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Year of a Million Dashed Dreams!

Posted: Feb Sun 17, 2008 6:35 pm
by faxprincess
Okay, not really. I don't go to Disneyland because they have some new theme for the year(s). However, since they have started celebrating this million dreams thing, I personally have gone to Disneyland 4 times. My husband and I have annual passes, so we go every day we're in California. I have a big family who have also gone several times (with annual passes). NOT ONE OF MY FAMILY has won one stinking thing!!! No mouse ears, no fast passes, no extra hour in the park, nothing! A friend of mine went a week before I did and she won fast passes and mouse ears! She only went for 3 days!! How does happen? I know it's supposedly random, but it's not so random, apparently!

Has anyone else visited since this started? Did you win anything?

I liked it better on the 35 year when you walked in the gate, you could win popcorn or a churro or a pin.

Posted: Feb Sun 17, 2008 7:14 pm
by G2-4T
Yes, I've been to Disney World twice and Disneyland once during the Year of Million Dreams. No one in my family has ever won anything. I know it's supposed to be random, but we sure don't fit the usual demographics of the winning families with our all adult family.

I've stated before that I would much prefer a Year of a Million Churros where everyone is a winner. That 35th celebration sounds like the perfect idea!

Posted: Feb Sun 17, 2008 7:26 pm
by acp
Aw, that's a shame you didn't win anything. The winners truly are chosen randomly. The "Dream Squad" Cast Members are told where to be at a certain time to award prizes (such as the third person on the fourth row of Star Tours at 12:35pm, etc). This is how it's done for all the prizes, from FastPasses to Ears to the stay in Cinderella Castle/Dream Suite.

Well, there is a slight difference in some cases. At the Outdoor Foods carts (ice cream carts, popcorn carts, etc), the cast members have little credit-card sized question cards that they ask a random guest each hour (usually children), and when (not if, when..) they get the question right they get a free ice cream/popcorn/drink/whatever. I remember doing those when I worked there right at the beginning of the first Year of a Million Dreams :) Ahh, memories.

Andy.

Posted: Feb Sun 17, 2008 7:39 pm
by disneylandmom
We visited Disneyland twice last summer once in July and once in August. We stayed for one week both trips. We won nothing on our first trip but on our second trip we won Dream Fastpasses. In our case the dream squad was waiting at the exit to Splash Mountain and handed the fastpasses as you exited the ride. They were not there very long though and left shortly after they gave us our fast passes.

Posted: Feb Tue 19, 2008 1:02 pm
by bluebayougirl
We have visited both WDW and DLR/DCA during the years of a million dreams and have never won anything. The closest we have come is having a cast member blow bubbles at my sons's and give them honoray citizen buttons. btw, i like the year of a million churros's idea :) - blue

Posted: Feb Tue 19, 2008 6:25 pm
by Lion Sleeps Tonight
I usually visit Disneyland a couple of times per year, but haven't won anything from the Dreams Squad. I don't expect to, either.

But then one day while at the Hollywood Studios, I walked into One Man's Dream (where hardly anyone was) and there was the Dream Squad giving away Mickey-ear hats. Just gotta be at the right place at the right time.

Posted: Feb Wed 20, 2008 11:31 pm
by spaulo
At WDW in December, my wife and I got Dream FastPasses

At DL last month, my parents got Dream FastPasses

At DL in December, my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and their son, got a dinner at the chef's table at the Napa Rose restaurant.

We've been other times and not gotten anything. But yeah, most of my family has been pegged at least for something.

Posted: Feb Thu 21, 2008 1:09 pm
by esteed
lets just hope this streak continues. :D

Posted: Feb Thu 21, 2008 1:19 pm
by spaulo
Hehe, fingers crossed my man.

Posted: Feb Thu 21, 2008 2:27 pm
by FlyingMouse
spaulo wrote: my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and their son,
:shock: *scratches head*

Oh, it's one of those families. :wink:

Posted: Feb Thu 21, 2008 2:56 pm
by spaulo
FlyingMouse wrote:
spaulo wrote: my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and their son,
:shock: *scratches head*

Oh, it's one of those families. :wink:
Eh? It's a family, a mother, a father, and a son.

The mother in question is my wife's sister. So, my sister-in-law. Of course, her husband is also then my brother-in-law...

?

Posted: Feb Thu 21, 2008 4:54 pm
by FlyingMouse
spaulo wrote:The mother in question is my wife's sister. So, my sister-in-law. Of course, her husband is also then my brother-in-law...

?
:oops: You're right. My wife's an only child, so I don't have both of those at once. I only have brothers-in-law.

Carry on :)

Posted: Feb Thu 21, 2008 7:12 pm
by WishUponaStar
We've been on 3 trips so far during the Year of a Million Dreams; two in WDW, once in DL. We have TWO more coming up; DL again in June & WDW again in Oct. I try not to think about winning anything b/c it really is probably crushing when you feel like you spend SO much time & nada. We did win two YoaMD lanyards with special pins on them in EPCOT, otherwise, nada. Keeping my fingers crossed! Good luck, hope you get something wonderful before the celebration is over!

Posted: Feb Fri 22, 2008 1:33 am
by TheCheshireStitch
my hubby and i have gone to wdw 5 times during the year of a million dreams (combined, so far, that amounts to 20 full days). we're going our 6th time this may-- we'll be there for 10 days. we've yet to win anything, either. we also haven't seen one dream granted to anyone.

my parents went for a week shortly after the year of a million dreams kicked off, and the only dream they saw granted was some woman receiving a dinner plate-sized cookie.

i guess we've just had bad luck? here's hoping for may!

Posted: Feb Fri 22, 2008 12:10 pm
by Calypso
Hmmmm... maybe the randomness excludes Disney fanatics? I don't know... haven't been to DL since it started, but have been to WDW several times. Nada.