A little gratitude for magic received

[Mouselovejess]

I wanted to start a thread to hear about other families experiences with receiving a little Disney magic that helped make your trip even better. Whether it from another family, cast member, or experience at the parks that will be forever cherished each time you think of your time in the best place on Earth.

This is also my sincere Thank You to the family who made my husbands and mine first trip to WDW together even more special. Of course we thanked them in the moment, but they will truly never know what the small gesture they did, that made my husband a non Disney fan, a true fan now.

I had tried for years to get my husband down to WDW, and it was a wedding that finally got him to go with me. It was our first night in the parks and I took my husband to Epcot to eat in Japan. Teppan Edo is where i picked because it was fun to watch them cook in front of you. We shared a table with two other families and we really connected with another couple there that were just about to finish up their vacation. We talked about what tools and resources we used to help plan our vacations, and sharing that it was our first time as a couple going to WDW. Towards the end of the meal the couple gave us 4 paper Attraction Re-Entry Passes for rides in the Magic Kingdom. They had received them but were unable to use them because their trip was coming to an end.

We have never been more surprised or thankful for such a gesture. We used them that trip and were able to even keep one for a scrap book I made for that trip. So THANK YOU, you truly made our trip and we still talk about it to this day. <3

 

[MudQueen22]

Dd and I had never been to WDW before. She was 5, and I was 39 and pregnant with my younger child (DS).
We went to Akershus. It was the first princess dinner, a surprise for dd, who was enamored with the princesses.
After seeing Belle at the entrance, she thought it was just a normal dinner. She was so thrilled, and happy to see Belle, but was enjoying the food and castle when the other three princesses entered. Her face was priceless.

When Ariel came to our table, I let Ariel know that she was my dd's favorite.

During the princess processional, Ariel took my dd's hand and walked with her through the restaurant. It totally made dd's evening, and melted this pregnant mother's heart. Dd was beaming until bedtime from that encounter.

 

[cheryllarsen]

A cast member paid for two Rapunzel hats for my girls about 3 weeks ago. They were playing with them and were told to put them away. He walked over and surprised the girls with a hat for them each to keep.

 

[cheryllarsen]

Made me cry to see the happy looks on their faces.

 

[jvz82]

A cast member saw my daughter crying because there was a snack she wanted that we couldn't find. She finally decided just to get the mickey ice cream and the cast member didn't charge us a snack credit, not even sure why but it was very nice.

A cast member measured my daughter for the little kid pool area at our resort that's supposed to be for kids under 48 inches and she's a little over. But she's only 5 and her dad is 7 feet tall so she's way tall for her age. The cast member took a look at him and her and let her stay. Her face just lit up. We thanked the cast member and my husband told her how this happened to him as a young child often, he would outgrow things before his peers even though he was still developmentally interested in those things. Anyway seeing my daughter's face was magical because she thought she wouldn't be able to go.

 

[bellasmomRN]

On our last day of our last trip I sent my husband and daughter to ride TOT (it was what she requested she for sure do one more time) I popped into a store to request an "I'm Celebrating" button. I wanted to surprise my husband letting him know we were expecting baby #3. The CM Dare got me the button, walked me over to the store that embroiders hats (I had said I wanted to get a hat saying Baby (last name)) on it. They gave us the hat for free and then arranged for a photo pass photographer to bump into us and offer to take some family pictures so I could capture my husbands reaction. It was priceless. I appreciated everything Dare did for us that day to make our last day more magical. We stopped at starbucks on our way out that afternoon and after seeing our "I'm Celebrating, we're pregnant" buttons I got a free cupcake. It was the perfect last few Disney moments. Baby Girl is now 3 months old and I am looking forward to our next trip.

 

[ravenanne]

During my very first trip back in 2006, the CM working the front desk at POP gave me a pet rock complete with an adoption certificate (I still have the certificate, not sure where the rock went).

This past trip we had a few moments of pixie dust: While in HS on our second day, a CM started talking to my fiancé about his Raiders jersey, and ended up giving us a free cupcake! During our last night, DD unfortunately ended up in the ER(nothing serious, had a febrile seizure) and the next day the hotel did everything they could to make our last day easier - Late check out, DD's prescriptions delivered to our room, and they reimbursed us for the taxi we had to take back from the hospital to the resort.

Love Disney and their commitment to their guests!

 

[Anesthesia Fine]

I've told this story before, but it's my favorite.

During our first onsite trip in 2014, I was a supercharged overplanner. We got held up doing some character meets (worth it, though) and walked up to the Jungle Cruise later than planned to find a 40 minute wait. My face was apparently quite a picture.

I don't think she actually saw me; it was probably just the luck of the draw. But a Jungle Cruise CM walked up to us and said, "I see you have some VIPs with you today!" and turned to the kids and asked them if they'd like to take a special private boat. We (and another family) got to go in near the exit and jump on a boat just for us. The other family was just as excited; we kept saying to each other how we'd never experienced something like this before. We got to the loading section and the CMs with us told us to start coughing and started shouting to the folks lined up. "NO ONE ELSE CAN RIDE WITH US! WE'RE CONTAGIOUS!"

The corny jokes were all the same; it was a typical ride in all other respects. The real kicker was at the end; we got off the ride and Skipper Chelsea asked my kids if they could sign her special autograph book, because she loves collecting VIP signatures. It was super sweet, and we still have the 'special experience' certificate she filled out for us.

 

[Shrfleen]

My sister and I were visiting Epcot for our birthday and as we walked into the American Pavilion to hear Voices of Liberty we were stopped by a CM. He told us we had a very important phone call from Guest Relations. As we looked at each other puzzled (and our Grandmother freaking out something had happened) we picked up the phone and it was Goofy wishing us a very happy birthday. It was a very sweet and we thanked the CM for the extra special birthday wish.

