Dream Squad Prizes

[Sportsdoc]

Wanted to pick others brains on any tips for winning a year of a million dreams prize at WDW? Will be visiting soon and thought there may be ways to maximize chances. Did not know best place/board to post this request?

[JPL]

:welcome: to Intercot!!
It's a very random sweepstakes type of contest. It's all about being in the right place at the right time and this may also doing the right thing like drinking from a Water Fountain or sitting on a bench. There is really no way yo increase your chances of winning at all. I would suggest that you arrive at the parks early as it seems most of the bigger prizes like a Night at the Castle are awarded early in the day.

[Ian]

To answer both questions ... Theme Parks is probably the best board for this. I'll pop this thread over there for you.

As far as ways to increase your odds of winning, as Jeff said ... there really isn't one.

The best advice is to get to the parks early in the morning. The Dream Fastpasses and the Castle stay are all given out before 10:30AM on most days.

[Figment!]

Although the awarding is random, there are a few guidelines to how prizes are awarded:

1) Prizes are only awarded to Guests inside of Walt Disney World's 6 gated parks (4 Theme Parks & 2 Water Parks) and the Downtown Disney retail & dining District.

2) Prizes are only awarded between the hours of Area Open and 5:00 pm EST. Day-of redemption prizes are likely to be awarded "early in the day".

3) Most (although not all) prize locations are attraction seats, attraction pre-show areas, attraction post-show areas or semi-secluded Guest areas.

[LibertyTreeGal]

My advice is -- don't focus on winning and don't try. I've seen people racing around trying to find the Dream Squad all day -- what a wretched way to spend your vacation :(

Now, this woman was a DL local, searching for the Squad and i met her outside the HM -- she was on her way to the Tea Cups because she heard they were there. I walked on to HM and we all got lanyards and pins! I saw her later and she recognised me and rolled her eyes when she saw my lanyard. I'm glad she didn't ask where I got it....

[#1donaldfan]

Welcome to Intercot !!!!!


To answer your question....totally random.....

we got our prize coming off of SM early in the morning, late June......:mickey:

[bleukarma]

There's really nothing you can do to increase your odds besides ride rides and walk around the parks and downtown disney. Maybe try to do things earlier in the day, but thats about it. It's all completely random, and it has to be for legal purposes. I got a dream fastpass in the pre-show area of Tower of Terror and it seems like the pre-show areas and post areas are popular. But you really have no way of knowing what ride or park the dream team is at any particuliar time.

Good luck! :mickey:

[Zippy_D_DooDah]

We have been to WDW 3 times since last December and I haven't even seen the Dream Squad. I thought I passed a CM at MGM/Disney Hollywood Studios who was wearing a YOAMD satchel. He greeted my family and we said hello, but nothing more. While winning a dream would be nice, I don't let it consume my vacation and designate where I will be at certain times. If it happens, it happens.

[jrpersinger]

I have come to believe that the Dream Squad is a figment of the imgination. :figment: ;)

In all seriousness, the week we were there in June, we didn't see them. Nor did we see anyone with any of the prizes that are awarded. (i.e. ears, fastpasses, lanyards) And anyone we know personally, well, they haven't either. I had expected to see people everywhere wtih dream prizes. But then again, I really wasn't looking either.

[kbean]

I want the shopping spree!!!

[BeccaO]

SHOPPING SPREE!!!! DID SOMEONE SAY SHOPPING SPREE!!!!! :mickey:

[SorcererStitch]

When I was at WDW in Feb. my daughter and I received the pins&Lanyards at Test Track in the preboarding area. We are pin traders so when the CM saw us, she said oh good pin traders you are about to be very happy. That was cool!!:cool:


Randy.

[Disdad13]

Prize awarding is totally random. We were there for 10 days in September. I only saw the Dream Team twice - once at the entrance to MK on our first day (a family had just won something - not sure what) and on our last day, I was walking in Epcot from The Land toward the World Showcase on one of those smaller walkways and ran into a whole team of Dream Teamers with a big box of Dream Mickey Ears giving them to everyone who happened to be walking through at that moment. They had to have given out 30 or more that I saw....

[thefunkypurplegirl]

ive been 5 times since last december...an i havent even seen the ppls-so dont plan ur vacation around them,it wont b worth it :P

[Fallendroplet]

I'm friends with a CM that's on the dream team at MK. Everything is random. Not even the CM's know when they're going to be giving out a dream.
During your trip, don't concentrate on trying to find them or on winning a prize...just enjoy your time at Disney! :mickey:

[pennsy22]

ive been 5 times since last december...an i havent even seen the ppls-so dont plan ur vacation around them,it wont b worth it :P

We've been there 7 times (multiple days each trip) since last March and we've yet to actually see someone winning something. :mad: My DW would probably agree with "jrpersinger" that it's a Figment of the imagination.:figment: Hopefully you'll have better luck.:thumbsup:

[mcjaco]

I have two friends that are Dream Squad members. Trust me, they do exist. ;) My wife and I saw plenty of awards given last year when we went. We even got a magical moment at American Adventure.

