Are Unfairly Left Out of YOMD?

[Hoop Raeb]

My wife and I were just reading about the overnight castle stay and we both agreed that we would never get to see the room because we didn't fit the "Disney Demographic".

We're (Dual Income, No Kids). :wave: Not that I have sour grapes or anything but don't you think that the high end prizes will go to families? Why was the park open for the morning prize only for a family? I signed up just like the rest of people on the website to enter. But it wouldn't have been Disney enough if it was just me and the wife standing out on the red carpet that morning.

I love Disney and am an Annual Passholder. I go all the time and this isn't a slam against Disney and I know a prize is just that, a prize. They can give it to anyone they want. Just curious if anyone else has thought about this.

Anyone feel the same way? :veryconfu

 

[maelstrom]

My family won't win anything either as I'm now an adult (20) so even though I go with my parents, we're all adults. Bah.

 

[csaribay]

It's all regulated by an independent agency, so the bottom line is that Disney has no real choice in the matter of selecting who will win what. Everyone has an equally random chance of winning, but having said that, only a very narrow band of people who actually win will become poster children for Disney Parks. If a heavy-set single man in his forties won the above mentioned early-admit into the park, the photographers and marketing staff probably wouldn't have been drummed up... at all.

So, in short:

* Everyone has the same chances
* Not everyone winner will a become poster child for marketing purposes.

 

[banimall]

My dad absolutely hates Disney but goes because he's basically forced to (for the good of the family). He would make a great poster child if he won. Lets just say I don't think that commercial would make it to television, Youtube maybe.

 

[Yanks07]

? Is that a new Acronym?:lol: We are 2 incomes 2 Kids and have been to WDW 15 times. I hope someone with little ones who never gets to go wins. (If not Me )

 

[Mecha Figment]

I asure you , disney has a lot of controll who they let win the prizes. especialy if it's going to be marketed to a media outlet. With the day at Magic kingdom that was your typical Disney family, the girl was a ittle older then there typical choice.

It is in my oppinion and i'm almost positive that no Middle age family with all teenagers, Single parents, elderly couples, or any gay couples will recieve these prizes. They want a family that they can market and make them look like the Classic traditional family values based company everybody thinks they are. And don't get me wrong i'm not saying that everybody deserves a chance. They do. They are just not going to allow something that could possibly be a media meltdown. It is my theory that when people fill out surveys and such for these prizes, they are put in a possible stack and not possible stack, and then a family is randomly selected from the possible stack.

 

[kcnole]

That's simply untrue. If Disney controls who wins these prizes in that manner and it is found out, that would be the largest disaster in Disney history. They'd be fined a huge amount and would take some major PR hits to the company. It would be completely illegal for them to do that. Now, they may not make that person or family one of their big poster childs or mega marketing families, so you may never see them, but they will have the same chance to win as anyone else. Otherwise Disney is breaking the law.

 

[figment1985]

I agree with the two posts above mine (Mecha Figment and kcnole)

It does seem like the "Middle age family with all teenagers, Single parents, elderly couples, or any gay couples" would not win. But I do believe it would be extremely hard to have a discriminated selection by disney without getting in deep trouble....

But seriously... isn't it just as bad if they don't film/show publicity for the winners? So a gay couple can win and they are going to show videos on good morning america of them in the castle room? I don't think so. But in all reality you can't please everyone, so either Disney will get bashed for their selection or some other group will get bashed.

I am just throwing out ideas, I'm not trying to take a side.


But to respond to the original question I am a college student and I feel like it would be impossible to win for my family...because the age differences are so far apart and my family is so big.

 

[brkgnews]

I guess I'm a SINK. :lookaroun

 

[schro513]

Our family life is a SITKOM....single income, two kids, oppressive mortgage.

 

[csaribay]

I asure you , disney has a lot of controll who they let win the prizes. especialy if it's going to be marketed to a media outlet. With the day at Magic kingdom that was your typical Disney family, the girl was a ittle older then there typical choice.

