The moment you knew all of the money and time spent was worth it to you

[itzmecharlie]

To me I realized that it was all worth it was: it was our first day in the parks, we chose to go to Animal Kingdom. We started off the day with a fast pass to Kilimanjaro safari. We then headed over to the "The festival of the Lion King" and five minutes into the show I look over at my four and a half year old daughter, and she had the biggest brightest smile I think I ever have seen. It was hard to watch the show with that going on and that was when I realized it was all worth it even though it was so early into the trip.

 

[ravenanne]

The look on my daughter's face during every character meet! She's only 1 but seeing how amazing the characters were with her, it made me want to cry. Watching the Princesses fawn all over her was worth everything to me. Especially Aurora(shares a name with my DD!). When she found out my DD was named after her, she took so much time with her and even played peekaboo with her dress!

 

[Stephiehun]

In October 2015, me, DH, DD(4 at the time) went to WDW with my parents to visit my sister who was in the CP. We drove, so we spent 2 days in the car together. We went to MK on our third and last day, and my mom wanted to see the Festival of Fantasy parade. I didn't, and was being pretty vocal about it. (Not my finest moment, I admit. ) It was hot. We were all cranky. We had just spent too much time together.

As we approached the castle from FantasyLand to see if we could get around, a CM approached our group and directed us to a special handicapped viewing area (mom and dad were both in ECVs). We were in the second row of people, and DH was about to pick up DD so she could see, when a family with some kids her age offered to let her sit with them on the curb. (We could still see her, and she is my little social butterfly so she loved making new friends.)

We all teared up during the parade - it was just the perfect storm of Disney magic and exactly what we needed.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

The moment we stepped through the doors of Animal Kingdom Jambo House. Our mouths literally fell open. The place is majestic. We felt as if we were transported to another world. After that, we made a point to watch for new arrivals whenever we were in the lobby. More often than not, we saw the same reaction we had felt ourselves. There were plenty more moments like that in the parks the rest of the week. Our first view of Cinderella's Castle was special and goose-bump inducing. And then we were lucky enough to meet the nicest couple on the train at MK who reassured us that all would be well with our Be Our Guest reservation even though we were newbies and completely unprepared for the sheer size of MK (as in what it takes to get into the park once you even drive through the parking lot gates), thus not having much time to get to the restaurant in time for our reservation at Be Our Guest. They were right. We made it just fine with them showing us the way to the restaurant after we all got off the train. The kindness they shared in those moments has stayed with me ever since, and I've often wished I could thank them again. The couple was from East TN, and the trip was the last week of Jan 2016. If you are that couple and are reading this, thank you so, so much for being so helpful to my family. We sure were lucky to run into you. To us, you will always represent the magic of Disney.

 

[loves to dive]

My son has PTSD and permanent nerve damage in his back and got a divorce not to long ago. He had had a pretty rough year mentally (can't say how many times I had to run out at night to talk him down). Last March was his first trip back to WDW after his divorce, the one before that he was married and they even bought DVC (which she got). We were walking back to our room at the Swan and there was a party going on at the YC beach and you could hear the music. Whatever song was playing had a line type dance to it. He started dancing right then and there on the Boardwalk and for the first time in a year had a genuine smile on his face. I would have spent a heck of lot more than I spent for just that moment.

 

[BJ7644]

I had planned our first park day at MK starting with the welcome show. Well travel delays from driving down made it a late night the night before. With maybe 5 hours of sleep we were up and trying to push through to stay on the schedule.

We got to the bus stop right as the MK bus was leaving. We were the 4th or 5th group that didn't make that one. As we were waiting for the next bus, panic was setting in with me. This was not how our vacation was supposed to start, all the planning, all the money, I was freaking out, this was going to be an awful day I just knew.

We finally get to Mk and a few steps off the bus the welcome show starts. We get up to bag check and the line is pretty long so I take all the stuff and tell DH to take DD through bagless and get her up to watch the show.

