Birthday Fun

This is really just a little something to bridge the gap until tomorrow when I post something (hopefully) more useful to anyone planning a Disney trip. So in the spirit of keeping it short and sweet, I thought I'd share a Disney memory of mine.

 When V and I took the trip in February 2010, both of our birthdays ended up passing while we were in Orlando. Like any mature adult, I spent my 20th birthday in the Magic Kingdom with a Snow White bow on my head, a big birthday pin on my chest, and ate dinner surrounded by Winnie the Pooh characters at the Crystal Palace. Now, I had heard birthdays could be fun at Disney World, but I really wasn't prepared for what ended up happening. (Tip: if you're celebrating something, make sure to get a pin from guest services and wear it proudly)

All day long, cast members were wishing me happy birthday. I ended up getting called out on the Jungle Cruise by our skipper who yelled "Happy birthday to the cute red head in the back of the boat" into his microphone which resulted in the entire boat clapping. Another park guest even wished me a happy birthday while I was camped out on a bench. Everyone was just so sweet!

When we showed up to dinner, no one had even asked me if we were celebrating anything (and by that point my button was tucked under a sweater because it had gotten chilly). When we got to our table, it was covered in Mickey head confetti and all the characters were quick to show up at our table to take photos. Then, at the end of our meal, the waiter brought out a cupcake and a big card that had been signed by all the characters. I'm still in shock. I guess there must have been a memo on our reservation, compliments of our travel agent I'm assuming, but without me saying a word, the staff at Crystal Palace really made my day extra magical.

V's birthday fell on the day we arrived and he made me swear not to tell the people at the restaurant that it was his birthday. He wouldn't even wear his pin! Needless to say, I was not pleased. But, courtesy of our travel agent (again!), he got his birthday surprise a few days later. We had stopped for lunch at the 50s Prime Time Cafe and, just before our dessert was served, a huge cupcake was brought over and both of us were dragged over to another table where a girl was also celebrating her birthday. Our waiter made everyone sing happy birthday twice (he forgot to light the birthday candles the first time). I'm pretty sure V was wildly embarrassed but he still told the story with a big grin on his face once we got home.

Moral of the story? Wear your pin, let people know you're celebrating, and book through a travel agent who specializes in Disney vacations. Your day will be unforgettable.

♥ Rhys