Year of Million Dreams...CM Nightmare?

[Granny]

Great service comes from great CM's no matter whether it is year of a million dreams or not.

We've also found this to be very true over the years. I guess I just am feeling it for the CM's since there is this huge advertising campaign that I am sure some people will translate as meaning that Disney owes them something as part of them paying to get in the park.

I guess if it truly bothers someone they can avoid WDW this year.

Sammie...I'm not sure if you are referring to me, but I can guarantee you that we won't be disappointed if we don't win anything.

 

[Sammie]

We've also found this to be very true over the years. I guess I just am feeling it for the CM's since there is this huge advertising campaign that I am sure some people will translate as meaning that Disney owes them something as part of them paying to get in the park.

Sammie...I'm not sure if you are referring to me, but I can guarantee you that we won't be disappointed if we don't win anything.

Granny, was not referring to anyone in particular, just if this truly is a problem for someone they do have an option.

I just don't see it being a problem for the guests or the CMs.

 

[Groucho]

All I know is that I'll bring my pillow with me every day I'm there and darn it, they better give me that castle apartment ONE of the nights! Or I'm going to be verrrrrrrrrry angry!

Seriously though - I assume that the plan is to give that away every day - how many times will it be won by someone who's leaving that day, I wonder? Or has some other commitment and just can't use it? How would that be for a frustrating dream to receive? Of course, I'd be happy to trade it for the chance to visit each of the parks worldwide...!

I'm not thinking about this promo too much. There's almost always one thing or another going on at WDW, and I suspect that you're nearly as likely to get a nice free perk whether the "million dreams" is going on or not... and the chances of winning one of the really special prizes are so slim that it's not worth worrying about it!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I agree with this completely!!! We give away FastPasses we can't use, give up seats on the bus, etc. Like I said earlier in this thread...it's the little things we do for others that make us a better person. How can that not be a win-win situation?

I'm so glad to know there are others who do the same thing we do! I always give away fast passes I can't use too. We also go out into the parking lot at OKW before we check out and give our unopened food items to incoming guests. We have given away ice cream bars, pasta, sauce, potatos etc. Heck, when DH can't attend a baseball day game with me, I give away his season ticket too. Sometimes I just find some kid who's standing in line at the GA ticket booth and hand them a free ticket right behind homeplate. I get a great person to sit next to, and they get quite a thrill too!

 

[Califgirl]

I was thinking that Disney shouldn't have announced the Year of A Million Dreams. They could have just started giving out little prizes like the fast passes, or pins or meals with a small card or something that said "Disney loves making your dreams come true, welcome to the year of a Million Dreams" or something like that, for the first month or so. That way it could have been completely random and they could have done a 'test run'. People would not be going on October 1st expecting to get something. That would have really spread the Disney magic and I believe that if people were getting random 'magic' the word would have spread like wildfire and would have been an incredibly positive buzz about Disney.

The reason I think this would have been a better way to start is because it doesn't even seem like 'the powers that be' fully understand this promotion. Lets start small, build some buzz and then launch it fully. Besides, the prizes of spending a night in the different suites (Castle in WDW or Pirate Suite at DLR) won't even be ready until sometime in January.

That's my tiny 2 cents worth of thought on this promotion.

 

[CarolA]

Why do I have a feeling that I am going to have to quit opening ALL threads relating to this over the next year.

Disney hasn't awarded ANYTHING and people are already whining... (And as I expected the DVC board has taken a LEAD here. )

If you are going to Disney looking for a reason to PROVE that YOU aren't loved, this gives it to you. However, I figure that attitude is coming across to the CM. Do you call your local lottery board every time you don't win that????

 

[saschab]

Not to be Pollyanna-ish about this, but......maybe folks will treat the CMs better in the vain hope of being picked. :

Hah, might even be part of the "master plan"!

 

[JimC]

Hopefully it will be fun for CMs -- most of whom really enjoy making magic in all sorts of ways. Would a special treat be a WOW! for any of us? Sure.

But I believe that regular visitors (like DVC members) really appreciate the CMs for the regular day-to-day ineractions. According to Disney's polling data the CMs are a primary reason why guests return.

 

[Sammie]

Not to be Pollyanna-ish about this, but......maybe folks will treat the CMs better in the vain hope of being picked. :

Hah, might even be part of the "master plan"!

