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queenbetsey
01-05-2015, 04:42 AM
just a random thought here. I was thinking it would be pretty darn cool if they would bring back the dream squad (I think that is what they were called) that would roam the parks and randomly give out gifts of pixie dust like fast passes or pins. It would be a nice touch for the 50th don't you think. I think they also gave out a night in the Dream Suite sometimes too. just sayin:eyeroll:

cstephens
01-05-2015, 07:39 AM
It would be a nice touch for the 50th don't you think.

Presuming you mean the 60th. The dream squad worked well for the 50th promotion because wasn't the theme a year of a million dreams? So that made sense. I doubt that will be the theme for the 60th, so it doesn't really go. Plus, a 60th celebration would be expected to be a much more low-key celebration than for a 50th. I don't express a big celebration until the 75th.

candles71
01-05-2015, 08:06 AM
It was the theme after the 50th. When we were there in Sept 06, they were still celebrating the 50th.. When just Whistler and I went in April 07, They were doing the Year of a million dreams, we got the fastass lanyards. They added the Dream Suite as a prize when it opened. Someone (Jodi maybe) listed a trip report when they won the DS. Pretty sure the YoaMDs ran for 2 years. Then we had the Free on your Bday promo.

cstephens
01-05-2015, 09:20 AM
Wow, I was pretty much wrong about all of it! :/

But yeah, the giveaway made sense with the theme. Not so much on its own.

olegc
01-05-2015, 09:38 AM
seems to me in the current climate at Disney nothing's randomly free anymore (except maybe a coloring page- or buttons from City Hall). I know they have given out a few simple items to passholders at some of the renewal parties - but as far as really good prizes I don't think we'll see it. As they say sometimes "we think our pricing brings tremendous entertainment value to our guests"... They could surprise me but the only time you would see free things are at the Parks blog meetups and other places like it - where maybe 100 people are attending. I know the 60th preview folks got a nifty crystal paper weight. I attended Halloween and got leftover HM coasters (they they have not been able to sell anymore).

cstephens
01-05-2015, 10:10 AM
seems to me in the current climate at Disney nothing's randomly free anymore.

In what previous climate was Disney regularly giving out stuff for free at random? Cause I don't remember that time. Maybe it was before I got my AP in 1997? Since then, hmmm. During the year of a million dreams, I got a hat once. I know some of my friends got hats and some got the super Fastpass lanyard. That was all pretty random, if you happened to be at the right place and the right time and fit the criteria for that particular giveaway.

They used to give out a flag pin on Fourth of July, which they haven't been doing for a few years now, but if you go to flag retreat that day, Ernie's been giving them out. They used to give out carnations to moms on Mother's Day. Not sure if they're still doing that. All the cupcakes you could eat on July 17, 2005. Oh, I think my favorite so far has been the AP nights when we got to see the Soundsational floats. Those were awesome.

I've been lucky enough to get into a couple of the Disney Parks Blog meets. Those have been pretty awesome. And I've managed to get into a few other lottery giveaways for experiences, both for APs and for random people. But, yeah, I have to admit, I don't regularly expect free stuff from businesses that I frequent.

olegc
01-05-2015, 10:21 AM
In what previous climate was Disney regularly giving out stuff for free at random? Cause I don't remember that time. Maybe it was before I got my AP in 1997? Since then, hmmm. During the year of a million dreams, I got a hat once. I know some of my friends got hats and some got the super Fastpass lanyard. That was all pretty random, if you happened to be at the right place and the right time and fit the criteria for that particular giveaway.

They used to give out a flag pin on Fourth of July, which they haven't been doing for a few years now, but if you go to flag retreat that day, Ernie's been giving them out. They used to give out carnations to moms on Mother's Day. Not sure if they're still doing that. All the cupcakes you could eat on July 17, 2005. Oh, I think my favorite so far has been the AP nights when we got to see the Soundsational floats. Those were awesome.

I've been lucky enough to get into a couple of the Disney Parks Blog meets. Those have been pretty awesome. And I've managed to get into a few other lottery giveaways for experiences, both for APs and for random people. But, yeah, I have to admit, I don't regularly expect free stuff from businesses that I frequent.

your word highlighted - not mine.
I did not mean to imply it was a regular thing but, hey, sometimes folks misinterpret.

