Does Disney do anything special for birthdays?

[3littlecuties]

We just pushed out trip back from June to July (this summer) and now my youngest son will be turning 4 while we are at Disney. Just curious if Disney does anything special for birthdays.

 

[TLSnell1981]

You get a button with your name on it. Some nice folks will wish you Happy Birthday.

 

[TJA]

We always make sure to tell our restaurant servers that we're celebrating a birthday and they make sure to acknowledge in some sort of way -- sometimes they sing happy birthday, other times they bring a standard cupcake with candle. If it's my kids' actually birthday, I normally order a cake and have it delivered to wherever we're eating. Info on how to do this is found on the cake chatter thread.

 

[pad406]

Your DS might be a bit young, but if he likes Star Tours and you give the CM at the loading bay a nod, they might make him the rebel spy. My DS got it twice on his birthday when they saw his button, much to the annoyance of his older sister It's not random, they pick it from a little screen just to the left of the loading door.

 

[DummbGiRL]

I went for a solo trip on my 27th birthday. While I was out at the parks, CSR set up my teddy bear (because all 27 year old sleep with a teddy bear) on the bed holding a couple of balloons, a Minnie Mouse lollipop, a card from Mickey, and some pixie dust. It was awesome.... but I think it had something to do with the fact I was a solo adult ). Definitely have him wear the button every where... I was handed so many free, any ride FP's (this was back in the paper FP days of course).

 

[PA Disneymania]

Last year DH (62) and niece (16) wore their birthday pins all week. They got cupcakes at all the table serve restaurants and usually the staff sang. It got a bit tiresome after a few days, but they both enjoyed the attention. I guess I need to do more baking and singing. LOL

 

[TLSnell1981]

Disney is different now. If you want to ensure, that your child receives a birthday dessert...order it.

 

[purple figment]

Just curious if Disney does anything special for birthdays.

You can get a birthday button for your son to wear that will ensure plenty of "Happy Birthdays" from CMs, but other than that nothing is guaranteed. At some restaurants he might get a cupcake or other dessert, a signed card, confetti, a birthday song...while at other places there will be absolutely no recognition at all. It depends on the restaurant and your server. It seems like half the visitors in DW are celebrating something - birthday, anniversary, engagement, wedding, graduation, family reunion, a milestone event, so if you want to ensure a celebration you will have to arrange and pay for it yourself.

 

[wuzzy6]

DS had a Happy Birthday button, and he was wished a happy birthday about eleventybillion times, which was really sweet. Some of the servers at different restaurants brought him a little cupcake - MT at Whispering Canyon Cafe got the whole restaurant to sing to him, which was awesome! When we returned to our room at WL the first night, they had delivered an autographed picture of the Boss wishing a happy birthday to him - very nice! We didn't expect anything more than the occasional birthday wishes from CMs, so it was all very, very nice, and he felt pretty special.

 

[North of Mouse]

We just pushed out trip back from June to July (this summer) and now my youngest son will be turning 4 while we are at Disney. Just curious if Disney does anything special for birthdays.

When I made my ressies I was asked if I were celebrating anything - received a button at check in and several Mickey cards, desserts, confetti on table, and I only wore my button the actual day. I received these 'wishes' different days. Oh, also received a 'packet' of Mickey confetti when entering the park - guess it depends on the CMs.

I am 'far' from a 'child'! I also requested 'no singing'! Don't really care for 'that' much attention! LOL

Hope your ds has lots of

 

[jon18uk]

Tell restaurants when booking reservations that you are celebrating, I got a cupcake with a birthday candle and Happy Birthday sung to me (I think you can also order larger birthday cakes too).

Get a It's My Birthday button badge from guest service (city hall) or your hotel check-in desk, most CMs will then wish the birthday boy (or girl or man or lady) a happy birthday. Sometimes the badge will get extras too, for example I went to buy a bottle of Sprite from a vending cart and was told it was on Mickey today as he heard its my birthday. Another time I was buying 2 hotdog meals and 1 soda (to share) but was told I can't share on my birthday and given a second soda for free! None of this is guaranteed of course but wearing the badge means at leas the possibility of things happening.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have taken my dd to WDW twice for her actual birthday...first trip was when she was 5 and turned 6 while there. Then, when she turned 13, we traveled with a friend who turned 13 the day after we got home...so they both wore special shirts I made for them and birthday buttons. I did mention when booking, that they were celebrating birthdays. The girls got special cupcakes at meals and a birthday place mat at Chef Mickey's. They got sung to on several occasions and when we went to HDDR, my dd was asked to stand up and be recognized...they made a big deal out of it. I'm sure it helped that I had booked really early and got a table right up against the stage!!!!

