Do you remember your first time?

[Minnie18]

So we booked in Jan this year totally off the cuff. Once I booked I started Googling and found the Dibb. I feel we have made an error on booking on my first quote and feel I would have done things a lot different to how its going to be. ie we are flying indirect where we now want direct/we are staying on idrive where we now wish on site.

Anyway I am sure we will have a fab time regardless.

At this point with 14 days to go I feel so so so excited and cant wait to get there. I also feel anxious/emotional/under pre pared and overwhelmed. Plus having crazy dreams.

Do you remember your first time? did you feel the same? was it how you imagined ? or did you wish it was different? How did you feel on the lead up? what did you learn on your first visit?

[Guest]

Yes I remember my first visit to Florida, it was made as an adult. I was looking forward to it, as I do all holidays. But in comparison it was one of the most straight forward trips I have ever made (eg no language barriers, one location and one accommodation for the entire trip) so I was looking forward to a nice straight forward holiday.

I am sure you will have a great time. I like onsite but I can definitely see that there are advantages to offsite too.

[Grump$]

Yeah I remember the first time it was 1987 and magic kingdom was celebrating 15 years of magic and you could win a prize when you put your paper ticket through the turnstile.

There was 2 park Magic Kingdom and EPCOT with Disney Vilage.

We stayed on International Drive at the Quality Inn Plaza. We had no car and went to the parks at opening and went back to the hotel at closing.

The exchange rate was $1.50 to the £

We fly to MCO from brand new Heathrow Terminal 4 via Bermuda and I can still remember that first blast of heat when stepping out of the airport.

It just seemed so innocent and less commercialised then but they always had ways of extracting dollars from you e.g why don't you buy these Disney dollars that you can spend in the parks knowing that a good percentage would take them as souvenirs and never redeem them.

Happy days.

[Taffy1959]

Yes I remember our first time to Orlando.
We booked with a TA who was really good and gave us loads of advice.
When we landed and got to immigration we were terrified of the officer who barked questions at us and I was convinced he wasn't going to let us in.
We were sent to the bus transfer to be greeted by the rudest bus driver I've ever come across, he wouldn't let us on the bus until I went and found someone who had a word with him he then shouted at us for not knowing the exact location of the hotel.
He was rude to everyone and made a young couple get off at a hotel even though they told him they weren't staying there and told them to walk as it wasn't far.
We stayed in a Howard Johnson on Idrive no car and have never had a car.
We got an interest free credit card and bought our Disney tickets in the Disney outlet store which was in the Beltz outlets.
We left the hotel about 8 every morning on the free shuttle sometimes staying all day sometimes coming back in the afternoon.
We crammed so much in as we didn't think we'd be back but we had an amazing holiday and in 2 weeks were back for our 14th once in a lifetime holiday

[Ellelledee]

I remember our first time and we had a fab time, but it's over the years going back that have made the place what it is in my heart.

I can't remember anything "wrong" about the first time we went but I like how we do it now. Saying that each time we go back, we talk about things we would like to do different.

I think Florida is just that kind of place - though saying that my cousin went and she hated it, then she went back and hated it again, but the things she told me I thought "well if you had planned it better it would have been different".

This forum is an absolute goldmine for tips on what to do and how to do things, you will use some tips and you will do some things your own way, but whatever you choose I hope you have an amazing time. I'm so jealous I miss my Orlando not been this year

[Smilesonfaces]

Only 2 weeks to go you must be so excited. Wherever we go on holiday I always have doubts about it a couple of weeks before.

Our first trip was our trip was our honeymoon in 1992. Like you it was booked on a bit of a whim, family not happy because we were only having a “cheap” wedding and “now they’re booking a fancy holiday ! “ $2 to the pound, could barely spend your money. Stayed in a cheap and cheerful Rodeway Inn in Kissimmee somewhere but can’t remember exactly. No Dibb of course, no planning. We only bought our tickets when we got there from a dodgy looking kiosk somewhere. No ADR’s just walked up to restaurants and went in. No fastpasses to book. So easy, none of the stress we all put ourselves through now to make it perfect.

You will get passed the couple of weeks before nerves and have the most amazing holiday !

[disney_chick13]

Kind of... I was 5! The memories are slightly fuzzy but the one thing I never forgot was how it made me feel. So I blame my family for my addiction lol

[greekgranny]

Originally Posted by Grump$

Yeah I remember the first time it was 1987 and magic kingdom was celebrating 15 years of magic and you could win a prize when you put your paper ticket through the turnstile.

There was 2 park Magic Kingdom and EPCOT with Disney Vilage.

We stayed on International Drive at the Quality Inn Plaza. We had no car and went to the parks at opening and went back to the hotel at closing.

The exchange rate was $1.50 to the £

We fly to MCO from brand new Heathrow Terminal 4 via Bermuda and I can still remember that first blast of heat when stepping out of the airport.

It just seemed so innocent and less commercialised then but they always had ways of extracting dollars from you e.g why don't you buy these Disney dollars that you can spend in the parks knowing that a good percentage would take them as souvenirs and never redeem them.

Happy days.

See more...

We won a car!

[ch1ps]

Our first trip was only for a week on I-Drive. I booked and we went within a fortnight of booking. I was much younger and impulsive. Did MK, HS & Epcot, as well as Seaworld, Uni & IOA. It was full on and we loved every minute of it.

[Th1nkT1nk]

Oooo yes! I remember my first time! I was in my 20’s and went with my then boyfriend. We did very little planning, stayed on I drive and walked blooming miles! Lol. I came back thinking it was the most wonderful place in the world and vowing I’d return (which I have twice so far). I do things differently now, I like staying insite, but I know I could stay elsewhere and still have a wonderful time.
IMO you can watch videos and read reviews, but nothing can prepare you for the emotion and excitement of actually being there. It’s wonderful!
Planning can definitely help to cut down on the walking and can maximise your experience - a shame when you come away from a place thinking “I wish I’d done that” or “I never knew that was an option”. However, I feel that there is soooo much to do and learn about in Florida (and particularly Disney world) that you can’t possibly know it all - you will always find new experiences and many come back ready to plan their next trip! Whatever you do it is a wonderful place to be, so try to remember to relax and take in the atmosphere- it’s really tempting to rush from one thing to the next because you want to fit so much in.
Have a wonderful time and let us know if it lives up to your expectations- I’m sure it will surpass!