I've never asked my two friends how they choose, but they both said the same thing. If you see them, don't follow them around. You won't get chosen.

[Laura670]

It is all random....we were there in January and we saw the Dream team a few times but never won anything my DD and her boyfriend both won Lanyards in DTD she told me it was weird they saw the dream team and didn't think anything of it because she had seen them a few times during the trip but one of them kept watching her and her boyfriend . When DD and her boyfriend starting walking away is when the dream team approached them and gave them both pins & Lanyards. After talking to the dream team she found out why they were watching her and her boyfriend they had to step on a certain brick to win! So you never know!I wouldn't focus too much on winning but just enjoying yourselves and having a good time! And if you win thenn it's just an added bonus!

[teambricker04]

We just got back and hardly saw any Dream squad people. We did see a couple filling out a lot of paperwork with a couple of squad members so they probably won a bigger prize. We did see a lot of dream fastpasses and ears but none actually given away.

On Thursday we had dinner with a CM friend who works the administrative side of the Dream squad and she was surprised we didn't win anything (I wasn't I usually don't win anything). She did say you can go online and register to win prizes as well.

[browneyedgirl12]

My family and I went in May and as my brother and I were getting off Space Mountain they gave Dream Fast passes out to us and the other people in my car.

It is totally random and there isn't really anyway of increasing your chances but don't plan your vacation around it. If you win something awesome... If you don't your still at the Happiest Place on Earth right??? :mickey:

[LudwigVonDrake]

I was in WDW in July and NEVER once saw the Dream Squad. I saw people with the special fastpasses but never saw the people giving 'em out :(

[PAT9760]

Winners are all pre-selected. By that I mean, at the beginning of the day computer generates all prize winners. The list is basically comprised of stuff like...guests sitting in Row 2, Section A, seats 4,5,6,7 at Philharmagic during the 11:00 show are awarded such and such. If no one is sitting in that place at the specified time - that prize is not awarded that day. All random - all computer generated. All comes down to dumb luck!

[CandleontheWater]

I've won 4 times in the parks (I know, I'm extremely lucky), and I'll pass on this hint, each of the 4 times I was in line for an e-ticket attraction, Soarin (2X), RnRC and Test Track, right after the park opened. I won 3 dream fastpasses and a dream magic hour. I would suggest being there at ropedrop and racing to the nearest e-ticket attraction, you may just get lucky. Don't get too hung up on it though, because it will ruin your vacation. If I see a dream squad member I won't even look at them or think about them, because I know that if I'm expecting it, or hoping to be chosen, that it won't happen. Disney magic doesn't work that way, it always comes when you least expect it.

[anlashokna]

We saw one on our way to Pirates of the Caribbean. I told dad you know us...if it wasnt for bad luck we'd have no manner of luck at all !

So after getting stuck on pirates we wandered up to the Train Station and road it around the park. We got of the train and as you come down the walk there was a gal at the first corner clicking off the number of people coming down (which was only a handful) and she told us we had been awarded a dream prize and see the lady who was standing right down at the next turn. Got special lanyards that read My dreams came true with two special pins. Honestly the best souveniers of the trip!

So truthfully, you'll never know where they're going to strike. I sure didn't expect to see one getting off the train!!

[SignguyTom]

At Disneyland in April, they were giving out Dream FastPasses to everyone who went through Tarzan's Treehouse. We were in the middle of breakfast when we saw it. It was our last 1/2 day so we wouldn't have been able to get max use out of them, but would have been a cool souvenir!

Other than that, we have not even seen the Dream Squad in 4 DLR weekend trips.

[MOJoe]

When we were at Epcot in June, my family entered through the International Gateway. I ran ahead to get Soarin fastpasses, while my wife and sons walked. I never saw the Dream Team, but less than 5 minutes after i ran through, my wife and sons were stopped and given Dream Passes. We took the same route, and i must have passed right by them, but i never saw the Dream Team. Lucky for me, though, my wife talked the Dream Team out of a Fastpass for me too! :cloud9:

[mudpuppysmom]

I'm wondering if they really do give out prizes to people sitting on benches!!

This trip will be a very slow paced one for me (DH gets to get dragged all over by DS this time) as I'm having a difficult pregnancy, so I'll be riding the bench most of the trip.......no total fun, but better than being at home in the cold!!