I ordered a special cake at the GF and had it presented at GF Cafe at lunch. They nicely boxed up the rest and it went back to the resort with us (and then home on the plane). I got my dd a special birthday present...a Lenox Mickey holding a birthday cake. If you want something special, other than cupcakes, I would recommend taking care of it yourself!

 

[ttintagel]

If you get a birthday button and wear it, you'll get lots of happy birthday greetings. There's no guarantee of anything else, but some other little bits of pixie dust might come your way.

So, I wouldn't say anything to get his hopes up, but these are some of the things that have happened to birthday boys and girls in my party in addition to greetings:

Not being charged for a Mickey pretzel at a vending cart
The bus driver having the whole bus sing "Happy Birthday"
Being let first through the rope at Camp Minnie-Mickey, and having the waiting crowd sing "Happy Birthday"
Having all the waitstaff sing a special birthday song
Having all the waitstaff sign a souvenir menu
Having our table decorated with streamers and confetti
A birthday candle in the birthday girl's dessert
The town crier in Liberty Square announcing her birthday (after asking her name, where she was from, etc.)
Having sparkly confetti put into our hair at the Harmony Barber Shop

It's up to the CM's what they want to do, and what they feel they have the time to do without slowing down operations. If you want to guarantee a birthday cake you can order one; search for the "cake chatter" thread in the Restaurants forum for more information.

 

[Prissyms]

We've celebrated many birthdays at Disney! Our DS16 got the usual "birthday" button and many happy birthdays from people. I made reservations at his favorite restaurants and he received cupcakes as his desserts. I made sure it was noted on our reservation we were celebrating his birthday. At Chef Mickey, we had a cake delivered our table.

Our DS9 got the same things but we went to Hoop Dee Doo for one of his favorites and he was asked to be a part of the show which was really cool. At the end of the show, they sang Happy Birthday too him.

Our most recent birthday trip was this March for my DH! We went on a Illuminations firework cruise. For a few more dollars, I had it decorated which was a birthday banner and balloons.

There's a lot offered. Most if not all, will cost additional but I think it's worth it for a very special and memorable birthday!

 

[sb682]

I agree with PPs that you have to go in with no expectations, and then everything that happens will be pixie dust. We took our DS for his 4th birthday. He wore his button on his birthday and a T-shirt with a big number 4 on it and many CMs wished him a happy birthday. We went to Kona for a special birthday dinner because they had the best dessert selection, in our opinion. We noted it on our reservation and they brought him a make-your-own sundae, and there was no singing. Nothing really special.

The best part is being there on your birthday! We took him to MK and let him choose which rides to ride that day. We took him to the Emporium and let him pick out a birthday present, as did my sister, who was traveling with us. We were staying offsite, so I got up early and ran to the Krispy Kreme on 192 and we had birthday doughnuts for breakfast, with candles stuck in them for good measure. I also decorated our dining area after he went to bed, so when he got up the next day, it was covered with Justice League decorations. It all depends on the whims of the CMs as to whether you'll get anything really special on your birthday. There are just SO many people with those buttons on every single day, there's no way everyone will have something really amazing happen. Our son was still more than happy to be riding Peter Pan and the Mad Tea Party on his birthday!

 

[Disneytam]

We stayed at the AK CL for my husbands 50th birthday (oh so long ago) and they went way above and beyond for his birthday. The first night when we returned to our room it was decorated with balloons, streamers and a small cake was sitting on the table with a signed card from the boss himself. I was really stunned and very impressed. Jump ahead eleven years when we were celebrating our anniversary and the only place of the many table service places that we ate at that did anything was the CG. We weren't expecting anything but what a change. Going back this fall for his 62 birthday and I'm planning on ordering a cake for him. I think the pixie dust is getting a little harder to come by and don't want to leave it up to chance.