Is this lying? Birthday.

[GEM]

But what if every child "celebrated" their birthday when they went.

Yes. What if? The problem would be . . . ???

We will go this year and not again for several years. So for those with scheduling issues, is it OK if all four of us celebrate our birthdays???

Well you said you knew the answer, but I'll answer it anyway. Sure. What the heck do I care? Celebrate away! Have a good time. Why on earth would it bother me if you get a birthday button or a cupcake at the Crystal Palace?

My son's Mothers Day Out class is having a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party on December 16th - so, I say, if it's ok for Jesus it's ok for the rest of us!

Surely people have bigger things to worry about.

 

[jann1033]

Do it. Our wedding anniversary is in July. We have had to reschedule our "anniversary" trip twice and are finally leaving on Friday. I told them when I made ressies at CRT that we are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and that is not a lie. We are truly celebrating our ann. with a trip to WDW as planned 6 months ago!! Who's gonna know different?

hey post when you get back. our 30th is in july(2006) and are taking our anniversary trip in Nov( so it 'll be almost 30 1/2)...i want to know if you end up in the "disney hades" op mentioned before i do it just in case....!

whooee i posted before i read the rest and realized i'd be... in some's opinion... a big liar !...funny i've been planning this "anniversary" trip for months, taking the whole fam since it's our 30th and we decided we'd rather go with them to wdw than paris but now i'm a liar cause i don't want to pay the gigannormous summer rate, can't deal with the summer heat and crowds so are going in fall???. uh anyone ever hear of people going to celebrate Christmas anytime before the last week in Dec..?( obviously not the ones who would never celebrate something on another day ) and evidently they never get those card from places like RFC that tell you come in for so much off anytime with in a few months of your BD or ANN. i am probably way more honest than most but sorry to disappoint, i am going to wdw to celebrate my anniversary way after the fact and if some don't like it...

 

[DrTomorrow]

Yes. What if [if every child "celebrated" their birthday when they went.]? The problem would be . . . ???

Well you said you knew the answer, but I'll answer it anyway. Sure. What the heck do I care? Celebrate away! Have a good time. Why on earth would it bother me if you get a birthday button or a cupcake at the Crystal Palace?

What would the problem be? Simple - it diminishes the experience for everyone who is honestly celebrating their birthdays.

First of all, it's helpful to remember that on any given day at WDW, roughly 1 in 12 can claim it's their Birthday Month - a few weeks in either direction; certainly within the range that the "Go for it!" folks allow. So, on a busy MK day, that's over FOUR THOUSAND "Celebrants".

So, riddle me this: how many hundreds of "Celebrants" will CMs wish "Happy Birthday" before they get burned out? How soon until they stop giving away 4,166 'free' cupcakes per day? How long until stop singing "Happy Birthday" at the table?

You want you kid's trip to WDW to be special? Well, what parent doesn't. (This ignores the idea that a trip to WDW is a pretty special thing all by itself, but there's no such thing as too much for today's hover-parents). The problem with this method of "Celebrating" was summed up very nicely in "The Incredibles": "When everyone is special, no one is". So your kid's birthday was 5 months ago - get the sticker, get the pin. Just don't be suprised when no one says or does anything to recognize it, because s/he's only one of 4,166 that day....

IMHO - YMMV

 

[lclark0621]

I dont know about anyone else who is "celebrating" a birthday in Disney World, when it is not on the actualy birthday...

But we are not doing it for the "free cupcake". We can afford the cupcake if the little girl really wants it.

We are merely 2 families CELEBRATING someone's 3rd birthday in Disney World.

And I could wish 10,000 people a Happy Birthday & not get "burned out".

CMs say "Hello" or any other variation to thousands of guests a year. Do you really think "Happy Birthday" is the straw that brakes the camel's back?

 

[lucincia]

What would the problem be? Simple - it diminishes the experience for everyone who is honestly celebrating their birthdays.

First of all, it's helpful to remember that on any given day at WDW, roughly 1 in 12 can claim it's their Birthday Month - a few weeks in either direction; certainly within the range that the "Go for it!" folks allow. So, on a busy MK day, that's over FOUR THOUSAND "Celebrants".

