I will never forget the first time I experienced...

[azcavalier]

Fantasmic! at Disneyland, in April 1996. My DW and I went to DL for our 1st anniversary, and we got seats along the river to catch this. Fantasmic at DL is much, much better than Fantasmic at DHS. If you've never seen it, it is amazing. It was the first time I had seen the projections on the walls of water, and I thought it was spectacular.

That said, I also loved it when they added the projection of Davy Jones onto the mist at the beginning of POTC.

[azcavalier]

Oh, and I would have to add the current fireworks show at MK. Not the fireworks, actually, but the projections they use on the castle. It's *amazing* how they can make the castle look like it has changed materials, how they can project so exactly into the angles and curves to make it all look so seamless. I think that technically, it's one of the most amazing things that WDI has ever done.

[PopPhan]

The first time I saw the 'Castle Dreamlights'...It was also the first time I had been to WDW during the Christmas season.

I was mesmerized by the whole thing.....The lights, the colors, the background music...the whole nine yards....

And the Magic, Memories, and You show on the castle wall...Another magical show.

You know, as much as we all like to bash TDO for taking things away, when they DO add something nice like that, they SHOULD get a little credit for bringing the magic back. they're not ALL bad!! LOL

[CosmicRay]

What's so funny is, I went to WDW for the first time back in 1995, when I was 18. What's so strange to me, is that I cannot remember any of my experiences and trying any of the rides for the very first time.

I went back the next year on my honeymoon and I remember EVERYTHING and loving and taking in all my surroundings.

And on THAT trip, I remember loving SSE. I think we rode it 10 times just enjoying the music, the smells, the sounds and all the animatronics.

[mydisneygirls]

Riding Dumbo. The first time I rode, I took my 8 year old nephew on (who was on his Make A Wish trip in April and then passed away the following February). I was holding on to him so tight that when we got off, he told me sister I was trying to choke him!!!! LOL Every time I walk past Dumbo I think of that special moment.

[Stu29573]

I remember riding the Haunted Mansion for the first time as a kid. I was a little worried about what would happen so my aunt went with me. Needless to say, I drug my poor aunt on it five times in a row!

I also remeber riding Pirates for the first time as a kid and being totally blown away by it. It was 1973 at Disneyland, by the way. Years later I rode it again at WDW and didnt have exactly the same reaction. It wasnt until much later that I discovered that the WDW attraction is shorter and has one less drop...

[DNS]

I will never forget the first time I walked through the Osborne Festival of Lights at DHS. It was truly an amazing and unexpected experience!

I am with you 100%! Most of the rides/attractions were very impressive the first time, but I will never forget my feelings when I saw those lights!

[zipadeedoodah]

I have a few moments as well.

*Splash Mountain. I was so amazed that there was an entire dark ride in there! For some reason I kept thinking the drop was coming up a lot sooner than it was! Love it!

*Alien Encounter. I loved this attraction, and still miss it very much. Scared the **** outta me!

*Dinosaur. I was amazed (and slightly embarrassed) how terrified I was on this...as an adult! lol

*Expedition Everest. I had no idea we would be going BACKWARDS...and so fast too! Amazing.

[MrPeetrie]

Great Topic!

The first time I was ever on Disney property was when I was 15 at Disneyland. I was BLOWN AWAY by the Haunted Mansion. I remember coming home and telling everyone they made it look like ghosts were dancing. I was so amazed.

I wouldn't return until I was near 40 and married. The ride that made the greatest impact on that trip was Alien Encounter. I didn't have any idea what it was about and I was completely thrilled by the attraction.

I have many more, but I want to give others a chance to talk about theirs.

[scooterca42]

Another one for Rockin Rollercoaster. DH and I were in line, chatting idly, just after the video, and saw a train come in. We were still chatting when it launched and I yelped and jumped, and DH howled with laughter!

Main Street Electrical parade, from when I was very young. And of course, taking DH to Disneyland on our honeymoon - his very first time seeing the castle in person, not just on TV! What a wonderful expression on his face!!

