[shawnp0001]

The reason I've fallen in love with WDW is not the rides (there are better ride parks like Cedar Point), it has more to do with the atmosphere and the customer service I receive. For you Disney veterans, what is one memorable customer service experience that left you walking away saying "Only at WDW would I be treated like this".

Mine: Five years ago, I spent about 400 dollars at Epcot on a German Cuckoo Clock. I quickly filled out the delivery card and filled it out for the wrong hotel room! (I had hotel-hopped on this trip). Back then I believe you could use room delivery service as long as you were still registered for the hotel the entire next day. I picked up my package (I had ordered several things from Epcot), and didn't carefully examine all the items. On the final day, I was packing and only then noticed I did not have the clock and had to leave for the airport in two hours. After talking to a CM, showing them a receipt and telling them I had signed for the package without examining the contents, they had me go to Epcot and pick out the clock I ordered and they shipped it to my house....all of this before verifying where the location of the original was. I thought for sure, I had just thrown away $400, but Disney responded so quickly that I was floored. While I certainly learned my lesson, the CM went further out of the way to assist me than I had ever experienced before...now that Customer Service!

[wdwjeff]

Excellent topic, Shawn. Here's my favorite story. In January '98, DW, myself, and 2DD, ages 2 and 5, were at WDW. One day, we showed up at Epcot early. They let everyone in and most people ran to the ropes to get onto rides, etc. We were walking slowly, pushing the stroller. We happenned to be the only people that saw Goofy, Mickey, Minnie and Tigger come out of a door. We literally had all 4 of them to ourselves for about 5-6 minutes before some others realized they were out. The pictures and memories of this are the stuff of commercials. Now that's what I call "Disney Magic":) :) :p :p

[jgriff2388]

Disney magic is just that, magic. You feel right at home and the CM's (most of them) treat you like family (I doubt I could be that nice all the time). Yes Disney can be expensive, but I feel you get your dollars worth, or we wouldn't keep going back.

I have one off the wall moment, it's not exactly magical, but definitely Disney. We were staying at the Poly on our honeymoon (many moons ago) when the toilet over flowed. We called housekeeping and of course they sent someone to clean up the water and bring more towels. Well my husband and I went out and when we came back of course they had cleaned the bathroom. But they also left a note card apologizing for inconvenience, and they also gave us a ceramic Donald Duck. I still have the card and the ceramic character after all these years.:)

[Goofette]

I'm not sure what it is that makes it so Magical, but WDW has it. It's hard to describe to someone who has never been how wonderful and "magical" it is!!! My sister is wanting to go but they want to stay offsite to save money. I've tried telling her what it is like to stay On Site. I know I won't stay offsite ever again. I think part of the "Magical" experience takes place not only at the parks but also at the resort you choose. Staying onsite just can't be beat. The only downside to it is it's Soooooo hard to leave. I have Post Disney Depression so bad :( It's hard to believe just a week ago I was swimming in the pool at AKL (yep, that's the night owl in me). But at least for a week I was able to leave reality behind and Live "In" the Magic.

And I agree, The CM's are just Terrific!!! :) :) :)

[tinkerbell]

for me ..the magic of disney began when I was just a little girl and the original Mickey Mouse Club was on tv ( ok yep you all already know I am old ) I wanted a pair of those ears ..and I loved Annette Funicello sooo very much. we were poor growing up and even though I lived in southern california for a few years (my father was in the navy) I never got to go to Disneyland till I was 40 years old and already had been to WDW several times. Disney for years was Sunday night .. The Wonderful World of Disney which came on before Bonanza :) I loved Haley Mills and Annette as I grew up, the movies like Summer Magic, Babes in Toyland and Monkey's Uncle nothing ever makes me feel as good as a Disney movie. No matter how many times I watch Polly Anna ( the original with Haley) I still cry when they carry her out to the train. When I became a grandmother I watched both my granddaughters fall as much in love with Disney as I have always been ..and when my younest granddaughter, Barbie saw Annette on one of the old MMC shows on the disney Channel she became an Annette fan too....

Now ..to get to my most magical disney moment ..the one that tied it all up for me was in '92 .. Annette was at WDW!!!!! She was there to promote her line of Teddy Bears .. to me this was something I couldnt miss no matter what .. I bought the Sweater Bear .. and stood in line waiting for her and to get my bear autographed. other then my marriage, the birth of my children / grandchildren has there ever been a more important moment in my life .. I actually talked to her !!!!! She told me I had bought her favorite bear (which I already knew the reason for the Sweater Bear I was star struck and I know I babbled.. I walked on clouds that whole day ..but there was something DH and I noticed ..that when Annette had come out to the waiting mass of fans, she seemed to ill, she was shakey... 1 week after we were home the news was on tv that she had M.S. I just sat and cried.
when I made my trip to Disneyland a few years ago with friends from online (the grandkids didnt mind this because they know there is a huge difference between World and Land) and I saw Walts office on display .. I stood crying ..I was crying for all the things this wonderful amazing man has given me and the world and I was crying because he was gone toooo soon. My dear sweet friends who mostly just smile at my Disney obession were so understanding and didnt make fun of these emotions.

To me Walt Disney didnt just create movies/ animation and theme parks .. he created things that families can come together and enjoy forever.. when you watch Lady and the Tramp with your grandchildren and they get the same joy out of it as you did or your child did .. you realize what he gave us.
I could go on for hours and hours and even days about the Magic but I wont :D

[BDavis932]

This is an old thread that I stumbled across, but it is such a great topic! I thought we might reopen it and share some more of the magic.

I'll start:

I couldn't imagine my life without my hubby, my kids, my family, my career, or Disney. Disney is not just a hobby of mine, it is more than an obsession. It is in my heart and blood!!

My magical memories started when I was young. At the age of 2 I had a Minnie Mouse birthday cake. Around 3 and 4 I remember watching the mickey mouse club every afternoon at 3:00 and the Wonderful world of Disney on Sunday nights. I also remember my parents taking me to DisneyLand when I was 5. When I was 13, I was so lucky when a friend of mine, invited me to Disney World with her and her family. That trip truly changed my life.

I guess MY Disney "magic", that indescribable feeling I get when I'm at Walt Disney World, comes from all of my life's experiences. The joy in my heart watching our kids experiencing all that magic makes me get goosebumps just thinking about it!! That is why we keep going back!!

The level of customer service is exquisite! And the parks are impeccable. (Try to find either at a Six Flags, ha!) but the care and concern I have actually received from every cast member, whether at the Parks or in the resorts was immeasurable.

When our son got sick (stomach thing, we suspected something he ate) while at WDW in December of 2000, Disney actually extended our tickets by one day!!! They gave us a free day in the parks! We didn't expect it, we didn't ask for it, but they went above and beyond to impress us, and that in turn makes us love disney even more!!

We've had many new members join in. We've also had many of you recently return from WDW, so if you have a magical story, please share!

[mattomouseman]

WOW Tinkerbell you said it all! I have so many memories of waiting for Sunday night to watch the Wonderful World of DIsney or The Wonderful World of Color, everytime we walk through the gates into the MK that song bounces around in my head! Walt Disney just had his finger on the pulse of America and what he knew the importance of family and sharing. These are things that today, have fallen by the wayside!

I grew up here in NY (Actually two blocks from where I now live, YEAH I got far LOL) and things were tough for us growing up family difficulties and such. We watched WWoD every Sunday night and I longed to go to Calif. and experience DL first hand. When I was 12 my mother took my sister and I to DL and the feeling of walking into that wonderful place for the first time is indescribable! Seeing the castle and the Matterhorn looming in fornt of you was just unbelievable. But the Disney magic is more then the clean parks, it is more then the rides, it is more then the excellent service, it is the way the people, no matter who they are, make you feel at home and like we are all family! It is the little things that they do. The attention to our children and us. The smiles and the way they can go out of their way to make us comfortable and to insure that we get what we came for: Peace, relaxation and some truely quality time with our loved ones.:)

[MickeyMac]

Disney for years was Sunday night ..

This was it for me. We'd be all shiny-scrubbed, and Mom would let us stay up an hour late to watch the Wonderful World of Disney. We didn't have a lot of money, and my parents weren't getting along at all. I'd sit in my rocking chair in my favorite nightgown and a warm blanket wrapped around me and loose myself for an hour. I'd run with Old Yeller, climb trees with Haley Mills, twirl at Cinderella's ball. I loved the little place in my mind that Tinkbell lived. It was my own private place.

So, no surprise when I hit the teen years and flat out rebeled. Hated Disney, and all it represented. Hit college, and in every single communications course I remember, the teacher would find someway to put down Disney. How it's not creative, sucks kids in and warps their minds, how it's a disservice to women everywhere... etc. I hated the Corporate Greed Machine. I am woman, hear me roar... In hindsight, I realized the instructors who said Disney fans were brainwashed, were doing brainwasing of their own kind.

Flash to marriage, children... I tried to abhor the Disney gifts the kids got - I actually thought Baby Mickey looked stupid - but some would slip by and catch me when I wasn't looking, like the baby Bambi my daughter got when she was born. Just too cute.

So, hubby asks (demands) that we go to WDW for one day when we are visiting his Mom (actually, it was her idea). We head up to Orlando, and I swear, my heart was pounding. I was making all kinds of sarcastic side comments about this or that, pulling up to the Magic Kingdom on the All Star bus. Get out, get the tickets, I'm still feeling cynical as we head under the train station. I'm still not into this trip at all...

We walk out onto main street and I look up. I still get goosebumps to this day, thinking of the Castle looming up on the hill - that beautiful, gleaming, "everything is magical" castle, in real life. For years as a child, it meant escape, it meant imagination, it meant safety...yet there she was, right in front of me, standing delicate and proud and just so right.

I started crying, and wondered what took me so long to come home.

[quartz7]

Oh I just have goosebumps reading all of these.
Our magical moment happened in DL a couple of years back. This was our daughters first trip anywhere. She was 5. We told the CM at the desk that this was the first time to disney, they gave here balloons and said welcome. We thought that was nice, but that was just a start. We went into the park and she went nuts. Her smile was so big and contagious, that my DH and I couldn't help but tear up. We went on a few rides. It was a long day, we were up since 4:30 a.m. We went back to the DL hotel and when we walked in there was a huge plate of Mickey Mouse Cookies and 4 glasses of Cold milk. There was a card that said " I'm glad you came to my house." She kept saying, Mickey came to my room. She told everyone!!!! That's the extra Disney Magic!!

Janelle

[DisneyTeacher]

Thanks a lot--You guys just made me cry!! Now I have to go teach with tears running down my face.

My magic moment was in 93 on our honeymoon my DH and I were in Sir Mickey's looking around. We notice a WDW animal control lady trying to capture in a net a little bird that had been unable to get out all day. I watched this for a few minutes then pointed it out to my DH. I said something like 'ohhh.....that poor little bird, he looks so tired, please help him.' My DH reached up and caught the little guy in his hand and took it outside and let him go. After that we finished looking around and we were on our way out when the young CM working that day ran up to my DH and presented him with a little porcelain Dumbo and a very nice note on the box about saving the little bird in Sir Mickey's. The box has since been lost in a basement flood but we still talk about that monent when we see the little Dumbo that now watches over out DS as he sleeps.

[Minnie Mommie]

We are hooked on Disney!! It is so clean there and the staff is so friendly!! The most magical moment is just looking at your childrens' faces and all the excitement in their eyes as you enter the MK! When I hear the music playing on Main Street and I see their little faces light up, I just have to well up all over again!!:heart :D

[disneymom]

I have a great magical story from Disney World in March, 2001. Our first day at the park at Magic Kingdom ended up being a really cold day. We were prepared with two big stadium blankets that we would use between rides. We stopped for dinner and put the blankets inside of the stroller. When we came out of the restaurant, the blankets were gone. We assume somebody decided to use the blankets for the rest of the night. We went to lost and found twice that day and did not find our blankets.

The next day, we were at AK and decided that we needed to buy some blankets. Somehow my husband told the story how ours were lost and Disney would not let us pay for the blankets. These blankets cost $40 each!

The story gets better. When we got home, we decided to call lost and found as we were advised to do. Can you believe that they had our blankets? They shipped them back to us at no charge and then they would not let us pay for the blankets we got at AK.

Isn't Disney Magical????
:)

[wdwjeff]

Disneymom,
What a great story! I can only hope that, with all the changes since 9/11/01, WDW would still treat someone the same way today. The optimist in me says absolutely, the realist isn't so sure, the pessimist says things are just too different now(sorry, I majored in philosophy in college).:heart :)

[ilvminnie]

I agree that feeling removed from the real world, the customer service, cleanliness etc are all a huge part of the magic (you just don't see good service in today's world any more) but I also agree it goes much deeper than that. It's walking through the parks with your DH & recalling the childhood memories of the Mickey Mouse Club, Wonderful World of Disney, etc. And then sharing those memories with our DD who hasn't had those same experiences but still thinks Disney is magical. It's remembering growing up in a family that always seemed to be just on the edge financially & watching those shows where Walt showed us around DL on the Wonderful World of Disney & dreaming about being able to go sometime but realizing it probably never would happen but wanting it so bad it hurt. And realizing now how truly blessed we are to be able to take the trips we do now with my Prince Charming, staying at deluxe resorts & belonging to DVC. It really has been my dream come true!

[quartz7]

Beautifully said ilvminnie. *sniff, sniff*. When stories can make you cry, there must be pixie dust in the air.

Janelle