First Trip to WDW

Hi,

My first trip to Walt Disney World (and Florida) was from April 2-5, 1982, a little more than four months short of my 19th birthday, with my high school senior class. My first solo trip there was from October 13-20, 2000, two months after my 37th birthday. My only trip to Disneyland was with my mom, aunt, uncle, and two cousins from March 1st to 3rd, 1998, when I was a little more than five months short of my 35th birthday.

Jim

I got you beat. My first trip was 4 years ago at the age of 39.
However, I went to Disneyland when I was 18.

I first went to the World when I was around 9 or 10. My folks liked to do the beach vacations and Disney World (not much more than the MK and the beginning of EPCOT Center back then) was a good day trip.

Didn't become a disney nut until later in life, however. That happened when I had my own money to spend on the trip!

I believe my first trip was in Nov 1977 when I was almost 3. We went every year in Nov from then until about 1983 or so. After that I didn't go again until 1992 with my high school band.

I got to march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with my band...no WDW

My first trip to WDW was as a kid, but it became an obsession as an adult. First went as a grownup in the early 2000's and have been going ever since!

Yes.

My first trip was in 1978 during the celebration of Mickey's 50th Birthday. I still have pics of the parade.

My Disney obsession began that week, even though before that I was already obsessed with the characters.

And now, 31 years later the obsession continues, with just a small break when I was a "too-cool" teenager.

My first WDW trip was in 2001, when I was 21 years old. The bulk of the trip was paid for by work as I had a convention to attend, but it was still fantastic...and almost free!

I had been to Disneyland more times than I could count by then, and as a true Disney nerd, I was thrilled to finally see WDW!

Although, I count our trip last month as my first "real" WDW trip! Partly because my hubby and I finally got to share it together and partly because he helped me truly experience the World!

So you didn't have any DL is better than WDW prejudice going in?

I think that's really true that you experience WDW differently with different people, and that each time you visit with a new person, it's like another "first" trip

My first trip was in the summer of 1972. We had a large family group that was in Florida and we were staying in Daytona, so our first trip to WDW was a typical tourist "day trip".

Keep in mind that at that time, you only had two major hotels at WDW, the Poly and the Contemporary, as well as the Golf Resort (now Shades of Green). It wasn't a place the average person thought about going to and STAYING at. I guess I was all of 17 and I remember like yesterday looking across the lagoon at the Contemporary and KNOWING I wanted to come back and stay on property.

I ended up coming back in the summer of 1974 with a group of friends and we spent several nights at the Contemporary. Cost was $30 a night back then.

As I said, back in those days Disney wasn't thought of as THE destination for an extended trip, but it was always on my mind that way. Back then, you had to make reservations at one of the hotels many months in advance, and I guess I had a reservation at WDW for some future date continuously for about ten years. I would always get home from one trip and call and make reservations for the next as soon as I got home. Always something to look forward to that way.

I know there's been inflation but that still sounds like a very reasonable price. Were they all tower rooms back then?

That was probably pretty expensive then. Motel Six was actually $6. I can't remember comparisons to other hotels, but I know it was higher than average.

And no, the Contemporary opened with both wings in place. I learned early on the Tower was the place to be!