What Dream did we miss out on, on Wednesday?

[KarenW2]

My hubby and I went to DL Wednesday, to hopefully get some good holiday photos and to hopefully not have as big a crowd as there was, when we were there Sunday, for the Jane Seymour signing & her narration of the Candlelight Processional. Since I have to navigate the parks in a wheelchair, crowds make it harder for us to have a fun day in the park, like we used to do, so we always have to try to figure out when it's going to be less crowded.

Unfortunately, it was surprisingly hot (in the high 70's!) and nearly as crowded Wednesday as Sunday, so we went across to DCA, where it's always been less crowded in the past. It was packed with humans, so we didn't end up staying until the castle lighting and snow.

As we were walking to the Mission Tortilla Factory, I found an "Honorary Citizen of Disneyland" button on the ground, picked it up, looked around and saw no one looking for it. We went to the Info booth, to turn it in, so whoever lost it could get it back. Since there was no name on it, the CM said there was no way to return it to its rightful owner, so she said I should keep it, for being so honest to return it.

As we were leaving the booth, a guy with a Dream Team outfit came up, told me I should wear the pin with pride and asked me what we were celebrating. Since we weren't celebrating anything in particular, other than a day off of work for my hubby and the CM said that didn't count, we said, nothing. He asked if we had been to DCA before, we said many times. Then he asked if we were SURE we weren't celebrating anything?! Not wanting to lie, I said no, sorry, and he said, OK, have a nice day in the park, and was on his way.

It obviously made me curious, so I thought I'd come here to ask, does anyone know what "Dream" happens, if you stop at the DCA Info Booth, around 3 pm on a Wednesday? In all this time, we haven't won even one dream yet, not even a fastpass in the parks or ears from mailing in all those postcards, so it would've been nice to have gotten something. I sure hope it wasn't something big!

[Toocherie]

Gosh--is anyone else struck by the apparently subjectivity in which the Dream Team can decide to award a Dream or not? I thought it was supposed to be random and pre-ordained? (i.e., someone in that spot at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday would win--not that you had to have a good excuse!)

I recall someone else in another thread saying that the Dream Team came up to them and when they found out they were there celebrating the life of a family member who had died the Dream Team walked away--and that bothered me too--especially since I think that would have been a GREAT reason to award a Dream!

[HTanner]

Gosh--is anyone else struck by the apparently subjectivity in which the Dream Team can decide to award a Dream or not? I thought it was supposed to be random and pre-ordained? (i.e., someone in that spot at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday would win--not that you had to have a good excuse!)

I recall someone else in another thread saying that the Dream Team came up to them and when they found out they were there celebrating the life of a family member who had died the Dream Team walked away--and that bothered me too--especially since I think that would have been a GREAT reason to award a Dream!

My understanding is that for the "official" dreams (stay overnight, grand marshall; etc.), the prizes are predetermined by a computer who randomly generates a spot - and the dream team has no say, really.

However, the CMs and dream squad members have also been authorized to give away "unofficial" dreams - such as a decorated "special" table at lunch; etc. They have been encouraged to make special dreams come true whenever they see a time to do it - i.e., good old fashioned Disney customer service.

So, you probably did not miss out on any "official" dream - but maybe a chance for an unofficial dream moment.

[Malcon10t]

HTanner is right. All the official prizes are very specific in where a person must be to win, and has nothing to do with subjectivity. And the "Magical Moments" that have always occurred are "without value", in that they have no monatary value. Such as the table clothes, or front row on Soarin, etc...

[VickiC]

My kids and I and a good friend of mine and her 2 kids won FastPasses last June. You would not believe how happy and excited they were all day and how they talked about it for weeks and weeks. It may not seem like much of a "dream" to you but it was for us.

[BIRDGIRLS]

My kids and I and a good friend of mine and her 2 kids won FastPasses last June. You would not believe how happy and excited they were all day and how they talked about it for weeks and weeks. It may not seem like much of a "dream" to you but it was for us.

I remember when we first won fastpasses! Granted, it was a very uncrowded day, but it was still such a great surprise. We were so excited we hugged the lady handing them out.

[samkj]

I'm sorry you have such a negative feeling about things that make others feel special. Who said dreams had to be big? So fastpasses don't meet your expectations for a dream, but for some, adults included they do.

[mckygirl99]

But a dream is something far more than front of line passes for a theme park ride.

Well my dream is staying in the pirate suite, although I have as much chance staying there as I do winning the lottery. I still love the "what if" factor. I have always wanted to spend the night inside DL since I was a kid. I think about what I would do all night in there. I know it wouldn't be sleeping! If I did win I would seriously faint on the spot then call all my fellow Disney addicts and rub it in (HE HE)!

[Walt'sbirthdaygirl]

Gosh, while my dream would be the adventures by Disney trip to Disneyland, or a cruise or maybe even the Grand Marshall at all the Disney Park parades, I would be pretty darned happy with Dream Fastpasses. Its a harmless promotion, everyday someone goes home extra happy, and the rest of us hope for the next time, when maybe our dream comes true.

[PhiSigDuchessCV]

Spokker Jones don't knock someone elses dreams just because they are different from yours. There are big dreams and small dreams of all types. My big dreams would be to miracuously wake up one morning slender or to have won the huge lottery prize. Small dreams include being a winner in the Year of a Million Dreams promotion at the park. I've won small dreams via the postcards I've mailed in and finally on thursday while at Disneyland my brother and I won two Mickey Ears. I was really excited even though I already had some ears I won in the mail.

