Everybody's Celebrating Something! No Questions Asked!

[Kellykins1218]

Liar liar pants on fire! Some little kid who deserves a happy birthday more than yours because it is "their" day may lose a happy birthday wish!

As long as my little birthday "fakers" get Happy Birthdays and all of those super special freebies *eye roll*

 

[KCSherri]

So, everyone has the right to celebrate something when at a Disney park. But what happens when everyone is celebrating something? I don't get involved in arguments about morals and fairness. But I do see a problem with everyone having to feel super special all of the time, or at least while at Disney. For me, this is similar to people who write in to the boards asking for advice about how they can make this trip to Disney more special for their kids than their last trip to Disney. That's setting up dangerous precedences and expectations. Isn't going to a Disney park enough? Many people don't get to do that, and yet they still manage to find ways to feel special and to celebrate.

When I see comments/questions like this, it makes me think that the poster is implying, "HEY!!! If YOU'RE celebrating something, than that's taking away from ME celebrating!!"

It's not like there's a big pot of "celebrating" that has to be divvied up amongst Disney guests - and if you "unfairly" partake of the "celebration pot" when it's NOT YOUR EXACT DATE - then you are taking away from the celebration pot from others.

Trust me - it's an infinite pot of celebrations. There is enough joy and happiness and magic for everyone. I don't freaking care of all 50,000+ people wore a Celebration Button today at Magic Kingdom - I'll gladly smile and wish EVERY ONE OF THEM a 'Happy Birthday' or 'Happy 1st Visit' - or whatever their button states. Who does that hurt??!! Certainly not me!

 

[MikeP22]

So, everyone has the right to celebrate something when at a Disney park. But what happens when everyone is celebrating something? I don't get involved in arguments about morals and fairness. But I do see a problem with everyone having to feel super special all of the time, or at least while at Disney. For me, this is similar to people who write in to the boards asking for advice about how they can make this trip to Disney more special for their kids than their last trip to Disney. That's setting up dangerous precedences and expectations. Isn't going to a Disney park enough? Many people don't get to do that, and yet they still manage to find ways to feel special and to celebrate.

Maybe it is enough, maybe it isn't. Who are we to say how other people should enjoy their trip? They're enjoying what WDW has to offer, which includes wearing an "I'm Celebrating..." button (and possibly even getting "free" stuff).

Because it really doesn't actually affect Person A (except internally), if Person A feels that their celebration is somehow lessened by Person B wearing a celebration pin that Person A feels is unjustified, that's Person A's issue and no one else's.

 

[Kellykins1218]

Not a birthday, but an anniversary. On our 30th DH was sitting on a naval ship in the Arabian Sea. So by the time we were able to celebrate our anniversary (and to us it was a big deal), it was several months later. You have a problem with that? Ask me if I care.

:

Lots of our military families celebrate birthdays & anniversaries months after the actual date. Good for them! It's nobody's business when somebody else is celebrating.

 

[kuzco-like]

Wow. People attacking me for stating an opinion and trying to provoke thought beyond their own personal experiences. I guess I shouldn't be surprised and I should have minded my own business. The point I was trying to make, but failed, was that if everyone has to feel special, then there's no room for specialness. I'll invoke more wrath here, I know, but it's like how everyone's daughter must be a princess now. If being a princess is the norm, then it makes being a princess somewhat meaningless.

 

[kittyninja]

I've been following this thread and I just realized I have a story to contribute!

It's kind of an unspoken tradition in my family to go to Disney World after you graduate! Well, I was homeschooled and I had arranged to graduate with a bigger homeschool group. Well, the April 2011 storms here in Alabama destroyed the place where we were going to have it and the home of the woman planning it. They ended up postponing it twice and finally to a time when I couldn't participate. I didn't even have a graduation but we celebrated when we went! (We were supposed to leave the Sunday after the graduation that wasn't to be.) But we celebrated 2 months before the graduation was postponed to.

I wore a button even though I never got a graduation! Make of that story what you will!

 

[MikeP22]

Wow. People attacking me for stating an opinion and trying to provoke thought beyond their own personal experiences. I guess I shouldn't be surprised and I should have minded my own business. The point I was trying to make, but failed, was that if everyone has to feel special, then there's no room for specialness. I'll invoke more wrath here, I know, but it's like how everyone's daughter must be a princess now. If being a princess is the norm, then it makes being a princess somewhat meaningless.

For the record, I was just offering a counterpoint and not attacking.

And why SHOULDN'T we make children feel special when it is reasonable (especially at WDW)?

