Our second reader submission comes from Tony, the webmaster of This Day In Disney History. His Started By A Mouse Too! story is about how Walt Disney World factored into his and his wife Cathy's engagement, wedding and anniversary. Enjoy!

November 1971:
I first visit Disney World at the age of 9 during the Thanksgiving holiday with my mom, dad and sister. The Florida park has only been opened for a little more than a month and everything is brand new. Between the Contemporary Hotel and the Magic Kingdom, I think this is the greatest place I have ever seen. ("How cool, a monorail that drives through the hotel!")

Spring 1975:
A few years later, we return during a holiday school break for a second visit. I still think this is the greatest place I have ever seen. When we leave to return home to New York, little do I know it will take some 24 years before we once again visit Disney World as a family.

October 1997:
My girlfriend Cathy (who I have been dating since September 1996) and I take our first vacation together as a couple to Disney World. When I first suggest we go to Disney, she is a bit skeptical ("Isn’t that for little kids?"). But once we check into the Grand Floridian ... she is absolutely hooked. We have a great time (and for me what a drastic change in Disney World since my 1975 visit). We immediately decide to return the following year.

December 1998:
This time we plan a trip around the holidays (since Cathy will already be down in Florida visiting family for Christmas). We arrive at Disney a few days after the 25th and stay through the New Year. What makes this trip extra memorable is the fact that I ask her to marry me on New Year’s Eve in front of the Magic Kingdom castle at midnight. My plans are almost foiled by the fact that she wants to see The Teen Idols perform over at MGM on New Year’s Eve. Luckily there are two shows and we choose to see the earlier one. After the concert we hurry back to the Magic Kingdom (although she doesn’t realize why). I have visions of being locked out of the park (due to the enormous crowds that Disney attracts on New Year’s Eve) and having to ask her "to spend the rest of our lives together" in the parking lot! But luckily we are admitted into the park and quickly make our way up Main Street toward the castle.

Because it is so jammed with guests we have to stop just a bit past the corner ice cream shop on Main Street and down one of the paths facing the castle. As midnight approaches, I fumble nervously for the ring in my camera bag (I’ve been rehearsing this moment in my mind for the last 4 months). At the stroke of midnight I blabber out two things: "Happy New Year!" ... and "Will you marry me?"

Two days later as we prepare to check-out, we take a walk around the grounds of the Grand Floridian one last time ... but as an engaged couple. We make our way down the path that leads to the Wedding Pavilion as we goof on the idea of getting married at Disney. We have a look around the beautiful pavilion and take a pamphlet from one of the wedding coordinators. As we make our way back to the resort’s main building we both sort of grinningly ask each other: "What if we do get married here?" (Neither of us wants a typical New York wedding.)

June 1999:
Since the beginning of 1999, most of our time has been consumed in choosing a wedding date and location, booking flights and rooms for some 30 family members and friends, choosing a dinner menu and making dozens of other miscellaneous decisions.

A bulk of it has been done with phone calls, faxes and e-mails. But we want to visit face-to-face with our wedding coordinator and so during a visit to family in Jacksonville, Florida, we drive down to Disney for the day. (No time for fun in the parks this time ... this visit is all business.) We also meet with the reverend who will perform our ceremony (he seems like a nice guy ... he’s wearing a Winnie the Pooh necktie.)

November 1999:
Two weeks before our big trip to Florida, we find out that Cathy’s mom (who is already ill) must have emergency open heart surgery. Suddenly nothing else matters. For the next few days, we rarely talk about our wedding. It doesn’t seem so important anymore. Thankfully the surgery goes well and Cathy’s mom is back home. She is determined to attend our wedding ("through hell or high water," I think was her exact phrase).

As our big day is Monday the 15th, we fly down the Friday before. (Disney performs "intimate weddings" Monday-Thursday and larger "full-blown" weddings Friday-Sunday.) We meet with the manager of the Grand Floridian’s restaurants to discuss Monday’s 3 pm dinner at Narcoossee’s (that is to follow the wedding ceremony at 2 pm). After the meeting we catch up with family for lunch and head to the Magic Kingdom.

