Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

[Barbaraann]

When I first heard about the Year of a Million Dreams promotion, I thought it would be different than what it turned out to be.

Now, it's nice that the Disney people want to gift people with fastpasses, and nights in the castle, and whatever else it is that they are giving away. However, those are their interpretations of "dreams", those are not my Disney Dreams, those are their's.

I have always dreamed of meeting Jiminy Cricket. I want to take a picture with him. I want his autograph. It is a simple dream. Not too complicated. Wouldn't cost Disney much to arrange.

Perhaps they should have asked us to fill out a form. What is your dream? Then they would sort through those dreams and make a certain amount of them come true.

Perhaps someone wants to have dinner in the castle.
Perhaps someone wants to stay at the Grand Floridian Hotel.
Perhaps someone wants a picture of the 7 dwarfs and Snow White in the same photo.
Perhaps someone wants to see the apartment above the Firehouse.

You get my point. It would have been nice to have been asked what my "dream" was. It isn't any of the things that I have seen advertised. That may sound selfish, but I am still wishing that my dream comes true.

[jane2073]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

I agree.
We got a dream reward the other day at MGM.

http://www.micechat.com/forums/showthread.php/dreamed_picking_up_trash-80377.html

It was fun but the certificate just made me laugh. A definite keeper.

But at least I can finally say we won something.

My dream would be unlimited rides on Big Thunder Mountain (I love the ride!). Or to appear in one of the parades. I think I would prefer the one at Animal Kingdom. Or (since this is the Disneyland forum) a free trip to Disneyland.

[Dan - Tasmic!]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

I want to dance in the parade, or at least BEFORE the parade, hehehe!!

[mycroft16]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

Now, it's nice that the Disney people want to gift people with fastpasses, and nights in the castle, and whatever else it is that they are giving away. However, those are their interpretations of "dreams", those are not my Disney Dreams, those are their's.

[...]

It would have been nice to have been asked what my "dream" was. It isn't any of the things that I have seen advertised. That may sound selfish, but I am still wishing that my dream comes true.

I'm with you 100% on this. I think it's wonderful that they are trying to do this, but I wish that they would have asked what our dreams really were. I would love to get a photo with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto all at once. Or have a picture of me standing on the front balcony of the Castle looking down on the hub.

[fo'c's'le swab]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

Maybe it should have been called "Year of a Million Memories", or "Year of a Million Gifts". People are so hung up on the "Dream" thing ('it's not MY dream', they say). They are just prizes, folks. This is not a 'genie in the bottle/three wishes' scenario. They are 'thank yous' for being Disney Fans, and visiting the Parks. Some prizes are tokens, some are real extravagances. I have a sneaking suspicion this criticism (unfair IMO) of the 'dreams' is really just an excuse to hate a promotion that was ill-timed (too soon after the 50th, IMO) and has overstayed its welcome (18 months?). Do you all really expect Disney corporation to know what your own specific dreams are, or, as this thread suggests, to cater to those wildly divergent requests (and the possible scheduling conflicts/liability issues) that might be made if 'dreams' were actually realized in the form of prizes?

[Junthor]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

I think maybe thats why they are doing the second year thing with new "big" prizes..

maybe they listened to what people wanted and they wanted to give it...


I'll say the Imagineering dream prize would be cool.. I bet a few people would have written that down.

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

I think maybe thats why they are doing the second year thing with new "big" prizes..

maybe they listened to what people wanted and they wanted to give it...

I'd like to meet the %*#[email protected]# who thought that spending the night in the Disney gallery was what they wanted.

[mycroft16]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

Do you all really expect Disney corporation to know what your own specific dreams are, or, as this thread suggests, to cater to those wildly divergent requests (and the possible scheduling conflicts/liability issues) that might be made if 'dreams' were actually realized in the form of prizes?

Nope, I certainly don't fo'c's'le. That would be wildly unrealistic. I have made no bones about my problems with this promotion. My problem is with the fact that they are only actually doing something for less than 1% of their attendees. The 50th was for everyone. The YOAMD is for less than 1% of people. That is the problem. No matter what they call it, dreams, gifts, thank yous, etc, it is for such a small percentage of the people that they should be thanking that it is totally pointless.

