A couple months ago, I was in Animal Kingdom with my husband and we were going to see the Lion King show with the ASL interpreters. While there we met a family with a mom, dad, and two daughters (about 5 and 2). The youngest daughter was Deaf, and the parents both used ASL as the primary communication with her.
The mom was talking with me and the interpreters, and told us that her one wish for Disney before she left the next day was that there would be a CM who would sign with her daughter, so that her daughter would have a special moment in her own language. We all thought this was adorable, but as the show was starting, there was no time for anyone to try to arrange anything.
At the end of the show, dancers from the show choose a couple children from the audience and they parade around as part of the song. One performer (I think he was an antelope) came over, chose the younger, deaf daughter, and started signing with her!
He introduced himself, asked if she wanted to dance, and even signed all the instructions he gave to her and the other children. Needless to say, mom was weeping, the interpreters were trying not to cry, the CM at the exit door watching this was crying, my husband and I were tearing up... Luckily the dad had the presense of mind to pull out a camera to capture the moment.
When the performer walked the daughter back, he signed quickly he was still learning ASL and signed good bye to the little girl.
Disney can create some truly magical moments. But this was not created, this just *happened.* It was easily the most awesome thing I have seen in Disney in more than 20 years of visits.
I just thought that everyone here could do with an amazing story to give them all a smile.
The mom was talking with me and the interpreters, and told us that her one wish for Disney before she left the next day was that there would be a CM who would sign with her daughter, so that her daughter would have a special moment in her own language. We all thought this was adorable, but as the show was starting, there was no time for anyone to try to arrange anything.
At the end of the show, dancers from the show choose a couple children from the audience and they parade around as part of the song. One performer (I think he was an antelope) came over, chose the younger, deaf daughter, and started signing with her!
He introduced himself, asked if she wanted to dance, and even signed all the instructions he gave to her and the other children. Needless to say, mom was weeping, the interpreters were trying not to cry, the CM at the exit door watching this was crying, my husband and I were tearing up... Luckily the dad had the presense of mind to pull out a camera to capture the moment.
When the performer walked the daughter back, he signed quickly he was still learning ASL and signed good bye to the little girl.
Disney can create some truly magical moments. But this was not created, this just *happened.* It was easily the most awesome thing I have seen in Disney in more than 20 years of visits.
I just thought that everyone here could do with an amazing story to give them all a smile.