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adriennek
03-14-2007, 06:49 PM
Today we finally saw the Jedi Training in Tomorrowland and something that was hysterical to a number of people who know me happened...

Now, both of our older boys were selected and I cannot tell you how surprised and excited we were!! We had warned the boys that they might not get picked. But they DID! Our eldest boy was selected early on and our middle boy was picked near the end. That little kid jumped his HEART out trying to get picked!!

We had waited 45 minutes for the show.

You should also keep in mind that my husband and I are Disney geeks. Heck, we helped found this site. I'm the one who came up with the name "MousePlanet." Geeks.

I was on the Creative Advisory Council in 2001. At the first meeting we had, everyone had to make a shield representing his/her Disney-fandom. In the section for "what you collect" I put a dollar sign with a line through it and said "I collect Free Stuff" (BTW, that answer got a great response.)

And not only am I a scrapbook album maker, I'm a professional consultant with one of the biggest direct seller scrapbook companies on the market!!!

So on top of taking a zillion pictures of our kids learning to be Jedi's and fighting off Darth Vader himself, (I was sooooooo dang tickled that they both got picked,) I was extra giddy when they gave the boys "diplomas" for finishing Jedi Training.

Doc and I were taking their pictures holding their diplomas at the end of the show. A young woman walked up to us -- US (go back and read everything I just told you about myself and this experience..... No, really, do it...... You didn't do it, did you?) - She walked up to US and said "This is going to sound really weird but, can I buy one of those (diplomas) from you?"

This was me: :eek:

I said, as I chuckled, "Uh, NO."

and she continued - "Really?"

I answered "No, really. We're saving these. I'm putting them in my boys scrapbooks."

This was me: :rolleyes:

At that, she realized that I really wasn't kidding, she couldn't have them, and she walked away. Maybe you have to know me to appreciate this story. I'm really not surprised it happened. I think I'm surprised that she persisted (I'm not remembering everything she said,) and that it happened to ME of all people. I can't believe that I looked at all like someone who wasn't gleeful to have our diplomas. How would I stop and say to my kids, who I'd just finished posing for several pictures with their diplomas (which she watched us do before she asked us, by the way,) and say to my children "OK, boys, this lady is going to give Mommy a few bucks for your papers, who wants to give them up?"??????

(Nevermind that it would've been a cause for DL to revoke my AP but that's an entirely insignificant issue because I was NOT giving them up.)

Adrienne

crrees
03-14-2007, 07:05 PM
:eek: :eek: :eek:

That is amazing that happened to you, what a great memory. And as your sig says, scrapbooks show that you have lived!

Im glad you didn't sell the diplomas they are really special and will remain that way every time you look at them. You didn't cheapen the memory by selling them, you stood your ground. Very proud :D :fez:

The only thing is..

:crying: I want to be a jedi:crying:

cstephens
03-14-2007, 07:26 PM
I'm trying to figure out why someone would want that. If their child went through the training, they'd get a certificate. If they didn't go through the training, why would they want the certificate? Or would it be for some adult who is so jealous that he/she can't do the training (if I've heard correctly, adults can't do the training) that they'd settle just to have the certificate, which would pretty much mean nothing? :confused: :confused:

june1st1997
03-14-2007, 07:52 PM
what an odd request. Why would someone want to buy someone else's memories?

Good for you for not giving them up.

We got a jungle cruise map to commemorate out daughters first trip on the ride. We got it framed and it hags in her bathroom now. It is our favorite thing in the room.

I was there today too!!! How cool, guess I shoudl have stopped to watch Jedi Training.

Congrats to the new Jedis.

dsnyredhead
03-14-2007, 07:58 PM
Congrats to your sons.

Why would anyone go up to someone like that and try to buy something that was obviously important enough for their kids to go through? She should have had her own kids do it. That situation just seems odd and I would have told them no also.

potzbie
03-14-2007, 08:05 PM
There's an article in another forum which you should have used as YOUR title.

Namely, "When you wish upon a buck."
:rolleyes:

adriennek
03-14-2007, 08:08 PM
I'm trying to figure out why someone would want that. If their child went through the training, they'd get a certificate. If they didn't go through the training, why would they want the certificate? Or would it be for some adult who is so jealous that he/she can't do the training (if I've heard correctly, adults can't do the training) that they'd settle just to have the certificate, which would pretty much mean nothing? :confused: :confused:

I could see some collector wanting it. I've been to NFFC events. People buy the popcorn tubs you can get for free at the El Capitan. :rolleyes: (And I do mean free. Stick around after the movie. People leave them on the floor.)

