What is your ONE best WDW moment

[MrTerrorChair]

If you haven't noticed, my posts tend to the fun, curious, and silly. I like to find out about other people's fascinations with WDW, little tips, and funny stories. That's why I enjoy this forum so much.

That said, I'm going to ask you a trickly question. What is your one, ONE, ONE most memorable moment within WDW. No cheating and listing three or four. If St. Peter asks you at the Pearly Gates, "Quick, best WDW moment or you're not getting in!" this is what you'd say...


For me...that first ride on the ToT is STILL fresh in my mind. The ride was only 2 months old or so. It was a beautiful morning, clear, warm, and I was one of the first in line that day along with my girlfriend (now wife) and her family. I didn't notice all the details on the way in because I was in a hurry and went right into the library. The bellhops were particularly goulish in their mannerisms and vocal patterns. That first time I saw the window "float" and shatter was awesome. The pitch black turned to a neon line and the upper doors opened revealling that wonderful view of the park and the water tower. Then a full drop, a rise, a fake drop, a full drop into a half rise and drop. I was hooked. Hundreds of rides later, I still get goosebumps.

 

[ricapito]

Last October I flew down for a weekend with my3 yr old DD. She is obsessed with Cindarella. It was her first trip away from mom and she had been quiet and reserved, almost sad all day Saturday at MK, our first day. Around dusk we left and went to Artists's Palette and she fell asleep. On the ferry back to MK after dinner I called my wife on the cell and told her the trip may have not been a good idea. Anyway, she woke up as we were going back in through the entrance to Main Street, about half-way down Main Street she realized that Cindarella's castle was changing to Halloween colors and was all lit up. I've never seen her so happy and amazed, she got past her fears all at once, she wouldn't stop talking! We managed to get up close to the castle and watched the parade. She still mentions it. It changed the tempo of the whole trip and I'll never forget how happy that castle made her...

BR

 

[kathleena]

Oh gosh this is so hard to pick. There are a lot of family moments and there are 3-4 personal moments, so I'll pick just one, but it's really on line with a couple of others.

I had been trying and trying to get in the WWTBAM Hot Seat. For most of the years, I was a CM so couldn't be in the Hot Seat. I kept getting to the #1 and had to decline. So then after I was CM, I wasn't getting to #1 anymore!

Last March, I was at WDW with DH, DF and her DH. The next to the last day we were there, I wanted to go to MGM around 3pm. No one else did. So I went by myself and went to WWTBAM.

I was #1 at the first 5 question mark, and then the guy in the HS missed on #7. The lady next to me gripped my arm "I hope it's still you" she said..........and it was.

Down to the Hot Seat I go, hoping I wouldn't fall on the way. I was a mixture of happy, excited, nervous and wondering "why did I want to do this?" Maybe just getting to #1 was all I wanted - not to actually be in the HS.

When the MC asked me who was there with me - I put on my best pity face and said "I'm all alone - no one wanted to come with me". The whole audience "awed". And off I went - I got thru the 5 pins and the hat. Then used up all the lifelines by question 8. I saled through #9 and #10 and got the shirt and 5 more pins. And the MC kept saying "You have no lifelines left" (Duh, thanks for reminding me). Question #11. Question #12. Wow! Could I actually do this? All the way, there were some jokes about my DH not being with me. I was so nervous and excited by this point that I could hardly think.

And then Question #13. Oh well, educated guess, but it was wrong and my dream of a cruise in three more questions was gone!

So I left with 10 pins, a hat, a lanyard and a shirt. I called DH from the little booth across from the entrance. I walked over to Fantasmic to meet him there. Along the way, people recognized me and congratulated me. Told me I was "fun" and "did a good job".

At the MK the next day, two people saw me and congratulated me. And then going home on the bus with DH, someone scolded him for not being with me at WWTBAM. It was the lady who had sat next to me and her daughter!

It was just a really great experience for me! Definately added to my days!

 

[Rash]

No question - the look on my then 3YO DD's face when she first met Snow White. My wife cried, and I even felt a tear or two welling up.

 

[Tigger031266]

Sorry, my ego kicks in here.

Its taking family and being treated like royality, like you own the place. Beautiful rooms, welcome homes, great views, meal discounts, park discounts, vallet parking.....

It is real impressive!

 

[kaseyC]

My moment would be when my painfully shy 3 yr old DD met Princess Aurora at CRT in December. I was crying my eyes out. She just lit up and became a chatterbox for the rest of the trip. I swear since our trip in Dec., she has become more outgoing and less shy.

