This video is unlike any other video on my channel, but it’s one that I’ve wanted to talk about for a long time.
When I was 4 years old, my parents took me on my first trip to Walt Disney World, which just-so-happened to be on September 11th, 2001.
In this video, I will be discussing what Walt Disney World was like on 9/11 told by first-hand accounts from my family and personal experience.
Walt Disney World Footage has been referenced from @DisneyDave‘s wonderful footage. I unfortunately cannot link the video in this description, but it can be found as a pinned comment on this video.
#disney #911 #history
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Please note, the footage from Disney in that time period comes from @disneydave and his footage can be found here: https://youtu.be/o_xL1Ux5SIk?si=4PX12wVpi0TrSL5r
I was born 2 months after. 9/11 to me was never perceived as being a massive attack on the country. I know that it shook everyone alive at that time, but I only ever grew up with the consequences of how people reacted and I never lived it. Thanks for making this video to see a unique perspective of 9/11!
My family was there too, at magic Kingdom. My whole family was terrified and cut the vacation short, we retreated back to our resort just like everyone else did, and ended up doing the same with taking a rental van and driving all the way back to Detroit, MI from Orlando the next day instead of staying for the rest of the trip we had planned. Similar situation with my parents almost getting charged with vehicle theft or something similar. Anyone remember the tropical storm the day after 9/11 down there?? My mom always says the rain was going sideways and coming down so hard that it was going through our suit cases. Wish we woulda stayed hearing that some people actually were able to finish their vacations, but I honestly don't think I could understand the terror that my parents were experiencing, they just wanted to be home in that moment and were willing to do whatever it took
I was in the trade centers on 9/11 and still this day I still think of all the dead body’s and kid’s I’ve seen and delt with! This is a touchy subject!
I was only a little two year old baby watching Teletubbies and Elmo back then. So I have no memory of 911 and only learned about it when I was first grade years later.
My parents went for their honeymoon slightly after 9/11. they drove up their because of all the fear around flying. They said the place was practically empty.
This is truly a different perspective I’m just curious why didn’t you interview your parents on this they could’ve added more to this
My birthday is the day after 9/11
This is so sad, the fact that you could be having the happiest momment of your life at the most magical place on Earth, only to be doing it on the same day where a whole city changed and thousands of lives were lost… May those people who didn't survive rest in peace.
My husband and I were at WDW Animal Kingdom on 911. It was a beautiful sunny day, hard to believe all was not right in the world. We did a couple of attractions first thing in the morning then went for an early lunch at Restaurantosaurus. Along the way I noticed a man on his cell phone with such a painful look on his face, that I was deeply troubled by it. While in the restaurant it was announced that the park would be closing. Very confused, everyone walked to the exits with a loud speaker telling everyone to exit in different languages. In the parking lot, many people were standing by their cars listening to their car radios. It was all very surreal. Once we found our car, we heard on our radio what had happened. Back at the Caribbean Beach Resort, the lobby was jammed with guests trying to figure out how to get home. That was the beginning of our stay, and the parks were opened the next day. Cast members were at the buses, I assume to check out everyone as they entered the bus. The shows in the parks began with "God Bless America", very touching.
i was born on october 2001 so my mom was 8 months pregnant with me when 9/11 happened. she had a 3rd trimester appointment that day at 8AM to check up on her pregnancy and my mom told me that she found out about the first plane hitting the north tower at the hospital after her appointment was done and she remembered everyone was gathered watching the tv shocked & confused. my mom went home and she turned the tv on and she was receiving calls from my uncle, my dad, even family back in mexico to make sure if she was okay. during one of the phone calls, my mom said she saw the second plane hit the south tower live on tv. my mom vividly remembers what she was doing that day & she herself has seen the twin towers in person in 2000 because that year she just came into the US for the first time. a few days ago i found a picture that my dad took of her standing in front of one of the towers and it was so eerie. also, i had an ex boyfriend of mine that was born on sept 11, 1998 in the bronx and him telling me what his mom said that his 3rd birthday celebration was well….. not the greatest but his parents do remember seeing the smoke from their apartment building and it was horrifying.
I DONT care WHERE you were there was NOTHING funny about that day. NOTHING!!! So stop ! So disgusting and disrespectful!!
bro I was born in 2004 and its so crazy to know all happened but also in a weird way it’s kind of comforting?? Cuz even though terrible things went down it’s like the memories of those who lost their lives will continue to live on
I feel bad especially cuz u were at disney! Hope ur fine and have a good day! ❤
Hi, I'm one of the many who was born after 9/11. Hearing your story was morbidly interesting considering a joyous place such as Disney World on a day like 9/11. Because, I always saw 9/11 as this great historical event like Pearl Harbor or some other tragedy that I tuck in the back of my head. But hearing people's stories about it, even if they were barely old enough to remember, I think "damn, this thing actually happened." I dunno, it's weird, even if I was born a few years after this happened.
9/11 was and is a big day for me.. I was 13 and just started at a new school a few weeks earlier so that sense of dislocation was really elevated for me and just the sheer magnitude of the events that horrible day just hit me hard.. my younger brother was born in Dec '97 (close to your age presumably) and he said he just remembers my mom picking him and my youngest brother from preschool.. a few months later I went to Disney World for the first time on a school trip and it felt a bit surreal realising that I was there at Disney World in the first few months after 9/11.. years later, i went to NYC for the first time since the fall of 2000 and it sure felt different! I saw the then-new WTC under construction.. anyways the 9/11 memorial is something that everyone should go see.. such a deeply moving site.. in 2021 i went to NYC again for the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and got stuck on the rooftop of my brother's apt that he was living in at that time.. now he's living in Nashville with his fiancée.. time does fly indeed!
Amazing video. Never thought about people at Disney. Just think about your odds on being there on that day.
My parents went to Disney shortly after that day with family and took advantage that crowds were absent. They’ve always told me about how many times ina row they got to ride Space Mountain with a short wait time 😂. Such a interesting time in history.
I wasn't born yet however, my mother told me that on the day of 911 (my family lived in new york at the time) my older brother's daycare was really close to the wtc and she was panicking all day, trying to figure out how to get him and my cousin home because the roads in that area were closed off.
I was on a Alaskan cruise
I cant imagine Disney kept the parks open that day.
I happened to be home sick from work that day and was watching the Today Show when it all enfolded. Never shut the TV off.
Disney was very shortly in the line with the FAA about getting the airspace over head shut down that is for certain.
very interesting video i think you did a good job not undervalueing the events of 9/11 and i really enjoyed listening to your story.
My family used to live right next to Otis AFB back in the 90’s. We moved away towards Boston in August 2001. The jets would go supersonic over our house at such regular times you could set your clocks to it. On 9/11, I was 3 years 10 months old and watched it all on TV with my mom. She spent the day crying into the phone contacting all our extended family, making sure everyone was safe.
My father was working in a CNC shop when his boss rushed in with a portable TV. When they turned it on, they saw a plane crash. My father stated that he was surprised that the news had video of the incident, only to see his bosses face go pale as he stated, “That was another plane.”