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]

I agree.
We got a dream reward the other day at MGM.
http://www.micechat.com/forums/showt...ash-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!]

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

[mycroft16]

Originally Posted by Barbaraann

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by Junthor

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 %*#$@# who thought that spending the night in the Disney gallery was what they wanted.

[mycroft16]

Originally Posted by fo'c's'le swab

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]

Originally Posted by mycroft16

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]

Originally Posted by mycroft16

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]

Originally Posted by fo'c's'le swab

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....

The biggest problem with this promotion is the fact that because of the nature of the promotion they are not calling it a sweepstakes in the marketing materials. No one seems to understand what winning a “dream” means. It is a giveaway, and at some point they need to call it what it is. This is NOT Make a wish, and although I would enjoy winning a Disney Cruise or whatever, it is not one of my dreams.

I think the option I had for the renaming was: “the year of a million no strings attached prizes”.

People need to get over the dream part and look at it as an opportunity to win a small widget which is just a token of appreciation for your visit (or your postcard or whatever). Its funny, the expectations of those that understand the promotion are really high, and for the rest who don’t even know there is a promotion are too low. Disney missed it on both sides…

[MasterGracey]

Originally Posted by fo'c's'le swab

and has overstayed its welcome (18 months?).

Try 27 months.

[hollywood1939]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by Barbaraann

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.

Your whole thread makes just so much sense. If Disney had actually thought through the concept, then they should have actually made an effort to let the guests indicate what their dreams actually were. At least give them the opportunity to choose between several options at a given level. They may even find that the guest may prefer a cheaper/simpler “dream”. If only such intelligent thinking had been available when they were developing this promotion.