Originally Posted By Labuda post #19 just reminded me of something that I'd temporarily forgotten... I rode the subs on my first trip to WDW (which was a day trip to the MK only - Daddy & big brother also went to Epcot for half the day).
Originally Posted By jkayjs It's funny. I just realized that for some of us we could have 4 different posts, one for each park. It was always such a thrill the first time going back after a new park had opened. Labuda you are a gem thanks again for starting this thread.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Animal Kingdom was my first "new park" that really knocked my socks off. I liked Epcot, MGM and the World on my first visits but I really was stunned by the beauty and vastness of Animal Kingdom.
Originally Posted By Mickey4President Post #19 - Until I read that post I had forgotten how terrified I was on my first trip in 1980 when we rode that ride. I wish they would bring it back. Count me in as another HoP fan. It is an absolute must do when we go. Although when we were there in 2004, my hubby and I kept falling asleep in it. We did all 4 parks in 3 days with 5 & 6 year old boys, so we were just a little bit tired.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper A good friend of mine, a cast member who shall remain nameless, says HoP is the best place in all the World to catch a nap.
Originally Posted By Coachbagfanatic My first trip was for the whole month of February 1991. I had never left the state of NJ until then and cried all the way down to FLA. When we drove into the main parking area I was so amazed at how clean everything was and the palm trees were so beautiful swaying in the breeze. When we arrived at the ferry, I was terrified as I can't swim. As we were going across the seven seas lagoon I remember the tears just started streaming down my face and my husband put his arm around me and said do you still want to go home. I told him no way. The castle was so beautiful. When we entered the gates of MK this feeling of serenity came over me. It's a Small World was my very first ride and I have to say it holds a very special place in my heart. I know it sounds corny but it's true. So yes, I am one of those geeks singing the song when we go on the ride. Epcot floored me as well. Everything was very overwhelming for me but I got use to it very quickly. Then came Disney Village now known as Downtown Disney/Marketplace. Chef Mickeys was a great sit down restaurant in Disney Village. That was my first dining experience at WDW and a great one at that. Needless to say we have gone back quite a few times since then and we just love it. Can't wait for December!!!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 What I will always remember was it was the only trip my Dad ever got to make to WDW before he passed away , far too young. We came from very very very modest means and the fact he was able to take us there was just fantastic. We stayed at a Holiday Inn that I believe was on I92 -- and we ate out at a few restaurants which we never had the money to do....this was the big time. Only the MK was there, but it was wonderful...... There are many more memories I am sure if I sit and try annd remember.... but I'll settle for this one.....
Originally Posted By Fe Maiden <<It's a Small World was my very first ride and I have to say it holds a very special place in my heart.>> Small World was always the first ride of our trips. I had forgotten that until your post. Last night my 3yo was talking about our upcoming trip and I asked him what he wanted to do first. He responded, "Buzz Lightyear!" I think we'll be starting a new tradition.
Originally Posted By Coachbagfanatic VB sorry to hear that your father passed away at such a young age but at least you will always have that memory of you guys going to MK. Those memories will always be treasures. Fe Maiden I think starting a new tradition with your family is a wonderful thing. Imagine the joy on your son's face when he sees Buzz. I remember when my son first met Mickey, I started to cry because he was so excited. I am a big mush when it comes to my son. I hope you and your family have a wonderful trip.
Originally Posted By demderedoseguys Coachbag- You sound like a walking advertisement for the old school Disney Vacation planning videos. It's great!!
Originally Posted By Coachbagfanatic demderedoseguys LOL, I never looked at that way but after reading what I posted, you are right. That's too funny. Well, it will come in handy when my parents come with us in December for their first trip ever to WDW. I can't wait.
Originally Posted By FenwayGirl I didn't get to go to Disney until I was 26. I had a three year old and was pregnant with my second child. There was only MK...but Epcot was being built..I was so excited. My husband (not a huge Disney fan) just couldn't understand, but he humored me...I remember standing in a long line for Dumbo (in the hot August heat)only to have my daughter tell me as we are boarding that she doesn't want to ride! The hormones kicked in and I made her ride anyway. Still have pictures of this .
