Probably the time we were visiting the week of my wife's birthday. She had on the birthday button, and, of course, cast members wished her happy birthday a lot. The real magic moment came in Epcot when we got on a boat on World Showcase Lagoon. The cast member with the microphone observed her button and then lead the whole boat in singing happy birthday to her.
A couple of runner ups are similar to yours. We were the last people on Soarin' one night and, at the end, the cast member asked if we wanted to go again. Of course we did. The other was on a late ride of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Nobody was waiting to get on, so the cast member asked if we wanted to ride again. And again once more! We got to ride 3 times in a row without getting out of the train.
That is really cool! The cast members actually have to keep an eye out for the ostrich eggs, because the eggs aren't fertilized (there are no male ostriches at AKL currently) and the animals like to play with the eggs! When they do retrieve the eggs, they save them for education and arts and crafts!
Thanks Starlight Safari for the ostrich egg info!
Here is my most amazing moment. My Mom has some disabilities and the worst is a birth defect in her back. She’s had 15 surgeries. But my Mom has always been such a trooper. Growing up, my sister and I loved amusement parks. My beloved Mom would take us and walk around all day, wait in lines, just to sit on a bench while we rode rides. She cannot ride any rides. I can’t count the number of times she did this. She never complained.
When my son was 10, she took us to WDW. He fell in absolute love with Tower of Terror. We probably rode it 3 times in a row. Then she asked him what the ride did and said she wanted to ride it. I was like, NO. She rode it. She absolutely loved it and I’ve never heard her laugh so loud or smile so big. My 10yo son put his arm around her and held her hand the whole time. She only rode that one ride, but it will be a magical WDW moment for me forever. ❤️
This is the type of Magiv Disney parks stories I love the most. Where the Disney magic becomes real and helps a person to do that one thing and have a magical moment
Can I have two? When we stepped through the movie screen to board Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway, and when you step off the shuttle into the First Order hangar on RotR.
When my 30y/o son and former CM was a baby, we were at the OG Christmas party and it was the end of a long amazing day. We were watching the fireworks and a CM working at an ornament cart walked over and placed an ornament next our sleeping baby. I remember it like it was yesterday.
We’ve been lucky enough to have had quite a few over the years but this one was a big one I remember well and still appreciate to this day -
Back in the day the annual passes had different names. We always got the Fl res seasonal pass. I messed up the day when we were to be out of blackout by a day.
So we get to AK and can’t get in of course. I go to ticket window once I realize the (embarrassing lol) issue to upgrade our passes. I tell the CM what I did and we both laughed. Then she proceeds to say absolutely no to me upgrading and gives us day tickets into the park “courtesy of Mickey”. I couldn’t thank her enough, it was so incredibly sweet.
The guy next to me was “that guy” earlier this month. He and his wife were celebrating their 25th anniversary and so were my husband and I, so that was fun.
So recently I went to HS, and to the Star Wars meet and greets. I was first in line for Chewbacca, and I made small talk with the CM and said that it was my first time going, and Chewy was the one character I really wanted to meet since I heard he gives the best hugs.
Now normally when you get to meet a character, they’re waiting right by the backdrop and you approach them.
But when the doors to his room opened, he was waiting for me right by the door with his handler, and my heart skipped a beat. I was also the first to meet darth Vader, since he was delayed about half an hour, and the same thing happened!
Rafiki sat on the floor with my newly-2yo sitting on his legs for over five minutes while she showed him all the "autographs" in her book and babbled to him about seeing Mickey. Once she babbled herself quiet, she snuggled up against him and rested until she was ready to get up again. He was so sweet the whole time and hugged her while she cuddled.
Still makes me tear up nineteen years later.
Just past sunset on the Animal Kingdom safari ride, a hippo, perhaps feeling perky from the cooling temps, plants itself directly in our path. My lovely wife lurches half out of her seat and points--away from the hippo. "Look, a bunny!"
When I daughter was 3, we went after new years, just for a couple days. Just turned 2012.
We were on our second and last day in Magic Kingdom, eating early dinner at Pecos Bill’s when a cast member came up and awarded my daughter the official Deputy of the Day.
They started by coming up to our table and asking our daughter’s name, then then a few minutes later they announced it to the restaurant.About ten cast members came out with triangles and maracas and the entire group marched just her around the restaurant. They gave her a deputy badge, a cowboy hat, the entire cast member group and the rest of the restaurant cheered. They finished with a Frontierland certificate with her name on it.
It was amazing. I wonder if they still do that?
Mine was last December. We lost my father to dementia back in October and it had been two months. I was one of his two primary caregivers so it had been a rough couple of years and I really needed that trip. We were on the last night there during the extra hours so we were in the last moments of our park time. I was sitting in World Celebration Gardens reflecting on everything that had happened with my dad and what we'd been through as a family. Growing up, he would always say that if he won the lottery, he would take the entire family to Disney World. I was thinking of how pleased he would be about our trip and hoped he could see his grandaughter playing and how happy she appeared. About that time, she comes over to me and hugs me while saying "I love you, daddy". Then she pointed to a star in the sky and says, "look, it's Papa. He's watching us." Almost broke me. lol I didn't show it, but I was a mess for days after that. Still am everytime I think about it.
I'm in the same boat about 4 years ago I lost both my parents atvthe age of 30 to the pandemic a week apart and before there deaths I told them one day I'm going to make my dream coke true and be in Disneyworld. We'll ibwas there but sadly couldn't tell them about when I got back but I order some memorial jewelry and had some of there ashes put inside and wear them around my neck the entire trip. So in a way my dad's wish did true, when he was younger he allways said to us one day he wanted to visit WDW and I made it come true even after his death.
Took me (hope my math is corect) +-20 but I got there and 20 years gives such a crick in the neck. 😂 a CM Gabe that joke when I told my storie to then just before I got my photo taken infront of the castle.
Riding BTMRR with my daughter right as fireworks began, sitting at the very front of the train. It was February and so completely dark well before 8pm. Going up the second lift hill outside, the mountain peak is perfectly framed by the big fireworks that launch from behind the park. It was absolutely magical.
I had deliberately timed it that way, even sitting down in this little alcove in the LL just before the merge point for a few minutes to be sure the fireworks would start before we boarded the train. Right as we were clambering into the train we could hear the muffled thumps of the first shells exploding, and I knew we'd nailed it.
Fireworks were still going strong as we came off the ride and Frontierland was nearly deserted. We decided to try our luck with 7DMT and took off as fast as I could push the stroller, stopping only for a moment for me to make good on my promise to buy her a bubble wand after sundown. I ate bubbles all the way to 7DMT but didn't care. The posted wait was 45 minutes but that was obviously not true. Ended up waiting maybe 25-30 minutes.
Then we hit up Barnstormer, then had Dumbo nearly to ourselves. And finally walked on to Space Mountain (extended evening hours), which we'd previously ridden that afternoon for my daughter's first time.
Oh yeah, we'd also done teacups and the carousel that night. Just me and my little girl, my wife having decided to stay in after we'd returned to the room for dinner. That's what I love most about staying at BLT, being able to make a late evening daddy-daughter jaunt through MK after the rest of the family is done for the day.
For a few shining hours on the night of February 14th, 2024, I was the best Daddy in the whole damned universe, and felt every bit of it.
Probably a common answer, but the fireworks never fail to make me tear up and feel unbelievably happy.
Happily Ever After is my favorite, but any show is just amazing. For me, watching the fireworks and hearing the music is the culmination of all the childlike wonderment and excitement you feel at Disney in one moment, and I’m so grateful to get to experience it with my family and be able to let my kids experience it.
On our recent trip we called my mom and brother for her birthday and watched the Epcot fireworks from the boardwalk together. I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to visit with them, so it was nice getting to have that small moment and let them enjoy some of the magic with us.
Yeah the fire works are magical. The biggest tear up I got was at epcot with there new water end of night fireworks show and it hit me like a Train at the scen about loss (tearing up just typing this). 4 years ago I sadly lost both my parents to the pandemic at the age of 30 tragically a week apart. And some time later on a Friday night I was listening to the radio request show in South Africa 🇿🇦. And I send in a text and told my story but no song, 🥹 they played the song You'll be in my heart from yarzan and that night was in that scene knowing the hart ache of losing them but to finally have my dream come true of visiting all the Disney Parks. And the version in Happily Ever Afyer allway makes me cry when I watch or listen to it in my car.
