Most Memorable Moment

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Most Memorable Moment

I wrote this a while back elsewhere, but I thought it might be a good thread to start to hear the most memorable moments people would like to share. Mine was not only memorable, but it was more of a self-realization on how much I love Disney, even when it happened rather "late" in my life.

This was about 4 years ago. It was one of those wet, rainy evenings at The Magic Kingdom. You knew, even by late afternoon, that it was going to be rainy. We still didn't leave because we wanted to watch Wishes, and there were people in our party that hadn't seen it before. So we were determine to stay, armed with our ponchos. I asked one of the cast members if Wishes would still go on if it only rains and not have high winds and stuff. He said yes, it will still go on if it only rains. So that made us want to stay even more.

Our group decided to watch it from a covered area in Tomorrowland right before the bridge. However, having seen it many times before, I knew that the best place was still right at the end of Main Street before the Hub. So I told everyone that when it was going to start, I was going to walk up there and see Wishes from that spot, and to meet each other afterwards. The rain had started to come down, not heavily, but still enough for you to get wet. We were all in our ponchos. So when it was getting close to the starting time, I walked out into the rain and stood at my favorite spot.

Wishes went off on schedule. There was no Tink flying off from the castle, but the rest was as spectacular as ever. Due to the rain, it wasn't crowded at all, but there were still quite a few people standing out there in the rain with me. As I was being dazzled by the fireworks and listening to the music, something just clicked in my head. Here I was, standing there by myself, rain pouring on my face and seeping under my poncho, being aware that I'm getting soaked, with my shoes completely wet, and I realized that at that moment in time, there was no where else that I'd rather be than right there. Through the soaring music, I felt goosebumps and my emotion welled up inside me, and I couldn't tell if I shed a tear or not since my face was already soaking wet. But I did know that, at that moment, I was happy.

It was at that point that I knew that this "connection" that I have with this place was something unusual, and wasn't something fleeting. The realization that even soaking wet, I was still happy where I was at, convinced me that for the rest of my life, I will keep coming back, to try and capture that moment again, and make other moments like this.

I have never forgotten that evening at the Magic Kingdom, because among other things, it was the impetus for us buying into the DVC. But more than anything else, it was my own self-realization how much WDW has affected me, and how much it has meant to me.

Zz.

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Great question!

I would have to say that my most memorable WDW moment was on my very first trip, riding through Splash Mountain. We really didn't ride many rides on my first trip, but we went to MK in the evening and it wasn't too crowded and we did the whole park. I just remember as I was riding through the ride I got really quiet and thought "this is my kind of place."

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I'd say one night that we spent on the "beach" at the Polynesian. Laying in the hammocks and eventually watching wishes. We were probably there for 2-3 hours because we wanted to get the "best" (by our estimation) hammock.

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i don't know if this counts, because it was actually in disney land, not disney world. but when i was very young, i was riding pirates of the carribean in disney land, and that first drop seemed so terrifying. i insisted that i ride it again and was really dissapointed by it the second time, but i can still remember how intense that little drop was for me the first time.

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I thought I would post a few really great memories that people had mentioned before:

C-Dub's Illumination's Cruise
LeGrandKirby's Space Shuttle

Just in case they forget! Great stories!

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I have so many wonderful memories from Disney. They started when I was a little girl going to WDW with my parents. I could mention last Jan when the Super Bowl halftime show was time perfectly when Wishes started. Or when I was fortunate enough to take my grandma and grandpa on their first trip ever to Disney. Even last year when my immediate family all got together for the first time in 4 years. However this one moment when I was traveling alone keeps sticking out. It's very similar to ZapperZ in that "ah ha" kinda moment.

In Aug 2005 I spent 8 hours in my attic during Hurricane Katrina. We lost our home and the majority of our belongings. The week after the storm my husband moved to Jackson, MS for work and I went to Destin, FL for work as well. After spending 3 weeks alone in a hotel you could say I was at my whits end. My husband asked me how long it would take for me to drive to Orlando. When I responded 5 hours he told me to book a room and go that night. As soon as I got off work that evening I drove straight down.

I was up early that next morning to be at MK for the opening. They had barely begun to sing "Welcome, Welcome, Welcome" when the tears started streaming down my face. It was just so overwhelming to be there. It was so comforting and familiar and I just knew everything was ok at least for the short time I was there.