Originally Posted By Lewis Goofy My first memory of WDW was in 1971 and I was 10. I will never forget the sights, sounds and smells of Main Street. That first visit change my life...as soon as I could I moved to Central Florida and Became part of the Magic. The first attraction we saw was The Country Bear Jamboree. This attraction just blew us away, as Disneyland had nothing like it. For the longest time that attraction was the first one we went on to start our Disney vacation. Still to this day I get tears of joy when veiwing the Country Bears remembering that first veiwing and all the people that I have veiwed it with. My most cherished memory is from April 2000 during the Millennium Celerbration. I was working the Mellennium Village and a women came up to me and wanted to pin trade as I was wearing a lanyard. One look at her and I could barely breath. A few days later we went to the Nelson Brothers concert then had dinner at Chefs de France. Walking her back to her resort, the Beach Club, we stopped on the bridge between France and the UK and I asked if I could kiss her and she said yes. We were married a couple years later. Whenever I cross that bridge I think of that night and the love that I have for my darling wife. My life is filled with memories made at WDW. All different but all Magical.
Originally Posted By Coachbagfanatic Lewis, what a great story. It showed that you were a gentleman. So I guess Epcot holds a very special place in your heart as well as your wife's.
Originally Posted By Labuda "It's a Small World was my very first ride" Me, too!!! "What I will always remember was it was the only trip my Dad ever got to make to WDW before he passed away , far too young. " Ditto why my one day there as a kid was sooooooooo wonderful, and my time with my Daddy in the HoP and the little chat we had afterwards are something I will forever cherish.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney My first memories are more impressions, really ... the green trees, the blue sky, the cleanliness of everything, the futuristic monorail climbing into the Contemporary, a real RR pulling in the station by blowing its horn, the sounds of music everywhere and people laughing and smiling ... a gleaming castle at the end of a real replica Main Street with horses clap-clap-clapping up the pavement ... the original Mickey balloons ... the parade ... riding a Doom Buggy with 999 Happy Haunts ... Small World being so happy ... Eastern Airlines offering to take me to exotic places like San Juan and New Orleans .... and a nightcap of exploding color in the skies ... all on the site of swampland in a sleepy little cattle and orange town. But my first real impression? The bright orange parking lot trams. I don't know why, but I thought they were an attraction in themselves.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <What I will always remember was it was the only trip my Dad ever got to make to WDW before he passed away , far too young. " Ditto why my one day there as a kid was sooooooooo wonderful, and my time with my Daddy in the HoP and the little chat we had afterwards are something I will forever cherish.< irreplaceable times I agree for both of us....amazingly one of the other reasons I bought into DVC...I wanted to leave my kids something tied to the place....which is why I'll buy more points also with a 2055 ending ( I would be 100 at that time) -
Originally Posted By Labuda Ok, per the notation made by JK in post #21- here are my first memories of Epcot... Walking into Epcot on July 24, 2000 - day after we married, my husband and I made this the first park we visited. On our way in, we stood in wonder of SSE for a few moments. Then we boarded that beauty and rode it - what an absolute BLAST! Then, on exiting the ride vehicle and entering the post-show area, we spent about 45 minutes to an hour playing around. How cool was that? Then, a stop at Ice Station cool, where I had fun getting him to try Beverly (I'd read about it beforehand on RADP) - which he actually LIKED! LOL We really enjoyed walking through the tunnel to get into ISC - back then, it still had snow. We then headed into the World Showcase, for Tapestry of Nations - WOW, what an amazing parade that was!!! We especially lvoed the revolving drum "machine" floats! What a blast! ANd the puppets - we loved the puppets!!! After ToN, we headed back into the Mexico pavilion where we had a wonderful dinner at San ANgel Inn followed by a quick ride on El Rio del Tiempo - very cute! Then we headed out - didn't do Illuminations this first evening - and I got to be very impressed and absolutely FASCINATED by the fiber optic sidewalk to the left of SSE. Man, oh man - to this day, every t8ime I go by there at night when the fiber optics are on, I stay there for at leat 5 minutes, just looking at it, thinking how beautiful it is, and thanking my lucky stars Disney made it for me.
