OFFICIAL official announcement of YOMD extension

[ImaYoyo]

Also..

Yoyo, you going to mention Disney new complaint/compliment policy that sees email complaints as less valid then a written US Mail letter? Easy way to eliminated several thousand complaints so you don't have to account for them on any given day. You know, getting the true guest opinion.

According to Disney, their website is beloved in guest feedback and functions wonderfully. We all know that isn't true.

Wow... someone needs some happy pills, or a vacation. Regardless of this "policy" (which I've never heard of), my Cast Members call back each and every one of their guests, whether they E-mail us, Write us, call us and leave a message... Because that is what guest service is all about, and that's what I will continue to do.

I am here to make a difference and provide World-Class service, regardless of anything else that is going on.

And any emails that we receive are not only sent to Guest Correspondence, but also copied directly to the involved party, whether it be a partner in marketing, a specific resort, or a segment such as Youth Group Programs or Disney Fairytale Weddings.

 

[mousermerf]

Okie, gonna first say i don't want to like take this all out on you Yoyo. Sorry I aimed my anger at you.

I just really dont kno who to be angry at. Everything suggested they were letting this fiasco go, and now they're putting it before Epcot's 25th on the 1st. That's really infuriating. I don't want to shoot the messenger, but i dont know who else to shoot.

 

[ImaYoyo]

Okie, gonna first say i don't want to like take this all out on you Yoyo. Sorry I aimed my anger at you.

I just really dont kno who to be angry at. Everything suggested they were letting this fiasco go, and now they're putting it before Epcot's 25th on the 1st. That's really infuriating. I don't want to shoot the messenger, but i dont know who else to shoot.

Send a letter to Erin Wallace, and make copies to be mailed to Guest Correspondence and Meg.

 

[Enigma]

This is also the first time i can recall ever wanting park attendance to plummet - to show those jerks that people are not coming for YOMD.

Sadly, Toy Story will probably give new life to MGM and but YOMD will get all the credit.

Same thing happened at Disneyland with the Submarines. Everyone was in line because the freaken SUBS were back not because they had Nemo or because of the Year of a Million Dreams.

 

[LongtimeReader]

Well from a pure business standpoint, they have loads of people whose job it is to survey and test. If they had any indication that a 25th Epcot celebration would be more profitable, I'm sure they would have gone with it. I'm thinking that the vast majority is more interested in winning one of these things or seeing a new attraction (having just seen a family walk into the castle suite for the first time, I can assure you it's pretty priceless). If you don't like the promotion, fair enough. If they're putting a spin on the level of success that it has brought in, then who cares? With or without a YOMD celebration, I highly doubt we would get a 25th promotion anyway. They have all but ignored the 30th and 35th of the whole resort, so they obviously feel that most people aren't so into anniversaries. And if the current record breaking attendance, isn't due to YOMD, who cares? It's still record-breaking.

 

[montyz81]

If only they would build a room at the top of SSE (like the castle) or a tree house in the Tree of life, then Year of a Million dreams would be worth it. I don't see my son wanting to stay in the castle for a night if we were to win something like that.

I know this is sort of a remark that makes you tilt your head like a dog, but I just felt it had to be said.:shrug:

 

[moosicalnwdwmad]

I need the HSM3 premiere tickets!! lol

 

[prberk]

Well from a pure business standpoint, they have loads of people whose job it is to survey and test. If they had any indication that a 25th Epcot celebration would be more profitable, I'm sure they would have gone with it. I'm thinking that the vast majority is more interested in winning one of these things or seeing a new attraction (having just seen a family walk into the castle suite for the first time, I can assure you it's pretty priceless). If you don't like the promotion, fair enough. If they're putting a spin on the level of success that it has brought in, then who cares? With or without a YOMD celebration, I highly doubt we would get a 25th promotion anyway. They have all but ignored the 30th and 35th of the whole resort, so they obviously feel that most people aren't so into anniversaries. And if the current record breaking attendance, isn't due to YOMD, who cares? It's still record-breaking.

There's some validity to both sides of this argument, really, I think. At the end of the day, though, Disney can make any anniversary a celebration -- it's just a matter of choosing which direction they want to go.

Believe me, a media conglomorate like Disney has all they would need to do both, even. No matter what they did with "Year of a Million Dreams," they could have a regional or even short-term national recognition of EPCOT, by simply making a TV special -- Walt's own classic model of marketing: making an event seem like a "must-do" with a TV special. Heck, the TV special, could even tie the two together, by saying something in commercials like, "Maybe you can't make it to EPCOT, but you can still participate by... (visiting Disneyland, entering a sweepstakes, etc.)."

The bottom line for me is that they have amazing footage and perfect opportunity to tap into "Walt's dream" to make a great TV special (on ABC "Wonderful World" or on the Disney Channel) that celebrates EPCOT and couldn't help but bring an uptick in reservations... no matter what happens to YOAMD..... Unfortunately the Disney-owned networks have forgotten how to do that.

