First trip to WDW

[SusanL]

Thinking back your first trip to WDW.

What made you want to go?

How did you budget for it?

What made you want to go back?

:minnie: Inquiring minds want to know!:minnie:

I'll go first.

My office manager had bought into DVC, she was talking about it and I never thought I could afford it. But I really wanted to go. She "rented" me her points. It was when OKW was the only DVC resort. I paid her $550 for 5 nights checking in on Sunday and out on Friday in Nov 1995. This price included 2 park passes. I went with my parents and my son. We drove from CT. I paid for the room, my parents paid for the trip down and food and the 2 other park passes we needed(1 adult and 1 kid). We ate breakfast in the room, packed lunches and ate most dinners at CrackerBarrel. It was actually a very low budget trip. I never thought I would love it as much as I did, I thought it would be a once in a lifetime trip but I got bit by the Magic. I basically started planning to go back almost as soon as we got home.

[Topaz]

My husband ( and me) was stationed in Norfolk, VA, and gotten transferred to Idaho in 1973. ( I married very very young...:rolleyes: )On the drive there, I insisted that we go to Walt Disney World, since we had been to Disneyland many times. All that was there was MK. And we stayed offsite somewhere. I think it was around Downtown Disney. I remember being amazed how long it took to get to the park from the hotel, compared to DL.

I also remember eating a big avacado, thinking I it was a great treat. Those were the simpler days.

Didn't go back till 1985 or so. But the passion didn't come out of the closet till around 1990.

[Jellyrolls]

My first trip was back in 1984 when I was 12 years old. My grandfather lived down in West Palm Beach. My mom decided that we would go visit him, and then drive to Disney World. We stayed at a motel in Kissimee (can't remember which one).

I don't remember how long we stayed in Orlando, but it must have been a decent chunk of time because I know we went to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. We also went to Kennedy Space Center, and the old Hall of Fame Wax Museum (I think that's what they called it).

Now, 22 years later, I have over 20 trips under my belt, and I'm a DVC owner. So I'd say I got pretty addicted with that trip ;)

[WillCAD]

My friend Frank had been going for years before I met him, because his wife has family in Kissimmee. They would go and stay with the family for free, and were able to make at least 2 trips per year, sometimes more.

In 1990, Frank invited me to go along with him, because on that trip his wife planned to spend all of her time visiting with her mother and siblings, so Frank needed somebody to hang out with in the parks.

Before I even got home I was trying to figure out ways to go back. I've been going about every 10-18 months since.

[Carrie]

Going to WDW was a dream of mine that started when I was young. A girl moved to our town from Orlando when we were in 3rd grade. They were moving back to her father's hometown after he'd been employed as an imaginear for many years. We became best friends and she talked about Disney World all the time and told me about the underground tunnels, eating inside the castle, etc. I was always so envious of her because her aunts and grandmother worked for an airline, plus she had her mothers relatives still in Florida. So she flew down there all the time. When we were about to graduate we were planning on taking a trip together, but when it came time to make reservations she decided she was burned out on Disney World and didn't want to go for a few years. I lost contact with her after we graduated but I still held onto my dream of going. In 2001 I started browsing the internet for websites that gave Disney travel tips. I found RCH and was hooked instantly. I read through all the trip reports, kept a notebook of all the info I could. I planned that vacation for a year and a half. I took my sister and niece with me. We stayed at All Star Sports so I could afford to stay longer and do more. I booked breakfast with Cinderella, I got Morgan the whole Cinderella outfit, we spent a couple days at each park, we ate at Chef Mickey's, we hopped around most of the resorts, shopped at Downtown Disney. I packed more into that vacation than I probably ever will again. At the end of our trip, we were exhausted because we did so much. But looking back on it, it was the best trip ever because our dreams had come true and we enjoyed every moment of it.

I kept in touch with the online community so I could relive my vacation over and over and get advice for future trips. And slowly I formed a lot of friendships.

[DVCerLee]

My first trip to WDW was in Feb, 1983. We were headed to Chile for the first time, my folks decided to stop on the way and vist WDW. We had visited DL numerous times, but never WDW. It was a cold and rainy and dark day in February. And I must say, we were terribly dissapointed. Dissapointed in the weather and with WDW in general. It definitely did not live up to our Disneyland expectations.

However I am a forgiving person, so 15 years later, married and with a baby, we went again. Had a much better time! Spent all our life savings and then some! Since we are from California, live in Chile, we don't get to Fl hardly ever. But on that fateful trip in 1997, we went on the DVC tour. And the rest, they say, is history!