As I'm waiting in the bag check line the characters are coming on the train. I could see DH with DD on his shoulders off in the distance so at least she gets to see this I thought. Then, over the music, over everyone talking around me, I hear DDs voice screaming Hi Mickey. She's waving her hand so fast it didn't look real and she continued yelling hi to every character up there.

I could only see a small part of the side of her face but the excitement was visible. Several people around them were looking up at her with huge smiles on their face. Standing in line alone I was laughing and crying - looked like a crazy lady I'm sure!

After I got through the line the show was over. She was so busy telling me about it, she didn't notice we were walking toward the castle. When she finally saw it her jaw dropped and she was silent. She hugged me and DH and didn't say a word.

The tiredness, the morning crankiness, the panic - all gone. I knew it was all worth it, and I knew it was going to be a great day and great vacation, even if we were off schedule!

 

[lilly6]

Our son has visited with us when he was 11 months, almost 4, 7 and 9 but has memory issues stemming from his epilepsy and didn't really remember much from any of his visits. We went last year for his 17th birthday. We had PPO breakfast at CP and were the second group onto Peter Pan and as we were riding he said "Okay, now I get it. " Disney magic!

 

[biochemgirl]

Love this thread Even though we haven't actually visited yet (hit the 60 day mark this morning!) I already know it's been worth it. I've enjoyed hours of reading, watching videos, chatting on forums, and just generally imagining the magic. My DS and I have been collecting little things for the trip and recently decorated thank you envelopes to housekeeping for each night of our stay.

Enjoy every bit of the Magic

 

[Araminta18]

My first visit was last April, just me and my husband. I'd planned a full day at the MK--rope drop to close. Cause I'm a crazy person, we were perhaps the 20th person there that morning? The sun was just rising as we were riding the bus over--it was gorgeous. Anyways, we waited for a bit, then they opened security and we went through and waited some more, then they opened up the tapstiles and we went through and were right up against the rope at the right hand tunnel where we waited some more. I didn't really think I cared about seeing the welcome show, but then it started and they were all singing and all of a sudden I was crying--I don't even know why. Just so much excitement and happiness and nostalgia all wrapped up--it was fantastic.

And then they opened the park and we were right at the front of the rope and ended up walking on to 7DMT with the rope drop crowd--a huge blessing that I wasn't planning on doing since I'd read on the boards about how crowded 7DMT is even at rope drop. And we'd booked late enough we weren't able to get FP for 7DMT. But riding it at rope drop was awesome.

And I took one of my favorite pictures on the walk over to the mine train. It was a fantastic, MAGICAL morning.

 

[nicolej92]

We don't have children yet, but I love this story my fiance's coworker told him. His coworker is not a Disney fan at all and was complaining his wife spent so much money on a trip. Waiting for the fireworks, he had his daughter sitting on his shoulder and she leaned down and whispered into his ear "Daddy, I can feel the magic!" He said after that, it was worth every penny.

 

[Disneylover99]

We went for our first and only time as a family in 2010. As soon as I got home I immediately booked a second trip. That's when I realized the first trip was worth it.

 

[firegurl]

There were actually 2 moments. When I wanted to take our oldest DS for his first trip at 3 DH was totally against it. He doesn't handle the bills, he had no idea what we could afford. We went and had a great trip. It wasn't until 3 years later when I wanted to plan a second trip and I mentioned it to DH. His immediate response was, okay. No convincing needed. Over the years I have caught him telling friends or anyone thinking about planning a trip to talk to me.
Most recently we are planning a trip for this fall. It's a huge family trip bit my brother is especially resistant to the idea of Disney. He hasn't been in about 17 years and doesn't really understand what it's about now, thinks it's just for kids... he has traveled all over the world and thinks Disney has nothing to offer him. DH just looked at him recently and said, "Fine, skip Epcot but you are going on this trip." I think DH gets it now.