So, riddle me this: how many hundreds of "Celebrants" will CMs wish "Happy Birthday" before they get burned out? How soon until they stop giving away 4,166 'free' cupcakes per day? How long until stop singing "Happy Birthday" at the table?

You want you kid's trip to WDW to be special? Well, what parent doesn't. (This ignores the idea that a trip to WDW is a pretty special thing all by itself, but there's no such thing as too much for today's hover-parents). The problem with this method of "Celebrating" was summed up very nicely in "The Incredibles": "When everyone is special, no one is". So your kid's birthday was 5 months ago - get the sticker, get the pin. Just don't be suprised when no one says or does anything to recognize it, because s/he's only one of 4,166 that day....

IMHO - YMMV

When did this thread become a discussion on entitlement? Did anyone say that by getting birthday pins they expect to be treated special? We got birthday pins last time so that the DD3 can keep them as momento. Special things the CMs did were all unexpected.

 

[cleo]

C'mon, folks.

Disney does not worry about your celebrating on the actual date. That is their bottom line and anyone who wants to celebrate and call it a 'birthday' is fully entitled, according to Disney, to do exactly that.

You are not entitled to anything 'free' just because you wear the (already free) button. Disney are not required to 'do something in your honor' just because you say it's your birthday. It's just a special touch many people like to give their children or themselves in a special place they love. No one loses anything when a Cast Member says 'Happy Birthday!'

Just to give my own opinion (strictly that, your milage may vary), if every child celebrated their 'birthday' at Disney we'd all get the chance to bring a smile to hundreds of children every day, and maybe get a smile of our own. In the Happiest Place on Earth, that seems like a pretty good deal to me.

 

[lucincia]

Also, special magical things happen probably due to the attitude of the kids.

Our younger DD (2 at the time) have a pin lanyard. We figure we better give one to her since her older sister has one too. She sees a CM with lanyard and will run to them, hop up and down with a big smile, point at the CM's lanyard, and say "TWADE! PWEASE! TWADE! PWEASE!" Several CMs commented that she's probably the youngest pin trader they have met. Then after the trade she says "TANK YOU" and skips off. The CMs would get such kick out of her attitude that some of them gave her an extra pin for free. Definitely did not expect that.

 

[Eeyore2003]

NEVER ask a question needing an opinion with a "moral" type answer. It's obvious that many people see the world as black and white, and many see shades of gray.

One thing the several "opinion" threads HAVE shown me lately, is why there were SO many less "smiling families" at WDW a few weeks ago. I didn't notice the over abundance of scooters, it didn't bother me to wait while they were being loaded, I could really care less how many people celebrate or say they're celebrating their birthday that day, but it DID bother me when I'd look straight at people, smile and they would look as if they were looking straight through me.

If these threads are ANY indication of the intolerance, judgmentalism, and unhappiness (mainly because of what they see OTHER people doing), that is in the world today, no wonder very few people smiled back at me.

As for MY opinion, according to the people at Disney we're ALL special. In fact they go out of their way to do "special" things for everyone. If they knew this was your daughters one wish, well, I just bet they would say, "No, never, can't do it, it's NOT TODAY!!!" YAH, RIGHT!!! They would want to make her dream come true!!! And as far as 4,166 cupcakes in a day, well, I think that's a drop in the bucket compared to the food they dish out there in one day and I'm sure the price of the meals of the people at that table have it covered!!!

I'm at the "happiest place on earth". I'm having a GREAT time. I LOVE it there. I'm happy to be there. I'm tooooooooo busy enjoying myself to get out my birthday police badge and make sure it's REALLY Charlie's birthday or my scooter police badge to push that person off the scooter, make them walk a few blocks and see if they REALLY need that scooter.

Mainly, because of these kinds of threads, the main thing "I" worry about is if I"M doing the right thing. Like, what if I accidently bump into someone for some reason!!! Heaven forbid!!! I have very little time to worry about what other people are doing about strollers, wheelchairs, scooters, birthdays or the myriad of other things people find annoying.

