Magical moments are a Disney parks tradition.
The Disney Information Station defined a magical moment as "a spur of the moment act of kindness between cast members and the guests."
A magical moment can be anything from a cast member slipping a family a free fast pass to a cast member giving a child a free pin or Mickey Mouse sticker.
Former Disney World cast member Jake Kleckner, who worked in Frontierland, told Business Insider that "giving away free stuff" was one of his favorite things to do while working in Frontierland.
"I did it so much more than I was supposed to because I just thought it was so fun to surprise someone," he said.
They're supposed to be spontaneous although, oftentimes, cast members also use magical moments to fix problems or cheer up guests — like giving a kid a certificate to replace his or her dropped ice cream cone.
But you shouldn't ask for a magical moment. You'll just be putting cast members in an awkward spot.
Former cast member Missy Farni said she encountered a number of guests who explicitly asked for free stuff and magical moments.
"I was like, 'No. That's not how that works,'" she told Business Insider. "It's a magical moment because it happens when you're not expecting it. Not when you ask for it. Don't ask cast members for magical moments. Because it's probably not going to happen."
Kleckner described one magical moment led to a situation that he said left a bad taste in his mouth.
He had just given a kid — who was at the park by himself — a free fast pass to Splash Mountain to brighten his day. Kleckner said that a man, who had witnessed the magical moment, walked up and demanded fast passes for his whole family.
"It was just like, I can't believe you're taking advantage of the kindness that we have set aside for people who might actually be experiencing a bad time," he said. "I knew at the back of my mind that if I said no, I'd get in trouble. All he had to do was go tell someone that he asked me for something and I didn't give it to him, and I most likely would've gotten in trouble."
He said that guests shouldn't blatantly ask for free things and magical moments, as it goes against the spirit of the tradition and is unfair to cast members and their fellow guests.