Random Acts of Magic

[buckeev]

As a general rule:
We try to do what needs to done at the time it needs to be done.
Help kids who've lost their parents. Assist in medical emergencies-(to the best of our abilities). Give that seat up when someone else needs it. etc. We've been WAY too blessed not to try to pay it forward in some part at least!
If you can't spread "magic" at WDW, you may have some issues doing so back in the "real" world.

 

[gr8tdame]

We usually stay at OKW so we buy groceries and if we see a family checking in on the day we check out we'll pass along our groceries that are still good like cans of soda or bags of chips.

I love your seamstress cat. It made my day . Thanks. Too cute.

 

[disrev]

For the past 3 years, My DW keeps her eyes open for Glow sticks on sale at WalMart, Target, etc. and buys them. At some time she'll find 24 packs for $1. We will bring one or two packs into the park with us. Once we find a spot for Wishes, Fantasmic, or Illuminations, we will bust out the glow sticks. Our daughter (now 4yo) gets 2-3. Our daughter then takes the rest and hands them out to kids nearby.

I wish I could explain the excitement on her face as she would come back to us after handing out her "gift" to someone who didn't have one.

 

[doggydoc]

I always try to encourage my DD11 to give whenever possible. We always take extra glow sticks and last year gave away some FP's to TSM we got with our GAD cards. The best ever was year before last when my wife ordered a birthday basket for DD which came with an autograph book. We had already purchased one so DD picked out a family that was just checking in and presented it to their little girl. The parents were in disbelief and the look on the little girl's face was priceless. It was a great moment.

 

[twokids0204]

We've given away FP's multiple times, I am sure a lot of people here have.

But 2 years ago (March Break 2009). We were at Magic Kingdom, and we had a dinner ADR for Crystal Palace. My kids wanted to go to Epcot for the afternoon. So I was on my way to the Crystal Palace to cancel my ADR, when I saw a family of four walking away from the window saying "They are all booked up and it doesn't look like we will be able to get in."
So instead of walking up to the window to cancel the ADR, I approached the husband and told him to come with me. I took him to the window and told the hostess I wanted to transfer my ADR to this family.
They did it without any problems. I showed ID to prove that it was indeed my ADR to cancel. They were extremely delighted and thanked me.

I hope they enjoyed their meal, but I never saw them again.

 

[disneygirl777]

During the Year of a Million Dreams I was approached by a CM in a store in WS who gave me a limited edition pin. Only a very small amount of them were made. He then gave me another pin just like the first and told me that I had to give it to someone else that day. I spent all afternoon trying to find someone who looked like either they loved pins or a child who would be happy to get a pin from someone. Finally in Mouse Gear I saw a woman who was wearing 3 pin lanyards and trading with some kids. So I decided she was the one. I gave it to her and she hugged me and started crying telling me how kind I was and how it made her day. And even though it was an act of kindness spurred on by the CM, I felt so darn good when I gave that pin to her.
Another time, we were going to ride the Carousel and I wanted Cinderella's horse (I was about 13). I finally found it and sat on it and I was so happy. Before the ride started, I heard the little girl next to me say to her dad, "That's Cinderella's horse, Daddy. It'd be so cool to ride it." So I turned to her and said, "Well it turns out that Cinderella told me to save her horse for you. She wanted you to ride on it." And the girl smiled the biggest smile I've ever seen. It was a great feeling.

 

[Robin K]

Last year at our resort-CSR-there were 2 kids who were probably 12 and under. They really wanted to start pin trading..but the mom was telling them how she didn't have enough money on her at the time. I took 6 pins off my purse and handed them (2 each). The mom tried to give me her room number so she could pay me for them! I refused and told her just have a magical trip! Fast forward 3 days later we are in line at Pepper Market the 3 kids came running up to me and wanted to show me the pins they traded for. It was so sweet! The mom then in turn bought me a cookie....I was fine without it but she insisted!
We also try to give up our seats on buses to elderly, parents with youngsters, etc. I agree with PP that says we just try to help out with small everyday kindness. We open doors, smile (alot) say please and thank you! I'm not sure if that's really "kindness" or just common decentcy.
Hope everyone has a wonderful trip!

 

[miprender]

We usually give away our FP and on our last trip we had 4 FP for TSM that we weren't going to be able to use at they came for a later time. As we were leaving we gave them to a family just entering for the evening.

