When was your first exposure to Disney?

[dan40]

I think the first time I ever experienced Disney was when my mom and grandma drove the 3 of us kids from Southern Ontario to Tijuana, Mexico and back. Mexico had not been our first stop though, at the time we had relatives living both Reno, Nevada and Chino, California. We'd been all through that area in the car and I guess one day, being in such close proximity to Disneyland, mom asked her relatives how easy it would be to take us to Disneyland, and thus began my attraction to all things Disney. That was back in 1977 when I was 12 years old. Today I'm 51 years old, and still attracted to all things Disney!

On the day we visited Disneyland, I had my picture taken with Donald Duck, who spoke to me in a duck-sounding voice, to turn around and smile for the camera. "Cheese! Cheese!" he said! I remember watching the original Main Street Electrical Parade and the America On Parade parade like it was yesterday.

However, prior to this, I'm sure we'd seen many, many programs on Sunday nights when the Wonderful World of Disney came on television. So I've been addicted for many, many years.

When was your first exposure to Disney?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

My mom telling me how she used to watch Walt on TV with her dad, reporting on the progress of building Disneyland. A very fond memory of hers.

I was given a Disneyland View-Master reel that for a while, I looked at EVERY DAY... just dreamed of being able to visit. Was finally able to visit Disneyland when I was 14yo -- fell in love. Saved money and paid for a portion of my first trip to WDW with my mom and sister when I was 20. Since then, we've happily just about lost count of how many visits.

 

[rastahomie]

I don't remember a time in my life when I wasn't exposed to Disney, lol. My nursery was filled with Disney books, we watched Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday, etc.

My first time to a Disney theme park was probably 1977, when I was seven years old. WDW was new(ish), and Space Mountain was, at the time anyway, one of the most innovative and envelope-pushing roller coasters ever build. My grandma decided we grandkids had to go, and so we did. I have never looked back, lol.

 

[Micca]

I was given a Disneyland View-Master reel that for a while, I looked at EVERY DAY... just dreamed of being able to visit.

Disney viewmaster reels were awesome, I had Disneyland and Mickey Mouse Club reels. I'm like @rastahomie in that I don't remember a time when there wasn't Disney in my life. I watched the MMC (the original) as a kid, and I had lots of Mickey Mouse toys and records. First trip to DLR was 1965, first trip to WDW 1978.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Like rastahomie, my first exposure was in the nursery. - I still have the framed picture of "Flower" (from Bambi) that hung on my wall.

My first real memories of loving Disney were watching The Wonderful World of Disney on TV.

I didn't make it to WDW until I was 27, but I've made up for it with many trips since!

 

[Bluestars]

I went to Disneyland in the 70s when I was around 12. I remember that they had tickets for rides and I am pretty sure it was before space mountain. I used to live in California in my 20s, so I went there many more times. The first time I visited Disney World I was in my early 30s. I took my kids to both Disneyland and Disney World several times while they were growing up. I think it's been at least five years since I have been back. My kids are adults and my husband and I usually go on cruises or to Hawaii, when we aren't visiting family across the country. I'd like to go back, but definitely during a low crowd time.

 

[loves to dive]

I was born in Cucamonga California and we moved to Pasadena shortly after I was born. I'm told my parents took us to Disneyland all the time, we left California when I was 3 so I don't remember, although my brothers do. There were 6 of us kids, the oldest brother was 5 when I was born and I'm the 6th, no twins so there were 2 or 3 little ones at the time. Must have been fun. Mama had a charm bracelet with charms of places they had visited or events that were important, she had a castle and a tink on the bracelet. I can remember playing with that tink when she would wear the bracelet, thus my fascination with tink. I now own the bracelet and wear it all the time. I didn't go to Disney again until 1983 when my son was just shy of 3. We, of course, watched the Wonderful World of Disney and when we got our first color TV it was so cool the way it started in black and white and Tink waved her wand it and turned color. My brother's all had Davy Crockett racoon hats and I'm told watched the original Mickey Mouse Club. Mama used to tell us about them walking around singing the song. It's just always been in our lives, even though there were many years between visits to the parks and the coast changed.