I'm sorry, but you are categorically wrong. Major contest giveaways from most large companies are strictly regulated and are formed in such a way where they cannot have any control or be discriminate in selecting who gets a prize. Even the law has strict guidelines set in place for contests and giveaways! Selection is almost always forcefully random, as it is in this case.

Whether or not the winner is an attractive prospect for marketing is irrelevant. Baring that they are eligible to win prizes, they will be able to receive and collect as prescribed. If they are not attractive prospects for Disney to market, they will still collect their prize! There is no "you're too fat and too old to win" or "you don't have any kids, you can't win". Everyone's chances, no matter what the circumstance, is equalized. Whether or not you will be on the news is something that's entirely left up to Disney, but that has nothing to do with whether or not you can win.

In Park Selection

If, on any given day, a location in a Disney Property is randomly selected: a time for awarding of the prize will also be randomly selected. As mentioned above, Sponsor anticipates that potential winners will be selected at the Disney Properties between opening and 5 pm local time; however, certain prizes (for example, Mickey Mouse Penthouse and Cinderella Castle Suite) are likely to be awarded early in the day to help ensure that a winner will be able to claim the prize and Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to select winners at the Disney Properties during any operating hours. Then, Disney Dream Squad Members ("Dream Squad") will arrive at the randomly selected location and: (i) in the case of a single prize, subject to Sponsor's initial verification process, the first person present at that randomly selected location and time will be notified that he/she is a potential winner of the prize; or (ii) in the case of a Batch of the same prize being awarded at the same time, subject to Sponsor's initial verification process, the first number of people matching the number of prizes in that Batch at that randomly selected location and time will be notified that each is a potential winner of one (1) of the prizes in the Batch. For certain prizes that are only good for an event at a Disney Property on the same day or evening as the day the prize is awarded, the potential winner may be required to tell the Dream Squad members(s) (or, if the winner is a Minor, his/her parent/legal guardian must tell the Dream Squad member(s)) whether or not he/she wants to claim the prize won within two (2) hours of being selected as a potential winner. The prize descriptions at the end of these Official Rules contain more information about event and day specific prizes. Decisions as to the selection of winners and the identity of the first person or persons present at a randomly selected location and time are subject to the Dream Squad's sole discretion and the Dream Squad's decisions on these matters will be final and binding. Only Dream Squad members can designate a potential winner at the Disney Properties.

Alternative (mail-in) Selection

If, on any given day, the mail-in entry pool is randomly selected: the winner(s) of the applicable prize(s) will be determined at random from among all eligible mail-in entries received on the applicable day. All eligible mail-in entries will be bundled and bagged on the date received, except that eligible mail-in entries received between September 18, 2006 and September 30, 2006 will be deemed to have been received on October 1, 2006 and mail-in entries received between December 31, 2007 and January 14, 2008 will be deemed to have been received on December 31, 2007. Also, for Sundays and U.S. postal holidays on which Disney Properties are open, all eligible mail-in entries received during the prior six (6) mail delivery days will be included in the Sunday or holiday (as applicable) prize selection pool. Mail received in the UK on a U.S. postal holiday will be included in the U.S. postal holiday prize selection pool along with the prior six (6) mail delivery days. For UK postal holidays on which Disney Properties are open, all eligible mail-in entries received at the UK postal address for this Giveaway on the day after the UK postal holiday will also be included in the prize selection pool on the day of that UK postal holiday. Please note that the U.S. and UK holiday calendar will govern this Giveaway. On approximately the 20th day of each month during the Giveaway Period, and on or about January 20, 2008, Marketing Resources, Inc., an independent judging organization engaged by Creata, will conduct random drawings at Marketing Resources, Inc.'s offices in Elmhurst, Illinois to award the prize(s) for each of the days of the immediately preceding month for which mail-in entrants were to be awarded a prize(s). Each drawing will be from among all eligible mail-in entries received on or allocated to the day for which the drawing is taking place. Potential winners from the mail-in entry pool will be notified by mail or telephone (at Sponsor's sole discretion) within approximately fifty five (55) days after each monthly drawing. If a prize requiring winner to be present at a Disney Property is designated for award (such as a DREAM FASTPASS badge or the one-night stay at the Cinderella Castle Suite), a winner entering via mail will receive an alternate prize of comparable or greater approximate retail value as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, such as a special edition pin and lanyard, a special edition Dream Mouse Ears or a merchandise gift basket (which may include a Disney Gift Card).

