Falling in Love with the Mouse

I haven't always been a Disney geek. In fact it wasn't until about 18 years ago that I became enamoured with the Mouse. So here's the story of how it came to be...

Growing up my only connection with Walt came on Sunday evenings when he came on TV to present his family show. (And yes--it was in black and white with rabbit ears for the TV antennae). I never even knew there was a theme park in Florida or California until my parents went on a trip there. Alone. Without me. (If you can imagine that!)

Fast-forward a few years and before I knew it I was out of college and working in Florida. My stint in the sunshine state only lasted about 3 years of my life before I was redirected to Virginia. But before I moved I was going to see what all the hoopla about Disney was. So I went over for a couple of nights. Stayed off property, because why invest too much money for only two theme parks? (Said my younger, naïve self) That's right, there were only two theme parks there the first time I went. Magic Kingdom and Epcot. To be honest I don't remember too much about that trip, but that was when the magic first took a hold of me whether I knew it or not.

(Prince and Sleeping Beauties)

Ten years later I am living in Virginia. I met and married my Prince Charming and had three little sleeping beauties of my own. In 1999 my husband lands a job in...drum roll please...Florida. To entice the girls (i.e. pull them away from friends and move) I dangled the "We'll go to Disney" carrot! Needless to say, it worked.

When we got settled we decided to wait a couple of years until our youngest turned five. We waited six months. Soon we were packed and headed to the happiest place on Earth where we were greeted at the Fort Wilderness camp ground with two of the most magical words ever..."Welcome Home!" Ahhh! Can you hear them say it? Greeting you as you come in? Just two little words and yet it always makes me smile!

So, when did I fall for the Mouse? Was it when Walt came on my TV or when I visited the parks for the first time? Was it when I heard a smiling cast member welcome me home? Nope, but they were the building blocks. The moment I fell for the Mouse was when we took the girls into the Magic Kingdom for the first time. It was when I watched them at a character meet and greet with Mickey and Minnie. Their eyes were HUGE and their smiles just as big. Who would have ever guessed that a big mouse with oversized hands and ears, who couldn't say one word, could ever make someone that happy?

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was when I fell in love...

When did you first meet Mickey? When did you fall in love?