2009 = Year of....????

[D C]

I assume that the Year of a Million Dreams will finally come to a close at the end of '08 (or was it Years of a Million Dreams).

Any indication of what 2009 will be?

[TinkLover]

Not a clue, but hope its something new and exciting

[Ransom]

It's rumored to be something like "Magical Gatherings" or "Celebrations" or something like that. Basically, a pitch to come to Disney parks to celebrate whatever you have to celebrate.

[D C]

It's rumored to be something like "Magical Gatherings" or "Celebrations" or something like that. Basically, a pitch to come to Disney parks to celebrate whatever you have to celebrate.
Kind of the same pitch they had before the million dreams, isn't it?

The YOAMD was pretty cool though. My wife, kids, brother/wife/kids, and parents were all picked to be in the x-mas parade at AK last December.

[Ransom]

Kind of the same pitch they had before the million dreams, isn't it?


...but without all the free stuff. ;)

[Pumpkinboy]

Maybe it'll be "Year we clean out your wallet ... again" or some such thing ;)

Won't next year be the tenth anniversary of Animal Kingdom? That won't work at Disneyland tho, and I notice that they like to put the US parks on the same campaign. I would be interested in what focus groups are hearing as they're testing things out.

I expect it'll be announced in early October along with the commencement of DVC sales at BLT and GCV.

Speaking of BLT, I saw them putting roofing on the top of the 15th (I think) floor earlier this week, so it looks like the frame is up, and ready for them to fill it out. :hyper:

[salmoneous]

It's always a big anniversary for one of the theme parks - especially since Disney gets a big creative in calculating these things.

[B'rer Karen]

Maybe it'll be "Year we clean out your wallet ... again" or some such thing ;)

Won't next year be the tenth anniversary of Animal Kingdom? That won't work at Disneyland tho, and I notice that they like to put the US parks on the same campaign. I would be interested in what focus groups are hearing as they're testing things out.



Animal Kingdom's 10th anniversary was this year. DHS turns the big 2-0 next year, though. I agree that they won't bother with a single park celebration, though.

[D C]

Maybe it'll be "Year we clean out your wallet ... again" or some such thing ;)
Maybe the "Year of Reasonable Food & Gift-Shop Prices"? :D

[lenshanem]

I've heard Magical Gatherings, too.

[Simba's Mom]

Animal Kingdom's 10th anniversary was this year. DHS turns the big 2-0 next year, though. I agree that they won't bother with a single park celebration, though.

Yet, I always thought it was a little disappointing that although they make a big deal and celebrate these sometimes who-knows-what events, they barely mention (by comparison) the anniversaries of individual parks. So, although I think it would be nice to make a little bigger celebration of DHS's 20th, I'm not holding my breath.

[TikiTwinsDad]

That's the rumor. Here are a couple of relatively reputable websites with some info.

WDWNewsToday 5/10/08 (http://www.wdwnewstoday.com/2008/05/10/after-the-million-dreams/):

WDW News Today has just been informed that after the conclusion of the long-running Year of a Million Dreams celebration in December 2008, Disney Parks will begin a new, smaller scale promotional program. The new promotion will be titled “Magical Celebrations” and is scheduled to begin in January 2009. The only part of the celebration that has been mentioned (still unofficial) thus far for the Walt Disney World Resort is the addition of Disneyland’s Parade of Dreams to the Magic Kingdom. No additional information is available at this time, but stay tuned to WDW News Today as more becomes available.

JIM HILL (JUNE 3rd) http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2008/06/03/high-school-musical-5-6-beauty-the-beast-headed-back-to-broadway.aspx :

Well, I hope you really liked Disney Parks & Resorts' promotion for 2003 (i.e. "Magical Gatherings," which celebrated the magic that happened when friends and family reconnected over a Disney vacation). Because here comes ...
• DISNEYMAGICALCELEBRATION.COM
• DISNEYMAGICALCELEBRATION.NET
The current plan calls for a national promotional campaign which will then try & lure tourists to the Disneyland & Walt Disney World Resort with the promise of extra-special birthday & anniversary celebrations ...
• BIRTHDAYSATDISNEY.COM
• DISNEYPARKSBIRTHDAY.COM
• DISNEYPARKSBIRTHDAYS.COM
• DISNEYLANDBIRTHDAY.COM
• DISNEYLANDBIRTHDAYS.COM
• DISNEYWORLDBIRTHDAY.COM
• DISNEYWORLDBIRTHDAYS.COM
• DISNEYANNIVERSARY.COM
• DISNEYANNIVERSARIES.COM
• DISNEYLANDANNIVERSARY.COM
• DISNEYLANDANNIVERSARIES.COM
• DISNEYWORLDANNIVERSARY.COM
• DISNEYWORLDANNIVERSARIES.COM
... once they arrive on property.
The only problem with the "Disney's Magical Celebrations" plan is that ... Well, when Jay Rasulo and his DP&R crew originally dreamed this year-long promotion for 2009 up, the price of gasoline was still under $3.00 a gallon. And now that consumers nationally are paying well over $4.00 for a gallon of Regular Unleaded ... Mouse House insiders are wondering if the promise of free balloons & birthday buttons is really going to be enough to put heads in bed over the coming year. Convince hundreds of thousands of people to make plane reservations, book hotel rooms, buy theme park tickets and make yet another trip to Anaheim & Orlando next year. Where -- in order for Disney's business plan to come true -- they then have to buy lots of t-shirts, pins & plush.

So, it's a little different from Magical Gatherings, in that they are trying to have you focus your own personal event on WDW, as opposed to WDW being the whole raison d'etre for your trip. Sounds like they will be goodies for those folks. It'd be nice to go a season with out the generic DisneyParks and constant promotion. But, I guess we won't get that. WDW's 40th is 2011, I am sure that they will stretch that from january 2010-march 2013.

I just hope it means they will make NEW ATTRACTIONS the centerpiece of the promotion (a la Disney's 50th) and not mousears, buttons and fastpasses. (No I am not bitter, we actually won a pair of mouseears and A 6 CD set called the Musical History of Disneyland - through mail entry though) :)

[D C]

So, it's a little different from Magical Gatherings, in that they are trying to have you focus your own personal event on WDW, as opposed to WDW being the whole raison d'etre for your trip. Sounds like they will be goodies for those folks. It'd be nice to go a season with out the generic DisneyParks and constant promotion. But, I guess we won't get that. WDW's 40th is 2011, I am sure that they will stretch that from january 2010-march 2013.

I just hope it means they will make NEW ATTRACTIONS the centerpiece of the promotion (a la Disney's 50th) and not mousears, buttons and fastpasses. (No I am not bitter, we actually won a pair of mouseears and A 6 CD set called the Musical History of Disneyland - through mail entry though) :)
Interesting. So it's "come to Disney and celebrate for no particular reason" year? If we give our event a special name, will we get freebies? :D