CMs, you have my sympathy

[Zippa D Doodah]

in regards to the new "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign. For all the guests you have to deal with who are borderline irate when they don't get a towel animal or a comped dessert, now there will be legions. I fear that people are going to see the promo and be upset if they don't get to spend the night in the castle. CMs always do an oustanding job with guest relations, but I am sure this will make the job that much more trying.

As for me, I will happily vacation in WDW, and politely cheer when those around me get the extra magic.

 

[mordux]

Agreed !!

Bravo to the OP

 

[TinyLolitaBunny]

in regards to the new "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign. For all the guests you have to deal with who are borderline irate when they don't get a towel animal or a comped dessert, now there will be legions. I fear that people are going to see the promo and be upset if they don't get to spend the night in the castle. CMs always do an oustanding job with guest relations, but I am sure this will make the job that much more trying.

As for me, I will happily vacation in WDW, and politely cheer when those around me get the extra magic.

But Disney has done Sweepstakes before!!! I don't see how this 'spending the night in the castle' is so controversial here!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

It's not just the "spending the night in the castle" - it's the hype saying that the CM's will "randomly" make dreams come true for guests at the park, and then they've talked about this night in the castle as one of the possible randomly-bestowed dreams. So what do you think will happen? None of the DISBoarders will behave this way, of course, but you have to know there will be people who will go to the parks and be mad as heck because they weren't chosen to sleep in the castle, their particular Disney dreams didn't come true, how dare the CM pick that other family and not them, etc., etc., etc. If you don't believe me, go read some of the other threads about some of the bad behaviour in the parks!

Teresa

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

But Disney has done Sweepstakes before!!! I don't see how this 'spending the night in the castle' is so controversial here!

I think it is unique (for Disney) how they are making a big whoopty-doo out of something that APPARENTLY will be for only a handful of guests. The rest of us will have to settle for that 'secondary spill-over magic'. That will suffice for me, but this ad campaign that seems so grandiose will really ratchet up expectations. My guess is CMs will be dealing with a lot more people wondering why things didn't go exactly as advertised. I just don't get it: the new ad campaign is something that is only for a few people (relatively speaking), yet it is put out there as an enticement to draw masses to the parks. Call me a crusty old cynic, but I don't like it Why can't Disney just keep on dishing out the magic like it does currently? I think the CMs do a phenomenonal job with that.

ETA: This is probably just because I am weird . I probably don't like this idea for the same reason I don't like the lottery -it is a PT Barnum sucker act.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I VERY SERIOUSLY doubt that a perk like this is going to left up the discretion of an individual cast member. This sounds like it will be done in a computer generated random manor. I would think it would be something in the turnstyle when you enter your ticket and it will very randomly pick one person per day. Or it will be randomly done when you check into the resort. Disney keeps everything very tightly controlled and letting one human make such a big decision would be asking for "corruption".

I posted on the original thread about this that I would think the Golden Fastpasses would also be done the same sort of way--either with random turnstyle give aways or by just putting them in the machine so when you get a Fastpass it is like playing the lottery!

Certainly CM's have some opportunities to make random picks like with Family of the Day and Parade Families and picking people out of the crowd for shows and such, and those would continue--but for a HUGE deal like this I am sure the Disney Lawyers have made sure this is trully a completely random act.

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

I think that people will react to this in basically the same way that they did when WDW gave away a car a day (I don't remember exactly when this was but we were there and it was exciting going through the turnstiles!)

I don't know if it was computer generated or not but it was great to see someone win the car and we witnessed it twice.

There may have been some people who were not happy for the winner but I didn't notice them. I talked to someone who was the next person in line - he did say "If I would have been a little quicker!" but he even seemed pleased for the winner.

I agree with a poster in another thread who stated that not everyone can be chosen for family of the day or to dance with a character in the parade. Not everyone wins the sweepstakes but to me that is part of the magic - the chance that You Might!

 

[MyGoofy26]

I wonder if they'll use the cast deployment system for this. . . it's something they already do on a smaller scale. We didn't use it in my area when I did the college program because our shops were so small it was easy to keep track of who was covering what, but my roommate that worked Buzz complex used it and would talk about random things it would do. Brief overview of the system, you log in and it tells you where to go and for how long, then you come back log in again, over and over til your shift is over. Basically just keeps CMs moving around, at the same time making sure all "jobs" are covered. Randomly throughout the day, it'll send a CM that logs in to go do a "magical moment" - some examples from my roommate: Find a family to ride Buzz with, getting them on right away. Go find a family and offer to take their picture. Just these little things that most CMs do anyway, but Disney has it built into the system to make sure the CMs are spreading that "pixie dust" . . . so it makes me wonder. Will CMs be logging into the system and given random "dreams" to go give away?

 

[SeussicalSollaSollew]

in regards to the new "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign. For all the guests you have to deal with who are borderline irate when they don't get a towel animal or a comped dessert, now there will be legions. I fear that people are going to see the promo and be upset if they don't get to spend the night in the castle. CMs always do an oustanding job with guest relations, but I am sure this will make the job that much more trying.

As for me, I will happily vacation in WDW, and politely cheer when those around me get the extra magic.

When was this announced officially?