Your comments are in the same vein... they used to do stuff like pin, button giveaways, sometimes for certain calendar dates - sometimes for events. It does not happen a lot unless its tied to a movie (where their marketing budget seems to be quite high) or a major initiative (YoaMD). a long time ago it used to happen more often.... at least in my recollection. And, again, mine won't be exactly 100% the same as yours (or anyone else's).

candles71
01-05-2015, 10:23 AM
Last Summer, (they stopped the week before we went in September) and during Christmas break, DL today would give stuff out randomly. Stuff like FPs, buttons, a couple of times was wristbands for an extra hour that night in the park. You have to see the notice on FB or Twitter and get to the location before they run out though.

Toocherie
01-05-2015, 10:24 AM
I won a few YOAMD hat ears during that promotion--but mostly from sending in postcards rather than in the parks. I did get the dream fastpasses a couple of times (still have one unused set somewhere). But yeah--otherwise don't remember a lot of "free" stuff. I know there have been trinkets given away at some paid events--like the Golden Horseshoe Revue thingie they did last year--I think people got a boot glass or something (don't know because I didn't go but remember people posting). However, that being said, I think there was something "special" when they did have the Dream Squad or team or whatever. Even the thought that there was someone randomly giving away fastpasses kind of "upped" the excitement level IMO. I'm sure it cost something for them to print up the lanyards and dedicate some CMs to the squad, but I would really like it if they did something similar again. I can't imagine it cost them as much as the "get in free on your birthday" promotion because I would assume every AP-er got their free gift card at least on their birthday (which at the time I think was $70)--not to mention the number of people who got in free.

olegc
01-05-2015, 10:40 AM
Last Summer, (they stopped the week before we went in September) and during Christmas break, DL today would give stuff out randomly. Stuff like FPs, buttons, a couple of times was wristbands for an extra hour that night in the park. You have to see the notice on FB or Twitter and get to the location before they run out though.

oh yeah - I forgot about that. It seemed to be more often when they first started but maybe it is as you mention when they have more people in the parks. they did that Monday promotion this past summer as well. Free something is better than nothing I believe.

stan4d_steph
01-05-2015, 11:10 AM
They did the Just Got Happier giveaways over the summer, announcing the locations through twitter. I won a churro.

CariBelle
01-05-2015, 11:52 AM
I won a few YOAMD hat ears during that promotion--but mostly from sending in postcards rather than in the parks.

I didn't win at all in the parks, but did send in our 2 postcards daily for months because I wanted the ears! We ended up with 2 sets of pins and 2 hats after 3 months of postcards.

Drince88
01-05-2015, 07:59 PM
Wow, I must have been super lucky. Got FP in Animal Kingdom (gave away to the dad of a family that had won them while he was FP running, and he didn't want to go get them, plus I was leaving that park and didn't have time to use it)
My sister and I got ears in The studios and gave them away to random kids later(we wore them over our hats, so it wasn't icky)
And we won pin/lanyards in Epcot.

Janis and Aaron
01-06-2015, 06:29 PM
They were still doing the free carnations on Mother's Day in 2014.
Sometimes you will run into a CM doing trivia or games in the Paradise Pier area of DCA. DS13 and I won a Super Fastpass for answering a CM's trivia over by the midway games once, won another Super Fastpass answering trivia on the Red Car Trolley, and played a word unscramble game across from Ariel's Undersea Journey (but only won Honorary Citizen buttons for that). Given the amount of time we spend in the parks, that's not much, but they were all fun and unexpected opportunities and we appreciated them. :)

Nightwing
01-06-2015, 06:59 PM
In what previous climate was Disney regularly giving out stuff for free at random? Cause I don't remember that time. Maybe it was before I got my AP in 1997? Since then, hmmm. During the year of a million dreams, I got a hat once. I know some of my friends got hats and some got the super Fastpass lanyard. That was all pretty random, if you happened to be at the right place and the right time and fit the criteria for that particular giveaway.