Paul

 

[DisneyYorkian74]

The bottom line for me is that they have amazing footage and perfect opportunity to tap into "Walt's dream" to make a great TV special (on ABC "Wonderful World" or on the Disney Channel) that celebrates EPCOT and couldn't help but bring an uptick in reservations... no matter what happens to YOAMD..... Unfortunately the Disney-owned networks have forgotten how to do that.

I wish Disney would go back to advertising WDW in that format again.

One of the main reasons why I wanted to go to WDW during its 25th anniversary celebration back in 1997 was because I remember seeing all those TV specials on ABC.

I really miss the old WDW TV and Concert specials...

 

[eeyoremum]

Personally I don't mind YOMD. We did not go to WDW this year because of the promotion we went because we wanted to. We were not planning a trip to WDW for 2008 and the extension is not going to change my mind.

I guess what I am saying is that whatever promotion or theme Disney runs is fine. I choose to spend my money at Disney because it is Disney not because of a "theme".

We were at WDW the first week of September 2 years in a row....this year was much busier then last...why? Free Dinning, not YOMD.

On a side note we did "win" some ears....they are very cool, my kids put them on the shelf in their rooms. Although, I think I paid for those ears when I paid the increased prices for tickets and hotel this year. Face it the money for the "prizes" comes from somewhere. YOMD for me would be lower prices when they stop "giving" away "prizes".

Just my 2 cents.

 

[prberk]

I wish Disney would go back to advertising WDW in that format again.

One of the main reasons why I wanted to go to WDW during its 25th anniversary celebration back in 1997 was because I remember seeing all those TV specials on ABC.

I really miss the old WDW TV and Concert specials...

Yep, I really feel like someone is asleep at the wheel with regard to use of television to build excitement.

About 10 years ago we took a kid from church with us on our trip. He was eleven years old, and his eyes were wide open for the fireworks behind the castle. As he stood there on Main Street, USA, looking at the fireworks he said, "Wow, it's just like on TV!"

Walt understood that. That type of TV exposure is more valuable than a million marketing "celebrations" -- no matter which year...

Paul

 

[phenom1307]

um...huh?

why are you huh-ing me?

 

[dannb1001]

I've heard a rumor that they might replace the current Magic Kingdom Parade with the Dreams Parade from Disneyland and they might finally retire Spectromagic.

But I don't know if these rumors are going to happen during the extension of YoaMD or later.[/quote]


Well lets hope it happens this coming year For some reason I doubt it though lol. Interesting about SpectroMagic finally retireing, of course everyone keeps speculating when it will finally leave and some people think it never will, at least not anytime soon.

Disney Dreams Come True Parade definatly needs to go asap. I hate that parade.

 

[brisem]

It's like Mike Mendenhall never left! This is his kiss-off!

What happened to Mike?

 

[chels26]

all i have to say is what ever WDW was celebrating never was the convincing factor as to why we were going. We love Disney World. I don't care if they are celebrating the 17th anniversary of a bathroom location in MK. We go cause we like it.However, not to be contradicting but.. I dont understand why Disney thinks YOMD is so amazing to extend it another year, though. We didn't win anything, we didn't really even care. We never even saw a dream squad. None-the-less we were enjoying ourselves cause we were in Disney.

 

[dandaman]

Merf, I'm inclined to agree with you about a hopeful drop in attendance as a signal to marketing.

I also agree that TV exposure (a LOT more than they have now) would be a great thing. At an early, or at least earlier age, I never had that urge to go to WDW for a celebration. Sure, HCoE was all right... and the exposure that year, with the Rose Bowl Parade, the May 5th TV coverage, etc. was nice. But with the exception of the Millennium Celebration, these weren't the real reason I wanted to visit.

I wanted to visit because my friends and family said it was the best place on Earth. I wanted to visit because I'd seen it on the almighty television medium. I wanted to visit because, as I saw all the media hoopla, I came to the conclusion that Walt Disney World was the one place I HAD to visit in life.

In short: More TV specials, less "selective celebrations", because visiting Disney in hopes of winning a YOMD prize is like spending $1500+ on a lottery ticket.

 

[sknydave]

I think YOMD is overrated, but to assume the "everyman" would visit WDW because Epcot is 25 years old is ridiculous.

 

[CaptainMichael]

EPCOT 25 > YoMD

People fall for nostalgia. Case in point, Disneyland's 50th.

Put together a few inspirational commercials with footage of Walt from the "EPCOT film". Marketing gold. Alas, it was not meant to be. Disney is apparently afraid of anything not having to do with Pirates or Princesses. Imagine a commercial about EPCOT with adults and children about discovery and ....I'm rambling.

 

[ImaYoyo]

Before I leave for my cruise, I just want to point out that WDW is about to break attendance records...

Seems to me like no one at 220 celebration will be losing their job.

But OBVIOUSLY, everyone in marketing is not doing well. I mean, with record breaking attendance figures, everything they're doing is wrong...

right?

 

[sknydave]

I'm willing to bet if you go to the mall and ask 100 people what they think of Epcot the majority will say "eww too much learning"