Keys to the Kingdom/The trip of a lifetime!

[katydidbug1]

MinnieRocks....what an awesome trip report so far, like all the others have said, can't wait to read more.

 

[Becky G]

We've never been here before and as "Aunt Claire" plops down beside DS and starts asking him where he's been...he just starts cracking up...then she tells him it's a good thing he already took off his hat!!! The meal was a blast! At this point, we trust Joey to do whatever and this choice didn't let us down! The kids loved this lunch...it was just so much fun! They loved it when Aunt Claire put a Little Mermaid bib on Joey!

We were at WDW when you were and I recognized you from your photos. I think this may have been when we saw you. We ate at Prime Time and had Auntie Claire as our waitress. I think we were at the table next to you!

 

[Lauralee131]

Ok, so I've had my morning coffee, pouring over TR's.... and I'm patiently waiting for more...I've got my popcorn ready...

 

[Figments Pal]

What a wonderful trip!!! I can't wait to hear more! Thanks SO MUCH for sharing with us!

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoying ~ Can't wait for more.

 

[Towncrier]

Still lovein' this trip report. Might I suggest that when you post pictures, that you use the [ IMG ] tags in order to get the actual image included in the post? Like this:

Keep the report and photos coming.

 

[serendipity]

ahhh the suspense! I love reading this TR! How cool to have Joey do everything for you!

 

[minnierocks]

We get to the MK and walk in somewhere around Tony's Town Square...we finish watching the Family Parade and go over to guest services. There is some rooms behind there, where we were meeting some folks from Disney.

It was a pretty warm day and they had set out some refreshments for us! (Just one of the many thoughtful things that were done for us during our trip)

There were about 5 people there-all who were working on this particular event. A few of them I had already spoken to on the phone-but it was nice to meet them face to face. They really just wanted to give us a rundown on the events for Wednesday to make sure that we were comfortable and well informed. They filled us in on time frames and what would actually happen during those times. You know, I really appreciated the time that everyone took to make sure that we knew the plan...of course, everyone now knows that they still had a few surprises in store for us!!!

We took a walk out onto Main St. and they let us know where they wanted us to stop and turn around for that picture in front of the castle. I think it started to hit me just how incredible this was-when they started talking about how this has never been done before! That this is the first time that they had gotten a picture with just one family in front of the castle! It was going to be my family!!! How crazy and how wonderful!!!

I did happen to ask the question if we needed to wear anything in particular and they really just asked that we dress like we would normally dress to go to the park...just to be comfortable. Later, someone did remember to ask us to wear our ears and hats later in the day...they didn't want to cast shadows on our face with the morning sun.... No problem...and the nice thing was no pressure...just be comfortable... just be ourselves!

With all that out of the way, we headed back to MGM for dinner at the Hollywood and Vine...that was the one meal that we requested. The kids love to eat there!!! So we tooled around the park visiting all the places that we wanted to and had great seats for Fantasmic! We all love that show! It was a beautiful night and we were back in our room by 8:40. We snuck out a back way and took a quick trip in the SUV.

We needed to get some sleep...it was going to be an early morning and a LONG day!!!

 

[minnierocks]

Might I suggest that when you post pictures, that you use the [ IMG ] tags in order to get the actual image included in the post? Like this:

I'll try!!!

 

[minnierocks]

We were at WDW when you were and I recognized you from your photos. I think this may have been when we saw you. We ate at Prime Time and had Auntie Claire as our waitress. I think we were at the table next to you!

How Fun!!! You should've said "Hello!!!"

 

[isma]

I just found your report and I am loving it! That`s what every Disney fan is dreaming of! What a special VIP trip this was! I won a one day trip for Halloween to Disneyland Paris last week ( I also checked double if this was true ) and I am sooo excited that I can imagine how you must have felt with the kind of trip you won!! Thanks for sharing your Disney magic, now we all can feel a little of the Pixie Dust

 

[monymony3471]

I love surprises and all of them seemed so perfect! I can't wait to hear about the day at MK!

 

[disneyc]

Hey MinnieRocks!!!!!!!

