How old were you when you first got to go to WDW?

[broony]

Hope I have posted this in a relevant area, if not feel free to move it.

Before booking for WDW to go in Nov/Dec 2005, I was chatting to my 11 year old about how we didn't really know where to go on holiday this year (he would stay in a pool for a fortnight, but me and his mam are not so keen), and how we were unsure of where to take him to keep him entertained, when it dawned on me.

I can remember from being a very small child how much I longed to go to Disney World, seeing the parks on the TV (probably early to mid 1970's), writing to Jim'll Fix it to become a character for a day (it was worth a try),:fingers: that they wouldn't dress me up and make me stand in a London TV studio, and knowing really, that I didn't have a chance of getting there.

Getting Married, having my family and then realising that it doesn't cost that much more than a fortnight in Spain to go to the place of my dreams. Oh the Joy, only 33 years old and booking to go to WDW!!:hehe:

Now, hold on a minute, I'm talking to an 11 year old that has been twice already :what: !! How lucky are they today!! :wiggle:

Granted, he doesn't take it for granted, and is almost (not quite) as excited as me again, but what do you think, don't you wish you were x number of years younger, or the world back then was as small as the world today.

[JuniorMickey]

I was spoiled. I'm 26 and went every year as a child, first time when I was 8 months old I believe. Both my mother and father were travel agents (Dad working for an airline) so a Disney vacation was cheap for us!

[Shellyamc]

The first time I ever went to WDW was on my honeymoon and I was 21 years old :marry:

It was nice to know that I was an adult and nobody could stop me from going to the place I had been dying to go to since I was little :lol:

[broony]

Lucky you JuniorMickey:hehe: , but you were at a distinct advantage, living in Mickey Mouse country AND your parents being in the travel business.

My dad was a pie salesman (now a retired pie salesman supervisor) and my mam worked for the Government (not quite 007, just priced medical prescriptions) so there were no perks there!!

You probably haven't heard of Jim'll fix it neither, again lucky you, but it was a programme that tried to make your dreams come true, but often was a bit restricted to things like being a bin man for a day (refuse collector to our American friends). Although once a girl got to meet the Osmonds (including Donny) and my wife still hasn't forgave the poor lady:) .

[2JsMom]

My first trip was when I was 17 - high school senior trip! We had such a blast. I'm the oldest of 5 and my dad is a teacher, so we couldn't afford to go as a family. Things are much different these days. My kids are 9 and 7 and we're planning their second trip - and they think they're deprived b/c they have friends who have been 5 and 6 times!

[Breeze]

I'm with Shelly, my first time was my honeymoon and I've been back any number of times since then with and without the kids.

[Cindernaenae]

My first trip was an overnight trip on a weekend at the end of July when I was 25. We were working for the summer in Tampa, near Brandon, and were very busy, so a weekend was all we could swing.

[wdwgrandma]

I didn't make it to WDW until 1988. At that time I was 35. My first trip to DL was three years earlier.

[uscwest]

I made it to Disneyland in 1984 at the ripe old age of 36. Then I believe I finally made it to WDW in 1987 according to my siggie. But I really don't remember much about that visit. I remember more about the 1989 visit because it was right after MGM opened.

[Jenna]

My first Disneyland trip was back in 1988 when I was 6 years old, then first trip to WDW was a few years after that. I've been to both several times since but I am ashamed to say that without actually sitting down and looking it up, I have no idea how many times I have been! :blush:

[Johnie]

My first trip was in 1996, I was 25.

[ShazzyBoo]

My first, and only trip so far, was in 1996 when I was 16. When I go back next year it will have been 10 years since I went :)

You probably haven't heard of Jim'll fix it neither, again lucky you, but it was a programme that tried to make your dreams come true, but often was a bit restricted to things like being a bin man for a day (refuse collector to our American friends). Although once a girl got to meet the Osmonds (including Donny) and my wife still hasn't forgave the poor lady:) .
I wrote to Jim'll Fix It to ask if I could swim with Dolphins, he never fixed it for me but next year we will be going to Discovery Cove so I will just fix it for myself! :D

[broony]

I wrote to Jim'll Fix It to ask if I could swim with Dolphins, he never fixed it for me but next year we will be going to Discovery Cove so I will just fix it for myself! :D
If you want something doing - Do it yourself :wink: !!

[disneymeces]

I was 25 when I first went. My parents couldn't afford it when I was a child but times have changed; at Christmas in '99 I got my Disney trip as a gift so we went in May '00. We've been back once since then. My oldest dd is 11 so this upcoming trip will be her third, and our youngest 4yrs, who had her first :birthday: at MK, this will be her 2nd. It will not be their last! or MINE!