Dis

[AZMouseFan]

My first trip to WDW was in July of '79. A girlfriend from gradeschool was getting married in Pompano Beach and another girlfriend and I decided to drive to Florida for the wedding. We stayed at a motel in Kissimmee and I don't remember how many days we went to the park (back then only MK). It was hot, humid, crowded and lots of crying kids. We both swore we would never take small children to WDW! It was a great time even with the bad side and somehow I forgot my vow in '83 when we (dh and I)had the chance to go back and we took our 18month old dd.

[nicholaspaige]

My first trip was in April 1991(or whenever Easter was that year). I went with my now DH and his family to visit his grandparents for Easter. We only did 1 day at Epcot that year. I actually remember that the ticket prices were $35 and because we were students we got BOGO FREE!!!:lol:
I don't know if it was a special promo or what??:confused:

After that our 1st time as a family wasn't till MArch 2000. We decide to go because my DS was turing 4. He had had a rough couple months towards the end of 1999. He got bit in the face by a neighbors dog (needed stitches right above his eye:cry: ..but that's A WHOLE other story!!) And then right after Christmas we had to have his ears tacked back(a cosmetic thing). So we figured what better to make him feel better than to go to the Happiest Place on Earth!!! :lol: And we have been hooked ever since!! :D

[Sheryl]

Our first family trip with our boys was in May 2000. Terry had gotten a new job, we bought a bigger house and actually had some money left over. The boys were 5 and 7 and we figured it was time to start making family memories, and where better than Disney.

I booked through a local travel agent and I think we paid $3500 for everything (airfre, weeks at CBR, and hopper tickets). This was before we were on the internet and little did I know, things could be done much cheaper. Thank you Tink from YMJ!!

The funny part was we heard everyone say how expensive it was to go to Disney, so we took $5000 with us for spending money!:yikes: I figured better safe than sorry because we really ahd no clue what to expect. We had a great trip, let the kids buy every single thing they wanted, bought gifts for family back home, and still came home with enough money to purchase the boys one of those huge fort/swingsets for the backyard.

I knew that trip that this was something I wanted to do on a regular basis, and once I got on the internet I found ways to go on a much cheaper budget than my first trip.

[TracyMB]

My first trip was in 1989. My sister & I has sent my parents to WDW 3 years before for their 25th Anniversary and they came back raving about the place. When one of my girlfriends suggested we go on vacation, I told her I wanted to go to WDW. She hopped right on that idea and we booked the trip that day. We didn't really budget for it, but it wasn't that expensive with the package deal we got. I loved it and couldn't wait to go back. One year later, in May 2000, my parents decided we should take a family vacation to WDW. They paid for the 2 condos and we paid for our airfare and park tickets. Again a cheap trip.

In 1991, my best & I were trying to decide were to go on vacation. It was my year to pick the location. I wanted to go back to WDW, but Barbara said it was for kids. I didn't give her a choice and made her go. We stayed at POFQ. When we were on the plane going home I asked her were she was going to pick for our next vacation and she said, we are coming right back here. The two of us try to get back once every 12 - 18 months and in October 2004 we decided to go in together and buy DVC.

[jacobandlukesmom]

My first trip to WDW was in 1978 with my parents and 2 other couples. I was the only kid that went since I'm 9 years younger than my brother all of my parents friends kids were at least 9 or more years older than me too. I'll never forget the tickets were coupons and we had to use so many coupons per ride. The final ride we took that day at the MK was on the Tea Cups. All of the "grown-ups" kept telling me that this was a kiddie ride but in the end I won out and I got my dad and the other 2 guys on the ride with me. I had my dad spinning the tea cup so fast that one of his friends was almost sick. Needless to say they no longer told me that the tea cups was a kiddie ride. My next trip was in 1980 for Spring Break I went with one of my friends and her family. Then I didn't go again until my honeymoon in September of 1992. We stayed at the Grovesner and had an awesome time. In 1999 we took our oldest DS he was 4 almost 5 and loved every bit of it. We stayed at the AllStars Movies for 5 nights and had a blast. Now we're planning our next trip this October and oldest DS will be 11 and youngest DS will be 4. I can't wait.:mickeyHalloween:

[BaciBecky]

Our first family trip to WDW was in August ( 81 or 82) just before EPCOT opened in October. Although I'd been to DL as a child (in 1958 ), I'd never even heard of WDW!! All the kids in the neighbood were always going and my upstairs adult neighbor was planning a trip. I asked him about it and when he gave me the lowdown and I realized it was Walt's dream, that's all I had to hear. I became a WDW fanatic on the spot.

