Traditions?

[tigsmom]

Originally posted by AriBelle23
I think that is one of the most magical things for "veterans" of WDW, to see other people, in your case, especially your own children, light up with complete happiness for the first time!! I'm so excited!! :sohappy:

We went with my BIL and his family...3 kids who had never been to WDW. What a joy to see their faces, esp. the youngest when she got to meet Minnie! Love those ear to ear smiles on kids (and grown up kids too)

 

[AriBelle23]

it always brings tears to my eyes to see the kids, (just random kids in wdw that I have never even seen before in my life) hug Mickey and their ear to ear smiles...it's one of those ,"everything is perfect" feelings, ya know?

 

[aim]

Originally posted by AriBelle23
it always brings tears to my eyes to see the kids, (just random kids in wdw that I have never even seen before in my life) hug Mickey and their ear to ear smiles...it's one of those ,"everything is perfect" feelings, ya know?

I must agree with you 100% on this. I'm only 19, but I remember when I was younger and had the ear to ear smiles. Seeing younger kids now do all the stuff I did when I was there, puts a smile on my face. My favorite thing to see is a little, little kid (a toddler) and a character. They characters are so much gentler with them. It's just really cute. So, this is a tradition of mine. To just chill for a little bit at a park and watch the characters and the kids.

 

[mrtoad]

Originally posted by AriBelle23
What an incredibly surprise for her when she finds out she is going to Disney World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How old is she? I bet you are excited to see her face when she sees Mickey, Cinderlla Castle, etc. ...I am taking my boyfriend in March, it will be his first time, so I am super excited to take him on everything, and show him around, and even to see his face when he sees the castle and what not, and he is 19! I think that is one of the most magical things for "veterans" of WDW, to see other people, in your case, especially your own children, light up with complete happiness for the first time!! I'm so excited!! :sohappy:

We are very excited about it. I hope that we can keep the secret, or more importantly that her grandparents don't say anything. We have told them not to tell, but we shall see.

She turns 3 this November. Our plan was to take her this Fall/Winter but she is not ready. She is everything that is described when you are told about the terrible twos. So we postponed it and are going to go I think in Jan. 05 so she will be just a shade over 4. I hope we can't wait that long. Last time we went was in 2000 and we were going every other year prior to that.

We are having her watch the video and that way the surprise will mean something. She will know what it is when we arrive. Our plan is to go over to the Polynesian and request to sit in the front of the monorail. I want her to see us coming up on the MK.

And I totally agree, there is nothing like seeing the excitement in a kids eyes, or anyone else for that matter when they go for the first time. When I was about 10 my parents took us on our yearly trip to WDW that started when I was 5. My parents decided to take my father's step-sister who has cerebral palsy. It was her first time down. She had the time of her life. I particularly remember being in the Tiki Room and we were sitting in the back row and she was on the end. When the Tiki next to her started to chant she jumped a mile than laughed and grinned all day after that.

To this day whenever I see her which is about 2 times a year she talks about our Walt Disney World trip with her and she gets that ear to ear smile again. We took her in 1978.

It still makes me feel good when she talks about it.

sorry for the long post.

 

[crazygirley]

For our past four or five trips we have had these traditions:

1. We always go to AK as our first park, and we always eat lunch at Resturauntasauraus. We wait until one of the booths in the camper in the back is open before we order our food. We sit there every time.

2. We go to DTD on the first evening we get there. We always eat dinner at the McDonalds and spend about an hour in the Virgin Records Megastore.

3. When we visit MK, we always ride HM first, eat lunch at Cosmic Ray's and hit the stores on Main Street as we leave. We always also get a Citrus Swirl and Dole Whip as well.

4. When at Epcot, we save WS for last. Every time. I also always get a Henna tattoo in Morocco.

 

[AriBelle23]

No that was a very touching post! Do not appoligize about it being long...mine are always long too ...I think that is why Disney is so speical to me, it is one of those things that make people happy...not just happy, but a magical happy that can't happen anywhere else on the face of this earth! I have been going since I was 13, and I still can remember each individual trip, and my family and i STILL talk about it at least every other day ...how magical! You will have to let us know how your trip goes!

