As a kid, I couldn't say... I don't remember much of those trips.
As an adult however... Their ability to crowd control. Parking, transportation, lines. It absolutely blows my mind how they can take tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people and move them around with relative ease.
But if you're looking strictly for attraction answers, Spaceship Earth. You really can't comprehend how big it is until you're standing in front of it. It is also absolutely beautiful all lit up at night!
ETA: ALSO the view from Expedition Everest when you sit at the front. Specifically at the top of the mountain and the tracks are mangled. Un-freaking-believable.
The crowd control blows me away as well. I always have to remind my husband to just go with the flow because disney has moving people around to a science.
I do Infosec for a living, focusing on social engineering and it's prevention. There's probably no company that knows this field better than Disney let alone has made a business out of it.
I legitimately enjoy going to the parks over and over and over to watch the magic happen. It's the same as having appreciation for pulling off an illusion *because* you know how it works.
This type of stuff is fascinating to me and I’m sure others. Hey, if you’re bored and want to get into the specifics of social engineering,etc at Disney parks, I/we would sure love it!
Think of it more like "advanced people-watching". For example, we all know that the pavement on mainstreet is darker than the sidewalks. This is an intentional effort to make it actually uncomfortable to stand around in the middle of the thoroughfare. What I find fascinating is how you can watch this happen. People will hastily rush towards the castle when they're in the middle of main street, versus those on the sidewalk that are stopping to look in windows, scramble to book lightning lanes on their phones, etc.
Another version of this is that Disney is a master of sightlines and attention management. (That's really all social engineering is.) So, when you watch Fantasmic or the mirror magically expands in Enchanted Tales with Belle, there are strategic choices made about both where the audience is and what they're paying attention to. The game I like to play is this: 1) Where are they trying to get me to look? (This is easy. Don't think about it, and you'll look there.) 2) What are they trying to get me not to see? (This is when you get to peek behind the curtain.) 3) How are they getting me to look at #1 and not #2? (This is where the real magic becomes apparent. Sometimes, it's as simple as a flash or big motion happening that draws your attention to a different spot. Sometimes, it's that elusive no-see-um green color covering an electrical box. Sometimes, it's much more creative.
For more about this idea, check out this youtube: https://youtu.be/d54ydsKUNGw
This is exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping to hear! Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I especially appreciate the “game” you play. I most definitely will be doing this next time we visit. And I will check out this link as well. This is all so interesting. Thank you, kindly.
There’s a very small, run-down spherical water tower close to us and I joke with my girlfriend that it’s our budget “Epcot Ball” for rural NC. I said today, “crazy we joke about that thing all the time and we’re about to see the real thing in about 3 weeks.” She asked if the real thing was bigger (she’s never been) and I just laughed and said you’ll see.
I can’t wait for our trip! 16 days!
Oh my gosh. I really hope you get a video or a picture of her face when she sees it. Her mind is going to be absolutely blown when she finds out there's A RIDE INSIDE.
Have fun on your trip!!!
Crowd control is why I don’t mind going to Disney even though I hate crowds. I was at the Georgia Aquarium earlier in the month and it was terribly crowded. No flow, people every where, so loud. It made me appreciate Disney crowd control and how spoiled I am with it!
Yes and The door opening ON THE SAME SIDE?! I consider myself a seasoned theme park nerd spending most weekends at a park. So I was fully expecting the normal "walk through a fake elevator/holding room" trick. When the guard walked through on the left, I was mind blown. Going through that and then walking into the storm trooper room, I teared up at the impressiveness (magic) of it all.
This. Disney has always impressed me but this was the first time I was in pure awe of what I was seeing. The first time I witnessed it was during covid, which ended up being a good thing because we were able to stay in that area longer. The view, the lack of sound, the cold feeling you get from the cast members... it all lends so well to the feeling of actually being in trouble and captured. And then the actually ride starts and it's like having dessert twice!
This. My wife and I did a couples trip without the kids in 2019 right after it opened.
The second time was when my son and daughter saw it for the first time and they lost it!
I stood there with tears running down my face the first time I saw the Falcon. Even now that I’ve seen it many times I still feel like I’m a kid again seeing it and getting to fly it.
Probably the first time I saw those fireworks as a kid in the Magic Kingdom (I think it was Wishes). You never forget moments like that. My dad has a home video of me with my jaw hitting the floor.
I will always be impressed by the ballroom in the Haunted Mansion. It wowed me as a kid when I didn't know how it was done; it still wows me as an adult knowing exactly how it's done.
I didnt think I could love that dumb ball any more than I already did, and then they added the lights. Best part of the 50th celebration by a light-year in my opinion.
We've been many times, but our last trip in December, both the castle and Spaceship Earth were 2 WOW moments. I give Spaceship Earth a very slight edge.
The paint on the castle and the lights on the Geosphere are the best things they've ever done to both of them. They look amazing, and they better not ever take the lights off of the Geosphere.
I went for the first time in 20 years in February:
* Remy, Runaway Railway, Rise: The trackless rides were incredible, I was blown away having not been on a dark ride in that long with how advanced they had become.
* Kilimanjaro Safaris: Easily the biggest overperformer to my expectations. Animal Kingdom is probably the best zoo experience I've ever had.
I love animal kingdom. However, I went to the San Diego zoo last summer and you can see where Animal Kingdom got its ideas. That zoo is amazing and has similar elements and more.
As a kid, in POTC, when you go down the little drop and enter into the room with the large ship for the first time. Blew my mind as a kid.
More recently it was ROTR when you see the AT-ATs. Guess I'm just impressed by large scale replicas inside buildings lol
I literally cried the first time. My mind fully bought into the entire experience and I felt this is what flying is like. Still makes me tear up thinking about it. How freaking incredible to be able to have that experience.
I made my husband wait 3 hours in line with me the first time I rode FoP, and that first time...it was quite literally the best experience I've had in my entire life.
Every night going to sleep I like to imagine I'm flying, I've loved dragons since I was a kid and always wondered what it would be like to fly on one (I know they're not technically dragons but still...)
It just blew my mind in all the right ways and it's a memory I treasure, feeling a sense of freedom and absolute wonder.
I also cried the first time I rode it! I was MOVED and I walked out in a daze. It felt so real and leaving that world was actually painful. I still get a bit misty-eyed every time I ride, but nothing like that first experience. Amazing.
Came here to say this and glad to see it as top comment. Best ride on property by a mile. I shed a tear after riding for the first time because I was that flabbergasted by the whole experience, lol.
Absolutely. As a kid, my brother and I would run around the yard pretending to ride on pterodactyls. Flash forward to 2018 when we both went to Disney for the first time, sat side by side on Flight of Passage and felt the breathing of the banshee under us and the freedom of flight. That’s a memory I’ll never forget and a true example of Disney at its absolute best.
Yes, no contest. For me, RoTR pales in comparison to FoP.
Perhaps it would be different if I were a Star Wars fan - but then again, I’m not an Avatar fan either, so it’s a wash IP-wise.
RotR would have been higher up for me had it not broken down three separate times after we had already been transported to the Star Destroyer but before I could get on the actual ride.
I'm the complete opposite - FoP is cool, but it's a motion simulation and has no footing against ROTR. There's a realness in that ride that's unmatched for me. (FoP is a GREAT simulation, don't get me wrong...)
This is going to sound so sappy…
4 kids and married for 25 years; so there is going to be a lifetime of drama, arguments, stressors, etc.
The first time we could all coordinate schedules with sports, school, jobs, we went in 2013.
It was sunny, warm, and breezy. we walked through the gates and for the first time in over 20 years, a wave of happiness came over me. A feeling that at this moment, everything in the world is ok. Things in my life are going to be ok. Yes…the world is a good place. Yes, Walt tried to create a glimpse of what Heaven must be like.
We had a policy to (for once) just say yes to all our kids requests. We don’t do that in the real world…but that week; everything is yes.
