May All Our 'Wishes' Come True - Seeing 'Wishes' One Last Time

Well it was the beginning of April and conveniently my youngest daughter had a birthday coming up and what better surprise birthday gift than a trip to Walt Disney World with her Mom?! Fortunately, she thought it was a really fun idea and both of our husbands agreed so it was settled. Our fabulous agent from Mouse Fan Travel (Michelle McKnight) got us all set up with three nights at Port Orleans French Quarter, park tickets, and even reservations for the Wishes dessert party for the Sunday night that we would be there! In the last 10 years I have been to Walt Disney World many times but this was a first for me, going with just one of my daughters and having a totally girls trip.

Since I am blind, my husband usually takes care of everything from transportation to handling the money and most importantly figuring out how to get from one place to another in the “World”. Christin hadn’t been at Walt Disney World since 2013, so she had pretty much forgotten anything she might have know about where things are located. But I found out I knew more than I thought about where things were located and how to get there and we never got lost, not even once!

We went all out with matching shirts for Wishes and even had matching Mickey pajamas. Yes, we had a few glitches, like missing our flight from Indianapolis to Orlando but we were quickly on another flight and hit Hollywood Studios by early afternoon. Christin was wearing her birthday button and we had plenty of magical moments. From a cast member at Tower of Terror giving us fast passes to ride two more times (Tower of Terror is Christin’s favorite ride and it is in my top three) to being given two Mickey pretzels (another one of Christin’s favorites) and drinks before the Star Wars fireworks started! She also got way more birthday wishes than she had ever gotten in her life. At one point she said to me that she needed to spend every birthday at Walt Disney World! Sounds like a great plan to me!

We had arrived on Saturday and were heading home Tuesday evening. Our Wishes dessert party was on Sunday night and we were told to arrive by 8:00 pm for a 9:00 pm performance of Wishes.

There are two ways to experience the dessert party. You can go to the Tomorrowland Terrace for desserts and then watch Wishes in a reserved spot on the hub, which some may say is a better view, but we disagree! We chose the other option, which was to watch Wishes from our table.

We arrived a few minutes after 8:00 and when we were escorted to our table the cast member said to us, “You are going to love your seats!” He stopped at a table for two, right in the front row looking straight over the water to the castle. I immediately started to cry because how in the world could we have gotten the front row when we had just gotten the reservations a few weeks previously! It was truly a magical moment.

Even though I was overwhelmed with emotion, it didn’t keep me from eating my share of delicious treats including but not limited too: chocolate covered strawberries, mini cup cakes, adorable mini Mickey rice krispy treats with chocolate ears, and some cute strawberry short cake cups. All too soon it was getting dark and the castle lights were lit.

Magic Kingdom - Wishes

Wishes, as seen from a room at Bay Lake Tower.

Just after they announced that there would be just five minutes until Wishes would begin, the young man at the table next to us went down on one knee, pulled out a ring, and asked the young lady with him to marry him! Now both Christin and I were crying along with everyone around us. She said yes and soon we heard that precious sweet voice singing, “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish, I wish tonight. We’ll make a wish, and do as dreamers do, and all our wishes (all our wishes), will come true.” Next thing we knew Tinker Bell was flying right over our heads!

I tried to soak in every moment and remember every little detail. I remembered the first time our family had come to Walt Disney World in 2007 and seen Wishes for the first time. I remembered the night our daughter Judie had called us while my husband and I were at Walt Disney World to tell us that she and Joe had just gotten engaged and I wished happiness for them that night as I watched Wishes. I remembered so many times we had watched Wishes with family and friends inside and out of the parks. I let all the memories, sounds, colors, and voices of beloved characters wash over me and I wished it would go on longer, but soon it was over.

We sat for a bit to let the crowd clear, then tried to do some more fun things at the Magic Kingdom but it was hard to focus on Buzz when I kept hearing the Wishes song in my head. I have heard many reports that the Happily Ever After show is a great one, and who knows, maybe I will get as attached to it as I am to Wishes as we make more wonderful memories at Walt Disney World with family and friends. For now my wish remains that “all our wishes will come true!”

About the Author:

Christie is a receptionist at a large church in Indiana. When she isn’t answering phones or giving directions she is helping everyone who walks in to the church plan their next Disney vacation or discussing the latest Disney news!  She and her husband Gerry have four married children and so far two completely wonderful Grandchildren!  She is currently busily planning her first trip to Disneyland!