Sometimes it is about what you give...Stories anyone?

[smkiya]

On one trip I noticed an older woman with her grown daughter and her daughter's family. This woman looked so pretty: well groomed with a matching necklace and earrings...so I tapped her shoulder and said I just had to comment on how nice she looked. Well.....her eyes got a little teary and she proceeded to tell me that her husband recently passed away and since he usually accompanied the family on their Disney trips she was hesitant about going alone...she gave me a big hug and said that every morning her husband would tell her just how nice she looked and that she "knew" my remark was his way of telling her that he was still with her.

I felt like a million bucks...so simple...just to reach out.

You just made me cry....

 

[mmiller711]

We also have handed out extra fp and so on but the time that had the biggest payoff for me didn't cost me a dime.

We were sitting waiting for Fantasmic to start and since my mom was with us in her wheelchair we were in the back. There was a little girl next to us in a wheelchair and I asked her if she was having fun at Disney. She of course said yes and I asked about her favorite ride, park and so. When we were done talking her mother came over and thanked me. She said everyone talked "about" her but no one talked "to" her. I work with physically disabled kids so I didn't think it was a big deal but to that mother it was important.

 

[dukehoopsfan]

I am the planner of the family - telling everyone the fastest way to get around the park, which counter services are the best, how to "do" the rides so we can get them all in etc - yes, basically visiting the parks commando style. We were at the Beach Club Villas a couple of weeks ago, and I told the family it was going to be a non-commando trip and instead go with the flow. Well that resulted in not using all of our counter service meals (we were on the quick service dining plan). The day we were leaving my husband went to the Marketplace (as the rest of us were getting in a last swim and shopping) to "buy" lunches for people (he had 10 meals left!). He is a teacher and a college coach - so he loves to meet and talk to people. For the next hour or so - he had a blast talking to people and then getting them lunch. He told me that he enjoyed spreading the "Disney Magic"!

 

[DaughteroftheKing]

Wonderful thread!

When we go in October, we're having lunch at T-Rex and letting ds do the build-a-dino. I plan on buying a gift card and giving it to another little boy (whoever randomly is in there at the time) so he can build a dinosaur too.

We may give away our Planet Hollywood $15 voucher.

I bought a tube with some extra glowsticks for at the fireworks.

 

[Mom2SamandJames]

Last trip we bought an extra swirly sucker and shared it with a little girl sitting beside us watching the parade. Her smile was worth every penny. This trip our son wants to make special little treat bags with personalized labels on them. We are putting different things in the bags. Our son is helping me make disney shaped sugar cookes and picking out candy and stickers. That way we can share our Disney magic with anyone we desire from CMs to other families.

I am proud of my son for wanting to do this as he is only 4. I hope this means we are raising him to think of others.

 

[disneymom2003]

We are season pass holders here in California. This year they are giving away 50 prizes a day. My 19 year old daughter was with her friends there when she won front row tickets to the parade. Since she has already seen the parade she gave the tickets to a family with two small children. They all were thrilled.

 

[miraged]

When we were last there this May, 2009, we were eating popcorn and feeding the ducks as we walked. A nice mommy and her two children were sitting by the water at Downtown Disney, she didn't wish them to feed the ducks, but I asked if if could give her children some popcorn and she kindly said yes. So we all shared and it was nice.

 

[disneycountrygirl]

Last time we got the free passes that you hang around your neck for only select people that the CMs hand out if you happen to be at the right place in the park at the right time, (can't remember if it was for extra hours or fastpasses to a whole bunch of rides), we tried to give them to someone else cause we had to leave the parks and wouldn't be using them, and for some reason people were leary. I think they thought we were trying to sell something!! We said something like, "hey, we are leaving the parks and we received this from Disney as a freebee, do you want it?" And about 3 parties actually said, "no thanks" or "not interested". Finally the 4th party took them, but seemed really skeptical with just an "ok" and an extended hand. I bet once they discovered they were actually valid (and required nothing of them as we were long gone) they were probably happy about it.

