Dusted at Disney (Pixie, that is!)

[jazmyin]

A little pixie dust goes a long way! What a great story!!!

 

[steveanddonna]

This is something so small but my 4 year old tells everyone

That's exactly what I meant about magic sometimes coming from CMs just putting their hearts into their jobs! Something that seems small and insignificant to us can have such an enormous impact on someone else, especially a child. When we took our other niece to WDW in Jan. of this year she was very nervous about strangers (CMs and other guests) talking to her. On our next-to-last day, she just clicked with one of the monorail pilots (not the one mentioned in my earlier post) and it seemed to melt her shyness for the rest of the trip. Now, that CM did nothing extraordinary, but he was lively and friendly and just doing his job with enthusiasm and heart. Our niece still talks about that pilot and draws pictures of the monorail on just about a weekly basis. It was the highlight of the trip for her and we will always be appreciative of that CM and all the others who do the "small things."

 

[mmausse]

bump

 

[ctrabada]

When my DD was 1 yo, we stayed at CBR for a few days. My family lives in Orlando and I had planned a movie date with my sister while DH and DD went back to the room for a nap. We had PS at Chef Mickey's so I told DH to meet me there. My sis dropped me off at the CR and I went upstairs and waited for DH... and waited... and waited.... We had no cell phones at that time and I kept calling the room and no answer. Our PS time came and went. An hour later, I ask to be seated alone. Needless to say, I was a wreck... crying and crying... I had no car and no idea what to do... I was so worried.... I didn't want to leave in case they came and I wasn't there. Anyway, they sit me and the characters start showing up at my table and encounter a woman, alone, crying nonstop. Minnie Mouse sits next to me and "asks" what's wrong so I tell her. She hugs me and apparently tells every other character there, which then start coming and sitting with me in "shifts," keeping me company and trying to cheer me up. Finally, my DH and DD show up and he explains that it took him 2 hours to get here even though he left 30 min before our PS time (he had to wait a long time for the bus to show up and then do all the stops at CBR, etc). So, the characters come by to check on me and now see DH & DD and I tell them they finally made it and they're ok. So, they made sure to stop again to take pictures of us and play with the baby (who was terrified). I will never forget the kindness of all those CM's who took pity on me and made every effort to make me smile through my worry (it's been several years, my DD is now 7, and I'm crying as I type this).

 

[Tigger&Belle]

mmausse, I'd held myself together reading all these wonderful posts until I got to yours! What a wonderful and touching story. You are obviously a very thoughtful and kind person! It's wonderful that you have been in touch with both of the families--sometimes just knowing that a stranger cares can make all the difference to someone who is down and out. They will now have the chance to spread that kindness.

T&B

 

[mmeb144]

As a footnote to the original story, my DH got a call from Disney about the letter I sent thanking them for the lanyard and for making my DS's day. Disney needed more details to find the CM.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you get good service at WDW please let them know.

Marie

 

[eeyore45]

*sigh, beautiful stories, thanks for sharing.

I'll add that its the simple things that made our stay magical!! When all the CM's would call DD "Princess" (at 7 she just lit up!), when the characters would kid w/ DD as they signed her book, in 100 degree heat, just sharing that joy was so very special! My favorite character encounter was in Epcot Britian, we were looking for the stamps for the passport, and I was walking backwards, and almost fell over when I spotted my favorite movie character ' Mary Poppins' ... every other time I'd been to Disney as a kid I was able to add a porcelin Mary (that would be once!!) and I had so hoped to get one this trip 30 years later!! I saw Mary and promptly burst into tears!! I had to explain about how it was my first movie, that Grandma had taken me to, and how Grandma had just passed away. Those CM's surely hear it all... but they still take the time, to give this "old lady" joy!! I took DD pic with Mary and, then Mary asked the CM to take our pic together, because it is "my moment" (I hated to take time as there was a line of beautiful kids waiting their turn)

Now I really need pixie dust, somehow DH has lost where he hid the camera, all those pics are in the camera, and the camera has gone missing!! I do have the memories stored quite nicely !

