Everybody's Celebrating Something! No Questions Asked!

[Mikie]

It know it may sound silly to some people, but we'll be at wdw for our 40th anniversary in August, and I'm looking forward to wearing my button. Not expecting any special pixie dust - but I'm proud of the fact we've lasted 40 years, and feeling blessed we can enjoy it at our favorite place. (with an ADR at BOG on the night of our 40th!)

Not silly to me! Congratulations!
I've been 4times in the last 10 years, but this fall my parents are coming along - their first trip in about 20 years. My dad is so excited. When he called to make his reservation and mentioned he's celebrating his 45th wedding anniversary, he was like a kid in a candy store when they told him he'd get a special button to wear (this is a man who ordinarily does NOT get giddy). Enjoy your trip!

Only wearers know what's in their hearts - if they're feeling the spirit of "every day at disney is a celebration", that's awesome! If they're trying to somehow wear a button in hopes of someone giving them free stuff, well . . . I don't like the spirit of that move, but it's not up to me to read everyone's minds. Just chill and enjoy!!

 

[andreajanowiak]

We always grab the generic "I'm Celebrating" buttons on our first day, and if anyone asks what we're celebrating, we tell them that we're celebrating the fact that we're there, celebrating family, etc. However I don't think it's ok when people get birthday buttons so they get constantly acknowledged when it's not even their birthday.

 

[TDC Nala]

This has been going on for several years at least, and it is something that WDW does. Even when the cart is not there, anyone can go into City Hall and ask for any type of celebration button, no proof of birthdate, status or celebration required. their business model is now "if you are here, and you want to celebrate, you are welcome to celebrate whatever you wish and have it acknowledged." I have seen entire families all wearing birthday buttons although the odds on it being their actual birthday are pretty high. Disney doesn't care, and it doesn't mean they are getting any free stuff that anybody else wouldn't be getting.

I don't think fairness enters into it at all.

 

[Kellykins1218]

My birthday is the week before Christmas so we'll never be there on my actual birthday. Every trip I get a Birthday pin & add UN- to it.
It's a fun, free souvenir.

 

[Jennasis]

I don't care what others do. If Im There in late September I'm wearing both a birthday button and an anniversary button even though both of those happen in mid August. If it's a trip to celebrate, its a trip to celebrate. Date is irrelevant.

 

[maxiesmom]

I kind of agree with OP. That's not to say I have a problem with people taking and wearing the buttons, they offer them to all so everyone is entitled. I just think it has become pretty pointless.

So many people have them that by default, no celebration is special (or even factual - I saw someone with a Happy Birthday pin on the bus & wished them a happy birthday; they informed me that their birthday was six months prior ). I think the proliferation of the pins everywhere has reduced what was intended to be a special little something for those actually having an event to a pointless theme park tchotchke.

I agree with both of you. The buttons have become pretty much pointless. Yet another thing Disney started to make people feel special ruined because everyone wants to be noticed. When everyone is special no one really is.

Not that I am going to run around ripping buttons off of people or demanding proof of their celebration. But to me so many people wearing them cheapens any meaning that was once behind them. Now instead of "Happy Birthday!!" it is "Look, yet another guest "celebrating" their birthday...."

 

[SoarinSC]

I agree with both of you. The buttons have become pretty much pointless. Yet another thing Disney started to make people feel special ruined because everyone wants to be noticed. When everyone is special no one really is.

Not that I am going to run around ripping buttons off of people or demanding proof of their celebration. But to me so many people wearing them cheapens any meaning that was once behind them. Now instead of "Happy Birthday!!" it is "Look, yet another guest "celebrating" their birthday...."

I still feel the urge to say Happy Birthday to someone even though I might have seen the button a hundred times that day. I'm shy so I usually don't, but I'm happy for them when I spot one. Glass half-full, I say. Just happy to be there.

 

[jm106]

I agree with both of you. The buttons have become pretty much pointless. Yet another thing Disney started to make people feel special ruined because everyone wants to be noticed. When everyone is special no one really is. Not that I am going to run around ripping buttons off of people or demanding proof of their celebration. But to me so many people wearing them cheapens any meaning that was once behind them. Now instead of "Happy Birthday!!" it is "Look, yet another guest "celebrating" their birthday...."

But to the wearer it may not be pointless. It has meaning FOR THEM! Not sure how it's ruined of people still get enjoyment. You can't enjoy your pin just for you with out any notice or treatment by others?

 

[Disneylover99]

But to the wearer it may not be pointless.

People should wear a celebration button if it makes them feel special, regardless of how many other people in the parks are wearing them.

 

[maxiesmom]

But to the wearer it may not be pointless. It has meaning FOR THEM! Not sure how it's ruined of people still get enjoyment. You can't enjoy your pin just for you with out any notice or treatment by others?

I guess I don't know any adult who would wear one just to wear one. With no expectation at all of anything. Isn't that the whole point, to at least get some extra attention from people wishing the wearing Happy Birthday at minimum? Maybe some on the Dis would, but I don't know anyone personally who would.

