What was so great about the Year Of A Million Dreams promotion?

[jrtoastyman]

Thanks for the info, all. Sounds pretty cool, would love to see something like that return. Certainly would trump the opportunity to purchase a special cupcake.

 

[chartle]

That may be so, but in all reality, those first timers didn't seem to really 'get it'. Nothing 'maximized' your chances.....it was completely random. Yes, Disney wanted to entice new people into the parks and resorts. I just don't think that those that had never been to WDW really understood what they would be capable of getting. And believe me...no one is going to book a $4000 trip just to get a special Mickey ears, or FP lanyard.
Now, the FairyTale pkg before that was wonderful at enticing new people to go to WDW. That one was a pay for 4 nights, get 3 more free at the resorts. Man, that one filled the resorts and the parks!!! It was a very good deal.

Though it did have a really neat commercial that I'm sure got a few extra first timers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA1aFQZ9Uqc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDV888linsw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA85t6Ie1ys

 

[Dawson'sMom]

This promo was the best ever! We actually did win the stay in the castle suite on Nov.18, 2007. We where at Epcot on the Mission Space ride @ 12:20pm. My DH was sitting in the correct seat on pod 6. It was an amazing experience one that my family will never forget.

 

[alan_renfroe]

This promo was the best ever! We actually did win the stay in the castle suite on Nov.18, 2007. We where at Epcot on the Mission Space ride @ 12:20pm. My DH was sitting in the correct seat on pod 6. It was an amazing experience one that my family will never forget.

Oh how cool is that! I'll bet that was an amazing experience!

 

[kim_o]

For us there were a lot of little things that made trips special. A surprise fast pass as we came off a ride, an unexpected lanyard with trading pins, a free Mickey ice cream, etc. we never won the big things but it was still magical to have the CM's sprinkle us with the small prize pixie dust.

 

[drdisneygirl]

It was a great promotion and a truly magical time to visit WDW! We received the fastpass at AK and it totally made our day! Then, another day we were visiting DHS and our family was selected for priority seating at Fantasmic! We didn't have to wait in line, and were given snacks during the show! We had great seats and it was a wonderful night!

 

[Suziannie]

I was thinking about this promotion just the other day. I went twice in 2008 and saw a lot of the Fastpasses but didn't really get anything ourselves.

The previous posters who said it was less about winning and more about the anticipation are right. Knowing that there was a (rather slim) chance you might end up sleeping in the castle one night of your trip made things a little more magical.

I would love this sort of promotion again, as an on going thing for ever. However since it seems that "free" dining is working out so well for Disney given the amount of people I've heard talking about how much of a difference this makes to them when planning I doubt they'll put that kind of effort/time into another promotion again.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Now, the FairyTale pkg before that was wonderful at enticing new people to go to WDW. That one was a pay for 4 nights, get 3 more free at the resorts. Man, that one filled the resorts and the parks!!! It was a very good deal.

I totally agree with this.

We took advantage of this on our trip in 2009. We were only staying 6 nights, so got 2 free, but it enabled us to stay deluxe for the first time, at the Yacht Club! That was probably my favorite trip.

 

[FlipHipster]

I think it was such a great promotion because it was all about possibilities...that at any given time, someone, somewhere was going to receive something special. It could be your family, the person next to you or the person behind you...the anticipation of the possibility made the day that much more magical. Even the cast members were excited about the promotion...and it was noticeable. The prizes were really good and some of them amazing! Fast passes for all the main attractions, special ears/pins...a night in the castle! For us, the trip was the trip of a lifetime! It was fun to win, but it was fun to see other people win as well. I think that particular promotion was the embodiment of what Disney is all about...the possibility of finding magic in an ordinary day.

This^^ We took our first family trip during this promotion and the whole thing felt very "Disney". The thought that any minute you might win a stay in the castle was pretty cool. We didn't win but I did get one of my favorite coffee cups that year
I wish Disney would bring something like that back. The latest promotions have been kinda, eh.. On our survey this year they asked us if we enjoyed limited time magic and I just put "How would I know?"

Now, the FairyTale pkg before that was wonderful at enticing new people to go to WDW. That one was a pay for 4 nights, get 3 more free at the resorts. Man, that one filled the resorts and the parks!!! It was a very good deal.

This was a great promotion as well, didn't fell as "magical" but a great deal I would love to see something like this again too.

 

[amberpi]

My BF at the time had never been to WDW (he was 33). Our first ride of the trip was EE, we got the dream fast passes for AK as we got and he said "this really magic!" It was a great memory.

On another trip over that time period I was hosting an 8 women, 2 bride, bachelorette party at WDW. We had limited time at MK, and were bemoaning that we could not ride all the attractions because of the timing as we were waiting for RD. We all had our ears on though and weren't whinging, just saying we had to come back, etc. and generally having a ball. There may have been too many mimomas/espressos with breakfast A cm came up and gave us not the dream fast passes but a stack of anytime fastpasses. It was fantastic! We rode everything and still had time to go back to our hotel, change clothes, get to our reservation at Epcot and party all evening at Jellyrolls/Atlantic Boardwalk. It was truly special.

That same bachelorette party we were staying at the Swan in 3 rooms, 2 connecting, 1 across the hall. While we were at the parks, they delivered a ton of goodies and decorated each room, it was SO special. If I could have paid them for it, or known to, I would have, but it was amazing. The 2 brides cried multiple times on that trip, so, overall, it was a pretty amazing success!

I also saw a family get picked for the castle suite on a seperate trip. The mom cried and the little girl didn't believe them. It was what WDW is all about. I wish they would do again!

2014 - Year of a Million Dreams take 3! Please!

 

[doyouscrap]

We won a free hour in Disneyland. A limited # of families got this. We gathered in an area and got to see a live show while the park was cleared. Then most of the rides we're open with little or lines. It was great! My husband and older daughter went on space mountain 4 times in a row at the end. Later in the year my brother-in-law and his family won the night in the park.

Have they announced the promotion for 2014?

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

My family won dream fastpasses in Epcot....which we didn't even use because I think we had TT and Soarin ones already and the crowds were low......but it was just awesome that we won them just for getting off the land ride. I still have all four of them tucked away and smile everytime I see them.

What was so great about the promotion was you just never knew what was around the corner, from free popcorn to staying in the castle, being in the parade to getting free upgrades. It was the best promotion in year because so many people were touched by the magic!

Oh we also got to meet Cinderella privately. We were on the porch near the camera shop sitting in the rocking chairs during a Tstorm and the family that was suppose to meet with her wasn't there yet so they surprised us......no wait......and we had her all to ourselves.....very magical for my 2 DD's and me.

 

[arrdee11462]

I often hear people on here refer back to the Year of a Million Dreams promotion as one of the best ever, particularly as compared to current promotions (i.e., Limited Time Magic).QUOTE]

We went twice during this promotion, both trips were amazing!

The first trip we were visiting the epcot living seas and Jess was really interested in a talk from one of the cast members about the fish. She asked her to stay after the show to visit. After the show was over she then took us all upstairs to the top of the aquarium and gave us a private tour of the workings of it! We watched as a worker hand fed baby stingrays that had just been born, and dolphin training etc. Truly a once in a lifetime experience.
We then were at the Tower of Terror and saw a cast member standing out front of the ride holding luggage, We asked to take a photo with him and he asked if we were "checking in", we of course said yes, not realizing why... He said follow me and we walked thru a separate entrance and were whisked to the front of the line and in the front seats for our daughters very first ride!

The second year, we were with my mother in Animal Kingdom, she wanted to go over to the pink flamingo area in the shade and low and behold were the dream makers in the area handing out fast passes for all of the rides in that park! We had lots of other little things happen during both of these trips that just made them trips of a lifetime.

Soo wish they would bring back that promotion, it just is amazing when they let the cast members bring the magic, it makes their jobs soo much more enjoyable!

 

[lilpnutmama]

That year, we got the unlimited fast passes at Epcot, free special Tinkerbell pins from a CM at HS (one to keep, one to give away), glowing Tinkerbell on DD's drink (just a regular drink, not one of the special ones you pay extra for), and free salads with our dinner at Garden Grill

 

[SnickerzKC]

I wasn't able to go that year but a family from my hometown were the first people to stay in Cinderella's Castle.

 

[travelinggnomes]

I remember there seemed to be something in the air. Almost like the cast members were WAITING to make it special! As we were walking out of Magic Kingdom, a CM approached our family and gave us all pirate bandanas. My son still wears his today! (6 years later!)

It was THE MOST magical trip I have ever taken. I can't tell you how many times I cried that year.

 

[travelinggnomes]

I also think that between this promotion and then the following 2010 "Give a Day-Get a Day", Disney looked like they CARED about families...and that they weren't all about money. At least that is how I felt when going those 2 years.

 

[RCMommy]

As my family walked off of the Barnstormer there were CMs waiting with YOMD fast pass lanyards. We felt pretty special. Front of the line on many of the rides for the day and everybody was stopping to ask where we "got those" which made our two kids feel pretty darn special.

Our daughter was also given a pin from a CM and then asked to share the other with a special friend. Something small, but she was singled out and to a kid that can be huge.

 

[3happydancers]

This was the year my brothers, sister and me, surprised my mom with a trip to Disney (her name was Mickey!) Mom was not in the best of health and had never been on a vacation, not even a honeymoon. She always did without to make sure her children had what we needed. Anyway, mom had to use a motor scooter to get around and was limited in what she could do. DH took DD to ride Space Mountain and I took mom on the MK Train ride. We were the only two people on the platform waiting for the train to pull in when out of nowhere, two cm's approached my mom. I was clueless; did not realize what was happening. Well, one cm got down on one knee, made my mother feel like a princess, and then presented her with a special lanyard with several pins representing the Year of a Million Dreams. The look on my mom's face was priceless. I saw the little girl in her, sparkle in her eyes. I had to hold back the tears. Mom has since passed away. I hold dear the very lanyard that was presented to her that day. Whenever I look at it, it brings back one of the best memories I ever experienced with my mom. Many thanks to those wonderful cm's and to Disney!

 

[River Country]

I loved this promotion. My family was there for 1 week in December in 2008, and it was great. there was Magic in the air and we got a magical fast pass to ride Dumbo and 2 very special Cast Member YOMD pins for my DD all because my Dad asked a member of the Dream team where the closest bathroom was LOL. He had no clue all he saw was the name tag and the magic began. The CM took me an my daughter to the front of the line on Dumbo and there wasnt 2 of them and there was no Fantasyland expansion yet. we walked right in front of everyone on line we felt like movie stars because as other guests were getting twisted about us cuting the line they were also like who is that are they famous LOL

anyway great promo and they should bring it back again soon