Year of a Million Dreams???

[FortheloveofStitch]

Just returned from the World and was surprised/dissapointed at the number of people we saw who had won or even the "dream squad" wandering around. I saw all the banners and signs, but I didn't see the dreams. I am not complaining because I didn't "win", because I have in the past. We were in the World in 11/06 and 7/07 and it was noticibly different. In the previous trips you either saw winners or at least the dream squad. People everywhere had dream fastpasses or mickey ears. Not this summer. Just wondered if anyone else noticed it. My DD Daughter still has her lanyard that she won back in 11/06. It was just neat to see the people who had won. Made it seem more possible to win.

[Taja]

Haven't been there since December, but I did notice that most Dreams were dispensed early in the day. Probably because most had to be used/claimed the same day.

We had plenty of CMs who provided magical moments for us, though. The group had fun. :)

[javamama]

I saw two people w/dream fast passes at AK and that was it in a week. No one else at all the parks.

[thejens]

I seem to be the only one who hates this magical dreams marketing campaign. I think Disney is magical all of the time and the special extras were much more special when they seemed to come spontaneously from a caring CM. Now, when my 4 year old got to bowl with plastic bowling pins near TOT while waiting for us to do the kid swap he got a certificate (hold this mama) certifying his "magical moment." huh? It was just nice to let him play. Not really magical, and somewhat less so when we realized it was orchestrated by the marketing committee for the year of a million dreams. We never got any free anything and our most touching moments were spontaneous. I think the "I wonder if I'll win something" feeling spoils the delight in the simpler things. I am thinking they are about to spoil the spontaneous joy we have in sharing our love for Disney, by creating a corporate Mickey Mom's Club. I hope not. Just my thoughts. I know I am in the minority.

[katzctkpt]

July 07 we won YOMD mickey ears after our 1st ride on Splash Mtn. After that we saw the dream squad with the winners for the castle around 3 watching the afternoon parade in MK. Then nothing the remaining trip. I sure would like to spend the night in the castle. :blush:

[MOJoe]

That's odd. We just got back from a week at the world, and i don't think a day passed without seeing someone that had won dream fastpasses. We missed winning ourselves at AK and MK by minutes. Go figure.

[elmjimmlm]

We did not see one...Believe me, we were looking...:look:

[LoriMistress]

It's best to be in the parks from opening to 11am; that's when the Dream Squad give out most of their dreams.

[JPelle76]

Have a question about the dreams, do they just give them out to guests in the 4 main parks or do they give them to people wandering around the reorts as well? And what about the water parks and dtd?

[CaptSmee]

It's best to be in the parks from opening to 11am; that's when the Dream Squad give out most of their dreams.

This tends to be true! We noticed the same thing when we were there last Dec., and we even won dream fastpasses at Soarin around 10:15 a.m.


Have a question about the dreams, do they just give them out to guests in the 4 main parks or do they give them to people wandering around the reorts as well? And what about the water parks and dtd?

I have read reports of people winning them at DTD, but have not read or heard anything about the resorts.

[Here we go again...]

When we were there a couple of weeks ago we only saw one couple with dream fast passes and 2 families with the hats. It does seem that the dreams are going out a little earlier.
Over the last year would see lots of YOMD people walking around at night... not this trip.
We did have a man walk in while we were watching Turtle Talk with Crush and thought "FINALLY, we are going to get something!" but no, he must have been waiting for the next group.

[Ian]

Because of the time dependencies for most of the prizes, they tend to be given out early in the morning.

When we won the Castle Suite it was at 10:30AM. Our Dream Fastpasses were won around 9:45AM.

If you weren't in the parks early you probably just missed them. I'm pretty sure the contractual obligations of the contest preclude them from suddenly deciding not to give out any prizes. It's all randomly decided by an independently audited computer program.

[poeticeclipse]

Because of the time dependencies for most of the prizes, they tend to be given out early in the morning.



