Random, Unexpected Moments that You Just Can't Forget

[mickeymousedabomb]

So in 2007 myself, my two DDs, and Grammie went to WDW. My Grandma lived in Jacksonville at the time and drove down to visit with us for the day. We were at WL walking around by the pool and bike rental place and a gentlemen named Mike came up to us and started chatting with us. It just so happens that he was supposed to take a family out for a fireworks cruise and they canceled. So he was asked to find a nice family and offer it to them. Well................HE CHOSE US!!! We couldn't believe it! We were about to head over to the FW to look around when he heard us. So he said he'd bring us over there in his boat and we'd have to meet him at the dock at a certain time. So of course we were there promtly. So we pile onto his boat and away we go! A free fireworks cruise!! OMG He had a cooler with drinks and bags of chips and snacks that the kids enjoyed. We saw one and heard another swim away and splah in the reeds, yup a gator! Mike got out his big flashlight and we were able to spot his eyes in the water. Mike was very friendly and shared alot of facts about himself and Disney in general. We were very thankful and know that was a not to be repeated type of magic. We thought it was a very magical moment for all of us! Thank you Mike

[JabberJaws]

There are soo many to choose from, but considering the surrounding circumstances, I think this one was the most special.

I proposed to my wife in Dec. 2005 at WDW. I had put together a rather elaborate surprise proposal scenario which involved a carriage ride at the POFQ, champagne in the room, dinner during the fireworks at the California Grill, etc. I had coordinated all of this with Disneyworld, working out all the little details.

The one thing that was somewhat left up in the air was the Calif. Grill. Due to the high volume of requests they get for window seats during the fireworks, they will not allow you to make seating requests prior to the day of your reservation. I had told them when I made the reservation that I would be celebrating my engagement (assuming she would say yes haha) which took place just about an hour prior to dinner, so I thought they might help me out, but wasn't 100% sure.

When we got there for dinner, I made my request down at the checkin desk. Unfortunately I was told that they were all booked up w/ window seats. No biggy as it would be a great dinner regardless.

Also, b/c they were so busy, we had to wait..and wait..and wait for our table. I was getting kinda miffed by all the waiting as it was throwing a monkey wrench into my plans and I was worried we might miss the fireworks.

We FINALLY get seated, and as we are going to our table I notice that not only was it a PRIME window table, but it was littered with mickey-head confetti. Upon being seated, we were brought complimentary glasses of champagne, all in plenty of time for the fireworks!

Needless to say in a night where I had tried my best to plan everything to a T, the one thing I couldn't really plan, Disney took care of all on there own!

[sportsguy2315]

On my last trip (Dec 06), I was at MK late one night doing as many runs of SM as I could with my little cousin. My mom said my cousin had to be done and I had one ride left in me. Anyway, I go into the queue and all is perfectly normal...until I hear a couple girls laughing ahead of me . Being the curious person I am, I catch up with them and ask what was so funny and we get to talking. I find out they're both locals and best friends who were at the park for the night. After riding SM we exchanged numbers and I still am pretty good friends with them.

[jenny1976]

Mine was in 2007. DH and I were celebrating my 31st bday at WDW. As we checked in and I asked for my birthday button, the manager @ ASMu pulled out a rose and asked everyone in the lobby to sing happy birthday to me. Also, on my actual birthday, we went to my favorite breakfast restaurant, Akershuss, soon after we sat one of the waiters comes out with a pillow on a siver tray with flowers, a tiara and a glass slipper. I looked at my husband and told him "how lucky she must be who is getting that" and as I said it, realized the waiter was coming to our table. My husband turned to me and said, "You're the lucky one, happy birthday". I was floored when I got the tray. The waiter said "happy birthday princess." And left. Needless to say I wore my tiara for the following ten days!!! Pure Disney MAGIC!!!
28 days from Mr. Mouse!!!

[Stu29573]

have a couple from our trip in June. My wife and I were celebrating our honeymoon, so we were given"Just Married" buttons to wear. Of course, all the CMs and many of the guests wished us congratulations, but at Epcot they went a little further. We were waiting for the American Adventure to start when an older gentleman CM came and asked us our last name. I told him and he said, "We have a phone call waiting for you, this way please." I was actually a little worried and followed him to a table which he opened. There was a phone inside and he told me to dial a certain extension. When I did Micky and Minnie were on the line telling us congratulations!

The second time was at the DHS at the Hollywood Brown Derby. We weren't expecting anything, but we were given complementary champaigne and they took our picture and printed it out with "Congratulations from the Brown Derby" on it!

[jakeybake]

I'm surprised, being from the northeast and all, that the first thing to go through your mind wasn't "did that guy just steal my wallet...?"

