Favorite and Positive Memories?

[craedaisy12]

Thought of one! It's funny how being in Disney can be a small world. One trip when my now sister in law came she knew one of her preschoolers would be there. Funniest thing was first thing at MK she found them! They had to get a picture together! It was so fun! Another time my friend was down and we tried to coordinate her entire trip to at least day hi. Finally on her last day we found each other!

 

[apicozzi]

My family would travel to WDW almost every year since I was little - and I've continued to do so now that I'm older. One of my favorite memories happened in 2010. After dinner at Citricos, my sister and two cousins headed to Magic Kingdom for EMH. We were back by POTC when it started to downpour like I've never experienced before. We rode Pirates and then hid under the entrance for a while, but decided the rain wasn't stopping. We walked back to the entrance of the park and were completely soaked by the time we got there. Since we were staying at the Contemporary we decided to just run back to the hotel. By the time we walked into the lobby it looked like we had just jumped in a pool with all of our clothes on - everyone was staring at us. It was a lot of fun to just let loose and not worry about being so wet. We still laugh about it today.

 

[CrystalCarrington]

I have a favourite memory for every member of my family. P.S we are from the UK so these memories are very very special making us do the 9 hour flight so often.

DH- When me and my then boyfriend now husband went to Orlando aged 18 & 21 he didn't want to do Disney and was totally against Characters etc. I pleaded for one day in the Magic Kingdom where I could, ride/meet/eat/do exactly as I pleased and he could have the rest of the 2 weeks to do what he wanted. He obliged but about an 1 hour into our first day at MK we were just wandering and browsing and he grabs my hand tight and yanks it hard. The then 21 year old young man that would rather be at Universal then squeals like a 4 year old "OH MY GOD! LOOK! IT'S TIGGER. OH MY GOD OH MY GOD" He thens pulls me to chase tigger with him... Husband material right there. Years later we are happily married, that moment sealed it for me!
My DD5 (then 4) - On our most recent trip there were lots of special memories, my all time favourite being the day before we left WDW, my beautiful daughter Lily used her puppy dog eyes and asked "Mummy? Why do we have to leave? This place makes me feel so special and I don't want to leave. Please can we just live here?" If only Lily!
My DS3 (then 2) - Upon meeting every Character my son, Danny would ask "But how did you get out of the TV?" Upon meeting his hero Buzz Lightyear, complete with Danny wearing FULL costume and BUZZ ears DS ask "Buzz please tell me how you got out of my TV? will you be there when I get home? I'll miss if I don't get to see you anymore".

 

[louey]

When my dd was 2 she LOVED Donald Duck-held a stuffed one everyday as she rode in her stroller, walked, ate, slept... But was terrified of the characters in the park. We saw Donald and my older dd wanted his autograph. Donald saw the little sis holding his stuffed self and started toward her We quickly waved him off! He tip toed a wide circle around her while holding his finger in front of his mouth as if saying " shh" and stood behind her stroller allowing us to get a family picture with dd smiling, hugging stuffed Donald and the "real" Donald behind her. PRICELESS!

This reminded me of my daughter pictured with Donald and her stuffed Mexican Donald when she was just 2 1/2 She just turned 25 on July 11th, that was an awesome trip!!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/louey/madidonald_zps1c028a81.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/louey/sleepingmadi_zps2417c433.jpg

 

[bopper]

We would get autograph books and have the character sign it, and later put a picture of them and the girls on the other side. The characters loved to look at the book and see pictures of the girls when they were little!

 

[EpicBilynn]

Everything about Disney makes me happy. I may get stressed out and have pouty moments on vacation, but a little bit of Disney magic always makes it go away.

A few years ago my mom and I took my 2 nephews to the World along with my (then) boyfriend. He's a tattooed, rock 'n roller who mostly rolled his eyes at me and my Disney obsession. But it didn't take long for the magic to rub off on him and he was loving every minute. He wanted pictures at all the photo op spots and with all the characters. He even took me for dinner at CRT. After that it was a piece of cake to get him on a Disney cruise for my birthday!

One of my favorite things is hitting the parks after a runDisney race. I wear my medals because 1) I'm super proud of my accomplishments, and 2) they add to great photo opportunities with the characters. But my favorite thing is that random people will tell you 'congratulations' or give you a high five or just acknowledge that you did something cool.

 

[JandD75]

Talked to DD and this is the list we came up with:

The feeling passing through the main gate. (As someone else said.)
The plaque that says ‘Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.”
The lights at night
The special foods we can get only there
The attention to detail
Anticipating doing the new rides
Disney dreaming—Saying things like, “They could shorten the line at Dumbo, if they’d make a flying carpet ride” and then seeing it come true. (In Florida.) Or, “Why don’t they use the empty Submarine Lagoon for a Little Mermaid attraction?” (It became Nemo instead.)
Seeing Hades make a beeline for my daughter when she was dressed as Meg. Someone pointed to DD and asked, “Does she work here?”
Hearing my pre-schooler DD call it ‘The Mattercorn’. When I said, yes, that’s the Mattherhorn, she sternly corrected me—no Mama, it’s the Mattercorn.”
We keep coming back because this is the place where we relax, play, enjoy each other and have fun together.
On our first trip, got a picture of my DD, age 3, in her mouse ears. Priceless!

 

[cbeeindisney]

Passing through the front gate at MK and seeing the castle and getting engaged in front of the castle.

There's a saying I always say to my fiance when we go that was a memory of mine from when I went when I was little. I was terrified of riding Space Mountain and I was nervous and the CM that checked to see if I was safely in said to me, "There's no need to worry, nothing bad ever happens at Disney World, you'll have fun!" So, my fiance is a bit of a baby when it comes to the mountains in MK and ToT and I tell him that!

 

[Summertinkerbell]

In 2004, when DD was 6, we opened MK. Minnie grabbed DD's hand and ran off with her to her house! DH and I ran behind taking millions of photos. DD's gleeful face was priceless! During the same trip, breakfast in Cinderella's Castle was so magical. Witnessing my DD's absolute wonder of it all was a dream come true.

In 2008, we arrived on Christmas Eve. It was DD's last year believing in Santa Claus. We had worked so hard to preserve that, and it paid off. Every magical encounter including waking up on Christmas morning in Disney World to gifts from Santa (that we hid in the back of our trunk behind the luggage) was amazing. I cried with absolute joy when we arrived and several times during.

We couldn't really afford those trips at the time. I'm so glad that I made the necessary sacrifices to get us there when she was still young enough to really believe in the magic. When we return next year, DD will be 17. It will be a different kind of trip...almost saying "goodbye" to her childhood. After that, she will be a young woman. See? I'm choking up again...

 

[disneyseniors]

Okay, this is going to sound silly (and maybe it's even in the wrong place?) but I have just read through both the "rants" and "mistakes" threads and I would love to hear about some Disney positive memories!

It doesn't have to be extra special but what makes it magical for you? What keeps you returning?

I think my favorite was walking through Cinderella's Castle, talking about Tigger and then who should pounce on me and fill my first autograph in my first Disney autograph book?

Tigger!

Okay, now that I've shared mine, I'd love to hear yours! The ears are on!

We went on the keys to the kingdom tour last year, and our cast member, Casey, was fantastic. His enthusiasm and love of all things Disney was not faked and he made our day I wrote Disney about him and they thanked me for my letter and would see that he would be praised and given appropriate incentives (I think it went like that, you know what I mean). Next, we were at hs and my husband has a bad back, so we wanted to get fast passes for tsm. The line was long behind us. I made the fast trek to tsm fast pass place, out of breath. I must have looked awful, cause the cm gave us 2 extra fp's each She made our day. We walked on twice and used fp twice. This was before the fp they use now. We got paper passes. The cm's continue to make Disney special

 

[nitmavis]

These are all great memories! Thanks for sharing! My favorite memory has to be one that was completely unplanned. After going to the Chip and Dale campfire we headed down to the beach so we could watch Wishes and the kids could play in the sand. My girls were 8 & 5 and my niece was also 8 and my nephew 6. We were there with SIL and BIL. There was a private corporate party on the corner of the beach. Come to find out that my SIL works for the company and helped plan that party! The party had a pirate theme. We hung out near the party when a few of the CMs came over, dressed like pirates, and played with the kids. They played with them for an hour and a half. They never once broke character. The kids were convinced they were real pirates. They signed their autograph books and posed for pictures with them. This was 2 years ago and the kids still ask if they are going to get to see Pirate Xander and Pirate Ashley the next time we go. I don't think the girls or I will ever forget that magical evening!

