Your Best Magical Moments...

[justKim]

We love going to Disney with friends. One October, we went on a MNSSHP trip with two other families. I had organized ressies for everyone, and had to set up a spreadsheet to keep up with it all. I was most excited about our CP breakfast ressie on the morning of our MNSSHP. All 11 of us were decked out in our Halloween gear and excited about starting our day at Crystal Palace. I go up to the window to get us checked in. I gave her our name, but the CM can't find our reservation on the computer. While she is looking, I pull out my spreadsheet. My stomach drops when I realize that I had made our breakfast reservation for the wrong day. I am just standing there *stunned* when the CM says very brightly, "Oh here it is -- I found it". I can see her screen and my name is clearly not on it. But she made our day and got us seated.

Another trip with another family for a MNSSHP and my daughter (6) & her best friend are dressed up in Egyptian Halloween costumes. They are riding their favorite ride - Big Thunder Mountain. There is no wait, so we are riding the ride, running down the ramp, and getting back on again. We do this over and over and over. After the 2nd time, the CM greeter stops the girls and forces them to "walk like an Egyptian" before they can ride again. The three of them are dancing and giggling. He does this at least 5 more times. At this point I suspect that the girls are only riding the ride to dance with the CM. I only regret that I never got a picture of them dancing.

 

[bostonsnana]

I love this post! We've been numerous times and had so many magical moments. The one I always think about first is when my daughter was just four years old. She loved Cinderella, and one evening during the MK parade, Cinderella came by on her float. She looked directly at my daughter and blew her a kiss. I thought my daughter was going to explode with excitement. She was so happy and that made me so happy. Of course I cried; I still cry twenty years later just thinking about it.
Thirteen years later, she was in a horrible car accident and I almost lost her. After her recovery, I told her I'd take her anywhere she wanted to go. Yes, she picked Disney World. Every second of that trip was magical because I still had my daughter.
There is no place on earth as magical as Disney World. If you don't go, you just don't know.

 

[ddoconnell]

I have smiled, laughed and cried at all of these....thank you all so much for sharing your memories!

 

[FigmentFans]

One of the best magical moments (and there have been many) was during my daughter's first trip at 2 1/2 yrs old around 2000. We were in Epcot, in between 2 of the countries (I think by Canada). My daughter was getting restless in the stroller, so we pulled over into this alcove with a little garden and some doors and let her out to run around and blow off some energy (and for us to save some ). We were the only ones there.
All of a sudden, several princesses came out of one of the unmarked doors; it must have been where they got ready for appearances. They promptly began playing and dancing with my daughter; it was over 5 minutes before anyone else noticed that they were around. It was a wonderful impromptu experience that all of us loved.
That whole trip was fantastic; she wasn't old enough yet for the bigger rides, so we were able to go at a slower pace. She also saw everything with wonder in her eyes; it caused us to look at everything anew as well. I know that a lot of people feel that you shouldn't bring your kids to Disney before they are of school age, but this actually was one of our best trips, and we have been to Disney over 11 times.

 

[littlewitch34]

I did the CP in 2011, and I had many a magical moment with guests while I was a CM (I worked in a toy store and I let kids 'kill' me with lightsabers all the time. They thought it was the funniest thing!) but I have one amazing standout.

I usually worked at DTD, but when you work, you can be 'deployed,' which means you're sent from your regular work location to another, in a park, or a hotel, whichever location needs the help. My store had plenty of help, but AK needed some extra hands, so I was shipped off to AK for the week. I wasn't a big fan of deployment, because I have a lot of trouble adjusting to a new location, new managers, and not knowing any co-workers, so that was a tough week for me.

I was working at a cart that wasn't even inside the park gates. Guests saw me before they passed through bag check! It was park closing time, and I was on my own out at that cart, so I grabbed a Mickey hand and started waving to people on their way out of the park, and answered questions people had about other parks, and the bus system, etc. I was calling out, "Have a magical night!" and "Drive safe" and all sorts of other things, and I shouted out to have a good night, and this little girl comes BOUNDING up to me.

I crouched down to get to her height, and she started talking a mile a minute: "I had so much fun today at Animal Kingdom, and I had fun yesterday at Magic Kingdom, but I'm going home because tomorrow is Thursday and I'm going home on Thursday so I'm so glad I had so much fun" and on and on. I don't think she took a breath! She spoke with me for a few minutes, and her parents saw my nametag and pointed out that the little girl and I share the same name. We kept talking, and her parents stood there and let her, and they started to get a little impatient with trying to leave, and they finally said, "Tell the nice girl good bye. Tell her 'see you next year.' "

And wouldn't you know it? That little girl threw her arms around me in the biggest hug a little kid could possibly give, and she chirped, "See you next year!" And then ran off with her parents. I had to duck behind the cart to wipe away a tear or two.

