You first Florida trip (just for fun)

[Sitron]

Hubbys and my first trip was in 2002 as 25 year olds.

But I could have gone sooner, my Aunt and Uncle had been taking their sons since 1981 and offered to take me when I was around 10. I declined, I didn't want to go without my older sister (later found out she had the same offer but declined as she wanted to go with me ).

Besides, my Aunt had always wanted a girl, a little doll to dress up so neither of us would have been comfortable and hated dresses.

Roll on a few years and same Aunt and Uncle helped both of us plan our 2002 trip. My sister and I cried when we met by Mickey and Walts statue 😊

Our Husbands (both then boyfriend's put up with us). My hubby didn't enjoy that holiday, or the next one with all our family and the kids going to Disney. But 2019 we did our own thing with our daughters. Visiting Clearwater, Universal and going to Discovery Cove. He loved it and has wanted to go back... ASAP - planning for 2022 - need to change my countdown 😂

[Ciano]

2001...our honeymoon. 7 night in Key West..7 nights in Rosen Plaza Hotel and then 3 nights in Vegas. We did Disney and Universal. Little did we know it was the start of the addiction!

[Bozza]

1987 - Mum and Dad took my sister and I to Orlando for the first time.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn International Drive, a big square hotel sort of opposite Wet n Wild. We're not International Drive people these days - I assume the building is still there, but I imagine it's not a Holiday Inn any more.

I can recall consuming everything I could ahead of this trip, which meant loaning all the WDW/Florida books I could from my local library. T'intenets didn't exist for ordinary folk back then!

I don't know how much it cost my parents to take us on that trip, but for me it was the most expensive holiday possible, as I've been back 25 or more times, with various girifriends, two wives and with my children. I fear they now also have the same bug, and they are destined for lives of similar trips!

[Jennywren]

Our first ever trip was for our honeymoon in May 1989. We flew indirect with Piedmont Air and spent 14 days at the Delta Court of Flags on Major Boulevard in the days before Universal was even open. We were there as MGM (now Hollywood Studios) opened, and also did Magic Kingdom & Epcot, I also remember getting memorably soaked by the Walrus at Sea World and stinking of fish for the rest of the day! We also did coach trips out to KSC & Busch Gardens. We then spent 7 days in Fort Lauderdale staying at the Sheraton Yankee Trader, visited the Everglades and also got to visit the Keys.
All told now we have so far been lucky enough to make 19 trips over the past 31 years staying for a total of 343 nights, some short trips some for almost a month. We made it to the Millenium celebrations, the 25th MK Birthday, the 30th birthday of Hollywood Studios, some fabulous memories and celebrations. Sadly we were also there in March this year when everything shutdown and we had to come home early, but we can't wait to go back.

[cornishfrogboy]

2005. Didn’t know about the DIBB. We booked with another family and stayed in All stars movies. We had 14 day Disney’s and a single day at Seaworld.

We did not know about Universal, BG, Discovery Cove etc and didn’t have a car. I absolutely hated it and felt like I was in a Disney prison, such was the difficulty in getting to IDrive/ freedom. If the product is that good, then why is it made so difficult to get from a resort to LBV or IDrive? The room felt like a cheap, open landing Motel room and the food hall like something from Hi de hi. No fridge and just an ice machine at the end of the landing to fill the sink with and keep milk and wine in. We vowed never to return and didn’t until 2009. I have never stayed in the bubble since and have never gone without a car rental since. This vacation very nearly put me off Orlando for life and certainly tainted my view of Disney ever after.

On our last 5 Orlando visits, we have not even purchased Disney park tickets, having found all the other things that the Sunshine State has to offer.

[Taffy1959]

Our first trip was in 2003 myself DH DD DS2 and DS3 DS1 didn’t want to come and still hasn’t been.
We flew with First Choice Manchester to Sanford and as a surprise for everyone I paid for us to fly in premium and DH wasn’t happy when I told him 🙄 but soon changed his mind when he was on the plane.
We stayed at a Howard Johnson just off I drive near Sweet Tomatoes it wasn’t the best hotel but we weren’t there that much.
We had tickets for Universal Seaworld and Busch Gardens we bought 4 day hoppers in the Disney shop at the Beltz (I think) outlets at the north end of I drive.
We had a transfer from Sanford to the hotel and the rudest bus driver he was absolutely horrible.
He dropped one couple off at a hotel and when they told him it was the wrong one he told them to walk and drove off.
We had the best time and just loved everything we packed so much in as we thought we’d never go back.
My best memory was walking on to Mainstreet in MK and seeing the castle for the first time.
Loads of other memories and we came home knowing we had to go back.

[disneywiseowl]

Our 1st trip was in 1981, Laker airline to Miami. I don’t remember it much, just a beach holiday as we didn’t know about Disneyworld then. (Pre Internet! ).
I remember we were a bit disappointed as we’d been to the Far East for our previous 2 holidays & it was nothing by comparison.
Our 1st trip to Orlando was in 1991. Econolodge Hawaiian Maingate. It was as cheap as going to Europe in those days with 2$:£. Petrol around $1 gallon. Children ate free everywhere. We always bought annual passes & used them twice (in consecutive years). On our first day in MK, we went on BTM seven times in a row. It was so quiet. That was on Sunday June 2nd. Happy Days!

[dreamadream]

First trip was approx Halloween 1996, the castle was a cake?!
We stayed on idrive in a Ramada. I remember spending late evenings floating in the pool with my siblings.
We did everything, every single park there was! It caused a few issues with my stroppy sister... Other family members were out there at the same time so we met up and got into sea world for free using someone else tickets as it was that easy then!
I can’t belive it was 24 years til my next return!

[Emmapink]

July/August 2000 (aged 13)
21 nights at the holiday Inn lbv flying on monarch with a plane that had two levels.

Had tickets for Disney, Universal, SeaWorld and Busch.

Over 50 of us went together ( my mum is one of six siblings who all went with partners and children) We had our own coach rented was driven by a ex Disney transport driver who hated anything for Disney.

Was one of the best holidays Ive ever had early mornings and late nights. I remember before it my mum and dad skinted them self's to take me and my brother (massive house renovation and a "once in a lifetime holiday" all in the same year) I remember thinking three weeks was ages!

[wobblywibbly]

My first trip was 2007 we went on impulse booked it about 10days before we left.

went for 7 days staying in Celebration. we had to sort everything out no pre-planning, MDE anything lol

we managed to cram in Disney, universal and Busch gardens too we mus have been mad...