 

[wdwnut61]

Reading everyone's experience gives me goosebumps and reminds us all what Disney magic truly is

One that stands out for me was during our first trip as a family watching the parade in Frontierland. Mary Poppins float stopped in front of us. The chimney sweeps pulled my youngest DD out of the crowd to dance with them while Mary clapped along. The look of pure joy on her face and the happiness we felt at that moment were priceless

 

[Ambehnke]

The look on my kids' faces when the welcome show starts and Mickey comes in on the train. Too bad I'll never see that look again! Hopefully it's still worth it all to me!

 

[Poohcandi]

On one of our first trips, my 5 yr old DD was dressed up as Tinkerbell. In a completely random happenstance, in a back path, we encountered Peter Pan and Wendy, without anyone around, and they played in character with my daughter. My husband took so many pictures, but even without I will never forget it. It was Magic.

 

[jeff_h]

Back in 2015, we decided to see if one of our daughter's friends would be able to come along with us for the Disney trip we were planning for 2016. We pitched the idea to the friend's mother, who said "she has never been there and has bugged me since she was two years old that she wanted to go" (friend was 15 at the time), and wholeheartedly agreed as their family has medical expenses that would keep them from making a Disney trip anytime for the forseable future. So we said don't worry about a thing, we treat her like another daughter anyway so it's on us and she will have a good time.

So we took our trip in 2016 (both girls now 16), and on the first day we walked into MK under the train station and as soon as we got past the character meet & greet area to get the view down main street and out to the castle, the friend told us "Oh My God this is the best day of my life" which was so nice to hear.

Then at the end of the week the girls decided to find a viewing spot on their own to watch Wishes, so my wife and I went on a ride and to the Emporium for a while and then found our own not-as-good spot and would meet with them after the show. After the Wishes show was done and we met back up, the friend said "I take back what I said the other day... THIS is the best day of my life."

It wasn't until a couple months later that we learned that she enjoyed Wishes so much because while she sat there with our daughter, she also 'Facetimed' the entire show back to her family so they could "watch it" with her.

It was so, so worth it.

 

[Nancyg56]

When we planned out trip to bring my 4 YO granddaughter in 2006 we knew we were spending a good deal of money but figured that taking her to meet her "friends" would be a wonderful experience for her. We never thought about how her experience would impact us. I knew that all the money was worth it when we arrived, got her into her Tinkerbell outfit and we all headed to Chef Mickey for our arrival dinner. This little peanut of a Princess, carrying her Pluto, the "friend" who never was away from her side, took one look, saw autograph books and it was all over. My DSIL beat feet to the gift shop and made it back in time for her to hand the book over to Pluto, and we were all hooked.

My precious 4 YO DGD gifted us with the eyes of a child, so by the time that trip was over, my husband who was a little ambivilent about the cost told me that that moeny was the best we ever spent.

 

[Taylor F.]

We don't have children yet, but I love this story my fiance's coworker told him. His coworker is not a Disney fan at all and was complaining his wife spent so much money on a trip. Waiting for the fireworks, he had his daughter sitting on his shoulder and she leaned down and whispered into his ear "Daddy, I can feel the magic!" He said after that, it was worth every penny.

Is it weird that this made me tear up? It's not weird. No not weird.

 

[Ian W.]

Right here: daughter's 1st birthday at Chef Mickey's. All the stress about getting to our ADR's, messing with Fastpass+, fretting over the crowds and all the little things pretty much fell away once her face brightened up upon meeting Donald, Minnie etc. One of those parenting epiphanies that reframed my general priorities, as well.

Going back for her 3rd birthday in January (but doing 'Ohana this time ).

 

[Tattylou]

The 1st time we went with the kids was in 2014. My 3 (almost 4) year old son meeting the characters has to be the most magical thing I've ever see. He was just so happy. He whispered in Mickey's ear that he loved him. On a more recent trip, it was seeing the awe in my older son's eyes when he met Kylo Ren. For me, it is going to a place where I have so many childhood memories and doing it all over again through the eyes of my kids.