Congrats to your family! What ana awesome experience!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't wait to read the rest of tour trip report...especially the part about Wednesday!!!

thanks for sharing with us!

 

[Vickie46]

oh Minnie Rocks.. I can't wait to read the rest!!!!!! Thanks again for sharing your trip report and congrats!

 

[krdisneybound]

What a wonderful and fabulous adventure for your family. I am so very happy for you. What a lifetime full of memories.

Your reports are awesome to date

 

[TLHB70]

I just found your report and I am loving it! That`s what every Disney fan is dreaming of! What a special VIP trip this was! I won a one day trip for Halloween to Disneyland Paris last week ( I also checked double if this was true ) and I am sooo excited that I can imagine how you must have felt with the kind of trip you won!! Thanks for sharing your Disney magic, now we all can feel a little of the Pixie Dust

Hey isma. Congratulations to you, too!

Thanks Minnierocks for more details. Adding the pictures in the post is great! Thank you so much!!!!
I am looking forward to reading more..........especially your Magic Kingdom day!!!!!

 

[minnierocks]

The alarm goes off at 5:15 AM...today is the BIG day!!! We need to be ready to go by 6:30. To be honest with you, I didn't sleep a lot. The anticipation was overwhelming, and the fear of oversleeping consuming!

Everyone was pretty tired this morning, but no problems with getting up and moving. Joey arrived and we met everyone else on the monorail platform. Ashley was all ready in her "Lucky" T-shirt because she said she was a very lucky girl. We all needed wired with mics for the big morning and our interview with GMA. We met our photographer and the videographer and waited for our time. When it was time, we boarded the monorail (in the front...That was really cool! ) and headed off for the MK. It was such a beautiful morning with the sun rising as we rode to the park.

We get there and meet a few more Disney folks, some we've met and others we haven't. I was really glad to get to meet the guy who gave me that wonderful phone call to tell us that we won!

They remind us that they won't be going with us...that this moment is just for us! OK...this is really happening!

You know as we walked into the park, it was just so amazing! The park was quiet and still. As we walked in, there was no one in sight! Soft music was barely audible and you didn't want to do or say anything to spoil the silence. It was just so beautiful! As we get a little farther in, for the first time we noticed just how visible the carousel was through the castle. Not that we had never noticed that it was there, but when thousands of people are running through trying to get to Dumbo first, you lose that full effect!

As we find our way walking down the red carpet, we were looking in all the shops and just noticing little details, that we just tend to overlook. Disney is tops because it pays attention to detail and I think sometimes we miss the beauty of it.

I will tell you, we looked in every shop window and there was nothing to be seen! Disney is also the master of disguise!

We reach the center of Main St. and we turn around to face the station for that castle shot and at the moment, the enormity of it all hit me! There standing on the Main St. station platform was more cameras then I could possibly imagine would ever be there for me!

I wanted that moment to be etched in all of our minds forever! This was the most incredible moment. I remember being so thankful that my children were old enough to remember this! That they would be able to comprehend the magic of this memory was a blessing.

As we are waving, the buglers appear on the tops of the buildings. You hear that royal announcement bugle call and it was breathtaking! The music begins to get louder and then we hear, "Tammy, Ray, Derick and Ashley! Welcome to YOUR Magic Kingdom!"

Are you kidding me? Our names were being announced over the sound system at Disney World welcoming us personally? This was just too much!
Of course, all that dissolved into a burst of "Be Our Guest" along with an explosion of characters and CMs flooding the streets to welcome us "Disney-style"

A moment to remember? Unbelievable!!!
Overwhelming? Yes!!!
Fabulous? Of course!!!
Once in a lifetime? Definitely!!!
I think Disney pulled off the surprise of a lifetime for us! I still don't know where all those people were, but they were not visible or audible and we were standing right in the middle of it! It was amazing!

 

[katydidbug1]

OMG!!! I got chills just reading this...thanks so much for sharing it with us

 

[Becky G]

I got chills, too, while reading this! Wow! This is the most wonderful prize/experience that I can think of and I'm so glad that you're sharing it with us.

 

[CinRell]

**crying AGAIN**.. we're so so blessed to have you on the DIS boards!