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

These are so cool!

 

[jenjifer]

I feel like my heart has grown three sizes while reading this thread. THIS is why I this place...

 

[ethanwa]

I have a number of magical moments in both WDW and DL I'd like to share.

1989 DL: I was 10 at the time and chosen to pull the sword from the stone. I was pronounced King of the Day at Disneyland. One of the best memories of my life. Everyone clapped and I got walked around like royalty. Here's the video my dad took: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihI_vGG0ZQg

2008 WDW: Our family got chosen to ride in the front of the monorail. My son, at the time 3, absolutely loved it. He got a special license card.

2008 WDW Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater: We had some really slow service that night. The CM waiter could tell we were unhappy but were not rude or impatient. At the end of our meal the CM told us that we had been chosen for the year of a million dreams giveaway and gave us all some very nice Disney Dreams cups. It wasn't the greatest gift but the fact that he wanted to make our trip better that made it great. Afterwards he ran out to us outside because we forgot something in the restaurant and he stopped and just chatted with us for a few minutes. Very nice of him and my wife and I will always remember it.

2008 WDW: Son chosen to drive the Jungle Cruise boat when he was three. Given a special card. He's a very quiet and shy kid, so we loved that he was chosen and he had a blast.

2011 DL: I was chosen as the Dad that the monsters make fun of in the Pixar show at Grand California Adventure. It was really fun and funny. My kids and wife loved it.

2011 DL: This time in Disneyland our family was chosen to ride in the front of the monorail. Very cool to do it in both parks. The monorail in DL is so much smaller!

2011 DL: Son was chosen to be the drummer at Innoventions! He now takes drum lessons.

2011 DL: My son got picked to do the Jedi Training. Halfway through my wife noticed he really needed to go potty because he was crossing his legs, hopping, etc. My wife grabbed a CM and told him. My son and I rushed to the bathroom during the show, rushed back, and the CM got him back in the show just in time to fight Darth Vader. Thank you CM for not ruining the experience! He has his Jedi certificated hanging on the wall now!

2012 WDW: I was briefly put up on the screen at Monster's Inc Laugh Floor.

2012 WDW: Son, now 6, was chosen again to drive the Jungle Cruise!

2012 WDW: In Animal Kingdom a super nice CM was talking to our kids at a shop. She asked if they wanted to play a game and they said yes. The had to draw lines from one character to another character in the same movie. There were 8 in all. Both of my kids completed it and they both got the Magical Moments cards and stickers. They loved it!

2012 WDW: At Animal Kingdom my son saw a large giraffe walking stick he wanted. He LOVES giraffe. He's a very emotional 6 year old and has some sensory issues and has a hard time sometimes. He was having a bad day and when we said no to him having the stick he started crying his eyes out... not in a whining way but more of an actual cry. I spotted a stuffed baby giraffe plush and gave it to him and told him we would buy it for him. A HUGE smile came on his face and he just started bawling his eyes out hugging it. The tears really flowed. Me and my wife were so overwhelmed at his response we both started crying as well. My son later said "I was crying because I was so happy". It's a moment I'll NEVER forget and it's one that really had nothing directly to do with Disney at all.

Many more to come in the years ahead I'm sure.

Ethan

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

Wow. I love that last one...

 

[aidandmommy]

It was this past October we fly in that morning and decdied to add a day and go to MK, we add the day at the counter the CM sees it is my son's Bday from reservation she gives him a Birthday button, we get on monorail and head in. We go through gates and walk through tunnel and Pluto is walking out from back for a meet and greet and see my son and grabs him and starts walking down main street. My son was so excited. It was a great way to start our vacation!

 

[Stormy888]

On our first trip as a family our ds got sick with the flu! Oh No! We had scheduled MNSSHP and dinner at Cali Grill, which of course they charge your credit card if you cancel less than 24 hours.

When the front desk people saw ds just slumped on the bench, they quickly reissued tickets for MNSSHP for two nights out, and made sure we didn't get charged at Cali Grill.

Miracle of miracles, he was so much better two nights later we made MNSSHP two nights later no problem. We never did make Cali Grill but plan on going this trip coming up!

