Which Disney Memory makes you smile?

[NuttyDisneyMom]

Seeing my girls' faces when they see Tink fly from the castle during Wishes. Get's the tears going everytime

 

[Melmac]

All of these stories are so nice to read!

The last time that I went on Kali River Rapids, there was a British family that got on with us - a father, uncle (?) and a young girl about 5 or 6. It was the young girl's first time and she was a little nervous about being the one to get really wet. The ride starts and it is her uncle that gets it when going down the large hill near the end. She was giggling the whole ride but really couldn't restrain herself when her uncle (and my DH) got soaked. In her British accent (which I love on little ones because they sound like miniature adults) she asks "Daddy, can we ride again??". The ride was empty so the CM's let us stay on to go around again. DH and I were going to get off but we wanted to watch the little girl again. This time, she got soaked. We don't have kids so it was great to watch the ride from her point of view!

 

[JLTraveling]

What a wonderful thread! I love reading everyone's stories

I've been going to WDW since birth, so I've racked up quite a few memories. Here are a few of my favorites:

My grandmother on my Dad's side never got all the hype about Disney. She only lived 45 minutes away, but was convinced it was all "kid stuff." But my parents insisted on taking her to the parks, so she could decide for herself. We did day trips to the MK and Epcot (the only two parks at the time) when I was about 14. It didn't take long for her to get the magic... when she got her very first look at Cinderella Castle, the waterworks started. With tears streaming down her face, she told us how beautiful and amazing and wonderful it was. The next day at Epcot, we went to see the Voices of Liberty. She was chosen to be sung to during "Oh, Susanna," and again the tears flowed. Grandma was already in poor health then, and she was never able to visit again, but for the rest of her life she frequently mentioned how incredible the experience was and how much she adored it.

Until 1985, my family could only afford to go once a year, so we always went on my birthday. Then 3 Season Salute passes came out for Florida residents, which were valid in January, May, and September. My parents scrimped and saved, and managed to get us passes for Christmas 1984. We went several times during January, and my parents decided to get in one last visit before the blackout dates began. So they picked me up from school on January 31. I had a dictionary with me for some reason, and my parents used it to their advantage. They got me so busy looking up definitions that I never noticed we were getting on the interstate. Finally my dad said, "Look up magic." I did, and gave him the definition. Then Mom said, "Look up kingdom." The light went off, and I looked up just as we went under the big Magic Kingdom sign. That trip turned out to be even more special than anticipated, because less than a week later, my dad was in a terrible car accident. We were told he had less than a 10% chance of making it through surgery, and if he did, less than a 50% chance of making it through the night. That entire night, as Mom and I paced the floor, we just kept reminding ourselves of the fabulous memories we had made a few days prior. Dad did survive, but he had a terrible 2-year recovery. Those memories really kept us going.

OK, last one, I promise. Dad and I were newly back in FL from New Orleans shortly after my mom passed away in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Neither of us had been to Disney in years. We decided to get APs again, and sometimes made "just because" partial day trips. One afternoon when I got off work, we decided to head to MK for dinner. As we were getting off the monorail, the sky opened up. Gushing, pouring, torrential rainfall. So we dashed down Main Street to Casey's. We got our food and dashed to a table with an umbrella. The wind was blowing and there were literally only inches of dry space. Huddled close together, freezing and dripping, we both decided that a rainy day at Disney still beats fabulous weather anyplace else! It was actually a lot of fun.

 

[ty93850]

Last trip my two DD 10 and 7 got into disney pin trading. We were walking out of main street towards the castle when my oldest say a cm with a green lanyard (kids only) and asked if she could run up and trade. I said yes and they were off. When my wife and I caught up to them. The man was asking them all kinds of questions like were are you from have you been here before what your fav rides.................... THen he asked the lady next to him what she thinks. She says " I think they will do just fine" We were chosen to be the GRAND MARSHALS of the afternoon parade WOW what a great addition to being on vacation in the world

 

[pollyanna30]

I have many favorite memories of Disney World, but my most recent one occurred this past Monday. My family was in the Magic Kingdom for the last night of our week long trip. Our trip had been wonderful but we knew it was winding down. After eating a nice meal at the Plaza restaurant and enjoying an ice cream there, our party split up and my sister and I were on the way to take my 2 year old nephew to ride the Pooh ride one more time. As we headed towards the castle, the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It Parade/Party was going on. My nephew wanted to stop and watch, and my sister ended up dancing in the street with him and Goofy. As the parade was wrapping up and the "Celebrate You" song began playing I looked over at my sister and we both had tears going down our faces. It was just one of those Disney moments where the music was playing, the sun was shining on the castle, my nephew was happy from his dancing, and I was reflecting on what a great trip we had as a family. My sister even said she felt like at that moment we were in a Disney commercial. We then began laughing at the absurdity of how we probably looked to others!! There is just no feeling like the one that you get at Disney World!

 

[Sneezie]

Nudge. It's the new bump.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I have so may memories.

One reoccuring memory of each trip: Going down Main Street the first time per trip. Each time I just can't believe I am there!

 

[turkeymama]

I'll add a new one.