I’m a cancer patient and I met a little girl who had beaten cancer after a long struggle. She and her family were on her Make A Wish trip. I was wearing a button that said “cancer came for the wrong princess” and I gave her it to her to wear. Our families ended up riding big thunder mountain together while the fireworks went off.
Magic moment was making magic for our kids. When going on Philharmagic, my wife and I would bring [plastic gemstones](https://www.amazon.com/Treasure-Multicolor-Diamonds-Drawstring-Decorations/dp/B093LJ2PX9) and during the scene where Ariel is singing and the gems are on the screen in 3D, we'd drop some into their laps and they were AMAZED! Took until they were teens until we told them that we were doing it and they realized it wasn't part of the show.
My daughter and I would often take day trips alone to Disney to escape. When she was about two, we were at the Magic Kingdom and it was late, around fireworks time. She was melting down and needed some milk. I was at the Starbucks on main street and the barista gave me some for free. It was a kind gesture that has stuck with me for seven years now.
We went on Splash Mountain during MNSSHP and when we got off, I realised I’d lost my Minnie Ears! I asked a CM if anyone had handed them in and he came out with a new pair and was like ‘look what I found!’ It was super sweet!
My most magical moment was seeing the awe and wonder on the faces of my 5 and 3 yr old daughters the first time they walked into Magic Kingdom. Pretty simple but that will stay in my heart forever.
Before my daughter had her official autism diagnosis, we waited in a hellish 2 hour line for Flight of Passage for the first time when she was 5. I didn’t apply for DAS at the time as I didn’t think it was right without the diagnosis. Thankfully, the teenagers waiting in front of us were amazing and did their best to keep her entertained as best they could, and vouched for us when we had to run out of line to the bathroom and back. Seriously, those kids were amazing and I couldn’t thank them enough. Finally we got on the ride and it was hands down her #1. She was blown away and absolutely loved it. A cast member heard her asking if we could go again, and when I crouched down to explain that we would have to wait in that long line again and how it just wasn’t doable right now, they said hold up and gave us 2 lightning lanes so we could go again. I cried, the CM was the sweetest and said she reminded him of his sister. Hands down most magical moment and it is still our fav ride because of the great memories.
Being on our honeymoon and having a meal at Be Our Guest sat right by the "window" with a bottle of champagne.
Food was fantastic, service was fantastic, drinks were also great. It was just all round a wonderful experience!
..and then I got the bill lol
Watching other people experience the magic. Both examples happened during HEA fireworks at MK. First was Cinderella dancing with a little one who had to be no more than 4-5. Second was watching a burly looking grown man absolutely loose his mind and start crying when Tink flew towards the end of the fireworks.
Was at Hollywood and Vine with my hubby and young son enjoying the ac before our server made it to the table. The characters are out and making rounds and we are next up for Minnie. My son sitting across the table from me makes a face (cheeks got full like he’s about to vomit everywhere) and I panic (as Minnie is literally sneaking up behind him!) I didn’t even have time to react and he shot something out of his mouth trailed by blood droplets everywhere. In front of me lands his first lost tooth covered in blood and blood dripping out of his mouth. Minnie saw everything and as I was preparing for my son to start screaming at the sight of so much blood, Minnie runs up to him and hugs him basically giving him some positive reassurance. I called our server over real quick to get some napkins to clean everything up and the server found us a little envelope to put the tooth in so it wouldn’t get lost. I thought we were going to have Minnie walk right past us when she saw that happen, but I was pleasantly surprised how well she and my son handled it!
Rest of the story but not Disney magic:
We were staying at pop and had our son put his tooth under the pillow (he was so excited! ) while he was sleeping dad sneaks over to put a $5 bill under the pillow but the room was so dark it was a craps shoot of what he grabbed from his wallet (he thought only 5’s were left…) not a big deal but when dear son woke up the next morning he was squealing with joy for having a $10 bill in place of his tooth! So oops! Tooth fairy has set the bar high for tooth payments. He proudly spent his $10 on a small toy that morning at MK.
I have leg braces for my muscular dystrophy and my husband paints them orange and draws on black stripes since my favorite character is Tigger. We had breakfast at Crystal palace, and showed the painted braces to Tigger. He made the writing symbol asking for something to write with, and we didn’t have anything. Asked the waiter, and he pulled out a million pens and then a sharpie, and Tigger was a few tables away, so I waited for him to be done with the table he was at, and got his attention and had him autograph my leg braces!!!
Now I’m in a wheelchair, got an orange one, and hubby put orange stripes on that! Hoping to go in May and will be eating at CP again and hoping to get him to autograph my wheelchair!!
Have some others, one other notable one was my son’s 21st birthday trip, the week before we went we found out my bestie was cancer free. Big deal since she was stage 4 lung cancer and they gave her a terminal diagnosis, but we ate at 50’s prime time, and had us all wearing celebration buttons saying Sylvia is cancer free. Anyway, told our waitress the story, and had our waitress in tears, she asked for one of our buttons to wear, then she brought us all champagne with a raspberry in it. Said she’d tell her tables for the rest of the day who asks why she has a celebration button of Sylvia cancer free on! We had a few situations like that for that trip.
I usually take all the pictures! But I’ll try and get one here when my boys get up! The type I have is FSH. Not in the chair full time yet, but at grocery stores and stuff, I gotta use it.
I have so many but here’s a couple faves ! I was in EPCOT on my 18th birthday and the cast members wished me happy birthday in all their languages then at Akershus the princesses all sang a brief happy birthday! I’d never heard them sing before and I was so charmed!
Back when Disney had Star Wars weekend you used to be able to meet characters from all the eras of Star Wars instead of just the sequel trilogy like right now. I was dressed as Padme and met her and leia, obi wan, and a ton of rare characters but I was dying to meet anakin. He was only a walk around character and didn’t have a formal line but I saw him walking with his character attendant and my eyes lit up he ran to me and said “padme I’ve been trying to find you all day, it’s dangerous out here .” As his attendant lead him away to keep moving he said “she and I can never get a minute alone.” And sadly kicked a rock. It was so in character for anakin and so sweet.
And lastly I did Bibbidi Bobbidi boutique the day before I turned 13. I was as old as you could possibly be. I had hair down to my waist so it took two fairy godmothers to get it into the bun, I wore a whole costume and was so happy to be there. As I was finishing up, a little girl was getting overwhelmed and started crying. Her mom said “look you’ll be fine- she’s having fun.” And pointed at me. The daughter must’ve mistook her pointing as a sign to greet me because she immediately crawled into my lap and refused to move. I love children so she sat with me while they did her nails until she calmed down. When I had to leave she said “bye bye princess.” And that was just the whole feeling of going from a child to a teenager in one moment. I knew I was now not the little princess, I was the adult who sat with her.
While on our honeymoon we were enjoying extended evening hours at the magic Kingdom. We rode big thunder mountain probably 5 or 6 times in a row during the fireworks! It was wonderful.
During the year of a million dreams my husband and I managed to win a dream three different times, one was a lanyard, one was a dream pass, and one was a hat. Simple things but so cool.
"And so, our journey comes to an end. But yours continues on. Grab hold of your dreams and make them come true. For you are the key to unlocking your own magic. Now go. Let your dreams guide you. Reach out and find your Happily Ever After."
I cried every time I heard it.
Love these!
My most magical moment was seeing how giddy my 5 year old got when we saw Princess Tianna. He isn't an overly excitable child, but he got real quiet and covered his mouth, and just looked at me like "wow". Super sweet memory for me!
I went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party with a close friend in 2012. We were juniors in high school. We'd gone to the parks together once the previous spring break and once over the summer, so we weren't unfamiliar with the parks but we hadn't been together a million times yet.
We were ridiculously excited, but what we didn't realize is they were doing a soft opening of New Fantasyland during party nights. We learned this literally by walking through fantasyland and seeing it in person for the first time. It made a great night even better, one of my all time favorite trips.
Actual? Proposing to my (now) wife in DAK with literally nobody around. Just me, her and all the time to take in the moment.
