Update:

[Gisele]

"Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day program!
The volunteer opportunity you selected has reached its maximum participants.
The Volunteer Center has 10+ more volunteer opportunities listed for Saturday creek clean-ups & habitat restorations in January and February, 2010.
Please reenter the Disney website and change your volunteer request date.
Thank you for volunteering in our community."


Just a bit annoying, considering it took 5 days just to be told that. In addition, why not be asked via email or a phone call, if their next volunteer date is one that you can participate in. Instead of having to go back to the website, and enter a different day for the same group.
I have entered information for several different groups, however, so far have not heard back.

 

[Rosanne]

I've pretty much given up. I registered months ago but I can't even get to square one with any place within 30 miles. They are always full when I can check. Do you know if they offer new opportunities at a certain time every day? I can never check until I get home from work.

That is a total bummer to have gone through all that and then be told to try for another day. I mean, you would have planned your schedule to include volunteering. And... what's to say it won't happen again. I think it is just not being worth it. I had hoped it would go more smoothly.

Good luck with it! The concept is great. The execution, not so much.

 

[Gisele]

I agree! According to Disney's website

"In this section, you can search for and select a volunteer opportunity that interests you. To get information about an opportunity that interests you and sign up, select "Show Details" below; then follow the instructions.

Keep in mind
•The volunteer opportunities resulting from your search are only those available within the next 60 days.
•Volunteer opportunities are always being added, so check back again if at first you don't see an opportunity that interests you.
•Volunteer opportunities are only located in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada, and volunteers must have a residence in one of those locations.
•You must be 18 years of age or older to sign up. Children must be at least 6 years of age to participate in this program, although other age restrictions may apply depending on the volunteer opportunity. Children ages 6 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult when volunteering
•Limit one free ticket per person, regardless of the number of eligible volunteer opportunities completed."

Also,it is very possible that by the time either one of us finds an open space with X group, it may very well be too late to receive a ticket. I am finding between this reply (That was emailed to me) and having to go back to the site, and having contacted other groups, and not having heard anything back yet, to be a rather daunting task. As nice as the promotion is, I do not need to volunteer in order to visit Disneyland, it would be nice to take part in this project, but I can continue to give my time for free elsewhere or with one of the participating organizations after the fact.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Wow, what a way to discourage people from taking advantage of this program.

 

[jory29]

whoops, posted in wrong topic, sorry...

 

[Gisele]

I am waiting still to hear back from any of the several organizations to which I am interested in volunteering with. Hopefully I, like others will receive a positive reply and soon. I know that this promotion has worked out very well for other people, what makes the difference,I can only imagine.

 

[DizDragonfly]

Probably a silly question, but did you check your SPAM folder to see if any emails from these orgs have gotten stuck there?

 

[Gisele]

Yes, I have. What I have received has been arriving in the in box. I always like to check my spam folder, though, just in case. I believe that this promotion will prove to work out very well for many, but not for all.

 

[DizDragonfly]

Well, phooey! Maybe they just have a backlog of emails to answer because the promotion is so new? I really hope you hear back from them soon! And do keep checking. I just took a look at the site again and there are lots more projects listed this week than there were last week.

I'm also hearing from a lot of others that they found a Project Linus group not in their immediate area and are mailing blankets to them to complete their service day.

Good luck!!

 

[Gisele]

Thank you, maybe Project Linus would prove to be a more positive endeavor in my case.

 

[Albort]

Wow, what a way to discourage people from taking advantage of this program.

i think the program is overwhelmed. not efficient enough.

 

[Lil'Mermaid75]

Thank you, maybe Project Linus would prove to be a more positive endeavor in my case.

We had no problem getting signed up to participate in the Project Linus volunteer opportunity. I had a reply back from the individual in charge with 12 hours and we are well on our way to completing our blankets. We've not told our DS7 that we're heading to Disney, so as far as he's concerned it's just us doing something good for the kids at the hospital (which is the main point of the program - the one-day admissions to Disney are just a bonus).

 

[Gisele]

Update:

After trying a different date with the same group,(Which I tried for quite a few different groups) somewhere in between the maximum participant replies,I received an email with a date that had a couple of openings, and to reply asap, if the new date would work. I am so glad, that I had heard back from someone, and with that message.
The point to my story being, if at first you do not succeed do try again.
I believe that many groups are becoming overwhelmed with responses. For my project for example, the group has hundreds of emails to sort through. So that I was able to secure a spot much sooner than later, is nothing short of a miracle, practically.
So don't give up.

 

[tkitty]

Today we completed our volunteering. I spoke with one of the people at the place where we volunteered, and he said that they got 300 emails the first day, and have so many volunteers, they were wondering if they could find enough for them all to do!
The promotion was much more successful than many could have imagined. In my area, being a bigger city, there are new opportunities coming available weekly, so far.
We really enjoyed our day of volunteering at a horse rescue facility. My 8 yr old grandson told me he would even do it without the free Disney day, just to help the animals. Now thats what this is all about!

 

[lb2000]

I'm having a hard time finding opportunities for young kids... most seem to be for teens and adults. But it is still early, so we'll find something. I have a 6 year old and 7 year old who should be able to do this. We'll just keep checking in.

 

[Belle Ella]

I'm glad that new things are added often. I've had a hard time finding something that I could do that's not already full because of my wacky work and school schedule. But I just checked this morning and there is a new listing for the preschools in my town I'm hoping to hear back from them soon.

 

[Gisele]

I am sure that you will receive an email soon, or maybe even a phone call. Keep up the good work!

 

[8timesblessed]

I registered but I still can't find a place to volunteer or when I click on something that is it takes me back to the beginning and doesn't open it. I've emailed two of our local Habitat for Humanity that had places and they sent me back to the website. So I'm going to keep trying but it doesn't look promising right now.

 

[Gisele]

I registered but I still can't find a place to volunteer or when I click on something that is it takes me back to the beginning and doesn't open it. I've emailed two of our local Habitat for Humanity that had places and they sent me back to the website. So I'm going to keep trying but it doesn't look promising right now.

Try calling as well the group that you are interested in volunteering with. Hopefully someone will have a date that will work out for you.
You might as well receive an email like I had, regarding a space that is available, and to reply asap.
Don't give up yet........

 

[Mrs. Toaster]

Just wanted to second the Project Linus idea. I heard back from them within the day. They seemed very pleased to have us participate! They will take children as young as 6. I just finished my 3 blankets and am getting ready to mail them off!