Willing to share a memorable story?

[DavidandLeahZ]

Hi everyone,

I'm talking with one of my college classes about the importance of narratives in an organization. Basically, we're discussing how important stories are in sharing experiences. So, want to help my students out?

I would love it if you would share your favorite story (it's easier if each member just shares one) about an experience in/with Walt Disney World. It can range from a retelling of a magical moment or simply a memory from a vacation that you will always remember.

Then, I'll send them all here to read them.

Thanks in advance!

 

[MyKidzMick]

Hi everyone,

I'm talking with one of my college classes about the importance of narratives in an organization. Basically, we're discussing how important stories are in sharing experiences. So, want to help my students out?

I would love it if you would share your favorite story (it's easier if each member just shares one) about an experience in/with Walt Disney World.

Then, I'll send them all here to read them.

Thanks in advance!

It may be easier to direct your students to one of the "I hate FP+" threads or even a JTA thread where parents enroll their underage children in the show which effectively blocks a child of the correct age out of the show. The parent then justifies it by stating the CMs should be stricter. In these threads, shared narratives encourage other rational or irrational narratives.

The "Is it that bad" thread is filled with narratives: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338452

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

It may be easier to direct your students to one of the "I hate FP+" threads or even a JTA thread where parents enroll their underage children in the show which effectively blocks a child of the correct age out of the show. The parent then justifies it by stating the CMs should be stricter. In these threads, shared narratives encourage other rational or irrational narratives.

The "Is it that bad" thread is filled with narratives: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338452

I'm just looking for simple ones at this stage. The mess can come later.

 

[MyKidzMick]

They may like the drama and the twists! Good luck!

 

[pampam]

I was enjoying our vacation at Epcot, when I phoned home and learned that my brother-in -law had died. I was in shock. We hurried back to our resort, the All Star Music, and I enquired what would happen if we went home early, since we had purchased a package. The CM got the manager. He said that we would get a refund on the nights we hadn't used, and we would get tickets to compensate for the days we didn't go to the parks. He took us into the end office, and he phoned Air Canada for us, and then he phoned Air Canada medical desk, to see about getting my daughter her oxygen for the flight home. The medical desk was closed, so he told me to come back after 8:00 a.m., when Air Canada medical desk would be open. He wouldn't be there, but another manager named Deanna would be at the front desk, starting at 7:00 a.m.

The next morning we went back to guest services, and spoke to Deanna. I phoned Air Canada, and got different options- for flights and the costs to change our tickets and the oxygen. By this point I was a mess. I couldn't collect my thoughts, and make a decision. She took me into the end office, and I phoned my husband. He talked me through it. It was going to cost an extra $400 to change the tickets, but we would manage somehow. So, she phoned Air Canada, set it up, phoned the medical desk, set up the oxygen for the flight home, and had me phone my husband to let him know what flight to pick us up. He reminded me about the Hoop de Doo tickets we had bought, which were non refundable. Deanne assured me that was no problem. She would refund them for us. She arranged transportation for us to go back to the airport. Then she asked what we were going to do about supper. I had no plans. She tried to get us reservations for different meals, but most of them were booked up. She eventually made reservations for us for Boma's, and came back with a new room key for me, with charging priviliges on it. She insisted I put dinner on it, and they would look after it for us. She gave me her card in case I had any other problems. We left the next morning, and were home that night. I cannot stress how courteous, kind and generous Disney management was to us under very trying circumstances. I'm very sure if we had been staying off site we would not have been treated as well. I just feel everyone should know how Disney goes the distance when one of there guests has a problem. I've stayed on Disney property many many times, and I always felt if I had a problem they would help me. Now I know for sure, yes, they will help to the best of their ability.

 

[redsbe]

Walking down Main Street in MK in March 1981 and seeing a 747 with the space shuttle on back as it flew back to Kennedy Space Center. Literally everyone stopped to look and take pictures and was crowd cheering and clapping.