I didn't take offense at that comment. I know it was made in jest. And just to clarify it was a 20 something year old woman who gave me the hug.

[BedknobsandBroomsticks]

1982, Oct., third day of our first trip ever to Disney. We stayed off-site at a campground. We decided to go to the new park Epcot that day and we were driving in a huge line of traffic to get into the parking area. After a while my brother walks up to the front of the camper and says "look Dad that car in front of us is from New Jersey too". My Grandad said "wow, that car looks like Bill and Mim's car". We drove into the lot and parked and it was his brother Bill and his wife. My dad's uncle and aunt. We had know idea they were going to Florida and vise versa and we end up behind them. Sometimes you really know when God is working the strings. We spent a whole wonderful day with them. Both great-uncle Bill and my Grandad died a couple of years later within 1 week of each other. We always smile and still talk about the time we met in Epcot, Bill's widow is still living, she is 93 years young.

[Belle_0717]

It was 2 years ago when we went for our first WDW family trip - for DNephew's 1st birthday. My sis wanted to get his hair cut at the barber shop on Main Street. There was a short wait and he was being really good. Two brothers - between 5-9 - had been waiting in front of us. When they called for one of them to take a chair, they said let this little boy go. I was floored - I expect this in Disney but never from such young children. You could tell they were brought up well. While Andrew got his hair cut, my dad ran into the Emporium and got each of the boys $10 gift cards. There was magic everywhere!

[BluewaterBrad]

It was 2 years ago when we went for our first WDW family trip - for DNephew's 1st birthday. My sis wanted to get his hair cut at the barber shop on Main Street. There was a short wait and he was being really good. Two brothers - between 5-9 - had been waiting in front of us. When they called for one of them to take a chair, they said let this little boy go. I was floored - I expect this in Disney but never from such young children. You could tell they were brought up well. While Andrew got his hair cut, my dad ran into the Emporium and got each of the boys $10 gift cards. There was magic everywhere!

That is really cool. I have too many to post now, but one was after Hurricane Charley wiped out our community. We had to cancel our trip that was scheduled for the week after the disaster. We changed to a quick 2 night stay just to get out of the chaos. The entire resort was dead because of the next hurricane coming, (took awhile to get back into town because of all the National Guard stopping us for IDs!), but from the check- in CM to the various bartenders and other CM's , that knew or found out about us being from Pt. Charlotte gave us hugs or other "magical" moments that it made us tear up pretty hard each time. WDW CM's ROCK!!!

[WDWFanatic]

What I meant was, anyone I know that lives in the northeast would have instantly thought that upon receiving a hug from a stranger.

Being from the northeast I TOTALLY get it and got a good chuckle from your post.

[tinklover]

We just got back a few days ago and I was going to put this in our trip report but here goes anyway. we were in AK and in the handicapped section for the Safari. a family showed up right after us with a little girl named Madison who had Downs syndrome. Cutest lil girl. My dds were playing with Madison when one asked what her name was and could not understand her. So I asked her what her name was again and she said Madison. So I then asked" Madison, do you like chip and dale?" to which she replied "Oh yes" and I took off one of my hidden mickey Chip and Dale pins and gave it to her. Her family was in shock that i would give up one of my pins for their little girl. I said hey Disney Cast members are not the only one who can spread some magic. They were very appreciative.

2 days later we were in DHS and we pulled up to watch the comedy street show with Dorma Nesmond and ready Freddy Fiddlesticks. We Met Dorma Last year when she was on her way out to do a show and stopped to sing Happy birthday to my now 5 yr old DD. well we stopped to see her show this year ( 16.5 months and millions of people later) and she remembered us. That Made our day and made us feel so welcome and so at home.

[Phantod]

That is really cool. I have too many to post now, but one was after Hurricane Charley wiped out our community. We had to cancel our trip that was scheduled for the week after the disaster. We changed to a quick 2 night stay just to get out of the chaos. The entire resort was dead because of the next hurricane coming, (took awhile to get back into town because of all the National Guard stopping us for IDs!), but from the check- in CM to the various bartenders and other CM's , that knew or found out about us being from Pt. Charlotte gave us hugs or other "magical" moments that it made us tear up pretty hard each time. WDW CM's ROCK!!!

Hey BluewaterBrad, we were there about the same time. We flew in the Thursday before Charley hit on Friday evening. We stayed at CSR that year, and Disney had everyone back at the resort that Friday evening before Charley hit. It was packed and the food lines were a mile long.

But on Saturday, we did DHS in the morning, and then decided what the hey, let's do MK in the evening. So we did, and in about 3 hours, we did virtually the ENTIRE park. Everything was a walk on. If we could plan it, we'd come in the day before an Orlando hurricane every time.

[jakeybake]

My second meaningful moment happened on the same business training (yes I was lucky enough to go to 3 trainings in WDW last year!).

