Was the Dream Team to strict with the times when prizes were handed out?

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Last month when my family and I had won our Dream Ears comming of the Haunted Mansion my dad walked right past the Dream Team and the very next second is when my mom and I won them. When we said he was with us they said there was nothing they could do because he was not there at the right time, even though he was standing a foot away.

So I was wondering now that the Year of a Million Dreams is now over in situations like my family and I had was the Dream Team to strict when it came to awarding the prizes because we still think all of us should have got the ears and it's not like my Dad was 100 feet away from us and ran back saying what about me?

 

[DisneyDreams4P&B]

The way that I understood it from one of the gentlemen in charge of the team handing out the prizes when we went last year was that they are required to hand out prises at a certain place and time. They had strict rules and had to abide by the policy to be fair (so it would not be based on potential favoritism - like a Cast member saying "oh look at that cute little girl, I will give it to her instead of that kid over there"). The strict policy made it fair to everyone, completely random. There were plenty of times that no one met the criteria (no one at a certain place at a certain time) and the prizes would go unawarded and back into the prize bank for another day. Sorry your father was not included but like I said , the strictness kept everyone on an even playing field.

Hope this helps a little,

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I understand they had the rules for a reason and it's good they did. However I think our situation is one example of how they were to strict because my dad was standing right next to the Dream Team when my mom and I won the ears.

 

[Steffiesunshine]

I think that is ridiculous. Of course, people from the same family should have been included if they were close by and walking a few feet in front of you. What if one parent had one child, and one had another? Would they have denied one a prize? Boy, that would have made for a "magical moment"!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I think that is ridiculous. Of course, people from the same family should have been included if they were close by and walking a few feet in front of you. What if one parent had one child, and one had another? Would they have denied one a prize? Boy, that would have made for a "magical moment"!

That's a great observation.

 

[toocherie]

I know that when some of our group won Dream FastPasses at DL we were able to go to City Hall and get them for the rest of the group. I think the scenario detailed above was ridiculous--not to give the Dad ears when he was right there and clearly part of a group?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I know that when some of our group won Dream FastPasses at DL we were able to go to City Hall and get them for the rest of the group. I think the scenario detailed above was ridiculous--not to give the Dad ears when he was right there and clearly part of a group?

After reading your story it makes me wonder if the Dream Team at Disneyland had different rules about being there at the right time or they were smart and realized everyone from the same group should get them.

 

[safetymom]

They had rules about how they were to hand out the items. If they granted an exception for one person then others would expect it also.

We did a tour and a lady pushed in front of this other lady to get on the ride first. As we came out of Haunted Mansion the first lady didn't win but the other lady did. The pusher wasn't very happy but that's life.

Of all the times we went to WDW we never won anything in the Year of a Million Dreams. So it truly is random.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We did a tour and a lady pushed in front of this other lady to get on the ride first. As we came out of Haunted Mansion the first lady didn't win but the other lady did. The pusher wasn't very happy but that's life.

I am guessing someone from your tour saw this happen and was able to send a message to the Dream Team up ahead not to award her with the prize, which was the right thing to do since no one should cut in front to get on an attraction.

 

[toocherie]

After reading your story it makes me wonder if the Dream Team at Disneyland had different rules about being there at the right time or they were smart and realized everyone from the same group should get them.

Well, maybe the rules were different for the DFPs -- if only part of a group got them it wouldn't really help anyone on the group, KWIM? But there again I would also not to see the "one kid got the ears, one kid didn't" scenario either.

 

[Faldred]

How did you go through the ride? Was your father in his own car with you and your mother in another one? It may have been keyed to the specific car you were riding in...

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

How did you go through the ride? Was your father in his own car with you and your mother in another one? It may have been keyed to the specific car you were riding in...

The ears were being handed out just before we were to exit the attraction so it had nothing to do with the car were in, since the guests behind us also got them.

 

[LilGMom]

Well, maybe the rules were different for the DFPs -- if only part of a group got them it wouldn't really help anyone on the group, KWIM? But there again I would also not to see the "one kid got the ears, one kid didn't" scenario either.