 

[mrtoad]

Originally posted by AriBelle23
I have been going since I was 13, and I still can remember each individual trip, and my family and i STILL talk about it at least every other day ...how magical! You will have to let us know how your trip goes!

I am the same way. I went for so many years with my family and they are my favorite memories. I still talk to my father about it all the time. Since I have been married, I have gone 4 times including my honeymoon. 2 of those 4 times my father has come with us. It brings us together nicely.

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by mikebegley
She turns 3 this November. Our plan was to take her this Fall/Winter but she is not ready. She is everything that is described when you are told about the terrible twos. So we postponed it and are going to go I think in Jan. 05 so she will be just a shade over 4. I hope we can't wait that long. Last time we went was in 2000 and we were going every other year prior to that.

What a nice story!

My nephew is like your daughter in age, and while I wanted to take him to WDW the soonest possible (also before he starts paying for the ticket), my sister wants to take him there when he is 5 or at least 4. I was kinda bummed... He knows Mickey and Minnie and Pooh and Eeyore and Baloo and others, but, he keeps his distance when he sees characters that are too big or tall (not only characters, people too! lol). So I guess, in his case, it will be better if he waits a little to go until he is more confident to at least stand up next to them for a picture! :animwink:


My tradition would have to be similar to what "mkepcotmgmak" posted: "one of my favorite traditions was...

running a little late, making a mad dash through the cast parking lot, running through the utiladors to costuming, grabbing my costume (for custodial), changing in a CRAMPED lockeroom, running, or briskly walking to an area under main street to clock in, briskly walking back to fantasyland, walking up stairs, take a deep breath, throw on a great smile, straighten my nametag, and begin making magic right away!"

:lol: :animwink:

 

[Little Mermaid]

Our family goes every year on my Spring Break, so I guess our whole trip to WDW is a tradition itself. My other ones are:

1) First night we always go to DTD to hit the World of Disney.
2) MGM is always the first park, and we always ride TOT first.
3) On MK day, we always eat lunch at Cosmic Ray's.
4) We always ride Splash Mountain and then Thunder Mountain (in that order)--TM dries you off
5) I always have to visit the Art of Disney store in Epcot.

I think those are about the only things we ALWAYS do. This is another fun topic! I love to see everyone's traditions.

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

Originally posted by Maria
What a nice story!

My nephew is like your daughter in age, and while I wanted to take him to WDW the soonest possible (also before he starts paying for the ticket), my sister wants to take him there when he is 5 or at least 4. I was kinda bummed... He knows Mickey and Minnie and Pooh and Eeyore and Baloo and others, but, he keeps his distance when he sees characters that are too big or tall (not only characters, people too! lol). So I guess, in his case, it will be better if he waits a little to go until he is more confident to at least stand up next to them for a picture! :animwink:


My tradition would have to be similar to what "mkepcotmgmak" posted: "one of my favorite traditions was...

running a little late, making a mad dash through the cast parking lot, running through the utiladors to costuming, grabbing my costume (for custodial), changing in a CRAMPED lockeroom, running, or briskly walking to an area under main street to clock in, briskly walking back to fantasyland, walking up stairs, take a deep breath, throw on a great smile, straighten my nametag, and begin making magic right away!"

:lol: :animwink:

sorry to thread drift, but Maria, what role did you have and what park? were you on the CP too?"

 

[Becky]

Originally posted by TinkRBell427
It's tradition for me to ride SE first and last when I go to Epcot!

SSE first and last ride of every trip

 

[pocahontas79]

1) Going to Beaches and Cream at least one night for a milkshake before heading to Epcot.
2) Buying a Disney keychain, I like the circle pewter ones with the engravings.
3) Getting my picture taken at the Imagination photo lab to send via email to loved ones.
4) Character breakfasts each and every morning I am there if possible.

:wave:

 

[imagineer99]

Every time I go, I collect as many of the maps for the parks as possible. I have crates of them at home. I love to look at all the changes that the parks have gone through.

I HAVE to ride the haunted mansion...and I have to see Illuminations the first night there!

