Interaction w/Dream Team but no prize?

[Partridge4ever]

We discovered the fun of pin trading on our last trip. My DDs were trading w/a cashier when another CM approached us w/pins on a little pouch on his belt. It was turned backward so you couldn't see what pins were on it. He nudged my kids and turned it around so they could see the pins. It kind of reminded me of the sitcom guy w/stuff for sale under his trenchcoat. He didn't speak. Anyway, the pins were mostly Piratey, very boyish, skulls. My kids thanked him but said they were saving their trades for Poohs and Cinderellas. Really, they were very polite. The man sort of humphed and shrugged and walked away. That was when I noticed that he was in a Dream Team outfit and had a messenger bag. I've since wondered if he was going to give us a Dream, but changed his mind? If they'd traded would they have gotten something? It made me feel weird, as if we'd done something wrong.

 

[inaminute]

Sounds like the guy does double duty as a character. He's learned to communicate through body language and no longer needs speech! (I crack me up!)

I wonder if the "prize" might have been a special pin that was available only through him? Or maybe a prize would have been determined based on the pin chosen?

If he were going to give you a different prize, I believe that, by law, he would have HAD to no matter what he personally thought. If he's allowed to give pin choices at his discretion, and a guest chooses not to paticipate, he can't force the prize on them.

So, he found your kids weren't interested in "trading" so went in search of someone who was.

 

[irishjules]

Maybe the Dream Team guy was having a bad day?!

We chatted with Dream Team members in 3 parks in August - they were all very Friendly...my husband kept hoping they would just give us something. We had already won Fastpasses - what else could he want - a DVC membership?!

We're going back in Nov...maybe we'll be lucky enough to get something else.

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

We discovered the fun of pin trading on our last trip. My DDs were trading w/a cashier when another CM approached us w/pins on a little pouch on his belt. It was turned backward so you couldn't see what pins were on it. He nudged my kids and turned it around so they could see the pins. It kind of reminded me of the sitcom guy w/stuff for sale under his trenchcoat. He didn't speak. Anyway, the pins were mostly Piratey, very boyish, skulls. My kids thanked him but said they were saving their trades for Poohs and Cinderellas. Really, they were very polite. The man sort of humphed and shrugged and walked away. That was when I noticed that he was in a Dream Team outfit and had a messenger bag. I've since wondered if he was going to give us a Dream, but changed his mind? If they'd traded would they have gotten something? It made me feel weird, as if we'd done something wrong.

Nope. You did nothing wrong, and neither did he.

When a pin trading CM has pins turned around like that it's typically because they're "mystery pins" -- the idea being that normally you can't see what they are before you trade for them. So it could be a cast-exclusive pin, or a worthless pin (but it being Disney, almost all "Mystery Pins" are good ones). In other words, he let your kids see what his Mystery Pins were! They were probably Cast-Only pins, but they decided not to trade, so he shrugged and moved on.

If a Dream Squad (not "Dream Team" -- that's a bad 1980s movie with Christopher Lloyd and Michael Keaton) CM is giving out prizes, they will be wearing a white vest.

 

[Partridge4ever]

If a Dream Squad (not "Dream Team" -- that's a bad 1980s movie with Christopher Lloyd and Michael Keaton) CM is giving out prizes, they will be wearing a white vest.

Ha! I knew Dream Team didn't sound quite right! I'm sure you're probably right...the pins were special in some way that we didn't pick up on. I just hope the guy didn't think we were rude. We may have missed a special Pirate pin, but my girls are happy w/the ones they have because they have meaning to them even if they're not limited edition. One of my favorite memories of that trip was when my younger DD gave up one of her trading pins for a Pooh pin for her older sister...I was trying to ration their trades to a couple a day. Older DD had already traded twice when she spotted an extra cute Pooh pin. The CM not only gave DD the Pooh pin, he let my younger DD pick a pin, too, AND refused to take her pin in trade.

They really, really want those special pin lanyards though. I'll almost be glad when YOMD is over so we can just enjoy being at WDW w/o them constantly hoping to be picked to stay in the castle!

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

Ha! I knew Dream Team didn't sound quite right! I'm sure you're probably right...the pins were special in some way that we didn't pick up on. I just hope the guy didn't think we were rude. We may have missed a special Pirate pin, but my girls are happy w/the ones they have because they have meaning to them even if they're not limited edition. One of my favorite memories of that trip was when my younger DD gave up one of her trading pins for a Pooh pin for her older sister...I was trying to ration their trades to a couple a day. Older DD had already traded twice when she spotted an extra cute Pooh pin. The CM not only gave DD the Pooh pin, he let my younger DD pick a pin, too, AND refused to take her pin in trade.