After the opening, I ducked into the Emporium just so I wouldn't be walking down Main Street balling my eyes out. All the CM's were so concerned about me, but I just explained to them that I had had a really trying few weeks and it was so wonderful to be at the MK.

That evening I watched Wishes from the hub and called my husband to thank him for suggesting I come down. It was the first time I had smiled and truly not worried about anything since the storm. I spent the next 2 days on my own and just enjoying being there.

I love being at Disney. I love the excitiment of when I make a reservation. I love that first ride on the monorail. I love the smell of Main Street. I love riding the TTA over and over again. I can go on and on, but for me when my life was at the worst it had ever been it was that magical moment of walking through the train station and getting that first glimpse of the castle that will forever stick with me. I knew there was no place I would rather be

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Really moving story Shelley.

I love all these stories. What's always interesting to me is how almost all Disney fan's are not naive at all. We know that Disney World is a product packaged for us, and yet still we all feel comforted and "at home" there. You literally miss it when you haven't been there for a while. I would say across the board that Disney World to me seems like the thing the Disney Corporation most "got right."

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shelleyg74 wrote:
II can go on and on, but for me when my life was at the worst it had ever been it was that magical moment of walking through the train station and getting that first glimpse of the castle that will forever stick with me. I knew there was no place I would rather be


What an incredible story, Shelley. I had no idea you'd experienced the loss of your home and belongings in Katrina. It's amazing to see what a healing power WDW can have. People make fun of the idea of "disney magic," but there really is something powerful about feeling joyful and carefree, which is what Disney can do for so many of us.

My memorable moment is kind of the same type, though I guess it's a little less joyful. Still very poignant. When I was in my 20's, my very best friend and roommate was diagnosed with breast cancer. She and I had been disney fans for a while, and went to the parks whenever we could.

When she was diagnosed, and pretty much told that she should have a double mastectomy as she had breast cancer in her family, she knew she had a difficult decision to make. Where did we go to make that decision? Disney World. We had already booked the trip months before and figured, why not take ourselves away from the doctors, surgeries, second opinions, discussions about chemo, and everything else for a week--just to clear her head and make those decisions in a comfortable, joyful surrounding?

The moment I remember most clearly was watching Wishes with her, wondering if this would be the last time she ever got to watch the show. If this would be the last time she'd be able to be in Disney World. It was a horrible, painful thought, but I also knew that we'd get the most out of that trip we possibly could, learn to live in the moment and enjoy it for all it was.

As it turns out--she did have the double mastectomy and 4 months of very radical chemo. She's still alive today, thank God, and has gone to Disney World many times since. muchlove

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Wow, I am incredibly moved by your stories. It's becoming obvious that WDW is a sanctuary for many, a safe place to go when RL becomes too much to take. Thank God it's there, huh?

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Seems to be the case, right? But people have always identified their vacation destinations as "healing" in the past. Then again, Disney, with its ability to bring us all back to things we remember from our childhoods (because at this point, everyone alive has a Disney memory close to childhood), is uniquely able to pull on heartstrings and, I guess, give hope of a better time.

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It's also so "sanitized" that it's really easy to have positive associations.

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ZapperZ wrote:
Ino where else that I'd rather be than right there.
Zz.


That's actually the feeling I get the first time I ride Space Mountain each trip. Just a rush of exuberance that I'm at one of my favorite places in the world.

Thanks for sharing all of your moments, everyone! I'll have to think long and hard about mine. Too many to narrow down. mickey

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I wrote about another of my most memorable moment at WDW elsewhere. It was during Epcot's 25 Anniversary celebration, which in itself was an amazing feat considering that Disney originally was not going to observe it at all! It shocked the fans so much that a group of Disney fans started forming Celebration 25 to organize our own private celebration. Luckily, Disney had a change of mind (and a change of management at the Epcot's vice president position), and they hurriedly put together a celebration to mark the occasion.

You can read about that day here.

As far as a whole day goes, this was THE most memorable day that I've ever had at WDW. Never was the spirit of Disney and my love for it ever been any stronger than during that day into night. Again, rain was playing its role as in my first account of it on here. But no one was complaining, and most of us wished the day would never end.

Zz.