This person was young. I suspect someone she knows is a big Star Wars nut and she thought that person would like the certificate.

I don't think she appreciated that she wasn't asking an adult to sell something that the adult owned. These weren't my papers - they were my kids'. I didn't even tell my boys about Jedi Training. The oldest had heard about it from a friend at school. He checked out the schedule and found it listed. He begged us all day to go. We put them in a pocket of our backpack where they'd be safe from getting crushed. At one point, they sank into the pocket so he couldn't see them. He got very worried! We had to reassure him we still had them.

Like I said, how would I explain to the boys that I sold them to some stranger??? :confused:

I can appreciate, sadly, that some people wouldn't care as much about the papers - but not in this family!

Adrienne

VickiC
03-14-2007, 08:17 PM
Hey! She should ask me sometime, on the extremely unlikely chance my girls ever want to stop and watch the show. (I always ask, they never do) I probably would sell them, because they'd just get thrwo away when we got home, or a few weeks later. I hate paper, clutter, taking pictures, printing pictures, scrapbooking, etc. I have 2 photo albums with random pictures stuck in them after almost 15 years of marraige and 8 years of child-rearing! I have tossed almost every certificate, plastic trophy and piece of paper my kids have brought home with them. They each have one "treasure box" they can keep junk in and when it fills up, they must cull.

It's not just my kids' stuff I toss, when I moved out of my parent's house my mom gave me two boxes of junk. High school stuff, swim team ribbons, elementary standardized test reports, etc. I threw it all away.

My dream is that someday when I'm done raising kids I'll get rid pretty much all my worldly possesions and travel the world owning nothing but what I can carry on my back. ($$ and investments in banks of course!) DH isn't quite on board with this plan, he's got his trains and things he can't part with, but maybe I'll get him down to a one bedroom apartment at least.

evrythngwmn
03-14-2007, 09:00 PM
I threw it all away.

*watches AdrienneK fall over*

Drince88
03-15-2007, 09:07 AM
I would have sold her my 'Magical Moments' certificate I got for answering questions in the store at the end of Expedition Everest. But that was mine - not a kids! I got it early in the day and had to carry the blasted thing around all day long (until I went back to my resort) - and it's not that cool that I want to put it in my scrapbook.

Now, if it was a certificate I'd gotten for a really magical Magical Moment, that would not have been game.

UsBurchs
03-15-2007, 04:12 PM
As much as I am a Disney fanatic, my husband is a StarWars GEEK! (Good grief, we named our child Lucas - you do the math . . .) When I told him about his situation, he was shocked! There is NO WAY he would give up something as important as a certificate like that. And, I agree . . . why would you want to buy someone else's memories. Did they stand in line for 45 minutes and get picked even though they were told they may not? Your sons got an experience that most kids of StarWars Geeks only dream of . . . or maybe it's the StarWars Geeks dream . . . but at any rate, they were lucky. They should always appreciate what their mom did for them! Way to put memories ahead of $$$. Money goes *poof*. Memories last forever!

Way to be! (LOL)

cstephens
03-16-2007, 12:07 AM
I could see some collector wanting it. I've been to NFFC events. People buy the popcorn tubs you can get for free at the El Capitan. :rolleyes:

Now, see, I could maybe see something like that, where it's just lying around, removed from the situation. But trying to buy it from someone who just got it? And then take it to the collector and give it to them, so he/she can show people their cool certificate. "What was the training like?" "I don't know, <insert name/relationship here> just got the certificate for me." Ummm, ok.

disneyrox
03-16-2007, 07:40 AM
Adrienne, that's amazing! :rolleyes:

My 9 year old got to participate last summer. He was thrilled and he carried that certificate around himself for the whole rest of the day - being very careful not to crush it - and never once complained about carrying it!

olegc
03-16-2007, 08:19 AM
are you sure you were not getting Punk'D!?!?!? Where was Ashton Kutcher?

Seriously - I collect free stuff when it's meaningful - and THAT was meaningful.

Did you ask if the woman was a Premium AP and a pin collector?:eek:

sjcivilady
03-17-2007, 09:19 AM
*watches AdrienneK fall over*

that had me laughing so loud my cats were looking at me like I was nuts...:D
I love to scrapbook too. I also don't save every little thing. Have the certificates been framed and up on their wall?

tod
03-17-2007, 10:14 AM
what an odd request. Why would someone want to buy someone else's memories?