We usually stay at OKW so we buy groceries and if we see a family checking in on the day we check out we'll pass along our groceries that are still good like cans of soda or bags of chips.

I love that sewing cat!

 

[bdoyledimou]

We have both recieved and given magic.

Once in 2004, my kids (7 and 5 at the time) both wanted a one of those electonic spinny light things. They picked them out, and we went to the cashier, and she scanned them, and then said "Have a magical day!" and handed me a reciept that showed them both as being $0.00.

At our last trip, my wife and i were in a long line for food, and she started chatting with the lady behind us. She was there with her daughter (about 7?) and they explained it was her borthday trip. When we got to the order counter, my wife told them to order anything they wanted, and had me pay for it as a special birthday gift ...

 

[3_disprincesses]

Back in 2008 we were at WDW the same time Hurricane Ike was due to arrive. Knowing the rain was inevitable we bought a stroller cover for the umbrella stroller. Deciding to take the larger stroller instead, we ordered another cover to fit it. I took the smaller cover with us just in case we found another family needing it - and boy did we find them! Exiting the monorail at TTC was a family with a flimsy shower curtain as a stroller cover. The wind was blowing, rain was driving down...the poor little girl was getting soaked! Lucky for them we had the extra cover. They offered to pay me for it but I just asked them to just please "Pay it forward" and leave with another family at the end of their trip. I'm just glad we happened along at the time we did - the little girl looked miserable.

I always teach my children to give up their seats to grownups and very young children. My mom was with us on our last trip and it was nice that so many others were willing to give up their seats for her.

 

[quarters]

My two friends and I were actually on the receiving end of some awesome CM magic!

We were in AK during our trip 2 years ago. We had just gotten off of Everest, and we were having someone snap our picture by the banner out front. As soon as we were done, a CM named Cory walked up to us and asked us if we had ridden it yet. We said yes, but we'd never pass up a chance to ride it again! So he told us to follow him, and he walked us through the FP line and right up to the train! Ashley and Gretchen (my two friends) rode in the seat in front, and I rode next to Cory.

During the beginning of the ride, Cory was asking me where we were from and stuff, and somehow the conversation turned and I mentioned to him that we had really wanted to ride Kali, but the line was 80 minutes long (it was H-O-T that October!) and we had someplace to be later and couldn't wait for the current FP return time. He said, "No problem! I'll take you guys on that, too!" So after we got off of Everest, he walked us over to Kali and straight up to the boat! He couldn't ride with us this time, but we took pictures with him while we were waiting. It was so nice and definitely a highlight of our trip!

 

[cyndi-rella]

Last October we were eating an early dinner at Main Street Cafe when a small child (1-2 yrs old) began to choke on a grape. My Mom is a nurse and went over to help the Mother get it out of his throat. The boy started breathing and all was well again. Our waitress and several others were so kind and offered us desert but we had to decline because we had surprise reservations at Wishes desert buffet for my DD birthday. She looked at mike like you have to be kidding turning down a free desert. She was very surprised by her treat a little later.

 

[dreamscometrue47]

Our last trip, April 2010, we had 4 fast passes for Jungle Cruise that we didn't have to use because my Mom was in a wheelchair and they let us through the handicapped entrance, no wait. On our way out, my son tried to give the FP's to a family of 4 in the 90-minute line, and they refused at first to take them!! My son thought that maybe they had no idea what a FP was and sure enough, they didn't!! Son took 3 minutes to explain FP, the family gratefully took the FP's and said they were so glad they met us as they had no idea what a FP was. I also take a couple of extra rain ponchos with me and have had no problem giving them to young parents in need of stroller protection, or just for themselves and the young ones. We've also given a child or two a balloon, but first have asked the parents if it's ok 1) due to allergies and 2) my daughter was terrified of balloons for a while when she was a toddler. I can hear her screaming now if someone offered her a balloon!!

 

[gr8leg8]

On our first trip...

crowded bus on the way home one night.
I pulled my DD into my lap to make room for a little girl.
Poor dad was trying to balance young daughter, younger daughter in his arms and a stroller.

My DD and the little girl started chatting and their two little butts only took up one seat,
so my lap was empty.
I offered to hold the now sleeping younger daughter.
Not sure he would be okay with that, but he smiled an exhausted thank you
and gently handed her down to me.