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ZapperZ wrote:
I wrote about another of my most memorable moment at WDW elsewhere. It was during Epcot's 25 Anniversary celebration, which in itself was an amazing feat considering that Disney originally was not going to observe it at all! It shocked the fans so much that a group of Disney fans started forming Celebration 25 to organize our own private celebration. Luckily, Disney had a change of mind (and a change of management at the Epcot's vice president position), and they hurriedly put together a celebration to mark the occasion.

You can read about that day here.

As far as a whole day goes, this was THE most memorable day that I've ever had at WDW. Never was the spirit of Disney and my love for it ever been any stronger than during that day into night. Again, rain was playing its role as in my first account of it on here. But no one was complaining, and most of us wished the day would never end.

Zz.

Wow I didn't think about the fact that SSE was rehabbing on EPCOT's 25th. That seems ironic. I know some people think otherwise, but I certainly see the "Golf Ball" as the symbol of the park.

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ZapperZ wrote:
As far as a whole day goes, this was THE most memorable day that I've ever had at WDW. Never was the spirit of Disney and my love for it ever been any stronger than during that day into night. Again, rain was playing its role as in my first account of it on here. But no one was complaining, and most of us wished the day would never end.

Zz.

Zz--that's a great blog! I had no idea that was happening! I would have LOVED to see that Epcot history exhibit. I've always had a really special place in my heart for Epcot.

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Thanks very much. Glad you liked it.

The Celebration 25 event actually started the day before the anniversary day. It was filled with a historical walk of various present and past Epcot attractions, and it was also when Mr. Jim McPhee made his first surprise appearences. You can, of course, read about it here.

It was a memorable event that I still cherish to this day. Whenever I look at all the pictures that I took back then, it still brings a smile to my face and also a sadness that I may never experience that moment ever again. It was one of those things where things came together just right. I'm sure when MK turns 50, there will be a huge celebration, but with Epcot's 25th, it felt like it was truly a fan event since we practically rescued the ceremony from oblivion.

BTW, the video that I talked about in my blog [url= ]can be seen here[/url].

Zz.

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ZapperZ wrote:
I'm sure when MK turns 50, there will be a huge celebration, but with Epcot's 25th, it felt like it was truly a fan event since we practically rescued the ceremony from oblivion.

Zz.

So true. And thanks for the links again.

Re: your blog--I had no idea about that balloon over Cinderella Castle. I wish I'd seen it, but will also settle for riding it at DTD if it IS part of the new attraction.

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SpaceAce wrote:

So true. And thanks for the links again.

Re: your blog--I had no idea about that balloon over Cinderella Castle. I wish I'd seen it, but will also settle for riding it at DTD if it IS part of the new attraction.

I think by the time I get to WDW next in June, that hot air balloon ride in DTD would have started. I'll have to decide if I want to do that or the parasailing.

Zz.

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Has a cost been assigned to the hot air balloon ride? That would be a big factor for me.

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My best 'moment' comes from a series of trips made with my family 25 years ago or longer.

In the 70's, I went to WDW numerous times but never with my parents or grandmother. In 1981, I was recently divorced and I guess they were worried about my state of mind and asked me if I'd like to go with them. (Actually, I was doing quite well but who's going to say 'No' to THAT offer?)

We took our first trip as a group in 1981. It was my parents and my grandmother, who at that time was in her late 70's. We stayed at the Poly, and this was the first of several trips we made in the 80's as a group. Back then, there were decent sized bars in both the Contemporary and Poly, and I spent many an evening listening to the entertainers in there. Anybody remember Dan Riley in Captain Cooks?

I remember one afternoon having lunch out by the lagoon at the Poly and my grandmother holding a sandwich. She was holding it in the air, looking the other way, and a seagull swooped down and grabbed it. She got such a kick out of that.

These trips started the 'family love' of WDW, and even though my grandmother and mother are gone, we're still enjoying it to this day. That has been one of the great things about DVC. I've been able to take my dad regularly since we joined.

An interesting tid-bit. My dad isn't big on change. He has always liked the Poly, just like me. When I first bought into DVC, and we were going, he just wasn't sure about this new resort thing. I remember on the way down there him commenting, "I sure like the Polynesian".

Now he's a die-hard DVC fan! Whichever resort! (I guess 13 years of free trips has converted him!) laugh

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Yeah, I love the Poly too, but I'd rather go more often and just visit the Poly. I've actually never stayed there, but I eat there all the time. I'd love to try it sometime.