We were suprised people were so hesitant to take something free. I guess people maybe are thinkikng that nothing in life is free...and if it's too good to be true, it is . But sheesh, those rules should go out the door at Disney!

 

[dizmom2mwjk]

On our last trip, it was dd and I, and I got sick and couldn't eat, so had extra meals on our meal plan, and took a family of 3 through the CS line to order meals for them. They couldn't believe someone would just give away meals like that...but I wasn't going to get the chance to use them, and would rather not waste them...so I found a family who could use them...

 

[jmkford4]

Love this thread! We are going in a month for our first trip, and we bought glow sticks to hand out. I think I will buy extra stickers as well. Keep them coming!!!!

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Aw, what a wonderful thread! Makes me happy just reading it...and now I guess I *must* schedule a trip this year, just so I can try to spread the happiness, too!

 

[butterflygirl3]

Of course, we've given away the FPs and the glow bracelets, but what seems to really get parents is stickers. I have no idea why!

DS3 carries around a Nemo ziploc full of shimmery stickers of Disney characters. Princesses, Cars, Fab 5, etc. When he sees someone that looks like they need a sticker (even grown-ups), he looks through his bag, pulls out the one that fits that person (girl in Snow White dress gets Snow White, guy with Goofy hat gets Goofy, etc.) and hands it to them. The looks on their faces are priceless!! It makes him so happy, too. Sometimes when he's starting to get icky himself, I'll ask him if he wants to share his stickers, and that pulls him right out of it. Who'd have thought a few bags of dollar stickers would have so much power? :

Love, Love, Love this idea! My daughter would probably love to do this! She likes giving stickers to anyone and everyone! Thank you very much!

 

[crystaldawn]

We've given away many fastpasses for rides that my older ds chickens out about lol... We get them and he seems so thrilled and then he realizes that we actually have to go ON the ride and he decides NOT to lol...

We have also done the glow bracelets. It's one of my favorite things to do actually. We buy tons of them when we go and let our kids give them to other kids around us. It's funny because it really makes it feel like we're their with friends. Once you give something to someone there is a bond created and it just seems more fun. We've also had many ppl offer us things in return, like snacks or holding our spot etc since we've befriended them.

I wish that I could financially give more. I would love to offer to pay for someone character breakfast or an extra day in the park etc... Maybe someday.

 

[MissRoseDarrensAngel]

I left 1 unopened bottle of powder (for chafing etc), 1 unopened spray on sunscreen in a bottle and a bottle of sunburn relief in a dresser drawer at Pop Century.

Hopefully someone who needs them, will find them there and use them, or perhaps pay it forward, and leave some items for another person.

 

[Missytara]

I give the magical experience - the first few years, I went alone and you pay 175% of the room price if you are one person. To me, it is still a very reasonable trip by myself.

The last few years I have taken friends, and I tell them, I am still going whether you go or not. So I pay for the gas, the parking and the tolls to the airport and back, and pay the bulk of the room. All I ask is they pay for the remainder of the room and their tickets, food, etc.

This year, I am taking two college aged women who work at the restaurant I go to all the time; they are each only paying about $400.00 plus the dining plan. One of them has been twice, but never stayed on-site; the other one has NEVER been at all.

I already have three people that have asked to go with me next year!

It is so much fun to share the experience with someone that means so much to you! They take such good care of me at the restaurant, so I always like to be able to do something for them.

 

[tinkbutt]

every time I go to animal kingdom I stop off at a game that I always win the medium stuffed animal..... then I spend the rest of my day looking for the right little girl or boy who is having a break down. I then make my entrance and ask the parent if it would be OK if their kid can have the stuffed animal. it usually gets the kid to calm down and forget what they were crying over. it is a nice 4-7$ way to help out a stressed parent.

oh yeah I usually make sure they have a stroller so the parent doesn't get stuck carrying the stuffed animal

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Last time we got the free passes that you hang around your neck for only select people that the CMs hand out if you happen to be at the right place in the park at the right time, (can't remember if it was for extra hours or fastpasses to a whole bunch of rides), we tried to give them to someone else cause we had to leave the parks and wouldn't be using them, and for some reason people were leary. I think they thought we were trying to sell something!! We said something like, "hey, we are leaving the parks and we received this from Disney as a freebee, do you want it?" And about 3 parties actually said, "no thanks" or "not interested". Finally the 4th party took them, but seemed really skeptical with just an "ok" and an extended hand. I bet once they discovered they were actually valid (and required nothing of them as we were long gone) they were probably happy about it.