 

[Gru]

My family went on our first (and only) trip to Disney on the early 1980's -I was around 9. We went to Tom Sawyer's Island and everyone wanted to explore the cave. I thought it was a real cave and was petrified of spiders, bats and what if the whole thing collapsed and we were stuck in there? So I refused to go in with my family. They thought I would be too scared to wait by myself, but I went back to Aunt Polly's and sat in a rocking chair to wait for them. My Dad finally came and got me and forced me to go into the cave. I was clinging to him for dear life, the cave seemd to go on forever. My two older brothers had run ahead and hid - then they jumped out and scared me. When I went back with my own children we explored the island and I laughed at how small the cave was.

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

bump

 

[SeilerBird]

Back in the 60s I was at Disneyland and I rode the Jungle Cruise. Marty Allen of the comedy group Allen and Rossi was on board.

In the 80s I was walking out of a bathroom at Disneyland and ran smack dab into John Travolta in the doorway. I was waiting outside for my sister, BIL and girlfriend. When John exited the bathroom he came over to talk to me and wait for his girlfriend. My party and his party all ended up chatting for about 15 minutes. He was as nice as could be. I remember my sister asked John's girlfriend what it was like to date John. Her response "WONDERFUL!".

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Fun project!

We were at Disneyland with DGS, 3 and DGD, 11 mo. Our first night was a character meal at Goofy's Kitchen, where Alice spent quite a bit of time with DGD at the table, trying to get her to smile, calling her by her name, Londynn.

Two days later, we were walking near the teacups in DL when the same Alice came running up to us and said, "Well, Hello Miss Londynn! How are you enjoying your visit?" I was amazed that she would not only remember us after two days, but would remember the baby's name! To me, that is the Disney difference.

 

[Pugsly]

On my son's first trip (1998 - he was 10), we were exploring in the brand new Animal Kingdom. We were wandering on the path to Camp Minnie Mickey and were the only ones on that path (imagine that!). (This was when Festival of the Lion King and a Pochahontas show were the only attractions in that area and it was early morning, before the first shows of the day - as I said, we were exploring.)

Well ... Who comes walking down the path towards us, but Minnie and Mickey! They ran to my son, began tickling him and covered him in hugs. We literally had them all to ourselves! It's a memory my son still talks about when we're on that path at AK (he's now 26).

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

bump

 

[BandMom1]

This was on property but not in one of the parks - we were driving to the MK and I saw a large white, exotic looking bird in a tree by the road. I had seen (what I thought was) the same bird in the same tree the day before and this time pointed it out to my family. After a moment of silence, my 16 year-old son said "Mom, that's a plastic bag - not a bird!". I insisted it WAS a bird and my kids (who at this point were hysterically laughing) insisted it was NOT a bird, but a plastic bag stuck in the tree! For the rest of our vacation and the 2 years since, we have laughed over the "bag bird" of WDW! My kids continue to tease me to this day and are already wondering if we will see this elusive and rare bird on our trip this coming January. By the way, I still think I saw a REAL bird and that they just didn't get a good look at it as we drove by. My family on, the other hand, thinks I need glasses!

 

[chris123abc]

In 2005, to save a few bucks, we bought Mickey Santa hats with a lighted ball on the end at our local Disney Store. To our surprise, they were not sold anywhere in Disney. During the Christmas parade at MVMCP, Santa looked straight at us and called out "I like your hats". It made my kids feel super special to have Santa notice them in such a large crowd.. Happy to say I have it on video.

 

[dismsn]

My husband and I were in Disney World last month to visit our daughter who is participating in the Disney College Program. We decided to buy the Memory Maker package and each time we saw a Disney photographer we stopped for a picture so we could get our money's worth.

One hot and humid morning (they were all hot and humid) we met up with our daughter at the Kali River Rapids ride in Animal Kingdom. I was hoping to get wet so I could cool off a little and I wasn't disappointed. After Kali River Rapids we took our time walking to Expedition Everest and posed for pictures along the way. After riding Expedition Everest, we decided we needed Dole Whips to cool off and posed for more pictures on the way to buy the Dole Whips.

Well, standing in line for the Dole Whips, I looked down and realized that it looked like I peed my pants! The first thing I thought was, "oh no, all of the pictures we just took are going to be hilarious but ruined." My husband burst out laughing, took a picture of my shorts, and posted it on Facebook. My daughter couldn't stop giggling and that made me start laughing.

When I got home I couldn't wait to see the "pee pictures" and I wasn't disappointed.

