Flag Retreat...

[popcenturylover]

How do they pick the Veteran? What is the best way to try and get picked? My Son-in-law is in the Navy and just returned from a 6 month deployment. He is joining us at Disney World for the 1st time.(visited once as a child) We were hoping that we could get him picked to be the Veteran of the Day. Anybody ever get picked on here?

 

[popcenturylover]

Posted this in the wrong section. How do I move it or could a mod. do it?

 

[sxeensweet]

It's totally random. CM's pick someone at random early in the day. You can talk to them at guest services but likely they will not pick you if you ask. It basically won't increase your chances by asking.

 

[mouse_luv]

@wdwmagic can you move this for the OP please? Thanks.

 

[mm121]

It's totally random. CM's pick someone at random early in the day. You can talk to them at guest services but likely they will not pick you if you ask. It basically won't increase your chances by asking.

if its totally random how do they know someone is legit?

its terrible, but some people do fake being in the military for the recognition/discounts

 

[mousehockey37]

Maybe keeping some of the Disney magic actually magic, might not be a bad thing... There's a way that they go about it. Just like how other magical things are done everyday on Main Street. Sadly, if everyone learns the ways to exploit the system, Disney will change it or take it away for everybody.

 

[sxeensweet]

if its totally random how do they know someone is legit?

its terrible, but some people do fake being in the military for the recognition/discounts

That's just how it works. They are usually good about finding someone legit. They know what to look for I'm sure. My hubby is a vet and on his state driver's license it says veteran on top of his picture. And he has an Army tattoo etc. Yes people could lie but I'm sure it does not happen often where the flag retreat itself is concerned. We don't worry about such a thing and hope one day my hubby is picked. We aren't there early in the morning so it probably lessens our chance but that's okay no big deal.

 

[sxeensweet]

Maybe keeping some of the Disney magic actually magic, might not be a bad thing... There's a way that they go about it. Just like how other magical things are done everyday on Main Street. Sadly, if everyone learns the ways to exploit the system, Disney will change it or take it away for everybody.

Totally agree. We just don't even think about it and if my hubby a 10 year veteran of the US ARMY is ever picked that's awesome. If not that's also okay being whoever gets it is well deserving too.

 

[mousehockey37]

Totally agree. We just don't even think about it and if my hubby a 10 year veteran of the US ARMY is ever picked that's awesome. If not that's also okay being whoever gets it is well deserving too.

This is an on-going thing with me: the whole topic of trying to find ways to force things to happen.

The fact is, if something magical is going to happen to you in Disney, it will. If you try to force it, it won't. Are there things you could say, do, wear, etc that could help? Potentially, but there's never EVER a guarantee. I wish people would stop asking on messages boards how to try and cheat the system and actually just go to Disney and enjoy themselves.

If there's any special experience you're looking for, call Disney. They'll tell you what is and isn't possible to do.

 

[sxeensweet]

This is an on-going thing with me: the whole topic of trying to find ways to force things to happen.

The fact is, if something magical is going to happen to you in Disney, it will. If you try to force it, it won't. Are there things you could say, do, wear, etc that could help? Potentially, but there's never EVER a guarantee. I wish people would stop asking on messages boards how to try and cheat the system and actually just go to Disney and enjoy themselves.

If there's any special experience you're looking for, call Disney. They'll tell you what is and isn't possible to do.

Yep well said.

 

[sxeensweet]

Hope the OP does not take this as we were being rude. I know that was not my personal intention at all. Hope they one day do get picked. But just wanted to get through that there is no guarantee and it was random and Disney "magic". Thank you to all who have bravely served and continue to serve.

 

[popcenturylover]

Hope the OP does not take this as we were being rude. I know that was not my personal intention at all. Hope they one day do get picked. But just wanted to get through that there is no guarantee and it was random and Disney "magic". Thank you to all who have bravely served and continue to serve.

I know that it's not guaranteed. Nothing in life ever is! I was just asking if anyone on here has ever been picked & if so, what if anything did they do to get picked. That's all.

 

[sxeensweet]

I know that it's not guaranteed. Nothing in life ever is! I was just asking if anyone on here has ever been picked & if so, what if anything did they do to get picked. That's all.

Hope we helped. It's an honest question and I don't want to make anyone feel ever they can't ask something on here. If I came off that way I apologize.

