If you first went to WDW as a kid how much can you remember from your first trip?

[tinkerbelle22]

12. At the time, the "big" thing was the "invisible dog." You know, it's a really stiff bit of wire made to look like a leash and has a harness type thing at the end and you make it look as if you're walking a dog? My parents wouldn't let me get a pet, but they said I could get one of those because there was no mess with those. Still didn't get one though. I just remember SOOO many people having them, esp. waiting for the monorail IN THOSE LINES!!!! (Ohhhhh, the lines ...... )

Oh my goodness, I totally remember the invisible dogs! I had one, with a blue leash. I kept "him" under my bed for a long time until 2 years ago when I got my room re-done. Now I think (hope!) it's in the attic.

My first trip was to WDW when I was 2 (I'm 19 now). It was also my mom and dad's first trip, so we weren't too familiar with the lay of the land being that my mom is originally from Long Beach, CA so she practically grew up in DL. Thankfully my dad loves his video camera, so he basically caught every moment (of every trip since then too!) on tape. I'm really lucky for that. I remember:
-Hearing the monorail spiel for the first time - and by the next time I went back two years later, I had it completely memorized.
-Riding Dumbo, the Great Movie Ride, and a few more...I was little and a bit timid so I didn't go on too many things.
-I got really sick towards the end of the trip, Dopey gave me a big kiss on the cheek, and I miraculously got a lot better almost overnight. Proof of Disney magic
-After seeing a recurring ad on TV back home for Tower of Terror, I was convinced that you were standing up during the ride (that's how they showed it on the commercial), and it made your hair stand up. There's a video of me standing between the Swan and Dolphin going, "You get electrocuted and your hair gets all messed up!"
I was 3 when I went to DL for the first time. Like I said, my mom's from there, so it was mostly to visit relatives, but we still went. I actually don't remember too much of that trip. But once again, we have it on tape!

 

[Suellen]

I was 6 months old.... so nothing.

My parents remember it though! It was a good meaningful experience for them to be able to do that for us as such young parents!

 

[wdwlibrarian]

My first trip was when I was about 5, and we just did the Magic Kingdom. I have a picture of my mom and I on Dumbo, but I don't remember that. I do remember riding the sky buckets to Fantasyland from Tomorrowland because it felt so high. And I remember going on Pirates with my dad and not being scared because I knew my dad would never let anything happen to me. I'm going to use that logic to encourage my 5-year-old niece to go on pirates with her dad when we all go for a big family trip this summer.

 

[kalee45]

I, too, went the first year or so after WDW just opened. I was 6 or 7 at the time. I remember being lined up (the cars that is) onto I-4 waiting to get into the parking lot & riding the tram then the monrail! How cool could it get, 2 rides & we hadn't even entered the park yet? The rides I remember are Small World, Snow White (mainly because my older sister cried hysterically!), Haunted Mansion, Hall of Presidents (my Dad made us go), the Diamond Horsehoe Review with the can-can dancers (again my Dad made us go!), and eating lunch at Pinocchio Haus with the little birdds flying all around. I also recall the ticket books & still say "It's not an E-ticket ride" about any rides that are a little lame--like the county fair ones!

 

[Mary T in PA]

My first Disney Trip was to Disney Land when I was 12. It was actually part of a church trip I took, so I also got to go to Knott's Berry Farm and the beach, and also check out a few other sites.

I remember being able to meet characters as they actually roamed around!

I was with friends and I loved the Skyway and IASW. IT's funny as I was looking at pics I took from back then. Hilarious... and also what was interesting was it would have been DL's 25th anniversary, 1980.

I remember bits and pieces of DL - seems so long ago!!!

We are planning to go out to DL in a few years, and then hit the other parks in the world (France, HK, Tokoyo, and eventually Shanghai) when our kids are teenagers so they will hopefully remember some of our journeys.

 

[Picota26]

I went when I was 6, it was my first trip abroad (I'm from Peru) I really don't remember much, what I remember is my mother taking lots of pictures in one particular restaurant that she loved and also all the lines we had to do, because it was summer time haha, since then we always go on winter!

 

[Quillo]

My first trip to WDW was when I was 7 years old. We only visited MK and EC, the only two parks in those days.

What I remember the most was that we found a lot of cold, I my parents bought me a scarf and hat from Canada.

I also remember having for the first time hot chocolate with marshmallows (we don't have this in Mexico) and eating at Casey's Corner with my dad, a big baseball fan, that is I remember, but there are a lot of photos from that trip.

 

[nooneshome]

I was almost 8 when we went to DL in 1965. I remember Its a Small World, the submarine ride, the Matterhorn, eating an ice cream float, playing a "computer" tic-tac-toe game and I think meeting Donald Duck. I do remember my dad getting lost when we were going to see Knotts Berry Farm.

 

[cmcinc]

My first trip I was 5 in 1977. I remember staying at the Contemporary, the huge arcade there, riding the monorail. I really remember the next year when we went and loosing a tooth at River Country while eating a ice cream sandwich.

 

[afwdwfan]

My first trip was at the age of 4 in 1985. I remember a lot of specific details about that trip, but there are a lot of other things I don't remember.
My first memory was the monorail ride into MK. When we went through the Contemporary, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. When I found out that the building we went through was a hotel that people could stay in, I wanted to know why we weren't staying there. It has since become a goal of mine to one day stay at the Contemporary and that has yet to happen.
I also remember riding Dumbo, the speedway and the teacups, which were my favorite rides that trip. I also remember that I rode BTMRR, but wouldn't go into Space Mountain... I was ready but then my Dad told me it was dark so the deal was off.
At EPCOT, I remember Spaceship Earth just because I didn't believe my mom when she told me there was a ride inside the big golf ball. I also remember the Imagination Pavillion because I met what would become one of my alltime favorite Disney characters on that ride. We came home with a few Figment souvenirs that trip.
The most vivid memory I have from that trip happened at a rest area in GA. We drove down and stopped to eat lunch. As we were getting in the van to leave and Pooh fell out the door. Nobody realized it until we got down the road and I was flipping out because I couldn't find him. We had to turn around and rescue him. He's faded, has some stitches, and has seen some better days, but he's still with me and sitting in my office at home.

