Magical Moments and REAL secrets

Magical moments are what you make of them. For me, it doesnt mean winning something or finding something. One of my best memories of Disney was when I took my daughter on her first trip in 2,000, she was 5.
I had really talked the trip up to her beforehand, especially about the fireworks at MK. She couldnt wait.

So, we were at MK, it was about time for the show, my daughter was getting anxious. She thought it wasn't gonna happen or we missed it. who knows what a 5 year old thinks lol.. Anyway, She was almost in tears. I kept telling her it would start anytime, but she wouldnt hear it.

Anywho, an older lady CM was walking by and noticed my daughter looking all sad. She stopped to talk to her as she bent down..

She asked my daughter her name, where she was from, etc etc. She then asked why she was sad at the happiest place on Earth. My daughter explained that we had missed the fireworks.

The CM kinda laughed, looked at her watch, and asked my daughter if she was ready to see them. My daughter grinned and said yes. The cm looked at her watch again, looked at me and winked and raised her hands high and clapped. The lights instantly went out and the show started.

The CM smiled as she walked off and said enjoy...my daughter was dumbfounded..''how did she do that'' she asked...lol. My daughter is now 17, she still says do you remember when the CM at MK...... lol

If that wasnt magical, then I dont know what is...

WOW! That is beyond cool!
 
I don't really think this was an "on-purpose" secret that Disney manufactured, just something serendipitous that was highly amusing to me.

DH and I were at WDW last week. After Wishes, we lingered for a bit in the Rose Garden beside the Castle. Among the red roses there was one--just one--rose that was streaked in red and white. It looked just like some errant playing cards had been "painting the roses red!" I'm 30 years old, but that little accidental detail seemed pretty magical! :thumbsup2
 
The magic just happens, if you let it.

On our last trip my daughter and I were exiting space mountain through the gift shop and we saw stitch. She walked over for a picture and after a thoughtful pose with her he takes my daughter by the hand and starts to walk off.

I follow along, thinking, just where are you taking my kid stitch. He walks her over to the arcade area of the gift shop and gets another CM to pay for the 'coaster simulator' arcade ride and the two sit down. He's totally animated covering his eyes and holding her hand cause he's scared. What a great memory for us both.
 


I grew up in Los Angeles County so I'm a Disneyland girl who now lives on the East Coast. My most magical moments - I can think of five, some from my childhood, some with my own children:

1) Watching the Tiki birds with my Grandma Mamie at Disneyland in the ealy 1970s. Little kid me was absolutely amazed by all those colorful singing birds. The Tiki Room is still a personal favorite.

2) My first Government Employees day at Disneyland in the 1970s with my Dad. We got tags to wear on our shirts that allowed us to go on any ride, as many times as we wanted WITHOUT a ticket from the old A - E ticket books. I got to ride the E ticket rides over and over again! I know this is not a big deal now, but back then it was sheer magic!

3) Christmas Eve 2001 at Disneyland. This was my first trip with my children (DS4, DD2). We walked out of Adventureland into the Hub at dusk. The castle was glowing, music was playing, the twinkle lights lit up and the whole scene literally took my breath away. I remember thinking if the beauty of this park can make me, a grown up, feel such awe, what must children think...that they're in heaven?

4) July 2010, my kids' first trip to WDW. We were exiting the safari at Animal Kingdom when a cast member asked us if we wanted a free behind the scenes tour. She took us to meet an animal keeper, see the animal pens, view the lions up close, check out the animal feed, hold an ostrich egg, gave us keychains and stickers...magical!

5) December 2011 WDW mother/daughter trip. DD12 and I were having a late breakfast at Tusker House when we were invited to ride on Mickey's float in the Jingle Jungle parade that afternoon. The look on my daughters face was priceless. They even gave us free photopass pictures of the experience...it was a total treat from beginning to end!
 
