How did the magic first happen for your family?

[LibertyTreeGal]

in 2004 I went for a 4 day trip to WDW with my female relatives, it was the first time I had ever been away from my twins (one special needs) for more than an hour in 3 years (since they were born). The whole time I was there I wanted to point to things to share with them (and wanted to cry everytime it happened) but they weren't there so I resolved to get my DH over to WDW if it killed us.

So a year and a half later, I managed to talk him and my inlaws into a week long vacation. Well, my MIL was wanting to go, but DH and FIL were really not excited. FIL was worried he wouldn't have anything good to eat for a week (ROFL) and DH didn't figure he'd enjoy himself at all.

SO, imagine my surprise on day 3 of the trip when we are sitting eating lunch at LTT and I turn to see DH and FIL planning our next trip!!! MIL and I are just rolling our eyes (I mean, we had to drag them along as it was), as they are talking about resort pools and this and that and weighing options.

So they have been talking over the phone about the trip for the last 18 months -- the worst Disney vacation fanatics in the family!!!

Does anyone else have any similar experiences?

[SallyfromDE]

Mine was several years ago. I think I was around 30-31. I had a sister that was a second life baby and she was 8. Dad just had brain surgery and wouldn't be able to take her. She was ranting and raving about her friends going to Disney. I was in the process of planning a vaca to FL and descided I'd just take her to Disney. Well, I was the one to fall in love with it. She went for about 4 years with me, then started to have some school grade issues and our Parents wouldn't let her go.

In the meantime, I had a 4yo neice that fell in love with the video, Disneyland Fun, and she scarfed up this Mickey and Minnie I had on my bed. So I started to take her. She is a total Disney freak. 18 now and in college. I took her until the last couple of years when she couldn't get out of school becuase of college prep. But she has been to Disney on her family vaca and as a grad present from her grandparents.

Again, in the meantime, I have another new neice. Fell in love with Disney via the Disneyland Fun video. Again, I lost the little Mickey and Minnie had sitting on my bed. I took her to see Disney on Ice when she was 2. We sat up front and at the end of the show, Minnie waved her over and touched her hand. She went around for a week, waving her hand at people saying Mickey. She is now 6 (almost 7) and been to Disney 5 times. She eat, sleeps and talks everything Disney.

I've been every year for vacation and a few times twice, when the plane rates were cheap. And with my sister on her family vacation. In the beginning, there were only the 2 parks, so it was easier to fit a good trip in a week. Then gradually started on the new. Now it's a leisure trip for us as we do the things we like or haven't done in a while. I enjoy the atmosphere, the cleanliness and charm of Disney.

We just got back from Disney and had a phenomenal time. No sites of the Dream Team, all our magic we made on our own. Like going into the cockpit to visit the airplane pilot. Making Kirsta a dress for dinner in the castle that had people stopping her right and left to tell her how beautiful it was. At the Halloween party, she was Cinderella in Cinders and we had several CM walk across the street to tell her it was the most unique costume they had seen in years at the party. And having guests ask where I bought it becuase thier children wanted one. I was disappointed that it seemed to be a lack of character sightings to the past. Kirsta is really into the whole autograph thing right now.

We've been home a week and already talking about our next trip.

[JerseyMouse]

In 1980 I went to WDW with my parents and a high school friend. It was over President's Weekend and the only park at that time was the MK..so imagine the crowds. I was one frustrated teenager, bored out of my mind.

We had gotten a shuttle to MK and as we were finally leaving the park, I noticed a sign that said.."Coming Soon...Epcot Center". My mother asked me what i thought it was going to be, and I replied..."don't know, don't care..I won't be there" And that was that until 1993, my honeymoon with DW...she was bound and determined to go to WDW, and wouldn't budge, despite my opinion of an overcrowded park with a week of long waits, but I gave in, and am so glad I did.

Our honeymoon was 9/13-20, 1993, rainy season in WDW...it rained for 5 minutes as our towncar took us to Port Orelans, the rest of the week, the weather couldn't have been better, no crowds, and the first walk down Main St. USA with my new bride was something I will never forget...a heavy dose of awe covers it nicely!!

I now book our yearly reservation, and simply could not, and will not, imagine a year without WDW, it is a part of us. Simply magical.

[wdw_bound]

We couldn't afford a trip when I was growing up, but I never let go of the dream that one day...

In January of 2003, I started the job that has become my dream job, although at the time I just thought it was a good job. DH and I decided to book a vacation to WDW to celebrate, since we knew that time off once the job started would be a rare commodity. The hitch was we had to do it on a dime - I'd been at home with DD for a little over a year, so things were tight. I used Marriott reward points for park tickets and found a buy a night get a night free deal at the HI Family Suites.

