This is why I love Disney.....

[maroo]

This is why I love Disney...

In the next post I am going to put a copy of what I just posted on our TR - but I know many of you don't read all of the TR's and I want to share this with you guys, too...

You guys were VERY helpful when I was trying to plan this trip for Baker and his family. Baker has severe autism. To make a long story short...his family lost everything to an F4 tornado in Yazoo City, MS last year and all the money his family had saved to go to Disney one day was suddenly needed to replace important things they needed. Baker LOVES Mickey Mouse! So a few people from my church and some of you guys on the DIS sent them to Disney during Free Dining last year.

His big thing was that we wanted him to meet Mickey Mouse...and Mickey did not disappoint!!

I hope you guys enjoy this! I need to find that thread where we put stories like this!....can someone direct me there?!?! I used to have it linked somewhere???

 

[maroo]

*** I am copying this from my TR...***



But this next post…is basically the best moment of the whole trip for Baker and his family…and they have had some GREAT moments!

Something I worried about as we were planning was how to get Baker to meet Mickey Mouse. At the time of this trip, there was no such thing as a FastPass to meet Mickey. And I really wanted Baker to have some time to spend with Mickey that was sorta private…but not with a bunch of people having to wait on him. There was really no way to make that happen…

After we finished eating at 50's - we decide it may be a good time to try to find Mickey Mouse…since Baker has taken to talking in sentences and such, we figured it would be really cool to give him the biggest reward and let him meet his HERO, Mickey!

The line for Mickey - regardless of the time of day or the time of year - is pretty much always packed with families…

So imagine my shock and amazement to see only two families in the line! We were SOOOOO excited!

Even this short wait is a little much for Baker…he really wants to get over there to meet his hero!

His Mom kinda has to hold him back in line.

We had been talking to the CM's in line - and both of them really were apologizing because they really hate to make severely autistic kids wait - they even tell us that they are working on a system where these kids can wait in an alternate area, which would be really cool!

Anyway…it was finally Baker's turn when the character handler announces that it is time for Mickey to go get some water or a snack or something! Oh no! Seriously? What is Baker going to do when he sees Mickey walk out the door?! EEK!

But Mickey shakes his head - No… No. And points to Baker. Doh! Mickey just told those folks he is staying out here and wants to meet Baker!

The first part of the meeting, Baker didn't really get into it…Makes me wonder what was going through his head. Mickey really had to work at this…

And Baker finally looked at him…but not really for very long…and Baker didn't really connect…..

We tried the group picture thing…which never really works very well.








So Baker got back in his wheelchair…






And was ready to move on to something else…




But Mickey was not done with Baker!









Mickey was AMAZING……..


Mickey got right in his face…and Mickey went the extra 10 miles to connect with Baker!!

And the magic just happened!!!

I will let the pictures tell this story....

It was SOOOOO awesome! Every bit as cool as it looked!

Mickey was AMAZING!!!!! The whole thing seemed like it went in slow motion…And Mickey was supposed to be on break forever ago!

Mickey staying back to meet Baker was so very special to me. I know the "rules"…I am sure Mickey was supposed to go backstage when he was told…but he saw the BIG picture…and ignored the rules…and created a memory for his family that they will never forget! And I know I won't forget! And now many you will remember it, too!



I just want to point out a few things in these pictures…..sorry for the repeats…


But in this picture…Look at his Dad's face…behind him… Just joy and amazement! So cool!!

Every time I see this picture, it just makes me want to cry…I love the look on Baker's face…but I also LOVE the look on Sarah's face! She is so happy for Baker!

And...I love the lady we don't know in the background of this picture…

I sometimes feel bad for the families that have to wait for a character interaction with someone I am with…a wish family or autism or severely disabled...that is making that character interaction take longer than most typical families. And I feel bad for the typical families having to wait… But then I catch the background of a picture like this and I realize that some of those people waiting are getting just as much out of watching this amazing encounter unfold as we are!

And I am reminded that all of us, I guess - at Disney, and in our regular lives - would benefit so much from worrying less about how long we were waiting in lines and focus more on the cool things going on around us…If I could just remember that the next time I get in the slowest line in the whole grocery store…to look around me…what cool things can I see while I wait.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is wonderful!
I’m sure there were lots of tears involved in this encounter.

This is the thread you were thinking of to post it to.

 

[pixiedust9]

As I sit here crying, with my daughter looking at me like I'm crazy, I have to thank you for sharing. This is such a sweet, touching story. No words are needed, the pictures say it all. How great that Mickey took the time he did and touched so many lives by his kindness. Today was a really difficult day for me, thank you for sharing this story. What an amazing memory this family has!

 

[maroo]

This is wonderful!
I’m sure there were lots of tears involved in this encounter.

This is the thread you were thinking of to post it to.

That's it!!! Thank you, Sue!!

I will post this there, too, at some point here.

As I sit here crying, with my daughter looking at me like I'm crazy, I have to thank you for sharing. This is such a sweet, touching story. No words are needed, the pictures say it all. How great that Mickey took the time he did and touched so many lives by his kindness. Today was a really difficult day for me, thank you for sharing this story. What an amazing memory this family has!

Aw! I am so glad this touched you, too!!! I love Disney! Thank you for posting this! I wasn't sure if I should post this in two places or not...but I am glad it encouraged you tonight!

 

[Eeyore5]

Thank you for sharing. What a wonderful thing for Mickey to do. This is why I love Disney.

 

[SueM in MN]

That's it!!! Thank you, Sue!!

I will post this there, too, at some point here.




Aw! I am so glad this touched you, too!!! I love Disney! Thank you for posting this! I wasn't sure if I should post this in two places or not...but I am glad it encouraged you tonight!

I copied and pasted it in that thread too, so it’s already taken care of.
This was too special not to go there right away!

 

[CurlyJo224]

This is real Disney magic.

 

[xanphylus]

Once again, another great story by Maroo! You astound me with all the cool people and things you see at Disney- all the great moments and seeing all the little things in life that make the world great! Thanks Mary!!! You remind me that the world is great!

 

[21hearts]

What a awesome story! I teared up a bit.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I need to NOT read things like this when I'm at work. I'm crying at my desk. That was SO wonderful!!!! Thank you so much for sharing this.

 

[mytripsandraces]

Thank you for sharing this! It's a wonderful story and I've forwarded it to my sisters so they can share it with their children. There are some wonderful teaching moments here.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Tears here too! Thanks for sharing Maroo!

 

[ashleypmo]

Ohmygoodness---I'm bawling like a baby!!! Thank you for sharing this!

We had some magical moments at WDW in 2008 with my DS who has Ds. He was 2 at the time, but developmentally and size-wise more of a 9 month old. Pooh & Piglet were amazing, and spent a lot of one-on-one time with him, because he was really loving the encounter!

Our next trip will be spring 2013, and we will have TWO children with Ds, as we are in the process of bringing home our daughter-across-the-sea from Russia. AND our BFFs are in the process of adopting two little girls with Ds from Bulgaria, so there will be a total of 4 chromosomally enhanced little munchkins! Our friends have never been to WDW (gasp!), so I can't wait for them to experience the magic!

 

[mysevendwarfs]

This made my day. Beautiful! It is magic like this that makes us love Disney so much. Thank you, Maroo, for all you have added to this forum. You are a wealth of information and I can tell you bring your own pixie dust to your interactions with so many. Bless you!

 

[quigs3]

It's midnight, and I'm in bed sobbing like a baby! What a beautiful story - this is why so many millions are addicted to the magic of Disney! Thank you for sharing!

 

[GAGirlInVA]

We saw some Disney Magic with a Wish Family that made me have to excuse myself during our December trip. I was crying just a bit... Ahem.

When I came back, I choked out to my husband "I... love.. Disney!"

These pictures brought me right back to that moment and I'm a sobbing mess at 1:13 am.

 

[jmartinez1895]

I am so happy that he enjoyed his trip. I could not hold back the tears watching his face in each frame.

 

[EvangelineG]

This was real magic! Thanks for sharing this. Couldn't help but tear up.

 

[visitingapril09]

This brought tears!! We had several magical experiences like this at the World last month with our son!! A Donald was going off 'shift' and he came and got Andrew from the line cause he/she wanted to be the Donald to spend time with my son. He got invited backstage to meet the whole cast of Finding Nemo. He was given some special attention by Buzz and Woody that brought me and the cast members helping them to tears........no one does it like Disney!