Trip one with Gabby.....
Our first trip to WDW together in general. It was pure magic. I can't tell you how much fun we had that long weekend.
Trip two with Gabby.....
For 30 years, I had carried around a 4 year olds scar. I didn't get to meet Mickey Mouse when I went to MK. I wanted to do that one thing and I wasn't able to do it. Well back in September of 2002, I had planned to do the ice cream social at Epcot on our first day in the parks to remedy the situation, but I actually got a bit of a surprise on our first day at WDW, while shopping at DTD with our friends. Gabby and I managed to slip away from our friends for a couple of minutes and I really had considered going to Studio M to have our picture made with Mickey Mouse sometime later in the week, but I was unsure how much that might cost, so I wanted to check without our friend's kids around. I grabbed Gabby and said, let's go down this way and pulled her to the left. Just as we both turned left to walk down toward Studio M, I saw Mickey Mouse talking to a family that had a little girl in a wheelchair. When Mickey was done with the child, he waved to a kid that was on his left and was about to scoot back into his photo room away from the crowd. I said "Hey Mickey, can I have a hug?" and he turned around. Gabby said "Don't cry." but it was too late. I was totally immersed in a huge cloud of pixie dust. I was hugging Mickey Mouse! I was crying like a baby. I explained to the lady there that I felt like a fool, but I had wanted to meet Mickey for 30 years and it was just awesome and overwhelming. They asked me to step inside with Mickey and they were going to take my picture with him since we didn't have a camera with us. At that point, I didn't care if the picture was going to cost $100, I was buying it. They took our picture and after goofing with Mickey and getting a few Mickey kisses and hugs, I left the room. They gave me the full package of pictures at no charge. I was shocked. I thanked them as much as I could. I offered to pay for the pictures, but they said that they were glad to give them to me and there everyone deserves to have a picture of their first time meeting Mickey. I walked away stunned and very happy.
Trip three with Gabby....
One of my fondest memories came at MGM watching the Indiana Jones Stunt show. There was a family that sat on the row ahead of us. In the family, there was this absolutely adorable auburn haired little girl that was about 2 years old. She was totally focused on my pin lanyard the entire show. She kept fussing and trying to reach back to me to see the pins. Her mother tried to keep her under control, but finally, I said, "Oh, just come here." And she reached out to me and I pulled her onto my lap. She loved to look at the pins and was totally quiet in my lap. I think her mom was a bit concerned about this complete stranger that was holding her child, but at least they were able to watch the show in peace. When the show was over, I gave her mom the Mickey pin from my lanyard for her to keep to remember the moment. I also gave her older sister a piglet pin from my lanyard to keep also. Since we don't have kids, it sometimes is really neat to be able to borrow someone else's. lol Maggie