 

[elphaba91]

The first that I'm aware of was when I was about 2, maybe a few months younger. My aunt came back from a trip to the States and brought my older sister back a little Mickey figurine and me a little Donald figurine. We each looked at our present, looked at the other's and, without a word, swapped. From then on I was obsessed with Mickey and she loved Donald. When my younger sister came along my mum tried to make Minnie 'her character' but it never really stuck. She certainly loves Disney too though - she's doing the DCP right now! - she just doesn't really have a special character.

 

[E&Cmom]

My mom ordered me a box set of Disney records as a child which I listened to all the time. I loved them.

I would also watch "The Wonderful World of Disney" every Sunday night.

Didn't make my first Disney trip until I was 30.

 

[Meriweather]

First trip was to DL when I was 3......1957!

We lived in N. CA. Went every couple of years. I had books and records. I also got a Cinderella watch when I was about 6

 

[Pooh2]

The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights!

 

[hereyago]

I recall being in 1st grade watching The Original Mickey Mouse Club (They were reruns, but at that age I didn't know.)

 

[mdb78]

There are pictures of my room as a baby of Mickey vinyl stickers on my wall. I was 2 for my first visit to wdw. We lived in south Florida and we had relatives from out of the country visiting so we took them to Disney world. It was 1980.

 

[Kitty 34]

Op, are you talking about going for the first time or just when we realized there was a Disney because for me that would be watching the Mickey Mouse Club years ago.

 

[aristocatz]

I don't remember my first Disney movie, but I remember the one I fell in love with first was the Three Caballeros. I was mesmerized by that movie!! I still get that magical feeling when I show it to my kids now & also when I ride the ride at WDW.

I also remember snippets of my first trip to WDW. 1979 & we stayed at the Polynesian. I remember the lobby, the beach, our room, electric water parade. I remember snippets of the Magic Kingdom-meeting Pluto & having him squeeze my hand too tight. I also think it was that trip that Goofy rode Dumbo!! We also have video of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad still under construction.

 

[ronandannette]

I don't remember a time in my life when I wasn't exposed to Disney, lol. My nursery was filled with Disney books, we watched Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday, etc.

My first time to a Disney theme park was probably 1977, when I was seven years old. WDW was new(ish), and Space Mountain was, at the time anyway, one of the most innovative and envelope-pushing roller coasters ever build. My grandma decided we grandkids had to go, and so we did. I have never looked back, lol.

The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights!

My earliest memories of tv are those of seeing the fireworks burst over the castle - in black-and-white!

DH and I courted in the mid-90's when Mickey Mouse as a fashion statement was prominent. One Christmas he gave me an amazing parka, pajamas, a sweater, socks and a watch. He finally made my dreams come true by actually getting me to DLR in 2004.

 

[jevs]

As a young child. We used to watch Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights, if we behaved.

 

[RedAngie]

I suppose my first exposure was the Sunday evening TV program. Or maybe some Disney books or record albums.

First visit was on my 14th birthday in 1975. Just the Magic Kingdom existed then.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Technically, my first exposure to Disney was being taken to a drive-in to see Lady and the Tramp, but I didn't know it was a Disney movie. I first became aware of Disney as a thing when for Christmas I received a set of Disney books. There were 4 of them and each had a theme. One of them had a section all about Disneyland as I recall, and I practically wore it to pieces looking at it. It had gorgeous pictures. Then I learned about Walt Disney World, but it was beyond my family's means to go as we were pretty poor. Boy I ate my heart out when my friend Patti got to go in 1979. I finally go to go as an adult in 1992, and I've been besotted since.

 

[Bilberry]

i remember the first Disney movie I saw. It was Snow White and the 7 Dwarves. I'm not sure how that came about. Likely my parents saw it being shown at a theater and took me.

The first time I visited Disney was Disney Land in the middle to late 70s. I don't remember how old I was. We were likely living in San Jose, CA at the time and made the drive down south. It was a wonderful visit to Disney with one drawback. I lot my Mickey ears on one of the rides, which at that very young age bothered me greatly.