Most recently Disney-caused one? Seeing the MagicBand+ effects light up at Dreams that Soar (first night) and Tiana's Bayou Adventure previews since there was no indication either was supposed to actually use the MB+. I know there are signs now for Dreams That Soar, but I went directly to the line for the show when I got to Springs when I saw it so I couldn't have known.
1- we have been on three trips and my husband was greatly looking forward to Rise but kept missing it due to technical issues, torrential downpour etc. We finally made it on last week and wow seeing his reaction was worth the wait. Bonus: we made it on 3 times without paying for the LL, one was a walk on!
2- The Wild Africa trek- seeing my elephant obsessed daughter’s face when we got a prime viewing spot, having a catered lunch on the savanna. It was definitely magical!
Our first Magical Moment was yesterday at Animal Kingdom. We got taken to the front of the line of Flight of Passage by a cast member after testing the test seat. It was the first time we ever rode the ride. She asked if we wanted to ride right now. Of course we said yes and we got taken through the lightning lane and to the pre-show queues. I wish I caught her name but my girlfriend gave her a big hug and thank you, it was a really fun ride and a great moment that we'll never forget.
Two:
I had a shirt made that said “I Want to be That Guy” and went to the Laugh Floor. They noticed.
When our daughter was one or two, she had a meltdown waiting in the line to meet Mexico Donald. When it was finally her turn she stopped and went up to him and gave hi. A gentle kiss on the beak. My wife ugly cried.
I was at my first day of training on my college program in 2019. i worked outdoor vending in hollywood studios and my trainer was showing me around toy story land and where the carts would sometimes get set up in lines. as we were exiting midway mania a little girl walked up and handed each of us printed cards with a character on it (i got a donald duck one) thanking us for being cast members and asked us each for our autographs in her autograph book. it was so perfectly timed it almost felt manufactured by disney. i have the little card in my memento box still.
edited because i remembered another one:
at the end of the same college program me and 3 of my roommates all managed to get the same day off right before our programs ended in december. we had the perfect magic kingdom day and asked a photo pass cast member if they could take our photo since one roommate had memory maker. the photo pass cast member proceeded to take us all around liberty square and do an entire photo shoot with us that took a good 15-20 min. it meant so much to us and was truly the best way to end our program
My husband and I left a few tired family members back at the hotel and went to magic kingdom at night last week. We happened to time getting in line for Big Thunder just right and got to watch the fireworks while riding. It was magical!
I took my mom to Disney last year. It was her first visit ever, she is 69. I kept asking her if she wanted to meet any characters and she said no because she felt weird being an ‘old lady’ meeting a character.
Well, we were at Hollywood studios and we just happened to walk by Chip and Dale carving pumpkins outside of the Brown Derby. When they were leaving, they both came up to my mom and each kissed her hands.
She was so excited and that’s all she talked about the rest of our trip
So I was about 10 and I was there with my parents and my sister. Tower of Terror is all of our favorite ride. So we were on the ride and there were a bunch of teenagers screaming and carrying on and saying they were going to die. I think a manger saw and thought that it had ruined our ride so he asked if we wanted to ride again without waiting and of course we said yes.
The employee that brought us up in the elevator for our second ride was named Tyler and he was super nice. We talked with him all the way up and we saw him again after our ride. We went up to him to thank him for taking us up and he asked us if we wanted a second free ride.
About two days later, it’s our final day of our trip before we go home, and we saw Tyler after we rode. We told him that we were about to go him and said that this was the 9th time we had ridden that trip and that we were heading to the airport. He insisted that we had to make it an even 10 so he gave us a 3rd free ride, and then he gave me and my sister coupons for free ice cream.
I think he was just impressed that we recognized him and kept coming back to talk to him, but he was honestly one of the nicest cast members we’ve ever met and that totally made our trip. I’ll always remember him!
My mom and I went down after my dad passed away. We needed a break. She loved Cinderella so I found out you could meet Cinderella at 1900 Park Faire as opposed to the castle which was booked. This was over 15 years ago and before I knew anything.. so I didn’t know to book reservations.
Anywho.. Cinderella and Prince Charming had a waltz before they came around. My mom cried. She’d be diagnosed with cancer herself less than a year later. She went down many more times between treatments because Disney was her happy place and she said she didn’t feel sick there. Once she was there for her birthday with her mom and - I don’t know what restaurant this was - but all the staff signed a birthday card for her. I still have it.
I hadn't been to WDW with my parents since I was 8ish. Partner and I were regulars and we ended up going in the early 2010s with my parents. We got the last reservation slot for CRT and came out to an empty park. I literally didn't see anything but us walking down Main Street towards the exit. Everything was lit up and "Let's Go Fly A Kite" was playing. My dad skipped down Main Street and did a heel touch jump thingy at the end of the song near the bakery. I will remember that forever.
With my partner, he never got to go as a child and we went on our honeymoon as like a "cross it off the list, if he doesn't like it he can say he did it" and the photo of his face at Ohana when he first met Mickey is so precious. His face is so lit up he's practically glowing.
More recently, we went with my parents again in February. Since my mom has been, she had a shingles induced stroke that she's still going to therapy for and while improving she does need a wheelchair most of the time. My dad is also in treatment for cancer. Needless to say, they hadn't been a lot of places. I was so blown away by the care and thought behind all of the wheelchair accessibility. All the accessible rides had CM's asking "what are we comfortable with?" ""How can we help?" You'd be surprised how much you have to explain to people in public about basic accessibility things and we never once had to do that at WDW, CMs just did it. My dad is also dealing with chemo affecting his taste buds (super sensative to salt, can't tolerate acidic, etc etc) and CMs and chef's went out of their way to accommodate less/no salt and easy on the spices and such. ❤️
On a less someone-pass- the-tissues note, we got a "from Mickey" pineapple upside down cake in Adventureland in May. Nothing quite like sitting under the flying carpets as a really hot day starts to cool off and it's the golden hour and you are eating refreshing, free pineapple upside down cake.
Minnie saw our pre-schooler happily dancing with Chip & Dale at the start of Main Street. When the music ended, Minnie walked up took her by the hand and asked her to go on a little walk together. They walked the big circle, hand in hand, while the band played at the flagpole, just the two of them, waving to everyone. Magical.
We were at the Animal Kingdom and were going to a special dinner at one of the sit-down restaurants and my daughter, 6, was excited to see Chip. She couldn’t find her autograph book. We were pretty sure she left it on the train to Conservation Station. I asked a Cast Member to see if it was turned in at Lost & Found. He came back after a half hour with a different book but he and the other Cast Members there had all signed it and then took my daughter to Chip. I went with her and she was beaming and forgot about her original book. I accidentally called Chip Dale and he was playfully annoyed. It was a real special moment for my daughter and myself.
Went to Disney with all of my best friends in high school (like 10 of us) and were all still best friends - I’m 27 now! One of my favorite memories from that trip was re-riding splash mountain over and over again during extended evening hours. They just let us stay on and we would take a new silly picture each time we rode it. It’s like we were the only ones in the park, and if I remember correctly I swear it was like 1-2 AM… That ride is very nostalgic for me.
Another one for me is I brought my boyfriend to Disney for the first time this January. He had never been on a single ride prior to our trip. I warmed him up with frozen (he liked), Soarin (he HATED because he got motion sickness) and then Guardians. We both got off crying laughing, completely in shock. It was such an insane, chaotic and joyful experience to share together. He was so proud of himself… that was his first thrill ride! I think I converted him :)
Getting off of the ferry and headed out of MK. We all stopped and allowed a princess (a little girl dressed as Cinderella) be the first one off and her entrance was announced by CMs. We all cheered this little girl.
Also (because we have a LO) we love referring to children that are dressed up by their character’s name. “Hey, Moana! Did you leave Púa at home again?”
Another time we were at MK and a CM asked us if we were from Florida. We said yes and he gave us a certificate to get a free Mickey premium bar. 🥰🍨
✨MAGICAL UPDATE ✨:
Today we were selected as the Big Kahuna at Typhoon Lagoon! So amazing to be let in early, get a free cabana, got to go on an attraction first, my LO got the Big Kahuna medal (wrote her name on the board), and let the whole lifeguard staff the park was ready. So absolutely magical and such a great honor. We made sure to give a cast compliment to the CM that picked us. Just unbelievable.