 

[WishesMom]

Could someone pass a tissue please!

 

[mmausse]

Isn't this what Thanksgiving is supposed to be about?

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

When my DD, now 23, was younger, she traveled with a whole gang of stuffed animals. She was always very careful to put them in the chair each morning, so they would not get mixed up with the laundry. One evening, we came back to our resort and could not find Lars, her little polar bear. I talked to housekeeping several times to no avail. Before we left, the head housekeeper asked my daughter's favorite character.

A few days after we returned home, a package addressed to my daughter arrived with a very nice Pooh and an autographed picture of the whole Pooh gang! Now, you think this is all .. no! More magic...

Housekeeping called me several more times over the next few months saying they had not found little Lars. On one call, they ask if DD would like a polar bear another child lost. Shortly, here came another package. Inside was a lovely note from Minnie Mouse asking my daughter to please adopt and love this little lost bear and not to worry about Lars as another child had adopted him. The new little bear was a smaller version of very favorite bear she had had since age 2! It was just a magical experience.

All that trouble over my DD's lost stuffed animal .. I am still amazed!

 

[hAm53]

where to start . . .
i was talking at work oneday about how i was planning on proposing to my girlfriend before our trip to WDW this past feb. a coworker takes down all of my home info, and says someone will call me. turns out a friend of her son works at the MK. we set up that i'll propose in the MK rose garden first thing in the morning on our first day there, and to meet him at city hall.
well the rope drops, and we head over to city hall, with my gf just thinking that i've set up a good picture to use for our x-mas cards. we page the castmember, and wait, and wait, and wait. the castmemeber that is paging my buddy asks me if i'd like to leave a message and to come back a little later. i quietly say that he's helping me propose. so she goes through the WDW Direcotry and calls him. turns out that my buddy's pager had busted. all the while my gf is sitting on the bench in city hall telling me "lets just go. we're waisting time."
we finally get in touch, and we head over to the rose garden to meet my buddy. but before we leave the city hall cm gives us a front of the line pass with a huge wink to me on my way out.
the problem is that we got to the rose garden before he did. so my gf is walking around looking at the flowers while i'm shooting pics of the castle.
keep in mind that i've only spoken to this guy on the phone a few times, and have never actually met him.
well he comes walking over to the rose garden with a photographer and a huge white basket overflowing with tulle (which i have no clue about!)
we both have the same "oh no! hope she doesn't notice" look, so quickly i tell my gf that we need to hurry up, because my buddy needs to head over to the wedding pavilion for a wedding.
well i propose (with about 30 people that stopped to watch) and we are presented with a crystal cinderella's slipper. i was floored that he would give us that before even metting us. well then he says he needs it back so he can have our names and the date engraved onto it.
when we picked it up at the end of the day and say the engraving my fiance starts balling again.

fast forward to our wedding planning trip last week when we're metting pluto and he sees my pluto pin circa 1983. after talking to me for a few moments about how he was the first character i remember meeting, he asks my fiance if she loves me. now she's not too good with figuring out what characters are saying, so i say that she does and i actually proposed at the castle. well pluto goes nuts. telling his wrangler about it. as we're leaving he puts my entire head in his mouth and gives me a big puppy dog "lick".

plus this past trip king louie pointed to my DISBoards pin, and pointed to his chest and gave me the thumbs up. so I think they have computers in the forest.

 

[llij]

All these beautiful stories are making me cry!! Pass the tissues please and keep these great stories coming!

 

[Robinbare]

This is kinda minimal compared to some of the other pixie stories, but just last night my DS, DD and myself took the bus over to DTD from the Swan. We went into a Christmas shop when we got there. We shopped and went to the counter to pay for our items. The CM looked at my 7 year old son and said...Let me guess you are Tyler! (my sons name is Tyler). His mouth liked to hit the floor. He was amazed...And actually I waS TOO! My son asked her how she knew his name and she replied....This place is magical Tyler! That is all he has talked about all day!!

