Does this happen on any Disney ship, ever?

[peter11435]

See, that's where I disagree with you. Few people pay the full fare. My last cruise, I didn't meet but one couple that was paying full fare. Everyone else was either military or CMs.

Disney just wants you to think people are paying the full cruise fare. Then people use that argument to perpetuate the illusion.

Next cruise you're on, do a survey. You might be surprised.

Cast members that do not work for DCL do not receive a discount on cruise fare unless there are rooms available after the paid in full date. Most sailings there are no cast rates available.

 

[squirk]

A gathering in the regular meeting spot with many families pictured doesn't get the message "Santa on a cruise ship" across quite like the picture OP posted.

You wonder how far they can go and not be "false" advertising...well how far do they have to go to show the reality?

Well, no one is saying DCL has to show a toddler with snot dripping down their nose, screaming in terror to get out of Santa's lap while the parents look on aghast. I understand they are trying to sell us on these Very Merrytime cruises, and they are trying to "sum it all up" with a single image, but let's have at least some basis in reality.

Yes, the kid will get some form of 1:1 interaction with Santa, and yes, I am sure Santa will laugh heartily at whatever the kid has to say, but I am guessing (thought I admit I could be wrong on this) that it is far closer to a "premium mall Santa" experience than anything in that picture in my OP.

 

[Sleepyluke]

I don't see the big problem here. Our last cruise, our DD had on Pluto PJs one night late and we found Pluto running around the theater area. There were not many people around. He sat on the bench with her and spent a couple minutes with her and her alone. We have had the same with several of the princesses and even Anna and Elsa with the tickets, so I can live with a never gonna happen setting, but the sit down with Santa very well COULD - probably not but COULD....

On the other hand, 99% of any resort pool - ANY company has people that actually look good in the very little clothing that they are wearing, when in reality, you get to the place, they are a lot closer to looking like me and you can braid the back hair!

 

[Sytrace]

Well, no one is saying DCL has to show a toddler with snot dripping down their nose, screaming in terror to get out of Santa's lap while the parents look on aghast. I understand they are trying to sell us on these Very Merrytime cruises, and they are trying to "sum it all up" with a single image, but let's have at least some basis in reality.

Yes, the kid will get some form of 1:1 interaction with Santa, and yes, I am sure Santa will laugh heartily at whatever the kid has to say, but I am guessing (thought I admit I could be wrong on this) that it is far closer to a "premium mall Santa" experience than anything in that picture in my OP.

Thank goodness for no photos of snot dripping, screaming toddlers (or adults for that matter when they see their final statement.) lol

 

[squirk]

Thank goodness for no photos of snot dripping, screaming toddlers (or adults for that matter when they see their final statement.) lol

Well, that would hew closer to "the reality", no?

 

[Sytrace]

See, that's where I disagree with you. Few people pay the full fare. My last cruise, I didn't meet but one couple that was paying full fare. Everyone else was either military or CMs.

Disney just wants you to think people are paying the full cruise fare. Then people use that argument to perpetuate the illusion.

Next cruise you're on, do a survey. You might be surprised.

I am a FL resident in the travel industry and have never been lucky enough to get a FL resident rate or Travel industry rate so far in our soon to be 11 cruises. I have been able to get 2 VGT rates (last minute after the PIF date) and of course booked on board to get that 10% discount. But everytime there is an industry or resident rate offered, it is never been during a time we could sail. And lets face it, GT rates are really just a bit more than what you would have spent had you booked soon after opening day. Same with FL resident rates too. They are not big discounts, they are just close to what you would have had if you booked close to or on opening day.

 

[Sytrace]

Well, that would hew closer to "the reality", no?

HAHA!! Yes.

 

[RedSox68]

But the ads do not depict people who have run (no red faces, not sweaty, etc.). Since we are going to be nit picky.

HAH, we were neither sweaty or red faced in our pics. And we had more than 15 minutes once there to take pictures before people started getting in the way

 

[bumbershoot]

They see something like this on TV, believe that is what will happen, experience profound (in their young minds) disappointment

Which is why parents should watch TV with their kids. And it has always been so. It's why my mom only let us watch PBS (when PBS was PBS and not the junk that it is today), so that she kept us from the advertising. I was born in 1969 so this has been a rule of thumb for a long time.

I'm still convinced that cruise control means you can just sit in the back seat of the car and let the car drive, because of an old OLD Cadillac ad that showed *just that*. Of course, when Tesla has people test it out, at least one test driver has been killed probably because in the back of his mind he sort of thought that (even though their autopilot mode is NOT "set and forget"). Anyway, it's still in the back of my mind, and I saw that ad a long time ago. Alas this was once we were latchkey kids, mom was at work, we were being super-naughty and watching TV before mom was home, and I couldn't ask her about it.

Perhaps if their advertising budget were less, they could cut families some relief in relation to their cruise fare.

sees an ad suggesting you'll get to make sand castles with Captain Hook

Hey, DH got one on one time with Hook at disneyland.

Of course, before that happened he got to have the experience of looking up and having all of his family members gone, and then to have the experience of realizing he didn't know where they were, etc. And then Hook randomly came by and sat with him.

That would still be pretty awesome, a hell of a lot more honest, and still beats the crap out of anything RCCL can possibly do to compete, right?

I agree with a and b, but not c. Especially if you're on a Dreamworks cruise.

Yes, I believe that is happening more and more. There are also Florida residents, a few Canadians and travel agents. Seriously, on your next cruise ask if the people you meet are cruising with some kind of discount. You may be surprised.

Since I'm one of those people who isn't getting a discount, I disagree with your premise.

Well, no one is saying DCL has to show a toddler with snot dripping down their nose, screaming in terror to get out of Santa's lap while the parents look on aghast.

That's what youtube is for.

 

[squirk]

I agree with a and b, but not c. Especially if you're on a Dreamworks cruise.

Really? I'm not being facetious with that question. Do kids in general really go as crazy for Shrek, Po and Puss-in-Boots as they do for the Disney characters?

That's what youtube is for.

:lol

It's wrong, but still: http://www.parenting.com/gallery/best-scared-santa-photos?page=0

 

[quickcat]

Goofy stopped by and played mini golf with my daughter, she was the only one up there playing so she really did have a one-on-one mini golf game with goofy! She still talks about it too There were more kids up there at the end but he did just continue playing with her....he was actually very good at it!

 

[RedSox68]

Goofy stopped by and played mini golf with my daughter, she was the only one up there playing so she really did have a one-on-one mini golf game with goofy! She still talks about it too There were more kids up there at the end but he did just continue playing with her....he was actually very good at it!

Amazing his feet didn't get in the way LOL. I've run into Goofy a couple of times as he goes from one location to another on the stairwell and he always stopped and gave me a hug!

 

[Bishoparc]

Amazing his feet didn't get in the way LOL. I've run into Goofy a couple of times as he goes from one location to another on the stairwell and he always stopped and gave me a hug!

I would agree with this. Goofy on the Dream always appears to be very interactive if you run into him as to where a lot of the others get whisked away (which I understand because there are some people that try to take advantage of a situation like that).

 

[jrabbit]

'Cause if it doesn't, this photo really irritates the crap out of me. I have never done a Very Merrytime sailing, but I strongly suspect that this photo is 100% b.s.

You don't remember this commercial from a couple of years ago ...

 

[squirk]

You don't remember this commercial from a couple of years ago ...

No, I have not seen that one before. Does he really wander about the ship like that in his bermuda shorts during VM cruises? I'd imagine he'd be constantly mobbed. Or is he mostly a "meet-n-greet" kind of guy?