We followed the dad off the bus and along the walkway before staying goodnight.

He seemed like such a kind and good natured man.
My dad was a gruff kinda guy.

I made sure to tell DH later that I really admired his dad skills and
how grateful I was to have him in my life.

 

[ILovePeterPan101]

My sister and I were in the line for the Up characters. Just as they closed the line a family of five came up. They had three daughters that really wanted to see the Up characters but the CM wouldn't let them get in line. He said it was too late and they needed to come back another day. They left and one girl started to cry. So right away after they left, my sister and I realized what we needed to do. Since we had already seen the Up characters we decided to let them to take our spot. Right when we thought of this our dad came. We told him what we wanted to do. He first went to see if this was alright. Then my dad went to get the family. The family came back and they were very grateful that we gave them our spot. The girl stoped crying and they wouldn't stop thanking us. The best part was when we saw how happy the girls were when they got to meet the Up characters.

 

[Thmacs1]

I always stop and offer to take pictures for people who are trying to get their whole group or maybe they are just a couple. My kids make fun of me and call me the Disney photographer. I just think it is a nice thing to do that only takes a moment. I have never been turned down and people happily turn over their cameras for me to take thier pic.

 

[Gretchasketch]

About 2 years ago I went to Disneyland with a friend. We caught a glimpse of the "parade" (it was the year of the block party) earlier in the day and wanted to see the second one. I knew that the floats stopped throughout the parade route and seeing as Alice is my favorite character, I wanted to be standing around the area in which her float stopped. I asked a few CMs if they knew where her float would stop. No one knew for sure until one CM who told me where he thought it stopped. My friend and I stood there and a few minutes later he came back over to us and told me that he had gone to ask The Mad Hatter if he was indeed correct. He also told me that Alice and The Mad Hatter would be looking out for me since they knew I'd be there.

Throughout the entire parade Alice and Hatter would pose for me and wave and blow kisses. It was very fun and such a great treat!

Here is one of my favorites:

 

[two*little*birds]

It may be a small thing, but my daughter cut her finger on the paper towel holder in the bathroom, and a very sweet lady was kind enough to offer up a band-aid she had in her purse. DD was very relieved, she doesn't like blood!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

For instance 2 years ago we had a member of our party drop out of going to MNSSHP so I found the cutest little kid in a costume I could spot and gave them the free ticket.

that is an awesome thing to do, but on the same token, did you know that they were going to the party and you were saving them the money of purchasing a ticket or did you cost them money since they now had to purchase the adult tickets I don't mean to sound rude, but I am really wondering... like I said, that is an awesome thing to do if they were already going and only then needed to purchase another ticket

 

[live4christp1]

We always try to share/pass the magic on....here are some things we do regularly and some things we have been able to pass on:

We freeze several of the kool-aid juice packs and put them in our back pack each day. By the afternoon parade they are still nice and cold but not frozen. While sitting in the afternoon sun our kids enjoy them while waiting on the parade - we always share with any kids around us that seem to be getting restless while waiting (after asking the parents discreetly if its ok)

Fantasmic and night time parade - we purchase the glow bracelets/necklaces ahead of time at the Dollar Tree and craft places like Hobby Lobby/Michaels - we enjoy sharing these with children around us while waiting.

We've shared fast passes with others when we haven't used them.

When enroute to WDW we always start our magic sharing early and pay for the next few cars behind us at the toll booth off the turn pike.

Our most recent trip a little girl gave DD her balloon at MK - the clear ones with the colored Mickey heads inside (Pink - DD's favorite color). Her mom explained that they were flying home that day and couldn't take the balloon on the plane and she wanted DD to have it. We didn't have a stroller to attach it to and after about 4 hours DD was getting kind of tired of having it attached so she set out on a quest to find another little girl to pass it on to. We looked for the better part of an hour before we saw a little girl and her mom at the check out line in the little shop beside Snow White - the little girl was sitting in her stroller while her mom was making a purchase - oh you should have seen her face when DD ran up and held the balloon out to her. She said "is this for me". DD smiled really big and nodded. The little girl excitedly started saying "mom, mom - she gave this to me" and the mom turned and looked. She teared up and just thanked DD.