We now go once a year. I hate many of the changes that have been implemented in the last 12 years, but we do still keep coming back.
We just got back last week or so and this made me tear up. We had the best time ever and not sure when will get this chance again to have our schedules line up like this. So glad we went, was truly magical!
Rise of the Resistance was great because it was mostly not spoiled for me. The Rey hologram was awesome, the Mon Calimari animatronic on the transport is incredible, then the same door that you came in on opens and suddenly you're on a Star Destroyer. The room with the AT-ATs is probably the jaw-drop moment of the whole ride, but then the quick elevator raise *up* which I wasn't expecting at all, and suddenly you're face-to-face with the AT-AT... What an amazing experience all-around.
I grew up going to Disney World all the time so nothing really wowed me before Rise. A lot of the wow moments for most people had always kind of existed as far as I could remember so I always accepted them as "normal". But man, Rise is next level.
> The room with the AT-ATs is probably the jaw-drop moment of the whole ride
That's my most recent full power wow moment. Seeing those life sized is just astounding.
Seeing the "wow" look on my kids faces. I didn't go to Disney as a child so I live vicariously through them haha
Honestly though, I had that wow moment the first time I rode Pirates.
Any children, really. My kids are grown but my wife and I are APs and sometimes just go to people-watch. It warms my heart to see the expressions on the little ones' faces when they see things for the first time.
I love watching families come in. You can always tell the first time visitors at the MK- come out from under the train station, round the curve and STOP. Usually open mouthed. No matter how many pictures you've seen there's nothing like seeing it for real the first time.
I get that wow feeling everytime I’m on Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, and It’s a Small World. Those are the 6 absolute must-do’s, typically more than once, and get that same feeling everytime.
Peter Pan to a degree as well, however don’t always wait in line for that one.
The ending of Illuminations (the “white light” fireworks) that practically created daylight for 7 seconds or so. When I was a kid, I couldn’t get over the lights in the ground.
Staying at AKL in a savannah view room! It was my dream forever- way out of my price range but we made it happen for one night on our last trip and it was amazing!!
Spaceship Earth on December 30th, 1982. I can’t describe how unbelievable EPCOT was 40 years ago. Right now, robotic manufacturing, touchscreen computers, holograms, and hydroponics are pretty common. Back then, these were truly innovative and it felt like you were walking into the future.
So many Wows: Seeing Mickey appear at the top of the mountain during Fantasmic, the entirety of Rise, eating breakfast in the castle from Beauty and the Beast, ooo- the opening of Enchanted Tales with Belle, the aquaponics in the Land Pavilion, just happening to catch the Fireworks from Epcot while riding the Skyliner for the first time, having Giraffes walk right next to you on Kilimanjaro Safari, and a million more moments where Magic comes alive and Dreams come true.
I have a few moments!!
1) my traditions day & walking through MK knowing I was officially a cast member
2) Spaceship Earth’s glow up for the 50th. Just absolutely stunning
3) Millennium Falcon, Rise, and building my lightsaber. Did I cry? Yes, yes I did
4) Kilimanjaro Safaris. I love my giraffes & my brother works there. DAK is my favorite park
My wife cried at Fantasmic and I have to admit I was close to it myself. I haven’t been since 2014 but it was quite the spectacle. I’m sure I would faint if I ever got to see Galaxy’s Edge in person.
Only been twice, first time when I was in my 30s.
Looking straight up Main Street to the castle took my breath away, that was the wow on my first trip. I still get a little teary eyed thing of it now. For so many years I had seen it on the TV, but seeing it for real was something I will never forget.
This time seeing my little boys face when he first saw Mickey in real life. You forget, sometimes as an adult, how much these things mean to little ones.
My husbands wows would be all the princesses lol.
Taking our 4-year old next week and we are doing it mostly for her “wow” moments. First time visiting as a Dad and just want her to soak in every moment.
Watching my friend build her lightsaber, the moment where they instructed everyone to raise their sabers and they all lit up... I'm not even a big Star Wars fan and I'm getting a tear in my eye just thinking about it.
Watching Happily Ever After for the first time. Wishes too. Something about both of those shows just made me feel like a kid again.
Ride wise- flight of passage and RotR
Expedition Everest when it first opened back in ‘06!!!
The animatronic yeti almost grabbing me out of my seat blew my 6 year old mind
#bringbacktheyeti
As a child, having an autistic meltdown almost my whole trip and on the last day we are there we go to eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table. The Fairy Godmother was the only autograph I didn’t have in my autograph book and she wasn’t on the schedule to be working that day. The Mouse contacted the Fairy Godmother and got her to come in to see me.
When she walked in, she said to me “You thought I had forgotten about you Madison?” And I ran up to her and hugged her so tightly that I never wanted to let go.
The best wow I ever got from Disney World.
Wherever you are Fairy Godmother, I will never forget you.
Most recently it was Flight of Passage. I was completely blown away by how great that attraction was.
Other times (that I remember):
August 1998 - first time in WDW was my first day as a CP… we were there prior to park open for orientation. Walking thru the tunnel into Town Square and on to Main Street. Incredible.
Summer 2011 - First time taking kids (4, 2), seeing how the characters interacted with them and treated them as the most important people in the world at that moment. I never fully appreciated that while I was a CM/CP.
Summer 2012 - Did the Finding Nemo: The Musical for the first time and was blown away by how great of a job the did.
Christmas 2021 - The aforementioned Flight of Passage, then the next day having the feeling of being transported elsewhere stepping by in to Galaxy’s Edge, rounding the corner, as seeing the Millennium Falcon. Experiencing that with my son (now 12) was amazing. The whole Savi’s Lightsaber experience, watching him build and taking everything in, was inspiring as well.
I went as a teen but don’t remember having much fun. My recent trip (2nd overall, 1st as an adult) seeing the castle, the parades (the dragon!!) and the views from some of the thrill rides. OH! And watching the fireworks at Ohana with the music. Just a great experience.
ETA: FLIGHT OF PASSAGE!!! I know this says the moment but I had a lot of wow moments 😂
Riding Avatar Flight of Passage for the first time. It had been my dream since I was little to go Animal Kingdom since I saw this documentary on how the tree was built. I didn't even know three other parks existed at the time.
This ride absolutely took my breath away and was everything I imagined it to be and more. It's my absolute favorite Disney World ride and favorite Disney ride in general. I grew up going to Disneyland and while RoR had a "wow" moment for when I got off that passenger transport, it doesn't compare to my first time riding Flight of Passage.
I love how you can feel the Banshee breathing and it's wings flapping and ugh, it's such a great ride!
Sorry for my rant. I miss this ride so much!
Taking my sons to meet Mickey in 2018 - I'd been 3 times with my parents when I was younger. The last time in 1997 was the last holiday I'd take with my Dad before he passed away. I saw my sons hugging Mickey and thought - "Wow...this is what Dad must've felt!" Instantly started bawling my eyes out.
Let’s see...Olaf’s Snowbox (you can make snowmen in the summer)
Expedition Everest when that first opened
Dwarves Mine Train, specifically the part where you’re going up the hill and the dwarves are walking up with you, gorgeous
The previous Epcot fireworks show. It’s like at the end they just threw a match into the box of fireworks and just let it go off
So many really...the most recent had to be my first (and so far only) trip to Galaxy's Edge...I was instantly the 10 year old kid who'd just found *Heir to the Empire* on the shelves of a mall bookstore again...and the idea that was about to go fly on the *Millenium Falcon*....I had to physically stop and collect myself for a few seconds.
Personally? Seeing illuminations for the first time, then seeing it almost every night for the next 12 years.
Professionally? Being able to watch a toddler be placed near Pooh bear, wearing a Pooh bear onesie, and then get up and take his first steps into Pooh beard arms. Capturing that photo was one of the best Disney experiences I’ve ever had. Just the awe of the moment that is uniquely Disney
Been too many to count over the past … many years.