We were suprised people were so hesitant to take something free. I guess people maybe are thinkikng that nothing in life is free...and if it's too good to be true, it is . But sheesh, those rules should go out the door at Disney!

It is funny how sometimes it is hard to give away things! But I have to admire people for being a little cautious

We've given away many fastpasses for rides that my older ds chickens out about lol... We get them and he seems so thrilled and then he realizes that we actually have to go ON the ride and he decides NOT to lol...

We have also done the glow bracelets. It's one of my favorite things to do actually. We buy tons of them when we go and let our kids give them to other kids around us. It's funny because it really makes it feel like we're their with friends. Once you give something to someone there is a bond created and it just seems more fun. We've also had many ppl offer us things in return, like snacks or holding our spot etc since we've befriended them.

I wish that I could financially give more. I would love to offer to pay for someone character breakfast or an extra day in the park etc... Maybe someday.

That is such a win-win situation. You can't use your fastpasses and you don't want to force your children so instead, they can feel good about giving the fastpasses away - awesome!

every time I go to animal kingdom I stop off at a game that I always win the medium stuffed animal..... then I spend the rest of my day looking for the right little girl or boy who is having a break down. I then make my entrance and ask the parent if it would be OK if their kid can have the stuffed animal. it usually gets the kid to calm down and forget what they were crying over. it is a nice 4-7$ way to help out a stressed parent.

oh yeah I usually make sure they have a stroller so the parent doesn't get stuck carrying the stuffed animal

I love this idea. I was really upset one visit to MK when everyone is walking in and in awe & laughing & loving the park but there was a dad that was yelling at his daughter because she was crying. I don't know the situation at all, but he kicked her in the behind as he yelled at her to stop crying! I was mortified and felt so bad for the family. I know a Disney vacation (or ANY vacation) can get stressful at times and it is so wonderful that other people try to step in before things get too heated for parents and children. We just want to enjoy Disney World and have wonderful memories with our children/families/ourselves! With people like you (and all the people on this thread), these melt downs can be avoided or just a magic moment is made. Everyone remembers these kind gestures. And I am taking them all to heart when I visit!!

 

[figment3258]

every time I go to animal kingdom I stop off at a game that I always win the medium stuffed animal..... then I spend the rest of my day looking for the right little girl or boy who is having a break down. I then make my entrance and ask the parent if it would be OK if their kid can have the stuffed animal. it usually gets the kid to calm down and forget what they were crying over. it is a nice 4-7$ way to help out a stressed parent.

oh yeah I usually make sure they have a stroller so the parent doesn't get stuck carrying the stuffed animal

Thats a really great idea. For the last two years we won the jumbo size so we have two large turtle here but we will try your idea this trip. Good one!

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

We had extra fast passes one year we visited and tried to give them away at the front of MK. No one would take them, they definitely were suspicious! And it was hard to know who might want them. Well, we were able to finally give them away (after my husband asked about 20 people!) but this year, we found that it was much easier to give away the fastpasses near the rides. So if you know you aren't going to use them, try giving them away near the rides if not right outside of the ride (maybe to that family where the little boy insists on going on Big Thunder and the parents are looking at the 2 hour wait with trembling fear in their eyes - ha ha!)

 

[Pirate Chica]

This is such a nice thread. I too experienced something similar...

Two years ago, I was checking in at CS and while I was waiting for our room key, a gentleman came out of nowhere and gave us two resort refillable mugs. He said he had just checked out and didn't want to take them home. We gladly took them and used it! Then when we checked out, we gave them to another family that was just checking in. They were so surprised and grateful.

I spread my own Disney magic.