I'm not very technogically advanced so if someone can tell me how to upload a photo I will. I tried to link it to my Facebook album but it didn't work.

 

[olwyngdh]

On making magic real and keeping the dream alive. When my youngest was 9 we had dinner at Askerhus where she was in her glory meeting all of the princesses, even though she told me afterwards that they were just college girls in costume, and lots of different people played the parts. The next day, we were doing World Showcase and met Aurora in France. As soon as she saw my daughter, she gave her a big hug and asked her how she had liked her dinner the night before and told her that the other princesses were going to be jealous that they didn't get to see her again too!! The wide eyed wonder of being remembered changed her mind about the it is just some random college girl in a costume.

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

I must have been around seven or eight on what was my family's second trip to Disney, when my sisters and I were chosen to help open Camp Minnie and Mickey. I still remember getting to walk to the camp holding Mickey's hand! We helped raise the flag, and then got to be first in line to take pictures with Minnie and Mickey.

Another great memory is getting to the Magic Kingdom at rope drop, and riding Splash Mountain over and over again with my one sister and my father- we must have ridden it four or five times before the CM let us just stay on for another ride. Of course that was the ride where we got stuck going up the big hill! But it's still one of my favorite memories of the park, and Splash Mountain is still my favorite ride.

 

[nanhol]

On the last night of our last trip to Disney we walked by 2 castmembers who were standing and smiling at passers-by near the Storybook Treats icecream shop in Disney. "Guess what?" they were asking folks. We smiled and said "What?" and one of them pulled an icecream sundae out from behind her back and gave it to us. It was massive--brownies and icecream and fudge sauce & icecream cones on top--the 5 of us had eaten dinner not long before, so we weren't able to finish it--but we gave it our best try.

I love how Disney visits magic upon customers at random times through the trip. My kids are full of little stories like this one that make our trips so special to us!

 

[DOPEYLUVER]

For High School spring break in 2009, I took my then 17 year old daughter and her 16 year old friend on an NCL cruise out of Miami. The friend was homesick during much of the cruise and basically dramatic. My daughter who had taken multiple cruises was sick of the drama. So by the time the cruise was over, the two girls were barely speaking. A friend of mine picked the three of us up in Miami and were going to take us to my mother's condo which is about an hour from Miami. What we didn't tell the girls is that we were really planning to take them to Disney World for a couple of days.

We drove the Florida Turnpike and luckily the girls were tired and fell asleep during the car ride. We were quite close to the WDW exit and we stopped to make a restroom stop. My friend Bill, loudly clapped his hands and told the girls to wake up. Their tired cranky mood immediately turned when we told them we were really going to WDW, not my mother's condo.

My friend was a 50 year old gay man with pretty much NO knowledge of teenage girls. As we walked into the Magic Kingdom he went over to guest relations and was able to get us dinner reservations at 1900 Park Fare, a Cinderella dinner. I was horrified. I was stuck between him, who was so thrilled with getting the reservations and the two teenage girls who I knew would hate the dinner with Cinderella.

I remember when we were waiting for the dinner, we heard what we thought was a drunk woman inside the restaurant making a scene. My heart sank a bit further anticipating just how bad the night was going to turn out. When we went inside, we realized that the loud drunk woman was really one of the step-sisters. We had the best time. The food was good, the entertainment was terrific and everyone had a blast.

To this day, the girls talk about the great cruise they took and how much fun they had at Disney. All the stress and unhappiness from the cruise was replaced with Disney and especially that dinner.

 

[J'aime Paris]

We decided to eat at 1900 Park Fare for one of our trips. DD, 6 at the time, decided to dress up as Alice in Wonderland for the meal. My DD has blond hair, and it was long and straight like Alice's. The "real" Alice was quite impressed by her mini version. Kept making a big deal about it, bringing the Mad Hatter and other characters over to admire the likeness.
Then out of the blue, "real" Alice decided she needed DD to help her find the White Rabbit. She took DD by the hand and led her outside into the courtyard near the restaurant. She and DD looked around for a minute, and "real" Alice said they must have just missed him yet again.
My favorite picture of all time is a back shot of the two walking hand in hand. Priceless...