By D23 Team
Whether you’ve already found your prince(ss) charming or you’re still wishing upon a star for true love’s first kiss, there’s something magical about a Disney happily ever after. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked you to share your Disney proposal stories with us:
1. On Top of the World
“I proposed to my partner at the Top of the World lounge at Bay Lake Tower while watching the Wishes fireworks. We come to Walt Disney World frequently and to pop the question at a place that means so much to us both made this an extra special memory. Everyone applauded when he said yes!”—Michael Sferro
2. Out-of-this-Galaxy Engagement
“[We got engaged] right in front of Chewbacca! Magical! We have known each other since we were 5 years old in Kindergarten! Forty years later we got engaged at the Happiest Place on Earth!”—Melodie Bond
3. Surprise at Sleeping Beauty Castle
“It was our two-year anniversary as a couple and we decided to spend the day together at Disneyland. He kept telling me we were going to be late for something and I thought he might propose! He completely tricked me and took me to Carnation Cafe and told me that was my surprise. It was cute, but I was expecting something very different! After we finished breakfast, he told me he had one more surprise for me. He takes me to Sleeping Beauty Castle and I see my whole family standing in front! Still thinking the proposal thing was out the window, and [concluding that] spending the day at Disneyland with my family was the surprise, I ran up and hugged everyone. As I turned around he was on one knee! We will be married two years in April.”—Desiree Swift Cortes
4. Under the Sea Engagement
“We got engaged at Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot on September 1, 2005. I am a scuba diver and loved the idea of having dinner next to a huge aquarium. A scuba diver swam down next to our table and started tapping on the glass and pointing at me. He unrolled a sign and put it on the glass and it said ‘Kristen—Will you marry me? Love, Ryan.’ I was in disbelief! I turned to look at Ryan across the table and he was on his knee next to me with a ring! The whole restaurant stopped and cheered––another guest even drew a picture of the event and gave it to us as a gift! The whole night was magical.”—Kristen Cabot Brady
5. An Enchanting Evening
“This past October, my partner asked me to marry her at Walt Disney World. We always talked about getting engaged, but she surprised me during a last-minute trip for Halloween. I adore everything Disney, but I really love Beauty and the Beast so we went dressed as Belle and Beast for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. We had reservations at Be Our Guest Restaurant and the dinner was phenomenal. After dinner, we met Beast. I took my picture with Beast and turned to leave the room in excitement when the cast members had to tell me to turn around. She told me she had this speech planned, but all she could say was ‘Will you marry me?’ and all I could do was nod! The entire room erupted into cheers and applause! My fiancé and I have never felt so accepted and welcomed publicly as a couple as we did that night. The cast members were amazing and the guests were so kind. This was truly a magical night and Disney is our happy place.”—Trishia Wajda
6. A Newsworthy Engagement
“We went to see Newsies on Broadway during our first trip to New York City. During curtain call, my husband snuck off to the bathroom to change into a Newsies-inspired outfit, then surprised me with a tour of the set after the show! He took me up on the stage and pulled out a newspaper with a headline that read ‘Will You Marry Me’ as he got down on one knee. It was absolutely perfect!”—Amber Heimbegner
7. The Ultimate Scavenger Hunt
“I set up a scavenger hunt throughout all four parks with an invitation to Sara from Mickey to follow the clues. After a day of visiting each park at Walt Disney World, we both made a wish at Cinderella Wishing Well. After the park closed, I asked Sara to make my wish come true in front of Cinderella Castle–and the PhotoPass photographer helped make it an even more magical memory! This winter, we’ll be enjoying a land and sea honeymoon at Walt Disney World and on a Disney Cruise. Thanks for the most excellent memories! Our trips to Walt Disney World have brought us closer together—something sorely needed during a five-year long-distance relationship!”—Tim Rooney
8. Parasol Proposal
“I commissioned my proposal to be written on a parasol in New Orleans Square. It was Valentine’s Day, so my girlfriend didn’t think twice about a trip to the parks, and even less of the fact that I wore a blazer. (It was a little warm, but it was the only thing that hid the ring box). I had gotten my parents, her parents, and her best friend into the park, to film the big reveal, and there were some close calls––we must have walked past my now mother-in law twice, and thankfully my girlfriend didn’t notice. When the time came, everything went perfectly and it was a beautiful moment, captured on video with applause and happy tears. After, we celebrated at Café Orleans. To this day, I really don’t think I could organize anything that detailed again, but it was worth it. The cast member at the parasol stand told me, to their knowledge, no one had ever proposed in that way before. We do love to make magic.”—Tucker Knowlton Boyes
9. Forever Young
“On our first trip together to Walt Disney World, on the very last day, my fella and I went to meet Peter Pan. Drew asked for Peter’s permission to grow up. Peter insisted this was a bad, BAD idea and he forbade it. Drew carefully explained that if he couldn’t grow up a little bit, then he couldn’t get married. Peter hesitated, then amended his statement to say that he would allow Drew to have his own Wendy. Drew got down on one knee and asked me to be his Wendy, and I said yes. We decided to never grow up together!”—Aly Mierzejewski
10. Wishes Come True
“I took my wife (girlfriend at the time) to Disneyland one evening for the ‘perfect date.’ We had dinner together at the Blue Bayou Restaurant, enjoyed the fireworks spectacular, and then watched Fantasmic! from our priority seats. When Fantasmic! ended, I took her to Snow White Grotto, where we both tossed a coin into the wishing well. ‘Want to know what I wished for?’ I asked. ‘The only thing that would make this night more magical.’ I then got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. We have been happily married for more than five years now.”—Kevin Lemley
