1. So besides the obvious castle reveal, the first time I cried at WDW was when I saw that steam from the train rise from behind the trees, bringing with it magic and surprises that are the very start of your WDW vacation. Also when they say “Have a magical day.” Before you even get to WDW, of course it’s also the highway signs, the welcoming arch, and on my first day at WDW I took the bus and it was raining, but the moment I stepped off the bus into the MK, the rain stopped. It didn’t rain again a single time my whole vacation.

2. The moment you realize the Tower of Terror is more than just a drop ride.

3. The seemless transition on Peter Pan where you go from a bedroom to flying high over the street of London.

4. Wishes, of course Tinkerbell, and just the singing when the ‘star’ shoots by and there’s star-shaped fireworks.

5. Fantasmic. 2 things. 1. When that first note reverberates and builds slowly before the music kicks in to start the show. 2. When I saw the fire on the water screen and I thought to myself, how great would it be to have just the dragon’s eyes appear behind the fire, and then they did.

6. Soarin’. When that amazing music kicks in and you smell the orange groves. I have to shed a tear everytime.

7. Philharmagic. When you put out your hand and Flounder is right there swimming above it. And the smell of pie. It’s the best 3D show. On a side note of the 3D shows, also when you get stung on Tough to be a Bug.

8. Pretty much every character encounter, the unexpected and the anticipation building ones. My fave princess, Aurora, was in a show behind the castle. My friends and I park hopped from AK to MK just to see her. I assumed she would process down the castle stairs, but instead she appeared out of nowhere right behind me. I met her and Prince Phillip afterwards and told them they were my favorite prince and princess. Also worth mentioning, I met Mary Poppins in Epcot in the morning, then again later that same day in the UK, and she accused me of stalking her.

9. Shout out to the cast members. I love when they wave with Mickey hands in the AM. On my 25th birthday I went by myself for 2 days. Everyone, even guests, constantly wished me a happy birthday. A jungle cruise cast member even yelled it as he jumped towards me with open arms. When I sadly returned to MCO to go home a stranger walked by me and didn’t wish me a happy birthday. That’s when I realized the magic I had left behind in WDW.

10. My first night in WDW I saw Spectromagic, and when Mickey passed by he pointed RIGHT AT ME for what seemed like forever. I felt incredibly special.

Honorable mention, because it didn’t happen at WDW. I was in NYC for the advance screening of Princess and the Frog. After the movie they had an event with the princesses. I walked in, and there were ALL 9 princesses in the same room at the same time. My knees went weak and I almost turned around to go collect myself before entering. Tears streamed down my face. It was one of my most amazing happiest moments.

And now, when eating at CHEF MICKEY or the former CONCOURSE STEAKHOUSE with my kids–they react the same way, and it brings back the WOW for me.

1. The ballroom scene in haunted mansion
2. When a cast member asked my kids if they were pin traders. We told him no, but we had thought about it. He asked how long we were there for, and we told him we were on day 2 of 8. He walked into the back of pizzafari and came out with two loaded lanyards. He handed them to the kids and said you’re pin traders now.
3. the streets of London in Peter Pan
4. Floating through the middle of a sea battle on POTC
5. Taking the monorail from the parking lot to “somewhere else.”
6. Star tours
7. Wishes from the California grill or the to of the world lounge
8. Abraham Lincoln
9. Osborne lights
10. An anniversary dinner at a table for 2 right on the rio del tiempo.
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I took my kids when my daughters were 5 and my son was 8. The hardest part of nthat
trip was the disappointment in my daughter Jessica when i ntold her
she wasn’t going to see Mommy in the airplane. She thought since Mommy
lived up in the sky that we would see her.

Our tradion started innocently enough, when Tinker bell in pixie
Hollow asked where Mommy was. When we said “Up in heaven” Tink
suggested to give her hugs, and she’d fly up to Heaven to give them to
Mommy.

On seeing WISHES that night, when my kids saw Tink descending from the
castle, they all screamed “There’s Tink, Mommy got our hugs”. Jessica
is convinced that the four heart shaped fireworks in Wishes are hugs
from Mommy.

Once we got home, I bought DVC so we could go see Mommy every year.