WDW Contest Winners...

[heaven2dc]

I'm curious if there is anyone here on the Disboards who have won a trip to WDW and if so, what was included with your trip (which hotel, how many days, any tips on what you think helped you to win the trip)?

Have been searching websites entering any and all contests (the most recent posted thru the Boston/Herald) and think it would be interesting to hear from a winner!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

good idea--i would love to hear some stories! i enter contests all the time too, i keep telling myself it would be a great college graduation trip

 

[TheShellys]

I won a trip to WDW with The Daily Buzz. They had a big promotion in November and we'll be there first week in April. What did the trip include?

trip for 4 - 7 days/6 nights
Roundtrip airfare
7 day magic your way fun passes with the water parks
special reception for opening of EE
tickets to live broadcast from AK on April 7
$400 Disney Dollars

i'm sure another surprise or 2

I'm so blown away by the whole thing. We went down in July to celebrate my not quite 40th bday. This just happened so we get to go down and celebrate my ds3's bday.

Disney always has taken great care of me -- there's always some pixie dust

Just believe in the magic and I hope you win too!

 

[Mickeefan]

I'll start. I entered a local radio contest for a trip to WDW in 1999. Well, they called my name on the radio and I called in within the allotted time and got to go. Air and lodging was all that was included, but that was okay with me. We were housed at the Dolphin (I'd only stayed Value before) and we went for a long weekend in the middle of May. The contest was with some local, now national, celebrities, Bob and Tom. We got to go to a cocktail party and meet them and have pictures with them. Of course, we bought park tickets and had a ball.

I'd love to win another trip. There's nothing like spending someone else's money!

 

[MickeyMagic]

I've won 2 times!!! The first was through my local phone company in 1999. I won a 7-day land/sea vacation for 4. It included air, hotel, WDW tickets, transfers, and the cruise!!! We stayed at the Dolphin. We received a Cat 4 (family stateroom) for the cruise, but when we got there we were upgraded to a Cat 2!!!!

That was my first trip to WDW and my first cruise and was the start of something big!!! We have been to WDW more times than I remember since then, to Disneyland 3 times, and on 6 DCL cruises. And I joined DVC in 2001. That contest created a monster!!!!

This past year I won a 4-day DCL cruise for 4 through my local newspaper. It included airfare, transfers and a Cat 11 stateroom on the Wonder. Being a DVC member, I paid a little extra for special airfare arrangements and we went to WDW for 3 days after the cruise and stayed at VWL.

I enter about every contest I see for anything Disney (told you I'm hooked!)

One tip.... if you win, collect documents right away for the actual cost if you planned the trip yourself. That way you can claim the fair market value of the trip rather than the inflated amount from the contests sponsors when it comes times to claim the winnings on taxes.

GOOD LUCK on your contest entries!!

 

[Kae]

I won a trip to WDW with The Daily Buzz. They had a big promotion in November and we'll be there first week in April. What did the trip include?

trip for 4 - 7 days/6 nights
Roundtrip airfare
7 day magic your way fun passes with the water parks
special reception for opening of EE
tickets to live broadcast from AK on April 7
$400 Disney Dollars

i'm sure another surprise or 2

I'm so blown away by the whole thing. We went down in July to celebrate my not quite 40th bday. This just happened so we get to go down and celebrate my ds3's bday.

Disney always has taken great care of me -- there's always some pixie dust

Just believe in the magic and I hope you win too!

What resort are you staying at?

Kae

 

[heaven2dc]

Wow - congratulations to all of you who have won (you're proof there is Pixie Dust outside the World!) I'm keeping the faith & searching any and all sites for contests now!

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

When you win a trip ( Lucky, you ) are you ever given YOUR choice on where you want to stay?

I was always under the impression that any time you win a trip, your only options are the values.

 

[DisneyBill]

I know somebody on these boards from LA, or MS maybe, that was displaced by Katrina won a DC from the Treasure Hunt contest (I think it was) on the DCL website.

 

[lbmom5]

I have won 2 WDW trips and also a cash win that paid for a third trip. I enter many sweepstakes and the first two wins were smaller, local area sweeps, one was a chain grocery store in my area. There were six stores and only one prize, I won with only eight entries! The first two trips included deluxe hotels, AKL and GF, airfare and parkhopper tickets, no cash or meals. We were not given a choice of hotels but I didn't ask either. I have heard you can make requests. One included VIP parade viewing. We were seated in a roped off area with about 8 people right where the parade started in MK. The parade CM's all waved to us, it was neat.
We just returned form our last trip "win", stayed at AKL again, it is a great hotel, stayed nine days, took advantage od the dining plan, had a great time.
Good luck in your entries, try looking for local sweeps, better odds.

 

[Windy City Heather]

I won a trip through my local radio station and the Bank One/Chase Disney credit card. The radio station was at the bank when the card first came out. My company was in the Bank One/Chase building. Everyone that came got to throw there name in a bin. I won.

3 nights hotel in a deluxe (they put us in Yacht Club)
Airfare for 4
Transfers from Airport to hotel on Meirs
Park passes for 4
One VIP viewing (ours was Illuminations)
A gift basket in the room
$500.00 in Disney dollars

Our total for the trip came to about $4800.00. I know this because I paid taxes on it.