[marivigi]

I went for the first time when I was 10..... but had been dying to go since I was 4... I would ask almost everyday if it was THE DAY ... it took my parents 6 years to save enough to take us... but it was worth every penny :yes:

[Watchinherskip]

I made it to Disneyland in 1984 at the ripe old age of 36. Then I believe I finally made it to WDW in 1987 according to my siggie. But I really don't remember much about that visit. I remember more about the 1989 visit because it was right after MGM opened.
Just must have missed you! The first time we went was a month before it opened. Bad timing I guess, It was over the Thanksgiving holiday as I recall.

[mumof2]

I can remember from being a very small child how much I longed to go to Disney World,

When I was young there was just no way in the world I would ever get to America - there were 4 of us kids and America was just soooo far away and soooo expensive that I think we just accepted it wouldn't happen! :sigh:

And so, at the ripe old age of 25 my hubby and I found ourselves at the travel agent one day and said "we have two weeks booked off from work next week - where shall we go" and that was it - one weeks notice and two very big excited kids!! :lol: :lol:

Now we're taking our 10 and 5 yr old boys in 4 weeks time and I just cannot wait :nutty:

[SorcererMickey]

1988, I was 16 :yes:

After that, I spent summer of '89 in Orlando, stayed with friends in Lake Mary, about 45 minutes north of Disney.

They in turn had 6 or 7 other friends and family groups visit from the Midwest, New England area and Ireland throughout the summer.

I bought my first Annual Pass that summer, used to cost $125 in '89. Me and my best friend Danny, who I was staying with, went to Disney with all the other visitors 62 times that summer :yes: .

[d_dreamer]

I was 4 when I first went to DL, since then, whenever I went to a travel angent for my mums travels, i'd gaze longingly at the WDW brochure. I picked out which hotel I wanted to stay at (FQ, because of the waterslide), then finally, 8 years later, I got to go to WDW, age 12

[tracyw]

Like many of us UKers, The US was just a far away dream for me when I was young. My dad was a factory worker and my mum a wonderful housewife, so foreign trips were never even discussed. We did however always have a holiday by the sea so I never went without!

My one dream since I was VERY young and my good old Dad used to take me to the cinema to watch all the Disney movies (I did have to wake him up a few times!!), was to visit WDW, so as soon as DH and I could afford it and we thought DS was old enough to enjoy it we booked our first trip!

I was the grand old age of 39 and DS was 6. I was way more excited than he was!! I suppose that lots of things are more accessible to youngsters these days, so they do tend to take them for granted, but the magic never diminishes for me, we have been twice now and are going again next year. Just wish we could afford to go EVERY year. Never mind, at least I have fulfilled my dream.

I really envy all you lucky people living in the states, I would be at WDW all the time then!

[PaulT]

I was 26 in 19** When i first visited WDW, only the magic kingdom was built at that time, my twin boys are six and they have been three times already, how times change, when i was six our holiday was a camping trip to Great Yarmouth.

[lisaw]

The first time I ever went to WDW was on my honeymoon and I was 21 years old :marry:

It was nice to know that I was an adult and nobody could stop me from going to the place I had been dying to go to since I was little :lol:


I was the same Shelly - except I was 24 and on honeymoon. There was no chance of ever going when I was little, I remember wistfully doing a project on WDW in Geography I can even remember drawing out the map of MK.

I am always trying to make my kids understand how lucky they are :)

[disneymeces]

I was 25 when I first went. My parents couldn't afford it when I was a child but times have changed; at Christmas in '99 I got my Disney trip as a gift so we went in May '00. We've been back once since then. My oldest dd is 11 so this upcoming trip will be her third, and our youngest 4yrs, who had her first :birthday: at MK, this will be her 2nd. It will not be their last! or MINE!


I forgot the Disney Cruise when I was 13. It was just the cruise no Disney world.

[Josette]

I think I was like a year old....

[Kitten]

I went to Disneyland when I was 10... in 1995
Disneyworld when I was 15
Then again at 17, 19 and this year 20

Not going back after this trip until my honey moon, so about 3 or 4 years :(

[babybelle]

1993 when I was 22, and we went straight back the following year!!!:rotfl:
Like so many folk here a trip to America was way out of my parents league when we were young. We either went to Butlins or camping in Arran (oh the midges :angry: )

My son was 3 and my middle daughter 17 weeks old when they made their first trip, they then visited again when my son was 8, daughter was 5 and youngest was 3.

Can't wait to go again next year especially as this trip has been postponed twice :tigbounce

[Lizzy]

18 (2002) I went to DLP when I was 8 though.