Any chance we can start a rumor that the main criteria is being neatly dressed, well behaved (adults and kids) especially while dining, not using anyone else's pool, no breaking in line, no asking to move your child to the front for parades when you just showed up, nothing gross, strollers and ECVs that yield to walkers, etc.

Man if this would happen that would be prize enough for me. It would be my dream vacation.

Feel free to add to the list.

 

[saschab]

Any chance we can start a rumor that the main criteria is being neatly dressed, well behaved (adults and kids) especially while dining, not using anyone else's pool, no breaking in line, no asking to move your child to the front for parades when you just showed up, nothing gross, strollers and ECVs that yield to walkers, etc.

Man if this would happen that would be prize enough for me. It would be my dream vacation.

Feel free to add to the list.

Please add: Must wear deodorant.

 

[Granny]

Hopefully it will be fun for CMs -- most of whom really enjoy making magic in all sorts of ways. Would a special treat be a WOW! for any of us? Sure.

But I believe that regular visitors (like DVC members) really appreciate the CMs for the regular day-to-day ineractions. According to Disney's polling data the CMs are a primary reason why guests return.

I really hope it will be fun for the CMs too. And you are 100% correct that the CMs are a big part of what sets WDW apart from other vacation destinations.

 

[Rocket15]

The way I look at it is that we are already living the dream by going to WDW, there are many people who don't have the opportunity to do what we get to do. Any other perk,or prize is just gravy.

 

[Tikki-Tikki]

yeah id be thrilled to get a prize, i honestly dont think i will but if you get dissapointed because you did`nt get one, then you were being far too optimistic in the first place, for me disney itself is enough and the way the CM`s treat you like human beings and make you feel special when their feet hurt and they`ve probably had a bad day etc...., is truly enough for me, heck, i live in the UK you cant get worse customer service!!!!!

 

[mtrak17]

I don't usually get involved in any "debate"-type threads, but I was also thinking the same thing as OP (that this could be a nightmare, because so many people "expect" magical things to happen to them at Disney).

However, if you read the long "Official Rules" page on the Disney site for this sweepstakes, it seems like they have a plan in place for giving out these prizes at the parks...My understanding in reading the official rules was that, every day, there is a designated "spot" and a designated "time". If there is one prize for that designated spot and time, then the person who (unknowingly) walk or stands in that spot at the designated time wins the designated prize...no discrimination. Clear and free, that person wins the prize because he or she met the parameters of the award designation. (I'm imagining something like...the person standing at the left side of the anteater exhibit at Animal Kingdom at 11:25 a.m. on such and such date wins such and such... )

The official rules go on to state that if there are "several" prizes designated for the spot and time (they call it a "batch"), then a certain number of people win the same prize within the location/time parameters. This might cause more of an issue for "expectant-type" people - I have a vision of hordes of people running to that location once they see someone has gotten something

However, I'd like to think Disney has thought of these issues. I didn't get the impression in reading the rules that the cast members have complete freedom to decide who gets what (at least for in-the-park prizes).

Did anyone read the rules differently?

Oops! Am I allowed to post here? I didn't realize this was a DVC thread and am not a member Of course, that will all change once I win the DVC membership prize from Disney

 

[BeccaG]

I see that this new promotion will have tons of new prizes, including a free DVC membership!

I hope I'm wrong, but does anyone else see this as being a nightmare for CM's? If someone standing next to a guest gets a nice prize, how many people are going to feel "entitled" to one of these "dreams" for themselves? I guess with the "I shelled out all this money and Disney better make it magical for me" mentality, I can see poor CM's being browbeaten because Little Johnny is crying because we didn't win a cool prize, or other such nonsense.

As a former cast member I appreciate your concern for the prize folks, but hopefully I can ease some of your fears!!! I am guessing, based on my experience as a cast member at Disneyland, that those handing out the prizes have first and foremost been trained and secondly are exemplary cast members who have shown they can handle difficult situations. Most cast members would love to have this job, and most, as previously mentioned work real hard to make a guests dream come true. When I worked as a character host I saw a colleague listen to a parent nearly in tears about their child who only wanted to meet Jiminy Cricket. That cast member told the person to hold on, disappeared for a few moments and returned. Meanwhile, she arranged for a private meeting with Jiminy in the Lincoln Theatre. The cast member was never thanked or even commended at work, but told me that was one of the coolest things they had been a part of. I am sure that is the caliber of cast member who has been selected to be the "prize person" and I am confident they will do great!! If characters can move about the park and "leave" without too much of a riot I think the "dream squad" or whatever they are calling them will be able to do it too!
PS I am sure most of you long time Disney folks know this but if a cast member does something extra kind you call always leave them a compliment at city hall. It will make their day and also impacts things like promotions and raises too!

 

[TOMAR@SSR]

Just being fortunate enough to own a peice of the magic... is prize enough for me
Some people save....and plan....for a very l-o-n-g time to be able to do..just once... the things I get to do.... every year
I just hope that the families that are chosen....are people that love....all things Disney....and deserve to have been chosen in some way....
If we win something.. I`ll be happy...if not.. I`ll be happy anyway

 

[Fitswimmer]

Just being fortunate enough to own a peice of the magic... is prize enough for me

The first time I saw "Wishes", my wish was to figure out some way for a single woman with a salary lower than the teachers in my town to own at DVC. Two years later, my wish came true and I was able to take my parents on vacation. The day we walked into our OKW villa was one I will never forget, it was an honor to give something of that quality back to my parents since they were the ones that helped me love WDW in the first place.

I would never throw back a Disney Dream if I was lucky enough to get one, but I already know that Walt was right-Wishing on a star, some hard work and creativity can make your dreams come true.

 

[Sammie]

I don't usually get involved in any "debate"-type threads, but I was also thinking the same thing as OP (that this could be a nightmare, because so many people "expect" magical things to happen to them at Disney).

However, if you read the long "Official Rules" page on the Disney site for this sweepstakes, it seems like they have a plan in place for giving out these prizes at the parks...My understanding in reading the official rules was that, every day, there is a designated "spot" and a designated "time". If there is one prize for that designated spot and time, then the person who (unknowingly) walk or stands in that spot at the designated time wins the designated prize...no discrimination. Clear and free, that person wins the prize because he or she met the parameters of the award designation. (I'm imagining something like...the person standing at the left side of the anteater exhibit at Animal Kingdom at 11:25 a.m. on such and such date wins such and such... )

The official rules go on to state that if there are "several" prizes designated for the spot and time (they call it a "batch"), then a certain number of people win the same prize within the location/time parameters. This might cause more of an issue for "expectant-type" people - I have a vision of hordes of people running to that location once they see someone has gotten something

However, I'd like to think Disney has thought of these issues. I didn't get the impression in reading the rules that the cast members have complete freedom to decide who gets what (at least for in-the-park prizes).

Did anyone read the rules differently?

Oops! Am I allowed to post here? I didn't realize this was a DVC thread and am not a member Of course, that will all change once I win the DVC membership prize from Disney

Yes your allowed to Post, we don't throw out nonmembers. And here is wishing you are the DVC winner and then we can Welcome You Home.

The giving of the prizes will be fair and impartial, it would have to be, or someone would sue them. As stated some type of predetermined criteria for winning will be established the CMs will strickly be the prize patrol. As to a mob scene it is possible that the CMs will quietly remove the winner from the masses before even knowing they have won something. Only time will tell on that one. At to the batch situation, my guess on that one is everyone at the Indy Stunt show wins, etc.

As to it being a problem, if people get upset, I have to agree with CarolA that most of those complaints will be limited to Net forums. If anyone truly has a hissy fit over someone else winning, then they are in dire need of more than Disney would ever be able to give them.

 

[Plutofan]

I am sure that the selection process will be totally random and not at the discretion of any individual. I am also sure that everyone will have an equal chance of winning a prize. Disney would not risk a PR nightmare. I am sure that they have thought out the entire process and this will be a success. Now if they could only fix the transfer problem.

 

[Califgirl]

PS I am sure most of you long time Disney folks know this but if a cast member does something extra kind you call always leave them a compliment at city hall. It will make their day and also impacts things like promotions and raises too!

I always do this! Almost every other trip to Disneyland (and I go a lot!) I notice a cast member that really went out of their way, so I go to City Hall to write them a compliment card. I don't know if it helps them any at work, but they deserve to know that their kindness was noticed and appreciated!