What are your best Walt Disney World Resort Florida memories? - Disney prizes to be won!

[CeriMumsnet]

Whether it’s your first experience, or a repeat family holiday destination, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is a place where lifelong memories are made. We’d love to hear your favourite memories and stories of Disney parks magic.

Perhaps the nostalgia of that first glimpse of Magic Kingdom Park as a child has stuck with you all these years later, or maybe seeing the magic come to life through your own kids’ eyes is what made the experience unforgettable.

Everyone who shares their favourite memory of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida by 24 June will be entered into a prize draw. One lucky winner will receive a £100 VEX gift voucher, and three runners-up will each win a Disney merchandise bundle worth at least £50. T&Cs

Inspired to book your trip? Book your 2026 package holiday by 5th November 2025 and enjoy Free Dining & Drinks and Disney 14-Day Magic Ticket for the price of a 7-Day Magic Ticket on selected arrivals and packages at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida (excludes gratuities). To make it even sweeter, you’ll save £100 per booking on Disney Resort hotel & Ticket packages. Find out more.

As a child I had a holiday to Disney with my parents. It felt magical. It was a place full of joy and my parents, brother and I just went all in with the magic and silliness. It was wonderful.
I'm returning with DD this year and can't wait for her to experience the Disney magic for herself

We loved the flower festival at Epcot - it was a sensory explosion.

Watching our kids watching the Parade and fireworks. Their joy was just utterly joyful for us.

For me it was the fireworks ! Just the best I've ever seen, we videoed the display and watch it now - pure Disney magic

For me it would be the Epcot at night, the 3 fountains shooting water to each other, and leaving with the speckled lights in the floor by spaceship earth.

Think I would love that now, @Maiyakat 😁

We're loving all your stories. Please keep sharing - we're all (Mickey Mouse) ears! Doesn’t have to be big or dramatic - sometimes it’s the little unexpected moments that stick with you.

My mum and dad took me when I was a teenager. It was a big deal for all of us -we weren't well off and had only been abroad once before plus my dad was terrified of flying. But he really wanted to do it for me so made it happen - and it was truly Disney magic!
One of things I remember most is how wet we all got on the rapids which was hilarious. And the big turkey legs you could buy which my dad loved! Great times :)

I recently went to Disney for the first time. My favourite memory was day 2 of our holiday: my usually cynical and reticent dd age 14 decided that she would, after all, wear her mouse ears because “it’s Disney so you kinda have to.” And then, having been absolutely adamant that under no circumstances would she participate in any schmaltzy stuff and certainly not ANY meet and greets, found herself smiling away in a family photo with Donald Duck.

And that there folks is the magic of Disney. If it can melt a teenager’s heart, it can do anything.

As a slightly cynical/reluctant adult visitor (with our under-10 DDs; husband thought it would be their dream holiday, I thought I'd hate it), I was hooked from the moment we drove up to the gates at the Magic Kingdom, wound down the window of our car to hear the Disney music playing and were greeted with the biggest sunshiny smiles and then told to have to "have a magical day". I may have cried.

I've been back to WDW once and DLP twice since then. And I always cry.

Eating around the world at Epcot food festival followed by the most amazing fireworks I've ever seen.

Dad had been poorly with cancer aged 3. Life had gone from being joyful to terrifying. WDW restored the light at the end of the tunnel. A princess on a carnival float gave her the heart sign with her hands and a staff member helped her have breakfast with Winnie the Pooh. The kindness of the staff resorted my faith in the world. Seeing her dancing to the carnival and enjoying life after a year in hospital was the time the light at the end of the tunnel came back on

My absolutely favourite memory was visiting Pleasure Island in the late 1990s - I still remember the smell of the Adventurers’ Club and can close my eyes and I’m right there again, watching in awe age 6 as the photos, busts and artefacts came alive around me. The dusty ostrich-like feathers of the maid’s costume, the musky smell of the curtains.
I remember sneaking off with my dear dad to 8Trax nightclub whilst my mum and sister sat in there for hours. I would be disco-dancing to the BeeGees until my feet were sore either from the weeks of walking round the parks or from the dancing, I’m not sure which.

