What's your most memorable experience at Disney?

When I was on the Disney College Program I got to meet Bob Iger. He came into our store since it was fairly new to see how everything was running. I was in the back printing t-shirts and he wanted to see how the printing actually happens, so he came back there and I nearly had a heart attack! I knew he was coming to the store, but I didn't think he would come back there.

He asked me if I would be joining the company after my college program was up, and I told him I was still on the fence about it...I wasn't sure if I wanted to go back and finish up my degree first, then come back. He told me I should go finish up my degree and come back. That way I could get a better job.

needless to say...coolest moment of my life. He's also the biggest celebrity I've ever met.

Several years ago I made a last minute ADR at Cali Grill - I got very lucky; I guess there was a cancelation. I mentioned off hand that it was a special occasion and wanted it to be extra special. When we got there, we waited to be seated and coveted an empty window table.

When we were greeted and taken to our table, Kim said " wouldn't it be so cool. .." and before she could finish, we were seated at that windo table with a perfect view of MK. THEN the chef came out and asked if there was something he could do to make our meal "extra special". He made us a special sugar free dessert with chocolate cake, berries, and whipped cream and served it just as the lights dimmed for Wishes.

Everything else since then pales in comparison.

Ollie, thats what it's all about! The unexpected special moments.

Oh my gosh, how amazing to be that close to Walt himself! When I was a small child (under 5) I had a vivid re-occuring dream that I had met him, but my mother always told me that I hadn't and I was wrong. I still think it may have been a past life memory, too bad my mother quashed that. At least I kept my love for all things Disney!

My most memorable Disney moment was in 1989. I had just graduated from Navy boot camp and was on a weekend pass. We went to Hollywood Studios, I was in my summer whites and having a wonderful time. We saw Mickey walking around, he saw me, got down on one knee and "proposed" to me. It was so fun! Then Minnie Mouse came out and did this who "angry" thing and shook her finger at him. It was absolutely wonderful.

Mine isn't as big as Bob Iger or Walt himself.... but this has been sticking in my memory bank for the past couple years:

My daughters first Mickey Bar

Edit: Called Walt... Walk.... heh... stupid auto correct... lol

Now don't think I'm crazy BUT, you probably DID meet him!!! May have been a past life memory or he may have come to visit you in your dreams. From what I understand and from my personal experiences, children are very sensitive to spirits and so are animals. As we become adults, you lose the sensitivity, but some of us do not. I debated about putting this out there in my "get to meet you" member profile, for the things people don't know about you section. I opted against it because some people believe me when I say this stuff and some are super skeptical, never know which way it will be so I choose not to say much most of the time. I have never "seen" Walt. But I have hopes that someday I will! I do "see" and talk very briefly with my dad, who has been gone for 2 years now. I have always felt a strong connection and love for all things Disney as well!!!! I never blog, but have felt compelled to do so on this site! Like I was drawn here for some reason. There are no coincidences in life......everything happens for a reason.

On our 56th trip to Disney, which was our last together before Jan passed, Disney gave us a complementory gift for a front row table at the dinner show at Hoop-Dee-Doo Review.
Joe

I love your stories Joe. Its hard not to shed a tear. Just love it man...

Powerful are those memories of the heart.

For my mom's 30th B-Day my dad took us on a trip to Disney, Instead of the PO FQ we usually stay at he booked us a suite at Contemporary. After the flight we got on the bus, and my dad called to make sure the room was ready but it wasn't. So we got on the bus and headed to PO FQ. My dad went inside and told them the whole story, and they said they would play along with it. So my dad came outside and told my mom that we didnt have any reservations here! You should have seen her face! Went from to she went inside and was asking why we had no reservation! Both her and my dad are from Germany so when my mom is mad she starts speaking half in english and half in German at incredible speeds! She kept repeating Ich kann nicht glauben sie nicht uber unsere Reservierung! (I cant believe you dont have our reservation!) After a minute and letting them talk they finally told her that she has a reservation somewhere else! And then with a confused look she looked at my dad who was laughing and then the people at the hotel smiled and said you should ask your husband where your staying this trip... He then told her about the suite at the contemporary! She laughed and apologized a million times to the hotel staff.

