"Freebies" At Value Resorts?

[TiggerKing]

Okay, so I didn't know any better title than that to ask this question. DW and I haven't been to WDW since 2004. It used to be that you could fax the property manager and request small "freebies" like autographed character pictures, etc. Since we are celebrating our anniversary during this trip in a few weeks, I was hoping to get some more recent information about special little free treats I could have them add to the room when we arrive. Any help is appreciated!

 

[Missytara]

This is the year of "What will you celebrate?"

If you are celebrating your anniversery when you go there, you can put it on your reservation and you get a button. Some sort of varying magic comes along with wearing the button around the resort and the parks.

If you do manage to get something real special that you didn't expect, then all the better.

I have a friend who is going this year, that is a first timer. I had it on my reservation. Now, when I made a dining reservation, it asked me if I was celebrating anything. I did mention our first-timer when I made our ressies for the first night at Kouzzina, since my DF loves greek food. I called the restaurant later to confirm my reservation and the CM quoted back to me that I had it on my ressie and said they would do something special for my friend.

 

[Lynne M]

Nothing can be placed in your room before your arrival, unless you're staying club level at a deluxe resort. Room assignments are not finalized until you're actually standing at the desk, so the room they would put the items in might be given to someone else.

The most I've ever heard being done as a freebie would be an autographed character photo, possibly with a balloon, and even that isn't guaranteed. If you'd like something more, check out the Disney Florist site. They've got everything from flowers to gift baskets to elaborate room decorations.

 

[Hopefully]

When I made our reservations for our trip in October, I noted that we were celebrating our 40th Wedding Anniversary and DS's 33rd Birthday. We didn't get anything special, We did not even get buttons on check in.
However, It was okay as I expected nothing. I firmly believe if you want something special you need to arrange it, and pay for it, if appropriate.
Have a Great Trip

 

[goofy4tink]

I am already sick and tired of the 'what are you celebrating' year. I was there in April, we were asked what we were celebrating every single time I made an ADR. I mentioned that we weren't really celebrating an event, just celebrating my dd's wonderful freshman year and terrific grades. Obviously, I didn't expect anything special...so I wasn't surprised when nothing special happened.
But, when we were there in August, again I was barraged with the same question each time I had to call...'Are you celebrating anything special on this trip?' 'Why yes, we are. I'm celebrating my 60th birthday and my dd's 16th birthday!' And again, not so much as a happy birthday when we checked in. Now, I really don't expect much, I really don't. When my dd turned 13 at WDW, I planned anything special myself, and paid for it...beautiful birthday cake, gifts, special meals. It's up to me to make it happen, so to speak.
But what really frosts me is this whole questioning, to the point where you almost feel like you have to come up with somthing to say just to make the CM on the phone happy.
So...either do something 'special' or stop asking.
Disney has pretty much taken away anything 'free'....especially at the room level.

 

[bethclayton]

diane, i am so happy to see someone else post what i have been thinking! we went in january, so, right at the very beginning of the promotion when no one really knew what to expect. i was asked a gazillion times what we were celebrating and told them a gazillion times we were celebrating my dh's 35th bday and dd's 9th birthday, and that their actual birthdays were during our trip (and gave them the dates). i was repeatedly told that all this was on our reservations for the hotel and for dining, and several cm's came right out and said they were sure the hotel restaurant would do something special for us. and you know what? we were not even offered birthday buttons at check-in, let alone any other tiny gesture, even a "happy birthday" by hotel or restaurant cm's. i would not have cared but why ask me four hundred times if you weren't really planning on doing anything with that info? it did sort of set me up a little bit for disappointment. ah, live and learn.

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

I agree about the "what are you celebrating" question. On the 20th time I was asked I did tell the CM it was a celebration trip for our 20th anniversary but the actual date falls outside of the trip so I wasn't going to mention it. She did give me a big congrats and told me it was noted. Every birthday we have celebrated at WDW we have received autographed cards, and in 07 at the BC DD got a couple of small stuffies and a balloon. I know this was because that on her birthday we had gotten dream passpasses for Epcot and we all got sick and were unable to use them, and because it was a sweepstakes they couldn't give us ones for another day. (still have the full dream fastpasses - figure they'll be worth a mint someday ) so I think the stuffies were for that as opposed to the actual birthday. I have always had to remind the front desk at least once though, it was never noted at check in.

 

[dgaston]

We celebrated my husband's retirement, his 62nd birthday, his brother's 60th, and a first visit in September. We got buttons for EVERYTHING! BIL wore his forever, got the Goofy birthday call, and at Kidani we got a towel cake! For our retirement celebration at Cali Grill, I ordered a special dessert from Publix (had it held at Bell Services and picked it up for dinner -- CG couldn't bring it to the table, but DS and I did.), and had BIL's birthday announced at Hoop Dee Doo. So I agree -- when it's important cover it yourself, but you may get some pixie dust too. We got lots of Happy Birthday's etc., and leis at 'Ohana (but I think everyone did). The towel cake surprised me a lot.

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

I agree about the "what are you celebrating" question. On the 20th time I was asked I did tell the CM it was a celebration trip for our 20th anniversary but the actual date falls outside of the trip so I wasn't going to mention it. She did give me a big congrats and told me it was noted. Every birthday we have celebrated at WDW we have received autographed cards, and in 07 at the BC DD got a couple of small stuffies and a balloon. I know this was because that on her birthday we had gotten dream passpasses for Epcot and we all got sick and were unable to use them, and because it was a sweepstakes they couldn't give us ones for another day. (still have the full dream fastpasses - figure they'll be worth a mint someday ) so I think the stuffies were for that as opposed to the actual birthday. I have always had to remind the front desk at least once though, it was never noted at check in.

Oops, just remembered that DD in 07 also got a free pic at splash mountain when CM saw her birthday button - great surprise!

 

[biz410]

We were just there for my daughters' 9th. Although she only wore the button on her actual birthday (and we never mentioned it), most of the cast members at the restaurants had seen the note on our reservation and wished her happy birthday, she even got cake 5 out of 9 nights. It was nice.

As for all the repetition, I don't think that we normals can comprehend how much Disney spent on psychological studies to determine that if we are reminded that we are celebrating we will be more likely to part with our $ and beg to return to do it again.

On a somewhat related note, my brother ordered a gift basket to be delivered to our room. After 4 phone calls, he said that if he had one more person tell him to "have a magical day", he would go postal.

 

[aubriee]

For my mom's 75th birthday she didn't get anything special other than a few CMs saying "Happy Birthday" when they saw her birthday button. She didn't even get the button at check in, even though it was mentioned on our reservation. We went to Town Hall our first day at MK and asked for it.

 

[jazzielady]

To be honest, I didn't care for the promotion. I felt like everyone was wearing buttons for everything. I think I even saw one for toilet training!

Anyway, back when we went in 07, we went on my birthday and I feel like I got a lot more attention. Autographed card in the room, happy birthdays everywhere, the boat sang to me on the Jungle cruise, free desserts at restaurants. Nothing I expected, but I appreciated everything.

On our trip this past summer, the only thing we celebrated was father's day. I had made tshirts for our family to wear that day. On the front was Mickey saying "Happy Father's day!" and I bought a FD pin for him. That was it, but I wasn't expecting anything more.