 

[bigcrit]

Isn't Disney celebrating their 50th for 18 months? I hope everyone has a magical time in Disney regardless of circumstances beyond my control.

 

[cleo]

 

[Pooh1219]

Yep, the OP got opinions, and that's what the boards are for but some are also being judgemental and jumping to conclusions that the OP will lie about the actual birthday of their child.

I was also giving my opinion, and I was replying specifically to this: "Whatever--why would the opinions of 30 random people from a message board affect your decision of what is right and what is wrong?". What's wrong with the OP's question and why should they have to justify asking it?

I think it's so silly and absolutely rediculous that some get so worked up about celebrating their birthdays at Disney not on the actual day, the horror!

Have fun!

Geesh, things can really get into an uproar on these boards over a silly little question. I still stand by my statement above, and I'm certainly not asking the OP to justify her question. I'm also not being judgmental of her decision so please don't jump to conclusions. She can decide to do whatever she wants. My point was that I don't understand how you can get to be an adult and still have to question what is or isn't a lie. Of course, this is a place to ask opinions, but they are usually about which restaurant to dine in, hotel to stay in, etc.

I don't give a hoot how many days anyone celebrates their kid's birthday on their Disney trip, celebrate it every day, celebrate it when it isn't their birthday, celebrate it on their birthday, celebrate it whenever you like. As someone above said, Disney is celebrating for 18 months, so do what you want to do. I have no interest in judging what you do. The poster asked a question, and I responded.

 

[lucincia]

Geesh, things can really get into an uproar on these boards over a silly little question. I still stand by my statement above, and I'm certainly not asking the OP to justify her question. I'm also not being judgmental of her decision so please don't jump to conclusions. She can decide to do whatever she wants. My point was that I don't understand how you can get to be an adult and still have to question what is or isn't a lie. Of course, this is a place to ask opinions, but they are usually about which restaurant to dine in, hotel to stay in, etc.

I don't give a hoot how many days anyone celebrates their kid's birthday on their Disney trip, celebrate it every day, celebrate it when it isn't their birthday, celebrate it on their birthday, celebrate it whenever you like. As someone above said, Disney is celebrating for 18 months, so do what you want to do. I have no interest in judging what you do. The poster asked a question, and I responded.

Because we're not all robots and stay within strict confines of standards some people set for others? Sometimes it is fun to toss these open ended questions to see what people think.

The question was asked kind of tongue in cheek, after the same vein of the posts asking if it is okay to use child dining credits for adult meals. Maybe I should have put in smiley face

 

[jann1033]

Isn't Disney celebrating their 50th for 18 months? I hope everyone has a magical time in Disney regardless of circumstances beyond my control.

then they must be.......
liars liars pants on fires maybe i'll celebrate my 31 ann. as technically itll be just as close as my 30 ORRRRR both ( gasp shudder faint) during the same trip and beg for 2 count em 2 cupcakes no doubt i will be immediately expelled from any and all parks

 

[disneymom2one]

What would the problem be? Simple - it diminishes the experience for everyone who is honestly celebrating their birthdays.


IMHO - YMMV

(snipped)

I completely agree. It really (to me) diminishes the specialness of the occasion for the person whose birthday it actually is. We were at WDW THREE days after my daughter's 10th birthday in August. It never occurred to us to get a birthday button. In our moral code that's dishonest. It wasn't her birthday. My anniversary was a couple of weeks ago and we'll be at Disney next week. We won't "celebrate" our anniversary at Disney. It's not our anniversary, even given that it is (ironically) the anniversary of our honeymoon. But that's the way we choose to live our lives and set an example for our daughter. We live in a society that has an entitlement mentality. If one child gets to do something then many parents believe that THEIR child must get to do it (wake up Tink is a prime example as are towel animals). We prefer to live life and let the magical moments be unplanned. We've had plenty of them too - including our kiddo being Chef of the Day at the Crystal Palace last year on Christmas Day. We had absolutely no idea how to make it happen (or that it did happen). Complete surprise when she was picked. No buttons. No racing. Just a really nice dose of pixie dust. Will they're be more this trip? Perhaps. But we'll have just as nice a trip anyway.