 

[summerrluvv]

The first trip we took was a trip we won from a local radio station. I called in when they asked for the famous family of the day and I was right (It was the Clintons). My name was entered in a drawing and they called me bright and early one morning to tell me I won. The trip was 5 days 4 nights, we picked the Yacht Club. We received (4) 4 day hoppers, (4) Water Park tickets, $150 Disney Dollars (If I remember correctly), a welcome basket upon arrival that included all kinds of goodies, (4) Jet Blue airline ticket vouchers, VIP seating for parades and shows and a bunch of goodies mailed to our house after our trip. The best part was since there were only 2 adults (DS was 2 at the time), we had extra hoppers and we were able to extend our stay at another resort. We had a blast and have been hooked every since!!

 

[tubachick]

its great to read about all the winners!!!

I guess I'll keep entering the contests.....


still waiting to win.

 

[Princessbaby]

It is nice to hear that people do actually win these things!

 

[mkymouse4ever]

The WDW 25th Anniversary Sweepstakes by McDonald's!

We got 4 nites / 5 days at WDW. Air fare (Delta), Hotel (Contempary Resort - garden), mears transportation, & All meals (sit down) They gave us coupons for the resturants and also coupons for activities. Activities included: boats, bikes, discovery island. We found it was not enough time in 4 days to have 3 seat down meals = so we where already planning on going in a few months, and used the coupons then too. It was totally paid for, for 4 people. I took my sister, and parents. But I paid alot in taxes.

I knew I would win too. (and never tried before or after, just felt it & everyone laughed at me). I bought 100.00 in stamps and wrote out 3 x 5 cards brightly colored, placed them in different sized envelopes with different bright colors. Then mailed a bunch at the beginning of the sweepstakes, and a few each day for the month of the contest, with a large handful, at the end.

Good luck, Mky

 

[katallo]

I've won 2 times!!! The first was through my local phone company in 1999. I won a 7-day land/sea vacation for 4. It included air, hotel, WDW tickets, transfers, and the cruise!!! We stayed at the Dolphin. We received a Cat 4 (family stateroom) for the cruise, but when we got there we were upgraded to a Cat 2!!!!

That was my first trip to WDW and my first cruise and was the start of something big!!! We have been to WDW more times than I remember since then, to Disneyland 3 times, and on 6 DCL cruises. And I joined DVC in 2001. That contest created a monster!!!!

This past year I won a 4-day DCL cruise for 4 through my local newspaper. It included airfare, transfers and a Cat 11 stateroom on the Wonder. Being a DVC member, I paid a little extra for special airfare arrangements and we went to WDW for 3 days after the cruise and stayed at VWL.\\\\\
I enter about every contest I see for anything Disney (told you I'm hooked!)

One tip.... if you win, collect documents right away for the actual cost if you planned the trip yourself. That way you can claim the fair market value of the trip rather than the inflated amount from the contests sponsors when it comes times to claim the winnings on taxes.

GOOD LUCK on your contest entries!!

Just curious, what do you collect? I thought you always had to claim the amount provided to you?

 

[ElleBelle]

We did! It was actually back for the 100 Years of Magic- you could enter to win a trip for 8 (eight!!!) for 7 days/ six nights including airfare, transfers, passes, $500 disney dollars and a stay at the Grand Floridian. You were able to enter at Boscovs' (a local department store), and the winner was to be announced on Thanksgiving morning 2001 during our Philadelphia Thanksgiving day parade broadcast on ABC.

Well, imagine this.... Thanksgiving morning 2001. My mom, now DH, and I are sitting in my parents living room watching the thanksgiving day parade. My dad happened to be upstairs in the shower at the time. Katie Harman (Miss America 2002) and Mickey Mouse appear on the screen right before one of the commercial breaks and she announces that she is going to draw the Grand Prize winner of the contest. Well, she reaches her hand into the box of what looks like a million little white pieces of folded paper, slowly unfolds it, and reads MY MOM'S NAME ! Mickey, Goofy and Katie Harman are all cheering, confetti is falling, and "when you wish upon a star" is playing. Well, now picture this- my cup of coffee went flying, and I turned into a screaming, tearful, sobbing, heap on the floor. My mom is screaming her lungs out, running around the living room like we just won a few million dollars. My dad (who was in the shower) is now running down the stairs half naked and soapy with a towel around him because he thought someone just died. I turn around and see DH just sitting on the couch wide-eyed and completely speechless. What a Thanksgiving to remember!!!! And we had a great trip in May of 2002 to boot!~

 

[TheShellys]

Kae,

Sounds like we'll be staying at the AKL. The details should be finalized this week and i'll of course share with all my DIS friends.

Very cool to see lots of pixie dust.....sending more to all of those who want to win.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Wow! There's a lot of pixie dust in this thread. I'm posting because I hope some of it will rub on ME!

It's so nice to see Dis'ers win a free trip to Disney because I know you'll all appreciate the magic.

 

[Kae]

Kae,

Sounds like we'll be staying at the AKL. The details should be finalized this week and i'll of course share with all my DIS friends.

Very cool to see lots of pixie dust.....sending more to all of those who want to win.

That is so cool. Have a great time. Eat a zebra dome for me!

Kae