year of your first visit to Walt Disney World

[tbell101]

Hi there! My name's Sean! I'm 30 years old, and I've got autism. First of all, I want to wish everybody a Happy Easter!

I live near St. Louis with my grandparents, and even though I've never been to Florida, but since Disney World is going to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, what year did you first visit Disney World in Orlando, whether it was in 1971 (the year Magic Kingdom opened), 1982 (the year EPCOT Center opened, now Epcot), 1989 (the year the Disney-MGM Studios opened, now Disney's Hollywood Studios), 1998 (the year Disney's Animal Kingdom opened), etc., and what was your experience like during your first visit/vacation to Disney World?

Thanks!
Sean

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Our first visit was in 1993 for our honeymoon and we've been back at least 1x a year ever since (with the exception of 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic). We LOVED the parks on our first visit and still do! We have 4 children and each of them have visited for the first time when they were 2-3 months old and they LOVE WDW as much as we do.

 

[Timandalicia]

1981. I was 9. I remember how real everything felt. It was like nothing I had ever seen.

We went to River Country and Hoop Dee Doo Revue as part of the trip.

Tickets were 6 dollars back then.

We got to see Spaceship Earth under construction.

 

[Wendy1985]

1988 3 yrs old

 

[DrJenski]

1994 or 1995, not quite sure since I was a kiddo

 

[neverlandsky]

Our first and only visit so far was October 2017. 7 nights/6 days with 6 park days. No waterparks/No park hoppers. It was our first major vacation as a family. Despite me getting sick on the 3rd day in overall it was ok. Oldest just turned teen and youngest was later years of tween. Me & DH were late 30s So we will all remember quite a bit. We had to cancel a lot of FPs, ADRs, & night plans. Rookie mistake of not believing just how big WDW truly was, transportation was a time eater too, and plus we were jet lagged going from PST to EST.

I think if we were to return to WDW we would plan just one day at one park for entire trip, visit both waterparks, and resort stay. So it feels more like a vacation vs. the go go go and then we crash like our first visit was.

 

[Traver Freeman]

1994 for me! I was 7 years old.

After that it was 1997, 2004, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, and this year will be trip #10 at 2021

The years between 2014 and 2017 we went to Disneyland about once a month since we moved out West.

 

[bcla]

Never been. Was thinking about it when I made a visit to Miami and found there was a storm coming through town. I chose to check into a hotel in the Miami area and holed up there until the storm passed through. Probably could have driven to WDW and found a basic hotel pretty cheap.

Turns out that the storm didn't force a WDW closure, but ended up dumping a lot of rain which would have made a visit pretty miserable for a day. Also would have made it tricky with regard to my Miami hotel reservation. I had two hotel nights in the Florida Keys that were automatically cancelled because of the storm, but I was abled to get the same rate I had for five nights in Miami, but for two more nights.

 

[Mysterian]

Our family took two trips, around the mid-80's. I remember one day vividly- it was raining hard, hardly anyone around. I still remember some areas at night smelled of rain, and the typical Disney attraction smells. Made the place feel so alive.

My third trip was a senior class trip. The entire park was filled only with high school seniors from around the country. The girl I was dating made the trip an unenjoyable experience much of the time.

Eventually going back there with my father, my sister, and her family. This was actually my sister's idea, ever since my mom passed away a three weeks ago.

 

[HiStitch626]

Hi Sean!

First trip was December 1971 and I was 6. We lived on the Space Coast so day trips were easy. At that time general admission to the park was $3.50 and then you bought extra tickets for rides. My grandparents would take me and my brother, and my grandmother would find a shady spot to sit and my grandfather would take us on the rides. Great memories!

 

[RUDisney]

1977

We got the news of Elvis' death on our way to the hotel after a commando day at the park.

I was just shy of 11.

 

[kanerf]

It was in the 70's. Not sure of the exact year, but let's go with 79. I graduated HS in 78 and I think it was after that.

 

[marthachick]

My first trip with DH and his parents was 1984 to Magic Kingdom only. I found the paper ticket a week or two ago. It was $17.00 for one day admission. Next trip wasn’t until 2005 when DH & I took DS. We had 5 day Magic Your Way Base ticket which were $193.00 each. Last trip was 2018. Hoping to go next year with our new grandson!

 

[antmaril]

My first trip to Disney World was in 1980 at age 29 with my mom. She died suddenly two years later. We had such a great time and it is a wonderful memory.

 

[Lsyves]

1977! It’s been fun watching it change over the years but I am sometimes nostalgic for things like river country and discovery island — and my parents not going into debt to take us there!

 

[BrianL]

I only remember it was 1987 because it was "15 yeeeaaars - we're having a party!" That was when my dad took us. We did two days at MK and EP each, alternating. It was pretty incredible, though I did get sick from a strawberry milkshake that I threw up in a big pink splatter right in front of the brand-new Captian EO (which is how I know it was 1987 because it was like June and EO opened in late '86 but the 15th was still going on). The CMs were very nice about me getting sick and brought me inside. We had to wait for a show cycle though, but they let me sit in the front area.

The next time we went was 1994 when my Mom took us and she did it up right (it was always controversial that our dad took us without informing her - ah, divorced parents!). We stayed at the then "Dixie Landings" and also did MGM and Typhoon Lagoon and Universal Studios. I got the worst sunburn ever at TL - the back-blistering kind. Toward the end of the day I was hanging out at the shark reef because of the very cold and salty water. It was a long car-ride home! After that I vowed to never get a sunburn again - and I never have!

 

[Moliphino]

1993. We stayed at Port Orleans (French Quarter) and did all the parks and water parks that were open at that time.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

1996-yes the castle was the cake!

 

[Dead2009]

My first year was in '95

 

[AvidDisReader]

First trip was in 1975 with my Fiancee. She loved it so much that we now have been married 44 years (45 in July) and I am convinced the marriage has lasted so long is that I keep taking her back - LOL.