I started learning everything I could (this was June) and booked 3 reservations for 2 nights each at the Contemporary - couldn't get 6 nights together and the Poly wasn't available.

Paid $79+tx per night for a perfectly located North Wing Garden room. Our first sight opening the curtains was the monorial gliding by and Space Mountain!!

The grand total for 1 ad, 1 Jr and 3 children including airfare, all food (no skimping) passports (as the tkts were called then) was $1200!!

Dining was so cheap then that it was the best deal anywhere. :minnie:

I was planning our next trip before we left.Returned in March for a long weekend and stayed at the then Polynesian Village (be still my heart).

That began 17 yrs of going for a long weekend in the winter and at least a week every summer alternating between the Poly and Contemporary (prefer Garden Wing over Tower) until CBR opened and then BC/YC and so on...

After my son Toby died in August, 1999, I took a break from Disney and wasn't sure I'd ever be able to go again...but I did in in 2001, although with trepidation. It's never been the same for me, but it's still where I find the most enchantment, magic and some dearly treasured memories. :flower:

Nice thread, Susan :)

[Ursulinda]

Oh dear. About MY first trip, the less said the better. 1994, dh (with whom I wasn't speaking by trips end),horrible flights, Shades of Green, rental car, no characters, no parades, no fabulous dinners, and Mr. Grumpy. - a nightmare. My three souveniers - two banks (Figment and Mrs Potts) and a tape of park music were the best parts of the trip.

The next time (and 30 odd other next times) was much better - my neighbor and I had a 4 night package with candlelight and dinner, MVMCP and dinner, Jolly Holidays dinner, Polynesian garden view, tickets AND a flex feature, including flights for less than $1000 each, through a travel agent. Sucha deal!

[roodad]

Our first trip to WDW was in August of 1991. It was a promotional brochure for the 20th anniversary events that hooked me on the trip. We went for 11 days and stayed at the CBR on a Disney Travel package (:oops: yes, we paid a full package price, but didn't know any better). It was intended as a once in a lifetime trip. No one was surprised that I got hooked, since I was the family disney freak (my dad was in a 1935 Mickey Mouse Club theatre band), however, no one expected my wife to become so crazy for the place.

[loribell]

My first trip was sometime back in the 70's. I'm not sure what year it was but the MK was all there was. I have no clue where we stayed. The trip included my mom, dad & older sister and my aunt, uncle & two cousins. We all road in one station wagon all the way from Oklahoma. I remember using the coupons for the rides, my mom & uncle being sick and my dad and uncle calling home all the time to check on the cows. It was pretty much the only real vacation we had.

After I was married to my second & still DH and we our first child was 18 months old we finally took him & my two older kids, along with my mom, sister & niece. WE again drove and stayed at a Holiday Inn on Orange Blossom drive. That was in 93.

The next trip to Disney World was in 98, just before Ally was born. Again it was with mom & my niece and I still had to stay offsite.

In 2001 we took Ally for the first time. This time the two oldests kids thought they were to old to go and I also got to go without mom. I finally got to stay onsite at CBR. It was the most amazing trip I have ever had. I convinced mother that we needed to check out DVC and we went back for a short trip in August and bought it while we were there.

I have been back yearly since and even did the huge family trip this past summer and included everyone that was on that very first trip way back in the seventies and all the kids & grandkids thaqt have come along since. WE made some amazing memories this summer. It is the only trip that has come close to rivalling that first onsite trip. I only hope that my dad & aunt & uncle are still around for a few more years so that we can repeat this trip again.

Lori

[SusanP]

My first trip was in Apr 73. My grandparents had recently retired and were pulling their new 31' airstream down from Calgary, through the Western US coast, across the south and we were meeting up with them in Florida. We stayed at the Fort wilderness campground, ma,pa, and brother in the trailer with them and sissy and I in the back of Grandpa's truck (custom make but reminiscent of the truck on Emergency-2 sleeping bags fit nicely in the back!) We all did a day in the MK, then the men golfed and the ladies and bro did MK again. We may have done the Space Centre that trip, and I think Busch Gardens-back when it was a beer tour and petting zoo only. We drove down in our Volkswagon Stationwagon, three kids laying in the back with the seat folded down...
Our family returned again in Apr 76 with another family-staying again in the campground in rented pop up trailers, side by side. I was 13 on the first trip and 16 on the second.
Bit of a drought until dh and I went in 87 on our first anniversary in Oct. Again another drought until my Mum took our family in 97, and we have been going almost yearly ever since!

