Random Act of Kindness...From the DIS

[sarahandhannahsmom]

Hey Dis'ers.....

Let's Unite!

On everyone's next trip, perform a random act of kindness on behalf of DIS. When they say thanks (assuming they will), ask them to pass it on to someone else during their trip.

I do this in my hometown about once a month. it's never very costly, and it makes me feel great! Sometimes i will purchase the person's food who is behind me in the drive through. Like at McDonald's when I get to the window, i tell the cashier that i'd like to pay for the car behiind me. Sometimes it's a cup of coffee and sometimes its an extra value meal, but it's never more than about $5.00. I also ask the cashier to tell them I said your welcome and to please pass it on.

since it will be my first trip I don't have a ton of ideas but i'm sure you guys can help with that.

Some of the stuff i was considering was:

1. buying an ice cream for someone.
2. letting someone (possibly family with little children) stand in front of me at parade so they could seee
3. giving up a great seat on the bus or at a show to help someone.
4. buying someone a drink
5. offering to take pictures of other families so they can have family portraits when they get home (whenever we go somewhere, one of us is always taking the picture and missing out)

any other ideas and is anyone else but me going to perform a RAK on their next trip?

sorry to ramble. Evidently good deed doin' makes me yak!

 

[mickeysaver]

I was taught to be generous and give up my seat to a lady, especially one that is more mature or pregnant. This is an everyday thing for me.

I have been known to buy a little old lady's lunch or give a tip to a hard working waitress that was not even serving our table. There is nothing wrong with sprinkling a little pixie dust in your everyday life.

I also participate in sponsoring families that have needs for items at Christmas as well as throughout the year. Here in Atlanta, they have "Project Bookbag" where you can either sponser a child or just donate stuff for back to school. I hit Big Lots and was able to fully take care of 4 kids and donate some extra items without breaking my bank account.


I always take photos for people at WDW. As a travelling party of 2 adults, it's the only way that we get the chance to have some pictures together too.


I guess what I am trying to get to with this is that everyone should attempt to be generous and kind everyday. Yes, it's sometimes much easier to do this at WDW because the pixie dust count is higher, but it should be a part of how you live your daily life too. IMHO Mickey

 

[webmomom]

I think this is a great idea. How wonderful it would be everyone did this on their next trip. My husband ofen takes pictures for people and we always let the children stand in front of us at anything. Just opening a door for someone with young children, or an elderly couple or just anyone is just a small way of being nice

 

[gshoemate]

Great idea! I love to take people by surprise and ask them if they want me to take their picture. Many people are surprised that I even ask.

 

[bavaria]

I seem to end up with a lot of Mickey stickers - somehow the CMs like to give them to a single woman travelling alone and engage me in chat! So when I am waiting somewhere and there is a tired or cranky child, or just bored, I will pull out my stickers and hand them out!

I often help people with strollers, it's a natural reaction, but am amazed how grateful ppl are to have someone help them through a door or down the stairs.

It doesn't take much...

 

[GRAYWIFE]

We already do many of the suggestions.

My husband always gives up his seat to any woman, child or elderly man. I hold my DD on my lap to free up another seat.

We always let small children sit in front of us (next to my DD) with the parents right next to us or behind us.

We bought water for a family a couple of years ago in line for Dumbo. The little one's were crying they were thirsty but the mom kept saying, if we get out of line we have to start all over again (it was an hour wait and hot!!!) I called my husband on the cell phone and he brought 2 bottles of water. The mother tried to give me money for the bottle but my husband said no. I told her to do the same for someone else and that was good enough. She agreed. It made my whole day.

We have also held a spot in line for Peter Pan while a dad took his kids to the potty. They were not cutting and I totally understood. So did the people around us. I don't know if this is a RAK but it felt nice.

That's all I can think of, but we also try to do the same in our day to day lives. It just makes us happy.

 

[RobinMarie]

I usually buy some dum dum lollipops or other bag of goodies for my dd to help with waiting. I had a bunch in my bag while in DW and found they came in very handy for children waiting in lines to visit characters/waiting for parades etc. I always ask the parent before offering one to the child and most of the time it works out well. Usually the people who consider this a RAK are the people who've had to put up with the meltdown, not the child!

I've head of people who buy a cheap umbrella stroller at Wal Mart at the beginning of their trip and give it away to another family on their last day. It costs less than renting a stoller everyday and you don't have to pack it!

