A Princess at Any Age

Barbara, 64, Honey Brook, PA

 

In November 2008, my husband and I celebrated our third anniversary vacation at Walt Disney World.

One evening we had a late dinner at the Coral Reef, and it was a special and festive evening. When we left the restaurant the Park was virtually empty, but one of the waitstaff directed us toward the exit. As we neared the area for the buses back to our hotel three Cast Members asked if they could assist us and gave us further directions. I, being a playful person, did a little curtsy and thanked them for their kindness. One woman in this trio said, "Princesses come in all ages" and took from her pocket a LARGE "ruby" ring and slipped it on my hand. She told me to enjoy my stay and to always stay a princess at heart.

I still have the "RUBY RING" and it is one of my fondest memories of my many trips to Walt Disney World!

Magical Memories

Karen, 43, Chesterfield, VA

It was mid-December 1998. I was vacationing at Walt Disney World with my wonderful husband, our two beautiful children and my 2 devoted parents. It was the season to rejoice and that's just what we were doing as we watched the Disney Christmas Parade.

It was such a joyous time! Two days after returning home to Virginia, my father unexpectedly passed away. The last picture we took of him was with my daughter wearing the sombreros in the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot. He had that grandpa joy about him as he watched Dumbo fly his grandchildren round and round. He took great pleasure in biting the ear off a Mickey Mouse ice cream! He was living a part of his childhood that he had missed, having grown up during the Great Depression. He truly had the time of his life. I thank Disney for making the last days of my father's life so magical and memorable for him, and for my family. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Kudos to Walt, you've done it well.

Family Dreams

Liz, 38, Petersburg, IL

 

When my husband and I celebrated our honeymoon at Disney World, I don't think we had any idea how much happiness Disney would bring us through the years. We have watched the kids grow up in our many trips to Disney. From the first Dumbo ride until our youngest was tall enough for Rockin Roller Coaster, each moment has been special!

This summer, we had a dream trip. On our first day at Epcot, my son wished for a Dream Fastpass. An hour later, each of us was presented with a Dream Fastpass -- it was our lucky day! On our last day, we wanted to open the Magic Kingdom and make a full day of it. We got our wish by being chosen the first family and throwing out the confetti to open the Magic Kingdom with Mickey and the gang. I will never forget my children's faces as the train we were riding with all of the Characters rounded the bend to the thousands of people waiting to enter the Magic Kingdom.

Disney has made many of our dreams come true in the last 15 years ... I can't wait to see what else can happen in our future visits! The kids are counting the days until we come back!

Special Epcot Moment in the Rain

Monica, 29, Topeka, KS

 

My husband and I celebrated our honeymoon in Walt Disney World. It was his first big vacation ever as well as his first Disney trip. We both fell in love with IllumiNations at Epcot, our favorite park by far.

On our last night, we decided to catch IllumiNations one more time. It threatened to rain all day and that night it poured. Luckily I packed windbreakers and ponchos. We huddled under a tree and waited for the show to start in the pouring rain. Sitting there in the rain and enjoying our last evening together was very romantic ... and the most spectacular vacation moment ever!

Magical Proposal during IllumiNations

Who knew work and a first visit to Disney could be one of the most magical times in one's life? I had no idea what was about to happen, but my now husband Tim had every idea.

As the Happiest Place on Earth is also in Orlando, I decided to spend some of my vacation time with my boyfriend Tim, who had never been to Disney World. I was excited to let him see why I loved Disney so much. Excitement got the best of us and we planned a week's vacation for the fall, our favorite time of year.

We were able to spend the entire week enjoying all of the parks, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween, and Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival. It was a full week of walking, laughter, and pure enjoyment. By the last day, we were anxious to kick up our feet and relax.

To my amazement, Tim wasn't so relaxed. After spending the day in Future World, we had worked our way over to the World Showcase to see some of the sights and have dinner in Japan. However, Tim decided that he wanted to go back to Future World and buy some wine from the shop there. I dragged my feet a bit, but then gave in. A debate soon followed (white vs. red, screw cap vs. cork, etc.) before agreeing on red wine with a screw cap. He bought two bottles and we headed back to the World Showcase to watch fireworks before dinner.

Tim then wanted to stop in Germany (he's part German and has a love for the country) to buy wine glasses. Though I put up a good fight (in a bratty kind of way!) about how we didn't need them, he insisted on buying two glasses that he really liked. I gave in, noting that he had to carry all the bags since I didn't understand his last-minute purchases.

After Germany, Tim and I rushed over to Japan to find seats before the fireworks began. The unplanned stops prevented us from finding a great spot, so Tim insisted we sit near the koi pond. I thought it was too far away, but he said the rocks provided enough elevation to see everything. I sat down hoping I'd still be able to see the show's water display.

Tim proceeded to unwrap the new glasses and open a bottle of wine. I thought he was acting crazy! After all, it was the International Food & Wine Festival and if he wanted a glass of wine that badly, he could have walked to the kiosk a few feet away. But he insisted that the wine we bought was perfect for watching fireworks. He poured me a glass but I refused. The brattiness continued ...

After several attempts to have me join in his toast, I finally agreed. The wine was fantastic, as were the fireworks and company. I have to admit I couldn't be a brat any longer and apologized for my mood. We enjoyed the moment, relaxing and loving our surroundings. As I heard clinking in my glass, little did I know that a life-changing moment was right around the corner.

Nearing the end of my drink I saw a shimmer of light and froze. Tim looked at me and I at him. He simply said, "What's that? May I see it? I have something I would like to ask you." I immediately started crying and smiling, while Tim took my beautiful Tiffany engagement ring and got down on one knee. During his proposal, the fireworks went off and all the magic in the world surrounded us. Of course I said yes and we savored our moment together as the show ended.

With all of the emotion, I was unable to eat at the restaurant and asked Tim if we could just cancel the reservations. There were so many phone calls to make! We proceeded to walk through the park, where I was telling anyone and everyone that we just got engaged! I was still crying and people were congratulating us with every step.

As we neared Germany, Tim said that we should just sit down, eat, and make phone calls. So we went to the German food kiosk, where the fantastic Disney staff congratulated us and provided complimentary food and drinks for our celebratory moment. They too were telling everyone in the facility our great news and it felt like we were surrounded by close friends.

I have always loved Disney World for all it's worth. But that one magical night, held in the most magical place on earth, changed my life forever. I married my best friend the following year on September 29, 2007, and we honored that special moment with Disney mementos throughout the wedding. For those who didn't notice the subtle details (think hidden Mickeys!), we wore it on our sleeves. Well, more like our heads!

And now? We're living happily ever after, remembering our vacation together!