[Bookwood]

Our first trip as a family (and my first trip to WDW) was in 1984 (only MK and Epcot at the time) Shawn was just about to graduate from Pre-school:) (he'll be 25 next month), Sarah was 3 (She's getting married this fall) and Becky (who is graduating from college next month) was free (under 2). We were stationed TDY ("short" tour of duty at Eglin AFB in Ft Walton Beach Fl) and I scrimped and saved to be able to go while we were in Florida! Our "home" duty station was Ft Huachuca in Arizona. We drove (long weekend) stayed at Shades of Green (or whatever the predisessor(sp) was), before it was near property. Visited Epcot and MK. I still have pictures of us - the kids so cute in "Hawaiian outfits" Grandma nad Grandpa sent from their vacation- both girls blonde- me still slender:oops: - ah- thanks for the memories!!

[JJ]

I don't for sure...it was back in the 70's when I was a kid. Mom, Dad my brother and I. We stayed in Kissimee at the Red Carpet Inn for a number of years. My brother and I thought it was the best place in the world.

The only hotel on site was the Contemporary (at least I don't remember the Polynesian being there). There was no Epcot - I remember seeing it being constucted off to the side on later trips.

I remember the ticket books, and the skyride, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

My dad worked for RCA and I remember how proud he was after Space Mountain was built - there was a little door off to the side where RCA employees could go. There was a reception room where he got to proudly sign in - there were snacks and drinks and we got the "cut" the line. (We entered about halfway into the building - they just opened the door and plopped us into the line. This was back when there was only 1 line and no fast pass.

I remember when Pooh was a little fat guy with a flower pot on his head and there were no "stations" for characters and Mickey's house wasn't there. I remember the old Dumbo, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and watching BTM being constructed. I remember my parents being proud when we got to park in "Chip n Dale" because you knew it meant you were one of the first people in the park. I remember flying down on Eastern airlines (when we had the money) and the Eastern "if you had wings song".

I know many of your remember all this stuff too - back in the good ol days.:boyears:

[SuzyQ]

Oohh - this is a toughie since I had a visit there in college (very brief) and then worked there). I think that I will count our first trip that was totally planned by us and as a couple.

That would be our honeymoon! I had received a coupon code in the mail for discounted rooms so we booked 6 nights at CBR for the bargain rate of $72/night! Then my good CM friend gave us 3 nights at the BC for a wedding gift! So, our budget for 9 nights turned out to be something like $450!! Our tickets were 6-day PHP which were $230+ (can't quite remember). Airfare was $202 RT each.

I think that the total for our 10-day trip (including food) was just under $2,000 total!! :) (of course, we did spend a pretty penny on gifts for our family since we weren't sure if we'd be back to WDW anytime in the near future! LOL) :rofl:

[Rosebud]

What made you want to go?
I think every kid that watched the Wonderful World of Disney wanted to go.

How did you budget for it?
I didn't. I went as a teen with my parents. My father was a coin collector and bought an entire collection from someone and broke it up, kept what he wanted and sold the rest piece meal. The proceeds from that is how we took our trip.


What made you want to go back?
Despite the hours long waits in lines for rides like Space Mountain & 20,000 Leagues - no FP, and only 1 park - it still was such an unbelievable place and nothing like I had ever known.

[smallworld0]

Our first trip was in December 1986, about a week before the schools let out for Christmas vacation. Our boys were 5 and almost 3. We went because DH was down there for a company meeting and he'd been to WDW twice before: pre-Me. :o We got plane tickets for me and the kids via the company, stayed with another salesman's family - they'd just moved to Orlando a few months before and hadn't gotten to go to WDW yet, paid for 2 days of tickets and got another day free by a Disney-employed spouse of another salesman. My memory of that trip: the youngest was 'mostly' potty trained and I remember hitting every restroom in the Magic Kingdom. He did great...until he pooped out the last day, fell asleep on my shoulder in the Hall of President's show...and promptly peed all over me. Ahhhh....memories! :yowsa:

I still remember how very, very, very clean -'neat and pretty' the parks were, so very different from King's Island or Cedar Point and I vowed to come back. It wasn't for several more years, and then every 2-3 years thereafter until the last couple years where it's been every 2-4 months! We're almost at 30 trips overall and I'm feeling selfishly whiney because we haven't been since Christmas and don't know how soon we'll be going now as I will probably have to have foot/ankle surgery soon for a 2 inch tendon tear. Ouch! (And, I mean 'ouch' I can't go, not ouch my ankle hurts. :crying: )

Nancy :mickeyXmas: