Back in Oct 2006, Disney launched a extremely remarkable advertising referred to as Calendar year of a Million Goals and in genuine Disney fashion, it lasted for, wait around for it, a massive 27 months (in excess of two several years). The premise guiding the initiative was that across each Walt Disney Planet and Disneyland there would be prizes that solid members, known as the Aspiration Squad, would dish out to unbeknown attendees who occurred to be in the ideal place at the time. It was the factor of dreams!
The prizes ranged from FastPasses, to Mickey ears, to even a excursion on a Disney Cruise or a 1 evening keep in the Castle Suite in Cinderella Castle or the Aspiration Suite in Disneyland. For a truly feel for what was on provide, I observed this record from an article on the DIS again when the marketing launched that specifies all the giveaways:
They never add up to a million – I counted – it really is truly much more!
As nicely as the prizes and magical times, the lamp posts together Most important Road were being decked out with blue banners and the lengthy operating Desire Along with Mickey castle phase present premiered at the start of Year of a Million Goals. The Fab 5 characters also experienced adorable new sparkly blue outfits to mark the celebration.
I was blessed ample to have been in Walt Disney Globe towards the close of 12 months of a Million Desires and it was so fascinating seeing the Aspiration Squad roaming the parks knowing there was the slimmest of options that you could actually be granted a stay in the castle. Whilst we failed to get picked for one particular of the prime giveaways, we did obtain some Disney magic on a good several occasions.
The first time we ended up on the obtaining finish of the Aspiration Squad was as we were being boarding “it truly is a modest entire world.” All of a sudden out of nowhere, a “Dreamer” appeared and declared that every person on our whole boat have been the blessed recipients of a pair of Aspiration Mickey Ears every! It felt so particular.
Later on in the trip, on return from a excursion by means of the Himalayas on Expedition Everest, our total educate was greeted by a member of the Dream Squad and presented with the Mickey Ears again! We could not feel our luck that we would managed to get two prizes.
As properly as the over record of giveaways, there were being additional magical times taking place all over the parks that had been also section of 12 months of a Million Desires. One particular case in point was when my Father lifted up the door mat at the entrance to Muppet Eyesight 3-D. You can find a signal over the mat that suggests “Back again in 5 Minutes – Critical is Beneath Mat” and in regular instances, there’s a important caught to the ground which is one of these wonderful touches of depth that Disney does so nicely. Nevertheless, throughout Yr of a Million Dreams, the to start with human being who lifted the mat just about every working day would be rewarded with a Calendar year of a Million Dreams certification! I was also gifted with a Tinker Bell “Where by Dreams Come Accurate” pin set in the Emporium which bundled two similar pins with a single to give to an individual else.
Even however I was only 11 decades old, Yr of a Million Goals has genuinely trapped with me and I fairly normally imagine about all the magical times that took place on that vacation. Despite the fact that the magic is even now quite substantially alive and solid members grant magical times daily, there was some thing further magical about remaining in the parks during Calendar year of a Million Dreams. Anything I would adore to see happen once more is possessing a workforce of solid customers whose sole task is to unfold magic like we saw with the “Aspiration Squad” – it is really the literal desire task!
The 50th anniversary of Walt Disney Entire world would have been the best chance to re-introduce specified aspects of the 12 months of a Million Goals, but for now it appears to be to be firmly established in the past and will stay something for us to desire about returning.