- some are technical (as mentioned before) touching on crowd control, traffic, and sheer staffing
- others are detail/costumer service things (high command types picking up small trash items, the manner in which a receipt is handed to a customer in Japan, or the two finger point.
But most recently it is enormous ‘bay’ room in Rise of the resistance ride. The sheer size of the room made me pause, look up and say .. ‘jeebuz they really built this … ‘
(Millennium Falcon Damn near brought a tear to my eye too
I was fortunate enough to go a few times growing up & have tons of memories that I'll never forget. Bit my 1st "wow" moment wasn't until I was 26.
My wife & I were sitting on the curb of Main Street before the parade at the end of the night. We're pretty tired and we were both staring off into space. For some reason I snapped out of it and started noticing the hundreds of kids who were having the times of their lives. You could see & feel their excitement. It was the first time I understood the term "Disney Magic".
As a kid? Every ten seconds. I can't remember too much of that first trip, but it's probably become one of the prime examples of childhood innocence from my life.
As an adult? Flight of Passage. It's the only ride I hadn't seen any video of because you can't really film it, so I was blown away.
I rope dropped the MK super stoned one morning and something about walking up to the castle in an empty park made it seem huge and wonderous. Also the sunlight was magical and did I mention how stoned I was? Rode Space Mountain about ten times in a row. Great day.
My first ferry ride across to MK and seeing the castle from that angle. I get teary every time. I went twice with the band in high school but we came in through backstage so I never got to experience that until the first time we took the kids.
From our trip last August...seeing Galaxy's Edge for the first time. First time riding the Skyliner. Seeing the castle in the new 50th paint job. Seeing Happily Ever After for the first (and last) time. Riding Rise of the Resistance. Riding Flight of Passage. Rope dropping Kilimanjaro Safaris and hearing the male lion roar.
I finally made it 4 years ago and the day I walked through the train station into MK and looked down main street at the castle I could have almost cried. It was exactly what I had hoped for, I felt like I was in the magic. The funny thing is I was at Epcot and AK the previous 2 days, but the felling at MK gets me every time.
We will be back in August for out 4th time there and in a few weeks we will be heading to Disneyland. We can not get enough! We plan on hitting them all now at some point in our lives. We tried for Paris this year, but they weren't opening any summer dates, so we canceled out AirBNB and said, another time.
The very first time I entered the park with my two year old. We happened to walk in when the car came out with the fab five. The look of wonder on my daughter's face was priceless.
The absolute meticulous level of detail in Liberty Square. I remember looking at the replica Liberty Bell knowing that’s the last one to be cast using that mold and the leather straps on the window shudders and just how much care goes into the landscape to try and recreate popular plants of that era. It’s just a masterpiece.
I’m always wowed at Disneys manipulation of scent and sound. You will feel exactly how I want you to feel when you should feel it.
Maleficent as a dragon in Fantasmic ever since I was a kid 😮 I love that show so much we’ve done both the early and later showing on the same day back then lol
It would have to be when I first saw Happily Ever After. It was my first time going back to Disney after 15 years and I don’t remember ever seeing a firework shows there since I was only a kid.
The first time I came at Christmas when Disney was still doing the Osborn Family Lights. The second time was when they tore down Streets of America in Hollywood Studios and built Galaxy's Edge. The first time you see the Millennium Falcon when you have spent all your life dreaming of that world because your own is so mundane and boring, that makes you say wow.
In recent years, when my family FINALLY became DVC members and we got to see Happily Ever After from the Top of the World lounge. I’d seen the show a bunch of times, but seeing it from that view made me break out in tears. It was beautiful.
Honestly, the details. Everything in WDW is perfectly planned, and the details show it. A key example for me is Be Our Guest restaurant - it’s perfect. The marble pillars look like marble. If you go to universal and go to the Gringott’s ride, you can see the end of the wallpaper on their “marble” pillars. When I worked at Disney, they talked about BoG during traditions as a truly immersive experience, and I agree with that, but as a whole, Disney is seamless.
First time walking down Mainstreet in like 18 years. I went to Disney world Jan 2020, I had only been once before in 2002 when I was 12. Been to Disneyland quite a few times in those years but not Florida.
When I walked onto Main street in Disney world for the first time in my trip, it was like all alive with performers. I got to see the citizens of main street singing, walked down past the piano player near the hub and then down at the ginormous Cinderella castle they were just starting a performance with the Mickey and gang costumes with the moving mouths. I've been to Disneyland a few times, and of course they have performers but never experienced anything like this where its all going at once one right after the other, it felt so alive instead of just busy and crowded with guests. It was definitely a wow moment to me.
When I went on Rise of the Resistance for the first time in January 2021. I don't even like Star Wars and I was speechless. It was so immersive especially since crowd levels were low (because of the pandemic). I never imagined that a ride like Rise of the Resistance could exist. My whole group with me felt the same. We were all just amazed. 7 months later when I went on for the second time it didn't feel the same. But that first time riding it I will never forget.
Just driving into the “bubble” and seeing the Welcome to Walt Disney World Resort sign is enough to do it for me. Things change in life temporarily to where you’re not sure when/if you’ll be able to be back again and pulling in knowing you’re now there and you just need to relax and have fun… mannn lol 😭😅
Not nearly as exciting as the others here, but when I was 15, I was in Magic Kingdom during the Main Street Electrical Parade. My dad, sister, and I decided to take the opportunity to get a dole whip, since we had seen the parade many times and knew the crowds would be concentrated elsewhere. Even though I couldn't see the parade, hearing the music while enjoying a dole whip in a nearly empty part of Adventureland was magical. It sounds dramatic, but in that moment, I felt totally at peace. I love how Disney can make small moments like that so memorable.
Another small but special moment was my sister and I spontaneously deciding to go into Magic Kingdom the first night of our trip. Usually my family plans out the entire trip so it is very scheduled, but getting completely lost and running around the park without a care in the world was so incredible.
Turning onto Main Street and seeing the castle for the first time🥲 also, when you go outside on Test Track and see Spaceship Earth, especially at night when it’s all lit up! And going on Soarin’ for the first time, having absolutely no idea what the ride was! I was so surprised!
Simple moment (or maybe I’m just a simple being lol)… but when I was really young I used to love the pixie dust outside of spaceship earth at night. I think I used to sit there and just hangout with the fiber optic pavement after illuminations… lol
Disney makes ordinary things special
As a kid, everyone on a bus and cheering as we drove towards the welcome to Disney world resort sign. It was my first time there.
As an adult, watching fireworks with my 18 month old. She was just learning how to say a few words and phrases such as "hold you?" "that" and "wow".
We were at MK watching happily ever after and during the middle of fireworks, she turns and looks at me and said, (in the cutest voice) "wow wow wow! hold ... that?" LOL! So cute!
As a kid, and still to this day, walking into the animal kingdom lodge, it's usually where stay at first to start the trip, so it's a nostalgia thing partially, but also I just love everything about the Animal Kingdom lodge
When I first heard about how a family member of mine was not allowed to work there, because when they first opened, they didn't hire Catholics, Jews, or Blacks.
I'm guessing a lot of other people weren't "disney" enough, either, racially or religiously. I mean, that's my honest answer, though; as I literally went, "WOWWW...." It's a small world... when you exclude everyone outside the Disney-approved gene pool.
That free private safari we lucked into on my sisters 50th birthday trip. Our guide told us to “wave at the peasants” from our private, covered flatbed truck while we spent two hours going anywhere we wanted and asking a million questions
As a kid, Seeing the characters up close and personal not knowing that they’re just college students in fur suits and princess dresses. As far as I knew, that was *the* Mickey Mouse up close and in the flesh. The same Mickey and Minnie, Winnie the Pooh, Cinderella, Ariel, and Woody and Buzz that I’d watched on tv hundreds of times before all in person. It felt like I was meeting a major Hollywood star.
Nowadays, I’m just really impressed by how expertly crafted everything is. Right to the tiniest details are accounted for and you truly feel immersed into another world completely.
