The buttons have gotten out of control

[mystic_path]

That doesn't sound like a Disney button then. Can you describe the picture?


FWIW, our TTMM honorary citizens are worlds different from the other HC buttons we have. The TTMM ones are brightly colored with some sort of fun design on them. The normal one is purple and gold. DS has something like 4 of them, as the CMs hand them out like candy.

Yep they were white round, same size as the rest of the buttons and had all the princesses on the front. If they didnt get them from the resort then somewhere close by people were getting them.

As for the Honorary citizen buttons my whole party got ours at TTMM. I figured it was a regular thing, & they werent flashy like the ones with Mickey pointing up at the sun with the words TTMM on it and Honorary citizen at the bottom. Mine was purple and had the words "Honorary citizen of Disneyland" on it and a key with a mickey head on it pointing through the Disneyland "D".

 

[nunzia]

While it's true that it's not as special to be wished a Happy Birthday by CM's if all the other people around you are being wished it too (because they are wearing their buttons), the way I look at it is this -

In this day and age, it is very tough for a lot of people to get to DLR. To us, it may seem like tons and tons of folks are packed in there, but it costs a lot of money no matter how you slice it, even for a one-day trip, and lots of folks simply can't come up with the money to go.

So I am picturing the random family whose father was just laid off from work, or a family who has very little money of any kind, and they have scrimped and saved to be able to go to DLR at all and just afford the very basic stuff (travel, food and a place to stay)...but they know they won't be able to buy souvenirs for the kids. Their kids would probably be thrilled to get a bunch of those buttons - free souvenirs, and those may be the only souvenirs they get (other than the used ticket/Hopper).

Or...the sweet young couple starting a new life together with only pennies in the bank....Or perhaps the sweet elderly couple who has been together for 50 years and is living on their minimal savings...but receiving and wearing a button of some kind at DLR would mean the world to them and brighten their day, even if the button is worn by 5,000 other folks that same day...

You just never know what situations people are in when they come to DLR and how much one of those buttons might mean to them if a CM handed it to them. It may seem like a silly little thing, but it may be the only thing they leave the park with (other than their memories and hopefully some photos).

So it may be button overkill a bit, true, but I think it is a really lovely thing that Disney does to add a little extra magic to anyone's DLR trip and bring a smile to their face...no matter how many buttons they give out.

Wow..well said and you changed my opinion on the buttons! They are kind of annoying, and there is so many of them you can really look doofy, but especially for the kids..I know several of my grandkids wore their First Visit proudly and they also seemed to like and wear the Ariel's breakfast one. I'm not a pin or a button person, so I guess I don't get it, personally. The only pin I really cherish is the one I got from visiting Walt apartment. It has a little light that lights up

 

[cypressmom]

Here's a pic (albeit a cruddy cellphone pic, as my real camera needs batteries ) that proves they're not mythological:

I've been going to Disneyland fairly regularly since I was a little kid (grew up about 20 min. away; can't wait to move back!!!) & I'd never seen the stickers until a couple of years ago. So maybe they're a new thing?

I remember my daughter got the firefighter sticker in March, 2007..... I have pictures of her wearing it.

 

[munchkinsmom]

Gosh...never gave it much thought. It doesn't bother or impact me one bit. I guess it's like wearing a Disney hat (where else would you see a grown man wear a Goofy hat?), lanyards, and stickers. IMHO, if it makes a visitor to the parks feel special, then I'm all for it.

 

[mystic_path]

Gosh...never gave it much thought. It doesn't bother or impact me one bit. I guess it's like wearing a Disney hat (where else would you see a grown man wear a Goofy hat?), lanyards, and stickers. IMHO, if it makes a visitor to the parks feel special, then I'm all for it.

That is exactly how I feel. Whatever makes you happy. Hats, Lanyards, pins, shirts, some women even got jeans from the Disney store had had Eeyore or Tinkerbell down the side of the leg. Everyone is wearing something fun. So I am not indifferent to it.