 

[AmyB2006]

Wow. People attacking me for stating an opinion and trying to provoke thought beyond their own personal experiences. I guess I shouldn't be surprised and I should have minded my own business. The point I was trying to make, but failed, was that if everyone has to feel special, then there's no room for specialness. I'll invoke more wrath here, I know, but it's like how everyone's daughter must be a princess now. If being a princess is the norm, then it makes being a princess somewhat meaningless.

I don't see any "attacking" going on, I see plenty of thoughts being provoked, though. So sounds like you accomplished your goal. Just because people don't agree with you doesn't mean they're attacking you.

 

[JoeA]

Wow. People attacking me for stating an opinion and trying to provoke thought beyond their own personal experiences. I guess I shouldn't be surprised and I should have minded my own business. The point I was trying to make, but failed, was that if everyone has to feel special, then there's no room for specialness. I'll invoke more wrath here, I know, but it's like how everyone's daughter must be a princess now. If being a princess is the norm, then it makes being a princess somewhat meaningless.

Welcome to life in 2014! Everyone gets a ribbon, nobody wins or loses, and we don't keep score. Like the HS who recently decided to not "honor" their "Honor class" because they didn't want the other kids to feel "stupid".

So in that vein, we should all wear the same badge so those darn people don't get to feel more special than me!

 

[FINFAN]

I have not read this whole thread, but since our DD went to college out of state and then jobs out of state, DS gone a lot, a LOT of holidays,BDays etc together have been missed. We will be at WDW for 3 days together and we were joking around when pre-planning for who gets to pick what, and why. So we decided to gave the FP+ choices names like, Father's Day( Dad gets to choose), Easter (one who loves coloring eggs got to choose) Bday choice for each etc. So when we head to the ride we plan on saying, "Let's go celebrate Easter together" lol. We don't plan on getting buttons but it is our way of "speed Holiday celebrating" together

 

[smidgy]

I have searched and searched youtube and can't find it.

I was looking for a clip from the tv show Cheers (Disney actually used it in their Superstar Television attraction back in 1992 (my boys were picked to be gilligan and skiipper in that show)

it is in reference to free stuff on birthdays. 4 people sit at the bar, and one of them says it's their birthday .. Woody gets all happy and congratulates him and gives him his drink for free. so the 2nd person says it's her bday.. free drink on and on..

norm says to woody, "do you really think these 4 people all have the same birthday.......as cliffy and I?"

maybe someone else can find it? I give up!
I was goiong to post it cause it's so funny and fitting.
at the restaurant, I do give [people a free peice of cake with a candle and sing if it's their birthday.

 

[Jennasis]

Wow. People attacking me for stating an opinion and trying to provoke thought beyond their own personal experiences. I guess I shouldn't be surprised and I should have minded my own business. The point I was trying to make, but failed, was that if everyone has to feel special, then there's no room for specialness. I'll invoke more wrath here, I know, but it's like how everyone's daughter must be a princess now. If being a princess is the norm, then it makes being a princess somewhat meaningless.

Nobody is attacking you.

People are answering you, and providing counter-points.

And just to be clear...birthdays are not special. EVERYONE has one. The only person they are special to is the individual (and possibly their family). So unless you are part of the family of the button wearer, don't worry about it or what dangerous precedent it might be setting.

 

[AmyB2006]

I have searched and searched youtube and can't find it.

I was looking for a clip from the tv show Cheers (Disney actually used it in their Superstar Television attraction back in 1992 (my boys were picked to be gilligan and skiipper in that show)

it is in reference to free stuff on birthdays. 4 people sit at the bar, and one of them says it's their birthday .. Woody gets all happy and congratulates him and gives him his drink for free. so the 2nd person says it's her bday.. free drink on and on..

norm says to woody, "do you really think these 4 people all have the same birthday.......as cliffy and I?"

maybe someone else can find it? I give up!
I was goiong to post it cause it's so funny and fitting.
at the restaurant, I do give [people a free peice of cake with a candle and sing if it's their birthday.

I do remember that episode, and yes, it is hysterical.

 

[CarlaLovesDisney]

I haven't read this whole thread, so I hope this hasn't been discussed. But do people really have "fake" celebration buttons? Is that a thing? You don't get anything free you just get a bunch of people saying "Congrats!" or "Happy Birthday!" I mean, it makes you feel special, I guess, but if it's not actually your birthday or whatever it would get really annoying.

 

[DisneyFive]

While I completely understand that people may be celebrating at Disney on a day other than the official "occasion", I do not understand why someone would want to wear a button indicating it's their birthday, etc., if it's not the actual day. I do think the fact that half the crowd is wearing a celebration button may take away from the attention for those who are there on their actual birthday, especially children. I had heard that CM will wish happy birthday to those wearing a button. Do they still do that now that so many people wear these buttons whether or not it's there actual bday?