Our first trip ever was with my sister and nephew. He is the the only child for my sister and he is older than my 2. At the time the kids were 8 (nephew), 5 DD, and 18 months DS. My nephew ridiculed my daughter the entire trip because she was a little nervous about most of the rides. She still went on them, but without fail, she felt the urge to go potty right before they boarded every ride. He got so frustrated (and I totally understand) but he continued to make fun of her. The last straw for him was Goofy's Barnstormer. She insisted that she had to go the bathroom that time. That was the only time she got out of a line to go.

He sat under the tree in front of the ride. Earlier in the trip, my sister bought him a pirate hat, complete with dread locks. He was wearing the hat, while unleashing a verbal tirade on my daughter. Just then, one of those famous WDW birds dropped a load on his hat. My daughter felt so much better after that. I have to admit, it was funny. Don't worry, we cleaned his hat up for him and it turned out fine.

 

[Dopey Sharon]

We have been going for quite some time, but the trip we took 13 years ago, when my DD was 15 and DS was 13, had the most memories for all of us.

The first was my son trying to sing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at karaoke night at All Star Music...I wish we had a video camera back then.

The second was, we went over to the Wilderness Campground and rented bikes. We got bicycles built for two. My DD and I were on one and DH and DS were on the other. For some reason, they could not ride that bike! They kept going off the side of the road into the bushes...too funny.

To this day, we all still remember that trip and laugh about it.

 

[Maize&Blue]

Mine would have to be (in 2007) the look on my two neices faces 5 & 6 at the time when they first stepped onto Main Street and saw the castle and turned to each other and said - Told you it was real

Mine too, but not with your nieces of course, but with my children. And they didn't say "Told you it was real." The look on a child's face when they get there 1st look at the castle is priceless. And everywhere we were in the park they had to see if they could see the castle from where they were. Awesome

 

[PrincessJasmine14]

One of my favorite memories is from when me & my sister were at MGM when we were little. We had just gone to see Fantasmic, and as we were walking out after the show, my sister realized she lost a Cinderella doll or something. We went to the Lost & Found, but they didn't have it. Then, Mulan came over, and she was holding the doll. It was magical how she found it.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Our first step into WDW in September 1975. We were staying at the Ramada Inn MainGate and decided to do dinner at the Poly that first night. We had arrived a little late so no time to go to the MK.
When we first walked in and saw the Polynesian--still makes me smile all these years later.

 

[HARVEYSGIRL]

My mother is origianlly from south Florida so I went to Disney World alot as a small child. I was always terrified of Space Mountain. My father and my older brother rode it every trip but I never would. I would sit and wait with my mother.
My father died a month after my tenth birthday in 1985. He was very young and it was very sudden. I was devastated. He was my best friend. That summer my mother took a few days and took me to Disney. She was trying to make me happy. I didn't think anything would make me happy again. When we by Space mountain I told mom that I was going to ride it. She was shocked. She suffers from motion sickness so she sat on a bench and sent me in. I was terrified. I not only rode it but i rode it alone. At the end of the ride on my way out all I could think of was how proud my dad was of me and how brave I was. The whole way out tears where streaming down my face. Not because I was scared but I honestly felt like I was honoring my father. I will never forget that moment.
My whole life changed after my dad died. My happiest memories are Disney.
I am 33 years old but to this day when I ride Space Mountain I do for my dad and I know he is proud of me.
I know that sounds dorky but just thinking about it makes me cry and he has been dead for over 23 years.

 

[MickeyNicki]

When we took our nieces in January and we were in MK, the little one looked at us and said "this is the best day of my life"

I was the crying idiot on Main Street Jan 21 2009

 

[dalstitch45]

I have been to WDW so many times. I have several memories that make me smile. My favorite memory of all was a couple of years ago on my birthday. I was trying to catch the Festival of the Lion King show with my favorite performer. I happened to talk to the stage manager, and he asked if I wanted to meet him. Of course, I said yes. After the show I went backstage and met him, and got to take pictures with him. Now that is what I call a birthday surprise. Needless to say, it made an already special birthday even better.

Another was this past year at Christmas. I had never seen the Christmas parade other than at the MVMCP. I went on December 20 so I could see the parade. Well, let me tell you it was awesome. I went every day, twice a day, for three (3) days straight just to see it. My grown DS said the grin on my face was priceless. He still teases me, but I don't care. Everytime I watch my DVD, I still smile. Okay, grin.

Thanks for the memories WDW!

 

[fanoftigger]

Last August my dad (terminally ill with cancer) took us all to WDW since he'd never been. It was on his "bucket list" I guess. So he and his girlfriend, me and DH, my sis, BIL, nephew (5) and niece (not quite 2) spent a wonderful week at WDW.

The whole trip makes me smile, but I laugh out loud when I look at our picture from Splash Mtn. My nephew had never been on a thrill ride before, so he is yelling his head off and has a look of pure terror on his face. But he absolutely loved it!

And my niece kept looking at the castle and saying "my castle, my castle" She had little sandals on that squeak when she walked. She was the cutest little thing squeaking all over WDW and telling everyone "my castle".

She also watched for the fireworks to go up (before they exploded) and she would blow air out of her mouth. Then the firework would explode and she would look at my sister and say "look mommy, i did it!" Like she was responsible for the fireworks

Wonderful memories and we talk about them with dad and thank him all the time for the trip and memories. They are precious to us as he only has a few weeks left with us.