 

[Beast fan]

The first time I went to WDW as an adult was when DW and I went there on our honeymoon in 1995. We were walking up Main Street at MK, there was noone in front of the castle, so I took a picture. DW gets the pictures back a couple of weeks later and wonders why there is a postcard of the castle along with our pictures! I guess I took a good picture.

Dave

 

[bobbiwoz]

It was '91 and Dmom, Ddad, Dsis, DH, DS's and I were waiting in line for a ride in MK, Mr. Toad. You know the gag, poke someone on the opposite shoulder than where you are, so the person looks at space when he turns around. Well, DDad began doing this to our sons who were in their teens. He looked so serious, they couldn't believe what was happening. They never really had seen this side of their grandpa before.

Yes, Ddad isn't around any more, but that memory of him having fun at WDW is what does it for me and the family. We play the game every now and then in his memory.

Bobbi

 

[tjkraz]

First trip to Disney--first day (Epcot) with our son who was 18 mos old at the time. It poured-down rain from about 4pm to 6pm. The park totally emptied out. When Tapestry Of Dreams started, there were so few people along the parade route that at least 1/3 of the performers stopped to shake hands or wave at DS. The awestruck look on his face throughout was priceless.

 

[goldilocks_63]

We got married there, so always stop by for a kiss.



Goldi

 

[Synonymous]

Our second trip with DD, she was about 3 yrs old, I think, and we were at MK at opening. We went straight to Dumbo. Cool, Mickey and Minnie are greeting people as they get on! Then a CM says "Would your daughter like to ride with Mickey Mouse?" We stood and watched her ride, then after got a picture of her with Mickey. Her face showed it- she was sure she was the most special person in the world at that moment. Mick's been her best friend ever since.

 

[mikesmom88]

No matter how many times we go to WDW, my one best moment is entering the MK and the first minute I see the castle. I get goose bumps all over and tears in my eyes. It is the most magical site on earth.

 

[wtpclc]

Wow! Very Cool Memories! here's mine:

Last Feb. DH and I took a much needed respite via 4 Land and 3 sea package WDW/DCL. Well, day 2 poured all day. I was miserable and wet from 11 am to 9 pm. My parents met us there and we only got 1 picture of them before the rain came.

Next day, rained on & off. Day 4 was a half day at AK. Not my favorite park, but I knew I'd enjoy th etime there.

When we went in, everyone turned left at ToL to go to the safari. We'd done that before, but Primevil Whirl was new, so we headed htat way (right turn at ToL). About half way there with no one around, dh says "there's Pooh-bear." I turned to see Pooh and a CM walking down a private path towards teh main path. "POOH-BEAR!!!!" "Is Pooh-bear going to be taking pictures????" We waited a minute for them to cross the rope that gaited off the path and I gave Pooh the biggest hug. We got 2 pictures in and STILL no one else was around. That made my whole vacation! (Good thing because cruise was cold and windy. All our excursions were canceled and we could not dock at CC.)

Usually we schedule a Character Bfst or 2 each trip. With only 4 days though, really closer to 3, we decided there wasn't time for that. I have never run inot a character before. This trip we happened on them 3 times. My love of Pooh, though, and the fact that no one else was around will likely go down as my greatest memory of all time!

Thanks for letting me relive that happy event! (Sorry I'm so long-winded!)

 

[CapeCodFam]

Sept 17, 2001, we flew out of Logan on the first business day they were open after 9/11 to our first WDW trip. Our first picture that day was my 3yo + 5yo in front of the Walt and Mickey statues at MK. My boys both flashed the peace sign as I took the picture. I can't tell you how much it struck me. I'll never forget it.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Gosh...tough question because every trip has a guaranteed magical moment. I think those are the things that keep us going back time and again. The memories are priceless. But my favorite is from a few years ago, we had a dinner reservation at Cinderella's Castle. At the time my daughters were nearly 3 and 5. After dinner we headed down to the lobby, with my youngest a few steps ahead of us on the stairway. All of a sudden she yells "CINDERELLA"...sure enough Cinderella was just sitting there on her thrown without another soul (except her helper) around. My 3 year old literally leapt off the steps and took a running leap into her lap....she then proceeded to give her the biggest hug imaginable. Saying "I wuv you, I wuv you, I wuv you...". I was sure they'd make her get off of poor Cinderella, but the lovely girl just said "I could hug her all day"! Since there was nobody...nobody...around for a good 10 minutes both of my girls got special time with Cinderella. It was pure Disney magic. Of course Cinderella told them that she would be looking for them during the parade and promised to give them a special "secret" wave. We did see her and she caught the girls' eyes. To this day it's my favorite Disney memory.