[love_cinderella]

I was ten years old, it was the summer of 1980... yes before EPCOT... i went with my dad and my grandmother. We searched all over for mickey and we finally found him. I have a pic of him kissing my grandmother, and pix of us by the castle... I love that castle!!!!
We are going back for the fourth... I cannot wait... We have one son 14 and one daugher 7. We wanted to make sure they would remember the trip... And my daugher is tall enough to ride the Rock n roller coaster!!! Both their first trips
My husband was 16. Him and a few guys went down during spring break back in 1985...
... but if memory serves me correctly, i vaguely remember the EPCOT logo going up, or seeing a model of it, my dad pointed it out saying it was going to look like a golf ball.

[katie]

It was 1998 and I was 45 going on 10 years old. This year will be our 10th visit & if I won the lottery, I would try & live ther as much as I could.

Katie :)

[mom2my3kids]

I was 11 year old when my family made its first and only trip. I had a great time, we also went to the beach at Daytona. I took my kids back in 99, we went to magic kingdom it was real busy. Then we went in 2001 we went to MGM and it was busy but we had a good time. We are planning a trip in 2006, I can not wait to go. I have three kids to take this year, my 12 year old daughter, 8 year old son and 2 year old son. We are going to have a blast...


Tammy :D

[Frosty2]

We were very lucky!
I went for the first time in 1973. I was in 4th or 5th grade.
Then we went again in 1978 when I was 15.
We stayed at the Polynesian both times-
of course, way back then, it was either there or the Contemporary!!!

My son went the first time for his 4th birthday- March 1999
then again for his 8th - March 2003
and we really spoiled ourselves that year and went again in Dec
for MY Birthday!!!!! It was THE BEST Birthday EVER!!!!!
:wiggle: :D :wiggle:

Have a FUN day!
Frosty

[Isafari]

I was 37......so I have to make up for being a late starter and go again and again and again.... :D

[Alannakait]

The first time I went to WDW was on our honeymoon. I was 25 and DH was 26.

[Sweet_girl99]

i think i was about 6 or 8 year old. i went w/ my mon and dad. I dont really rember much. I do rember that it rained for the 2 or 3 days that we were there. I barely rember. That was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay long ago. :lol:
now im as old as dust its self. :rotfl: Than my next trip was when i was like 22 or 23 years old.

[edg]

I was 26 on honeymoon. My youngest is 8 and this is her 3rd time at WDW. Kids are so spoilt these days........by dads like me !!!!!

[minnie17_6]

My very first trip to disney was when i was about 8 and the next when 11 but i am now going back at 17 and i cant wait i am very excited just waiting on my counter to go down to one day :woohoo:

[ukwdwnut]

well i was 43 when i first went, and now im the most excited whenever a trip is nearing, im like a big kid, and me and my DD are like 10yr olds running round to all the rides :lol:, we were thinking of going to port aventura next year as a stop gap until 07 for the next trip, until i found out its just as cheap to go to wdw for the week, all i have to do now is convince the wife :lol:, told DS today about my thoughts and he said he would go for the day if he could, it didnt even occur to him that as soon as he'd get there he'd have to come home :whistle: :lol:

[Blue alfie]

Well, my first trip will be this year and I'm 40. I always wanted to go as a child, but never made it. I did write to Jim'll fix it, but not about Disney, I asked to meet Donny Osmond, but didn't get picked!

[victorlowe]

I went to WDW first in October 1971 with my cousins in Ft. Lauderdale. I was 19 and a sophomore at Florida State University.

I first went to Disneyland in Anaheim when I was 24 years old.

[PumbaNY]

I was a native to the north east, because my parents & their generation of my family went to the country (thatwould be upstate ny) and that was a vacation.

When I had my own family my son was 4 and I think I was 26 we went for the first time, I think my kids which are 11 & 15 have been there 21 times :)

and I get more excited than they do when we get there :thumbs:

[Iona]

I'm going to be 22 when I go for the first time.

[broony]

Well, my first trip will be this year and I'm 40. I always wanted to go as a child, but never made it. I did write to Jim'll fix it, but not about Disney, I asked to meet Donny Osmond, but didn't get picked!
Oh NO!!!:lol: My DW, did just the same, and she still dislikes the lucky girls who got picked:rolleyes: .

[broony]

Iona,

Only 8 days till your first trip:D :hehe: :D .

You'll love it!!!!

[psdjmem]

Our parents took my brother and me way back in 1973 I was 12 -- I still remember what I wore some groovy aqua flowered bell bottoms and a aqua top :lol: There was no Epcot, MGM, AK just magic kingdom and they had the ABCDE tickets!!! They had ticket booths as I remember, we kept using up the "good ride" tickets and my poor dad kept going back and getting more E ride tickets. We did not go back as kids my parents where like well once you have went why go again :eek: can you believe that :cry: the next time i went I took my brother and mom when I was 18. OFcourse once the grandkids got here well then we had to run up and down the highway with them :shrug: grandparents ya gotta luv em :D

[Futureimagineer]

9 i think it was 98 or 99.. at christmas time..