 

[jennyjinx3]

At the Poly Neverland Club in Sept, we had our three girls there while DH and I hightailed it to have dinner in Epcot. Our youngest was potty trained but I was still nervous that she might get too busy playing and have an accident, the policy is that they cannot help with bathroom accidents. I prepped oldest daughter that she might have to help youngest with bathroom and felt confident enough to leave them.
When we returned, my youngest came out and the CM's said she had an accident just before we got there. I told them that the clothes she was wearing were not the spares I had sent in, and they kept repeating to me "yes those are her clothes!!"
I did not understand until finally they told DH and I that they were brand new clothes given to our daughter to keep. They keep brand new clothes in every size in case they are needed. Not sure if they still do this but I was so touched, and we left with the kids begging to go back the next night!

 

[luvgoing2disney]

I sing Batbershop so I like to listen to a set by the Dapper Dans and after their set and before they leave I'll ask to sing a song with them. It's always fun to do and the ham in me enjoys watching other guests watching this non-Dan sing along with them.

But my absolute top magical memory happened on my first trip which did not happen till I was an adult and we were taking our son aged four and a half. I had grown up a huge Disney fan but we were ever able to even think of going to WDW. And to share my first trip with our little boy was a special trip indeed One night as we stood near the hub for the fireworks I was holding him so he could see better. With arms around my neck he said "Oh Daddy, I wish I could live here FOREVER!". I'll never forget the joy we shared that night and trip and on other visits Now as DW and I planning our first trip for just the 2 of us I wonder where the years have gone. As the song says "Turn around and they're gone". Sigh

 

[jennyjinx3]

I sing Batbershop so I like to listen to a set by the Dapper Dans and after their set and before they leave I'll ask to sing a song with them. It's always fun to do and the ham in me enjoys watching other guests watching this non-Dan sing along with them.

But my absolute top magical memory happened on my first trip which did not happen till I was an adult and we were taking our son aged four and a half. I had grown up a huge Disney fan but we were ever able to even think of going to WDW. And to share my first trip with our little boy was a special trip indeed One night as we stood near the hub for the fireworks I was holding him so he could see better. With arms around my neck he said "Oh Daddy, I wish I could live here FOREVER!". I'll never forget the joy we shared that night and trip and on other visits Now as DW and I planning our first trip for just the 2 of us I wonder where the years have gone. As the song says "Turn around and they're gone". Sigh

You just made me tear up...life is so short isn't it? This is why we love Disney

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

When a CM forced me to get over my fear of splash mountain on my 25 birthday best experience ever

 

[luvgoing2disney]

You just made me tear up...life is so short isn't it? This is why we love Disney

Old sentimental fool me was tearing up as I wrote it too! But you are right. That's why we love the Magic that is Disney

 

[goopysolelady]

In August, 2010, my youngest DD made her first trip back to DW after the death of her husband in March, 2009. Our oldest DD arranged the trip and she and her family had already checked in at the Boardwalk Inn when we arrived. The trip was scheduled with our arrival being on youngest DD's anniversary. Her sister had arranged, with the front desk, to give her a small Eeyore (her husband's favorite Disney character after they'd honeymooned there 4 years before) upon arrival. Of course, DGD's were super excited when we arrived and ran to her with huge hugs. After getting our hugs and kisses we proceeded to the front desk for our check in. The CM gifted her with Eeyore which brought a huge smile to her face. I told her to go show her niece's what had been waiting for her while I checked in. The CM seemed curious so I explained the situation to her. Our rooms weren't ready so we left to begin enjoying our vacation. Returning later to our rooms we were touched to find a plate full of cupcakes with a note for DD to "Have a Magical Stay". I'll always be grateful to the wonderful CM behind the front desk that arranged this very special surprise for her on what would have been her 5th wedding anniversary.

 

[nesser1981]

Lovely stories everyone!

 

[Swank]

My son was six years old the second time we went to Disney. We were surprised that he showed interest in wearing Mickey Ears, we thought he would be too old to wear them. Well we bought them for him and he wore them for the whole Vacation. Soo Cute!

There was one time he was embarrassed to wear them. When he was trying to get piked for Jedi Training he insisted that Jedi don't wear ears. My wife convinced him to just wear them when they are picking volunteers. It worked he was the first one picked! He had never seen the show and the look on his face when Darth Vader came out was priceless!

Great Memories

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

My son was six years old the second time we went to Disney. We were surprised that he showed interest in wearing Mickey Ears, we thought he would be too old to wear them. Well we bought them for him and he wore them for the whole Vacation. Soo Cute!

There was one time he was embarrassed to wear them. When he was trying to get piked for Jedi Training he insisted that Jedi don't wear ears. My wife convinced him to just wear them when they are picking volunteers. It worked he was the first one picked! He had never seen the show and the look on his face when Darth Vader came out was priceless!

Great Memories

Trying to act cool..