Do the Dream Squads still roam the park?

[bcapsley]

I'll be there Monday and Tuesday and was just wondering.

[MollyTrolly]

yep, they are still around usually early in the mornings before noon.

[GrimmGreen]

i ran into some on ... Tuesday , in DCA , and on Wesnesday , they were waiting in the TV room on Tower Of Terror and gave everyone the Year Of A Million Dreams pin lanyards

[Sweetie]

I spent 5 days in WDW in June and 4 days in DLR last week and I only saw the Dream Squad once during those 9 days.

Perhaps it was because I wasn't looking carefully enough, but I couldn't find them.

I am not a fan of this "Year of a Million Dreams" because I just don't see any of the "dreams" being given out. If it wasn't for the internet I wouldn't even understand what the promotion was.

Sooooo, to recap... good luck, but you may not see them at all.

[TikiRoomLiz]

They are still around, and will be for some time. Although the chances of you coming upon them are pretty rare. I know the places I've seen them quite often are on the exit of Big Thunder, exit of Tiki Room, the walkway between Main Street and Rancho and Main Street.

[Junthor]

I still don't get the whole " I didn't win so YOAMD sucks" thing.

[MollyTrolly]

Originally Posted by TikiRoomLiz

They are still around, and will be for some time. Although the chances of you coming upon them are pretty rare. I know the places I've seen them quite often are on the exit of Big Thunder, exit of Tiki Room, the walkway between Main Street and Rancho and Main Street.

Ok that's actually really interesting, I have only seen them on the west side of the park (Tiki, HM, Splash etc). I think I saw them once going toward Nemo, other than that its always been in NOS or frontierland.

[MollyTrolly]

Originally Posted by Junthor

I still don't get the whole " I didn't win so YOAMD sucks" thing.

I think its about the perception of equal opportuinty to win. In a normal contest (say at the entry gate, or a pull at a prize machine), there is a perception that you have at least a chance to win. With this promotion, I rarely see the Dream Team and I personally feel I have little chance to win without directly stalking them when I do see them (which I dont do).

[Junthor]

Originally Posted by MollyTrolly

I think its about the perception of equal opportuinty to win. In a normal contest (say at the entry gate, or a pull at a prize machine), there is a perception that you have at least a chance to win. With this promotion, I rarely see the Dream Team and I personally feel I have little chance to win without directly stalking them when I do see them (which I dont do).

Thats the thing though. It's not a contest.

[Wesley815]

Originally Posted by Junthor

Thats the thing though. It's not a contest.

Exactly!

There are a lot of "poor sports" here who think it sucks when THEY don't get something for free. I'm sure the Dream Squad loves the AP'ers who chase them around the park. (and then post here on ways to 'win' and the 'best times' to see them)

To answer the first post... yes they are out, just relax and have a good day without thinking about it too much. There's not really a good time to be out or area to be in- simply enjoy the park (Disneyland or DCA) and you might get a surprise from them.

[MollyTrolly]

Originally Posted by Junthor

Thats the thing though. It's not a contest.

This is true its not a contest in the true sense of the word...

Its not about what it is in the real terms of the promotion, its the perception of the public to this type of event, promotion, contest, sweepstakes, giveaway, whatever, and thats that Disney is giving away free stuff (free in a sense of the word, since technically its not really free unless you win at Downtown Disney) and everyone has a chance to win.

In actuality, everyone has the same opportunity to win, but its more luck of that draw for that day and where you visit. If the computer pulls Dumbo, iasw and Pooh as the rides for prizes for a day and you dont go near then, you actually have no chance to win. And heaven forbid you don't visit the park until 3pm...in which case you have almost no chance.

I love the idea of YOAMD (and I am probably considered a DoM in relation to it because I do love it). I understand the promotion and so I am not disappointed when I don't win because honestly I rarely feel I have any chance and thats where this promotion went wrong. Poeple are not excited about it because they feel there is no chance to win. I woudl still love to go through a ride exit and just be surprised by them waiting for me...just once!

