The Year of a Million Dreams is over!

[WhatJaneSays]

I am glad it is over as well. I entered the park over 100 times during the promotion and I did not receive a single dream. I do think that has to do with me either being a solo visitor or being with my mother or fellow 20somethings, but whatever. And yes, I did go early morning for park openings. So maybe I have bad luck, but it just didn't work for me at all as a promotion... I will be taking my free gift card on my birthday HAPPILY this year, though!! So yay for WWYC!!

I feel a similar way. Even when the promo started I thought "Oh, that's kind of cute" but I never anticipated that I would ever get anything out of it. My prediction was correct. I don't think it was a flaw per say it's just single travelers and groups of adults going together are somewhat less likely to in the right spot at the right moment. And of course the smaller the group, the less likely you are to "win" something.

The What Will You Celebrate seems a little more even but less exciting. It's a little odd for me because I have an Seasonal Pass ... which renews the day before my Birthday. My pass is my gift to my self each year, so it's kind of like getting an extra present. To bad they probably won't let me take that and apply that toward the price of the pass.

 

[Master Yoda]

I agree. It has been far too long since we have had a new celebration to complain about.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Year of a celebration where we don`t plaster the parks in signs and banners...

One can dreeam.

Yep.


*hums New Horizons*

 

[mpaul32001]

I guess I'm bitter. My birthday is the same as Easter day this year, nothing is worth going down and fighting all those people to me. The 4th of July was enough! :lol:

You could always go see.....

Ok, I was looking for a good video for this situation, and this is what I came across. I think this would keep EVERYONE away from the parks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNHqv9EAlxQ

 

[ClemsonTigger]

We just returned from our first family trip to WDW a few hours ago and I am disheartened at the bitterness some of you have towards YOAMD. We were fortunate to have been given a dream on New Year's Eve. We were at Innoventions West when a Dream Team of 10 or 12 appeared and gave away the last EPCOT Dream Fast Passes. It made an already perfect trip even more special, and all because Spaceship Earth was too crowded and my DD7 wanted to do a Kidcot.

It was a magical moment and we were able to enjoy the most crowded day of the year because of this "marketing ploy". We are so grateful to the Dream Team and everyone we met at WDW. Our trip was even more wonderful than we hoped for.

I am glad it is over as well. I entered the park over 100 times during the promotion and I did not receive a single dream. I do think that has to do with me either being a solo visitor or being with my mother or fellow 20somethings, but whatever. And yes, I did go early morning for park openings. So maybe I have bad luck, but it just didn't work for me at all as a promotion... I will be taking my free gift card on my birthday HAPPILY this year, though!! So yay for WWYC!!

I feel a similar way. Even when the promo started I thought "Oh, that's kind of cute" but I never anticipated that I would ever get anything out of it. My prediction was correct. I don't think it was a flaw per say it's just single travelers and groups of adults going together are somewhat less likely to in the right spot at the right moment. And of course the smaller the group, the less likely you are to "win" something.

The What Will You Celebrate seems a little more even but less exciting. It's a little odd for me because I have an Seasonal Pass ... which renews the day before my Birthday. My pass is my gift to my self each year, so it's kind of like getting an extra present. To bad they probably won't let me take that and apply that toward the price of the pass.

While it's good that it's time is up, I agree that it was a cut idea, and am surprised at the negative backlash. While some aspects may be beneficial to groups, if you ever heard the way it works, it's totally right place, right time. The two times I was given awards were on solo trips, and much to the chagrin of my son, we never were recognized on family trips. I don't know how you can say that awarding a group waiting to board Soarin or ToT favors anything. Awarding a seat or table or location at a given time is just that. The only unfortunate aspect of the contest then is that everyone didn't win something. It wouldn't have been much of a contest then, would it? Kind of like people getting angry because Aurora or Mickey don't walk up to them for 15 minutes of 1:1 time like it appears in the commercials.

 

[MousDad]

While it's good that it's time is up, I agree that it was a cut idea, and am surprised at the negative backlash.

I don't think the actual idea itself caused the negative backlash, but rather the association. The whole campaign is associated in many fan's minds with, but not limited to, the following:

Jay Rasulo, homogenization of the parks, Disney Parks as a governing body, tacky decorations that diminish the product, lack of originality, staleness, stagnation, marketing control, etc.

If this had been a campaign for one year, at one of the parks (say DL or MK), there never would have been the backlash.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I don't think the actual idea itself caused the negative backlash, but rather the association. The whole campaign is associated in many fan's minds with, but not limited to, the following:

Jay Rasulo, homogenization of the parks, Disney Parks as a governing body, tacky decorations that diminish the product, lack of originality, staleness, stagnation, marketing control, etc.

If this had been a campaign for one year, at one of the parks (say DL or MK), there never would have been the backlash.

Exactly! Keep the dreams, tackiness and pixie dust in ONE park. How does it belong in EPCOT, DAK, or even DCA? It does not.

 

[tirian]

I don't think the actual idea itself caused the negative backlash, but rather the association. The whole campaign is associated in many fan's minds with, but not limited to, the following:

Jay Rasulo, homogenization of the parks, Disney Parks as a governing body, tacky decorations that diminish the product, lack of originality, staleness, stagnation, marketing control, etc.

If this had been a campaign for one year, at one of the parks (say DL or MK), there never would have been the backlash.

That's exactly what it represented to the fans, but they don't make up the majority of guests. Ironically, when YOAMD was prematurely ended and relaunched, the new iteration was even worse.

I really like the idea of the Dream Squad though, and I think they should be part of the parks permanently. Their existence doesn't need to be advertised; most of the time I saw them over the last two years, they were just walking through the parks, smiling at people, and picking up trash.

 

[tirian]

Exactly! Keep the dreams, tackiness and pixie dust in ONE park. How does it belong in EPCOT, DAK, or even DCA? It does not.

The MK was never tacky until recently, and even now it's mostly just in the front half of Tomorrowland. The majority of the MK is quite beautiful, even if half the shops and restaurants are indefinitely closed.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

The MK was never tacky until recently, and even now it's mostly just in the front half of Tomorrowland. The majority of the MK is quite beautiful, even if half the shops and restaurants are indefinitely closed.

I know, I know. I wasn't even suggesting that MK is tacky.:lol: I was just referring to the usual onslaught of "Disney/Dreams Come true/Happy" overload that is essential to Disney. I shoulda been clearer. Sorry!

 

[tomm4004]

If I go to WDW this year will they ask me what I'm going to celebrate? And if I don't have an answer will they bar me from entering? Is this like the bridge in Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Can't I just go and have a regular vacation like I have the last 30 times I've been there?

 

[MousDad]

That's exactly what it represented to the fans, but they don't make up the majority of guests.

Of course. I was referring, as was the poster I quoted, to the backlash on this site.

 

[krankenstein]

I know, I know. I wasn't even suggesting that MK is tacky.:lol: I was just referring to the usual onslaught of "Disney/Dreams Come true/Happy" overload that is essential to Disney. I shoulda been clearer. Sorry!

But...but...Disney is where all your magical, happy wishes come true through faith, trust, and pixie dust. :lookaroun

I agree with Martin, why can't we have a year without a promotional celebration?

 

[Master Yoda]

But...but...Disney is where all your magical, happy wishes come true through faith, trust, and pixie dust. :lookaroun

I agree with Martin, why can't we have a year without a promotional celebration?

For the same reason that we will not go a year without Coke, Pepsi and Budweiser ads. Even though they are a household name people have incredibly short attention spans and if they are not on your TV 24/7 their sales will fall.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

But...but...Disney is where all your magical, happy wishes come true through faith, trust, and pixie dust. :lookaroun

I agree with Martin, why can't we have a year without a promotional celebration?

Right, YOAMD is perfect for MK. Not for EPCOT. Not for DHS. Not for DAK.


Maybe they shoulda gotten a "Year of ...." for each of them?

Year of Discovery?-EPCOT?

 

[krankenstein]

For the same reason that we will not go a year without Coke, Pepsi and Budweiser ads. Even though they are a household name people have incredibly short attention spans and if they are not on your TV 24/7 their sales will fall.

You can still run TV ads and promote the product without smacking banners and cheap gimmicks all over the parks.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

You can still run TV ads and promote the product without smacking banners and cheap gimmicks all over the parks.

*ding*


Winner!:lol:

 

[Master Yoda]

You can still run TV ads and promote the product without smacking banners and cheap gimmicks all over the parks.

Apparently not to the same degree of effectiveness. Do you honestly think that the Mouse would spend so much bank on banners, signs and such if they were not getting a ROI from them.

 

[krankenstein]

Apparently not to the same degree of effectiveness. Do you honestly think that the Mouse would spend so much bank on banners, signs and such if they were not getting a ROI from them.

Yes, I do. I think the marketing department is given a certain amount of money every year in the budget. In an effort to keep the company from reducing the amount of money they have set aside next year, the department feels the need to use every bit of it budgeted for them. As a result, we get a crappy little signs on every light pole around world showcase.

 

[Master Yoda]

Yes, I do. I think the marketing department is given a certain amount of money every year in the budget. In an effort to keep the company from reducing the amount of money they have set aside next year, the department feels the need to use every bit of it budgeted for them. As a result, we get a crappy little signs on every light pole around world showcase.

Quite possibly, but in these times of radical fat trimming you would think that every department would be under more scrutiny that ever before concerning expenditures. I am sure we are not the only ones that have questioned the need for in park promotion of a celebration. If they have the market research that supports a ROI on in park promotions then you can bet that they will always be there.