 

[popcenturylover]

This is an on-going thing with me: the whole topic of trying to find ways to force things to happen.

The fact is, if something magical is going to happen to you in Disney, it will. If you try to force it, it won't. Are there things you could say, do, wear, etc that could help? Potentially, but there's never EVER a guarantee. I wish people would stop asking on messages boards how to try and cheat the system and actually just go to Disney and enjoy themselves.

If there's any special experience you're looking for, call Disney. They'll tell you what is and isn't possible to do.

I was just asking for advice of someone who is actually in the military & did this. I'm not trying to force anything & we do enjoy EVERY one of our vacations! Thank you very much! I thought that it would be something special that my daughter & her family could look back on in the future.

 

[sxeensweet]

I was just asking for advice of someone who is actually in the military & did this. I'm not trying to force anything & we do enjoy EVERY one of our vacations! Thank you very much! I thought that it would be something special that my daughter & her family could look back on in the future.

Totally understand! I would love to have my husband be given the opportunity to do this as well. He would be over the moon to be recognized for his sacrifices at one of our favorite places. Keeping hope alive one day he is blessed with some "magic" to partake. Hope the same for your daughter and her family.

 

[Bob]

IIRC, @englanddg looked into how to get this done for his dad. He might have some suggestions.

 

[popcenturylover]

IIRC, @englanddg looked into how to get this done for his dad. He might have some suggestions.

Thank you!

 

[mm121]

Maybe keeping some of the Disney magic actually magic, might not be a bad thing... There's a way that they go about it. Just like how other magical things are done everyday on Main Street. Sadly, if everyone learns the ways to exploit the system, Disney will change it or take it away for everybody.

agreed leaving some things to be random is just easier

if they tried to schedule it it would probably be scheduled years in advance and then disney would have to be concerned if people didnt show up and stuff

lots of the little random experiences just work better when selected randomly

 

[Fractal514]

I was just asking for advice of someone who is actually in the military & did this. I'm not trying to force anything & we do enjoy EVERY one of our vacations! Thank you very much! I thought that it would be something special that my daughter & her family could look back on in the future.

No need to get defensive. I totally understand your desire, AND I agree that too many people try to plan out these special things. Here is where, I think, the line is: if, upon hearing that it is random, you then proceed to try and figure out where the random picking happens and what they look for and then you try to game the system (which I am NOT saying you have done, I'm talking about in general). I think that goes too far and ruins the magic, but your mileage may vary.

 

[englanddg]

Thank you!

Thanks @Bob for the poke. It was my grandfather, but good memory!

First off, a bit of commentary to where this thread is going, not directed at the OP

...trying to "force something" isn't what this is about. It can be completely random, but if you are not aware of the conditions which can set you up for success, than you never even have a chance. To use an analogy, you never will win the lottery if you don't buy a lottery ticket. That said, you shouldn't plan on winning the lottery (and get emotionally attached to the idea of it) just because you did.

Moving on...

It's been a few years, but here's the skivvy.

1) There is no guarantee, always hope for the best, but don't plan on it. Basically, they try to fill this slot every day, and they do it a few different ways. Once it's full, then all Guests are told the "random" story if they ask. Though, it isn't as random as "family of the day" (which really is random, a CM is tasked to just "pick" one daily at Rope Drop). You cannot pre-schedule it.

2) You need to be there early, before rope drop if you can. Go straight to Guest Services. Talk to them. Be sure to have any proof of service with you (we weren't asked, but I was told they may) and they'll want to know rank, status, and branch info for the announcement.

3) They do pick more than one Vet of the Day sometimes

4) If a Vet of the Day hasn't been filled by a certain time before retreat, CMs from Guest Services will comb the crowds looking for a Vet (this is the "random crowd thing" mentioned earlier). They aren't hard to find...especially in Florida...look for the hats.

On a side note, if it's a returning soldier who wants to surprise their family with something aside from the Flag Retreat, or a very special Vet, you are best working through MWR (or whatever your branch calls it, that's the Army, or at least was) in advance as they have marketing connections with Disney directly. This is how some of those "special meetups" were coordinated that you find videos online about, like a few years back when a returning soldier surprised his family during a Voices of Liberty concert.