but sparks were flying!!) came to visit me and we went for dinner and a walk in DD Markerplace...it was then when I knew I would marry her, at least so I would have somebody to go to WDW with!!!(just kidding honey!)

Tim & Toby

[Perky2sol]

Well, I have to give an answer much like Steve's. I first fell in love with it as a child, at the ripe age of 12 in February of 1976 when my family went there on a long-anticipated vacation. [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] We towed our trailer with us, and stayed at Ft. Wilderness, of course. My grandparents were living in Florida at the time, so we had two weeks blocked off. We spent about a week with them, and then we were off to WDW.

I remember being fascinated with the transportation. Back then, they had trams as the inside transportation within the campground. I remember just getting on and riding them around the park. I also remember being impressed with the cleanliness of everything. (I know, even at 12, I was obsessed with clean. I've calmed down a bit with that, thank goodness!) We also rode our bikes all around the campground. It is the first memory I have of being let loose on my own (so to speak).

I also remember standing in LONG, LONG lines for attractions. Seems like we went through about 5 rooms of mazes to see Country Bear Jamboree. It was not unusual to wait two hours for the bigger attractions. And it was the days when you had separate tickets for each attraction. (Man, so glad they did away with that piece of history!) Space Mountain was FAST!!!

The parade that year was focused on the Bicentennial. And it was spectacular! Main Street was so cool! [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] And that's the only shopping since Lake Buena Vista (now known as Downtown Disney) didn't exist.

I don't recall eating much outside of our campsite, with two exceptions. We ate at King Stefan's Banquet Hall (now Cinderella's Royal Table), and at the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue! [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]

Obviously, back then I didn't know or understand the planning process. But my parents were masters at this. (And to think....with no internet or Passporter!!! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] ) They had the route to take for driving all mapped out exactly with stops along the way. They had AAA make each of us our own Trip Ticket so we could follow along. We also each got a travel kit with games, books, toys, etc. We had reservations at campsites to stop at. I remember not even minding the long ride! It was truly an adventure.

So, it wasn't until I growed up that I began thinking of how to get back to WDW, and often. I don't go as often as I'd like, but I sure go more than I dreamed I ever would. And I've discovered how much fun the planning part is. Especially with all of you!!!

Thanks for the fun thread, Kruggie!
[img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]

[DrDolphin]

I do not know if I can pin down a specific date -- I went to WDW as a child and I have no memory of this. As an adult, I moved to Florida in 1994 -- I went to the world once, then I went back to the world with a friend to run the WDW marathon. Very little planning -- in fact we let sports book the whole thing -- and after running that race decided to run the half marathon the following year -- and we were off an running. I moved to Florida again in Nov 2001.... I was off and running - finding out about the Florida Resident Seasonal Pass; Mousesavers, Disney Dollarless; Passporter -- I think it just grew in me. I love planning trips for me and helping friends and family plan their trips as well. I love living only 2 1/2 hrs north of the world -- and love to use the "excuse" of direct flights from MCO to give me an excuse to go down the morning before an evening flight -- even if I am just going to DTD to shop.