There are many, many experiences to be had when you take your kids on a trip to Disney. The parks, the food, the pools, the characters, the parade – the list goes on and on. And for dad Justin Gigliello, that list included one of his favorite childhood memories.
“As kids we would go to Disney World and we’d always go to The Polynesian to listen to the pianist and the music they would play.”
So, he made sure to take his 6-year-old Lilly to the hotel before they headed home from their Disney vacation. The pianist was playing in the lobby, just as he remembered, and Lilly walked toward him, enamored.
Before Justin caught up with her, she’d told the pianist, “My daddy loves to sing,” and then revealed that his favorite song to sing was “Ave Maria.”
Hi all,
I just wanted to share this video for a Disney experience! We just went to disney world last week and my daughter asked the pianist at the Grand Floridian if I could sing while he played. This is me singing Ave Maria at Grand Floridian. I hope you enjoy! pic.twitter.com/GCJsG11lac
— Justin Gigliello (@JGigliello) March 24, 2019
Gigliello, in his jersey, cargos, and cap, looked more like a regular Disney dad than a trained singer, but he’s most definitely both – he’s had vocal training since his teens and holds a bachelor’s degree in voice performance. So when the pianist began playing his song, he obliged with a performance that no one at the hotel that day is likely to forget.
“I don’t think the people at the hotel had any idea what was going to happen. They were probably wondering who is this guy walking up to the pianist?”
Gigliello currently teaches voice and piano lessons out of his home, so when his wife caught the whole thing on video, he was happy to have the moment captured and to be able to share it.
“I wanted to show some of my friends from college and my old professors to see it just to know that I was still singing.”
They definitely will – the video has gone viral, even being shared by some Disney accounts, but Justin is shocked by how many people enjoyed it. That said, what meant the most to him was the pride that’s clear in Lilly’s face as she watched him belt out the tune.
“I had no idea that was her reaction until I watched the video. Just seeing the love and adoration from your child. It was adorable. It got me.”
All of us, too, Justin.
Go ahead and watch/listen again. You know you want to.