Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Disneyland - What Will You Celebrate?

I heard from a Cast Member that Disney has been putting on some informational seminars about next year's "What Will You Celebrate?" promotion. There has been quite a bit of interest in the offer to let you get into the Park for free on your birthday. Picking up where the "year of a million dreams" left off, next year will seek to turn Disneyland into a giant party. Guests will be invited to celebrate just about anything and everything.

The event comes at a time when it looks like the 2009 economy will be a gaping, smoking crater. Getting ANYTHING for free next year will sure sound good to a LOT of people, I'm sure.

You have probably heard about the promotion where Disney will pay for three days at WDW if you cover the first four. How's that for a promotion? Earlier this year, they offered to pay for our meal plan if we booked a Disney World trip. Have they gone insane? Disney, giving away money?

Something tells me we're in for a bumpy economic ride. Disney's offering steep discounts means we have all crossed over into the economic equivalent of The Twilight Zone. There's the signpost up ahead...

5 comments:

Katella Gate said...

What will I celebrate? How about an inflation rate of under 10% per year?

Actually, after the 50th celebration a few years ago, Disneyland's promotions have been pretty vauge and flaccid. Almost like Marketeering just gave up and went with a "MadLib" format:

"Year of a million dreams... and your dream is (insert grandiose noun or adjective)

"What will you celebrate? (insert hopelessly optimistic or romantic happenstance)

Memo to Marketeering: Reverse Psychology is NOT an advertising scheme. If GM can go bankrupt, So can DISNEY. Now get off your duffs and drum up some business.

Mike said...

Katella Gate:

You and I need to be in Disney management! I love your perspective and definitely share it.

As always, your comments are dead on.

During the "What will you celebrate?" presentation, the Disney managers asked the audience of cast members for examples of things that guests might celebrate. They also demonstrated that the theme could be used to stimulate guest interaction. If you saw someone with an "I'm Celebrating" button, you could ask, "What are you celebrating?" With my luck, such a question would elicit the following response from the guest: "I just got out of prison!" Or "My Divorce is final!" or "The gender transformation is now complete!"

Beware the open-ended question!

---Mike

Anonymous said...

I just found your site Friday. I'm a former TDS CM married to a former 15+ DL CM, and I Really enjoy reading about your escapades. Thanks!

For a really fun list of the events Disney will not help you celebrate next year, you should see the netcot.com message boards, under Top 7 Lists, I think.

The Blue Parrot said...

Okay, funny story... one trip to the Park I took Amtrak down the San Joaquin Valley with friends who work as Conductors. The idea was to take the bus from Bakersfield to the Disneyland Hotel.

My new best friend that day turned out to be a graduate from the state service at Corcoran, who was also riding the bus to the Disneyland Hotel.

I never learned what he had been "in" for, but it was one of the most tense bus rides I've ever taken.

Later, I thanked my friends for such an interesting traveling companion.

Anonymous said...

Hi... just happen to cross your site...

Im planning to go to Tokyo or Hong Kong Disney this Christmas. Hoho and I found some stuffs from Hong Kong Disneyland here as well:
disneycloth.cwahi.net

I will definitely take tones of photos there!!!