Special Events when booking DVC online

[fletch1027]

My son got married over the weekend and for their honeymoon, we gave them DVC points. They are splitting their week between AKL & BW.

I did the reservations online a few months ago and while I was doing it, I added a "special event" notation for their honeymoon.

We traded texts yesterday and I asked them if there was anything special in their room when they checked in and he said nothing besides the usual towel animals.

I was a little disappointed to hear that. What experiences have you guys had recently with this sort of thing? Should I call down there as well? When I used to call Member Svcs. and make reservations and tell them that there was a special event (birthday, anniversary, etc), there was usually something in the room to signify the event, but not this time and I didn't know if the events get lost in the system or if WDW is cutting back and making things less magical than in the past...

 

[dianeschlicht]

The most we have gotten in the last year or so with "special" events has been a greeting card "signed" by Mickey.

 

[VrBchJ]

I've never gotten anything in the room for any special event. I've had our celebration mentioned at a dinner but nothing in the room. I ordered flowers and a gift basket from Disney Flowers for my nephew's honeymoon and they loved it.

 

[rlovew]

Every so often (like 1 time out of every 3) we get a birthday card in our room signed when we go on a birthday. We have gone for every one of our birthdays for the past 4 years and have gotten 2 cards during that time- both at OKW.

As more and more people add celebrations onto their reservations and expect things for them less is being done from what I can see.

The one place we were really pampered for an event was our 10th Anniversary at GF. We were upgrade to main building concierge, and both housekeeping and the concierge staff did different things for us leaving us a towel cake, bottles of champagne and such but that was not on DVC points.

 

[fletch1027]

That is disappointing. Over the years, we have gotten several treats in out room, such as a cake and balloons for our 10th anniversary and cupcakes when we have been there over one of the kids birthdays...

 

[bobbiwoz]

The most we have gotten in the last year or so with "special" events has been a greeting card "signed" by Mickey.

We got a picture of Goofy & Max signed by them for an anniversary!

You may want to send them something special. With Disney it is hit or miss!

 

[Deb & Bill]

That is disappointing. Over the years, we have gotten several treats in out room, such as a cake and balloons for our 10th anniversary and cupcakes when we have been there over one of the kids birthdays...

In 16 years of DVC, we haven't gotten anything. Not even for our 25th anniversary (except for a glass of champagne at Le Cellier). Every cake we ordered and paid for.

 

[quirty30]

The only time we have gotten anything special in our room for birthdays was when we were staying concierge level at AKV. And we're talking a few chocolates and a keychain, something along those lines. On one occasion before we joined DVC, I worked with the IPO at BC to have some surprises in the room at check in; I paid for most of it, but they did add some balloons, cards and treats to the things I bought.

I think that there are so many people celebrating when they visit WDW; it would be nearly impossible for Disney to do something substantial for every single occasion. Sometimes you have to make a little magic of your own.

 

[VrBchJ]

That is disappointing. Over the years, we have gotten several treats in out room, such as a cake and balloons for our 10th anniversary and cupcakes when we have been there over one of the kids birthdays...

Were you staying DVC or cash when you got your special gifts?

 

[disbound09]

We received a button in our room for our Son's birthday. It was nothing special really a fill in the blank type. I would agree that if you want it to be special order it yourself and you won't be disappointed.

 

[Geomom]

Perhaps your celebration got lost in the system with all the software upgrades. I wouldn't expect them to do much...but I've found that buttons and phone messages are pretty standard.

At check-in we receive birthday buttons for whoever is celebrating a birthday, or anniversary buttons if we're celebrating an anniversary. Usually there is also a message on the room phone from Mickey about our celebration. That's it for in room stuff.

If you're wearing a button, you'll get 'happy birthday, happy anniversary' from many cast members.

At restaurants it really is hit or miss. We've never gotten anything for anniversaries but some stuff for birthdays. Kids will sometimes get cupcakes. I celebrated my birthday at Disney in August--at Boma they brought me a Mickey chocolate linzer torte with a candle in it and some celebratory phrase written in sauce in another language. At Le Cellier, the dessert I ordered had an additional piece of white chocolate that said 'happy birthday' on it.

 

[ParrotBill]

I noted "30th Wedding anniversary" on our AKV and BCV reservations.

Upon AKV check-in, the CM made a big deal of saying he needed to do something special, and... handing us buttons. LOL

That was all!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I noted "30th Wedding anniversary" on our AKV and BCV reservations.

Upon AKV check-in, the CM made a big deal of saying he needed to do something special, and... handing us buttons. LOL

That was all!

We had our servers on DCL hand us Anniversary Buttons with a special dessert on the EBTA cruise. It was our 45th Wedding Anniversary. Not DVC involved.

 

[LSchrow]

we have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and quite a few "milestone" (surviving cancer, last trip, etc) events at both DVC & WDW resorts.

except for a few cards years ago (and the - free - amazing, personalized 25th anniversary dinner at coral reef), the buttons have been it. the coral reef "special event celebrations" were discontinued once they were inundated with requests. we saw it in the cards that night, when the prearranged diver swam up to our table with a placard, and almost the entire restaurant applauded (DH was in shock - it was a total surprise for him). a couple at the next table loudly complained how unfair it was that they didn't get anything "special", and quite a few ppl stopped us to ask how they could arrange the same. the vast majority were congratulatory, but there were definitely some sour grapes.

now, anything we want, we plan and pay for