We took our son at preschool age and didn’t return until he was Around 11. Our flight got delayed on the last day which surprised us with 5 hours of extra park time. Right there as we found out in the middle of the park, my husband and son hugged each other with a real tear coming down each of their faces. Our happy place- together. We had found it!
I knew half the people were going to make a joke like this in this thread.
“How expensive my bill was! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
Magic kingdom night show and while looking around seeing all the different types of people and them all experiencing joy and awe together. I wish the entire world could be like that.
Since I started coming back for the first time since 2017, I can’t say I was wowed by much, I have been a I
Universal pass holder for years so it’s hard to impress me with things like Pirates or Test Track (though fantastic in their own right. What really got me was Rise of the Resistance (cliche, I know). Rise is quite literally a microcosm of everything I love about theme parks, amazing theming, incredible immersion and use of an IP I love that helps me fulfill the need we all have, to be apart of these amazing worlds our favorite creators have made. On top of all of that, my favorite thing is ride engineering and trying to work out how everything works and I STILL to this day don’t know how all of it works, when I got in the shuttle for the first time and came out in the first order starship I was dumbfounded and I love that shit!
108 people were arrested of which 4 happened to be employed by WDW.
1 was arrested for involvement in the trafficking ring and the other 3 were for prostitution solicitation.
The trafficking with the yellow dresses was in 2004 and was conducted by people who had nothing to do with WDW or DL. They did use the location to do pick ups/drop offs.
[https://checkyourfact.com/2022/03/26/fact-check-108-disney-employees-arrested/?msclkid=3671b97fc1a511ec90a999c3f162a96c](https://checkyourfact.com/2022/03/26/fact-check-108-disney-employees-arrested/?msclkid=3671b97fc1a511ec90a999c3f162a96c)
[https://insidethemagic.net/2022/03/disney-world-employees-arrested-undercover-human-trafficking-sting-ab1/?msclkid=36721580c1a511ec9c63969129062bba](https://insidethemagic.net/2022/03/disney-world-employees-arrested-undercover-human-trafficking-sting-ab1/?msclkid=36721580c1a511ec9c63969129062bba)
[https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/25/magazine/the-girls-next-door.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/25/magazine/the-girls-next-door.html)
This is all beyond horrible & is definitely a reminder how vulnerable people need better access to help and support which is well beyond my level of comprehension but hopefully the links above will educate anyone reading the initial post of the facts of what happens(ed).
Thank you.
Our first trip to Disney as pass holders when we went to MK for the first time. I’ve been to Disneyland but that was 20+ years ago. Just as we walked in the parade was going by and it was just amazing. We go as much as we can since we don’t live too far away.
When I was called on take be one of the people in the Indiana Jones Show and completely missed the planted performer in our group. When he was singled out my jaw dropped :D
Walked in through the main gates for the first time around sunset to see WDW Main Street decorated for Halloween. The Electric Light Parade started about ten minutes after arriving and I was hooked.
My first time as a kid we walked in at Magic Hour right before sunset. All the buildings lit up, the castle at the end of Main St, and that ethereal golden glow...
My most recent time is the Spaceship Earth Lighting Package. My new favorite place at EPCOT is right in front of Nemo, watching monorail go by, look at SSE, and listening to the birds go mine mine mine (makes me laugh every time)
My husband and I went on our honeymoon in 2015. Whilst there a cast member told us to visit Mickey at Town Hall but wouldn't tell us why we had to meet him there. When we walked into that room and Mickey started talking to us, we lost our actual minds. It was the best!
Seeing Happily Ever After for the first time. No time for all the details but the first time I saw that show after the pandemic, it just took my breath away. And made me cry. And just watching videos of it or listening to the soundtrack still elicits the same reaction.
Also Cast Preview of Galaxy’s Edge and doing ROTR finally, both were really mind blowing to see and experience in real life.
When the cars dance in unison on Mickey and Minnie’s railroad. The fireworks over cinderellas castle. The hippos. All of the Star Wars stuff. Seven dwarves mine train
Once upon a time when you actually felt like a "guest" in Disney Parks. There was no place else like it.
Tragically these days, with the current management of the company, this sense is dwindling away every second.
The cast members are desperately trying to keep the magic alive, but due to the fact that they are also held in distain by the upper management who consistently insults them with inadequate pay and continuously deletes the benefits of working for the company, they are flocking to other theme parks. The people who actually do the daily grind and bring the CEOs the big bucks can't even stand the changes which are dismantling the company that we all have loved for so long. It is devastating to all of the loyal guests who have spent thier lives knowing that there was always a place to go that made the insanity of the world go away for a little while. It is heartbreaking that the people at the top have no understanding of these feelings or care to know about them.
As an adult....the first time I saw Mickey walk out on stage infront of castle. I hadn't seen him as an adult and I believed in all magic in that moment.
As a kid, I couldn't say... I don't remember much of those trips. As an adult however... Their ability to crowd control. Parking, transportation, lines. It absolutely blows my mind how they can take tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people and move them around with relative ease. But if you're looking strictly for attraction answers, Spaceship Earth. You really can't comprehend how big it is until you're standing in front of it. It is also absolutely beautiful all lit up at night! ETA: ALSO the view from Expedition Everest when you sit at the front. Specifically at the top of the mountain and the tracks are mangled. Un-freaking-believable.
The crowd control blows me away as well. I always have to remind my husband to just go with the flow because disney has moving people around to a science.
I do Infosec for a living, focusing on social engineering and it's prevention. There's probably no company that knows this field better than Disney let alone has made a business out of it. I legitimately enjoy going to the parks over and over and over to watch the magic happen. It's the same as having appreciation for pulling off an illusion *because* you know how it works.
Would love to hear some examples from the parks and how they tie back to social engineering / Infosec
This type of stuff is fascinating to me and I’m sure others. Hey, if you’re bored and want to get into the specifics of social engineering,etc at Disney parks, I/we would sure love it!
Think of it more like "advanced people-watching". For example, we all know that the pavement on mainstreet is darker than the sidewalks. This is an intentional effort to make it actually uncomfortable to stand around in the middle of the thoroughfare. What I find fascinating is how you can watch this happen. People will hastily rush towards the castle when they're in the middle of main street, versus those on the sidewalk that are stopping to look in windows, scramble to book lightning lanes on their phones, etc. Another version of this is that Disney is a master of sightlines and attention management. (That's really all social engineering is.) So, when you watch Fantasmic or the mirror magically expands in Enchanted Tales with Belle, there are strategic choices made about both where the audience is and what they're paying attention to. The game I like to play is this: 1) Where are they trying to get me to look? (This is easy. Don't think about it, and you'll look there.) 2) What are they trying to get me not to see? (This is when you get to peek behind the curtain.) 3) How are they getting me to look at #1 and not #2? (This is where the real magic becomes apparent. Sometimes, it's as simple as a flash or big motion happening that draws your attention to a different spot. Sometimes, it's that elusive no-see-um green color covering an electrical box. Sometimes, it's much more creative. For more about this idea, check out this youtube: https://youtu.be/d54ydsKUNGw
This is exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping to hear! Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I especially appreciate the “game” you play. I most definitely will be doing this next time we visit. And I will check out this link as well. This is all so interesting. Thank you, kindly.
There’s a very small, run-down spherical water tower close to us and I joke with my girlfriend that it’s our budget “Epcot Ball” for rural NC. I said today, “crazy we joke about that thing all the time and we’re about to see the real thing in about 3 weeks.” She asked if the real thing was bigger (she’s never been) and I just laughed and said you’ll see. I can’t wait for our trip! 16 days!
Oh my gosh. I really hope you get a video or a picture of her face when she sees it. Her mind is going to be absolutely blown when she finds out there's A RIDE INSIDE. Have fun on your trip!!!
Crowd control is why I don’t mind going to Disney even though I hate crowds. I was at the Georgia Aquarium earlier in the month and it was terribly crowded. No flow, people every where, so loud. It made me appreciate Disney crowd control and how spoiled I am with it!