 

[xsarachireex]

I am a Single Parent and took my daughter for a trip for her 2nd Birthday last September. We stayed at ASMovies and used the food court a few times. I was pushing her in a stroller and a cast member came up and took my tray and walked around with us while I chose our meal. She helped me get checked out, and took our food to a table for us while I got our drinks. I was worried about things like this when it came to my vacation planning so it was greatly appreciated.

 

[Anesthesia Fine]

I am a Single Parent and took my daughter for a trip for her 2nd Birthday last September. We stayed at ASMovies and used the food court a few times. I was pushing her in a stroller and a cast member came up and took my tray and walked around with us while I chose our meal. She helped me get checked out, and took our food to a table for us while I got our drinks. I was worried about things like this when it came to my vacation planning so it was greatly appreciated.

That's wonderful! That must have been a real relief.

It's really the little things like this that make all the difference in the world (or in the World, haha) for me. I'm forever grateful to the CM at BLT who talked to my fractious kids in a Mickey voice, for instance.

 

[AshleeH]

We have been upgraded, we have had princesses come by the table several times to check on "her little princes", we have gotten random Fastpasses and been grateful for every single thing. But honestly, the very first thing I think of, when my mind goes to Disney magic, is eating in the Contempo Cafe and squeezing our family around a tiny table during a busy time. The sweet woman who was cleaning tables off had struck up a conversation with me while my husband was getting the food. Two minutes into our meal, I glance up and see her waving frantically - she had just cleaned off a large table and was holding it for us to make our way over there. Those little bits of magic keep us coming back.

 

[p44nmun]

We were visiting Animal Kingdom several years ago during the days when the afternoon parade was still taking place (not sure if there is still one now). That morning we entered the place where Donald Duck was so we could see him and get a picture. A CM came up to my family and asked "Are you staying for the parade later"? And then she said "would you like to be in it"? We met up at the place and time she had told us along with several other families, got dressed up in safari hats and rode in a float during the afternoon parade. One of the best days of my life!

 

[momandmousefan]

We must have been having payback Karma from a few really crummy experiences the first few trips we took with our daughter (bad check in stuff, a kiddo with a crazy high fever for the entire weekend, etc...)
The most recent trips were FULL of wonderful things. At Garden Grill Mickey Mouse actually sat down and spoon fed my child. I cannot begin to tell you how priceless that was. She was chosen to be Deputy of the Day in Frontierland and that was so adorable. Granted she promptly ripped her hat and badge off (she was just 2) but loved ringing the bell, parading around and just plopped down on the steps to hang out with the entire cast and drink her smoothie. The same trip she was "Boo" at the Monsters Laugh Floor. And those STICKERS.....that kiddo gets stickers everywhere she goes. We ended up getting her an autograph book and she practically has a full sticker book now of all the ones cast members have given her. A sales cast member at the Caribbean gave her about 10 one time I think even!
I sometimes struggle with depression, and these trips work wonders for fighting that. Those cast members probably don't realize that those little moments are even more special than they realize. I really, really cherish them.

 

[Savagehenry]

My parents took my brother and I in 1995, I think I was in 6 or 7th grade, and we had dinner reservations in the Contemporary (I can't remember the place) and for my brother and I, the menu wasn't what we were hoping for... A CM recognized a pending meltdown and sat us in an adjacent lounge and ordered some pizzas from upstairs for us, no charge...

 

[bringmethathorizon]

I leave this sight often because of all the negativity.But when i come back this is the type threads i lick to read.Disney and the people who work there is the reason we keep going back.

 

[lindsay0526]

When we visited DL a few years ago, we were leaving Turtle Talk with Crush and our daughter (who was 6 at the time) was crying because Crush didn't pick her for one of the questions. When we were leaving, we were waiting in line to leave and there was a CM standing there and I think he was from TN/KY (where we had recently moved from) and we struck up a quick conversation. He asked why our daughter was crying and I told him. He told us to wait at the side of the theater. Once everyone left the theater, we had a PRIVATE conversation with Crush and our daughter was beyond herself. It was so thoughtful and so sweet, and made her trip. When I got home I wrote Disney and told them about what he did and I hope they put it in his employment folder.

 

[gatormom2tots]

Our very first trip as a family, my then 4 year old son wanted to ride the ferry boat. They had just left the dock for the last ride of the day. He broke down in tears....the CM gave him a card that entitled him to drive the boat on his next visit(I forgot exactly WHAT the card said!) So the next day we stopped by, showed the card, and my son got to go into the captains little room and steer the Liberty Boat! They gave him a certificate and everything.

That same trip, my 3 year old daughter got in the carousel about 10:30 at night. next thing we know, all the princesses from CRT came out to ride the carousel and she got to sit right next to Aurora- her favorite at the time. We got lots of great pictures of her riding with all of them.

We have had our share of magic over the years...free upgrades, brand new Mickey Ice Creams after ours fell to the ground, free stroller when ours broke down after a race down Main Street, somebody telling us to load up because they had 20 extra snnack credits and they were on their way home...It doesn't seem to happen as much as it used to...but its still magical when it does.

Every trip since then, we always tried to spread the Disney Magic. The last trip, we gave a single mother and her 7 year old son about 5 child swaps for various rides at the parks. It was our last night after a 2 week trip and we brought them all knowing that we would gift them to somebody. We always make a point of giving extra child swaps away (we use to do paper fps in the old days!). LOL, she offered to pay us for them! We told her to just pay it forward...