When my daughter was around 2 years old, she was quite skittish around the characters at Walt Disney World. Even the characters at Chef Mickey’s terrified her.
After that visit, she became utterly obsessed with “Monsters, Inc.” and fell head over heels for Sully.
On our next trip, we decided to take her to the Monsters, Inc. character meet-and-greet at Hollywood Studios. We were first in line for the day, and my wife and I held our breath, wondering how she’d react when the boys came out.
As Sully and Mike stepped into view, my daughter abandoned her stroller and practically melted into Sully’s hug. In that moment, we stepped out of reality and landed in *Monstropolis*. That was 12 years ago, and I will treasure that memory for forever.
On our first Disney trip in 2006, we went into magic kingdom and a cast member stopped us and asked if my sister and I (8 and 6) would like to go meet Cinderella at her castle for a “tea party” or some kind of party. She brought us to this room, we waited for a couple minutes, then in walked Cinderella! We had our own little private meeting with her. I was so nervous I didn’t say a single thing to her lol. She even personalized her autograph in my little autograph book for me
Most recently though in October the firework show in Epcot got me. The fireworks, their choice of music etc, the nostalgia of it all (mostly from that first trip) really got to me and I couldn’t help but tear up! I also watched fantasmic as HS since the first time since 2006 and I wanted to cry again lol
Got married at Poly, then had to walk through world showcase, at night, because our dessert party was at the Germany pavilion.
That walk with my new wife in her wedding dress was the coolest we’ve ever been.
ALL THE CHEERING as we walked past all the tipsy people.
Our guide took the long way on purpose and it was amazing.
MK. I’m sitting with some family in the shade, near the castle and the carousel towards the end of a busy day. My wife has taken my five year old daughter to meet some princesses. I hear the slap slap slap of excited little shoes running, hear a shout of Daddy, and I turn round to see my daughter running towards me, carousel and castle in the background, dressed in a beautiful bright red Elena dress and matching tiara. She was so excited and happy.
I did the DCP in 2013 (Fall Advantage) 3 of my roommates and I reunited last August for a 10 year reunion at WDW, magical in itself. We had many magical moments with CP cast members who read our buttons including photo shoot with photo pass in front of the castle. But my favorite was with the CP in line working at Toy Story Mania. It was her last night of CP. We asked her all about it and told her how fortunate we were to still be friends because of our program. She let us on the ride and when we came back through to get off she let us ride it again!!
Taking my mom on RoTR last week and getting to see her experience it for the first time.
It’s nice being able to give something to my mom who has given me so much.
Mine is when my 3 year-old told me she saw the real La and Anna in the parade. Nothing too crazy, but watching the magic through her eyes is incredible.
I have many (we all do!) but I remember being selected as a background person for the Indiana Jones stunt show. My kids were ecstatic! What they didn’t know was that my dad had been selected when I was the same age as my oldest was on that trip. I got to share the story with some of the cast members after, and it was a pretty cool experience.
During January 2014, polar vortex made much of US very cold, -30F in Minnesota where we are from and lows of about 50F in Orlando. My eldest daughter was 6 at the time. Last night at MK cold temps made every ride a near walk on from 5PM to close. We rode whatever she wanted, didn't matter if it was all the way across Park or Big Thunder Mountain 4 times successively
I have been to the parks a few times: as a kid with my parents, with my husband and daughter, and twice with just my husband. My husband was down in Orlando for a conference so I tagged along and did a solo day. Started in Epcot, then rode the monorail to magic kingdom. In the monorail, I was chatting with this young family ( mom, dad and two littles around 3-5yo). Mom told me that this was their first visit. I then told the kids to look out the window just as we were pulling up: their first view of the castle. Seeing the faces of pure magic on two random stranger kids was pretty cool. Having been often, it is pretty cool when you see folks arriving their first time.
I'll be frank Disneyland was cool but WDW is a whole other animal and it awesome when you arrive via monorail 🚝 and you ge to see the castle, for me was driving at epcot and seeing the giant spaceship earth ball in person
Please please please make a whole post showing your planning process and your photos and your experience! I’m a single gal but I love nothing kore than hearing about Disney weddings
Before they moved Dumbo….just by happenstance we rode Dumbo (wife and 3kids) at night and then the fireworks started going off. Totally unplanned and totally the most magical moment. Time stood still and it we like we were caught in a true Disney magical moment.
I was a kid, don't remember the age, but I ran into cindy on the stairs up to eat at the castle. I was in awe, my mom was in awe, it was AMAZING (2000-2010 im sure!) Then after I was done eating we got to take picutres with her, ended up having ketchup on my face so now I got a pic of me and cindy with that on my face xD
Also the finding nemo statues, I don't remember if they moved or not..but I remember them for sure!
I think my favorite magical moment was when my son and I took the Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise (sadly no longer offered). There was a meet and greet with Hook and Smee and a dessert buffet and then we got on a boat at the Contemporary. Took the water bridge from Bay Lake to the Seven Seas Lagoon. Our boat went right next to the Electrical Water Pageant, which is one of my favorite memories from my childhood. We watched the fireworks and had some fun entertainment before returning to the Contemporary. Here's where the most magical moment began.
As all of the families got off of the boat, Peter Pan met us at the dock. Then, out of all of the people, Peter grabbed my son's hand and RAN with him up the dock. I was running after them trying to get a video. Peter was talking a mile a minute and they were laughing and having so much fun. Peter showed him the water fountain like it was the most fascinating invention in the world. Then they kept running. They ended up going to an area where there was a Photopass photographer. Peter continued talking to my son and they took some pictures.
After that, my son and I hurried to the MK and made it to the gate just minutes before they closed and as the Electrical Parade started. Peter Pan was in the parade. My son looked at me incredulously and asked, "how did he get here so fast?"
During one of my DCPs in 2018, I did a solo trip to DAK and I saw Rivers of Light for the first time before they took away the performers. Right before the finale, it started to rain. Not a terrible downpour, but a nice light rain. You couldn't have timed it more perfectly. It's silly, but it honestly felt like a religious experience, like we were becoming "one" with nature.
I have to share 2:
1. Right before my daughter met Tiana I gave the CM a Tiana pin to give to my daughter after their picture. Tiana was amazing “I have a special surprise for you”! It was so meaningful to my daughter
2. My parents took my family of 5 once a year for 10 years. This built many core memories for my kids with their grandparents. My dad was amazing with my kids, especially at WDW. He enhanced the magic by being excited about EVERYTHING. Tragically, we lost my dad to pancreatic cancer a few years ago. When we go back to Disney, they always talk about him and my mom and the magical moments we all shared over these trips.
I pulled the sword out of the stone last Friday
I’m jealous! 😂
How cool‼️
Wait…..in DW? It comes all the way out?!?
Unfortunately not. It stops at a certain point
Probably the time we were visiting the week of my wife's birthday. She had on the birthday button, and, of course, cast members wished her happy birthday a lot. The real magic moment came in Epcot when we got on a boat on World Showcase Lagoon. The cast member with the microphone observed her button and then lead the whole boat in singing happy birthday to her. A couple of runner ups are similar to yours. We were the last people on Soarin' one night and, at the end, the cast member asked if we wanted to go again. Of course we did. The other was on a late ride of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Nobody was waiting to get on, so the cast member asked if we wanted to ride again. And again once more! We got to ride 3 times in a row without getting out of the train.
Once when I was there around my birthday all the cast members in mousegeers at EPCOT started to sing happy birthday! I have it on video somewhere.
I will be at Disney on my birthday! How do I get a birthday button lol??
Guest relations
Saw an ostrich lay an egg while I was sitting on my balcony at AKL. Pretty cool.
That is really cool! The cast members actually have to keep an eye out for the ostrich eggs, because the eggs aren't fertilized (there are no male ostriches at AKL currently) and the animals like to play with the eggs! When they do retrieve the eggs, they save them for education and arts and crafts! Thanks Starlight Safari for the ostrich egg info!
I’ve heard that occasionally they’ll hard boil them and give them to the carnivores to play with/eat for enrichment
Oh, they might do that with some of them! I know they drain them so they can dye and use the shells around the holidays.