We went to one character meal - Chef Mickey's. We ate a few CS meals, but for the most part, ate what we could fix in the microwave at the hotel. We had a cooler that we filled up with sandwiches, fruits and raw veggies that we kept in the trunk. Around lunch each day, we'd go back to the car, have lunch in the parking lot and hop to the next park.

Even cutting corners, it was an amazing trip! During that trip I had a realization that we were the family I had always wanted to be part of growing up. No stress, no yelling, just laughter and good times. When I said something along those lines, he told me he had just been thinking the same thing - we truly had made a good life for ourselves and our kids and were very blessed to not only have done so, but to have realized it.

[*BJTDancer2*]

When I was 5 or 6 my parents took me and my brothers to Disney. I don't remember much about the trip but one of the few memories I have is meeting Minnie Mouse. I remember wanting to see Minnie before going home because she was a girl mouse. I was walking with my mom past Cinderella's Carousel and there she was Minnie coming out of the side of a building. I ran away from my mom to give Minnie a hug. I got her autograph and got to give her a hug without waiting in a line. I've always wanted to go back to experience some more Disney magic and am planning a pre-graduation gift to myself with my best friend in January. I'm so incredibly excited to go and have more magical moments.

[kim1st]

I'm still working on DH, but I'm sold after our first family trip.

Growing up, there wasn't a lot of $$$ for that sort of thing, but my grandparents lived in FL, so we at least managed to do 1 day at MK and 1 day at Epcot.

We all had a great time on the trip...I was ready to become a DVC member. DH is concerned that Disney would "get old"...

I'm working on plans for a fall '08 trip...and I'm convinced we'll have that "magic" moment where DH decides Disney will never "get old" and we should absolutely plan a Disney getaway every year

[cal5755]

LIBERTYTREEGAL- My story is similar. I went twice as a child...in my teens. I absolutely loved it. Once I became pregnant with our 3rd child, knowing this was our final baby, I started working on DH about Disney. He would endlessly roll his eyes at me and whine about how he refused to go pay a million bucks for a mickey ice cream etc. etc. etc. Well after enough badgering we made plans to use our tax return for a trip to the World. We booked the trip 3 days before our youngest was born and when she was 6 months old we headed down to Disney.

Needless to say DH was struck the moment we entered MK. I almost think it was more fun watching him than the children. He was amazed at the character interaction. We celebrated our anniversary there and did bride and groom ears since we never had a honeymoon... he was in awe of how many times we were congratulated... and even more so when Mary Poppins said it from her float in the parade.

He was the one planning the next trip before we ended that one. Now it is an every other year trip.... except this last time we booked the bounce back. The best fun is he still will pretend to whine and complain about the cost of the trips... but he is the biggest baby when it comes time to go. Counting down days and getting all giddy.

I just love everything about our Disney vacations.. they are all seperately unique yet equally as magical. Our kids talk about how when they are older they will take us to the World on vacation!! The magic never gets old.

[Disney Doll]

Oh yeah. I took DH along for our first trip together in 2001. He didn't seem that enthused, but went along anyway. Fast forward 6 years and 4 trips later- DH gets more excited about Disney vacations than I do. We brought along his mom and sister 2 years ago and one of the funniest moments was DH pouring over the Magic Kingdom map one morning locating his must do's. It's a Small World was at the top of the list. We all just stood there wondering who is this man?

[conorsmom2000]

I went as a child when I was 7, in 1977, and just loved it - I remember so much from that trip.

So, when Mike and I were dating, we decided to take a trip in 1995 because he had never been there. Unfortunately, though, at the age of 26, Mike just couldn't get in to Disney at all. We both fell in love with our first stay at the WL (then only opened a year, I believe) - but, we went in March and the parks were just packed, there was a cold snap that we weren't prepared for and it was impossible to get Mike to do half the stuff there - overall, it wasn't our best trip.

It took me a long time to get him to go back - but, fast forward to 2005 - what a difference 10 years and having your 5 year old son with you!! Seeing Disney through Conor's eyes was a totally different experience for Mike - seeing Con's reaction upon entering the MK for the first time, hearing him proclaim "Mommy, Daddy....the characters are REAL!!" made him get the magic. By the time we came home, Mike was as big a fan as Conor and I, and even expressing interest in the DVC!! We went back again in 2006 and hope to go back next year......

Having Mike pull Conor and I along as he raced to get on line to get a picture with all 7 dwarfs last year was priceless - I love that he gets so into it now!

[ibrowse17]

Mine happened in 1975 when our entire family went and stayed at Ft. Wilderness. I was 7 years old, and thought that I had found heaven on earth. We took many more trips as a family, and I have taken more with my own. That first trip always comes to mind when talking or planning or being at WDW.