My DH & oldest DS won DFPs coming off of Soarin' while I was sitting right outside the ride with the youngest who, during that trip, wasn't tall enough . I think that even though there were strict rules and most of the DT followed them that sometimes they were a little lax. Kind of like you can ask two different CMs the same question regarding getting info and you'll get two different answers most of the time.

 

[safetymom]

In our case it was because the people were in a certain car at a certain time. No one was made aware of the pushing.

 

[MNRMommy]

We were coming from World Showcase over to Future World one day and turned to use the bridge that circumvents the fountain area and dumps you over by test track when we came across a dream team handing out pins. My husband wanted those darn pins more than my DD wanted a Cinderella Castle stay LOL. Well we saw them but didn't run or anything when out of no where this lady came running past us and ran up to the dream team. They asked her how many in her party. Now she was the only one in front of my DH, DD, DS and I but she said 3 and they handed over three sets to her. I don't know where the rest of her party was but they were not there. Anyway, no biggie I thought but then as my DD and I approached they said come on up sweetie you and mommy get the last two. Of my family, DD and DS are the pin traders and of course would treasure these and I would gladly give my son mine but i felt so horrible for DH that they gave this ladies whole family some and he got nadda. Well just then he walked up and heard her and moaned (yes moaned) and I thought I would give it a try so I said he is with our party. She said she wasn't supposed to give any more than that out but she would make an exception for this sweet little family. I don't know if she realized she should have given the other lady three or had seen her run to get in front of us but that day at least that CM made an exception and it did make it more magical.

 

[MAGGIED]

We have been fortunate to win many dream fast passes, pins and hats in our recent travels... on each occasion would we tell them that a certain member of our party was missing ( if it happened to be the case) and they always gave us additional items.... if we were all there then we didn't... but they were alwasy wonderful about it....

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Looking at the last two stories it looks like the Dream Team we encountered were following the rules which you can say is good, however you can also say they could have made an exception for us since others did that in the past.

 

[MNRMommy]

Yes, I wish they would have for you as well. I can't say that I was angry they gave the person who ran ahead of us enough for her whole party as long as they did the same for us. I think it should definitely have been a "party" limit. Of course I am sure there are a bunch on the boards that will argue with me that then people could say they have more than they really do but I choose to keep hoping that people are basically good and honest

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Yes, I wish they would have for you as well.

Thank you.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So I was wondering now that the Year of a Million Dreams is now over in situations like my family and I had was the Dream Team to strict when it came to awarding the prizes

No, they were not "too strict". Sweepstakes - which is what the Year of a Million Dreams was - in the United States are highly regulated to ensure randomness. If the instructions are "Award Dream Ears to the first hundred Guests passing X at or after 9:37 AM", then a Guest passing that point at 9:36:56 is NOT among the winners. Guests passing that point at or after 9:37:00 AM are eligible, and thus winners. Period.

I think that is ridiculous. Of course, people from the same family should have been included if they were close by and walking a few feet in front of you. What if one parent had one child, and one had another? Would they have denied one a prize? Boy, that would have made for a "magical moment"!

Aside from this suggestion violating the conditions of the sweepstakes, in this specific instance it would be the parents' responsibility to work something out - either teach the children that life is not fair (not a good lesson at Disney, never mind how true it may be), or the winning parent hand off her/his prize to the child that did not win.

I am guessing someone from your tour saw this happen and was able to send a message to the Dream Team up ahead not to award her with the prize,

Whereas the more likely, and more legal, explanation would tend to be coincidence. The Dream SQUAD was entirely random; nobody except them had advance notice of when/where/what would be awarded, or how. Also, in posts 15 and 16, the Guests who were 'magicked' with prizes that probably should not have been awarded under the rules encounted the Dream Squad AFTER whatever the start time was for awarding that prize - not before. It's like FastPasses - you can use them AFTER the start time printed on the FastPass, but not before.