 

[MDonley]

This is gonna sound corny, but here goes ... My first time down to WDW was in September, 1994. We were staying at All Star Sports (the others weren't open yet). We met a couple that were DVC members from the Chicago area and one of them worked for an airline. They said that they had just "popped" down for a quick couple of days since they had some points left. They told us a little about DVC and suggested that, since it was going to rain the next day, we call for a tour. We took the advice and, when we got back to Michigan, bought into DVC (now called OKW). I'll never forget that nice couple (and the tour ... but you said only one memory). I've used that excuse on other people too! You can't argue with something that works!

It's interesting that that encounter impressed me even more than WDW, itself.

Edited 02:16 .... When we joined, our DVC card had 3 mountains pictured on it. What happened to the 3rd mountain and when did we lose it? I'm thinking Mt. St. Helens here.

 

[jmatias]

Its really hard to choose the one best moment but this was our newest best moment.

We were at Animal Kingdom just this past January and loving the cool weather and low crowds. We went to the Mickey Minnie Camp area to meet the characters. There was no one there so we walked right up to Donald, then Goofy, and then Minnie. As we were leaving Minnie, she surprised us by running up to our 7 yrs old DS and giving him a huge kiss....my DS turned soooo red...he was sooo embarrased but he had the hughest smile on his face! What a wonderful moment that was!

 

[newholidayx2]

Oct 10, 2001 we were the lucky family that Ranger Stan took on top of the Wilderness Lodge to raise the flags

that was the yr we bought into DVC w/VWL as our "home"

 

[DVCajun]

Gosh...tough question because every trip has a guaranteed magical moment. I think those are the things that keep us going back time and again. The memories are priceless. But my favorite is from a few years ago, we had a dinner reservation at Cinderella's Castle. At the time my daughters were nearly 3 and 5. After dinner we headed down to the lobby, with my youngest a few steps ahead of us on the stairway. All of a sudden she yells "CINDERELLA"...sure enough Cinderella was just sitting there on her thrown without another soul (except her helper) around. My 3 year old literally leapt off the steps and took a running leap into her lap....she then proceeded to give her the biggest hug imaginable. Saying "I wuv you, I wuv you, I wuv you...". I was sure they'd make her get off of poor Cinderella, but the lovely girl just said "I could hug her all day"! Since there was nobody...nobody...around for a good 10 minutes both of my girls got special time with Cinderella. It was pure Disney magic. Of course Cinderella told them that she would be looking for them during the parade and promised to give them a special "secret" wave. We did see her and she caught the girls' eyes. To this day it's my favorite Disney memory.

You made me cry, Amy!

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of these wonderful stories.

A few years ago, before DS1 came along, DH and I were there for the Millenium celebration. On our scheduled day to go to AK we woke early and decided on a whim to see if we could get into Donald's Breakfastasaurus. We didn't have PS's, but figured it was worth a shot. We got there about 7 am and asked the CM at the gate about breakfast. She went to check and a minute later returned to tell us we were in luck and told us to wait over to the side. A few minutes later another CM came over and asked us to follow her. She led us through the waking AK and encouraged us to take our time to enjoy the beautiful morning before anyone entered the park. It was truly beautiful. The walkways were freshly washed, the birds were having their breakfast, the mist was on the lake. Breathtaking. She even let us take photos. When we got to the AK they took our picture before we went into the restaurant. I walked in before DH and stopped dead in shock-- Mickey himself was standing in the greeting area! I thought we had just lucked out and caught him unawares before the crowds arrived and I almost tore my backpack up trying to get to my camera so I could capture the moment. The wonderful CM who walked us through the park offered to take our picture with Mickey. While we were posing with Mickey, Donald showed up, followed in short succession by Pluto and Goofy! By this time we had figured out that they had planned this magical moment for us. We had about 10 minutes with the characters before the regular guests arrived. They gave us a certificate marking the occasion with our name on it, signed by all of the characters. Each of them also signed the Dinoland Daily newspaper for us. Both of those items are now framed and hanging in my Disney bathroom. We have some great pictures from that day-- I have never seen my DH look so joyous. We both became children again for a few minutes. It's a treasured memory.

 

[MrTerrorChair]

We got married there, so always stop by for a kiss.



Goldi

You're so lucky! Definitely a marriage that'll last!