"magical moments" on the ships! Did you get one? Here is ours...

[MrSanderz]

On our Sept 2009 cruise we had a Magical Moment when we got to be the first family on Castaway Cay. We went to the tender area early because we wanted to get off as soon as possible. There was only one other couple on the stairs and the doors were not opened yet. A castmember opened the doors, saw us, and closed the doors again. A few minutes later he came out and asked if we could assist them with clearing the ship for passengers to go ashore. Of course we said Yes!
They took us through the doors and security officer Bob showed us how the bag screeners work. He then put a bag through which had some fake weapons in it along with other random metal items. When my DD (age 11 at the time) determined that the security machines were working she got to radio the captain on the bridge and tell him the ship was clear for debarkation.
We then got to go onto the island with about a 15 minute head start of everyone else.
When we got back to our stateroom that evening they had delivered to us a Magical Moments certificate and a 5 X 7 photo of the experience.

Here we are checking the screening machines. Bob let my DD wear his uniform cap.

Here is DD talking to the ship's captain.

We are the only guests on the island!

 

[MrSanderz]

I should add that later that day my younger DD lost her tooth while on Castaway Cay. I told guest services about it and that night when we returned from dinner there was pixie dust (confetti) in our stateroom along with a letter from Tinkerbell congratulating her on her lost tooth.

 

[Bareacuda]

2005 EBPC day of boarding was very tough on me(long horrible story), probably cried for a few hours. Pulling myself together Dh and I had a quiet dance in the hallway as we were able to get to our room.
A CM happened to walk by and smiled, turned to Dh and said that no one dances with her anymore. Seconds later DH was dancing with her. He bowed and lead her to the elevators, and off she went.
After dinner we received a plate of chocolate covered strawberries
And everyday after that something different. After some investagation on our part... she was head of Room Service.


I love all these stories

 

[Sunshineminnie]

Thanks everyone for sharing their stories! This thread started my New Year's Day off right!

 

[socababy]

Our magical moments came in large part due to our wonderful concierge Tawanda. He had us meet him at Cadillac Lounge around 7:55 each night and he would take us through the Lounge, and then through some secret halls that led us to the bottom of the theatre. When the doors opened to the top of the theatre, he would let us in through the bottom and we were able to grab front row seats. The kids loved being able to see the shows so close up!

Our second magical moment was so not necessary! We had inquired with a CM while in line for a character pic earlier in the week about whether or not Jessie or Woody would be available for pics somewhere. The kids were going to be dressed up on Toy Story night and I would have loved to have pics taken. He said no but to ask at the theatre that night if the kids could take some pics on stage after the show next to the props. So I asked Tawanda if that would be possible and he told me he'd get back to me with an answer. He found me at dinner that night and told me that unfortunately due to copy right issues, etc, that we would not be able to take pics on stage. I said that is no problem at all! Well the next day, I come back to our room and there is a huge gift shop bag sitting on the floor. Inside it was talking Jessie, Woody and Buzz dolls for the kids! There was a letter from Nathan the stage manager apologizing for not being able to accomadate our request. I was so touched that he did this but it was so unnecessary! The kids thought it was so cool!

I am happy to read on another thread that Jessie and Woody are available to take pics on the Dream as we will be on her next August! We did, however, get some awesome pics of the kids in their TS clothes without the characters!

 

[mddisneyfamily]

Thank you so much for posting your stories. If you ask me, THIS is why we're willing to pay the extra money for Disney. We could choose to cruise on another line that may be cheaper, have more interesting ports etc. but when it comes to decision time in my house these little memory making touches and the sincere desire of the CM's to make out of the ordinary experiences, even if seemingly small, are the real differences!

Keep the stories coming...

 

[jerseygirl74]

I love this thread. I cant wait to see what little magic happens to us on our 1st cruise. I will be happy with a kind jesture.

Keep all the wonderful stories coming.

http://distickers.com/ticker/tickers/vx1gcs7mos3xhb07.png

 

[Kaizen]

What a heartwarming way to start off 2012! We sailed the Wonder for my DD's 10th B'day in 2010 and will be going again in August. That was our first cruise and it couldn't have been more magical! We were chosen as the Family of the Cruise and received gifts and perks throughout the cruise but I think the best gift we received was some wonderful new friends. Our tablemates were so amazing. I don't know how Disney did it but they couldn't have picked a more compatible family for us! After the first dinner, we were inseparable. It made for a perfect time! All the kids got along so well and we have visited each other's houses. I am hoping to talk them into cruising with us in August.

Another gift came to us in the form of this DIS board. It was fun to chat with folks from the cruise ahead of time and then meet them in person. We were invited to a reception in the Walt suite as a result. Now that was a very special treat! Not many people get to experience that!

Once you have been spoiled by Disney there is no other consideration. I look forward to our Eastern cruise in August more for what surprises may come about than the itinerary itself!

 

[Glitzytraveller]

What a heartwarming way to start off 2012! We sailed the Wonder for my DD's 10th B'day in 2010 and will be going again in August. That was our first cruise and it couldn't have been more magical! We were chosen as the Family of the Cruise and received gifts and perks throughout the cruise but I think the best gift we received was some wonderful new friends. Our tablemates were so amazing. I don't know how Disney did it but they couldn't have picked a more compatible family for us! After the first dinner, we were inseparable. It made for a perfect time! All the kids got along so well and we have visited each other's houses. I am hoping to talk them into cruising with us in August.