 

[DDuckFan130]

-get a turkey leg at least once

-always eat at cosmic ray's for lunch when we're at MK

-always finish the day at MK at Tomorrowland and Space Mt or Buzz Lightyear

-go on R&R Coaster and ToT at least twice every visit

-eat Mickey Waffles at least one morning during the visit

-when in EPCOT and WS, we always start with Mexico (since we're hispanic we must pay a visit to fellow latinos ) and walk through WS counterclockwise

i think that's it...for now

Regina:wave:

 

[disneygirl03]

Hey everyone!! This is my very first post on this board (just thought you'd like to know!!). I've been reading them for a long time, and finally registered. Anyway, here are some of the traditions me and my family have when we go to WDW...

-we have always stayed at the Polynesian (except this winter we will be staying at AS Sports- looking forward to it!), so we check in and get lunch from Captain Cook's
-my sisters and I go swimming and hang out on the beach
-riding the monorail the day we get there (gotta love the monorail)
-going to Downtown Disney to check out the stores and getting dinner
-going to the Magic Kingdom our first full day there and our last day there

Those are all I can think of for now...

 

[AriBelle23]

I have also been reading them for a long time, and just joined a couple weeks ago...anyway, where in wisconsin are you from? (you can PM me if you want) I am originally from Wisconsin as well.

 

[foxfire]

- Have lunch @ Cosmic Ray's an order the Multi-Stage sandwich, fries & a Coke. I'll park hop there if I'm in another park.

- Touch Cinderella's slipper on the mural @ the MK.

- Go to The Adventurer's Club.

- Make a tape @ Superstar Studios @ PI.

- Have a "moment of silence" for the CoP if it's closed.

---and many more!

 

[mrtoad]

Originally posted by foxfire
-- Go to The Adventurer's Club.

-

I dig that club. A few years ago we went there a few nights in a row because it was so much fun. The last night I was way sick and was there just because my wife and everyone else we were with wanted to. We were haning out and the "show" is going on and everybody moves into the room with the paino smashed through the stage. Long story short, I wind up sitting on stage with a woman in French Maid's outfit singing to me about how I left her. She is kissing me on the check as she sings. The next day wake up feeling really, really ill (it was the day we were leaving). We went and rode TOT one last time, we went back to the hotel and I slept on a lobby couch in Dixie Landings because we had already checked out. Fly home, go to the doctor, find out I have strep throat. Always wondered if the maid caught it?

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by mkepcotmgmak
sorry to thread drift, but Maria, what role did you have and what park? were you on the CP too?"

Sorry for the thread drift....

I was on an international program called "World Showcase Fellowship Ambassadors", we had a job rotation of 3 months during the year of the program, which could have been merchandise, attractions, and ambassador rotation. I was lucky enough to get the ambassador rotation for 9 months of the year which basically was being a greeter and offering tours of our pavillions, and doing some guest relations chores, as well as school visits and attending special events inside and outside the parks. We also had to make a country presentation that lasted 6 hours with food and all that for Epcot management and our own friends. Our training was pretty much the one that GR gets. After those months, I had my contract extended and worked in GR for three more months until my visa to work expired and I came home. We lived at The Commons with all the internationals -lots of fun. Unfortunately, the program cost Disney a lot of money, and had to be cancelled two years ago. Now they only offer the "Cultural Representative Program" for internationals to work inside the pavillions.

 

[Pecos Bill1201]

Traditions there are many....these are some..

-Casey's Hot Dog the night we arrive

-PotC is always the first ride we go on..then splash mt.

-SE first ride @ Epcot since I was 6....last ride when leaving

-Chef Mickey's for character breakfast and always buy the photo

-Fast Pass ToT wait for RN'RC....or vice versa as soon as we hit MGM

-Renew AP @ MGM ticket booth

-Coral Reef first dinner

-Two words - AIR HOCKEY - Contemp. Arcade

last but not least....Mouseboats!!

....there are so many more...oh oh..DISNEY RESORT TV...and local TV commercials!!! If you watch you know what I mean....great thread!!!