Hawkeye314
Been Around For A While
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2002
- Messages
- 102
I recently posted this in another forum on the DIS and have been asked by several to repost this story here. With a few edits, here it is.
Setting the stage: As you'll read, my youngest daughter had open heart surgery last summer. (In fact, I posted about it a bit last year). Following the surgery, we went to WDW to celebrate with her and our family. The whole trip was truly wonderful, our best trip ever (and we've been three out of the last four years). This, however, is the story of the highlight of the trip, breakfast with Cinderella. I've sent this to family and friends for the last year and have just begun regularly frequenting these boards again as I begin planning for our next trip next summer. Quite frankly, it was such an intensely personal moment for us, that I could only share it initially with our family. Now, reprinting it here gives me a chance to relive it.
Enjoy:
My youngest daughter (Rachel) -- 3.5 years old at the time -- underwent open heart surgery last summer (2003). Now, to truly understand this story, you have to know that my daughter believes herself to be a Princess. She believes that when she grows up, she will live in a castle and have servants and ponies and candy whenever she wants. Being our youngest, we haven't exactly done anything to dissuade her from this dream.
Her special princess has always been Cinderella. It's her nickname. It's her personality. Meeting Cinderella has always, always, always been her dream.
Her surgery was scheduled for June 26 of last year. We had booked a trip to WDW (optimism is key when facing something like this) for late August. In fact, as my wife and I were dealing with the unbelievable stress of the coming surgery, we were trying to hide our planning from the family (two older siblings, one girl (9 at the time) and one boy (7 at the time)).
Finally, the Friday before the surgery, we told the older two that their baby sister was going to the hospital next week but if everything went well, we would be going to Disney World at the end of the summer. They were excited about going to Disney but more terrified for their sister than I ever dreamed. Not good times.
With careful planning, I realized that the day after the surgery was exactly 60 days before we were to be in WDW. The surgery was a complete success (and today she is 100%) so I got up early the next morning (as instructed here on the DIS) and began making calls for PSs at CRT. My first try, I got through and was able to make the reservation.
Disney Magic. Perhaps a little help from elsewhere, as well.
I went to the hospital that morning to give her the news that she was going to meet Cinderella. She absolutely glowed (or maybe it was the narcotics) and we used that trip to Cinderella to motivate her through some somewhat difficult times during her recovery.
Flash forward 60 days. We make it to Cinderella's Castle. Just walking in with my daughter -- dressed to the nines in her Cinderella costume (despite the near 100 degree day) -- made my wife's eyes tear up. (I, of course, being all man, merely had some dust in my eyes ... or allergies .. or an eyelash ... or something).
The moment came. MY princess met THE princess. We had told the folks at CRT about the reason for our trip and celebration and they, obviously, told Cindy. She came up from behind MY princess and whispered in her ear, "Are you Princess Rachel?"
Rachel turned around and was speechless. Couldn't say anything. Neither could I (must have been some food stuck in my throat that was causing that lump). Neither could anyone in my family.
THE Cinderella picked up MY Cinderella and carried her around the restaurant for about 30 minutes, introducing her to everyone around. They talked ... chatting away like old friends .. for the whole time.
My wife nudged me while they were away. "Look around." Everyone in our section of the restaurant who had heard the story of Rachel's surgery and the reason for our trip from Cinderella (and Rachel) had tears in their eyes (or dust) and were smiling.
Magic. Maybe more.
The funny thing: we have no idea what Rachel and Cinderella talked about for that magical half an hour. She won't tell us. To this day, she says that Cinderella made her promise that it was a secret. No amount of begging, bribing or tickling will get the full story out of my daughter.
I may never know what they talked about but I do know that there is such a thing as magic.
And, more. Definitely, more.
Epilogue: Our trip last summer was more wonderful than I could have ever imagined. The folks at Dreams Unlimited really helped out (Sue Ellen!) and told people in advance the reason for our visit. Many, many times, CMs went out of their way (like Cinderella) for my daughter. I'm planning our trip for next summer but I don't think we'll go back to CRT for a long time.