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

I wonder if they'll use the cast deployment system for this. . . it's something they already do on a smaller scale. We didn't use it in my area when I did the college program because our shops were so small it was easy to keep track of who was covering what, but my roommate that worked Buzz complex used it and would talk about random things it would do. Brief overview of the system, you log in and it tells you where to go and for how long, then you come back log in again, over and over til your shift is over. Basically just keeps CMs moving around, at the same time making sure all "jobs" are covered. Randomly throughout the day, it'll send a CM that logs in to go do a "magical moment" - some examples from my roommate: Find a family to ride Buzz with, getting them on right away. Go find a family and offer to take their picture. Just these little things that most CMs do anyway, but Disney has it built into the system to make sure the CMs are spreading that "pixie dust" . . . so it makes me wonder. Will CMs be logging into the system and given random "dreams" to go give away?

That sounds great! Maybe it will be something like that. Thanks for the interesting post.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

When was this announced officially?

This was announced today. http://destinations.disney.go.com/disneyparks/index?bhcp=1

mygoofy26, thanks for your post. Very informative

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

in regards to the new "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign. For all the guests you have to deal with who are borderline irate when they don't get a towel animal or a comped dessert, now there will be legions. I fear that people are going to see the promo and be upset if they don't get to spend the night in the castle. CMs always do an oustanding job with guest relations, but I am sure this will make the job that much more trying.

As for me, I will happily vacation in WDW, and politely cheer when those around me get the extra magic.

OP, ITA. While I am sure the CM's will not have to do the picking and most likely, guests will be selected randomly (eg. I put my ticket in the turnstile and POW I win something.....you check in your hotel and when they pull you up, WHAM you get something), or using the deployment system as was mentioned. BUT I agree that the wording I have read on the site and in the press releases makes it APPEAR to the public at large that CM's will be doing the picking and choosing. My DH said that it was unlikely that they would, since, for example...my cousin is a CM. She could give a friend who works elsewhere and will be giving away something awesome my picture and steer me that way at the right time to be chosen. Too much potential for things like that to happen, so I am sure this will be randomly selected electronically.

But people are going to make the assumption that the CM's have control over this. And they will give them...ahem...POOP about it. When I read the press release to DH, the first thing he said was "are they trying to get their staff to quit?" First the "advanced dining reservations" that aren't reservations...now the CM's picking winners that they really aren't "picking."

Maybe I should bring care packs of Tylenol for all the CM's I run into in February. We will also be cheering on the winners, hoping for some pixie dust, but never expecting it. The surprise is ALWAYS the best part!

 

[AngieBelle]

Here's something I'm wondering about...the CMs themselves. CMs go play in the parks too. Will they be completely ineligible for any of the dreams? Will they do a special program just for the CMs or do only the real guests get to have all the fun?

I'm VERY curious about this whole thing!

 

[DISUNC]

This can be a GOOD thing for the CM's.
Maybe people will start being NICER to the CM's! People may 'kiss up' a bit if they think the CM's have some 'pull'.

 

[Jason71]

The reason I doubt they will use turnstiles (at least entirely) is that today in the Sentinel an article said people could win in Downtown Disney where guests can "just walk around for free" (words to that effect, don't have the article in front of me). As Steph said, they are making it sound like CMs will pick people, even if that is not actually the case. Carrie's idea definitely has potential, but aren't there still opportunities for fraud (albeit on a more limited scale)?

More questions than answers until the official rules come out, I'm afraid.

 

[MAKmom]

We were picked to open the MK 1 day. It was a manager Cast Member & I had my DD in Crowns & looking very nice. They will pick people who are dressed well & looking perfect. IMO

When does this start?

 

[MINNIEBOWSER]

This can be a GOOD thing for the CM's.
Maybe people will start being NICER to the CM's! People may 'kiss up' a bit if they think the CM's have some 'pull'.

I certainly hope this IS the case. I would hate to think that people would actually get mad at a CM for NOT picking them to win something .

I would just like to say to all the CM's. GOOD LUCK and THANK YOU to all of you having to deal with sooooo many rude people while making alot of our dreams come true on an everyday basis but especially starting Oct. 1, 2006.

 

[CathrynRose]

We were picked to open the MK 1 day. It was a manager Cast Member & I had my DD in Crowns & looking very nice. They will pick people who are dressed well & looking perfect. IMO

?

Gee, I better run out and get my entire family new duds so we can get picked.

I certainly wont be wearing broken in jeans *this* trip!

 

[Amy]

in regards to the new "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign. For all the guests you have to deal with who are borderline irate when they don't get a towel animal or a comped dessert, now there will be legions. I fear that people are going to see the promo and be upset if they don't get to spend the night in the castle. CMs always do an oustanding job with guest relations, but I am sure this will make the job that much more trying.

As for me, I will happily vacation in WDW, and politely cheer when those around me get the extra magic.

Oh geez, I hadn't thought about that! All the folks who post on the boards who say that they didn't get a free upgrade and because of that their vacation was ruined.........we'll be seeing all kinds of posts on the boards from people whose dreams didn't come true.

I certain hope it IS something that's done at the turnstiles or via the cast deployment system that was mentioned.

 

[phisigprincess]

I'm going to hazzard a guess that disney has 1. already realized this and 2. come up with a plan to combat it. Disney knows their guests, they know the attitude that some have, and I'm pretty sure they're not flying blindly with this promotion. JMO.