Guest of Honor - Yes or No?

[Fantasmic303]

Hi all!!!

I've seen several threads talking about Guest of Honor badges, but I was wondering if someone could fill me in on what they "officially" are. A friend's daughter will be turning 4 in a couple weeks, and we're tentatively planning another Disney adventure for next year. I'd like to get her one and was checking them out, but I'm debating whether or not it's worth it.

If someone could convince me either way, I'd really appreciate it. I know there's no like...list of things that GoH are "entitled" to, but I'd be interested to know how having a badge has made a vacation even more magical for anyone who has had them.

Thanks in advance!

 

[K P & J's Grandma]

Our grandchildren have the 'guest of honor' badges. The 'talking' characters & the CM's at different attractions have called them by their names - the kids really enjoyed that - it has been fun having the badges!! I would get one for your friends daughter!!!

 

[Kallison]

My kids have worn theirs every trip since youngest DD was 4 1/2. It's great when the characters sign their names in their autography books, CM's talk to them by name, etc. In fact ours are so old they have our hometown engraved on them which they don't do anymore, so they make an even bigger fuss about that. DD is now 9 and she still brings her GOH every trip.

 

[elemusing]

A GOH badge is simply a souvenier name tag like the CM's wear except it has your name on it and says Guest of Honor at the top. There are no special priveledges, although many CM's will call you by name if you are wearing one. I custom ordered mine, DS's and DH's 4 years ago and we still wear ours every trip!

Angie

 

[Matty_Disfan]

Where do you get them? Can you get them once you've arrived?

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

I bought mine at DTD a few years ago.
I know they also sell them at MGM in a store one the main drag. ( What street is that ? )

My last 4 trips to WDW have been solo.
I found that when I wore my badge, a lot of people thought I was a CM, and asked me for directions. CM's were also more inclined to call me by name.

This all made my trip more enjoyable simply because I was talking to more people.

 

[philaround]

If you don't want to wait until you get there to buy the GOF nametags you can order them from Gifts of a Lifetime by clicking www.giftsofalifetime.com

 

[AngieBelle]

Oh they're fun. My penpal and I wore ours on our trip to WDW 3 years ago. Ours are personalized with our names and hometowns. It was really funny when we ate at Cindy's castle breakfast. The princesses kept looking from my nametag to hers...and get very confused because hers said Cottonwood, MN and mine said Germantown, TN! I also had a CM scare me half to death while I was in a store. He blurted out, "Hi Angela! How are you?" and made me jump! Another time, a CM we pasted in Epcot called out, "And how are our guests of honor today?"

It's funny, when you wear those things, other guests will think you work there because they look so similiar to CM nametags.

 

[bobcat]

Claudia the store in MGM is Celebrity 5&10.

 

[disneyjunkie]

If you want to get them before the trip, you can order them from Disney's Mail order department (that's not the official name).
They will charge you the same price you would pay in the parks, they just add shipping.

I'm going to use them to order GOHB, autograph book,Epcot passport,Mickey video game thing, and a bunch of other things for my son before our trip.

 

[Tagrel]

Our DDs have been wearing them the last 3 years. They love having the CMs and face characters call them by name, and it just adds a touch more of that Disney Magic!

 

[buzzlady]

The phone number that I have for Disney Merchandising is 1-407-363-6200. I have never personally used it. Hope they can help if you would like to get one before you go.

 

[Mskanga]

I got mine and dd's last December , in a way because I can never find anything with our names , and it's actually funny how people would stop me and ask me questions thinking I was a CM.
My kids love to be called by their names with all the speaking characters.

 

[mco-missy]

Just so you don't get your expectations too high-- we have GOH badges that we wear every now and then on trips to Disney. I know that many times nothing has happened when we wear them. No CM's using our names, no one asking me for directions, autographs not made out to nieces personally. Now, please understand, I am definately not complaining. We don't wear them for any of those reasons. We actually go a lot and just wear them whenever we remember (and when we can remember where we put them at home!) There have also been trips were these things were done. I just don't want you to get your hopes up too high.

 

[buzzlady]

MCO-Missy -

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!

 

[mco-missy]

Thanks buzzlady! I can't wait for the second half of the honeymoon-- a three day weekend at Disney!

 

[webmomom]

What really made it fun for us with the Badges was; the first time we wore them there was 19 of us. that was all of the grandchildren and sons, daughters and son-in laws and daughter-in - laws and of course grandma and grandpa. I had one made for each and everyone one of us. I think since there were so many of us is the reason people were talking to us. We have gone alone (grandma and grand pa) and when we wear them all of the time and I will tell you 9 times out of 10 people have called us by name and something has happen just to make the trip a little extra special. I will agree with mco-misty, don't up your expectation to high that something will happen. Just go and have a great wonderful, magical Disney vacation.

 

[starwood]

Originally posted by disneyjunkie
If you want to get them before the trip, you can order them from Disney's Mail order department (that's not the official name).
They will charge you the same price you would pay in the parks, they just add shipping.

FYI - the shipping is $8.95 up to $50, I believe, so you may want to order a bunch of stuff at one time.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by starwood
FYI - the shipping is $8.95 up to $50, I believe, so you may want to order a bunch of stuff at one time.

You're right, if you are only getting a few low cost items, it may better to wait until you get there.

 

[Fantasmic303]

Thanks for the advice everyone!!

I think I'm gonna get her one and hope for some magic. She's a funny kid - she loves to be a ham when no one is watching, but she gets shy when someone notices her. For that reason, she didn't get to take part in a lot of character interaction this year (though she loooooved Pluto) - by the time she felt comfortable with them, her time was over!! (She did, however, do a little "Princess dance" back to her stroller after meeting some of her girls!! ) We'll see if a badge gives her a little more confidence or makes her feel better when Mary Poppins calls her by name. *crosses fingers*



The shipping at GoaL kind of turns me off though...I'll have to do some investigation...thanks again!!