 

[Mickey Fliers]

This little bit of pixie dust came from our stay at WDW just two weeks ago. Our first morning in the World, we decide to go over to MGM for the day (we were staying at YC). We arrive at 9:00 (Monday) and head straight back to ToT and RnRC. All my DS5 has talked about for 4 months is riding ToT again. Well, when we get back there, of course, ToT is down. Big bummer. The line is huge to get fast passes so we decide to high tail it over to RnRC. I take DS7 on RnRC and my DH gets a rider switch (we also have DS2). Well, DS5 isn't tall enough for RnRC, so he is bummed out again. My DH takes DS7 on RnRC for a second time. By this time it is about 10:00 and we can hear that ToT is back up and running. We walk back over there and now the stand by line is 45 min. And the fast pass distribution is for the time we have a PS at Sci-Fi. So now, my DS5 has been in MGM for over and hour and hasn't done one thing yet. This really sweet woman (not a CM) sees us and says "I have three fast passes that are good right now and we aren't going to use them. Do you want them?" So, my DH takes DS5 and 7 on ToT. How cool of her. She made my boys day. It doesn't stop there.

Next day, we are at Epcot. Again, we are there at opening and we head straight to TT. We get there and get rider switch passes for my DH. I get in stand by line with DS's and of course, ride goes down. I can't believe this is happening. We wait for about 15 min. and decide to call it quits on TT for now. DH then takes DS's over to MS. They ride it and have a great time. We go back to TT and now it is running but the stand by line is huge. So, we get fast passes (I forgot I had rider switch passes). We decide that after the boys ride TT, we are going to head over to MK. DH says he doesn't need to ride. So, we use our fast passes for TT. Well, we strike up a converstation with the family that is put in the car with us. A couple with a son about 5. They have never been to WDW before, never ridden TT and are so excited. When the ride is over, the little boy (sitting in front of us) says "that was awesome, I want to go again". Well, mom and dad look at each other b/c they don't know what to do. Line is very long but the son absolutely loved TT. I say "here, I have three "fast" passes (the rider switch) that are good for today only. We aren't going to go on again. Have fun". The man couldn't believe it. He was so excited and the kid was thrilled.

My boys didn't understand why we weren't going again and I told them you have to pay it forward. Some nice lady gave us her fast passes and we were able to do the same thing for another family. Sorry so long....

 

[CadiesMom]

I love these stories! Thanks for sharing them! I am hoping to find lots of pixie dust on our upcoming trip, and hope to spread a little also!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I got sprinkled this weekend...well...DOUSED!!! I had booked a wing/standard at the CR and was upgraded to Tower/10th/MK side!!!

I just stood at the desk and cried!

 

[RoLaren]

So many stories I don't know where to begin! But like the last one, we once had the mother of all upgrades showered on us by a front desk CM at the CR!

It was 1999. We checked in five days before Christmas, which is also my daughter's birthday. She was turning four.

When we got to the desk, I had lifted her up so she could see and she was on my hip. She said "Hello!" to the CM and smiled and then said "Oooo, bearrrinnabigbluehouse!" He was wearing a Playhouse Disney button since it had just opened. Well, he was charmed by her I guess because we were 'magically' moved from a standard view wing room to the 9th floor tower, MK view! He said "Now, how did that happen?" and winked at us! I cried too!

On her birthday he showed up at our door with a stuffed mickey, autograph book, and balloons for dd. She was amazed. We got him a little gift before we left and also wrote to thank him for our truly magical gift.

This past trip, several CM's went out of their way to make our stay magical, not knowing how much more it meant because I was really out of it this trip due to my grandmother's very recent passing. I just wrote a six page letter of praise mentioning each and every CM who made our trip special. It really helped a lot, and none of them knew about our recent loss.

MMause, your story made me cry. You are truly an extraordinary lady and those kindnesses will keep coming back to you ten times over.