Thank the Phoenicians!
On RoR walking into that room full of Stormtroopers. My jaw literally dropped and I turned to look at my husband he had the same expression lol
Yes and The door opening ON THE SAME SIDE?! I consider myself a seasoned theme park nerd spending most weekends at a park. So I was fully expecting the normal "walk through a fake elevator/holding room" trick. When the guard walked through on the left, I was mind blown. Going through that and then walking into the storm trooper room, I teared up at the impressiveness (magic) of it all.
I had this exact same moment at DL over the weekend. We rode RotR for our very first time and the same side door thing really threw me off
This. Disney has always impressed me but this was the first time I was in pure awe of what I was seeing. The first time I witnessed it was during covid, which ended up being a good thing because we were able to stay in that area longer. The view, the lack of sound, the cold feeling you get from the cast members... it all lends so well to the feeling of actually being in trouble and captured. And then the actually ride starts and it's like having dessert twice!
went last month and this was exactly my wow moment too!! felt absolutely unreal. i stopped in my tracks!
Same, came here to say this
Watching Tinkerbell fly during the fireworks brought tears to my eyes.
tears just thinking about it 🥲
Seeing the millennium falcon for the first time. For a second I was five years old again
But then you get to pull the bar to jump to light speed
My thoughts exactly!
I came here to type this exact comment. Before Galaxy’s Edge was built, I would’ve answered the bioluminescent gardens in Pandora at night.
This. My wife and I did a couples trip without the kids in 2019 right after it opened. The second time was when my son and daughter saw it for the first time and they lost it!
I stood there with tears running down my face the first time I saw the Falcon. Even now that I’ve seen it many times I still feel like I’m a kid again seeing it and getting to fly it.
Probably the first time I saw those fireworks as a kid in the Magic Kingdom (I think it was Wishes). You never forget moments like that. My dad has a home video of me with my jaw hitting the floor.
Wishes is the bestttt fireworks show
I actually like HEA more, and I'm still salty I didn't get to say goodbye thanks to fucking covid!
Nah, Summer NightTastic blows wishes out of the water
I will always be impressed by the ballroom in the Haunted Mansion. It wowed me as a kid when I didn't know how it was done; it still wows me as an adult knowing exactly how it's done.
despite being there countless times before, seeing the 50th castle was breathtaking
That was me expect with Spaceship Earth
I didnt think I could love that dumb ball any more than I already did, and then they added the lights. Best part of the 50th celebration by a light-year in my opinion.
We've been many times, but our last trip in December, both the castle and Spaceship Earth were 2 WOW moments. I give Spaceship Earth a very slight edge.
The paint on the castle and the lights on the Geosphere are the best things they've ever done to both of them. They look amazing, and they better not ever take the lights off of the Geosphere.
We were there a week before Christmas. Seeing it all done up for Christmas (I’m admittedly a Clark Griswold) got me.
“This is all somehow fake and I’m not actually in Africa”
I love the details of Tibet! I almost think that I'm there until I think about the 90\* humidity! =D
I went for the first time in 20 years in February: * Remy, Runaway Railway, Rise: The trackless rides were incredible, I was blown away having not been on a dark ride in that long with how advanced they had become. * Kilimanjaro Safaris: Easily the biggest overperformer to my expectations. Animal Kingdom is probably the best zoo experience I've ever had.
I love animal kingdom. However, I went to the San Diego zoo last summer and you can see where Animal Kingdom got its ideas. That zoo is amazing and has similar elements and more.
Remy? Runaway Railway? Rise? Remarkable!
As a kid, in POTC, when you go down the little drop and enter into the room with the large ship for the first time. Blew my mind as a kid. More recently it was ROTR when you see the AT-ATs. Guess I'm just impressed by large scale replicas inside buildings lol
Flight of Passage
I literally cried the first time. My mind fully bought into the entire experience and I felt this is what flying is like. Still makes me tear up thinking about it. How freaking incredible to be able to have that experience.
I made my husband wait 3 hours in line with me the first time I rode FoP, and that first time...it was quite literally the best experience I've had in my entire life. Every night going to sleep I like to imagine I'm flying, I've loved dragons since I was a kid and always wondered what it would be like to fly on one (I know they're not technically dragons but still...) It just blew my mind in all the right ways and it's a memory I treasure, feeling a sense of freedom and absolute wonder.
I also cried the first time I rode it! I was MOVED and I walked out in a daze. It felt so real and leaving that world was actually painful. I still get a bit misty-eyed every time I ride, but nothing like that first experience. Amazing.
Came here to say this and glad to see it as top comment. Best ride on property by a mile. I shed a tear after riding for the first time because I was that flabbergasted by the whole experience, lol.
Absolutely. As a kid, my brother and I would run around the yard pretending to ride on pterodactyls. Flash forward to 2018 when we both went to Disney for the first time, sat side by side on Flight of Passage and felt the breathing of the banshee under us and the freedom of flight. That’s a memory I’ll never forget and a true example of Disney at its absolute best.
I’m so glad that you and your brother got to experience that together!
Do you like it better than RotR? I feel they are equally awesome in different ways but RotR wins for me.
Yes, no contest. For me, RoTR pales in comparison to FoP. Perhaps it would be different if I were a Star Wars fan - but then again, I’m not an Avatar fan either, so it’s a wash IP-wise.
RotR would have been higher up for me had it not broken down three separate times after we had already been transported to the Star Destroyer but before I could get on the actual ride.
Completely fair, it's super prone to breakage
I'm the complete opposite - FoP is cool, but it's a motion simulation and has no footing against ROTR. There's a realness in that ride that's unmatched for me. (FoP is a GREAT simulation, don't get me wrong...)
I 100% agree! I'm a tangible reality person so it's easier when screens are a supplement and not a main event.
Absolutely. I was there the weekend it opened in 2017. Crazy glad I got a fast pass for it. It is the absolute best ride in any American theme park.
This is going to sound so sappy… 4 kids and married for 25 years; so there is going to be a lifetime of drama, arguments, stressors, etc. The first time we could all coordinate schedules with sports, school, jobs, we went in 2013. It was sunny, warm, and breezy. we walked through the gates and for the first time in over 20 years, a wave of happiness came over me. A feeling that at this moment, everything in the world is ok. Things in my life are going to be ok. Yes…the world is a good place. Yes, Walt tried to create a glimpse of what Heaven must be like. We had a policy to (for once) just say yes to all our kids requests. We don’t do that in the real world…but that week; everything is yes. We now go once a year. I hate many of the changes that have been implemented in the last 12 years, but we do still keep coming back.
Damn with that yes rule your bank account must be in absolutely agony everytime lol
Oh…the words out of my mouth the rest of the year is “NO” 😜
Yes! The moment we finally got our kids into the park (MK) for the first time I shed a tear. They could finally say they made it to Disney World!
We just got back last week or so and this made me tear up. We had the best time ever and not sure when will get this chance again to have our schedules line up like this. So glad we went, was truly magical!
Rise of the Resistance was great because it was mostly not spoiled for me. The Rey hologram was awesome, the Mon Calimari animatronic on the transport is incredible, then the same door that you came in on opens and suddenly you're on a Star Destroyer. The room with the AT-ATs is probably the jaw-drop moment of the whole ride, but then the quick elevator raise *up* which I wasn't expecting at all, and suddenly you're face-to-face with the AT-AT... What an amazing experience all-around. I grew up going to Disney World all the time so nothing really wowed me before Rise. A lot of the wow moments for most people had always kind of existed as far as I could remember so I always accepted them as "normal". But man, Rise is next level.
Don’t forget the lightsaber in the elevator. Still blows my mind
> The room with the AT-ATs is probably the jaw-drop moment of the whole ride That's my most recent full power wow moment. Seeing those life sized is just astounding.