Because sometimes what is important to you is not important to the person who has it, and if you ask them they will give it to you.

I remember when I was at a Firesign Theater show and a guy had this button that said 'TIREBITER! Your only logical choice" and it was a real nice button and I asked him if I could have it and he said "Sure" and pulled it off his shirt and handed it to me. He didn't care.

It's always worth asking.

Although Disney people and Star Wars people tend to treasure their souvenirs, so it's really unlikely that it would happen in this case...

--t

MrTomMorrow
03-17-2007, 05:06 PM
I wonder if a cast member could accommodate a request for a certificate if the person asked nicely...

cstephens
03-17-2007, 08:06 PM
I think it's weird to ask someone for something that clearly belongs to them (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showpost.php?p=679278&postcount=1). It's one thing to express your admiration for it and then have them offer it to you but asking is another thing. Maybe it's just me.

But then, I've also had someone offer to literally buy the shirt that I was wearing.

shersaint1
03-19-2007, 04:53 PM
How would I stop and say to my kids, who I'd just finished posing for several pictures with their diplomas (which she watched us do before she asked us, by the way,) and say to my children "OK, boys, this lady is going to give Mommy a few bucks for your papers, who wants to give them up?"?????

I don't understand, Adrienne.

Why couldn't you just tell your boys that you traded their memories for someone else's memories of their ATM experience, in which they placed a card in a machine, and cash came out at them? That's memorable, too, and it's also documented on paper.

;)

Sherry

adriennek
03-19-2007, 07:08 PM
Why couldn't you just tell your boys that you traded their memories for someone else's memories of their ATM experience, in which they placed a card in a machine, and cash came out at them? That's memorable, too, and it's also documented on paper.

Hi, Sherry :D

Maybe I should've offered to trade the papers for her plastic...

Adrienne

mulansgirl
03-19-2007, 07:31 PM
Disney can really be mean to adults they exclude us from so much. It sucks we will never get a starwars certificate and never get picked to pull the sword from the stone. I can understand the desire to have it if someone didnt want it, but even then I would never ask. I would just sulk about being grown-up to my husband. Some people will take what they can get even if it is a partial experiance. It might really have meant something to this woman for her to offer money. It may seem like she was trying to buy your memory, but maybe she was trying to create her own, the great memory of watching these kids have the time of their lives and celebrate through them and this certificate what she could not do. Or maybe I put too much thought into this womans motivations. Really, you never know though.
Glad your kids got to experiance the Jedi training thing though. And it is great they both have their certs. Thoses are some awesome memories.

DSNYDad
03-19-2007, 09:37 PM
Wow there are so many ways this could go. Naturally it was important to you and your family, so it may seem silly for someone to ask to buy your memories. At the same time, it may not be as important to someone else and maybe they thought someone would give it up willingly, even for free. We came off of Autopia with our little driver's license's and there was a dad with his wallet out and asking to buy them. At the time being AP'ers (so sad that we're not now but that's another story) we had a ton of them (they make great bookmarks) I just gave them to him (with my kids OK first). Then I thought maybe that was what he was looking for, asking to pay, but hoping we would just give them away.

I wonder if that was just a weird way of asking for them and for you to not accept payment?

Wow, it's been years since I last posted?

cstephens
03-20-2007, 10:57 AM
Disney can really be mean to adults they exclude us from so much. It sucks we will never get a starwars certificate and never get picked to pull the sword from the stone.

Um, ok, that's two. :confused: :confused:


At the same time, it may not be as important to someone else and maybe they thought someone would give it up willingly, even for free.

I'm thinking that the whole posing for a picture with the diplomas thing would be a dead giveaway that the certificates were important to them.

mulansgirl
03-20-2007, 12:02 PM
I was trying not to go too off topic (guess I messed that up, just trying to show another way of thinking of this woman) but in defense:
We also cannot dress up, and yes I would. We cannot bake cookies, wish I could. They always seem to choose kids for the animation shows at DCA. That brings it up to five. What do adults get to do that kids don’t, pay and drink alcohol at DCA and if you don’t drink you just get to pay. I do understand there are some rides kids cannot go on, but that is a safety issue, pregnant women and people with some health issues cannot go on them either.
There are many things both adults and children can do and they are the majority. But in the case of activities specific to either children or adults, children really do get more.

adriennek
03-20-2007, 12:44 PM
I'm reminded of one of my favorite sayings:

If you want fair, go to Pomona.

Adrienne