[Mousemates]

I will never forget the first time I experienced...

...riding the monorail. My first vist to Disney was with my maternal grandparents who raised me and watching this super sleek modern transport stop inside our hotel to pick us up and carry to the Magic Kingdom was about the most exciting thing I had ever seen as a ten year old boy back in the early seventies.

#2 would be going under the "boat bridge" while driving to the Contemporary. I still remember talking to my my grandmother about what kind of magical place this must be if they built bridges so boats could drive over cars.

[DisneyHoneymooners]

Great topic and an easy answer for us... the first time we walked onto the lobby of Jambo house at AKL on our honeymoon. If you have never stayed there, it is by far the most stunning entrance. It took our breath away. The sights, sounds and even scents make it easy to forget that you are not really in Africa.

[joonyer]

The first time riding Splash Mountain with my DW and kids. . . . at night . . . during Wishes, with the fireworks going off overhead, . . . and with a full moon in the sky to boot, . . . all unplanned, not knowing what to expect. Nevermind the big drop! We were all blown away by the magic of it all. The kids' eyes were like saucers and their mouths were first agape and then all huge grins afterward. That experience has set the tone for us on every Disney trip since. Truly magical.

[EJS-Houston]

The first thing that springs to mind is being 12 years old and seeing the Main Street Electrical Parade for the first time. This would have been the Summer of 1972, and I vividly remember being so overwhelmed by the sheer wonder of it that I choked up and tears welled up in my eyes.

[darthmacho]

Well, I have a few actually, and for different reasons...

• ...the Wilderness lodge Lobby. Not an attraction, I know, but the first time I walked into it, it blew my mind.
• ...Space Mountain, because it was the very first WDW attraction I ever experienced.
• ...Dinosaur, because I believe this will be the closest I'll ever get to being in the presence of real dinosaurs, and when that carnotaur charged at our vehicle, it was exhilarating.
• ...Soarin', because I expected this attraction to be overrated, and it actually exceeded all of my expectations.

I can't believe I forgot to list these:

...Riding Dumbo w/DD1, her first ride ever in WDW at 2yo.
...Riding It's a Small World several times w/DD1 at 2yo, and listening her sing the song from beginning to end every time.
...Arriving at Port Orleans Riverside in 2010, our first trip as a family of 4, and the longest gap (7 years) between WDW trips since I started going.
...Riding Dumbo w/DD1 and DD2, because DD1 wanted it to be the first ride of the trip and first ride ever for her sister too!
...The smoky smell of the wood fire grill at Artist Point that filled the dining room and the lobby with its delicious aroma!

5 days!!!!!!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Haunted Mansion and its still my favorite

[disney obsessed]

Cop 1977

[biodtl]

This is probably a weird answer (and will mean nothing to the younger folks among us - but the most vivid memory I have of my first and early trips to WDW were of If You Had Wings - by today's standards, it's not much, but as a child back in the early/mid 70s, I was spellbound by this ride - especially the speed room. I can still hear the music...

[Wolf]

Since you said "Attraction" I'll put mine, its not a ride, its the fountains in EPCOT. My first trip I didn't know anything about WDW, nor did my Mom, my aunt brought us along with her and my cousin for just a quick weekend trip, I had no idea what we were getting into. We walked into EPCOT as the fountains started bouncing to music and I remember the music was louder than it is now, me and my Mother just stood there drop jawed for the whole thing and when it was over we looked at each other and were just like "that was the coolest thing EVER" and now are seasoned pros but we always stop to watch the fountain now because its really what hooked us right off the bat!

[Main Street Jim]

The first thing that springs to mind is being 12 years old and seeing the Main Street Electrical Parade for the first time. This would have been the Summer of 1972, and I vividly remember being so overwhelmed by the sheer wonder of it that I choked up and tears welled up in my eyes.

This would have been at DisneyLAND, as MSEP didn't debut in Florida until 1977