Family of the Day at Epcot!

YankeeMouse

YankeeMouse

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Just wanted to say my husband and I were picked for Family of the Day at Epcot on the trip we just returned from! We were waiting at the ropes in front of the fountain where the characters come out just before opening. Wearing matching Happiest Celebration on Earth sweatshirts from a few years back. A cast member manager came over and said, just the 2 of you? I said, yes, the kids are all grown. He said, step under the rope. I was stunned, I thought 2 people in their 50's were the wrong demographic!

Got photos in front of the fountain with the "Big 5" and then the Test Track car pulled up and we got in, the cast member drove us to test track, past everyone waiting, and we went in and rode it before opening. When we got off, she escorted us to the photos, gave us a 5 x 7 from the ride, then escorted us to Mission Space where we got a behind scenes tour, did the attraction, and they gave us 2 fast passes for any time of the day as a VIP since we probably missed a good time for Soarin, the cast member said.

Lastly, we had a reserved spot in front of Italy for a prime viewing for Illuminations that night.

Could it get any better? While walking by Canada a few hours before Illuminations, I stopped by the podium to see if there was a walk-up possibility for the 2 of us. We had not planned to go back to Epcot that night for Illuminations, but hop to another park. I said to the cast member, "Ryan, please don't laugh at me, but we've had some pretty good luck so far today, so is there a chance that there was a cancellation"? He checks and said, "Normally, I WOULD laugh at you, but I just had a cancellation for 2, for right now".

What a great experience. 85 visits and this was a highlight.
 
muse1983

muse1983

Well-Known Member
YankeeMouse said:
Just wanted to say my husband and I were picked for Family of the Day at Epcot on the trip we just returned from! We were waiting at the ropes in front of the fountain where the characters come out just before opening. Wearing matching Happiest Celebration on Earth sweatshirts from a few years back. A cast member manager came over and said, just the 2 of you? I said, yes, the kids are all grown. He said, step under the rope. I was stunned, I thought 2 people in their 50's were the wrong demographic!

Got photos in front of the fountain with the "Big 5" and then the Test Track car pulled up and we got in, the cast member drove us to test track, past everyone waiting, and we went in and rode it before opening. When we got off, she escorted us to the photos, gave us a 5 x 7 from the ride, then escorted us to Mission Space where we got a behind scenes tour, did the attraction, and they gave us 2 fast passes for any time of the day as a VIP since we probably missed a good time for Soarin, the cast member said.

Lastly, we had a reserved spot in front of Italy for a prime viewing for Illuminations that night.

Could it get any better? While walking by Canada a few hours before Illuminations, I stopped by the podium to see if there was a walk-up possibility for the 2 of us. We had not planned to go back to Epcot that night for Illuminations, but hop to another park. I said to the cast member, "Ryan, please don't laugh at me, but we've had some pretty good luck so far today, so is there a chance that there was a cancellation"? He checks and said, "Normally, I WOULD laugh at you, but I just had a cancellation for 2, for right now".

What a great experience. 85 visits and this was a highlight.
Click to expand...

That's so cool!:sohappy:

Where you referring to when you said you asked if there was a cancellation?
 
CamiLyn227

CamiLyn227

Well-Known Member
Sounds like you two had a lot of fun. I can relate! Last July my boyfriend and I had a similar experience at Hollywood Studios. I felt like we were the wrong demographic as well (we are 25 and 26, no kids). We got to HS just before opening and we were wondering around taking some pictures. A CM walked up to us and noticed we were taking pictures and asked if we wanted to have some more pictures, of us. We said yes and we were taken into the park ahead of anyone else. We were suposed to be a part of the opening "show" but there were some sort of technical problems so the show could not happen. But we were driven by LeRoy to Tower of Terror and got to ride alone before any other guest came in. They gave us the on-ride picture for free along with A TON of fastpasses for the day. We felt so special! Here is a picture from our special day. Do you have any of yours to share?

untitled.jpg
 
smk

smk

Well-Known Member
Making a mental note....wear matching clothes to rope drop on our next trip! Good for you! Yay for people in the 50's going to the parks with out kids! Gives me hope!
 
trickortreater

trickortreater

New Member
What a cool experience! I love that the CM picked a couple with no children with them. Sure it's sweet when kids get a memorable Disney moment like that- but Disney is for kids of ALL ages and we deserve some special treatment too :animwink:
 
blackthidot

blackthidot

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
YankeeMouse said:
Just wanted to say my husband and I were picked for Family of the Day at Epcot on the trip we just returned from! We were waiting at the ropes in front of the fountain where the characters come out just before opening. Wearing matching Happiest Celebration on Earth sweatshirts from a few years back. A cast member manager came over and said, just the 2 of you? I said, yes, the kids are all grown. He said, step under the rope. I was stunned, I thought 2 people in their 50's were the wrong demographic!

Got photos in front of the fountain with the "Big 5" and then the Test Track car pulled up and we got in, the cast member drove us to test track, past everyone waiting, and we went in and rode it before opening. When we got off, she escorted us to the photos, gave us a 5 x 7 from the ride, then escorted us to Mission Space where we got a behind scenes tour, did the attraction, and they gave us 2 fast passes for any time of the day as a VIP since we probably missed a good time for Soarin, the cast member said.

Lastly, we had a reserved spot in front of Italy for a prime viewing for Illuminations that night.

Could it get any better? While walking by Canada a few hours before Illuminations, I stopped by the podium to see if there was a walk-up possibility for the 2 of us. We had not planned to go back to Epcot that night for Illuminations, but hop to another park. I said to the cast member, "Ryan, please don't laugh at me, but we've had some pretty good luck so far today, so is there a chance that there was a cancellation"? He checks and said, "Normally, I WOULD laugh at you, but I just had a cancellation for 2, for right now".

What a great experience. 85 visits and this was a highlight.
Click to expand...

CamiLyn227 said:
Sounds like you two had a lot of fun. I can relate! Last July my boyfriend and I had a similar experience at Hollywood Studios. I felt like we were the wrong demographic as well (we are 25 and 26, no kids). We got to HS just before opening and we were wondering around taking some pictures. A CM walked up to us and noticed we were taking pictures and asked if we wanted to have some more pictures, of us. We said yes and we were taken into the park ahead of anyone else. We were suposed to be a part of the opening "show" but there were some sort of technical problems so the show could not happen. But we were driven by LeRoy to Tower of Terror and got to ride alone before any other guest came in. They gave us the on-ride picture for free along with A TON of fastpasses for the day. We felt so special! Here is a picture from our special day. Do you have any of yours to share?

untitled.jpg
Click to expand...


Good stories guys! It's awesome that they do thinigs like that. I mean think how LUCKY you have to be to just get randomly picked. If I was a CM and in charge of that I would always try to look for the people who would think they would never get picked. Couples without kids, young or old...Even someone on a solo trip.
 
Epcotdad

Epcotdad

Member
Back in 2005 me and my wife got the family of the day at DHS. they presented us a backstage pass to Star tours. We got to go infront of the line and then go where the CM were operating the ride. So Congrats :sohappy:
 
J

Juliaz3

Active Member
Great stories!

As a couple in our 40s with no kids, this gives us hope, too! Really cool that the CMs picked you.

We had one slightly similar thing happen to us a couple of years ago when, right after the big parade on Main Street ended, a CM asked us if we would like to ride the old-fashioned open car that was parked in the circle near the train station. We said "Sure!" and got a ride all the way to the Castle through the huge crowds that "magically" parted for us. Now THAT was fun.
 

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