Step 1: Preparation
The first step for any organized trip is to make sure you've got your ducks in a row. This means picking the perfect dates and, if you want freebies, find something to celebrate! We all have a great reason to celebrate each day because we've been blessed with another morning to wake up and enjoy life but push that enthusiasm to the max at Disney and you're bound to be noticed by a cast member! Try combining your next trip with a birthday, anniversary, graduation, pregnancy/adoption announcement, or any other special event and plan accordingly! There are lots of ways to fit Disney into life's celebrations!
Whatever you do - whether you're pairing a special event with your Disney trip or not - I absolutely recommend a TouringPlans subscription. For about $15/year, you'll have access to itinerary and fastpass recommendations, a stellar crowd calendar, dining reservation finder, and their exclusive room reservation fax service. TouringPlans has photos of the view from almost every room/angle at each Disney resort and they can help you find exactly the location you want to request through their user-friendly virtual maps. Once you've got your perfect room or location selected, TouringPlans will allow you to customize a fax message that they'll automatically send to the resort for you about three days before check-in. This service is amazing because it guarantees that a cast member will physically retrieve your request and increases your odds of snagging the perfect room.
Here's what it looks like from the TouringPlans dashboard:
Select "configure fax"
Add your message - the room will be auto-populated if you select it from the map
We aren't picky people when it comes to room locations but we've had a few requests over the years and they have almost always been accommodated. A request for a king bed turned into an upgrade to a signature suite on our last trip!
Even if you don't use TouringPlans, you can still fax your own room request to your resort and make sure to mention your special event. You can also bring it up at the front desk if you prefer to chat with the cast members face-to-face.
Step 2: Advertisement
The cast members won't know you're celebrating if you don't make it known! There are plenty of ways to draw attention to yourself at Disney and potentially snag free stuff. Customized, matching shirts are a fun way to let cast members know that you're part of a group or visiting for a special occasion. Family reunions, school trips, annual vacation - you can pick any reason to make a shirt and let the world know you're happy to be at Disney! Pro tip: matching shirts also make it easier to find your group if you lose anyone in a crowd.
What better way to drum up interest in your event than to plan it at Disney?! Retirement party, engagement proposal, girls' trip - you name it, Disney can help you celebrate it! Make a restaurant reservation or ask for a PhotoPass photographer's help in capturing your special moment and you never know who might notice - a cast member might just offer you free dessert or souvenirs!
I'm saving the best advertisement for last: buttons. I'm such a huge fan of buttons that I don't think I'll ever go to Disney without one!
Disney offers their own buttons for free but there is a limited selection and you may not find a message that perfectly fits your special occasion. In those instances, you would want to grab the generic "I'm Celebrating" button and use a permanent marker to add your own message at the bottom. Another cool idea is to browse Etsy or other online shops to find custom buttons or Disney's retired designs to find something that matches your style. Check out these buttons for examples:
Disney offers a 'Happily Ever After' button for romantic occasions but my fiance found these more specific engagement buttons on Etsy for a few dollars each
Disneyland retired the "Just Married!" buttons in 2016 but I found a pair on eBay for about $15
We received free souvenir lantern mugs at Animal Kingdom while wearing our Just Engaged! buttons and free beignets at Disneyland by sporting the Just Married! buttons. It really works!
The most important thing to remember is that a trip to Disney is magic in itself; anything extra is pixie dust and it won't happen every time. Savor the fun moments when you get the room you requested, get upgraded to nicer accommodations, or receive an item for free because that means a cast member went out of their way to make your experience extra magical. And, as always, be sure to write up a nice compliment card for any cast member that makes your visit special because it's always nice to pay it forward!
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