I was again staying at the Yacht Club and was cutting through the Beach Club lobby on my way to Epcot. As I was walking (ok half running!) by I heard someone call out, "Hey there young man you too busy to say hello?" I looked up and to my right and there was Art, standing 10 feet away. I ran over, gave him a hug (I'm a handshake and hug kind of guy!) and asked how he was. He then said to me, "And how are your wife and 2 little redheads doing?"

I was shocked. Not at how friendly and wonderful he was because obviously we all know he's the best, but on how he remembered not only me, but my family and the color hair they had!. Talk about an amazing man and a testament to all things WDW.

My family and I had met Art on our Beach Club stay on August of '07. We always stopped and said hello to him whenever he was working and the kids just loved talking with him. For him to remember us, given the thousands of families he meets each year is amazing.

Sadly, I heard he is, or already has retired. For my family and I, WDW will just never be the same without him.

Jay

[Mr_Increddieble]

They oughta hand out hankies with this post!

[Mr_Increddieble]

Our first family trip was May 2007. My special needs DS was then 11 yrs old. We went straight to the MK. I obtained a Guest Assistance Card as I read about in a post on this site although I wasn't sure what it ultimately would do for us. After meandering around allowing our 4 yr old DD to lead the way we ended up at Mickey's house. We walked thru (pushing DS in his stroller) and when we went around back and noticed that you could exit thru the garage or "Meet Mickey in the Judges Tent". I wasn't sure what was in there so as I edged DS into the tent I saw the big screen showing old cartoons to entertain the roughly 30 families waiting in the queue. I was just starting to back out and signal the DW that the line was too long when a CM beckoned, "right this way sir, follow me". She led us around the screen and told us to stop at the rope near the front of the line. She then disappeared down the hall and came back 15 seconds later. She disconnected the rope from the pole, stepped back, and pointed us down the hall. I looked at my wife like, "what gives?". We went down the hall, made a turn and as we went through the door, BOOM, there was a Big Blue Ribbon on the wall and... Mickey. It was surreal. There was also a cameraman and a handler and they proceeded to chat with us all. Then they snapped pictures of us with their camera then our camera. As we were saying goodbye Mickey took both my wife and I to the side and gave us each a big heartfelt extened hug. (Having gone 3 times since i know that is not a standard move). Parents need the Disney magic too. Then BAM we were out the side door. My wife looked at me and said, "Who do they think we are, Rock Stars?". "No", I thought. They know exactly who we are.

[c&d]

Mine happened when DS was 3. We were at MK and DS had just come off the Dumbo ride and I was busy video taping. He came running down the ramp and said "This is the best day ever, now on to the next ride."

It brought tears to my eyes and I can still remember exactly what he was wearing 7 years later.

[SignguyTom]

My dad, in 1982, was watching the fireworks near the castle and was purposely dropping one piece of popcorn every few seconds because there seemed to be a CM assigned to solely to clean up after him. The CM would sweep up that one piece of popcorn and simply wait for the next piece to hit the ground!

[Ksmith75]

My DH and I were getting ready to leave the MK for the day, and stopped at the Main Street Bakery for some fudge.....the barber shop quartet was in there and asked my DH what they could sing for us...and my DH said "sing us a song about fudge" and they did...it was a love song...and whenever you would normally sing a name - they said fudge...it was great....it was also like 5 minutes long...it made me laugh....great time!

[Insanity Clause]

This is more something my son said more than anything else. He was 7 when we were there in April and we were leaving Fantasmic and he turns and looks at me and says "Some people think that magic isn't real, but it is. Even if you live in Ohio." I just thought that summed up the whole spirit of Disney...believing in Magic.

[BigRedDad]

The first that comes to mind that I remember is twofold. My two nephews were watching the Sword in the Stone thing behind the Castle. My youngest nephew was up front and when they asked to see who could pull the sword, some bigger kids knocked him down. My other nephew held them back a little so he could get him up. The older nephew was called up to pull the Sword. He got the medallion and pouted the rest of the day because 100 people he would never see again all cried out "Hail King Andy".

That leads up to the second part. As he moped all day, we went on PotC, got the pirate swords after and hit Liberty Tree Tavern. He sat in the corner gloomy and bitter. His sword was on the table next to my other nephew. Goofy came up, grabbed the other sword and proceeded to have a sword fight with my younger nephew throughout the restaurant for about 5 minutes. My nephew "got him" and he tumbled to the ground to play dead. It was a riot.

A final one only my mom remembers. At the time, I was the first person to get their head stuck in the railing at the Haunted Mansion. I was too little to know when (1971 or 72), but she says it all the time. They had to get maintenance out there to pry the bars far enough apart.