Nothing will ever match that moment for me and my family. Especially, for Rachel.
Thanks for giving me another place to share my story.
Setting the stage: As you'll read, my youngest daughter had open heart surgery last summer. (In fact, I posted about it a bit last year). Following the surgery, we went to WDW to celebrate with her and our family. The whole trip was truly wonderful, our best trip ever (and we've been three out of the last four years). This, however, is the story of the highlight of the trip, breakfast with Cinderella. I've sent this to family and friends for the last year and have just begun regularly frequenting these boards again as I begin planning for our next trip next summer. Quite frankly, it was such an intensely personal moment for us, that I could only share it initially with our family. Now, reprinting it here gives me a chance to relive it.
Enjoy:
My youngest daughter (Rachel) -- 3.5 years old at the time -- underwent open heart surgery last summer (2003). Now, to truly understand this story, you have to know that my daughter believes herself to be a Princess. She believes that when she grows up, she will live in a castle and have servants and ponies and candy whenever she wants. Being our youngest, we haven't exactly done anything to dissuade her from this dream.
Her special princess has always been Cinderella. It's her nickname. It's her personality. Meeting Cinderella has always, always, always been her dream.
Her surgery was scheduled for June 26 of last year. We had booked a trip to WDW (optimism is key when facing something like this) for late August. In fact, as my wife and I were dealing with the unbelievable stress of the coming surgery, we were trying to hide our planning from the family (two older siblings, one girl (9 at the time) and one boy (7 at the time)).
Finally, the Friday before the surgery, we told the older two that their baby sister was going to the hospital next week but if everything went well, we would be going to Disney World at the end of the summer. They were excited about going to Disney but more terrified for their sister than I ever dreamed. Not good times.
With careful planning, I realized that the day after the surgery was exactly 60 days before we were to be in WDW. The surgery was a complete success (and today she is 100%) so I got up early the next morning (as instructed here on the DIS) and began making calls for PSs at CRT. My first try, I got through and was able to make the reservation.
Disney Magic. Perhaps a little help from elsewhere, as well.
I went to the hospital that morning to give her the news that she was going to meet Cinderella. She absolutely glowed (or maybe it was the narcotics) and we used that trip to Cinderella to motivate her through some somewhat difficult times during her recovery.
Flash forward 60 days. We make it to Cinderella's Castle. Just walking in with my daughter -- dressed to the nines in her Cinderella costume (despite the near 100 degree day) -- made my wife's eyes tear up. (I, of course, being all man, merely had some dust in my eyes ... or allergies .. or an eyelash ... or something).
The moment came. MY princess met THE princess. We had told the folks at CRT about the reason for our trip and celebration and they, obviously, told Cindy. She came up from behind MY princess and whispered in her ear, "Are you Princess Rachel?"
Rachel turned around and was speechless. Couldn't say anything. Neither could I (must have been some food stuck in my throat that was causing that lump). Neither could anyone in my family.
THE Cinderella picked up MY Cinderella and carried her around the restaurant for about 30 minutes, introducing her to everyone around. They talked ... chatting away like old friends .. for the whole time.
My wife nudged me while they were away. "Look around." Everyone in our section of the restaurant who had heard the story of Rachel's surgery and the reason for our trip from Cinderella (and Rachel) had tears in their eyes (or dust) and were smiling.
Magic. Maybe more.
The funny thing: we have no idea what Rachel and Cinderella talked about for that magical half an hour. She won't tell us. To this day, she says that Cinderella made her promise that it was a secret. No amount of begging, bribing or tickling will get the full story out of my daughter.
I may never know what they talked about but I do know that there is such a thing as magic.
And, more. Definitely, more.
Epilogue: Our trip last summer was more wonderful than I could have ever imagined. The folks at Dreams Unlimited really helped out (Sue Ellen!) and told people in advance the reason for our visit. Many, many times, CMs went out of their way (like Cinderella) for my daughter. I'm planning our trip for next summer but I don't think we'll go back to CRT for a long time.
Nothing will ever match that moment for me and my family. Especially, for Rachel.
Thanks for giving me another place to share my story.
for rachel!