 

[bethbuchall]

The first time that we were in Disney with our kids, dd was about 4. She fell asleep waiting to board the bus leaving AK, and I couldn't wake her up. We didn't realize until we got on that the bus was absolutely packed, and I couldn't get back out to just wait for another one. A gentleman gave me his seat, and I am still grateful to this day. She was so heavy and hot that I would have been miserable standing the whole way.

Beth

 

[InstImpres]

I usually travel with my DD8 and am one of those people with a backpack. I go to the dollarstore before leaving and buy "party favor type toys" (6 mini rubix cubes for a dollar; 6 of those annoying put the number in order puzzles, bubble necklaces etc). I usually have about 25 toys in my bag that cost my a total of $5. Last trip I went solo but carried my usual bag. While on line I just handed out toys to those that were struggling. It is a great deversion for the child and gives the mom and/or the 2 minutes peace they need to regroup and allow WDW to stay magical. (I do ask first before handing a child a toy)


I was amazed by the shock on peoples face. They would try to hand me the toy back when we got to the front of the line. They couldn't believe I was letting their child keep this "treasure". It actually added magic to my trip

Sandy

 

[Aubrey]

We buy inexpensive sets of disney stickers before our trip and my 9y/o DD loves handing them out to younger children who catch her attention. Sometimes she gives them as cheer-ups to cranky kids and sometimes she gives them as "good waiting awards" or "great costume" prizes. We try to think of something nice to say to each child who gets a sticker.

 

[jenanderson]

We try to do as many random acts of kindness as possible while at WDW. Here are ones that we always do:

1. When we leave a park, we do not turn in the rented stroller when we leave. We find a family who is coming in and are talking about renting one. We approach the family and tell them it is our treat! The families are always so appreciative and thankful to save the $$ on the stroller.

2. We always pick up fast passes on our way out and give them to a family. Also, if we have fast passes on us that we don't think we will use because our plans change we will give those away as well.

3. On our last day, we bring our kids big hellium balloons back to the park and give them away to other kids.

Pass along the kindness - it will always come back to you!

 

[tinawv]

What a great idea. We can start our own "Pay it Forward".

 

[sarahandhannahsmom]

Wow Guys.....these are great ideas.....keep them coming!

 

[WebmasterPete]

Very cool. This is the sort of thing I want my site used for. You can not put a price tag on ideas like this

Count me in!!!

Pete

 

[Msslaydbug]

When we went last year we found ourselves with extra Pooh Fast Passes that weren't needed and when we walked by we saw a younf family with a little girl get in the regular line that was about 60 minutes long.

The look of astonishment at such a simple offering still makes me smile - this year I will purposly try to find things like this to do. It makes Disney so much more magical !!

 

[mommie2angels]

I love all these ideas. We always offer to take pictures for other families. We also pay parking fees for people in line behind us.

We really appreciate when someone opens the door for us. DH and I are each pushing our two dds in their wheelchairs along with carrying our littlest dd. It is such a HUGE help for someone to offer to open the door. I cannot tell you how much that means.

Also one time a very nice man offered to help my dh with our dd#1 and her wheelchair getting into the bus. It takes so long for the lift and it was so nice to see someone take their time to help out.

 

[G-gang]

There is a movie based on random acts of kindness called Pay It Forward with Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt.

 

[DebºoºS]

For many years we passed our strollers on to families with little ones without. I would try and find little ones that were way inside the park and just looking tired and hot. About 14 years ago someone did it for us. I was so appreciative and thought we'd pay it forward whenever we could.
Another time many years ago we were watching the parade at night in the MK from the train station up above looking down. DS was having a hard time seeing and a very sweet older lady offered her lap. She had a front row seat. DS watched the parade and carried on a wonderful conversation through the whole parade. I couldn't thank her enough and decided that I too would pay it forward and now always look behind and down to see if any little ones want to come up and have a better look.

 

[Disney's Deluxe Princess]

As an adult who loves skee ball, I always give my ticket winnings away to a family with children. I don't know if Disney has any games or arcades that you can win tickets for prizes, but it really lights up the faces of the chidren and their parents.

 

[momx4]

On one of our recent trips, we had taken the dollar store rain ponchos to us on the Kali River Rapids ride. (Was nicer than touring parks soaking wet!) Everyone that passed, wanted to know where to pick them up! When we were through with the ride, we gave them to people just entering the line. Boy were they happy!!