If someone gets enjoyment from wearing a button just to wear a button, not even expecting a Happy Birthday, then I guess whatever makes them happy. But I doubt the majority of people who wear them do so without expecting even some extra verbal attention.

 

[ampersand]

I guess I don't know any adult who would wear one just to wear one. With no expectation at all of anything. Isn't that the whole point, to at least get some extra attention from people wishing the wearing Happy Birthday at minimum? Maybe some on the Dis would, but I don't know anyone personally who would.

If someone gets enjoyment from wearing a button just to wear a button, not even expecting a Happy Birthday, then I guess whatever makes them happy. But I doubt the majority of people who wear them do so without expecting even some extra verbal attention.

Howsabout Happy Anniversary? My spouse and I wore ours because they were adorable at DL. And our anniversary fell during our trip.

This time around I'm escorting newbies to WDW so I'm celebrating their first trip and they're all getting first trip pins. Someone's going to call us on it because people suck and I will laugh in their face and tell them to f-off in the most vile, sadistic way I can muster.

People who get mad about buttons are morons. See also: People who get mad about people getting mad about buttons

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I agree with both of you. The buttons have become pretty much pointless. Yet another thing Disney started to make people feel special ruined because everyone wants to be noticed. When everyone is special no one really is.

Not that I am going to run around ripping buttons off of people or demanding proof of their celebration. But to me so many people wearing them cheapens any meaning that was once behind them. Now instead of "Happy Birthday!!" it is "Look, yet another guest "celebrating" their birthday...."

But this is Disney's doing. The company is the one producing the buttons and giving them to whoever asks for one and promoting guests to "celebrate" even though nothing special is specifically happening for them. Get after Disney and not after the button wearers.

However, if you're wearing a birthday button and someone wishes you a happy birthday, I'd think the proper response would be "Thank you," not "It was six months ago."

 

[maxiesmom]

But this is Disney's doing. The company is the one producing the buttons and giving them to whoever asks for one and promoting guests to "celebrate" even though nothing special is specifically happening for them. Get after Disney and not after the button wearers.

I'm not getting after anyone. Just stating that I think people wearing buttons just to wear buttons has ruined any special meaning they once had.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

They are wearing the buttons because WDW encourages them to wear the buttons. No reason why they shouldn't wear the buttons in that case.

 

[robinb]

I agree with both of you. The buttons have become pretty much pointless. Yet another thing Disney started to make people feel special ruined because everyone wants to be noticed. When everyone is special no one really is.

Not that I am going to run around ripping buttons off of people or demanding proof of their celebration. But to me so many people wearing them cheapens any meaning that was once behind them. Now instead of "Happy Birthday!!" it is "Look, yet another guest "celebrating" their birthday...."

Yup. It took me a while to get to that point too. It happened after I used to wish people "Happy Birthday!" and they would tell me: "Thanks, but it's not my birthday.". My birthday was last week/month/etc. Okie dokie. I kinda took the fun out of it for me and what used to be one of the goofy "Disney magic" moments turned into me feeling like a fool.

 

[babydoll65]

How would you show proof anyway. People are celebrating so many different things. On our next trip (Sept 2015) we will be celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary,my son's graduation and we will have extended family members that will be with us and it will be there first time at wdw. I plan on getting buttons for ALL of us.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Yup. It took me a while to get to that point too. It happened after I used to wish people "Happy Birthday!" and they would tell me: "Thanks, but it's not my birthday.". My birthday was last week/month/etc. Okie dokie. I kinda took the fun out of it for me and what used to be one of the goofy "Disney magic" moments turned into me feeling like a fool.

Ya know, I'm just the kind of person who might then say "Well why are you wearing a Celebrating my Birthday button if it isn't your birthday and you can't even humor someone who wishes you a happy birthday?"

I mean, if you're going to wear the button, you must be expecting something. Like acknowledgement at least. Or maybe they're not interested in that. Maybe they just expect free stuff like cupcakes at dinner and what not?

Isn't there a story about that with the "grey stuff" at BoG? At first it was a "special" thing for people celebrating something then people complained because they weren't given free "grey stuff"?

I admit that years ago, I wore a birthday button, on my birthday, but it was when they weren't handed out like free candy. I had to make a special trip to City Hall at the MK to get it. I was surprised when I was later comped in some major ways in Epcot. I never disclosed the details online because I know everyone would be like "Well I heard you gave Stinky_Pete free stuff when he had the birthday button and I have it so why don't I get free stuff?"

I think you're right maxiesmom - it's been so overdone that it's not special anymore.

 

[Disneyholic]

We were there the year of What are You Celebrating? I got the "I'm Celebrating Pin", but didn't put anything on it. When the CMs asked what I was celebrating I had various replies from "I'm at Disney World!", "I'm on Vacation!", "I'm NOT at work!", etc. Had a lot of fun with this.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

there is a first-visit button too! If he's been to the other parks, you could ask the cm to write below first-visit "to the magic kingdom". Just a suggestion!

love this!

 

[daisyx3]

Our anniversary falls during our trip but I will only wear the pin that day...not the whole week. My husband loves to say "happy birthday!" to people wearing those pins.
Daisyx3