We will be at Disney for my birthday and my dd's birthday. I will not wear a button on my bday because I don't like attention. I'm sure my dd will love wearing a button and will really love it if it causes someone to wish her happy birthday; however, I think it would make her uncomfortable if she we were to wear a button on a day other than her birthday and someone then wished her happy birthday.

Again... Did you ever have a birthday party for your daughter on a different day? Did people say or sing happy birthday? And maybe even bring a present? What is te difference.

Yes, this is what I was going to mention. What about when you or your kid(s) birthday falls during the week, and you save the big birthday party for a weekend? You still sing happy birthday don't you? You still open gifts right? People still say, Happy Birthday right?

Birthday celebrations are delayad, or even pulled ahead ALL THE TIME! not just at Disney.

Dan

 

[OasterP]

The good news is that you (the royal "you") don't have to understand why someone would choose to wear a button on a day that isn't the actual day of their birthday/anniversary. Nobody owes me an explanation...and there is no way of anyone knowing whether the button wearer is wearing the button on the actual day (short of interrogating each and every person).

So unless you're bringing back the Spanish Inquisition (which we know no one expects LOL), the best bet is to either wish said button wearer a "Happy whatever!" or ignore them altogether.

This exactly!

I am shocked at how many people get upset by what others do with something as silly as buttons! I can't tell if they are just worried they won't get as much attention?? I don't know.

For me personally - buttons aren't for me. I don't care if I go on my birthday - I wouldn't wear one. But for my son who turns 4 in September - I'll encourage him to wear his if he wants, even though we aren't going on his actual birthday. I think it's more likely he will wear his "My First Visit" button more than the birthday one, but I'm sure he'll wear it most of the trip - and we are there 11 nights. So technically - most of the time - it won't be his first visit to that particular park...I'm ok with that...

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

This thread is inspiring me to get no fewer than a dozen fake buttons on my next visit to the MK.

 

[SpringSprite]

When I was at the MK last week I saw a cast member with a cart near City Hall that was full of the celebrating buttons (1st Visit, Birthday, Anniversary, Just Married, I'm Celebrating generic, etc) I had never seen this before although the CM said it's been there for about 6 months. I asked her if one has to prove it's their birthday, etc and she said no, anyone can come up and grab a button. She said we don't want anyone to feel left out.

I honestly couldn't care less about whether or not anyone wears a button, or when they celebrate their special event. When I made my Disney reservations they asked if we were celebrating any special events, and I said no. My Bday is in October, we are going in October, but honestly it never occurred to me to celebrate my birthday a week and a half before the date. No judgement on anyone who does! Now that I've been made aware of "first visit" buttons, I'll probably get them for my kids, because it is, and they'll get a kick out of it. But the bolded red did remind me of the practice of not celebrating special achievements so as not to make anyone feel "less than". Sorry, just how I feel.

 

[CarlaLovesDisney]

This thread is inspiring me to get no fewer than a dozen fake buttons on my next visit to the MK.

 

[robinb]

When someone wants to accuse someone that is wearing a birthday button not on their actual birthday but a few weeks later, or even months, as "morally or ethically wrong" or as "trying to cheat some system"... they deserve snark.

First of all, no one said people who wore birthday buttons were "morally or ethically wrong" or as "trying to cheat some system". So if that's why people deserve to be called names, then you will have to find another reason.

It's.a.button. If things could be kept in perspective for what they really are, I'm sure there wouldn't be as many snarky responses.

And here is the *real* reason for the name calling and snarkiness. If those annoying people would just sit down and shut up and they wouldn't be attacked.

Wow. People attacking me for stating an opinion and trying to provoke thought beyond their own personal experiences. I guess I shouldn't be surprised and I should have minded my own business. The point I was trying to make, but failed, was that if everyone has to feel special, then there's no room for specialness. I'll invoke more wrath here, I know, but it's like how everyone's daughter must be a princess now. If being a princess is the norm, then it makes being a princess somewhat meaningless.

I understood what you meant . I also don't think you were attacked but that was quite the instant pile-on of differing opinions so I suspect it felt like it. I also agree with your this:

For me, this is similar to people who write in to the boards asking for advice about how they can make this trip to Disney more special for their kids than their last trip to Disney. That's setting up dangerous precedences and expectations. Isn't going to a Disney park enough? Many people don't get to do that, and yet they still manage to find ways to feel special and to celebrate.

People try so hard to make their next Disney trip so extra-magical that there is a chance that they will be disappointed when and if things don't go as planned (like no free birthday cupcake for little Suzie) and the expectations of a supercalifricmagical time rarely hold up to reality, even at WDW. I too find myself thinking "Isn't being at Walt Disney World enough?" but for some folks it apparently is not.