 

[Sherry E]

Wow..well said and you changed my opinion on the buttons! They are kind of annoying, and there is so many of them you can really look doofy, but especially for the kids..I know several of my grandkids wore their First Visit proudly and they also seemed to like and wear the Ariel's breakfast one. I'm not a pin or a button person, so I guess I don't get it, personally. The only pin I really cherish is the one I got from visiting Walt apartment. It has a little light that lights up

Nunzia - I guess I am a big softie! I do get a bit annoyed when I see random buttons thrown on the ground or left behind (I found and kept one that someone left on a seat in the Animation Building), but other than that...I just think that times are so tough out there right now, and I bet a lot of people struggle to get to DLR at all, let alone buy a bunch of souvenirs. So I have a hunch those little buttons probably make a big difference to a lot of people when they are there!

But I guess I always kind of think like that anyway - when I am at DLR, I people watch a lot, and I try to figure out what people do for a living or what kind of relationship they have to the other people with them (dating, married, related, roommates, married but breaking up - that sort of thing!), and if it looks like they are seasoned DLR visitors or total newbies. So I guess it just comes with the territory that I am envisioning that the buttons make them happy!

 

[azdisneylover]

For me, I like the buttons. When we went in November 2009, my children got the first time buttons, and I got a birthday button and a "I am 17 years cancer free button". I wore that one every day. To me, that button gave people the gateway to ask me about cancer, and to realize cancer isn't a death sentence. It would be nice if staying at the Disney Hotels, they gave you a special pin or button for staying. I would like that!

I LOVE the idea from the previous poster (sorry I don't remember your name, I got too excited over your idea!), of taking the pin out and putting on a magnet for the fridge!

I See the buttons as a way to make conversation with people in line without invading their space.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Another one I haven't seen mentioned is the "VOLUNTEARS" one. Not sure how you get this one. I'm assuming the voluntears who are in the pre-parade before CELEBRATE get them. Maybe you get them as well when you exchange your GADGAD vouchers. I found one on the ground.

I believe the buttons, especially Birthday, Anniversary, and such go way back. I remember one trip to WDW where there was a CM in front of City Hall (or GS) with a huge display of every type of button they had. You just had to ask to get one (or more)

I really like the Happy Birthday ones. Especially when my DD wears hers. It's nice when random people wish her a Happy B Day and when we go to WDW during her birthday week she will wear it many of the days. The CMs are extra nice when she is wearing it and she's gotten special treatment from several (as well as a few free desserts!)

I save most of our buttons and ones from years back in my Disney memorabilia boxes. Back when I first started collecting them, they cost about $1. I always wanted to make sure I would get the Happy New Years ones each year. I even have several from the scheduled original opening date of Splash Mountain. I believe the date on the button is wrong as they pushed the opening back due to too much water getting on the guests!

az...where did you get the 17 years cancer free button? Congrats BTW. My DM has been cancer free almost 7 years now.
Sherry, you put it very well.

 

[LavenderPeach]

I don't have any problems with the buttons or with people wearing a bunch of them. I just wonder what I'm personally supposed to do with three 1st visit buttons when it wasn't even close to our first visit. I do like getting the birthday ones on birthdays, etc but handing out random buttons (like giving an anniversary button to DS) seems to take away from the special meaning of them. It's fun to have a CM give you something but like I said before, I would like it better if they had something else to give people "just because" instead of handing out random buttons. Maybe they need a different button that says something more generic to hand out when they just want to give things to be nice. But i'm all in favor of the buttons.

 

[Karenann*]

This year I am taking 4 high school graduates to DL for a week. When I was there last Feb, I got big pins from City Hall to put in their graduation presents for their upcoming trip. And in Oct, we are going to celebrate my son's 21st birthday ( on his actual birthday!!!). The buttons are great souvenirs of special trips for us and we save all of them we have collected over the years. Once when my now 21 yr old was little, a CM noticed him picking up a piece of litter and throwing it away and the CM came up and gave him a Mickey sticker. He still has it!

 

[azdisneylover]

Disneydaz, They wrote it on a 'What will you celebrate button'. I went for my birthday, and two weeks earlier, I officially hit the 17 years cancer free mark! Congrats to your mom! That is awesome! My DM has been cancer free almost 7 years now.
Wishing your mom many more cancer free years to come too! Going to Disneyland sure helps to keep one in a positive mood!

 

[dizneedoll]

Another thing I was thinking is that only at Disneyland can we don crazy hats, fun buttons and pins. Anywhere else you go in this world with this stuff they'd look at you like your nuts but at Disneyland it's all ok! So I think another fun thing about wearing the buttons is that it allows me to feel like a kid and be a little silly.