Of course, the promotion is subject to any number of nasties who could spell out corruption and fraud, but this is unlikely to come to fruition. Indeed, if it were to, it would probably come out like the McDonalds Monopoly Game Scandal- which led to several arrests.

 

[slappy magoo]

? Is that a new Acronym?:lol: We are 2 incomes 2 Kids and have been to WDW 15 times. I hope someone with little ones who never gets to go wins. (If not Me )

Actually, is a Madison Avenue-marketing term that's been around since before I was in coillege (which, sadly is soooo long ago). Dual Income, No Kids. As a result, they (supposedly, when I was learning about this crap) have more discretionary income to fritter away on things they want as opposed to stuff they or their children need.

As far as contest winners not fitting the mold of the typical American family/Disney guest, aren't they giving away a one-night stay in Cinderella's castle every night for a year? Sooner or later, they'll find the Norman Rockwell of the 21st. century family to make the brochures come alive, I assure you. Until then, you have just as much chance of winning as anyone else.

 

[TinkerBelle8878]

Most likely if the winners are not what Disney considers 'model families' for marketing purposes, they will get the prize but there won't be any press or fanfare to go along with it.

I'd love to win a stay in the park. Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to live in the WDW castle. Or in Horizons' future sets. But the thought of being locked in, isn't so appealing. Its slightly claustrophobic to be honest.

 

[Yanks07]

Actually, is a Madison Avenue-marketing term that's been around since before I was in coillege (which, sadly is soooo long ago). Dual Income, No Kids. As a result, they (supposedly, when I was learning about this crap) have more discretionary income to fritter away on things they want as opposed to stuff they or their children need.

Thanks Slappy. I honestly never heard of . I am glad that you followed up with soooo long ago or I would be busting you on coillege.

 

[juan]

while certain dreams like the overnight stay seem a little bit favorved towards the "ideal" group, other dreams like the dream fastpass aren't.
I've seen some kids walking with passes like the animal kingdom one, but still got one even though they were much below many of the height restrictions. Or some elderly people who didn't seem much like the Everest fans.

oh and on the side note, some inpromptu (sp) dreams are sometimes given to those that may appreciate it more (like when I was out of costume and was able to organize a trip to Epcot for a family that had never been in the front cab of a monorail before -- as much as the kids enjoyed it, I think the father was more excited)

 

[PlaneJane]

When I went down there about 2 weeks ago it seemed that it was mostly 4 to 5 member families with young children had the prizes. A lot of couples with the just married ears on and people with the anniversary pins got picked. I did not, no hard feelings. Single, 21, and went by myself so I'm not exactly the demographic for the YOMD.

Funny thing though, The Adventurer's Club was making fun of it the entire night. KUNGALOOSH!

also Hoopla!

 

[joelleharbert]

Our family life is a SITKOM....single income, two kids, oppressive mortgage.

Us also, only make that three kids, instead of two!

 

[MissM]

I have to be honest. I worry that my odds of winning are in the toilet as well. Two adults, no kids....just doesn't have the "Disney look." Even though we're junkies and passholders and would love a prize like that more then any 5 year old in the world. (And, that is a fact.) I just feel like whenever possible, it's going to slyly bypass me and move to the kid. Which is very frustrating. You know, maybe the adults would enjoy something too. There is always a bias for the kids and the families with kids and I find that wholly unfair.
-m

 

[kcnole]

except that if it comes out that they do that somebody will be in big trouble. You've got an even chance of winning the prize, you just may not get on tv.

 

[Emerald Rose]

Us also, only make that three kids, instead of two!

:lol: