It's the "little things"... what's yours?

[jpdeg99]

- Views from Astro Orbiter at night

As a previous poster stated: Disney magic is REAL magic!

That is a good one. But am I the only one who that ride scares the heck out of? I always feel like if we go all the way up, we'll fall out.

- Staying at the MK until 2 am with my little kids, who are usually tired, but so happy and excited to be there, especially with no crowds, riding their favorite rides over and over. Yeah, we're "bad parents", we don't care. It's worth it.

- spending days at the pool, thinking "we could have stayed downtown and saved $5 grand" - it's relaxing and they love the pols as much as the MK sometimes

- nodding off during the Little Mermaid show at DHS, or the Carousel of Progress, or Hall of Presidents, or any other sit down show.

- bringing my 7 yo girl, rocking her red glitter Jessie Boots, hat and skinny jeans, and her best friend the Jessie Doll, to meet the real Jessie.

- Having Woody and Jessie to ourselves at the MVMCP Woody and Jessie dance party

- using Walt and Disney, Wishes, Tinkerbell, the princesses, Illuminations and so many other things to teach them that they should always hold on to their hopes and dreams and never let them go, no matter what.

WE LEAVE 4 WEEKS FROM TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and we're excited whether there is fp-, fp+ or no fp. People that let the fp situation affect their trip that much, I think, have lost focus on what Disney is and why they go in the first place. We don't go to ride as many rides as we can. We don't go to see as many characters as we can. Those things are part of it, but not all of it.

We go, ultimately, because it's the most perfect place in the world, the only place where magic is real, and the place that we remember our memories and make new ones.

 

[dalayney]

As so many others have expressed, THANK YOU to the OP for starting this thread! This thread and restored my faith in the humanity among DISers.

Oh my gosh, your welcome! I think part of my "rose colored glasses" when it comes to Disney, as I grew up wishing to go, adored all the movies, dreamed of going to WDW all the time.... and always thinking it was a vacation that would never be within my reach, even as an adult. Not trying to sound dramatic, but when you truly love Disney, and feel it is so out of your reach, it can be heartbreaking.

But happily I can proudly say....I've been 3 times! With a 4th trip in the works! With the very good possibility that we'll be able to go every other year in our future. So yes! I adore Disney world, and everything it stands for. Seriously, where else can you go, or what other vacation can you have, that literally makes you feel like a child? Or brings that joy seeing Disneyworld through the eyes of your own children? In so many aspects, nothing else compares or comes close.

 

[CookieGVB]

Getting on the monorail at the airport is "our first ride"
The smell of the Dolphin lobby (even around Christmas when the smell changes to gingerbread)
Riding the bus to the Magic Kingdom and hearing the music change once we are close
Great Movie Ride - "Snakes...why'd it have to be snakes..."
Listening to most everyone singing "it's a great big beautiful tomorrow..."
Corny jokes on the Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion CMs being deadpan in their delivery

Great thread!

 

[momof2mouses]

That is a good one. But am I the only one who that ride scares the heck out of? I always feel like if we go all the way up, we'll fall out.

- Staying at the MK until 2 am with my little kids, who are usually tired, but so happy and excited to be there, especially with no crowds, riding their favorite rides over and over. Yeah, we're "bad parents", we don't care. It's worth it.

- spending days at the pool, thinking "we could have stayed downtown and saved $5 grand" - it's relaxing and they love the pols as much as the MK sometimes

- nodding off during the Little Mermaid show at DHS, or the Carousel of Progress, or Hall of Presidents, or any other sit down show.

- bringing my 7 yo girl, rocking her red glitter Jessie Boots, hat and skinny jeans, and her best friend the Jessie Doll, to meet the real Jessie.

- Having Woody and Jessie to ourselves at the MVMCP Woody and Jessie dance party

- using Walt and Disney, Wishes, Tinkerbell, the princesses, Illuminations and so many other things to teach them that they should always hold on to their hopes and dreams and never let them go, no matter what.

WE LEAVE 4 WEEKS FROM TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and we're excited whether there is fp-, fp+ or no fp. People that let the fp situation affect their trip that much, I think, have lost focus on what Disney is and why they go in the first place. We don't go to ride as many rides as we can. We don't go to see as many characters as we can. Those things are part of it, but not all of it.

We go, ultimately, because it's the most perfect place in the world, the only place where magic is real, and the place that we remember our memories and make new ones.

I love it!! This made me tear up just thinking about our trip in 24 days! I'm so ready to be there with my girls and see them light up...even though they are older now, we are all kids at Walt Disney World! Thanks for this!

 

[PHXscuba]

Taking a picture of my kids on the Treehouse steps each trip.

Churros.

Riding Big Thunder Mountain at night.

The trashcans!


Truly "Disney is in the details."

PHXscuba

 

[GenevieveRaqs]

The narration right before Illuminations begins. When he blows out the torches, I always get chills.

That glorious POTC smell! Nothing says Disney better than that!

The twinkling fairy lights (I suppose they're meant to be fireflies, but I always think of them as fairies) in the trees near the Hub.

That perfectly framed view of the Castle from the tippy top of the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse.

The tiki gods in the Tiki Room. I have loved those guys since I was there on my first trip at 4 years old!

School bread...now I'm hungry!

Although I only saw it once, years ago, the wall of servants' bells in the "chicken exit" at HM. Only Disney would theme an area guests aren't usually supposed to see!

And my all-time favorite Disney memory: we took my son on his first trip when he was 4 in 2012. One day, as we were leaving the MK for an afternoon rest, he stopped dead right before the exit turnstiles and bent low to the ground. "MY WISH!" he shouted, coming up with a little piece of Mickey-shaped confetti in his hand. "IT CAME FROM MY WISH!"

 

[KateKat23]

My favorite little things at the World are seeing my 37 year old husband pin trading with our girls. He wants to stop at every castmember and every pin board and I can hear him right now saying "Can we please see your pins?" It seriously makes me smile everytime. It is something that him and our girls do together. They love going to all the Disney Resorts, stores, kiosks anywhere they have pins.
I also get so excited to ride the Haunted Mansion. I love the music and the voice of the Ghost Host. I also love love Spaceship Earth. I could ride that all day long especially the part you go backwards just staring up at the stars. This is my happy place.
Someone mention the torchs being blown out when Illuminations starts. That still sends chills down my back and at the end when the song We Go On comes on, I just love it.

 

[AJ1983]

For me its all the little Disney indicators before we step foot in the park...seeing WDW signs in the Orlando airport when we step off the plane..seeing the billboards as we drive away from the airport..driving under the huge WDW archway..hearing the music

Once we enter the park I just love the smell. It smells like warm air, sunscreen,grease, sugar, and popcorn. Combined with the sound of happy people everywhere, I always take a moment to just absorb it.

As for something tangible, I can't wait to get some more Mickey kettle corn

 

[mamaprincess]

I love the Magical Express ride to Walt Disney World.

The sound of the drums in the AKL Jambo house lobby, the art work and the smell. Every little thing about that resort immerses me in another world. I love taking the walk past the water feature and pool to The Mara. I love sitting by the fire pit. The cast members are amazing.

The Boardwalk is my youngest daughter's favorite. I love taking her to Seashore Sweets and letting her buy her favorite candy or watching her watch a magic show or swim in Luna Park pool. I really love the hustle and bustle of the Boardwalk, watching the boats come and go. I love all the lights at night.

I love approaching Mk at night on the monorail, seeing the lights of the Grand Floridian and then the castle in the distance.

I just love walking around the parks, listening to the music. Taking in all the eye candy. I love Dole Whip Floats on a hot summer day.

I love the fact that I can watch wishes from the Poly beach or Top of the World lounge at BLT for free.

I love boat transportation. I love the little girls in their princess costumes and everyone in their Mickey ears. I love the souvenir shops, especially the displays on Main Street.

I love the way The Crystal Palace looks all lit up at night. I love walking through Adventureland at night.

I love how incredibly joyful and bubbly my daughter is when she is there. I love how I feel at WDW.like I am living my happiest dream

 

[eeyoresmom]

The sky writer who frequently flies over the resort, writing" God loves you "or similar messages. Nothing like seeing that on a brilliant blue sky. I love that people stop in their hectic, stressed run to the next attraction to see what he is writing. Most people figure it out and keep going but for me it's a perfect reminder of how I am so blessed.

 

[PlutoFan10]

OMG

I am a HUGE IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth fan - when the pre-show music dies down and the narrator starts talking - I just look around at the whole lagoon and all the torches are lit and there's just thousands of people all looking back at you and sharing in the experience.
Then the narrator says "We've gathered here tonight around the fire, as people of all lands have gathered for thousands and thousands of years before us, to share the light and to share a story..."
And it just feels like one GIANT campfire and we're all about to hear the coolest story ever and all experience the magic as one!

I just love that show!

Park music....
Illuminations, including the while walking out
Wishes
Future World
Soarin'
Splash Mountain
Walking into each land in MK

Also:
Having dinner with Sonny Eclipse
Riding the Peoplemover (so glad that name is back!)
Grabbing a Mickey ice cream bar and savoring it while people-watching
The orange smell on Soarin'
Sitting peacefully at Sleepy Hollow watching the castle just after rope drop.
Enjoying that "freshly washed" look of any park or resort in the morning!

 

[CaptainKat]

So good to see such a positive thread! I teared up, smiled, and laughed (looking at you, person who tries to kick the Soarin' kayakers!).

A few of mine:
- speaking along with the monorail doors announcement, the only Spanish I know.
- closing out super late EMH and being one of the last out of the park
- when someone starts singing along in CoP and everyone joins in
- riding the Magical Express and hearing songs from extinct attractions (in November we caught Listen to the Land and Country Bear Vacation Hoedown, lol)
- standing on the little bridge over the creek in the lobby of WL and just taking in the atmosphere
- pretending to blow out the torches with the Illuminations narrator, and that one time the little boy next to me looked at me like he thought I had done it!
- And, after all this time, coming across yet another thing I don't know about Disney (I had to google that shoe tree by FW!) and realising all over again that I haven't even begun to discover all of the "little things"

 

[Haygar2]

I can't wait to get back. september can't get here soon enough! Celebrating my 40th!

We will be there a couple of weeks before you celebrating my 42nd. We were there 2 years ago celebrating my 40th, too. Enjoy your birthday celebration. You will have more people then ever telling you "happy birthday".

 

[Haygar2]

For me...it's all of it. I get teary eyed just planning our trip. It's the only time that my kids get along. For the entire 8 days! We have a 14 hour car ride and they don't fight, argue, or complain. It's so nice.

When we walked into our resort, my daughter and I looked at each other, and said "we love this place". I got chills just walking up to the check in.

Seeing the castle, for me was awesome. And seeing Wishes for the first time. It's hard watching local firework shows after seeing that.

Illluminations is my favorite firework show. I could sit there night after night watching it.

We said, 2 years ago, that that would be our one and only trip. We left there planning this one. There is nothing like Disney. We haven't even been there this year and I am already planning our next one.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Gee, so many wonderful memories and fun times:

The first palm tree sighting as our plane approaches the runway. "There's one! There's one!" Our fellow passengers never seem to mind our enthusiasm.

All the airport stuff... the tram, the Disney store, but we're so anxious to get there ~ the magical express ~ our carriage awaits us.

The billboards we pass as we speed by, especially the one with TOT! Yikes!

The glorious Welcome to Disney World sign! *clapping*

Checking into our resort. Is it a new one for us to explore or an old favorite that makes us smile? We'll probably become quite chummy with our food court no matter where we are.