This thread is about dreams. It is a hypothetical. I didn't take it to be a literal request to Disney. I took it as an "if it were possible to grant real dreams" kind of thread. Surely, you must have some dreams as well. Things that would not be hard to grant you (but would if they were trying to do it for all the huddled masses). What would you like to be able to do or see at Disneyland fo'c's'le? (Barring thematic changes like restoring Frontierland to its former glory which I would also like to see but which really doesn't work under this question). Have some light hearted fun here man.

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

Nope, I certainly don't fo'c's'le. That would be wildly unrealistic. I have made no bones about my problems with this promotion. My problem is with the fact that they are only actually doing something for less than 1% of their attendees. The 50th was for everyone. The YOAMD is for less than 1% of people. That is the problem. No matter what they call it, dreams, gifts, thank yous, etc, it is for such a small percentage of the people that they should be thanking that it is totally pointless.

Totally agree here. I have been to Disneyland on the average of once per week for the last year and I have never won a dream prize.

I got close to winning a lanyard last week at the exit of the Tiki Room but I left right before they started giving them out. When I went back to the Dream CM's to see if I could get one they said no. Oh well its not like it has been my lifelong dream to win a lanyard...

[fo'c's'le swab]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

My problem is with the fact that they are only actually doing something for less than 1% of their attendees. The 50th was for everyone. The YOAMD is for less than 1% of people.

I don't see the inherent problem with contests or sweepstakes. Doesn't it make it special to 'win' something, rather than have it handed to you, like everyone else? I like contests because of the uncertainty; the anticipation. No, you don't win everytime, but isn't that the idea? I just can't grasp the 'insult' Disney is handing to its fans by implementing contests. Giveaways are boring. To me, a lot of this sounds like 'sour grapes'.

This thread is about dreams. It is a hypothetical. I didn't take it to be a literal request to Disney. I took it as an "if it were possible to grant real dreams" kind of thread.

I did. Maybe I misinterpreted.

What would you like to be able to do or see at Disneyland fo'c's'le? (Barring thematic changes like restoring Frontierland to its former glory which I would also like to see but which really doesn't work under this question). Have some light hearted fun here man

My 'dreams' would be impossible for Disney to realize as a prize, mostly because none of them involve Disney . My criticism of this 'dream-bashing' is not specific to this thread, (I hope the OP notes this) but a comment made in the general, about negative attitudes towards this particular contest, which are wide-spread (and continue to gain ground) on MC.

[MollyTrolly]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

Maybe it should have been called "Year of a Million Memories", or "Year of a Million Gifts". People are so hung up on the "Dream" thing ('it's not MY dream', they say). They are just prizes, folks.

Yep, yep, yep....

[MasterGracey]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

and has overstayed its welcome (18 months?).

Try 27 months.

[hollywood1939]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

When I first heard of YOAMD I thought the Dream Team would ask you what your dream would be. Unrealistic, yeah can't do, against the rules sorry. But realistic (such as mine which would be to ride ToT in an elevator alone) would have been fine. I agree with Swab, it should be Year of a Million Prizes or Gifts, because acheiving one's dreams is a little too far fetched.

[Barbaraann]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

How does the song go? A dream is a wish your heart makes.

I recently saw the new commercial that shows people at Disneyland being gifted with a night in the new dream suite, another family was riding in the parade, another was staying a night in the Cinderella Castle. I realized that I have never dreamed any of those things. My dream is a simple one.

I think if Disney asked us, many of our dreams would be simple too.

Many conversations are had when guests call up Disney and make their travel plans and purchase their travel packages. I believe people could be asked about their dreams. Disney is built around "When you wish upon a star".

A smart marketing campaign could have been built around this idea.

Sour grapes? Perhaps. No one should tell us what our dreams are. They are not the same for all of us, and they should not be stamped out in an assembly line.

[bfdf55]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

How does the song go? A dream is a wish your heart makes.

I recently saw the new commercial that shows people at Disneyland being gifted with a night in the new dream suite, another family was riding in the parade, another was staying a night in the Cinderella Castle. I realized that I have never dreamed any of those things. My dream is a simple one.

I think if Disney asked us, many of our dreams would be simple too.

Many conversations are had when guests call up Disney and make their travel plans and purchase their travel packages. I believe people could be asked about their dreams. Disney is built around "When you wish upon a star".

A smart marketing campaign could have been built around this idea.

Sour grapes? Perhaps. No one should tell us what our dreams are. They are not the same for all of us, and they should not be stamped out in an assembly line.

[DLFreak71]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

it's a sweepstakes. Whatever. I don't go to disney to win things (rather see the money go towards maintenance of the park and CM's getting a better salary). I go for the love of the park. However, I don't agree that the Gallery should be torn out for something that is going to last 12 months (actually shorter, right? this part doesn't start until later this year....????).

It's great people can win something. Sure, a churro isn't my dream, but it's a nice gesture. Am I in love w/ the promo, no. Do I hate it or think it's not a nice thing to do, no.

[angeladlr]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

Although many of the people on this thread chose simple dreams, do you really think this would have been the case had people been asked to pick a dream? And creating limits etc. would have been so confusing and time consuming that there is no way it would have worked....in fact I'll bet there'd be even more YOAMD hate threads out there!

But I do agree that in theory this is a good concept...and will make for a nice daydream or game for my kids to play on the way to DLR lol

Also, in regards to the name, Year of A Million Prizes just doesn't sound as "magical" "disney-esque" or "promotional" just maybe more "politically correct".

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

My dream is that this whole YOAMD crap completely dies, and we never speak of it again.

Any chance on getting that dream to come true Disney?

-- PMM

[Strangel]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

It's great people can win something. Sure, a churro isn't my dream, but it's a nice gesture. Am I in love w/ the promo, no. Do I hate it or think it's not a nice thing to do, no.

Snipped to quote the relevant (to my reply) section.


One of the things I've really liked about YOMD is the nice gestures. There are lots of little things CMs and Customer Service did for us on the various trips we took this last year. My son and I were approached at closing in Pieces Of Eight (I think...) at the end of our last trip by a wonderful CM. She was with a group of others and looked to be taking a tour of the park with an organizer book of some sort, but she took the time to stop and talk with us, without so much as expecting us to approach her. Because of her, my son had a pair of Dream pins sent snail-mail, a Mickey pin, and an autographed 8x10 photo of the Fab 5. I lost my beloved (and very emotionally valued) light-up Tink clip, the ones that come with Pirate Punch in Blue Bayou, on our last night. It seems like such a silly little thing to be so upset about, but that clip was a memento from our fifth anniversary dinner at BB. The last I heard, no one turned it in, but Customer Service sent me a beautifully worded and sympathetic email and snail-mailed me an autographed 8x10 Tinkerbell art "photo". They said they knew it couldn't replace my clip, but hoped it would bring a smile to my face. My son's first day as a pin trader saw us going to the park with his new lanyard and two pins to trade. The bag checkers at the Monorail entrance made a big to-do about his entry into pin trading and brought him a handful of DLRP starter set pins. Once they were all on, they both told him NOW he looked like he was ready for a day of trading.
Sometimes, its as simple as a CM stopping to ask if you're alright or joking with you over how many turkey legs you're buying for your group. Sometimes it's a free extra churro because "I had to give you a broken one." I think a lot of CMs - and I realize I may be wrong about this - see the YOMD as a chance to step up and change someone's day. The little things that happened on our trips, I'll hold with me for as long as my mind is capable. I, for one, am thankful for all the CMs I've interacted with. I wouldn't have bought an annual pass, nor talked my mother into buying three, if it weren't for the CMs and the returning quality and cleanliness of the park.

[mousechild]

Re: Year Of A Million Dreams - I wish it was this way.

Properly titled, up to this point it would be Year of a Million Trinkets.