Grumpy's amazing "Disney" Christmas gift to me..... - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Grumpy's amazing "Disney" Christmas gift to me.....
OK, this is a very, very long story about an amazing gift. But if anyone can appreciate it, it is the Disney fans here.
My darling Grumpy is not one to give a gift that he can walk into a store and buy. For years I have been both touched and surprised at the thought he put into what he gives me. This year took the cake.
While we sat and watched DD unwrap all of her gifts, I noticed there was nothing for me under the tree from Grumpy. No big deal as Christmas is for kids. At some point when DD was opening her gifts, I had to go to the basement to get something. I noticed a huge box in the corner of the room and had to take a look at it. It was not wrapped, but on top of it was a wrapped package the size of a CD/DVD case and in big letter the words "Watch before opening the box" were written on it. DD was not done with her gifts, so I headed back upstairs.
When DD was done, Grumpy told me we needed to head to the basement for me to unwrap my “gift“. I opened the package on top and it was indeed a DVD. I put in it our player and was a bit confused to see Glen Campbell walking along a dirt road in what looked like a southern state wooden area, playing the guitar and singing a song I had never heard. I had no freaking clue what this was about, but I kept thinking to myself “This looks like an undeveloped WDW”. The forest in the background just looked like something you would see at Fort Wilderness. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was somewhere in the swamp that was what WDW was built on. Glen kept singing and walking and walking and singing and all of a sudden the monorail track appeared behind him. And then the monorail went by. He was in WDW! And it was 1971!
Grumpy had managed to find a very old, very grainy copy of a promotional video of the opening of WDW. And as it played, he told me to open the big box. Inside it was not one gift, but countless of them all wrapped up. There must have been at least thirty if not more gifts to unwrap. And as I tore into them, each one was a treasure as well as a trip down memory lane. He had said that he had spent thirteen months on this collection and I believe him. The box contained everything you could think of that you couldn’t buy in a park today. There were ticket books from the 70’s as well as tickets (the only one he didn’t get was an E ticket), a parking pass, a WDW guest resort newsletter from 1975 where the luau was $12.95 for adults, a ticket to the Diamond Horseshoe Review, a map of the original MK and so many other commemorative items from the 70’s. There was also a commemorative DVD of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea complete with a piece of plastic seaweed that had been part of the ride. He also managed to find a Fort Wilderness patch. That was extremely special as it was the first (and only) resort I had stayed at as a child.
But it wasn’t all about the 70’s. Grumpy had managed to find a 2005 shareholder’s report with Captain Jack on the cover. There was also a media kit from the release of POTC III as well as one from the opening of Mission Space complete with a pack of freeze dried ice cream. There were CM newsletters, “All Ears and Eyes” and one of them featured the opening of the AKL. He even managed to get one of the key pads from the seats of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”!!!!! I about went through the roof on that one!
There were other things in the box from parks or resorts that I am sure should have never been for sale, but let’s just say that next time I want to cook something at home from my favorite restaurant, Boma, I can dress the part.
And what I have listed is only a part of what was in this wonderful box. Like I said, it was an amazing gift!!!!!! And to think when I married him, he hated the idea of me dragging him to WDW for a family vacation!
And the really sad part of this story is that I found a piece of the Epcot wand on Ebay and won it. Of course, it was only days before Christmas when I secured the item, but I figured it would make a touching gift for my darling Grumpy, even if it was late. Epcot is his favorite park and he was so miffed when the wand came down. Now it seems so pale in comparison to what he gave me.
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Wow-what a terrific gift to say the least! It just warms my heart to hear stories such as this-to know that true love AND adoration DO exist in the world!
Like other posters have said, I believe he spent many, many months on finding everything......he must have spent countless hours on Ebay (and other websites perusing all the listings to gather up all the gems!!
Sounds like a wonderful day for you all......thanks for sharing!! Enjoy your gifts!!
OH, I'm having a hard time seeing the screen on my computer right now! What a great guy Grumpy is! And you too, he's gonna love his wand piece! You two have something really special!
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Wow. Your story actually has me tearing up. What a great husband you have. And what a special person you have to be, to make your husband adore you so much! By the way, I think the wand piece is a great idea, and is just as thoughtful as what he put together for you, even if it didn't take you 13 months to get it all together.
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I had no freaking clue what this was about, but I kept thinking to myself “This looks like an undeveloped WDW”. The forest in the background just looked like something you would see at Fort Wilderness. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was somewhere in the swamp that was what WDW was built on. Glen kept singing and walking and walking and singing and all of a sudden the monorail track appeared behind him. And then the monorail went by. He was in WDW! And it was 1971! 
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What a great guy Grumpy is! And you too, he's gonna love his wand piece! You two have something really special!
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