Boarding the bus or monorail for the first time (and the old favorite announcements). The excitement is mounting and I try to keep from looking teary eyed all at the same time.

Hearing the MK music and sneaking around the corner of the Main Street Confectionary and then stepping out onto Main Street to capture the first up close view of the castle!!!! There it is! Awesome! Amazing! Magnificent!

The music, the sights, the sounds, the smells of Main Street ~ wow, we're here!

Then heading to Casey's that first time for the traditional dog while watching vintage cartoons. We've seen them all before and can't imagine Casey's without them.

Snapping the annual "grow chart" photo on the bridge to Adventureland in front of the tiki totem pole thingies.

The first most awesome ride on SPLASH!!! Seeing all the old familiar Splash characters for the first time is like seeing old friends. Some how I feel they're real, at least that first ride anyhow. Now we're really here!

That first Plaza ice cream cone (double scoops of course) and then sitting at the little tables just staring at the castle, pure heaven. "Is there anything better than this?" I will always say.

The Space Mountain tunnel music and so much more.

And later, the first funnel cake, the first taste of water park donuts, and the first Napoleon from France.

MK at night is so incredibly magical ~ Finding a place to sit while the masses pour out of the park after the parade. That is such a special time. Twinkling lights and tired little princes and princesses making their way down Main Street.

Too many memories and traditions to list, so I'll stop now. Can't wait to go back and enjoy it all once again.

 

[gschon]

On the First day(travel Day) on each vacation, we get up early and head to the airport. Needless to say, we are worn out by 10pm that night...
I usually sleep better that night(1st night at Lodge) than any night of the year...But, when I wake up the next morning, for just a brief moment I forget I'm at WDW, then It hits me...That is a good moment.

 

[crazymomof4]

• After Wishes and Illuminations, letting the crowds rush ahead of us while we take our time strolling thru the beautifully lit parks at night.
• Looking for and finding the "Hidden Secrets" (from our book) each time we go.
• Getting up early, grabbing every one's refillable mugs and walking the freshly washed paths to get breakfast from the resort food court and bring it back to our room.
• The announcer giving instructions before BTMRR "Hang onto your hats and glasses, folks, cause this here's the wildest ride in the wilderness!"
• Standing at the bus stop and as each bus approaches waiting for those in the family with better eye sight to call out which bus it is.
• Rope Drop at MK- the steamy feeling of a Florida morning while waiting for the opening show to begin.
• Several times each day, when I take note of how our entire family (all ages) is having such a terrific time together.... the thought enters my my mind that THIS is exactly what Walt wanted, then of course, I get all teary eyed. As a child, in my mind, Walt was my "surrogate" Grandfather (both of mine were killed in WWII) who happened to come on TV every Sunday night to show me wonderful things.
  
  

 

[mdsouth]

Several times each day, when I take note of how our entire family (all ages) is having such a terrific time together.... the thought enters my my mind that THIS is exactly what Walt wanted, then of course, I get all teary eyed. As a child, in my mind, Walt was my "surrogate" Grandfather (both of mine were killed in WWII) who happened to come on TV every Sunday night to show me wonderful things.

What a wonderful tribute to Walt. I loved watching that show growing up. I remember watching it at my grandparents house each week. we went over to their house for a visit and would watch it all together

A very happy memory for me too

 

[teffy]

I love little moments like all of these. This darn thread is making me tear up! But I have to say one of my favorite things to do is eat a dole whip wearing my dole whip shirt or ride the monorail wearing my monorail shirt. Silly, but I love it.

 

[mdsouth]

I love little moments like all of these. This darn thread is making me tear up! But I have to say one of my favorite things to do is eat a dole whip wearing my dole whip shirt or ride the monorail wearing my monorail shirt. Silly, but I love it.

I had to smile at this one. I have several Mickey and Minnie Mouse shirts I just packed for my trip. It is surprising how much I like wearing them at WDW