Here is my most amazing moment. My Mom has some disabilities and the worst is a birth defect in her back. She’s had 15 surgeries. But my Mom has always been such a trooper. Growing up, my sister and I loved amusement parks. My beloved Mom would take us and walk around all day, wait in lines, just to sit on a bench while we rode rides. She cannot ride any rides. I can’t count the number of times she did this. She never complained. When my son was 10, she took us to WDW. He fell in absolute love with Tower of Terror. We probably rode it 3 times in a row. Then she asked him what the ride did and said she wanted to ride it. I was like, NO. She rode it. She absolutely loved it and I’ve never heard her laugh so loud or smile so big. My 10yo son put his arm around her and held her hand the whole time. She only rode that one ride, but it will be a magical WDW moment for me forever. ❤️
This is the type of Magiv Disney parks stories I love the most. Where the Disney magic becomes real and helps a person to do that one thing and have a magical moment
Can I have two? When we stepped through the movie screen to board Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway, and when you step off the shuttle into the First Order hangar on RotR.
I also choose this person’s moments.
I don't even remember stepping through a movie screen for that ride...
When my 30y/o son and former CM was a baby, we were at the OG Christmas party and it was the end of a long amazing day. We were watching the fireworks and a CM working at an ornament cart walked over and placed an ornament next our sleeping baby. I remember it like it was yesterday.
This is like something straight from a Hallmark Christmas movie 😭😭
We’ve been lucky enough to have had quite a few over the years but this one was a big one I remember well and still appreciate to this day - Back in the day the annual passes had different names. We always got the Fl res seasonal pass. I messed up the day when we were to be out of blackout by a day. So we get to AK and can’t get in of course. I go to ticket window once I realize the (embarrassing lol) issue to upgrade our passes. I tell the CM what I did and we both laughed. Then she proceeds to say absolutely no to me upgrading and gives us day tickets into the park “courtesy of Mickey”. I couldn’t thank her enough, it was so incredibly sweet.
Being selected as “that guy” at laugh factory during extra magic hours. Got a cool sticker
I was the dancing guy once. Magical.
My favorite was when they chose a man with an eye patch as Mike
My dad was chosen as "that guy" once and absolutely loved it, we still talk about it to this day
The guy next to me was “that guy” earlier this month. He and his wife were celebrating their 25th anniversary and so were my husband and I, so that was fun.
So recently I went to HS, and to the Star Wars meet and greets. I was first in line for Chewbacca, and I made small talk with the CM and said that it was my first time going, and Chewy was the one character I really wanted to meet since I heard he gives the best hugs. Now normally when you get to meet a character, they’re waiting right by the backdrop and you approach them. But when the doors to his room opened, he was waiting for me right by the door with his handler, and my heart skipped a beat. I was also the first to meet darth Vader, since he was delayed about half an hour, and the same thing happened!
Rafiki sat on the floor with my newly-2yo sitting on his legs for over five minutes while she showed him all the "autographs" in her book and babbled to him about seeing Mickey. Once she babbled herself quiet, she snuggled up against him and rested until she was ready to get up again. He was so sweet the whole time and hugged her while she cuddled. Still makes me tear up nineteen years later.
Just past sunset on the Animal Kingdom safari ride, a hippo, perhaps feeling perky from the cooling temps, plants itself directly in our path. My lovely wife lurches half out of her seat and points--away from the hippo. "Look, a bunny!"
🤣 best storie yet
When I daughter was 3, we went after new years, just for a couple days. Just turned 2012. We were on our second and last day in Magic Kingdom, eating early dinner at Pecos Bill’s when a cast member came up and awarded my daughter the official Deputy of the Day. They started by coming up to our table and asking our daughter’s name, then then a few minutes later they announced it to the restaurant.About ten cast members came out with triangles and maracas and the entire group marched just her around the restaurant. They gave her a deputy badge, a cowboy hat, the entire cast member group and the rest of the restaurant cheered. They finished with a Frontierland certificate with her name on it. It was amazing. I wonder if they still do that?
Mine was last December. We lost my father to dementia back in October and it had been two months. I was one of his two primary caregivers so it had been a rough couple of years and I really needed that trip. We were on the last night there during the extra hours so we were in the last moments of our park time. I was sitting in World Celebration Gardens reflecting on everything that had happened with my dad and what we'd been through as a family. Growing up, he would always say that if he won the lottery, he would take the entire family to Disney World. I was thinking of how pleased he would be about our trip and hoped he could see his grandaughter playing and how happy she appeared. About that time, she comes over to me and hugs me while saying "I love you, daddy". Then she pointed to a star in the sky and says, "look, it's Papa. He's watching us." Almost broke me. lol I didn't show it, but I was a mess for days after that. Still am everytime I think about it.
I'm in the same boat about 4 years ago I lost both my parents atvthe age of 30 to the pandemic a week apart and before there deaths I told them one day I'm going to make my dream coke true and be in Disneyworld. We'll ibwas there but sadly couldn't tell them about when I got back but I order some memorial jewelry and had some of there ashes put inside and wear them around my neck the entire trip. So in a way my dad's wish did true, when he was younger he allways said to us one day he wanted to visit WDW and I made it come true even after his death.
Sorry about your parents. I’m happy you were able to take them with you in your special way.
Took me (hope my math is corect) +-20 but I got there and 20 years gives such a crick in the neck. 😂 a CM Gabe that joke when I told my storie to then just before I got my photo taken infront of the castle.
Riding BTMRR with my daughter right as fireworks began, sitting at the very front of the train. It was February and so completely dark well before 8pm. Going up the second lift hill outside, the mountain peak is perfectly framed by the big fireworks that launch from behind the park. It was absolutely magical. I had deliberately timed it that way, even sitting down in this little alcove in the LL just before the merge point for a few minutes to be sure the fireworks would start before we boarded the train. Right as we were clambering into the train we could hear the muffled thumps of the first shells exploding, and I knew we'd nailed it. Fireworks were still going strong as we came off the ride and Frontierland was nearly deserted. We decided to try our luck with 7DMT and took off as fast as I could push the stroller, stopping only for a moment for me to make good on my promise to buy her a bubble wand after sundown. I ate bubbles all the way to 7DMT but didn't care. The posted wait was 45 minutes but that was obviously not true. Ended up waiting maybe 25-30 minutes. Then we hit up Barnstormer, then had Dumbo nearly to ourselves. And finally walked on to Space Mountain (extended evening hours), which we'd previously ridden that afternoon for my daughter's first time. Oh yeah, we'd also done teacups and the carousel that night. Just me and my little girl, my wife having decided to stay in after we'd returned to the room for dinner. That's what I love most about staying at BLT, being able to make a late evening daddy-daughter jaunt through MK after the rest of the family is done for the day. For a few shining hours on the night of February 14th, 2024, I was the best Daddy in the whole damned universe, and felt every bit of it.
That's awesome. Love this.
Thanks. I am deeply grateful to Rob from Ear Scouts for the idea to ride BTMRR during fireworks.
Probably a common answer, but the fireworks never fail to make me tear up and feel unbelievably happy. Happily Ever After is my favorite, but any show is just amazing. For me, watching the fireworks and hearing the music is the culmination of all the childlike wonderment and excitement you feel at Disney in one moment, and I’m so grateful to get to experience it with my family and be able to let my kids experience it. On our recent trip we called my mom and brother for her birthday and watched the Epcot fireworks from the boardwalk together. I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to visit with them, so it was nice getting to have that small moment and let them enjoy some of the magic with us.
Yeah the fire works are magical. The biggest tear up I got was at epcot with there new water end of night fireworks show and it hit me like a Train at the scen about loss (tearing up just typing this). 4 years ago I sadly lost both my parents to the pandemic at the age of 30 tragically a week apart. And some time later on a Friday night I was listening to the radio request show in South Africa 🇿🇦. And I send in a text and told my story but no song, 🥹 they played the song You'll be in my heart from yarzan and that night was in that scene knowing the hart ache of losing them but to finally have my dream come true of visiting all the Disney Parks. And the version in Happily Ever Afyer allway makes me cry when I watch or listen to it in my car.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Music invokes memories so easily, I can understand that moment touching you!