Personally, I enjoy the "secrets" threads, not because I am trying to create the magic for my family but so that my family can enjoy the magic that is already in place for everyone to enjoy. Most people just rush through the parks without stopping to smell the roses and enjoying the magic that is Disney. Because of the secrets threads, I know to listen to the music that is around. I pay attention the pavement as I go throughout the world. I look at the benches throughout Animal Kingdom. I pay attention to garbage cans!! ;) So for me, keep the secrets coming!:goodvibes
 
Personally, I enjoy the "secrets" threads, not because I am trying to create the magic for my family but so that my family can enjoy the magic that is already in place for everyone to enjoy. Most people just rush through the parks without stopping to smell the roses and enjoying the magic that is Disney. Because of the secrets threads, I know to listen to the music that is around. I pay attention the pavement as I go throughout the world. I look at the benches throughout Animal Kingdom. I pay attention to garbage cans!! ;) So for me, keep the secrets coming!:goodvibes

IA and it is really hard if it is your first time or even second time. There is just so much going on that you really have to stop and admire it before you are gone. :goodvibes
 


Not really a secret per se, but pay attention to the decor, even in places where you wouldn't expect it, like bathrooms. Someone posted a hilarious photo of some artwork in a restaurant bathroom ( I forget which one) a while back. When I took the time to stroll down the halls at the BWI, I found that they had randomly placed some of those old-timey coin-operated games, like strength testers, fortune tellers, etc spread out throughout, in addition to the ones in the lobby.

Those little details can really add up to a magical vacation if you slow down and notice them.
 
Magical moments are what you make of them. For me, it doesnt mean winning something or finding something. One of my best memories of Disney was when I took my daughter on her first trip in 2,000, she was 5.
I had really talked the trip up to her beforehand, especially about the fireworks at MK. She couldnt wait.

So, we were at MK, it was about time for the show, my daughter was getting anxious. She thought it wasn't gonna happen or we had missed it. who knows what a 5 year old thinks lol.. Anyway, She was almost in tears. I kept telling her it would start anytime, but she wouldnt hear it.

Anywho, an older lady CM was walking by and noticed my daughter looking all sad. She stopped to talk to her as she bent down..

She asked my daughter her name, where she was from, etc etc. She then asked why she was so sad at the happiest place on Earth. My daughter explained that we had missed the fireworks.

The CM kinda laughed, looked at her watch, and asked my daughter if she was ready to see them. My daughter grinned and said yes. The cm looked at her watch again, looked at me and winked, raised her hands high, and clapped. The lights instantly went out and the show started.

The CM smiled as she walked off and said enjoy the show...my daughter was dumbfounded..''how did she do that'' she asked...lol.
My daughter is now 17, she still says do you remember when the CM at MK...... lol

If that wasnt magical, then I dont know what is...

What a fantastic memory for you both! I just got goosebumps on my arm reading your story! Thank you so much for sharing!
 
Well I think the OP has a great idea with starting an updated thread of magical secrets :goodvibes. When I first started reading the DIS I had no idea about a lot of things such as the paintbrushes or waking up Tink, or even hidden Mickey's. Threads like this help to inform Disney addicts such as myself...I see nothing wrong with sharing the love!
nothing wrong with sharing the love. :). However, the paintbrushes and waking Tink had to be stopped because of threads like these.

It's a shame, but once people discuss it to death on the Internet, mothers show up at Disney requesting (or demanding) that their child be selected or included. This leads to disappointment and anger...so Disney just stops whatever it is.
 
I wish I had some "top secret" cool things to look for but everything I have, I originally found here. Still, in case others don't know -


AK
- There's details everywhere you look, so these are just my faves
- Grad student drawings on the walls of ... oh, the eatery place in Dinoland. Whatever it's called. And the "in case of emergency" squirt guns there, too.
- There's a rickshaw you can sit in in Asia. Great photo op!
- Check out the yellow dino at the entrance to Chester's and Hester's and see if you can figure out what gender it is. :) Nothing vulgar, just cute.
- The secret path between Asia and Africa. So peaceful!

