Disney announces new marketing campaign

[Bob O]

Now what would be the SFGAM alternative to this??? Though spending the night at Tower of Terror would be cool!!

Would it be sleeping in the station house at Raging Bull or in the Batcave at BTR, where would you want to spend the night at SFGAM??


Disney announces new marketing campaign
Announcement touts 'Year of a Million Dreams.'

Scott Powers
Sentinel Staff Writer
Published June 7, 2006, 8:39 PM CDT


It's every little girl's dream come true: Spending the night in Cinderella Castle.

Such sleepovers will be part of a "Year of a Million Dreams" national promotion that the Walt Disney Co. announced Wednesday night.

Every day for a year, beginning on Oct. 1, a family will be picked to move into the "royal chambers" and spend the night at the Magic Kingdom castle.

The promotion, along with a worldwide advertising campaign called "Where Dreams Come True," is aimed at surprising visitors with previously unimagined experiences, Disney officials said.

"We'll be empowering our cast to basically deliver some once-in-a-lifetime experiences to some of our guests," said Jay Rasulo , chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Some people wandering the Disney property will be handed scrolls inviting them gala balls. Riders on Pirates of the Caribbean might find pirate characters taking the seats beside them. Others will be handed "Golden Fastpass" tickets that allow them to get into much shorter Fastpass lines at rides all day.

One family even will be picked in the next year to have Magic Kingdom to themselves for a few hours.

The campaigns also will involve a small handful of new attractions, including the previously announced "Finding Nemo: the Musical" show at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and a new "The Seas with Nemo and Friends" ride through Living Seas at Epcot. A couple of other rides, such as Space Mountain, are going to get changes.

But the chance to spend the night at Cinderella Castle is sure to get the most attention from little girls and their parents.

"If we came here to Cinderella's Castle, you would meet her," said 7-year-old Adalina Harris of McAllen, Texas, who was visiting the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday with her parents and brother.

Disney lore has it that about 10 stories up from the castle moat, an apartment was built when the castle was opened in 1971. Whether it was initially intended to be Walt Disney's own apartment (he died in 1966) or his brother Roy's, the apartment was never finished and never lived in. Until now.

The winning visitors will be picked at random through a system being developed by consultants, a Disney spokesman said. They could be picked in the parks, in Disney hotels or even at Downtown Disney, where the general public can wander for free -- just as long as they're on Disney property.

This new campaign comes immediately after Disney's "Happiest Celebration on Earth" promotion for Disneyland's 50th anniversary, which was credited with boosting attendance at both Disneyland and Disney World.

"Perhaps this campaign may yield good results as well," said Ady Milman, a business professor at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida.

This year, Disney opened a major attraction -- Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom -- but no major attractions were announced for the coming year. Instead, Disney will focus on visitor experiences, such as the castle sleepovers.

But why stop with the castle, wondered Ron and Anita Dick of Witchita, Kansas. They were visiting Wednesday with their teenage grandchildren, who they said loved Tower of Terror.

"They need to put an apartment there. If they did Tower of Terror, that would interest the teenagers," she said.

Scott Powers can be reached at spowers@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5441.

[RagingBullLover1543]

Mods. This should be in the Genral Coaster talk. Shouldn't it?

[Galvan]

Yep, and thats where it is now.

[Trailblazer Tony]

Wow!! Great ideas! I think this kind of stuff is much cooler than new rides. Thanks for the post Bob O..you da man!

[Ilovthevu']

"A couple of other rides, such as Space Mountain, are going to get changes."

I hate these words. Next time I go, I'm going to ride a whole lot of it because if it's anything like Disneyland's I'm doomed for eternal life.

[LAFFfan4lyfe]

i like the castle idea. It's cool for the kids. I know if i was a little girl, i'd like to stay there. I think the tower of terror idea someone there brought up would be cool too.

[Trailblazer Tony]

"A couple of other rides, such as Space Mountain, are going to get changes."

I hate these words. Next time I go, I'm going to ride a whole lot of it because if it's anything like Disneyland's I'm doomed for eternal life.

I think by the Space Mountain comment, they are refering to that "Rock It Mountain" idea where they add flashing lights and music to it. Which would only make the ride better, but who knows.

[LAFFfan4lyfe]

well whatever they do, i hope it's for the better for space mountain. Personally, i like it the way it was, but whatever floats their boat i guess. I won't get down to WDW to ride it anytime soon anyways.

[Director_Guy]

I think the new Space Mountain at Disneyland is just as awesome, if not more.

What I don't like is that Walt Disney World and other parks are getting better things for DISNEYLAND's 50th. They got Everest and Soarin'. All California got was a re-opening of Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and a crappy Monster's Inc. ride....

hmmm.....

Spending the night in Tower of Terror would be awesome. OR better yet, The Haunted Mansion....in the stretching room.

[LAFFfan4lyfe]

i agree with staying the night in the haunted mansion. i never really thought about that before. It'd be awesome!

[Trailblazer Tony]

Why not It's A Small World in a boat? Can you imagine how long the song would be in your head!

[w00dland]

I do believe if a family stayed in "Small World" overnight there would be newspaper headlines the next day to the tune of: "Father forced to commit triple homicide and suicide in Disney sleepover nightmare."

[Sedir]

Wow, that's a great idea by Disney. And that tower of terror idea is a really good one too. Especially if you have to take an elevator to get to your room.

[Energizer Bunny]

ooOOoo i would love to stay in TOT. it looks so cool lit up at night. i wonder where you'd stay though. would it really be high up, like where the cars moves into the drop tower or would they let you sleep in the lobby? probably in the lobby i'm guessing. i think they have all kinds of liability issues if you stayed anywhere else.