[thepitz4156]

My first time was when I was 11 yrs old, went a couple more times-moved to kissimmee when I was 23-went about 9 more times-back in michigan-Had a daughter-her first time there -she was 3yrs old(Oh what a blast!!!) went again at 4 yrs and back again this year for 5yrs. Actually , this is our 2nd trip this year-went in jan 2005 and now again in dec 2005. We stay at the Coronodo Springs Resort and LOVE IT!!!! You are never too young and never get too old to love it!!!!

[tempertinker]

I first went at 5yrs, in 1985, now in 2003 we started going every year, twice this year. My daughters are VERY lucky - haylee had just turned 4 then, and Lilly was only 3 months old. After our trip next week she will have been 4 times, and she just turned 2. My husband went every year until he turned 16 - his grandmother took him. He complains about the fact he had to go in a Chevy Nova, lol. I would just be glad to get to go!

[missingorlando]

i was 4 when i first went to WDW. and have been going there every year since.

[lisahb]

I had been a few times as a small child. (3-5).Then again in 1991 with an ex-boyfriend. I finally talked DH into taking our 5 yr old in March. He will be 38, and has NEVER been. He lived in El Salvador until he was 7, his mom remarried, and he became one of 9 children.Needless to say he didn't get to do much as a child. I really thought he'd be excited, but I am having a hard time getting him pumped. He says b/c its so far off.:wacko: I can hardly contain myself, i'm so excited!!!

[lovinmom]

First time was when I was 16 back in 1989. My grandparents owned a condo in Flagler Beach and they gave us our first tour. My dad was a teacher and so we couldn't go until school let out in June. I remember it was very HOT and there were things my brother and I wanted to see and do but my Grandparents didn't think they were worth the time. So needless to say my first trip was not very fun. The only I remember is that I loved Epcot. My second time was when I was 29 in 2003 and Dh was really the one who wanted to go. We had a GREAT time and we have all been hooked ever since!

[draje01]

I was on my senior trip also (Grad Night 1989!) and we got to see NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK (isn't that hilarious?) Anyhow, I have been many times since, with and without my kids. :wiggle:

[tonyv]

First went to WDW in 1996 when i was 54. It was fantastic been a Disney kid since. As I'm semi retired money gets a bit short so DLP is the next best thing though i prefer WDW anytime. Saved all my pennies this year and going to WDW in Oct. with my Zimmer frame DD and Grandson. DW has refused to fly since 9/11 so it wil be hard to enjoy it without her there. Been married 39 years and its the first holiday away without the DW Tony

[maya43]

First time was the year the park opened! I was 9 and DH was 10.

Yep, we went together. No we weren't married or anything but are moms have always been best friends and our families went together!

[leonaluvspooh]

Hiya!:overhere:
Well all of you are very lucky!
I first visited WDW when I was 22 with DH.
We've been back once since, and are going again next year!
DH's first time was when he was 26 (with me).
We've enjoyed it so much, we can't think of anywhere else we'd like to holiday.
It's just such a fantastic place, everyone should experience it, at all ages.
DH and I are now re-living our childhood, and are treasuring every minute!
What a magical place! I love it, especially Pooh-bear!!
Leona :hehe:

[Eeyores smile]

I first went to disney when I was 9, staying in All star movies and Clearwater Hilton

[triciacarole]

I was 23 and it was my honeymoon :)

[Sierra]

I was 25 when I went the first time. I didn't get to go again till 9 years later. However, the last 3 years we lived in Georgia and got to go a lot. (Too bad we had to move--definitely cutting down our trips--WAH!).

My daughter (8) has been 14 times (15th coming up-- her "fourth annual Disney birthday trip" in December). Now that's spoiled!

[mandi321]

I first went to Disney when I was 11 years old back in 1988 with my mom dad and sister,my grandparents had a place in Ft.Myers so we drove over from there and spent a couple of days at the magic Kingdom, the next time I went after that was in 2000, then I went with my sister and grandparents in 2003, 2004 my sister and I drove down and stayed with a friend of hers that happens to live less than a mile from universal, then my sis's husband flew in and went on his first trip to Disney, 2005 got to take my newly adopted brother for his first trip at the age of 2, now we are awaiting the arrival of my sister's baby due at any moment now, hopefully we will take her on her first trip to Disney in Oct of 2006

[Glennon]

First time I ever went was this year, and I'm 16, best time of my life, can't wait to go again :D

[ukwdwnut]

First time I ever went was this year, and I'm 16, best time of my life, can't wait to go again :D


know how you feel glennon :D we are totally hooked on the place

[Stacy34234]

I was almost 2 when I first went in 1971 with my grandparents. It was the day before "opening day", I had an uncle that worked there then. Too bad I don't remember any of it. :rotfl: