Sorry to be cynical...

[lashbear]

Yet another picture-perfect family wins a major prize....

http://www.laughingplace.com/lp/lotion/pics/SS20061204-DLPenthouse/P1-0001.jpg

Full story here at laughingplace (http://www.laughingplace.com/Lotion-View-325.asp)

Randomly selected. :rolleyes:

[innerSpaceman]

Hehehe, I got directed to that story so's I could check out the Penthouse. My fave feature is the receccessed Mickey ceiling. The entertainment system in one of the bedrooms is cool, too.

Considering who sent me the link, I really shouldn't go on about the cute family who won the prize in a total fluke!!

[BarTopDancer]

The number of picture perfect families far outweighs the number of non and the odds will be in their favor all the time.

And while I think it would be super uber cool to win a stay in the Penthouse I'd much rather the out of town family (and that includes you LB) on a once or twice in a lifetime trip win.

[Prudence]

Well, at least I won't have to spend any time crossing my fingers and wishing for dreams during my trip. Oh well.

[SacTown Chronic]

Swing by Sac and pick up my kids, Pru. Then sit back and reap the benefits of being the perfect family at Disneyland.


Half price churros with drink purchase, fvcking-a!

[RStar]

Aww, Pru, it could happen.....

Love the room! Wow, I'd like my house to look like that!

[Gemini Cricket]

Uh... scary floating Mickey head... yikes!
:D

[JWBear]

"They look like they've been carved out of cream cheese."

[Gemini Cricket]

"The Knight family from Utah..."
:rolleyes:

[lashbear]

And while I think it would be super uber cool to win a stay in the Penthouse I'd much rather the out of town family (and that includes you LB) on a once or twice in a lifetime trip win.

Thank you ! I'll take you with me if I win a night there ! :D

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I'm disappointed by all the malice I'm seeing here.

Disneyland was designed with families in mind. It attracts far more families than couples or single adults.

JW - What does it matter if they're white? And GC - why does it matter that they're from Utah? Do you have to be of a certain color, or from a certain place in order to get respect around here?

I'm happy for them, no matter who they are.

[Prudence]

So only families should be eligible for contests? Specifically, photogenic families? If only families are eligible, then don't advertise that "anyone" can win, because they can't. Don't attempt to solicit increased business from me by implying that I am in the potential pool of winners if you're going to ensure that no one who looks like me wins.

[Ghoulish Delight]

So only families should be eligible for contests? Specifically, photogenic families?

Who said that? Disneyland attracts more families than not-families, therefore odds are high, it's going to be a family that wins.

[mousepod]

I doubt they'll use photos of every winner for publicity. Even if they tried, the news services would quickly get bored with a stack of photos every day from Disney. I'm sure plenty of weirdos will win plenty of prizes. You just might not see them on TV or in the newspaper.

[BarTopDancer]

The number of picture perfect families far outweighs the number of non and the odds will be in their favor all the time.


I can believe that this contest is random based upon the odds.

And I never said that only picture perfect families should be elegible, no one did Pru. But the odds are in their favor because there are so many of them.

[Alex]

Part of winning the night in the room is serving as grand marshall for the parade. So, create a rotating schedule to see who leads the parade every day (though keep in mind that if a mail-in entry is selected as the winner they don't get the prize just a cash equivelant) and see if they deviate from the photogenic heartland of America Stepford-family ideal. And if not, then file a class action lawsuit in the name of all "ugly" Disneyland visitors.

If Disney is not very, very careful in randomly distributing these prizes then they'll run afoul of the laws governing such promotions and this prize is not specifically exempted from the other prizes in the contest. That isn't to say they aren't stacking the game, but if they are they have opened themselves up to some liability.

[JWBear]

....JW - What does it matter if they're white?....
That was not what I was saying! It's from Steel Magnolias - in reference to a family that is just too picture perfect. It had nothing whatsoever to do with race.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

That was not what I was saying! It's from Steel Magnolias - in reference to a family that is just too picture perfect. It had nothing whatsoever to do with race.I've never seen the movie, but I don't get how cream cheese has to do with perfection and not race. Sorry that I took your meaning wrong.

[Gemini Cricket]

I think these contests are totally rigged. Totally. Would there really be a big media brouhaha if the couple was black or Hispanic? I think not. And, for that matter, if those three kids had two mommies? Don't think so.
I think this family was hand-picked, imho.

[Moonliner]

That's right. Fear the family for we are many and you are few. While you singles and pairs may visit the park, we invade it. We come in numbers too large to ignore with day packs, strollers, sons, daughters, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. We are family hear us roar!

[Not Afraid]

:shudder: Strollers! :/shudder:

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I think these contests are totally rigged. Totally. Would there really be a big media brouhaha if the couple was black or Hispanic? I think not. And, for that matter, if those three kids had two mommies? Don't think so.
I think this family was hand-picked, imho.As was said above by others - people win the room every single day. We have no idea who else wins the room.

And to repeat what has been said about 10 times already - the vast majority of people that visit Disneyland are Mom & Dad and Two Kids families. Odds are that they would win. I'm all for remembering that not everyone is configured that way, but the majority at Disneyland still are.

[katiesue]

If the contest were run as a scratch off or scan your entry media into a machine to see what you've won sort of deal instead of being randomly picked out by a person, would that change your opinion of the winners?

As has been said just because they're not pictured, doesn't mean that more unphotogenic groups of people aren't winning.

[€uroMeinke]

I thought this was billed by Disney as a "Promotion" not a "Contest" I think that supposedly gives them leyway to pick and choose - or so I read in some other thread somewhere - don't have the wherewithall to research it myself.

And is this room really given out every day? Does that mean I can never book it for myself? So a Famly staying for a week, gets one day here and then get shipped back to the Candy Cane Inn?

Where's an Insider who can clear this up for me?

I got a loaf of bread, so my dream has been fullfilled.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

It says "one night stay", so yeah, back to Candy Cane Inn. I'm sure they want as much mileage as possible out of it so I would suppose they give this out every day.

[katiesue]

That was my understanding as well. I thought it would kind of suck if it came in the middle of your one week stay. Plus I'm guessing you'd still be paying for your room at the Candy Cane that night because it would be too late to cancel.

[Alex]

Not for a year, or at least not in advance.

It is a prize being awarded 367 times through the end of next year. Now, the winner of the prize won't always be able to stay in the room so I suppose it is possible that the hotel will then let someone else in, but I don't know that to be fact.

It is definitely a legally governed prize in the contest (here (http://adestinations.disney.go.com/media/disneyparks/en_US/html/yomdrules.html?CMP=OTC-VanURLYOMDRulesEng#YOMDGoverningLawText) are the detailed rules as required by law and the penthouse is one of the prizes mentioned).

[€uroMeinke]

Well, if I should get it in addition to my loaf - we'll have one hell of a swanking

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Well, if I should get it in addition to my loaf - we'll have one hell of a swanking

I'll start frequenting DL with my picture perfect family... I'll let you know when I hit the jackpot.

[Scrooge McSam]

I'm disappointed by all the malice I'm seeing here.

As am I. I don't get it. Didn't DJ Keith recently win?

Disney, to my mind, has never been about excluding anyone. Weren't they one of the first in the world to start offering partner benefits? And stand up to all the groups that threatened them because of it? They welcome the christians. They welcome the goths. They welcome the gays.

I don't get it.

[Capt Jack]

I'm sure plenty of weirdos will win plenty of prizes. You just might not see them on TV or in the newspaper.

yes! I still have a chance!!! :snap:

[JWBear]

I think it's just as wrong if all different types win the prize, but only the "wholesome" "all American" families are the ones used in publicity.

[Scrooge McSam]

I think it's just as wrong if all different types win the prize, but only the "wholesome" "all American" families are the ones used in publicity.

Yeah, I see your point, but I can give em a break there.

I mean, would you rather see my mug in a Disney commercial, or GD and CP?

[lashbear]

Not Malice - Cynacism.

I'm sure people of all walks of life will win a night in the Mickey Mouse Penthouse - but it's the fact that the inaugural family (ie, the publicised one) was so perfect they may as well have been hired from hollywood, that makes me question the "random" aspect.

It's about media manipulation if anything.

Of course I could be totally wrong, and the family in question may have been a totally random choice. But wouldn't any company's marketing division want to choose an ideal "everyfamily' group to illustrate the inaugural visitors/customers? I think they would. Advertising agencies (mostly) always go for percieved perfection.

[Not Afraid]

All day long I've been singing (due to this thread):

We're a happy family
We're a happy family
We're a happy family
Me mom and daddy

Siting here in Queens
Eating refried beans
We're in all the magazines
Gulpin' down thorazines

We ain't got no friends
Our troubles never end
No Christmas cards to send
Daddy likes men

Daddy's telling lies
Baby's eating flies
Mommy's on pills
Baby's got the chills

I'm friends with the President
I'm friends with the Pope
We're all making a fortune
Selling Daddy's dope

Sometimes, the Ramones are the most apporpriate band in the world.

[CoasterMatt]

I would love to see them award me a "dream" while I'm wearing my Revenge of the Mummy jacket :D

[tracilicious]

I think it's just as wrong if all different types win the prize, but only the "wholesome" "all American" families are the ones used in publicity.


I don't see it as wrong. I see it as business. Disney is going to cater to their largest demographic. If the majority of their business came from black gay men, that's who they would show winning prizes. They want more families to look at those pictures and imagine themselves winning because the majority of their profits come from families. What's the big deal?

[Gemini Cricket]

But if you're not white and maybe a single mother/father with three kids... wouldn't it be nice to see someone like you win for a change?

Friends of mine went to WDW with a group of 50. Not all were families. But the two white families that were are part of the group got rewarded with dreams multiple times at the four parks. The rest of the group... not once.

Just an example. It's a little slanted me thinks...

[Alex]

What did they win? There are things that are part of the contest that are governed by the rules.

Then there are "magical moments" that are not governed by the contest and those are at their discretion. I have no doubt that the latter will be biased but I am pretty sure the penthouse will be more random.