 

[Baloo and Bagheera]

My first trip was in 1977 at age 5. Highlights:

Skybuckets
Tomorrowland Speedway
Country Bear Jamboree
Jungle Cruise
Orange Juice out of a plastic orange with straw
Souveniers: Big brother got a rifle in Frontierland. I got a pirate head made out of a coconut
Space Mountain
Polynesian Luau -- I think I 'remember' this from pictures because my parents claim I fell asleep early in the show
Invisable Dog leash and Magic Tricks bought on Main Street
Riding the Monorail through the Contemporary

 

[avgeek81]

I was 3 when i went in 1984. The only thing i really remember is watching a show in front of the castle. They were celebrating Donald Ducks birthday. Everything else i think i just remeber from pictures and stories.

I went back in 1987 and i remember crying because we didnt have time to go on Mr Toads wild ride on our last day because the line was too long. By the time i made it back to WDW 11 years later the ride was gone.

I went to Disneyland in 1990 and remember falling asleep duringthe Tiki Room.

 

[Cat0727]

I was almost 5 when we went to WDW in 1991. I remember meeting Minnie, riding Haunted Mansion and seeing the hitchhiker ghost in our doom buggy, riding Mr. Toad, and running up to the characters that were riding in a trolley for meet and greets (probably down Main Street).

 

[Caribbeanprincess]

My first trip was in 1996, I was 5 going on 6. I remember pretty much everything, the castle was the pink Birthday Cake of doom on my first trip, but my most vivid Disney memory was seeing the castle for the first time being very happy and then thinking "What the hell is that thing?!" I remember that my mother got sick the second day when we went to Magic Kingdom and my grandparents were the ones that took me to the park. I don't remember going to Epcot or MGM even though I know I went from the pics, however I remember MK perfectly. I remember the Easter parade, I remember taking pictures on the flower carts near Main Street with my grandma. I remember going on 1,000 Leagues for the first and last time. There's a pic of me somewhere sitting on one of the rocks in the line. I remember what I was wearing too, it was a cute red dress with flowers on it. I remember quite a lot, hehehe.

 

[juliebug1997]

I went when I was either three or four in either '77/78. I remember:

*dancing at the luau; I got picked to be in the show.
*20k Leagues
*It's a Small World
*meeting Goofy

That was the trip that I finally started jumping into the pool but only so long as my dad would catch me.

 

[Punchy]

I went on Jan 11, 1993 at age 12.

I remember being fascinated by the pyramid, sphere and cube shaped trees in front of EPCOT. I miss now those.

I remember the automatic sliding doors on a van at EPCOT. My dad was really impressed by that. I also remember using a touch screen for the first time.

I also remember Goofy stepping on my foot during a photo and how it throbbed all day.

 

[photographymom517]

I just found this thread & loved reading through everyone's memories of their first Disney trips!!!!!

My first trip was when I was 5 years old!

I remember being stuck on the monorail for over an hour in a lightning storm!!! The power went out & something was wrong with the generators so we just sat there...and sat there...

I remember riding IASW and the Carousel and also 20,000 Leagues but I have no other memories of rides.

I remember that it rained A LOT when we were there & it was cold & I wore a coat with a hood on it (I look at pictures now & wonder what the heck my mom was thinking when she dressed me looking like that! (it was the 80's!) LOL)

I remember standing in front of the giant 25th Birthday Cake with my dad!

I remember that we DROVE down to Florida & it took a million hours (not really, only 20 but it seemed like longer!)

And I remember buying a GIANT Minnie Mouse for under $20 (the same one that now costs over $99)

I remember the Electrical Parade (and it was nice to see it last year -- I even remembered the differences & similarities from when I saw it so many years ago!!!!)

I also remember seeing the Walrus, Pooh, Minnie, & the 2 Mice from Cinderella.

 

[BBQMommy]

1972
I was 3. These are my first real memories and I treasure them:

I remember the Castle and a little clock shoppe inside of it. I have a little porcelain wall clock from that trip.

I remember drinking orange juice from a straw out of a plastic orange.

I remember Dumbo and the Tiki Room.

I remember 20,000 and the dank smell and being slightly afraid.

I remember our hotel, the Contemporary and the tall mural.


Caryn

 

[Missus Toad]

I first went when I was 5 (and so was WDW), and I remember the rooms at the Contemporary, the Fiesta Fun Center, Coconino Cove, the monorail, the white magnolia trees, the playground with tetherball and awesome swings, the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village and the sweltering play structure there, meeting Peter Pan and Goofy and Cinderella, and the rides. I also remember visiting Circus World and getting my face painted, among other things there.

 

[PJAY]

I remember my mom complaining that the tickets were too darn expensive. I remember Mickey Mouse stopping us and giving my sleeping brother a kiss while he slept. I also looked into Donald's bill and was surprised to see a CM staring back at me (he wore glasses and smiled).
I remember riding 20,000 leagues under the sea and thinking it was THE greatest ride EVER. I remember asking to ride the Skyway and being rebuffed.\
I don't remember staring at the castle and being in awe like I do now.
I remember being happy that I was there but I don't remember many of the attractions other than IASW and Peter Pan's Flight