The weekend is spent running around all the parks and meeting up with friends and relatives as they arrive on property.

Sunday evening is spent with our immediate family at a special dinner at the Grand Floridian. We also surprise my folks this night with a cake celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary (which had occurred the month before). Cathy and I also surprise my five-year-old niece by asking her to be our flower girl.

Before we know it ... it’s Monday morning. Disney has set-up an area in the convention center for Cathy and her girlfriends and sister to dress, do make-up, etc. They also make arrangements for Cathy’s mom to visit a local dialysis center in the morning (as she must have this procedure done 3 times a week). I am left to wander the grounds of the hotel ... the last few hours of being single.

Soon it’s time to put on the tux and meet up with everyone in front of the hotel. As I make my way to the lobby, a valet offers to give me a lift to the front (in one of those little carts). Although the Wedding Pavilion is close by, arrangements have been made for a limo to pick up our guests from in front of the Grand Floridian.

I take the drive over with my mom and dad (who is my best man) and my sister and her family. Once everyone is at the pavilion, the limo makes one last and very important pick-up ... the bride and her family.

I am kept in a room along with my dad and the reverend ... barred from seeing Cathy before it is time. I check the windows ... they have been locked - no escape. Miscellaneous guests pop their heads into the room to wish me luck (what am I going to run a race?) and of course to goof on me. (All part of the wedding tradition.)

Finally it is time. The guests are seated and the reverend leads my dad and I down the aisle to the alter. This is followed by our flower girl Maria and Cathy’s maid of honor Laura. In true Disney fashion ... a series of loud gongs are heard and the organist begins to dramatically play as the back doors swing open to reveal a beautiful bride!

To make a long story short ("too late") the ceremony is perfect. Hundreds of great photos and a video are shot. Afterwards everyone meets up at Narcoosie’s where Cathy and I have our first dance to a live version of "From This Moment On" (one of our guests Denice sings the Shania Twain song to a track of music I have recorded). My dad makes a terrific toast and we enjoy a delicious dinner. (As the restaurant doesn’t open to the public until 5 pm, we have the place to ourselves for the first few hours.)

Later that night the festivities continue in the Grand Floridian’s upper lobby.

We spend the rest of the week as newlyweds on property and then take a 3-night Disney cruise before returning home to New York.

October 2000
We return to Disney World to celebrate our first anniversary with dinner at Victoria & Albert’s. Our stay includes a room on the "hidden floor" of the Grand Floridian’s main building.

October 2001
We make the mistake of staying at another hotel at another theme park ... but do manage to stop by Narcoossee’s for an early anniversary dinner. We both agree ... the following year has to be spent on Disney property.

November 2002 & beyond:
The entire 1999 trip is something we will never forget. Everyone who attended continues to this day to express how unique our wedding was. Depending on your finances and taste ... you can have a very simple but elegant intimate wedding or have an over the top fireworks and doves extravaganza of a wedding. We are headed down to Disney this November ... to celebrate our third wedding anniversary. (We plan to have many more at Disney.)

Back in November 1971 ... I never thought Disney would have such an impact and play such an important role in my life. In some ways I guess I’m still a 9-year-old because I still think it’s the greatest place I have ever seen ... and now I get to share it with someone I love. Happy anniversary Cathy!

Tony and Cathy on Their Wedding Day

- Story and Photo by Tony (webmaster of This Day In Disney History)
Posted

Were you started by the mouse too? Send in your stories and pictures to wewere2@startedbyamouse.com and they could be posted here!

Discuss this article in the StartedByAMouse.com Disney Discussion Forums or use the Talkback feature below.

We Were Started By A Mouse Too!  •  When In Cyberspace ... Disney Link Directory  •  

  •  Purchase Walt Disney World Tickets here - DISNEY TICKETS via DWTickets.com  •  

  •  Receive discounts on ORLANDO VACATION HOMES near Disney World from OrlandoVacation.com  •