Ok...sorry to derail the thread a bit. To the OP...yes they are out I believe daily, get to the park early as most prizes are give out before 1pm (at both DCA and DL). If you see them, don't be shy to check it out, you may have a chance to be there when they are giving out prizes!

[Darkbeer]

But it IS a contest. Disney calls it a "giveaway", but it is legally a contest, and has a LOT of rules and regulations....

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/dis...wayRules08Page

[Junthor]

Originally Posted by Darkbeer

But it IS a contest. Disney calls it a "giveaway", but it is legally a contest, and has a LOT of rules and regulations....

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/dis...wayRules08Page

Dang I stand corrected.

[Darkbeer]

OK, I agree that the system is somewhat biased, but IMHO the program was designed to favor "visitors" compared to locals.

As to handing out prizes, it is really computer driven, and the Dream Team CM's really have no way to create a bias.

The computer say at 10:33 AM, hand out

50 Dream Fastpasses to the first 50 folks that accept them leaving a certain attraction. No option to be biased.

The higher level prizes, the computer spits out something like the person sitting in the 6th row of HISTA, 13th seat from the left, and if it is empty, keep going left until you find a person for the first showing that started after 11:24 AM.

So the Dream Patrol really can't be biased.

Where the bias is in the hours of the contest.

They start whenever the park opens, even if it is an Early Entry day, this limits the winners to a selected pool for the first hour, as only the visiting guests with a 3 day or more Advance Purchase ParkHopper or staying at a Disney owned Hotel can win in.

Then you have the rule about handing out certain prizes, such as the Dream Fastpass and the Hotel room early in the day (morning), this is designed into the system, as both prizes are really only good for if handed out in the morning.

The rules state that usually the Dream Team stops at 5 PM, which is clearly biased against those AP holders that show up after work to enjoy the evening at the park.

If the rules were changed, such as going back to the Dream Giveaway turnstiles, where every eligible guest gets one "equal" chance to win, that is any First time entry that is not associated with a Disney CM sign-in gets a ticket printed by the turnstile (The law states that Disney employees are not eligible for the main contest, Disney has done special contests for CM's). This way, every person gets an equal chance.

The other thing I would change is how the prizes are issued.

For example, Dream Fastpasses, during an off-season weekday, many FP attraction don't offer them (Heck, in DCA, usually only 2 out of the 5 are offered Monday thru Thursday).

I would change the handling of them to, if the turnstile voucher awarded you one, it would be valid for 7 days, and you could pick the day you wanted to use it. Also, you would reduce the amount of the Dream FP's, and make it similar to how the GAC system works, a group up to 5 or 6 can enter the FP queue with the winning ticket, since they will not be awarded in batches. They would have to add other prizes to get to the million, but I think it is a better choice. It isn't much of a dream to get an Dream FP on a slow day. (Heck, the lanyard is nice

I also have a problem with the "extra hour" prize, currently in Orlando, and to come to Disneyland in 2008. Congrats, you can stay until 7 PM at DCA instead of being kicked out at 6 PM... What happens if you have other plans, such as dinner, a flight home, etc... Making it available for selected days in a weeks period helps (except for those flying/driving home).

Of course, the Dream Fastpasses and the Extra Hour events are pretty cheap to offer in the million prizes, as compared to Dream Ears, Pins and Lanyards, and other prizes, such as a meal and/or snack.

But IMHO, it would be much better to have the machine print out "Free Snack up to $5", where the guest can pick an ODV item of their choosing (some folks have dietary restrictions) or something similar.

The best solution, IMHO is the mail in option,

[Goofy Daddy]

Originally Posted by Junthor

I still don't get the whole " I didn't win so YOAMD sucks" thing.

Although I agree with you, I still don't see what that has to do with the actual topic of the thread. The "heated debate" of haters and lovers of YoaMD has been done to death on the site, no need to start it here as well.