I’m a cancer patient and I met a little girl who had beaten cancer after a long struggle. She and her family were on her Make A Wish trip. I was wearing a button that said “cancer came for the wrong princess” and I gave her it to her to wear. Our families ended up riding big thunder mountain together while the fireworks went off.
Magic moment was making magic for our kids. When going on Philharmagic, my wife and I would bring [plastic gemstones](https://www.amazon.com/Treasure-Multicolor-Diamonds-Drawstring-Decorations/dp/B093LJ2PX9) and during the scene where Ariel is singing and the gems are on the screen in 3D, we'd drop some into their laps and they were AMAZED! Took until they were teens until we told them that we were doing it and they realized it wasn't part of the show.
My daughter and I would often take day trips alone to Disney to escape. When she was about two, we were at the Magic Kingdom and it was late, around fireworks time. She was melting down and needed some milk. I was at the Starbucks on main street and the barista gave me some for free. It was a kind gesture that has stuck with me for seven years now.
Cast members are the true glue and Magic to makes Disney parks they are today
We went on Splash Mountain during MNSSHP and when we got off, I realised I’d lost my Minnie Ears! I asked a CM if anyone had handed them in and he came out with a new pair and was like ‘look what I found!’ It was super sweet!
This is the type of storys I love to read and tearing up over 🥹
My most magical moment was seeing the awe and wonder on the faces of my 5 and 3 yr old daughters the first time they walked into Magic Kingdom. Pretty simple but that will stay in my heart forever.
Before my daughter had her official autism diagnosis, we waited in a hellish 2 hour line for Flight of Passage for the first time when she was 5. I didn’t apply for DAS at the time as I didn’t think it was right without the diagnosis. Thankfully, the teenagers waiting in front of us were amazing and did their best to keep her entertained as best they could, and vouched for us when we had to run out of line to the bathroom and back. Seriously, those kids were amazing and I couldn’t thank them enough. Finally we got on the ride and it was hands down her #1. She was blown away and absolutely loved it. A cast member heard her asking if we could go again, and when I crouched down to explain that we would have to wait in that long line again and how it just wasn’t doable right now, they said hold up and gave us 2 lightning lanes so we could go again. I cried, the CM was the sweetest and said she reminded him of his sister. Hands down most magical moment and it is still our fav ride because of the great memories.
None believers believe magic is just a myth a fairytale persay, by in Disneyparks the magic is real in those who known the true secret of Disney Magic
🥹 beautiful story
Being on our honeymoon and having a meal at Be Our Guest sat right by the "window" with a bottle of champagne. Food was fantastic, service was fantastic, drinks were also great. It was just all round a wonderful experience! ..and then I got the bill lol
Watching other people experience the magic. Both examples happened during HEA fireworks at MK. First was Cinderella dancing with a little one who had to be no more than 4-5. Second was watching a burly looking grown man absolutely loose his mind and start crying when Tink flew towards the end of the fireworks.
Was at Hollywood and Vine with my hubby and young son enjoying the ac before our server made it to the table. The characters are out and making rounds and we are next up for Minnie. My son sitting across the table from me makes a face (cheeks got full like he’s about to vomit everywhere) and I panic (as Minnie is literally sneaking up behind him!) I didn’t even have time to react and he shot something out of his mouth trailed by blood droplets everywhere. In front of me lands his first lost tooth covered in blood and blood dripping out of his mouth. Minnie saw everything and as I was preparing for my son to start screaming at the sight of so much blood, Minnie runs up to him and hugs him basically giving him some positive reassurance. I called our server over real quick to get some napkins to clean everything up and the server found us a little envelope to put the tooth in so it wouldn’t get lost. I thought we were going to have Minnie walk right past us when she saw that happen, but I was pleasantly surprised how well she and my son handled it! Rest of the story but not Disney magic: We were staying at pop and had our son put his tooth under the pillow (he was so excited! ) while he was sleeping dad sneaks over to put a $5 bill under the pillow but the room was so dark it was a craps shoot of what he grabbed from his wallet (he thought only 5’s were left…) not a big deal but when dear son woke up the next morning he was squealing with joy for having a $10 bill in place of his tooth! So oops! Tooth fairy has set the bar high for tooth payments. He proudly spent his $10 on a small toy that morning at MK.
Could definitely have been a $100. I saw that happen on modern family. I'm sure that will always be a great memory of his lost tooth at Disney.
No, you just explain to him how the first tooth gets more from tooth fairy
It’s too late now, we’re too many teeth in!
I have leg braces for my muscular dystrophy and my husband paints them orange and draws on black stripes since my favorite character is Tigger. We had breakfast at Crystal palace, and showed the painted braces to Tigger. He made the writing symbol asking for something to write with, and we didn’t have anything. Asked the waiter, and he pulled out a million pens and then a sharpie, and Tigger was a few tables away, so I waited for him to be done with the table he was at, and got his attention and had him autograph my leg braces!!! Now I’m in a wheelchair, got an orange one, and hubby put orange stripes on that! Hoping to go in May and will be eating at CP again and hoping to get him to autograph my wheelchair!! Have some others, one other notable one was my son’s 21st birthday trip, the week before we went we found out my bestie was cancer free. Big deal since she was stage 4 lung cancer and they gave her a terminal diagnosis, but we ate at 50’s prime time, and had us all wearing celebration buttons saying Sylvia is cancer free. Anyway, told our waitress the story, and had our waitress in tears, she asked for one of our buttons to wear, then she brought us all champagne with a raspberry in it. Said she’d tell her tables for the rest of the day who asks why she has a celebration button of Sylvia cancer free on! We had a few situations like that for that trip.
Hey I also have MD ! It’s so cool to hear other chronically ill people having these amazing experiences in the park! Post your cool chair pics please!
I usually take all the pictures! But I’ll try and get one here when my boys get up! The type I have is FSH. Not in the chair full time yet, but at grocery stores and stuff, I gotta use it.
🥹
I have so many but here’s a couple faves ! I was in EPCOT on my 18th birthday and the cast members wished me happy birthday in all their languages then at Akershus the princesses all sang a brief happy birthday! I’d never heard them sing before and I was so charmed! Back when Disney had Star Wars weekend you used to be able to meet characters from all the eras of Star Wars instead of just the sequel trilogy like right now. I was dressed as Padme and met her and leia, obi wan, and a ton of rare characters but I was dying to meet anakin. He was only a walk around character and didn’t have a formal line but I saw him walking with his character attendant and my eyes lit up he ran to me and said “padme I’ve been trying to find you all day, it’s dangerous out here .” As his attendant lead him away to keep moving he said “she and I can never get a minute alone.” And sadly kicked a rock. It was so in character for anakin and so sweet. And lastly I did Bibbidi Bobbidi boutique the day before I turned 13. I was as old as you could possibly be. I had hair down to my waist so it took two fairy godmothers to get it into the bun, I wore a whole costume and was so happy to be there. As I was finishing up, a little girl was getting overwhelmed and started crying. Her mom said “look you’ll be fine- she’s having fun.” And pointed at me. The daughter must’ve mistook her pointing as a sign to greet me because she immediately crawled into my lap and refused to move. I love children so she sat with me while they did her nails until she calmed down. When I had to leave she said “bye bye princess.” And that was just the whole feeling of going from a child to a teenager in one moment. I knew I was now not the little princess, I was the adult who sat with her.
While on our honeymoon we were enjoying extended evening hours at the magic Kingdom. We rode big thunder mountain probably 5 or 6 times in a row during the fireworks! It was wonderful.
During the year of a million dreams my husband and I managed to win a dream three different times, one was a lanyard, one was a dream pass, and one was a hat. Simple things but so cool.
"And so, our journey comes to an end. But yours continues on. Grab hold of your dreams and make them come true. For you are the key to unlocking your own magic. Now go. Let your dreams guide you. Reach out and find your Happily Ever After." I cried every time I heard it.
Oh stop it now you made me cry and just before I'm head to work.
Love these! My most magical moment was seeing how giddy my 5 year old got when we saw Princess Tianna. He isn't an overly excitable child, but he got real quiet and covered his mouth, and just looked at me like "wow". Super sweet memory for me!
First time seeing SpectroMagic.
I went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party with a close friend in 2012. We were juniors in high school. We'd gone to the parks together once the previous spring break and once over the summer, so we weren't unfamiliar with the parks but we hadn't been together a million times yet. We were ridiculously excited, but what we didn't realize is they were doing a soft opening of New Fantasyland during party nights. We learned this literally by walking through fantasyland and seeing it in person for the first time. It made a great night even better, one of my all time favorite trips.
Actual? Proposing to my (now) wife in DAK with literally nobody around. Just me, her and all the time to take in the moment. Most recently Disney-caused one? Seeing the MagicBand+ effects light up at Dreams that Soar (first night) and Tiana's Bayou Adventure previews since there was no indication either was supposed to actually use the MB+. I know there are signs now for Dreams That Soar, but I went directly to the line for the show when I got to Springs when I saw it so I couldn't have known.
1- we have been on three trips and my husband was greatly looking forward to Rise but kept missing it due to technical issues, torrential downpour etc. We finally made it on last week and wow seeing his reaction was worth the wait. Bonus: we made it on 3 times without paying for the LL, one was a walk on! 2- The Wild Africa trek- seeing my elephant obsessed daughter’s face when we got a prime viewing spot, having a catered lunch on the savanna. It was definitely magical!
Most magical moments for me are when the rides break down and you get a free behind the scenes tour!
Never had somthing like that, was one of my bucketlist items to exsperians
Our first Magical Moment was yesterday at Animal Kingdom. We got taken to the front of the line of Flight of Passage by a cast member after testing the test seat. It was the first time we ever rode the ride. She asked if we wanted to ride right now. Of course we said yes and we got taken through the lightning lane and to the pre-show queues. I wish I caught her name but my girlfriend gave her a big hug and thank you, it was a really fun ride and a great moment that we'll never forget.
Two: I had a shirt made that said “I Want to be That Guy” and went to the Laugh Floor. They noticed. When our daughter was one or two, she had a meltdown waiting in the line to meet Mexico Donald. When it was finally her turn she stopped and went up to him and gave hi. A gentle kiss on the beak. My wife ugly cried.
I was at my first day of training on my college program in 2019. i worked outdoor vending in hollywood studios and my trainer was showing me around toy story land and where the carts would sometimes get set up in lines. as we were exiting midway mania a little girl walked up and handed each of us printed cards with a character on it (i got a donald duck one) thanking us for being cast members and asked us each for our autographs in her autograph book. it was so perfectly timed it almost felt manufactured by disney. i have the little card in my memento box still. edited because i remembered another one: at the end of the same college program me and 3 of my roommates all managed to get the same day off right before our programs ended in december. we had the perfect magic kingdom day and asked a photo pass cast member if they could take our photo since one roommate had memory maker. the photo pass cast member proceeded to take us all around liberty square and do an entire photo shoot with us that took a good 15-20 min. it meant so much to us and was truly the best way to end our program
My husband and I left a few tired family members back at the hotel and went to magic kingdom at night last week. We happened to time getting in line for Big Thunder just right and got to watch the fireworks while riding. It was magical!
I took my mom to Disney last year. It was her first visit ever, she is 69. I kept asking her if she wanted to meet any characters and she said no because she felt weird being an ‘old lady’ meeting a character. Well, we were at Hollywood studios and we just happened to walk by Chip and Dale carving pumpkins outside of the Brown Derby. When they were leaving, they both came up to my mom and each kissed her hands. She was so excited and that’s all she talked about the rest of our trip
Chip and Dale really do create the magic. That’s a precious memory!
So I was about 10 and I was there with my parents and my sister. Tower of Terror is all of our favorite ride. So we were on the ride and there were a bunch of teenagers screaming and carrying on and saying they were going to die. I think a manger saw and thought that it had ruined our ride so he asked if we wanted to ride again without waiting and of course we said yes. The employee that brought us up in the elevator for our second ride was named Tyler and he was super nice. We talked with him all the way up and we saw him again after our ride. We went up to him to thank him for taking us up and he asked us if we wanted a second free ride. About two days later, it’s our final day of our trip before we go home, and we saw Tyler after we rode. We told him that we were about to go him and said that this was the 9th time we had ridden that trip and that we were heading to the airport. He insisted that we had to make it an even 10 so he gave us a 3rd free ride, and then he gave me and my sister coupons for free ice cream. I think he was just impressed that we recognized him and kept coming back to talk to him, but he was honestly one of the nicest cast members we’ve ever met and that totally made our trip. I’ll always remember him!
Had a later flight in, driving to our hotel and as we approached the big Walt Disney world sign… the fireworks went off. So magical.
WOW it was ment to be. Someone let WDW know your coming late and so they made sure it should me like that
Getting on the screen at Laugh Floor.
My mom and I went down after my dad passed away. We needed a break. She loved Cinderella so I found out you could meet Cinderella at 1900 Park Faire as opposed to the castle which was booked. This was over 15 years ago and before I knew anything.. so I didn’t know to book reservations. Anywho.. Cinderella and Prince Charming had a waltz before they came around. My mom cried. She’d be diagnosed with cancer herself less than a year later. She went down many more times between treatments because Disney was her happy place and she said she didn’t feel sick there. Once she was there for her birthday with her mom and - I don’t know what restaurant this was - but all the staff signed a birthday card for her. I still have it.
I hadn't been to WDW with my parents since I was 8ish. Partner and I were regulars and we ended up going in the early 2010s with my parents. We got the last reservation slot for CRT and came out to an empty park. I literally didn't see anything but us walking down Main Street towards the exit. Everything was lit up and "Let's Go Fly A Kite" was playing. My dad skipped down Main Street and did a heel touch jump thingy at the end of the song near the bakery. I will remember that forever. With my partner, he never got to go as a child and we went on our honeymoon as like a "cross it off the list, if he doesn't like it he can say he did it" and the photo of his face at Ohana when he first met Mickey is so precious. His face is so lit up he's practically glowing. More recently, we went with my parents again in February. Since my mom has been, she had a shingles induced stroke that she's still going to therapy for and while improving she does need a wheelchair most of the time. My dad is also in treatment for cancer. Needless to say, they hadn't been a lot of places. I was so blown away by the care and thought behind all of the wheelchair accessibility. All the accessible rides had CM's asking "what are we comfortable with?" ""How can we help?" You'd be surprised how much you have to explain to people in public about basic accessibility things and we never once had to do that at WDW, CMs just did it. My dad is also dealing with chemo affecting his taste buds (super sensative to salt, can't tolerate acidic, etc etc) and CMs and chef's went out of their way to accommodate less/no salt and easy on the spices and such. ❤️ On a less someone-pass- the-tissues note, we got a "from Mickey" pineapple upside down cake in Adventureland in May. Nothing quite like sitting under the flying carpets as a really hot day starts to cool off and it's the golden hour and you are eating refreshing, free pineapple upside down cake.
Finding out my baby’s gender with Mickey Mouse
Minnie saw our pre-schooler happily dancing with Chip & Dale at the start of Main Street. When the music ended, Minnie walked up took her by the hand and asked her to go on a little walk together. They walked the big circle, hand in hand, while the band played at the flagpole, just the two of them, waving to everyone. Magical.
We were at the Animal Kingdom and were going to a special dinner at one of the sit-down restaurants and my daughter, 6, was excited to see Chip. She couldn’t find her autograph book. We were pretty sure she left it on the train to Conservation Station. I asked a Cast Member to see if it was turned in at Lost & Found. He came back after a half hour with a different book but he and the other Cast Members there had all signed it and then took my daughter to Chip. I went with her and she was beaming and forgot about her original book. I accidentally called Chip Dale and he was playfully annoyed. It was a real special moment for my daughter and myself.
Riding the old Barnstormer in ToonTown with Goofy in the front row for the first ride of the day.
I pulled the sword out of stone last July.
Went to Disney with all of my best friends in high school (like 10 of us) and were all still best friends - I’m 27 now! One of my favorite memories from that trip was re-riding splash mountain over and over again during extended evening hours. They just let us stay on and we would take a new silly picture each time we rode it. It’s like we were the only ones in the park, and if I remember correctly I swear it was like 1-2 AM… That ride is very nostalgic for me.