They used to give out a flag pin on Fourth of July, which they haven't been doing for a few years now, but if you go to flag retreat that day, Ernie's been giving them out. They used to give out carnations to moms on Mother's Day. Not sure if they're still doing that. All the cupcakes you could eat on July 17, 2005. Oh, I think my favorite so far has been the AP nights when we got to see the Soundsational floats. Those were awesome.

I've been lucky enough to get into a couple of the Disney Parks Blog meets. Those have been pretty awesome. And I've managed to get into a few other lottery giveaways for experiences, both for APs and for random people. But, yeah, I have to admit, I don't regularly expect free stuff from businesses that I frequent.

Did see lapel flowers last Mothers day. And think something on Lunar New Year last year. The gave AP last November an ornament along with free photpass pictures taken that night. And for AP BH6 a Baymax figure in a tote bag.

Did earn a badge in Cars for answering some questions!

MickeyDogMom
01-06-2015, 08:43 PM
In what previous climate was Disney regularly giving out stuff for free at random?


I got free pineapple juice from the Dole Whip place two weeks ago!!!! I was pretty excited. :)

cstephens
01-06-2015, 10:43 PM
I got free pineapple juice from the Dole Whip place two weeks ago!!!! I was pretty excited. :)

Ok, yeah, that was pretty cool.

Disneyphile
01-07-2015, 06:57 PM
When I was a kid, they used to have a free egg hunt every Spring. Every kid under 12 got a ticket which wecould trade in at a particular egg station (there were a few spaced throughout). Then, we got to select a plastic egg from a large pile which contained a voucher for a prize - usually popcorn or soda, to shirts or plush. Each station had a character photo op too. :)

And, there was the "Prize Machine" for the 30th. Every visitor got a prize ticket upon entering, good for the same types of things as the egg hunt.

I miss those types of promotions. They were a lot of fun.

Janis and Aaron
01-07-2015, 08:33 PM
When I was a kid, they used to have a free egg hunt every Spring. Every kid under 12 got a ticket which wecould trade in at a particular egg station (there were a few spaced throughout). Then, we got to select a plastic egg from a large pile which contained a voucher for a prize - usually popcorn or soda, to shirts or plush. Each station had a character photo op too. :)
Oh yeah, my husband talks about going to one of those. His older brother won a Thumper plush, I believe. :)

lifeisgood
01-08-2015, 11:05 AM
Last Summer, (they stopped the week before we went in September) and during Christmas break, DL today would give stuff out randomly. Stuff like FPs, buttons, a couple of times was wristbands for an extra hour that night in the park. You have to see the notice on FB or Twitter and get to the location before they run out though.

Disneyland Today has been giving out stuff this week (maybe since New Year's?)...a small blue bag that has the DLToday logo and a "Happy Holidays" button. I missed getting them when I was there, as I was in the opposite park from the giveaway both times. :\

candles71
01-08-2015, 11:08 AM
Disneyland Today has been giving out stuff this week (maybe since New Year's?)...a small blue bag that has the DLToday logo and a "Happy Holidays" button. I missed getting them when I was there, as I was in the opposite park from the giveaway both times. :\

I saw that, I want the bag. ;)

lifeisgood
01-08-2015, 11:16 AM
I saw that, I want the bag. ;)

I did, too, but I just couldn't justify running (I mean fast walking...no running in DL ;)) from the far side of DL to DCA in the heat. There were only a few minutes left of the giveaway when I saw the tweet.

candles71
01-08-2015, 11:41 AM
I did, too, but I just couldn't justify running (I mean fast walking...no running in DL ;)) from the far side of DL to DCA in the heat. There were only a few minutes left of the giveaway when I saw the tweet.

Yeah, 460 miles in an hour would be pushing it. ;)

lifeisgood
01-08-2015, 12:14 PM
Yeah, 460 miles in an hour would be pushing it. ;)
lol, yeah.
I don't think I could read the Disneyland tweets from home...it would drive me crazy! I just got home last night (well, 4:00 this morning) and I still had my DLtoday notifications on. It was very distracting!

candles71
01-08-2015, 12:22 PM
lol, yeah.
I don't think I could read the Disneyland tweets from home...it would drive me crazy! I just got home last night (well, 4:00 this morning) and I still had my DLtoday notifications on. It was very distracting!

mine aren't actually tweets, I follow them on facebook, so it is in my feed.