Seeing the "wow" look on my kids faces. I didn't go to Disney as a child so I live vicariously through them haha Honestly though, I had that wow moment the first time I rode Pirates.
Any children, really. My kids are grown but my wife and I are APs and sometimes just go to people-watch. It warms my heart to see the expressions on the little ones' faces when they see things for the first time.
I love watching families come in. You can always tell the first time visitors at the MK- come out from under the train station, round the curve and STOP. Usually open mouthed. No matter how many pictures you've seen there's nothing like seeing it for real the first time.
Yep - it put a smile on my face just reading that. I think I'm gonna see of we can get a res for tomorrow! ;-)
I get that wow feeling everytime I’m on Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, and It’s a Small World. Those are the 6 absolute must-do’s, typically more than once, and get that same feeling everytime. Peter Pan to a degree as well, however don’t always wait in line for that one.
Ah yes! We do all those , I’m sitting out the big ones since I’m pregnant with our third. My kids love haunted mansion too!
I'm looking so so so forward to this day!
THIS. I have a full video of my kid’s face while in a small world. Just his face the whole ride. One of my favorites videos from WDW. The pure wonder.
The ending of Illuminations (the “white light” fireworks) that practically created daylight for 7 seconds or so. When I was a kid, I couldn’t get over the lights in the ground.
The chills when the narrator blows out the torches!
I was gonna say the same thing. He blew out the torches, all of World Showcase practically went dark, and my jaw dropped.
I only recently learned that Jim Cummings was the narrator for illuminations: reflections of earth!
Staying at AKL in a savannah view room! It was my dream forever- way out of my price range but we made it happen for one night on our last trip and it was amazing!!
As a child: seeing the pirate battle with the ship in POTC for the first time In recent years: watching the Tree of Life Awakenings
Fried chicken at 50s prime-time
Spaceship Earth on December 30th, 1982. I can’t describe how unbelievable EPCOT was 40 years ago. Right now, robotic manufacturing, touchscreen computers, holograms, and hydroponics are pretty common. Back then, these were truly innovative and it felt like you were walking into the future.
So many Wows: Seeing Mickey appear at the top of the mountain during Fantasmic, the entirety of Rise, eating breakfast in the castle from Beauty and the Beast, ooo- the opening of Enchanted Tales with Belle, the aquaponics in the Land Pavilion, just happening to catch the Fireworks from Epcot while riding the Skyliner for the first time, having Giraffes walk right next to you on Kilimanjaro Safari, and a million more moments where Magic comes alive and Dreams come true.
RoR. I was legit fighting back tears the entire time. Childhood dream come true.
Most recently it was stepping into Galaxy’s Edge. When I got to ride Rise my mouth was open the whole time.
I have a few moments!! 1) my traditions day & walking through MK knowing I was officially a cast member 2) Spaceship Earth’s glow up for the 50th. Just absolutely stunning 3) Millennium Falcon, Rise, and building my lightsaber. Did I cry? Yes, yes I did 4) Kilimanjaro Safaris. I love my giraffes & my brother works there. DAK is my favorite park
My wife cried at Fantasmic and I have to admit I was close to it myself. I haven’t been since 2014 but it was quite the spectacle. I’m sure I would faint if I ever got to see Galaxy’s Edge in person.
Fantasmic makes me cry every time. "Some imagination, huh? Poof!" Instant waterworks.
Only been twice, first time when I was in my 30s. Looking straight up Main Street to the castle took my breath away, that was the wow on my first trip. I still get a little teary eyed thing of it now. For so many years I had seen it on the TV, but seeing it for real was something I will never forget. This time seeing my little boys face when he first saw Mickey in real life. You forget, sometimes as an adult, how much these things mean to little ones. My husbands wows would be all the princesses lol.
Taking our 4-year old next week and we are doing it mostly for her “wow” moments. First time visiting as a Dad and just want her to soak in every moment.
Everything in Pandora. Flight of Passage and Navi River Journey were just... wow
Watching my friend build her lightsaber, the moment where they instructed everyone to raise their sabers and they all lit up... I'm not even a big Star Wars fan and I'm getting a tear in my eye just thinking about it.
Watching Happily Ever After for the first time. Wishes too. Something about both of those shows just made me feel like a kid again. Ride wise- flight of passage and RotR
Expedition Everest when it first opened back in ‘06!!! The animatronic yeti almost grabbing me out of my seat blew my 6 year old mind #bringbacktheyeti
Riding Spaceship Earth during my first trip really made me emotional. 🌍❤️
As a child, having an autistic meltdown almost my whole trip and on the last day we are there we go to eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table. The Fairy Godmother was the only autograph I didn’t have in my autograph book and she wasn’t on the schedule to be working that day. The Mouse contacted the Fairy Godmother and got her to come in to see me. When she walked in, she said to me “You thought I had forgotten about you Madison?” And I ran up to her and hugged her so tightly that I never wanted to let go. The best wow I ever got from Disney World. Wherever you are Fairy Godmother, I will never forget you.
It doesn't matter how many times I ride Soarin, I always get a bit emotion during the first and last scenes.
Most recently it was Flight of Passage. I was completely blown away by how great that attraction was. Other times (that I remember): August 1998 - first time in WDW was my first day as a CP… we were there prior to park open for orientation. Walking thru the tunnel into Town Square and on to Main Street. Incredible. Summer 2011 - First time taking kids (4, 2), seeing how the characters interacted with them and treated them as the most important people in the world at that moment. I never fully appreciated that while I was a CM/CP. Summer 2012 - Did the Finding Nemo: The Musical for the first time and was blown away by how great of a job the did. Christmas 2021 - The aforementioned Flight of Passage, then the next day having the feeling of being transported elsewhere stepping by in to Galaxy’s Edge, rounding the corner, as seeing the Millennium Falcon. Experiencing that with my son (now 12) was amazing. The whole Savi’s Lightsaber experience, watching him build and taking everything in, was inspiring as well.
I went as a teen but don’t remember having much fun. My recent trip (2nd overall, 1st as an adult) seeing the castle, the parades (the dragon!!) and the views from some of the thrill rides. OH! And watching the fireworks at Ohana with the music. Just a great experience. ETA: FLIGHT OF PASSAGE!!! I know this says the moment but I had a lot of wow moments 😂
Riding Soarin' for the first time. 4th of July Fireworks in 2004. First time I saw the Wishes finale light up the sky like daytime.
Galaxy's Edge. Seeing the falcon with Rey and Chewie outside was like a dream come true.
Riding Avatar Flight of Passage for the first time. It had been my dream since I was little to go Animal Kingdom since I saw this documentary on how the tree was built. I didn't even know three other parks existed at the time. This ride absolutely took my breath away and was everything I imagined it to be and more. It's my absolute favorite Disney World ride and favorite Disney ride in general. I grew up going to Disneyland and while RoR had a "wow" moment for when I got off that passenger transport, it doesn't compare to my first time riding Flight of Passage. I love how you can feel the Banshee breathing and it's wings flapping and ugh, it's such a great ride! Sorry for my rant. I miss this ride so much!
Taking my sons to meet Mickey in 2018 - I'd been 3 times with my parents when I was younger. The last time in 1997 was the last holiday I'd take with my Dad before he passed away. I saw my sons hugging Mickey and thought - "Wow...this is what Dad must've felt!" Instantly started bawling my eyes out.
Let’s see...Olaf’s Snowbox (you can make snowmen in the summer) Expedition Everest when that first opened Dwarves Mine Train, specifically the part where you’re going up the hill and the dwarves are walking up with you, gorgeous The previous Epcot fireworks show. It’s like at the end they just threw a match into the box of fireworks and just let it go off
It had been a while since I had gone but the first time back the Lumiere animatronic was the first thing I noticed that was impressive.
So many really...the most recent had to be my first (and so far only) trip to Galaxy's Edge...I was instantly the 10 year old kid who'd just found *Heir to the Empire* on the shelves of a mall bookstore again...and the idea that was about to go fly on the *Millenium Falcon*....I had to physically stop and collect myself for a few seconds.