The happiest and most fond memories, I will never forget.

I always wanted to go so I treated myself to a trip a few years ago. The theming of all the rides was awesome, nothing I’ve belated before or since lives up to a Disney ride! The magic, the joy of meeting my fav (Mickey) and Donald complaining because someone else had signed his page in my autograph book, then realised it was Daisy who had and he decided that was ok he’d sign a different page. Best trip ever!

Avid Orlando holidayer here (currently on trip 9 to WDW). Back when I was 9/10, I remember sitting on the metal benches of Lights, Motors, Action! (back when it was MGM Studios!) and whilst patiently waiting for the show to begin, an audible gasp ran across the stadium. All of a sudden, everyone around me jumped up, a lot of people were saluting, and the loudest chants of ‘USA! USA! USA!’ you could imagine.
Behind the stage set, in the not too far distance, a rocket had been launched at the Kennedy centre and was firing its way to space. The cameraman for the show ran out to film it, so it was then visible for even the young kids in the audience to see it on the giant tv. I’ll never forget how lucky I was to see and experience that.

Peter pan's ride, it just felt so magical and the night time sky was beautiful

The whole week was an eyeopener - hated the long queues but the BEST was final night, watching the incredible firework display and thinking wow this has been amazing.

Watching the fireworks, on our ‘wish trip’ with our daughter who was 5 years post cancer treatment - it was a moment where we finally felt like we’d made it out the other side, not unchanged, but in tact, together and ready for life to have a bit of magic again. Disney was a major part of her entire cancer journey, watching the films, trying to find a little joy along the way of what I hope will be our toughest of times. Florida was a trip we will all remember forever and we would love to go back as ‘normal’ visitors one day.

Mine is going as a child and being in awe of its a small world! I can still remember the tune now!

When my oldest son was 3, we took him to EPCOT and we saw Pluto his favourite character in the distance with a couple of families, this was long before the meet and greets. Well my son saw Pluto and just took off. He ran straight towards him, running right upto Pluto, ignoring everyone else and flinging his arms around him giving Pluto the greatest hug ever. I caught up a couple of minutes later and apologised profusely to the other families who luckily thought it was so cute. Pluto is still my son’s favourite character some 20 odd years later.

Walking in and seeing the castle for the first time, genuinely felt the magic ✨

Also, having my first turkey leg right before the fireworks display. I regularly crave them now for the nostalgia!

We took our then 3 year old last February for the first time. It had been a dream since we found out I was expecting so it meant a lot to me. We couldn’t really afford it to be honest but I went mad selling on Vinted the previous year to be able to afford it.

by far one of the most magical parts for me was when we went to enchanted tales with Belle at magic kingdom and my son got picked to be the pepper shaker. He was so little and it was just the most adorable thing. I was in bits watching the show. We have another baby now so need to start saving for our next trip although it sadly won’t be for quite a few years

Still gives me shivers - When Tinkerbelle flew from the magic castle surrounded by Disney Magic - I could watch this over and over and never tire 😍

My favourite memory is as a child arriving at our hotel in Orlando in the dark and seeing the huge searchlights in the sky from the parks. It felt like landing in a movie! I hadn’t seen them before in real life. They’re more common now for events in the UK but still when I see them get that feeling of excitement!

The best memory was taking our pair to the themed character bruches. Our eldest had been a bit sceptical - but when we went to the Winne the Pooh character breakfast it really was magical. I knew our littlest would love it. But hearing our eldest say that hugging Winnie the Pooh and seeing Eyeore (who wasn't grumpy as expected!) was the bit bit ever - showed that Disney magic works wonders on everyone. And yes I enjoyed having my picture taken with Winnie the Pooh and the food was great! It was a wonderful memory and captured the fun and magic of Disney for our multi generational family.

Definitely the fireworks! How could anyone say anything else??!!!