I love this thread! I will try to add more of our pixie dust moments when I can, so many I don't know which ones to tell first.

 

[mmausse]

bump

 

[tnkrbell]

That is such a great story!! Im so happy your son got dusted!!
Ps my dogs name is Zero so tell son he has good taste!! Got to love Nightmarebefore christmas!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I don't stop by the Resort board too often, but did this AM, so glad I did, and glad this thread had been bumped up again. What wonderful stories, magical, caring indeed. Things like these are what makes Disney so different from other places. Thanks for sharing.

I have had several, but the one that most sticks out in my mind is probably the first, and actually occurred before our first, and only, family WDW trip, in late '99. I have this in one of my early trip reports, (linked in the #1 section of my spinner clipart below). I'll copy and paste that part here, a brief moment that CM, Xenia, more or less created that magical aura for me that I still believe in today, 5 years later..........

Over the past year, various CM's at CRO have taken copious notes from me as I called periodically to "get a better deal", ask questions, etc. They have gotten to know me over the year, as they do put a lot of conversation notes in their computer system. Each time I called, they would usually say, "Let me read your notes", and then ask how they could help me. As we talked, they, also, would add new notes.

I finally had what I thought was a good package of price and tickets for a 7-night/8 day stay (MKC). However I was constantly trying to get a lagoon view for a truly memorable trip for all the family; but was not successful with that last piece, (lagoon view). It was not available with the MKC and the difference between a MKC garden view and a non-discounted lagoon view was just too much. I was willing to pay more but the rooms weren't available at any price.

On a call about 2 weeks ago to CRO to try again, (we all know to keep trying), I talked to CM "Xenia". She asked me to wait a minute while she read my "case". She let out a sigh and said, "My, you have been through a lot". And then, "How may I help you tonight?" I told her my request, (lagoon view, and, if available, I can pay more, but hopefully not too much more). She initially responded, "I don't thing so." But a moment later, before I could respond to yet another turn down, she said, "Let me go check a few things. Can you wait a couple minutes?" I said, "Sure". Well, about 5-7 long minutes later she comes back and says, "Are you still there?" I said, "Yes". She went on, "Tinkerbell just flew by and sprinkled some pixie dust--you and your family have their lagoon view room". I was so pleased, I was ecstatic. I thanked her abundantly, and then asked her the damages, (increase in price). She said, "Tink said-same price, no increase". I was staggered and it took me a minute or so of tears in my eyes with accompanying silence to speak to "Xenia". During my silence, she said, "I know you've been through a lot and when we can help people, we love to do it; you deserve it".

Well, we are <90 days to go. I am so happy for my family and hope so much they will enjoy, (kids being older and such).

My thanks to "Xenia" and the magic that Walt brought to us all and continues on in many CM's

Thank you, Xenia!”

I posted that back on September 1, 1999. If you had previously read that and did again, thank you for rereading. I will always remember ”Xenia” As another neat footnote to that warm CRO CM encounter was that after the “business” part of that call was complete, I continued to chat for a few minutes with Xenia about her career, etc. She mentioned that she was a singer in the holiday spectacular, “Candlelight Processional”. She said she sang in a number of the performances during the Christmas Season, described herself to me, and told me her actual position on stage in the spectacular. She told me to look for her if we attended the Candlelight Processional, (we did), and we did see Xenia on the night we attended Now you tell me, “How cool is that?”

Then, as if that was the end, when we checked in at the Poly, some weeks later, the CM at checkin gave me our four room keys and as I was passing them out to Marie, Natalie and Vince, the checkin CM asked for the keys back. She said, as she was reading the notes in our file, that Orlando, one of the head back-office CM's at the Poly, had further upgraded us to concierge, after his having read the notes Xenia had added. Magic? Yeah. So our first and only family trip, a most magical one, in part from two wonderful CM's, Xenia and Orlando, two whom I will never forget.

Again, thanks for all these wonderful stories, and yes, a tissue thread for sure.