Originally Posted By IanBassi Cool Topic. I think it was 95/96 when I first went. So, I would of been about 12. I remember seeing Test Track been built. I remember IASMW. I remember my cousin with his goofy hat. I remember having breakfast at the spinning restuarant at Epcot. And my Nan and Granddad having thier photo with Mickey. I remember the Body Ride, motion simulator in the living land, and all the different excersie stuff. I remember going to Typhoon Lagon. I remember arriving at my nans house getting ready to leave for the airport. There was my nan and Granddad, my family, and my Dads two brothers families. Was a great holiday I have a bad memory, so everything else I can remember, Im not sure if its more recent trips I have had or not. Keep meaning to make a photo ablum from all our photos from back then, currently all sat in a cardboard box at my parents house
Originally Posted By DVC_dad vbdad55, This is going to be a LONG post, sorry just pass it by if you don't want to read it. <a href="http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-nov1971" target="_blank">http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PW P-nov1971</a> I wasn't going to post on this topic, because it's probably no secret that I tend to get long winded, especially when the thread is in lieu of something nostalgic or linked to childhood. However, your post made so many precious, treasured memories come flooding back to present day, that I can't resist. BACKGROUND: November 1971, I had just turned 4 years old... Like vbdad55, my family was anything but wealthy. My dad was an extremely hard worker, a company man you might have said back then; and my mom stayed home, but at great sacrifice. Values and priorities were all so different back then. We went on very few family vacations, in fact, I can count them on one hand. But the most spectacular was of course WDW. The other 3 or 4 vacations were your basic, "low budget motel at the beach with a pool" sort of thing. The only way we were able to go to WDW, was this. We lived in a small south Georgia town in that day. Money was very tight and there was no way we could take our family of 4 to WDW. SAVED BY THE CHURCH: Our small town church choir director was a Disney fan, and he devised a plan of salvation for us. He had the youth choir learn a (back then it was new) musical called "Cool in the Furnace." Youth choirs still perform this musical to this very day. The plan was to "tour" 5 churches between our small town, and Orlando. To make the whole thing affordable, we lined up over night stays with "host families" from the respective churches. This was a fairly common practice back in that day, something you don't see anymore. Our "tour" would end at WDW...how grand! MY ROLE IN THIS AS A 4 YR OLD Why was I involved? My sister was in the youth choir, my mom was the head chaperone for the girls, and my dad was the bus driver. How cool is that? I still think that MY dad was so big, strong, smart, and invincible that he could do anything. Of course I had to come along if my sister, mom, and dad had to go. A FEW STRANGE FACTS ON THE WAY: I remember a few odd things. I remember that once we got into Florida we ate a lot of oranges. In fact one of the host families had 6 or 7 orange trees in their yard, and they sent us on our way with a bag of oranges. I also remember getting lost in the church during one of the choir's performances, and crying and panicing...then my dad was there, holding me. Really strange indeed. He later told me that he let me go to the bathroom alone, and when I didn't return he came looking for me, and found me quite easily. In my mind I was 1,000 miles from safety. OK GET TO THE POINT!!! Ok ok ok sorry... Switching to a present day, first person sort of narration: I am on this incredible machine mom keeps calling a monorail. I don't remember how I got on here, but here I am. The windows seem tinted or golden somehow, is that the sun shining in? How scary to be so far in the air. I don't remember gettin off of the monorail, but I'm now standing, holding dad's big had, and I am looking at him. He is looking up at some beautiful tile thing, it goes up forever, and he is telling me that Indians made this art with goats on it. He is amazed. I'm standing under the train tunnel, while dad gets a stroller for me. I get in, and this thing is weird, it is blue and has a lot of metal on it, and the wheels are hard with no air. I'm holding a red, mickey ear shaped baloon, and it's tied to my wrist. It is awsome! I have never ever had a baloon that would float in the air! Why do the ones that I blow up never float? I'm coming up on a castle! WOW! It's beautiful! Mom is lifting me out of the stroller, and we are going in a place that has a canopy made of cloth over the entrance. We are getting on a boat, it holds a lot of people and they all sit down. Wow! I have never been on a boat before. It can even hold my dad. It's blue in here, blue everywhere. We are heading into a tunnel, and... wow dancing kids from all over the world! Wow look over there! It's Peter Pan I think... I'm in a boat, on a track? No, I am flying through the air! Dad, how is this possible? Wow look at that city down there, waaaaay down there! I look at dad, he isn't scared, so I guess I shouldn't be. What is this? The moon! It glows! And I see those kids flying past it far far away. The is a big horse! The music, the up and down... It's so sunny out here. I can't wait to get on Dumbo! I want to ride on Dumbo and fly some more. It's never going to be our turn! Dad I want to ride with dad. I'm on Dumbo, we are flying again! Should I be scared? I guess not. I wish we could stay here forever! I am in the stroller again, I am eating (what I think was) cotton candy. I'm in a gold racecar! I am DRIVING!!! Me and dad, and he is letting me drive! At this point I want to post something RoadTrip wrote: <<My enjoyment of the MK draws so heavily on my memories of the past that it is hard to separate what I experience now from what I experienced over thirty years ago. >> It is at this point that I really do not know what else I remember as a child and what I recall as an adult, with MANY trips to WDW and a few to DL since having kids. In closing (say it, thank god!) I want to post a small memory of my dad, and my second son. ...and sorry for the long post, just skip it if it offends you. <a href="http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-nov1971" target="_blank">http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PW P-nov1971</a>