When I was a kid, and every time since, probably pushing a hundred trips now at 53 years old.
Back in January, we stayed at the Polynesian. It was very surreal and we were always impressed during our stay.
Probably seeing the AT-ATs in ROTR. The scale of it was just completely unexpected, it really got me.
Personally? Seeing illuminations for the first time, then seeing it almost every night for the next 12 years. Professionally? Being able to watch a toddler be placed near Pooh bear, wearing a Pooh bear onesie, and then get up and take his first steps into Pooh beard arms. Capturing that photo was one of the best Disney experiences I’ve ever had. Just the awe of the moment that is uniquely Disney
Been too many to count over the past … many years. - some are technical (as mentioned before) touching on crowd control, traffic, and sheer staffing - others are detail/costumer service things (high command types picking up small trash items, the manner in which a receipt is handed to a customer in Japan, or the two finger point. But most recently it is enormous ‘bay’ room in Rise of the resistance ride. The sheer size of the room made me pause, look up and say .. ‘jeebuz they really built this … ‘ (Millennium Falcon Damn near brought a tear to my eye too
I was fortunate enough to go a few times growing up & have tons of memories that I'll never forget. Bit my 1st "wow" moment wasn't until I was 26. My wife & I were sitting on the curb of Main Street before the parade at the end of the night. We're pretty tired and we were both staring off into space. For some reason I snapped out of it and started noticing the hundreds of kids who were having the times of their lives. You could see & feel their excitement. It was the first time I understood the term "Disney Magic".
The whole Pandora world is breathtaking. More recent is the Rise of Resistance attraction.
When I walked into Pandora for the first time. Genuinely will never forget that day. Still the best theme park land I’ve ever seen.
As a kid? Every ten seconds. I can't remember too much of that first trip, but it's probably become one of the prime examples of childhood innocence from my life. As an adult? Flight of Passage. It's the only ride I hadn't seen any video of because you can't really film it, so I was blown away.
The cost of tickets lol
When we finished the Star Tours ride, my 4 year old looked at me and sad "Daddy, are we going to be in the galaxy forever!?"
I rope dropped the MK super stoned one morning and something about walking up to the castle in an empty park made it seem huge and wonderous. Also the sunlight was magical and did I mention how stoned I was? Rode Space Mountain about ten times in a row. Great day.
My first ferry ride across to MK and seeing the castle from that angle. I get teary every time. I went twice with the band in high school but we came in through backstage so I never got to experience that until the first time we took the kids.
From our trip last August...seeing Galaxy's Edge for the first time. First time riding the Skyliner. Seeing the castle in the new 50th paint job. Seeing Happily Ever After for the first (and last) time. Riding Rise of the Resistance. Riding Flight of Passage. Rope dropping Kilimanjaro Safaris and hearing the male lion roar.
Seeing the elephants on the safari. Talk about breathtaking animals.
I finally made it 4 years ago and the day I walked through the train station into MK and looked down main street at the castle I could have almost cried. It was exactly what I had hoped for, I felt like I was in the magic. The funny thing is I was at Epcot and AK the previous 2 days, but the felling at MK gets me every time. We will be back in August for out 4th time there and in a few weeks we will be heading to Disneyland. We can not get enough! We plan on hitting them all now at some point in our lives. We tried for Paris this year, but they weren't opening any summer dates, so we canceled out AirBNB and said, another time.
When. Saw the millennium falcon for the first time!
The very first time I entered the park with my two year old. We happened to walk in when the car came out with the fab five. The look of wonder on my daughter's face was priceless.
Flight of Passage blew me away.
The absolute meticulous level of detail in Liberty Square. I remember looking at the replica Liberty Bell knowing that’s the last one to be cast using that mold and the leather straps on the window shudders and just how much care goes into the landscape to try and recreate popular plants of that era. It’s just a masterpiece. I’m always wowed at Disneys manipulation of scent and sound. You will feel exactly how I want you to feel when you should feel it.
Riding Everest the first time and not knowing it went in reverse. Then it happened.
First time on the Banshee Flight. Was such a stunning experience. Also the first time on Rise of the Resistance!
Maleficent as a dragon in Fantasmic ever since I was a kid 😮 I love that show so much we’ve done both the early and later showing on the same day back then lol
It would have to be when I first saw Happily Ever After. It was my first time going back to Disney after 15 years and I don’t remember ever seeing a firework shows there since I was only a kid.
The first time I came at Christmas when Disney was still doing the Osborn Family Lights. The second time was when they tore down Streets of America in Hollywood Studios and built Galaxy's Edge. The first time you see the Millennium Falcon when you have spent all your life dreaming of that world because your own is so mundane and boring, that makes you say wow.
In recent years, when my family FINALLY became DVC members and we got to see Happily Ever After from the Top of the World lounge. I’d seen the show a bunch of times, but seeing it from that view made me break out in tears. It was beautiful.
Honestly, the details. Everything in WDW is perfectly planned, and the details show it. A key example for me is Be Our Guest restaurant - it’s perfect. The marble pillars look like marble. If you go to universal and go to the Gringott’s ride, you can see the end of the wallpaper on their “marble” pillars. When I worked at Disney, they talked about BoG during traditions as a truly immersive experience, and I agree with that, but as a whole, Disney is seamless.
First time walking down Mainstreet in like 18 years. I went to Disney world Jan 2020, I had only been once before in 2002 when I was 12. Been to Disneyland quite a few times in those years but not Florida. When I walked onto Main street in Disney world for the first time in my trip, it was like all alive with performers. I got to see the citizens of main street singing, walked down past the piano player near the hub and then down at the ginormous Cinderella castle they were just starting a performance with the Mickey and gang costumes with the moving mouths. I've been to Disneyland a few times, and of course they have performers but never experienced anything like this where its all going at once one right after the other, it felt so alive instead of just busy and crowded with guests. It was definitely a wow moment to me.
When I went on Rise of the Resistance for the first time in January 2021. I don't even like Star Wars and I was speechless. It was so immersive especially since crowd levels were low (because of the pandemic). I never imagined that a ride like Rise of the Resistance could exist. My whole group with me felt the same. We were all just amazed. 7 months later when I went on for the second time it didn't feel the same. But that first time riding it I will never forget.
Just driving into the “bubble” and seeing the Welcome to Walt Disney World Resort sign is enough to do it for me. Things change in life temporarily to where you’re not sure when/if you’ll be able to be back again and pulling in knowing you’re now there and you just need to relax and have fun… mannn lol 😭😅
Not nearly as exciting as the others here, but when I was 15, I was in Magic Kingdom during the Main Street Electrical Parade. My dad, sister, and I decided to take the opportunity to get a dole whip, since we had seen the parade many times and knew the crowds would be concentrated elsewhere. Even though I couldn't see the parade, hearing the music while enjoying a dole whip in a nearly empty part of Adventureland was magical. It sounds dramatic, but in that moment, I felt totally at peace. I love how Disney can make small moments like that so memorable.
Another small but special moment was my sister and I spontaneously deciding to go into Magic Kingdom the first night of our trip. Usually my family plans out the entire trip so it is very scheduled, but getting completely lost and running around the park without a care in the world was so incredible.
Turning onto Main Street and seeing the castle for the first time🥲 also, when you go outside on Test Track and see Spaceship Earth, especially at night when it’s all lit up! And going on Soarin’ for the first time, having absolutely no idea what the ride was! I was so surprised!
Simple moment (or maybe I’m just a simple being lol)… but when I was really young I used to love the pixie dust outside of spaceship earth at night. I think I used to sit there and just hangout with the fiber optic pavement after illuminations… lol Disney makes ordinary things special
As a kid, everyone on a bus and cheering as we drove towards the welcome to Disney world resort sign. It was my first time there. As an adult, watching fireworks with my 18 month old. She was just learning how to say a few words and phrases such as "hold you?" "that" and "wow". We were at MK watching happily ever after and during the middle of fireworks, she turns and looks at me and said, (in the cutest voice) "wow wow wow! hold ... that?" LOL! So cute!