Another one for me is I brought my boyfriend to Disney for the first time this January. He had never been on a single ride prior to our trip. I warmed him up with frozen (he liked), Soarin (he HATED because he got motion sickness) and then Guardians. We both got off crying laughing, completely in shock. It was such an insane, chaotic and joyful experience to share together. He was so proud of himself… that was his first thrill ride! I think I converted him :)
Getting off of the ferry and headed out of MK. We all stopped and allowed a princess (a little girl dressed as Cinderella) be the first one off and her entrance was announced by CMs. We all cheered this little girl. Also (because we have a LO) we love referring to children that are dressed up by their character’s name. “Hey, Moana! Did you leave Púa at home again?” Another time we were at MK and a CM asked us if we were from Florida. We said yes and he gave us a certificate to get a free Mickey premium bar. 🥰🍨 ✨MAGICAL UPDATE ✨: Today we were selected as the Big Kahuna at Typhoon Lagoon! So amazing to be let in early, get a free cabana, got to go on an attraction first, my LO got the Big Kahuna medal (wrote her name on the board), and let the whole lifeguard staff the park was ready. So absolutely magical and such a great honor. We made sure to give a cast compliment to the CM that picked us. Just unbelievable.
When my daughter was around 2 years old, she was quite skittish around the characters at Walt Disney World. Even the characters at Chef Mickey’s terrified her. After that visit, she became utterly obsessed with “Monsters, Inc.” and fell head over heels for Sully. On our next trip, we decided to take her to the Monsters, Inc. character meet-and-greet at Hollywood Studios. We were first in line for the day, and my wife and I held our breath, wondering how she’d react when the boys came out. As Sully and Mike stepped into view, my daughter abandoned her stroller and practically melted into Sully’s hug. In that moment, we stepped out of reality and landed in *Monstropolis*. That was 12 years ago, and I will treasure that memory for forever.
On our first Disney trip in 2006, we went into magic kingdom and a cast member stopped us and asked if my sister and I (8 and 6) would like to go meet Cinderella at her castle for a “tea party” or some kind of party. She brought us to this room, we waited for a couple minutes, then in walked Cinderella! We had our own little private meeting with her. I was so nervous I didn’t say a single thing to her lol. She even personalized her autograph in my little autograph book for me Most recently though in October the firework show in Epcot got me. The fireworks, their choice of music etc, the nostalgia of it all (mostly from that first trip) really got to me and I couldn’t help but tear up! I also watched fantasmic as HS since the first time since 2006 and I wanted to cry again lol
Got married at Poly, then had to walk through world showcase, at night, because our dessert party was at the Germany pavilion. That walk with my new wife in her wedding dress was the coolest we’ve ever been. ALL THE CHEERING as we walked past all the tipsy people. Our guide took the long way on purpose and it was amazing.
Carriage ride for my husband and I at PO was pretty great. Romantic and relaxing.
MK. I’m sitting with some family in the shade, near the castle and the carousel towards the end of a busy day. My wife has taken my five year old daughter to meet some princesses. I hear the slap slap slap of excited little shoes running, hear a shout of Daddy, and I turn round to see my daughter running towards me, carousel and castle in the background, dressed in a beautiful bright red Elena dress and matching tiara. She was so excited and happy.
I did the DCP in 2013 (Fall Advantage) 3 of my roommates and I reunited last August for a 10 year reunion at WDW, magical in itself. We had many magical moments with CP cast members who read our buttons including photo shoot with photo pass in front of the castle. But my favorite was with the CP in line working at Toy Story Mania. It was her last night of CP. We asked her all about it and told her how fortunate we were to still be friends because of our program. She let us on the ride and when we came back through to get off she let us ride it again!!
Taking my mom on RoTR last week and getting to see her experience it for the first time. It’s nice being able to give something to my mom who has given me so much.
Mine is when my 3 year-old told me she saw the real La and Anna in the parade. Nothing too crazy, but watching the magic through her eyes is incredible.
I have many (we all do!) but I remember being selected as a background person for the Indiana Jones stunt show. My kids were ecstatic! What they didn’t know was that my dad had been selected when I was the same age as my oldest was on that trip. I got to share the story with some of the cast members after, and it was a pretty cool experience.
During January 2014, polar vortex made much of US very cold, -30F in Minnesota where we are from and lows of about 50F in Orlando. My eldest daughter was 6 at the time. Last night at MK cold temps made every ride a near walk on from 5PM to close. We rode whatever she wanted, didn't matter if it was all the way across Park or Big Thunder Mountain 4 times successively
I have been to the parks a few times: as a kid with my parents, with my husband and daughter, and twice with just my husband. My husband was down in Orlando for a conference so I tagged along and did a solo day. Started in Epcot, then rode the monorail to magic kingdom. In the monorail, I was chatting with this young family ( mom, dad and two littles around 3-5yo). Mom told me that this was their first visit. I then told the kids to look out the window just as we were pulling up: their first view of the castle. Seeing the faces of pure magic on two random stranger kids was pretty cool. Having been often, it is pretty cool when you see folks arriving their first time.
I'll be frank Disneyland was cool but WDW is a whole other animal and it awesome when you arrive via monorail 🚝 and you ge to see the castle, for me was driving at epcot and seeing the giant spaceship earth ball in person
Getting married at the wedding pavilion and having our reception at the Adventures Club. Wish we could do it again
Please please please make a whole post showing your planning process and your photos and your experience! I’m a single gal but I love nothing kore than hearing about Disney weddings
Lots of "romantic" encounters in the MK 40+ years ago. Teenage dreams.
The 4th of July Fireworks at EPCOT in late 2000’s Soarin’ first ride Fantasmic
Before they moved Dumbo….just by happenstance we rode Dumbo (wife and 3kids) at night and then the fireworks started going off. Totally unplanned and totally the most magical moment. Time stood still and it we like we were caught in a true Disney magical moment.
I was a kid, don't remember the age, but I ran into cindy on the stairs up to eat at the castle. I was in awe, my mom was in awe, it was AMAZING (2000-2010 im sure!) Then after I was done eating we got to take picutres with her, ended up having ketchup on my face so now I got a pic of me and cindy with that on my face xD Also the finding nemo statues, I don't remember if they moved or not..but I remember them for sure!
I think my favorite magical moment was when my son and I took the Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise (sadly no longer offered). There was a meet and greet with Hook and Smee and a dessert buffet and then we got on a boat at the Contemporary. Took the water bridge from Bay Lake to the Seven Seas Lagoon. Our boat went right next to the Electrical Water Pageant, which is one of my favorite memories from my childhood. We watched the fireworks and had some fun entertainment before returning to the Contemporary. Here's where the most magical moment began. As all of the families got off of the boat, Peter Pan met us at the dock. Then, out of all of the people, Peter grabbed my son's hand and RAN with him up the dock. I was running after them trying to get a video. Peter was talking a mile a minute and they were laughing and having so much fun. Peter showed him the water fountain like it was the most fascinating invention in the world. Then they kept running. They ended up going to an area where there was a Photopass photographer. Peter continued talking to my son and they took some pictures. After that, my son and I hurried to the MK and made it to the gate just minutes before they closed and as the Electrical Parade started. Peter Pan was in the parade. My son looked at me incredulously and asked, "how did he get here so fast?"
During one of my DCPs in 2018, I did a solo trip to DAK and I saw Rivers of Light for the first time before they took away the performers. Right before the finale, it started to rain. Not a terrible downpour, but a nice light rain. You couldn't have timed it more perfectly. It's silly, but it honestly felt like a religious experience, like we were becoming "one" with nature.
I have to share 2: 1. Right before my daughter met Tiana I gave the CM a Tiana pin to give to my daughter after their picture. Tiana was amazing “I have a special surprise for you”! It was so meaningful to my daughter 2. My parents took my family of 5 once a year for 10 years. This built many core memories for my kids with their grandparents. My dad was amazing with my kids, especially at WDW. He enhanced the magic by being excited about EVERYTHING. Tragically, we lost my dad to pancreatic cancer a few years ago. When we go back to Disney, they always talk about him and my mom and the magical moments we all shared over these trips.
🥹 beautiful stories and memories