Based on the thread I'm sure most will disagree with me but that's how we feel.

 

[DrTomorrow]

When did this thread become a discussion on entitlement? Did anyone say that by getting birthday pins they expect to be treated special? We got birthday pins last time so that the DD3 can keep them as momento. Special things the CMs did were all unexpected.

First, I checked my post and never used the word "entitlement" - don't know where you saw it.....

I have no moral concern about this at all; do it or don't, so please remove me from the "considered judgemental" list.

All I was doing was answering the question "What harm can it do?" with a clear answer. Actually, lucincia, it appears we agree; the more people who get a 'button' for a birthday that was / will be in a few days, last / next week, last / next month, last / next May, the greater the likelihood that no one will get any recognition.

IMHO - YMMV

 

[cleo]

You aren't entitled to anything just because you're wearing The Button. There is no 'entitlement mentality' because (say it with me!) you aren't entitled to anything! You might get a cupcake, you might get nothing. But your kid, who is special to you every single day of the year, gets that tiny little bit of pixie dust just because they're wearing The Button.

Why is that so bad? Do we really care that someone's child gets one more smile from a CM than we do? Have we really become that petty? Or is it just possible we can smile at the child too, and be glad they have loving parents who thought to make that one day just a tiny bit special for a child they blessed the world with?

It isn't about what the CM's do, or what Disney does, it's about giving our own loved ones the smallest bit of happiness, above and beyond. It astonishes me when people find that dishonest, offensive, or damaging for life.

 

[bigcrit]

How long does it take a thread to die a natural death? I wish I had a thread gun! That way I could shoot each thread as it lays there getting beat to death by all of us at the dis...

hehe

 

[Wendy1953]

You are not lying in saying you are celebrating her birthday today, tomorrow or next year. If you actually say it is her birthday, then you are lying. It takes months to get reservations, and sometimes the kids can't be taken out of school, so I dont' think it's a problem at all celebrating someone's birthday anywhere from 1 month to 11 months out in Disney.....as long as you are not lying about it being their true birthday day!

Go get all four buttons for her and have a Birthday Blast!!!!!

 

[disneymom225]

I think it's fine! We went in August (about 3 weeks before my actual b-day) and picked a day to celebrate. I am a teacher and couldn't go on my actual b-day b/c of school starting but since my DH gave me the Disney Trip (AND DVC-yippee!) in lieu of a 30th b-day party-I felt ok with it. But I also told people who wished my happy b-day that the real day was a little ways off. If you feel uncomfortable-you can just explain that-people will understand. It's not as if you get SO many perks on your b-day-just a few more people smiling at you and giving good wishes--maybe a cupcake at a sitdown meal. Just go ahead and let her celebrate!

 

[beattyfamily]

Geesh, things can really get into an uproar on these boards over a silly little question. I still stand by my statement above, and I'm certainly not asking the OP to justify her question. I'm also not being judgmental of her decision so please don't jump to conclusions. She can decide to do whatever she wants. My point was that I don't understand how you can get to be an adult and still have to question what is or isn't a lie. Of course, this is a place to ask opinions, but they are usually about which restaurant to dine in, hotel to stay in, etc.

I don't give a hoot how many days anyone celebrates their kid's birthday on their Disney trip, celebrate it every day, celebrate it when it isn't their birthday, celebrate it on their birthday, celebrate it whenever you like. As someone above said, Disney is celebrating for 18 months, so do what you want to do. I have no interest in judging what you do. The poster asked a question, and I responded.

I didn't jump to any conclusions about YOU, that was a general statement regarding the WHOLE thread. My reply that you are quoting was to someone else and it was about this WHOLE thread in general AND then briefly, about what you asked ""Whatever--why would the opinions of 30 random people from a message board affect your decision of what is right and what is wrong?". You see a problem with the OPs question, I don't.

I never said you had interest in judging what I do. Carry on.