Did you guys buy like a "Family DVC pool?"

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cdub wrote:
Yeah, I love the Poly too, but I'd rather go more often and just visit the Poly. I've actually never stayed there, but I eat there all the time. I'd love to try it sometime.

Did you guys buy like a "Family DVC pool?"


I haven't stayed there for a while, but I'm plotting on maybe a couple of days there this fall. Hope so, anyway.

No, my wife and I are it. We just take my dad along for the ride.

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Hi,

This is a hard question for me to answer because I don't think any one moment stands out.

My most enjoyable trips have come during MouseFest. I have never been married and am currently unattached. Both of my parents are gone, and of my immediate family only my brother and sister are still alive. I have been to Walt Disney World eight times and to Disneyland once.

My mother and I flew out to San Francisco to visit her brother and sister in law, my uncle and aunt, on February 27, 1998. Driving us to his home in Fairfield from the airport, Uncle Frank said he wanted to take us to Anaheim for my (35th) birthday (even though he knew it to be five and a half months away). I was shocked and excited, even though I wasn't much of a Disney fan then. It was to be me, my mom, Uncle Frank, Aunt Sharon, and my cousins Brandon and Stephanie, who we called Sissy.

In the early morning of March 1, 1998, we set out in Uncle Frank's SUV. The trip to Anaheim and Disneyland, the original park and the only one in which Walt Disney himself actually set foot, took seven and a half hours straight down I-5, with stops to eat at seemingly every Denny's enroute. Looking back, I could have probably imagined being interviewed by a reporter, being asked: "Jim, you have just been diagnosed with an ingrown toenail. What are you going to do now?" and answering: "I'm going to Disneyland!" It wasn't quite like that, of course, but I really had a badly infected ingrown toenail, red, brown, puffy and ugly-looking. It hurt so bad at times that when I put my shoe on over that foot, I saw stars (but not long enough to identify them).

In the late afternoon of March 1, 1998, we arrived in Anaheim, CA, in the middle of Orange County (the country's largest county in terms of land area), home of the Angels, Disneyland, and telephone area code 714. Checking us into the Desert Inn and Suites which is across Harbor Boulevard from the Park That Walt Built, Uncle Frank led us to that park and stopped at City Hall to buy us all two-day passes.

Eleven-year-old memories get hazy right about now. The only time I rode the Matterhorn Bobsleds, I held onto the front of the sled instead of to the metal grab bars inside, and thought that my shoulders would be dislocated. I rode the Mad Hatter's Tea Party while my mom, in a wheelchair (she was 72 and could not walk very well) and on her only trip to a Disney park, happily watched me have a ball. Riding Tomorrowland Autopia whenever Brandon asked me if I had a "need for slow speed". By the seventh ride on Autopia that day, I wanted to kick his fifteen-year-old behind back to Fairfield. But it was all good. In 1982, on my first trip to WDW with my high school senior class, I was still under medical restrictions from August, 1980, retinal detachment surgery, so could not ride the Mountains. Well, on this trip sixteen years later with family, I rode them all, including Space Mountain twice. After my first ride on Space, Stephanie (aka Sissy) met me at the bottom of the exit ramp.

"Where've you been?"
"Just rode Space Mountain".
"Aww, I wanted to go on it".
"Let's go".

She and I went up the entrance ramp and rode the coaster while her chicken silly brother played in the arcade.

Big Thunder Mountain at night. Riding the Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom ride with Uncle Frank, Brandon and Sissy, similar to Animal Kingdom's Dinosaur but cooler.

Oh yes! Almost forgot. Daytime highs were about 80�ðF (26.7�ðC).

Jim

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LeCellierBuff1963 wrote:
Hi,
It wasn't quite like
that, of course, but I really had a badly infected ingrown toenail,
red, brown, puffy and ugly-looking. It hurt so bad at times that when
I put my shoe on over that foot, I saw stars (but not long enough to
identify them).

Disney can be quite unpleasant with hurting feet. For about the first 3 or 4 times I went I had problems with horrible blisters. I eventually made it a point to "prep" for those trips with moleskins and comfy shoes.

LeCellierBuff1963 wrote:
Hi,
Riding Tomorrowland Autopia whenever Brandon asked me if I had a
"need for slow speed".

rolling