They really, really want those special pin lanyards though. I'll almost be glad when YOMD is over so we can just enjoy being at WDW w/o them constantly hoping to be picked to stay in the castle!

I'm sure he didn't think you were being rude. Many CMs will not point out Hidden Mickey, Cast-Exclusive, or Limited Edition pins unless asked directly.

And many of us CMs are also eager for the YOAMD promotion to end. It breaks my heart to see some families complain bitterly that their vacation was ruined because they didn't win the night in the castle.

 

[2TxAgs]

Hey Buzz...what a shame to see families 'complain bitterly' about a ruined vacation because they didn't win an extra prize. Rather than breaking my heart, it makes me wonder where their sense of entitlement comes from, and where they lost the excitement that a trip to Disney should bring. If I was a CM, it would make me want to shake them and holler "you and your family should be having a wonderful time because you get to be HERE, riding rides, sharing laughter and being together. How could your vacation possibly be RUINED because your hotel room for one night was not furnished like a castle?" Good grief, what is WITH people????

Rant over...
TxAg

 

[inkkognito]

We had a very enjoyable chat with one of the Dream Squad members near the entrance to MK a while back. I think he was working as a greeter because he saw him when we left too. As we were passing by, he had noticed hubby's Halloween t-shirt and asked if we were going to the party that night so we had a nice little conversation.

 

[mrmagicmph]

My wife & I spent 9 wonderful nights down at WDW from 9/29 through 10/8/07 and made sure to take the time to talk to a lot of the CM's. It was one of the true highlights of our trip. We ended up talking to 4 Dream Squad'ers (3 in Epcot, 1 in AK) along with 2 "normal" CMs. Mind you, "normal" isn't the right way to describe these two, they're extraordinary!

We probably spent close to a full day talking to them all, when you add all the time together. It was wonderful, and admittedly, 2 of the Dream Squad'ers (1 in Epcot, 1 in AK) did take the time to join us on a ride each. It was wonderful, but not because of the "special treatment" that comes with riding with a Dream Squad'er, but because they were great people and a ton of fun to ride along with!

Take the time to talk to the CM's, they'll give you gifts that you can't get any other way: memories of a lifetime!

Enjoy the Magic!

 

[Medpeds]

We had great conversations with 4 dream CM's but did not get any dream prizes from them. I agree with the observation that they were super-friendly and a pleasure to talk to. Our 4 year old traded pins with all 4!

We got a "Dream popcorn" in AK, and several magic moments but they were unexpected and really a great treat.

Brad

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Twice in August we got "front of the line" for the ride of our choice at MGM by trading pins with Dream Squad members. The first time DS chose a pirate pin and it happened to have a "special" back on it, different than all the other black Mickey head backs. (He could only see the fronts of the pins when he chose.) She said it was the "surprise pin" and we got to skip the line at any ride. DS chose RnRC.

Later in the week I was trading with another CM and the same thing happened - I chose the "surprise pin" and our group of 7 got to skip the line at Great Movie Ride.

We also noticed if they are giving out "real" prizes they will be in white vests. If they are just in the blue shirt they are doing more greeting/chatting than anything else.

 

[Tink6666]

We discovered the fun of pin trading on our last trip. My DDs were trading w/a cashier when another CM approached us w/pins on a little pouch on his belt. It was turned backward so you couldn't see what pins were on it. He nudged my kids and turned it around so they could see the pins. It kind of reminded me of the sitcom guy w/stuff for sale under his trenchcoat. He didn't speak. Anyway, the pins were mostly Piratey, very boyish, skulls. My kids thanked him but said they were saving their trades for Poohs and Cinderellas. Really, they were very polite. The man sort of humphed and shrugged and walked away. That was when I noticed that he was in a Dream Team outfit and had a messenger bag. I've since wondered if he was going to give us a Dream, but changed his mind? If they'd traded would they have gotten something? It made me feel weird, as if we'd done something wrong.

We traded pins with one member of the Dream Squad when we were at WDW in August. It was the same thing, my DD's could choose a pin that was face up or a mystery pin. They choose the mystery pin and got a hidden mickey one. We also got a one ride fast pass to use that day or the next. We traded again the next day with another lady from the dream squad and were again given a single ride fast pass. Unfortunatley we were not able to use them since there was not a long wait on any ride we went on so, we gave them to another family of 4 that were going to be there until the park was closing. We may not have gotten to use the "dream" that was given to us, but we made two other families realize a small dream. That was reward enough for us. A copule weeks after we got home our oldest DD got a YOMD lanyard and pins from us sending in postcards. We started sending in postcards in July and sent about 50 total.