 

[set1208]

My daughter and I went in 2004 and it was the first time for both of us. I remember sobbing my eyes out holding her up so she can get a good view of Wishes. The music, the atmosphere, an the fact that it was a life long dream of mine to go.

I had one of those dad's who always promised us a trip to disney growing up but we never went. I was a single mom back when we took our first trip and I saved up for a while so it was a really big deal. I still cry whenever I go.

It's a vacation that so many people dream of but will never be able to afford. We grew up in severe poverty so I have a deep appreciation for the gifts I have as an adult and every single thing about our vacations are magical!

 

[copykitten]

The pictures! I love all the pictures that we got with the characters and the kids and how excited they were!

 

[DanInMN]

When my son was 4 years old my wife "fired" me. That fall I brought my little boy to WDW for the first time. He loved the dancing water at Epcot!

He is 33 years old now.

 

[MataHari22]

These are funny, fond memories to me. They are about my brother who passed away in '93, just before his 21st b'day. The first time I went to WDW it was for my 8th b'day, I think, so it would have been in 1975. That would have made my brother 3 years old, turning 4 in a few months. Anyway, you know how little kids can blurt out stuff you wish they wouldn't. Me, my mom, my brother and my gram were all standing at the railroad station waiting for the train and my brother blurts out, "Ma! Here comes the effing choo choo!" Let's just say the f bomb was not exactly trotted out the way you can all too often hear it today. My gram was mortified and walked away and pretended like she didn't know us. Meanwhile, I am sure it was her husband, my grandfather who my brother learned that word from.

Then, mom thought my brother would absolutely love the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Kid loved pirates. Well, he didn't. We passed by that ship and as soon as it "launched a cannon ball into the water", he screamed like crazy and didn't stop for the whole ride. Figured bringing him into the Haunted Mansion was definitely out of the question after that.

 

[fairy oma]

The look on our DGDs faces the first time they entered Cinderella's Castle. Wishes and the fireworks. MNSSHP parade (the gravediggers and their sparking shovels is something I will always remember). Cinderella's wicked stepmother and stepsisters were a total crackup.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I was in the Navy stationed in Orlando, my wife-to-be was from Titusville, FL. My parents came down from PA and their first meeting and real time spent with my fiancé was a day at Epcot when it was new. (When was that? 81 or 82?) They loved Epcot and they fell in love with Patty that day just like I had. My parents and Patty always had a great relationship. My mom died in 2007, my Dad in 2010. Every single time I walk into Epcot hand-in-hand with my wife I think of that wonderful day, but especially a year ago early September when we celebrated our 30th at WDW.

That day we all spent together was very important to me and our anniversary all the more. What a great place to have such memories.

Another:

My wife loves all things Pooh, so for our anniversary we did the Buffett breakfast at Crystal Palace. When Tigger came by they presented us with a beautiful anniversary tray with chocolate. We posed for a pic on either side of Tigger. I leaned across, so did Patty and we kissed. Tigger played all embarrassed and covered his eyes. It made for a perfect picture.

OK, when my 28 year old son was only 4 and met "the real" Mickey Mouse and was in total shock. It was awesome. Then the end of the same first ever day walking out of Magic Kingdom. He was awake, but walking like a Zombie. Input overload.

My daughter at 3 giving Mickey the biggest tightest hug!

 

[lylone]

Handing one of those small drink umbrellas to a little girl on the Monorail. The look on her face was priceless. It makes me realize how the smallest gestures can make a child's day.

I give away all my drink umbrellas and glow cubes now.

And I always ask permission of the parent if the child can have a little "gift" first.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

One of my more recent great memories was having my 17 year old son who thought he was too old for Disney, grinning away while showing Winnie the Pooh a picture of himself at 2 years old meeting Winnie the Pooh!
My son had no idea I had brought a copy of that picture with us.

Also on that same trip, at the end of the Wild Africa Trek - he turned to me and said "That was awesome Mom! Best time ever!"

And the look on my DD14's face when I opened up the curtains at our savannah view room at AKL and there was a giraffe right nearby was great!

 

[Mainst]

Chasing our daughter thru Disney's Main Street as my father chased me!

Love this