"Give a Day, now Go Away!"

[k5jm]

I think Disney will ride the coattails of Harry Potter...a lot of people will come to Universal Orlando for the new rides, and many of them will also visit WDW in the process. Why spend money to attrack people that will be coming anyway?

Good point, Lisa! I imagine a large, last minute discount push for the summer.

 

[FireDancer]

I look at GAD-GAD as running an entire year. The give a day portion of the promotion is over but for those that did participate in it they have the entire rest of the year to use the free ticket for the get a day half.

 

[Nanu57v]

Anyone think they may open it up again? The only thing "in my area" was the blanket thing...and I was hoping for something locally that I could physically volunteer at. I was blindsided when it was over...my thinking was they would run out in say August.

 

[doconeill]

Anyone think they may open it up again? The only thing "in my area" was the blanket thing...and I was hoping for something locally that I could physically volunteer at. I was blindsided when it was over...my thinking was they would run out in say August.

I don't think it will re-open, at least this year. As I said, they need to absorb the costs which still will take the rest of the year.

If they do this again, they will probably put stricter limitations...off the top of my head, something like you can only volunteer within X months of when you would redeem the voucher, etc. That would limit people not traveling until December from eating up the vouchers in January. I don't know how well that would work (some number will volunteer without intending to use the GAD voucher other than to donate, etc.).

 

[esddk]

This was from the Disney Parks blog in September of 2009:



I think that was maybe a bit misleading.

I agree. Maybe it went faster than they thought it would too.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

Personally, I don't understand the criticism. Disney got a million people to volunteer. Your reward should be in knowing that you're helping out the less fortunate, not that you're getting a reward for it.

"Give a Day, now Go away" is a disgusting comment in my opinion. Any way to get more volunteers out there is a good idea.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

I think Disney will ride the coattails of Harry Potter...a lot of people will come to Universal Orlando for the new rides, and many of them will also visit WDW in the process. Why spend money to attrack people that will be coming anyway?

For the first time, we have uttered the words Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure in this house as part of a vacation trip. I honestly never had any desire to visit Universal. But, with the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it is on my itinerary. However, we are waiting until next year to check it out.

"What will you celebrate?" is still the "theme" for 2010. I know, they reused last years theme without the free birthday ticket. Hopefully, they are saving up for next years promo. I assume there will something BIG and fantastic next year for WDW's 40th Anniversary. (October 1, 2011) That is when we plan to return.

Jennifer

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

I look at GAD-GAD as running an entire year. The give a day portion of the promotion is over but for those that did participate in it they have the entire rest of the year to use the free ticket for the get a day half.

You have until December 15, 2010 to redeem the voucher. I almost made the mistake of booking our Disneyland vacation too late in the year to use our GAD vouchers.

Disney honestly didn't have to offer any incentive for people to volunteer. As much as people complain about the program, I think the Disney Company had the right idea to have people think of others first by volunteering. The voucher was a nice bonus, but not needed as it opened millions of peoples eyes to the needs in their own communities. Hopefully this program has enlightened some to volunteer even if they don't get a voucher or even for those that have volunteered to go back to the organization and help out just because. We ended up donating one of our tickets to continue the volunteering spirit.

Our children enjoyed the experience so much, they want to do it again knowing a Disney ticket is not involved. Hearing that, made me a proud Mama. I think that is what Disney had in mind. To spark the giving spirit in people.

Jennifer

 

[doconeill]

Frankly if they didn't offer a ticket, but simply offered 3 extra Fastpasses for one day and a pin, they probably STILL would have hit 1 million. Perhaps it would have taken longer, but I think they still would have done it.

 

[Sephora]

Personally, I don't understand the criticism. Disney got a million people to volunteer. Your reward should be in knowing that you're helping out the less fortunate, not that you're getting a reward for it.

"Give a Day, now Go away" is a disgusting comment in my opinion. Any way to get more volunteers out there is a good idea.

Doesn't everyone know that Disney has their own agenda when they run "marketing" campaigns?. Sure by getting people to volunteer and get a free tickets to any park is great but in the end they benefit as well. They are getting more people to the parks to spend money. It really was a win-win for all sides.

 

[k5jm]

Personally, I don't understand the criticism. Disney got a million people to volunteer. Your reward should be in knowing that you're helping out the less fortunate, not that you're getting a reward for it.

"Give a Day, now Go away" is a disgusting comment in my opinion. Any way to get more volunteers out there is a good idea.

Not a criticism, and not a comment, just a discussion point about marketing and not the program. WDW is my happy place.

 

[LilGMom]

You have until December 15, 2010 to redeem the voucher. I almost made the mistake of booking our Disneyland vacation too late in the year to use our GAD vouchers.

Disney honestly didn't have to offer any incentive for people to volunteer. As much as people complain about the program, I think the Disney Company had the right idea to have people think of others first by volunteering. The voucher was a nice bonus, but not needed as it opened millions of peoples eyes to the needs in their own communities. Hopefully this program has enlightened some to volunteer even if they don't get a voucher or even for those that have volunteered to go back to the organization and help out just because. We ended up donating one of our tickets to continue the volunteering spirit.

Our children enjoyed the experience so much, they want to do it again knowing a Disney ticket is not involved. Hearing that, made me a proud Mama. I think that is what Disney had in mind. To spark the giving spirit in people.

Jennifer

While I, personally, wish that WDW didn't feel the need to run promotions each and every year I think this one was great. In all of the advertisements and ads that I saw for GAD it always stated something about "up to a million people" so I'm surprised to hear people fussing about it. Yes, a lot of people volunteered just to get a WDW freebie but a lot of people will also continue to volunteer. If only 5% of the people that signed up continue to volunteer think of the number of organizations that will benefit. I had never heard of Project Linus before this promo but will now seek out the local chapters to continue making blankets for them. It also opened up some wonderful conversations about volunteering with my young children. We already had a trip planned for this year (ok, two actually) so the WDW freebie wasn't really an incentive for us but the other options, other than the theme park tickets, are a nice perk.

 

[disneydad78]

Im sad,I wanted to get fastpasses..

 

[irishdadx4]

Disney could have just written a check, released a press statement and maybe gotten a few minutes of tv time on CNN. But they took that money and offered it to get people to volunteer with other organizations. I think most charities, not all, have most if not more then enough money to do the work they are trying to do, but most lack the "people power" to get their work done. Disney figured out a way to try and get some of these organizations the people they needed. I see charity organizations offer "gifts" for donations all the time, this is no different. If time is money then isn't money also time?

Mike