I agree totally. DH and I won our Dream Fastpasses RIGHT when the park opened. We were Family of the Day and chose to ride ToT first without anyone on it. When we were in the "tv room" a few Dream Squad members were in there with two Dream Fastpasses just for us. It seemed very odd that it happened THAT early and that he had exactly TWO fastpasses. I'm guessing that since it's all "random"... someone told him that there was two of us and so he got two out and had them ready ahead of time.

[Rosemickey68]

We were there a few weeks ago and saw several people wearing the YOMD Mickey Ears...in fact a large group walked by just getting off space mountain, so I assume the dream team had to of just given those ears out.

[CleveSJM]

I seem to be the only one who hates this magical dreams marketing campaign. I think Disney is magical all of the time and the special extras were much more special when they seemed to come spontaneously from a caring CM. Now, when my 4 year old got to bowl with plastic bowling pins near TOT while waiting for us to do the kid swap he got a certificate (hold this mama) certifying his "magical moment." huh? It was just nice to let him play. Not really magical, and somewhat less so when we realized it was orchestrated by the marketing committee for the year of a million dreams. We never got any free anything and our most touching moments were spontaneous. I think the "I wonder if I'll win something" feeling spoils the delight in the simpler things. I am thinking they are about to spoil the spontaneous joy we have in sharing our love for Disney, by creating a corporate Mickey Mom's Club. I hope not. Just my thoughts. I know I am in the minority.

People seem to confuse the YOMD with "Magical Moments". WDW always did Magical Moments and always will. YOMD is giving out pins, ears and fastpasses (and the bigger prizes). Any of the non-prize things aren't really YOMD. I'm sure YOMD influences how they do Magical Moments but it's really not the same.

PS - I was ok with year one of YOMD but year 2 is uncreative. I also saw about the same level of winning all the times I've been there.

[CleveSJM]

Have a question about the dreams, do they just give them out to guests in the 4 main parks or do they give them to people wandering around the reorts as well? And what about the water parks and dtd?

They give them out all over the property but the "wandering" part is tough to define. All the prizes are giving out to people in very specific place at very specific times. You really almost NEED to be in a single file queue so someone can't jump in front of you and claim it's their prize. It has to be like that to be legal. I recommend getting in lines early in the day if you want a prize. We've won three times in three trips.

Now, Magical Moment type things can happen to anyone at anytime pretty much anywhere.

[hlkeck]

We've been 2x since YOMD and haven't won anything - and we're always a step behind or in front of some major prize! We were 10 minutes behind a 2 night winner in the castle on Test Track this past January!

Ah well...we still enjoy being there...with or without a night in the castle.

But how amazing would that be??:cloud9:

[mickeys_princess_mom]

First of all--for me it's icing on the cake. Loved the Magic before this promotion, and don't sit around all day thinking about it, but it would be nice. (Unless you're talking about the night in the castle here, and I'm sure I would step on folks for that one, but...:blush:)
What are the odds that just two (mom and grown daughter or a couple) would encounter a major dream? If it is done absolutely randomly (I hear the predetermined numbers thing), then sure. But are there ever just impulsive "awards"? I always picture things going to families w/ the "parents and 2.5 kids" thing happening...Not that I'm against that, but I still dream. Actually was in the Emporium last trip and heard them announce the winners of a night in the castle. I was devastated, but my son thought it was funny that I took it that hard.:bang:

[Ratings]

You hit a nerve when you mentioned mother and daughter. I am glad they are using computers to pin point winners now. I was at EPCOT opening day. I stood there for hours with a large group of peolple. I was with my mom who was probably in her 60's and I was in my 30's. Not the postcard type family. When they chose a family for the opening events and to get a lifelong pass to the park they chose a typical family - mom and dad and cute kids. I swear I didn't see them while we sat there for hours. Maybe they were at another gate. So computers are alot fairer.

[Gator]

On my last trip, I never saw a Dream Team the entire week. I was hoping to at least see someone win something.