Has anyone's daughter been picked to be the special Cinderella yet?

[LoveBuzz2]

Life is full of joys as well as disappointments......

it's amazing how such a magical experience can turn into such an awful thing...let's keep this thread positive please as I would love to hear about the experince if a DIS'er is lucky enough to get chosen!

Great post! I will not play the equal game with my two little ones. I just don't see the point. I of course have heard it from the older one. Why did you get them a ball while I was in school? What do I get? I just say, you've received plenty and won't it be a better surprise when you don't have to beg for it? I just can't do it. Maybe I'm mean, but I cannot let them play my heartstrings... Maybe they'll end up hating me and in therapy... LOL

 

[disneyjunkie]

As the mother of 4 daughters, one with Asperger's, I am glad we aren't going in October. It would be just another thing for her to see that she would NEVER be able to do and would make her incredibly upset with herself. I do NOT like the whole idea. While it is special for the "chosen one", I believe at WDW, *every* little (and not-so-little) girl is a princess, only little girls don't quite understand if they are princesses, too, why aren't they getting the "royal treatment". Yes, I know (probably better than some), life is full of disappointments, but why do they make disappointment a given at the happiest place on earth?

I think you have a point.

It's the same with waking Tinkerbell. There are thousands of kids in the park each day, yet only one child gets to do this.

 

[Windy City Heather]

I don't think Disney is trying to disappoint. I think they are trying to add a little more magic.

We don't know yet how the princess of the day is working, we can't judge Disney on how they pick the princess. With Tinkerbell, if more than one child is in the family all the children get to wake her up. These boards are what have made Tinkerbell a let down for people. I think that in the beginning you woke tink up by chance. Now everyone knows about it and races to get there. We as parents are to blame if our child races there and someone bet them and they are upset. What they don't know about can't hurt them. A child sees a little girl on a float, they don't know how they got there. We tell them and then they are disappointed it is not them.

I do think Disney try's to be careful about how they pick and choose people. We were the family of the day at CR. They made a big hupla about it but the lobby was EMPTY, us and CMs. I have heard on this board of a family who was picked as the family of the day at MK. I recall a CM coming up to them, talked to them and then took them away. They did not go running up to them screamming you are the family of the day. Once again, there is a family in a car at the front of the parade. Until I was on these boards I would have thought nothing of it.

 

[Bumbles]

I don't think Disney is trying to disappoint. I think they are trying to add a little more magic.

ITA Should we get rid of the Grand Marshalls for the parades because not everyone gets to do it?

As far as this goes

life is full of disappointments, but why do they make disappointment a given at the happiest place on earth?

Disappointment a given? Only if you make a huge deal about it. Is it really realistic to assume a child will have no disappointments at WDW?

Yes, some children get to take part in this, some get to wake up Tink, some have mommies and daddies who buy them a load of toys at the Emporium that maybe you can't afford for your kids, some kids may not get the Mickey bar while watching another kid with a Mickey bar in one hand and an Itzakadoozie in another.

Sometimes life isn't fair.

 

[LoveBuzz2]

Sometimes life isn't fair.

Agreed!

 

[decker96]

I don't think Disney is trying to disappoint. I think they are trying to add a little more magic.

We don't know yet how the princess of the day is working, we can't judge Disney on how they pick the princess. With Tinkerbell, if more than one child is in the family all the children get to wake her up. These boards are what have made Tinkerbell a let down for people. I think that in the beginning you woke tink up by chance. Now everyone knows about it and races to get there. We as parents are to blame if our child races there and someone bet them and they are upset. What they don't know about can't hurt them. A child sees a little girl on a float, they don't know how they got there. We tell them and then they are disappointed it is not them.

ITA with this. Kids aren't going to know that the little girl in the parade was chosen specially unless their parents tell them. Heck, my kids would probably think she worked at Disney or was a CM's kid or something. Same with waking Tinkerbelle. I'd love it if my DD got to do this, but I haven't told her about it. If we end up in the right place at the right time then great, otherwise she will still have fun trying to spot Tink in the store. JMO.

 

[HookdonWDW]

If we end up in the right place at the right time then great, otherwise she will still have fun trying to spot Tink in the store. JMO.

The funny thing is, I think that a lot of times, this is just what the CMs are looking for... someone looking for spontaneous, unplanned magic.

We were watching Merlin at the Sorcerer's Stone one day, and ds had an excellent spot to see the "show". As the show began, there were the usual last minute arrivals trying to throw their kids up to the front, and telling them to make sure to smile so Merlin would pick them. DS noticed that some of the kids were smaller than him, so he politely moved back to let them in front of him so they could see. He didn't make a big deal of it. He did it because once in a while he actually remembers that he has manners.

Merlin was watching this, winked at me, and went on with the show. When it came time to pick the second person to try to take the Sword from the Stone, he chose ds. DS was thrilled to have the opportunity to be "Temporary Ruler of the Kingdom", and still has his medal on display in his room!

Sometimes I think that we as parents need to realize that Magical Moments are even better if we allow the Pixie Dust to do its thing, instead of worrying about whether or not it will happen...

 

[ceiligh1]

My little sister (3 years younger) was chosen to be the child who drew the sword from the stone on our visit to disneyland in 1990. She had a wonderful time having photos taken with the CM's and wearing the badge they gave her declaring her Pricess for a day. I could not have been happier, she was having such a wonderful time. So from a sibling of a chosen one, I think if asked let the DD participate.
That being said we were also at Disneyland with a family friend who was a year or two younger than my sister, he was upset that she was chosen instead of him. A ride or two later and he had forgotten about it. If you dont make to big a deal about it, I dont think the kids will make it an issue either. Just my opinion.

 

[lillygator]

ok - today the 6th princess gets picked!

 

[Disneyrsh]

I think you have a point.

It's the same with waking Tinkerbell. There are thousands of kids in the park each day, yet only one child gets to do this.

Geez, what are you guys, Communists? Not everybody gets everything equally. That's what makes certain things 'special'!

My kids would have no problem seeing another little girl on the float doing the Cinderella thing. They'd think it was incredibly cool that she got lucky and got picked, . It would have no negative impact on them at all.

Now, if it was Sister got picked and I didn't, that'd be different, and I totally get that. But really, guys, let's get rid of the Magic because not everybody can participate? Wow, that's such a buzz kill

Finding pleasure in other people's joy, I think that's what the Waking Tinkerbell and Cinderella For A Day teach us.

 

[Bumbles]

very nicely said, Disneyrsh

 

[LoveTink05]

Geez, what are you guys, Communists? Not everybody gets everything equally. That's what makes certain things 'special'!

My kids would have no problem seeing another little girl on the float doing the Cinderella thing. They'd think it was incredibly cool that she got lucky and got picked, . It would have no negative impact on them at all.

Now, if it was Sister got picked and I didn't, that'd be different, and I totally get that. But really, guys, let's get rid of the Magic because not everybody can participate? Wow, that's such a buzz kill

Finding pleasure in other people's joy, I think that's what the Waking Tinkerbell and Cinderella For A Day teach us.

I absolutely agree!

 

[smfritz03]

I have 3 girls--although one is only 16 mths---now if they saw another girl get picked, they would be in awe and "wish" it was one of them and daydream about it. They wouldnt be green eyed--they understand that not everyone gets the same things in life. We've been sure to teach them that at an early age. However, at the ages of 6 --if one of them was chosen and the other wasnt, it would be a huge disappointment for the one. Im not sure what I would do, because I wouldnt want to deny one that opportunity, but at the same time, I dont want the unchosen one to feel the disappointment and wonder if she wasnt "pretty enough" (yes, 6 yr old girls do think that) or whatever other thoughts come in. My kids would be happy for the other, they have shown that this summer in Disney when one would get something a little extra or whatnot---and im sure the one chosen would be alittle disappointed not to share it w/ the others--actually Im positive on this. So what would I do---well---at their CURRENT ages, if they hadnt heard the offer, I would decline or see about making an "honory princess" (not in the the parade or anything--but just TELL her that and I'll buy the dress and stuff). The reason I would decline--or make every attempt to avoid this is because I would rather both my girls have the dream of someday having that opportunity and give them something exciting to daydream about vs one being picked and the other not and feeling like she will NEVER have that chance because she wasnt chosen the first time. There are just some things in life better to dream about than experience.

 

[belleandthebeast]

We're going @ the end of this month! My niece will be the only "child" going (my sister is 17 and considers herself an adult). Here's hoping!

I, too, wish they would pick me. Of course, I'm a Princess everday

 

[lham1531]

Mother of 3 DD's here and leaving Saturday - won't even breath a word of this to anyone else in the family, but secretly picturing how cute any one of my three girls would be. For the record, I think I would let any be picked and just make magic moments for the others some other way - it is "above and beyond" magic and the odds are just too great to even get my hopes up.

But, I'm so glad I read this thread because I had forgotten about ol' Tinkerbelle! I think I started to get turned off about this because of reading all of the threads about people racing to get there and the nastiness that insued - anybody done it recently with a good experience? I can't even remember which store and which direction to head - that's how long it's been since I read anything about it!

 

[smfritz03]

Mother of 3 DD's here and leaving Saturday - won't even breath a word of this to anyone else in the family, but secretly picturing how cute any one of my three girls would be. For the record, I think I would let any be picked and just make magic moments for the others some other way - it is "above and beyond" magic and the odds are just too great to even get my hopes up.

But, I'm so glad I read this thread because I had forgotten about ol' Tinkerbelle! I think I started to get turned off about this because of reading all of the threads about people racing to get there and the nastiness that insued - anybody done it recently with a good experience? I can't even remember which store and which direction to head - that's how long it's been since I read anything about it!

Our kids did this---it was a great experience and only one other child was in the store. If you head towards the Castle--walk through---just on the other side to your left is Tinks Treasures and you just walk inside and ask about Tinkerbell. We werent going to even attempt this--however, as we strolled through, I happened to notice it and we just went in and asked. The kids loved this experience and believed that because of this Tink left them all their presents in their rooms. (we had goodies set out for when they returned)

 

[LakeAriel]

If it means being somewere at a certain time, having her dressed a certain way, being by ourselves. I would do it.


So in order to have your daughter picked you will drag her out of bed, be sure she looks a certain way and go to the park at 5AM? That won't make your child a Princess, that's an exploited child. IMHO. Try to remember it's for the child not you. Every child who is IN Disney World is a very lucky child indeed! Millions will never have the joy. Let yours enjoy the moment!!

 

[Patty3]

I think this would be a wonderful experience for some little girl. However, I would not breathe a word to my child that this is even happening. Why get their hopes up when the odds of them being chosen is slim?

 

[daisax]

I don't think that life has to be made so fair that nobody gets special surprises.

However, I think it's quite a different matter to walk up to two children of equivalent age to really care about it and pick one over the other.

That's far different from just seeing some kid your age on the float and wishing you were that lucky.

I just hope they use some discretion. Even if there's a sibling of the same age elsewhere in the park, that's different from an adult coming up, looking at both children, and picking one. I don't see any way for a child of an impressionable age to not feel insulted by that. If the choosing happens outside of their presence, and they find out about it later, they may be jealous, but it won't be a personal rejection.

 

[lillygator]

it would be awesome to hear from anyone who has been picked - then we would better understand if Disney is in fact targeting people who appear to only have one princess in their party - because at the moment none of us know how they are doing the picking process.

Please - no debating on the process/etc, I posed the initial question to live vicariously thorough the honorary princess!