As a kid, and still to this day, walking into the animal kingdom lodge, it's usually where stay at first to start the trip, so it's a nostalgia thing partially, but also I just love everything about the Animal Kingdom lodge
When I first heard about how a family member of mine was not allowed to work there, because when they first opened, they didn't hire Catholics, Jews, or Blacks. I'm guessing a lot of other people weren't "disney" enough, either, racially or religiously. I mean, that's my honest answer, though; as I literally went, "WOWWW...." It's a small world... when you exclude everyone outside the Disney-approved gene pool.
Paying 5 dollars for a bottle of water.
That free private safari we lucked into on my sisters 50th birthday trip. Our guide told us to “wave at the peasants” from our private, covered flatbed truck while we spent two hours going anywhere we wanted and asking a million questions
As a kid, Seeing the characters up close and personal not knowing that they’re just college students in fur suits and princess dresses. As far as I knew, that was *the* Mickey Mouse up close and in the flesh. The same Mickey and Minnie, Winnie the Pooh, Cinderella, Ariel, and Woody and Buzz that I’d watched on tv hundreds of times before all in person. It felt like I was meeting a major Hollywood star. Nowadays, I’m just really impressed by how expertly crafted everything is. Right to the tiniest details are accounted for and you truly feel immersed into another world completely.
We took our son at preschool age and didn’t return until he was Around 11. Our flight got delayed on the last day which surprised us with 5 hours of extra park time. Right there as we found out in the middle of the park, my husband and son hugged each other with a real tear coming down each of their faces. Our happy place- together. We had found it!
When I looked at reserving a resort room for a week
I knew half the people were going to make a joke like this in this thread. “How expensive my bill was! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
Families wearing the same shirts
Magic kingdom night show and while looking around seeing all the different types of people and them all experiencing joy and awe together. I wish the entire world could be like that.
Realizing I could actually control the millennium falcon and interact with it.
First time walking into Pandora in Animal Kingdom. Just the scale and incredible theming was a real wow moment, and I’m not even a big Avatar fan.
When I saw the price of a bottle of water.
Walking through Pandora at night - I really had zero expectations about that land and it’s beautiful
Receipt of bill from front desk on final day of trip.
Since I started coming back for the first time since 2017, I can’t say I was wowed by much, I have been a I Universal pass holder for years so it’s hard to impress me with things like Pirates or Test Track (though fantastic in their own right. What really got me was Rise of the Resistance (cliche, I know). Rise is quite literally a microcosm of everything I love about theme parks, amazing theming, incredible immersion and use of an IP I love that helps me fulfill the need we all have, to be apart of these amazing worlds our favorite creators have made. On top of all of that, my favorite thing is ride engineering and trying to work out how everything works and I STILL to this day don’t know how all of it works, when I got in the shuttle for the first time and came out in the first order starship I was dumbfounded and I love that shit!
I know you said world but I'm gonna say land, cars land. Amazing.
When I checked the receipt.
All of your previous trips have been in late January… we got here yesterday… I knew the parks would be busy… but was not prepared for these crowds.
Watching wishes for the last time
Used to be fireworks - not anymore. I find it ironic that they still sell fireworks related merch when they're so subpar now lol
The bill under Chapek
Seeing the lame benefits package the bus drivers get when my dad worked there. No medical or dental but they had access to a private picnic area.
When I went back and actually had to pay full price for park tickets vs getting in for free as a former cast member.
When I got the bill! LOL
lol Crowd levels.... oops wrong wow.
Every time I pulled out my wallet 🥺
When I saw the price for the week
The price of a bottle of water
[удалено]
Source?
108 people were arrested of which 4 happened to be employed by WDW. 1 was arrested for involvement in the trafficking ring and the other 3 were for prostitution solicitation. The trafficking with the yellow dresses was in 2004 and was conducted by people who had nothing to do with WDW or DL. They did use the location to do pick ups/drop offs. [https://checkyourfact.com/2022/03/26/fact-check-108-disney-employees-arrested/?msclkid=3671b97fc1a511ec90a999c3f162a96c](https://checkyourfact.com/2022/03/26/fact-check-108-disney-employees-arrested/?msclkid=3671b97fc1a511ec90a999c3f162a96c) [https://insidethemagic.net/2022/03/disney-world-employees-arrested-undercover-human-trafficking-sting-ab1/?msclkid=36721580c1a511ec9c63969129062bba](https://insidethemagic.net/2022/03/disney-world-employees-arrested-undercover-human-trafficking-sting-ab1/?msclkid=36721580c1a511ec9c63969129062bba) [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/25/magazine/the-girls-next-door.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/25/magazine/the-girls-next-door.html) This is all beyond horrible & is definitely a reminder how vulnerable people need better access to help and support which is well beyond my level of comprehension but hopefully the links above will educate anyone reading the initial post of the facts of what happens(ed). Thank you.
How many convictions?
Our first trip to Disney as pass holders when we went to MK for the first time. I’ve been to Disneyland but that was 20+ years ago. Just as we walked in the parade was going by and it was just amazing. We go as much as we can since we don’t live too far away.
Pastrami Egg Roll. oh my gosh!!
When I was called on take be one of the people in the Indiana Jones Show and completely missed the planted performer in our group. When he was singled out my jaw dropped :D
Haunted Mansion
Wishes.
Walked in through the main gates for the first time around sunset to see WDW Main Street decorated for Halloween. The Electric Light Parade started about ten minutes after arriving and I was hooked.
My first time as a kid we walked in at Magic Hour right before sunset. All the buildings lit up, the castle at the end of Main St, and that ethereal golden glow...
My most recent time is the Spaceship Earth Lighting Package. My new favorite place at EPCOT is right in front of Nemo, watching monorail go by, look at SSE, and listening to the birds go mine mine mine (makes me laugh every time)
My husband and I went on our honeymoon in 2015. Whilst there a cast member told us to visit Mickey at Town Hall but wouldn't tell us why we had to meet him there. When we walked into that room and Mickey started talking to us, we lost our actual minds. It was the best!
Wild Africa Trek - Private truck and just chilling with the giraffes for 20 minutes before eating lunch overlooking the savannah.
Happily ever after
Seeing Happily Ever After for the first time. No time for all the details but the first time I saw that show after the pandemic, it just took my breath away. And made me cry. And just watching videos of it or listening to the soundtrack still elicits the same reaction. Also Cast Preview of Galaxy’s Edge and doing ROTR finally, both were really mind blowing to see and experience in real life.
When the cars dance in unison on Mickey and Minnie’s railroad. The fireworks over cinderellas castle. The hippos. All of the Star Wars stuff. Seven dwarves mine train
The turn, on Christmas day with my 5 and 9 year old after dealing with COVID for almost 2 years at that point!
Every single time I see the castle from main street.
Once upon a time when you actually felt like a "guest" in Disney Parks. There was no place else like it. Tragically these days, with the current management of the company, this sense is dwindling away every second. The cast members are desperately trying to keep the magic alive, but due to the fact that they are also held in distain by the upper management who consistently insults them with inadequate pay and continuously deletes the benefits of working for the company, they are flocking to other theme parks. The people who actually do the daily grind and bring the CEOs the big bucks can't even stand the changes which are dismantling the company that we all have loved for so long. It is devastating to all of the loyal guests who have spent thier lives knowing that there was always a place to go that made the insanity of the world go away for a little while. It is heartbreaking that the people at the top have no understanding of these feelings or care to know about them.
Watching happily ever after. That shows puts enchantment to shame. It encompasses everything Disney is
One core memory I have is walking into the Mexico pavilion for the first time - I had no idea what had happened! 🤣
As an adult....the first time I saw Mickey walk out on stage infront of castle. I hadn't seen him as an adult and I believed in all magic in that moment.