How do you get "picked" for a Dream?

[sillysassy]

Just wondering....how does one go about getting chosen for a "Dream" in the Year of a million dreams?
Do you have to have small children, kids in costume.....etc, or is it totally just randomly some cast member picking you out of a crowd??

I have a 12 yr old son and I explained that I am sure he probably wouldnt be picked for any dream, thinking that they probably mostly pick out little girls in princess costumes, more than an average 12 yr old boy.

oh by the way....what sort of "dreams" are granted..??? Does the park guest pick it out, or does the cast member pick it out for the winner?

sorry for all the silly questions...but I was just wondering how this all works

 

[saikai]

The CM a made my ressie with told me it is completely random. There is a computer that picks certain rides, times of day, which seat number, ect. is going to get picked. As I understand it this means dressing up as a princess has no effect and ANYBODY can win. Good luck!

 

[RyMickey]

It is completely random. Apparently there is a computer program that tells the "Dream" cast members who to choose -- for example, the fourth person coming out of the 1:15 show of Mickey's Philharmagic. This way, there is no way for cast members to "choose" who they want based on age, gender, etc.

As for the prizes, they can range from FastPasses to hats to a stay in Cinderella's Castle.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

From what I understand, the Dream Squad is told to go to a certain location at a certain time to give out prizes. For example, an Animation Tour CM told me that 100 guests for one of the morning tours were led into the theater and given Mickey ears.

In November, my DD and I were exiting SE at Epcot and there was the Dream Squad giving away fast pass lanyards.

 

[nbodyhome]

While getting off the new Gran Fiesta on Friday (on my 2nd or 3rd ride), there were cast members waiting for us and gave us lanyards with pins.

 

[sillysassy]

This may sound silly, but what is a lanyard??

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

There was a recent post from a family who was granted a night in Cinderella Castle.

The MIL was sitting on a bench outside of Jungle Cruise....that was the random place that was chosen.

Then the whole family was granted the Cinderella Suite.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

One of the first families to stay in the Castle Suite was picked on Star Tours, and the person in the seat was the 15 or 16 year old son.

 

[NMAmy]

DH and I won a dream on our trip two weeks ago. It's completely random--we were in line for Buzz Lightyear and the CM's were counting people in line and stopped at the family in front of us. So, if two middle aged parents can win all on their own while our teens were still asleep at the hotel, you and your ds have as good a chance as anyone! Good luck!

 

[Mousema]

I was talking to some older teens at AK when I was there and they had been given fast passes coming out of MK the day before. If you would see them you wouldn't even think Disney. Tattoos and body piercing, but they were as excited as any 10 year old.

 

[silverarrowknits]

My Mom and I were about to get on Buzz Lightyear (our favorite bonding ride!) and there was a Dream Team CM handing out lanyards to everyone! My Mom and I were just stoked to be getting on the ride and then we got lanyards! We were jumping up and down like we were 5 years old! We don't even do the pin trading thing, but we were excited to win a "dream."

I am not sure if this is a dream, but a family was chosen to have the first ride through Kilimanjaro Safaris. I had been talking with the family prior to their being chosen and they told the CMs I was part of their family. At the end of the ride we were all given Dream Fastpasses and they were given an all-day fastpass to Kilimanjaro Safaris. This was not a random dream, because the Dad asked the CM why they were chosen and the CM said they seemed like a nice family or something like that.

 

[Lynne M]

This may sound silly, but what is a lanyard??

Have you seen people walking around with a long strap/band around their necks, with pins attached? That strap is called a lanyard, in Disney pin-trading lingo. Basically, it's the thing you put pins on.

it was originally a sailing term. Here's the dictionary definition:

lanyard |ˈlanyərd|
noun
a rope threaded through a pair of deadeyes, used to adjust the tension in the rigging of a sailing vessel. • a cord passed around the neck, shoulder, or wrist for holding a knife, whistle, or similar object. • a cord attached to a breech mechanism for firing a gun. ORIGIN late Middle English lanyer, in the general sense [a short length of rope or line for securing something,] from Old French laniere.

 

[kaytieeldr]

To repeat what others have said, winning a prize is ENTIRELY random.

While the sweepstakes is sponsored by Disney, it is run by an entirely independent company.