Disney loves people getting surprises, and they love to help if magic can be made. I think at another hotel they would have cracked. To this day we love telling this story, and it is definitely one of the most memorable Disney experiences I have!

Of course my adorable daughter eating her first mickey bar is a great one....But there's also the special story with my son...I've posted it in a thread here before and it's pretty lengthy with photos so i'll just post the link to it here...
http://www.wdwforgrownups.com/forum/tom-sawyer-island-paintbrushes

That's the Magic of Disney!

What a great gamut of memories! I think mine are mostly of "firsts" - first time I went to Magic Kingdom, first time I went to Epcot. My senior trip was to Disney, too, and that "haunts" me when I'm in the parks. I think of the places that I was, the people I was with, and it's like I'm going to run into my 18 year old self.

I've had so many wonderful experiences and most of them are as an adult with no children, but the first time I took my niece and nephew stands out as one of the best. I asked my brother to let me go into the MK first so I could see my 5 year old niece's face when she stepped onto Main St. for the very first time. Her eyes just lit up and she couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was so sweet! Of course, stepping out onto my balcony at the Contemporary last year to see my MK view for the first time, I'm betting my face looked just like my niece's!

These are such amazing stories! I hope more people post, these are truly magical moments.

My most magical memory is our first meal at the California Grill. We were traveling with our friends, Tom & Del. It was their first trip to Disney in 30 years. It was also our first Disney meal of the trip.

What a magical meal it turned out to be. Once we checked in we were told to wait by the elevator. We must have had one of the first reservations of the evening as the four of us and the CM that greeted us were the only ones on the elevator. Since we had never been there we had no idea what to expect. Well, the door opened and we stepped out to a line of waitstaff standing almost at attention. We were introduced to our server and immediately taken to our table. Our table for that evening just happened to be a window table. The last window table on the right hand side as you walk in. We were all thrilled with the table.

Our waitress then explained the menu to us. At that time, on the deluxe dinning plan you got a starter, a salad, your entree and dessert. She also told us we could order two starters to share then order two more so that we could really take our time and be there when the fireworks started. She made us feel really comfortable in spending as much time as we wanted to on our meal.

Shortly after our drinks and starters arrived someone announced "ladies I gentlemen in just a minute we will raise the shades and you will get to see the sun set. It was a beautiful evening and the sun set was amazing. What a view point from up there. Shortly after that the Magic Kingdom lit up. Seeing it from up above like that for the first time was truely MAGICAL.

Needless to say, the food was all incredible. Every course was perfect. Even though we were paying no attention to the time, we ended up with perfect timing. Dessert was served just as the fireworks started.

It honestly was the most perfect start to a great vacation.

All these stories about the Cali grill are really making me want to try it.....maybe when me and hubby are there for our anniversary trip.

Well & Happy Anniversary. This year will be our 33 Anniversary too, but not till Sept.

me too, all teary here xx

My favourite memory was created for me by my rather lovely hubby.

Sorry for those who have read before (Im sure I must have posted about it sometime or other!)

We were going to DLRP for New year's, we had only been together since the beginning of September and this was to be our first holiday/vacation together. On New Years Eve we got to the hub nice and early for a good spot to watch the fireworks. The countdown started and then at the stroke of midnight he got down on one knee right in front of me (which was very hard to do in the amount of people that were there!!) and asked me to marry him When the fireworks ended everyone around us were cheering, kissing us, asking to see the ring... and most of them weren't English so it was done by sign language LOL. That was the first time my hubby has made me feel like a princess, and he's been doing it ever since

Nothing Disney can do will ever top that

My worst Disney memory was when a CM stopped us because of our headdress. It was the Year of a Million Dreams. He told us that if he would have seen us 5minutes, that he would have selected us to spend the night in the room in the castle. Boo hoo.
My favorite was on my first trip to WDW. I was age 50 and had never been to Disney. It was the 25thanniversary of Disney. I loved everything and I am still hooked till this day.

Oh! Joe. I love the wonderful stories about you and Jan. Jan was lucky to have a wonderful person in her life. I a sure that you feel the same to have shared so many memories together. Bless you.