Beth Kassab Sentinel Staff Writer February 28, 2007 For some visitors, Walt Disney World's "Year of a Million Dreams" giveaway is a reason for a million excuses. The yearlong campaign bestows randomly selected guests at the resort with prizes such as a night in Cinderella Castle, but some folks say "no thanks." "Sometimes, believe it or not, which I can't understand, people say, 'Nah, I'm leaving tomorrow or I don't want to move my stuff . . .' " said Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo. "We have had some guests for whatever reason say that they couldn't do it, so we go to the next person." Rasulo said he doesn't know exactly how many people have turned down the prizes that range from a stay fit for a princess in the castle to much smaller giveaways such as free popcorn or a pass to the front of thrill ride lines, but "it does happen." While giving up a night in the castle may be unfathomable to parents of young princess wannabes, Disney has a backup plan for when it happens. Another winner is simply selected at random. "It's the most complicated, complex mathematical system you can imagine," Rasulo said of the process developed for Disney by an outside firm. Each day the system pinpoints an exact location -- such as the seventh person to exit a specific show at the Magic Kingdom -- and whoever is at the right place at the right time wins the prize. The campaign started last year with more than 1 million prizes, some worth tens of thousands of dollars apiece, such as time-share contracts and trips halfway around the world. On average, 1,700 to 3,000 prizes big and small are given out on a daily basis, said Disney spokesman Jacob DiPietre.
I can actually understand people who don't want to go. ; I mean moving your stuff for one night would be a PITA, especially if it's a family who doesn't care for the whole 'princess' thing. Or -what about people who aren't staying the night - who are at the park but their plane leaves at 9:00PM that night...