I was also thinking an awesome button they should have is an Unbirthday button. lol
Then everyone would be wearing them!

 

[NMMickeymom]

I enjoy the buttons and the fact that the CM's are so kind in recognizing them. We had anniversary buttons on one year in WDW. A CM saw us in a food line and when we got up to order the CM said she had a phone call for us. It was Mickey wishing us a Happy Anniversary! In general, it seems like a nice way for CM's to engage with guests. Part of what makes Disney so special

 

[emacat]

While it's true that it's not as special to be wished a Happy Birthday by CM's if all the other people around you are being wished it too (because they are wearing their buttons), the way I look at it is this -

In this day and age, it is very tough for a lot of people to get to DLR. To us, it may seem like tons and tons of folks are packed in there, but it costs a lot of money no matter how you slice it, even for a one-day trip, and lots of folks simply can't come up with the money to go.

So I am picturing the random family whose father was just laid off from work, or a family who has very little money of any kind, and they have scrimped and saved to be able to go to DLR at all and just afford the very basic stuff (travel, food and a place to stay)...but they know they won't be able to buy souvenirs for the kids. Their kids would probably be thrilled to get a bunch of those buttons - free souvenirs, and those may be the only souvenirs they get (other than the used ticket/Hopper).

Or...the sweet young couple starting a new life together with only pennies in the bank....Or perhaps the sweet elderly couple who has been together for 50 years and is living on their minimal savings...but receiving and wearing a button of some kind at DLR would mean the world to them and brighten their day, even if the button is worn by 5,000 other folks that same day...

You just never know what situations people are in when they come to DLR and how much one of those buttons might mean to them if a CM handed it to them. It may seem like a silly little thing, but it may be the only thing they leave the park with (other than their memories and hopefully some photos).

So it may be button overkill a bit, true, but I think it is a really lovely thing that Disney does to add a little extra magic to anyone's DLR trip and bring a smile to their face...no matter how many buttons they give out.

This is so very true, Sherry E! I think it's charming that no matter the reason, there's something for everyone to celebrate. You may not have money to go on your birthday or anniversary, but that's okay! Because you can celebrate the fun no matter what.

Our schedules don't permit us to go on birthdays, etc., and as a single parent, we weren't financially able to go on our first trip until my dd was 8. And her buttons still hang proudly in her room, a wonderful, inexpensive memory of an amazing time. She can't wait to add something new this trip, and neither can I!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

LOL! When I read the OP, the first thing that popped into my head was a quote from Syndrome (in the Incredibles.) "Cuz when everyone is super, No one will be."

Exaaaaactly.

 

[iHEARTflorida]

Buttons are just the next step up from stickers - I remember when I was younger getting handed basic Mickey Mouse stickers for no reason.

Now they have found an reason [Birthdays, 1st trips etc..], and stepped it up to buttons.

I can't wait to get my 1st trip button!!!

 

[Dano1182]

When they first started you may have gotten a birthday dessert if you were wearing a button.
That has gone away.
I have to think that people were wearing them just for the chance of getting free piece of cake.
It isn't nice however when you get a smile when you wish some one happy birthday.

 

[chickapin parterre]

Well.....if someone hands you a button with the Toy Story 3 cymbal clapping monkey pulling security duty...that is me. At an antique show years ago the promoter of the show put that vintage toy monkey on the ID button that every vendor at the antique show had to wear to allow early entry into the buildings to prepare for the day's event. At the end of the 4 day show I asked for the bags of left over buttons to take to Disneyland and distribute as opposed to going to a landfill. The promoter said I was not the only vendor who came to the office and told her that she put a Disney Villain on an ID button..... what was once a harmless, vintage 50s noisy wind-up toy....turned into a villainous symbol.

 

[Butterfly123]

I love buttons as souvenirs. In fact I still have one from my first trip to visit Disneyland in 1969, when I was 6.

Edit....Yikes, sorry for such a large image!!

 

[Congo Queen]

Yes so many buttons for so many reasons. I got one that said First Dole Whip of the Day for being first in line to purchase the frosty pineapple treat for breakfast. That was a proud achievement, and I was honored to be recognized for my special accomplishment It certainly was a conversation starter with other Dole Whip addicts I encountered in the parks.