If you can, please help me out with the location of the quiet path between Asia and Africa!! Thanks!
 
nothing wrong with sharing the love. :). However, the paintbrushes and waking Tink had to be stopped because of threads like these.

It's a shame, but once people discuss it to death on the Internet, mothers show up at Disney requesting (or demanding) that their child be selected or included. This leads to disappointment and anger...so Disney just stops whatever it is.

It's so cool that you have time to both come and post on these boards AND hold down a job as a member of Disney theme park management. (I'm assuming the latter, since you make proclamations about things you couldn't possibly know unless you hold such a job.)
 
Personally, I enjoy the "secrets" threads, not because I am trying to create the magic for my family but so that my family can enjoy the magic that is already in place for everyone to enjoy. Most people just rush through the parks without stopping to smell the roses and enjoying the magic that is Disney. Because of the secrets threads, I know to listen to the music that is around. I pay attention the pavement as I go throughout the world. I look at the benches throughout Animal Kingdom. I pay attention to garbage cans!! ;) So for me, keep the secrets coming!:goodvibes

Exactly!

To the OP. I'm sorry that, at least in the first part of the thread (I only read the first page) some seemed to not get or even criticize your initiation of this thread. I totally get what you are asking. My DD11 and I actually just finished reading the book "Hidden Magic" or maybe it was "Hidden Secrets" of Walt Disney world. Somewhere in the title is "600 secrets". Even tho this Sept will be my 10th visit to a Disney park, I feel that I'll appreciate more of the "little things" that add magic. I've read that "the magic is in the details", so I feel that if you don't take time to learn about the details (like in reading online threads or books) or if you don't slow down enuf when touring the parks, you WILL miss out on the "magic"! Yes, sometimes "magic" does just happen spontaneously. But sometimes you have to have a little background info to "see" it. The book I cited is great for providing that background info!
 
Magical moments are what you make of them. For me, it doesnt mean winning something or finding something. One of my best memories of Disney was when I took my daughter on her first trip in 2,000, she was 5.
I had really talked the trip up to her beforehand, especially about the fireworks at MK. She couldnt wait.

So, we were at MK, it was about time for the show, my daughter was getting anxious. She thought it wasn't gonna happen or we had missed it. who knows what a 5 year old thinks lol.. Anyway, She was almost in tears. I kept telling her it would start anytime, but she wouldnt hear it.

Anywho, an older lady CM was walking by and noticed my daughter looking all sad. She stopped to talk to her as she bent down..

She asked my daughter her name, where she was from, etc etc. She then asked why she was so sad at the happiest place on Earth. My daughter explained that we had missed the fireworks.

The CM kinda laughed, looked at her watch, and asked my daughter if she was ready to see them. My daughter grinned and said yes. The cm looked at her watch again, looked at me and winked, raised her hands high, and clapped. The lights instantly went out and the show started.

The CM smiled as she walked off and said enjoy the show...my daughter was dumbfounded..''how did she do that'' she asked...lol.
My daughter is now 17, she still says do you remember when the CM at MK...... lol

If that wasnt magical, then I dont know what is...

That is an awesome story! Thank you so much for sharing! pixiedust:
 
The problem is once a secret gets out, it's a mad dash from people "in the know" to get there first to get to the secret. I preferred YOAMD when you never knew when something magical could happen. THAT'S the real fun...not running to Tink's Treasures or TSI to beat out everyone else to the magical moment. Once word starts spreading, the secret isn't a secret and certainly loses a bit of the magic.http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=830794&page=3

i wonder how long disney will be doing that card game-- with the massive people grabbing cards to sell on ebay.

Yeah--nothing magical about that.
 
nothing wrong with sharing the love. :). However, the paintbrushes and waking Tink had to be stopped because of threads like these.

It's a shame, but once people discuss it to death on the Internet, mothers show up at Disney requesting (or demanding) that their child be selected or included. This leads to disappointment and anger...so Disney just stops whatever it is.

The paintbrushes were stopped because of the refurb to BTMRR. Word is they will resume when the ride is back online.
 

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