Another gift came to us in the form of this DIS board. It was fun to chat with folks from the cruise ahead of time and then meet them in person. We were invited to a reception in the Walt suite as a result. Now that was a very special treat! Not many people get to experience that!

Once you have been spoiled by Disney there is no other consideration. I look forward to our Eastern cruise in August more for what surprises may come about than the itinerary itself!

What a great story! May I ask if you know how you were chosen to be Family of the Cruise?

 

[pluto1979]

The entire trip for us was a Magical Moment!

 

[com_op_2000]

Last cruise, 25th anniversary, DW and I received a door full of magnets and other items. Never did find out who did this, our room steward stated that he has never done or seen this happen before.

 

[mddisneyfamily]

My 13 year old was supposed to meet us at dinner but he called to ask if he could stay at the kids club because they were getting ready to do a fun activity in Edge that he didn't want to miss. I reluctantly agreed since we'd spent the day together and I was so happy he was having a good time. We explained to our server that he wouldn't be joining us and that he would just grab something later. We had our meal and at the end our waiter came back with a large bag filled with exactly what I'm sure my son would have ordered had he been there! Appetizer, meal and 2 desserts! My son was so suprised when he got to the room and dinner was waiting for him (oh, and since he's a teenage boy, he didn't care in the least that his meal wasn't hot)!

 

[missyosmom]

We were on the Magic 12/17 - 12/24 and our Palo server made our magical moments happen. Jalena was so sweet, giving us extra things to try and sending us home with a plate of white chocolate strawberries for our 9 yr old DD. I wish we could have had her as our server for every meal - but our regular servers were pretty awesome too!

 

[simbasmom2]

Love these stories!

 

[Kaizen]

What a great story! May I ask if you know how you were chosen to be Family of the Cruise?

Not exactly sure but the only thing I can think of was when I was at guest services requesting a t shirt to be signed by the princesses for delivery on my daughter's actual birthday, they told me that they could not guarantee it for that day but would definitely have it to me by the end of the cruise. I think because I was so understanding and not demanding that might have had something to do with it. That was so much fun being treated to a special reception where Goofy and my daughter horsed around for a good 15 minutes. We have some great photos of that! Not to mention the chocolate covered strawberries waiting in our room after a day at Castaway Cay. They even gave us passes for 4 for everything on the island (snorkeling, biking, tubes, etc). Seems like every time we turned around some fun thing was being given to us or being done for us! I don't remember having such a fantastic time on a vacation EVER and I have been on plenty! I think it is that "extra something" that Disney does so well that takes your experience to the next level.

 

[mytripsandraces]

Our magical moments came in large part due to our wonderful concierge Tawanda.

Tawanda was our concierge, too! He was so great to us. We had a trying cruise (there was an odor problem with our suites) and he bent over backwards to make sure special things happened outside our rooms.

A purely magical moment happened on PCC2.0. My friend is a vegetarian and our head server, Deniz, spoke to her about it, heard her English accent, and had freshly-made curries served to her every night after that - two separate curries each night!

 

[mellers]

There is one bit of pixie dust that still brings tears to my eyes even after all of these years, but it happened at the parks--however, it ends at the ship.

My daughter, at nearly 3, could not speak or walk, and could not really crawl (she would roll). At 3, she would be diagnosed with autism and cerebral palsy.

I was called to a conference in Orlando, and my husband was having difficulties at work, so I took along a neighbor and her child (who was about the same age), and paid for her ticket, and for her to go to the buffets (the girls were young enough that they could get in and eat free that way.)

We went through the Magic Kingdom together, and I couldn't figure out if it had much impact. The other three went to the parks while I went to the conference, and when I was through, I buckled her into her car seat on the plane and she looked at me (which NEVER happened), and said "I saw Mickey!"

I thought I'd lost it, finally. I didn't think I could possibly have heard what I just heard. So I asked her (not really expecting a response), and she replied "I saw Mickey!" They were the first words I ever heard her say.

The second time we took her, she doubled her vocabulary.

The third time we took her, she hugged us for the very first time.

Progress was slow but steady, and she worked very, very hard at school, at home, in speech and occupational therapy, and with all of the social skills training.

When she was in 7th grade, she walked in with a prep sheet for Radiologic Technology, handed it to me and said, "I want to do this. What do I have to do to make it happen?" It was a very demanding course of study--she would have to take summer school the summer before her Freshman and Sophomore year, and probably try to prepare for Running Start, a program which allows advanced students to take college courses instead of their junior and senior year in high school.

She did it all. The child who couldn't use complete sentences in kindergarten is now taking Precalculus and AP Biology. I am just about to scan in her application to Running Start, and everybody is certain she will be accepted, and she will be released from special education at the end of this school year.

For her 16th birthday, she asked to take a Disney cruise to Alaska again this year. (We took one last year.) I am so proud of her I can't even tell you. But when they say, "It all started with a mouse," it means something entirely different to my family.

 

[millscrew]

These stories were all great. I loved reading them all. Thank you for sharing. I hope we get some pixie dust on our cruise June 16, 2012 on the fantasy for our 15th Anniversary.

 

[Sunshineminnie]

But when they say, "It all started with a mouse," it means something entirely different to my family.

Thanks so much for sharing your story. It brought tears to my eyes! So happy for your family!

 

[Tehanna]

I am so proud of her I can't even tell you. But when they say, "It all started with a mouse," it means something entirely different to my family.

This made me cry out loud. Thank you for sharing the story of your amazing daughter.