Arrrgggh! Not So Happy Celebration.

[Stitch Inside]

We've been going for the first week of May for the last 2 years and have really enjoyed the weather and low crowds. I knew that this Celebration was kicking off May 5th, but was not worried since it lasts what, 18 months? But then today on the radio I hear a contest for 3 nights 4 days for the Happiest Celebration on Earth! Getaway. No problem, they'll probably be able to choose their dates, or begin on the 5th, right? Nope, May 3rd through the 6th. This contest is through Clear Channel Radio and, luckily only has one winner. But, how many other Happiest Celebration contests are out there? I'll bet now that Disney will be offering all kinds of other deals for "our" week to get people in the parks for the big "Kick-Off". Oh well. At least we've already planned some non-park activities, Pirate Cruise for DS, Sea World, etc. And who knows, maybe all the contest winners will want to go to Disneyland instead of WDW.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

I'll bet now that Disney will be offering all kinds of other deals for "our" week to get people in the parks for the big "Kick-Off".

No need - many of the resorts are already at or near capacity around the 5th, unless the rooms are being held for contest winners!

There will also be many press and media people there.

 

[Conkozan]

Be prepared for a lot of press and travel agents as well, they usually get invited to the Celebrations as well. Can be very crowded those days!

 

[n2mm]

I just read this news officially and did you know that ALL CLEAR CHANNEL radio stations are doing this contest. Yes all of them across the USA!!!! so that makes for a WHOLE LOT of winners. This is a promotion between Clear Channel and Disney and am certain that the rooms for the winners have already been blocked off......makes availablility a little shakey for that weekend doesn't it! I also figured there will be some broadcasting from WDW that week also....probably Regis and Kelly since they are ABC....Probably the ABC morning shows too.

Don't forget McDonalds and Alamo are also doing contest.

Sounds like a swinging time!! I better get my PSs taken care of soon. I'll be there for 16 days--April 29-May 14.

 

[Violetx3]

I wouldn't let the radio contest be your deciding factor. What could it be, 1000 winners at the most? And probably much less. They certainly have the rooms already booked. Not enough people to make a significant difference. If it is indeed busy, it is probably because of all the recent advertising and general increased travel to WDW this year in general.

 

[TaurusSES_Sport]

Ya...sucks to be you.

 

[ducklite]

We were there for Walt's 100th Birthday celebration.

The place was crawling with media and celebrities and their familes. The parks shut early for special "invitation only" events on some nights, although it was never all parks on any given night. There were also closures of specific areas in the parks, entire restaurants were held for private parties,

We also found that most special activities such as fireworks cruises, spa treatments, golf tee times, etc. had been blocked and held for special guests.

We were only there for four nights, and had been there only a couple weeks earlier for T'Day, so it wasn't a big deal. But there was a lot of impact on families who werent' as flexible and really wanted to follow a particular touring plan they had devised.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

I wouldn't let the radio contest be your deciding factor. What could it be, 1000 winners at the most? And probably much less. They certainly have the rooms already booked. Not enough people to make a significant difference. If it is indeed busy, it is probably because of all the recent advertising and general increased travel to WDW this year in general.

Clear Channel owns about 1200 stations. If each station is giving away a trip for four, that's 4800 people. In the big picture, nothing to be concerned with.

HOWEVER, there are hundreds of other outlets from travel agencies to independent broadcasters to local car dealerships running bascially the same promotion.

It could have an impact.

That said, these rooms are preblocked. But the resorts and parks will be operating at capacity. Expect crowds, lines, and heat. Be flexible, have patience, and keep smiling, you're at WDW!

Anne

 

[Stitch Inside]

I wouldn't let the radio contest be your deciding factor. What could it be, 1000 winners at the most? And probably much less. They certainly have the rooms already booked. Not enough people to make a significant difference. If it is indeed busy, it is probably because of all the recent advertising and general increased travel to WDW this year in general.

Thanks Violetx3. I calmed down last night. The contest is a dial in to one 800 #. It is not per Clear Channel station, but either nationwide, or per region. 50th caller wins. My local rock station had people call in at the same time as the country station (DW was listening to this one on her way home). I'm no longer worried. I highly doubt that they'd give away as many as 1000 trips. The airfare alone would hurt them. I believe it's one winner per day from 2/28-3/18/05. We will be making no changes. I checked for room availability 5/3-6/05 on the Disney web site, and all types of rooms (starting with Standard) were still available. My parents also had no problems booking SOG last week for 5/1-7/05. So if POFQ and SOG, two of the smaller resorts still have rooms, I'd say we have nothing to worry about, yet. I'm sure it will be more crowded than last year, and we're prepared for that, but not as bad as I originally feared.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I know how the OP feels, it gets aggravating! That is the problem with being so "Disney Informed", we know too much! We are set to go from April 26th to May 2 and I am expecting it to be crowded after reading these boards. We could have gone the week before but that will still have a lot of spring breakers so I didn't think that was a good idea at all. Now I think I read on another post that the week we are there is spring break for many east coast school districts. You can't win and I honestly don't think there is as much off season, low crowd opportunity anymore. I know when we were in Disneyland in early December it was supposed to be dead. Unfortunately not the case, th weekend we were there, the crowds were awful, worse than when we had gone in the peak of summer and even our weekdays there were moderately busy. Apparently, they had bad weather the week before which meant all the locals had stayed away and then were back in action on our weekend. Just this morning while watching tv for maybe 20 minutes I saw three Disneyworld commercials. Apparently Disney is sensing people are wanting to go and they are running with the ball. Even though I am expecting it to be busy when we go in late April, I am trying to stay upbeat. We switched to a moderate to have more resort amenities to keep us busy and are planning more non park time. I have been a little encouraged however, I was able to get all my ps' and even got tickets to Hoop Dee Doo Revue no problem and that was just last weekend I did that. I also had no problem switching my resort reservation last weekend as well. Maybe after all of the hoopla of the 50th, things will die down.

 

[spiceycat]

next year go with Sept....of course that month had last year alot of hurricanes.....

 

[Stitch Inside]

Ya...sucks to be you.

Ya...I wish I were still 19. I was so much smarter then.