[tinkgrl81]

I'm 26 (not a child) and my friends and I got dream fastpasses in March, you would have thought we had just won a million dollars. We were jumping up and down, screaming and hugging each other. It made our trip even that more special.

[rentayenta]

Gosh--is anyone else struck by the apparently subjectivity in which the Dream Team can decide to award a Dream or not? I thought it was supposed to be random and pre-ordained? (i.e., someone in that spot at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday would win--not that you had to have a good excuse!)

I recall someone else in another thread saying that the Dream Team came up to them and when they found out they were there celebrating the life of a family member who had died the Dream Team walked away--and that bothered me too--especially since I think that would have been a GREAT reason to award a Dream!

I don't want to give away our big Dream because it will be on my trip report but it was made up by a CM. She had to make sure she could get another member to cover her area while she Dreamed us. They are allowed to do "random" Dreams.

[yohomama212]

I have a dream of getting 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Small to you, a big deal to me! And I would never call a stay in the Mickey Mouse Penthouse "lame"!

Elizabeth

[Crazy4DL]

I'm 26 (not a child) and my friends and I got dream fastpasses in March, you would have thought we had just won a million dollars. We were jumping up and down, screaming and hugging each other. It made our trip even that more special.

A group of girlfriends from MousePlanet, that included me and I am 53! won DreamFastpass in September and we were the same . . .sooo excited and acting so silly you would have thought we had won something HUGE! We didn't even really need to use them that day - the fun was totally in the winning them when we were all together.

Heck - we were also excited to win some free photo cards too!

[crasher11]

My family was lucky enough to be one of those family's that won the night at Mickey's Penthouse, the ride in the fire truck as Grand Marshal , Dinner for the family at Blue bayou and I will tell you it was far from being a "lame" prize. We had the time of our lives that day and it was definitely a dream for us. Yes us adults enjoyed it just as much as our 2 Ds's did... And yes we did know it was special.... It was a Complete Dream !!!!

[Crazy4DL]

My family was lucky enough to be one of those family's that won the night at Mickey's Penthouse, !!!

WOW! how cool for you family! Congratulations!

[cstephens]

My family was lucky enough to be one of those family's that won the night at Mickey's Penthouse, the ride in the fire truck as Grand Marshal , Dinner for the family at Blue bayou and I will tell you it was far from being a "lame" prize. We had the time of our lives that day and it was definitely a dream for us. Yes us adults enjoyed it just as much as our 2 Ds's did... And yes we did know it was special.... It was a Complete Dream !!!!

Wow, that's awesome! Congratulations!

The only prize I've won is the blue ears, and it didn't make me jump up and down for joy, but we thought it was pretty cool, enough that the husband and me and our friend, none of us who do the ears thing, actually wore them for most of the afternoon.

[stan4d_steph]

It seems to me that most of the big dreams go to people with kids. I wonder if there is something in the "random" selection about "first group with someone under 10."

[Drince88]

It seems to me that most of the big dreams go to people with kids. I wonder if there is something in the "random" selection about "first group with someone under 10."

I really hope not. That would really fly in the face of the idea that Disney is for all ages.

But it sure does seem like the 'unofficial' dreams that aren't computer specifed are VERY subjectively granted. Enough so that I'm starting to get a bad taste in my mouth about them, and I personally kind of like the computer-generated part of the promotion! (Even if we did 'guess wrong' on where they were handing out fastpasses in AK!)

[Malcon10t]

It seems to me that most of the big dreams go to people with kids. I wonder if there is something in the "random" selection about "first group with someone under 10."

Its more like "The left person on cart 107 exiting HM at 10:30am." One big dream went to a mom getting off Mr Toad, she was with her two grown daughters. It has to be very specific, or it violates the state laws for randomness. "someone under 10" is subjective and would get Disney in a ton of trouble.

[BIRDGIRLS]

This girl in my AP Stats class got one of the big dreams.. I don't remember which one it is.. I think it might've been the Mickey Mouse Penthouse one. But she's 17 and she has an older sibling, so I'm sure they don't pick just families with kids ten and under.

[stan4d_steph]

Perhaps those are the only ones that Disney publicizes then.

[crasher11]

Thanks everyone,

Malcon10t is correct as to how the bigger dreams are presented ,We were told by the Dream members that the dreams are very specific to where and when. The Dream members don't know until just a few minutes before, where they need to be and who is the winner. My DW was actually the winner and she was the last one of our family to walk off Snow White's when she was approached by the Dream member.

[MiaTurner]

I know how you feel. I was the first person to get a spot for the Pep Ralley on a very busy day a few trips back and about 15 minutes later, another family came and sat down next to me. A dream person came over and asked the teen next to me (probably about my age) if she was the first one who got a seat. Couldn't believe it, she said yes, the and the dream person took her backstage to get autographs from the performers I got over it pretty quick, but I was still pretty upset over it for a little bit.

[smanrick51]

Then he asked if we were SURE we weren't celebrating anything?!

If it was Wednesday, the 5th, maybe the answer he was looking for was "Walt's Birthday"! Just a guess...