Separately......DS and I were in MGM of all places (DS doesn't really enjoy MGM that much) and we decided to check out One Man's Dream and as we were going thru the turnstile thing there was a lady giving out wrist bracelets.....I thought it was strange and asked her why....she said "see the guys inside, they'll tell you why you need this bracelet".......we won a Dream EMH at MGM! Turns out it was super duper fun!! We basically had the park to ourselves and it was in December, so we got to see the Osborne Lights -- ALL BY OURSELVES while everyone else was riding the rides that they had open! DS was too short to ride the bigger rides, so we enjoyed the park "other stuff" that evening!

It was fun, but it was a tad chilly......still better than the snow they had back home!

[jaredkari]

My DH and I were there in May of this year, and we got mouse ears coming off Peter Pan's flight. It was so random!

[Magic Smiles]

We just spent 17 days in WDW and did not see the Dream Team once. We saw a few families with prizes from the Dream Team but our selves did not see them at all.

[laward32]

My family has been twice since the YOAMD started. Once Dec 06 and Oct 07. We didn't see anyone from the Dream Squad in Dec., but in Oct we won one hour after closing in the park (MK). We were in Toontown seeing the princesses and as we finished with Cinderella two ladies and a man asked to talk to us. I thought they were going to explain the photopass or something. They started putting blue wristbands on us and asked if there was anyone else in our party and gave us an extra one for my dad, he was back at the room. My girls were sooo excited.
I did see the Dream Squad a couple more times on our trip. It is just random. I've never won anything, so I was excited. And to walk around the park without hardly anyone there was awesome. A CM said they gave our 3000 wristbands. Let me tell you 3000 people doesn't make a dent in the park.:mickey:

[dmosher]

Disney has commissioned a computer program specifically designed for the purpose of randomly selecting a time and location within the parks to choose a winner. By using specific park locations (reportedly a mapping and GPS solution)the computer tells the squad exactly (I mean EXACTLY) where to be at a time ( to the second from what I understand) and whoever is lucky enough to be at that position at that exact moment wins. At no time does the program or the squad dictate that it has to be a family or any other requirements. I have heard rumors that they spot people they think would deserve it most, etc. These are false, it is 100% random, therefore, following the squad around will only put you where you need to be about 5 seconds too late. My advise... enjoy your vacation and if you are lucky enough to win, AWSOME, if not just be happy you are in WDW and give congrats to those who were lucky that day.
:pipes:
D

[Not2Loud]

I took my DD4 last year for her birthday, and we got two prizes in the matter of an hour.

Neither prize was a YoMD prize, but cool none-the-less.

1. At Indy Speedway, she got to waive the flag to start the race and then hop to the front of the line. They also gave her a certificate.

2. We then headed to the teacups, and Alice & the Madhatter were there signing autographs. They noticed DD4's Birthday button and said it was time to ride the ride. While we couldn't ride with them due to rules, they got in the cup next to us and rode the teacups. DD4 was so excited by this first hour at the MK that the rest of the day has been forgotten to her!

[DisneyCrazyET]

When we got off of Figment we saw the Dream Squad. Two familes after us were winners.
I did however receive a Magical Moment standing outside the Main Street Bakery. This was at park close. I was waitng for my son to meet me. A CM walked over and we talked for a few minutes. He then handed me a giant cookie with Christmas sprinkles on it. It added to the magic of our trip.

[Stich8818]

DW,DD and I were getting ready to go to dinner at Liberty Tree Taven and my daughter was dressed up in full costume as Belle, as we were getting ready to go in from out of nowere a DT member came up to my daughter and asked for Belle's autograph because she had been looking all day for Belle. The cast member pulled out a autograph book and a pen. My daughter signed it and the cast member gave her the Tink pins that there is one to give and one to share.

[anlashokna]

If you go look at the disney dream catalog, I think its under terms and conditions. They actually list how many of each price they give out. Considering the amount of people that they see each day I now feel very lucky to have won anything. And could explain why they are rarely seen.

[disneydoug]

We were at WDW the week before Christmas. We saw the Dream Squad several times in MK. Two of the mornings they were giving fast passes to people exiting Peter Pan's Flight.

Doug

[rcaide]

we got off Soarin' 1st thing in the morning and saw a girl win the castle stay in the exit area of Soarin.'

The morning we were in animal kingdom we had breakfast reservations and had gotten to the park too late to get on the safari so we decided to get a fast pass and then walk the trail until time for breakfast. The trail was virtually empty. We came around a bend and there was the dream team with the goodie bag and we won dream ears.

After breakfast, we used our fast pass on the safari and when we came out the dream team was there and they said everyone in our car won dream fast passes. It was definitely a great morning for us! :thumbsup: