Birthday Button "Etiquette"?

[respmom]

Cool so it is like a surprise trip for them

Yes def a surprise and so hard to keep!

 

[respmom]

Congratulations!! There are absolutely scammers out there(think manhattan socialites hiring disabled people to cut lines). Wearing a celebration button~such a silly thing to debate!!! Enjoy your graduation/birthday celebrations!!!

Thank you! I know I read that so terrible! The fact they flaunt it is even worse!

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Yes def a surprise and so hard to keep!

But so worth it i am sure

 

[TygerHawks]

My daughter turns 5 during our trip, and I plan on letting her wear the pin the whole time. Partly because she will love the attention. And partly out of guilt. The actual day of her birthday we will be spending at HS for SWW...so..uhm...doing daddy's thing that day Compensating this by going to MK on our first day, 2 days before her actual birthday. My son's birthday isn't until December, trying to determine if I should do a celebrating something for him, since we can't ever do anything on the 29th during winter break and Christmas. On the same account, 1 week earlier my wife and I will celebrate 18 years of marriage and wont do anything due to this trip. Thought about wearing a pin for 1 day.

Ultimatly, this trip is to make the kids happy and feel special and will do what I need to in order to accomodate that.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

My daughter turns 5 during our trip, and I plan on letting her wear the pin the whole time. Partly because she will love the attention. And partly out of guilt. The actual day of her birthday we will be spending at HS for SWW...so..uhm...doing daddy's thing that day Compensating this by going to MK on our first day, 2 days before her actual birthday. My son's birthday isn't until December, trying to determine if I should do a celebrating something for him, since we can't ever do anything on the 29th during winter break and Christmas. On the same account, 1 week earlier my wife and I will celebrate 18 years of marriage and wont do anything due to this trip. Thought about wearing a pin for 1 day.

Ultimatly, this trip is to make the kids happy and feel special and will do what I need to in order to accomodate that.

Just a suggestion but can you guys split let the guys do sew at hs and do the Mk for her

 

[TygerHawks]

She is a "daddy's girl" and probably wouldn't do so well with that No, she will still have fun (she loves all costumed characters) and we have a lot of stuff planned. I could do SWW either Friday or Saturday, but also thinking crowds.

 

[retlaw_yensid]

My family of four is visiting WDW in January 2014 along with my sister and her family of three. We'll be there for 7 days in the parks and we're planning on designating each of those days as a "birthday" for each of us, even though there will only be one actual birthday occurring. The idea is that on your "birthday" day, you'll get to wear a birthday button and you're also the one in charge of decisions that day (like what ride to go on next). There's nothing you can say that will make us feel bad for celebrating our birthdays early or late in the Happiest Place on Earth! We had to wait five years to do it.

 

[blondie_k21]

I don't think I would wear one unless it was my actual birthday month. I'm thinking the increase in people wearing buttons whenever, instead of for their actual birthday, is why people are getting less and less magical extras.

I would never wear one 3 moths after the fact.

I agree with this 100%. I realize most people are limited on the time of year they can go (I've never been on mine either), but I don't understand people going in January with a birthday in July and wearing it then. Just my 0.02. :

 

[Bob NC]

I agree with this 100%. I realize most people are limited on the time of year they can go (I've never been on mine either), but I don't understand people going in January with a birthday in July and wearing it then. Just my 0.02. :

I believe the upside is that to many folks who aren't die hard, like many Disers, it wouldn't even occur to them to go to a theme park and tell someone it's their birthday when it was really 3 months ago or 3 months from now.

Yes, if everyone were wearing a "birthday pin", then the recognition of that milestone by WDW employees would be SEVERELY diluted.

You can't really take the frequency of which Dissers would do this and relate it to the public at large.

Some folks always say, "Well, what if everyone did it?" When in reality everyone never does anything....lol.

 

[kaelalala]

I went with two friends and all three of us were celebrating a birthday over the week we were there. At least one of us was wearing our button every day that week. Some days all three of us wore it! It just was a bit more fun to make it into a week-long celebration instead of a one-day event

 

[suetoo]

My family of four is visiting WDW in January 2014 along with my sister and her family of three. We'll be there for 7 days in the parks and we're planning on designating each of those days as a "birthday" for each of us, even though there will only be one actual birthday occurring. The idea is that on your "birthday" day, you'll get to wear a birthday button and you're also the one in charge of decisions that day (like what ride to go on next). There's nothing you can say that will make us feel bad for celebrating our birthdays early or late in the Happiest Place on Earth! We had to wait five years to do it.

That is a very cool idea!! I love it! Enjoy!! Not everyone can be there for their actual birthday or worse.., can be there for one child's but not another's just due to logistics.. This is a great compromise without "exploiting" the whole thing! Either way... I wouldn't feel bad about it either. Enjoy all the pixie dust that comes your way!!

 

[retlaw_yensid]

That is a very cool idea!! I love it! Enjoy!! Not everyone can be there for their actual birthday or worse.., can be there for one child's but not another's just due to logistics.. This is a great compromise without "exploiting" the whole thing! Either way... I wouldn't feel bad about it either. Enjoy all the pixie dust that comes your way!!

Thanks for the kind words, suetoo. Our original plans had us going over my son's 12th bday, and that was to even out the playing field since we happened to have been there for my daughter's 12th bday five years earlier. However, his bday is over President's weekend, and well, we weren't going to go there then, so had to back it up a few weeks. At first, we were worried that it would make his bday celebration less special by giving everyone a bday (and the fact that mom's actual bday now occurs while we're there), but he was surprisingly excited about it all.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

My family of four is visiting WDW in January 2014 along with my sister and her family of three. We'll be there for 7 days in the parks and we're planning on designating each of those days as a "birthday" for each of us, even though there will only be one actual birthday occurring. The idea is that on your "birthday" day, you'll get to wear a birthday button and you're also the one in charge of decisions that day (like what ride to go on next). There's nothing you can say that will make us feel bad for celebrating our birthdays early or late in the Happiest Place on Earth! We had to wait five years to do it.

I think this sounds totally fun & unique!! What great memories you will make! Enjoy your trip!

 

[lucyem]

During a trip a couple of months after my birthday the manager of columbia harbor house decided "today" was my birthday. I got a pin, a cupcake and the cm's singing to me.

We go yearly in april and my oldest DS always celebrates his birthday in WDW. Mostly he gets "happy birthday" all the time. Very rarely does he get a cupcake after a meal or anything and then it is usually only because i ask on his actual birthday.

Honestly i doubt anyone thinks you are scamming disney by lying about your birthday. Who is to say when you can celebrate or not. And besides lots of "happy birthdays" usually its not like you are getting much more then a cupcake after an expensive disney meal.

My youngest ds's birthday is in august. We will never go to wdw in august. He is always a little sad that his brother gets a yearly birthday at wdw. On our next wdw trip we will be celebrating his half birthday.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

In western culture moving the observance of a celebratory day is quite common. Birthdays, anniversaries, even major holidays like Christmas may be celebrated on a different day due to work, health, family gathering logistics, etc.

Disney changed its buttons to accomodate this reality not just to make money. "My son was having cancer treatments and couldn't travel, may we celebrate his birthday 3 months late?" "I promised my daughter her 16th birthday at Disney and then got shipped to Iraq, can I celebrate it 9 months late?" "We promised each other a 30th anniversary at Disney, then I was laid off, can I celebrate it a year and a half later?"

The answer to the above... OF COURSE YOU CAN!! It is the observance with loved ones, not the date or timing, that matters.

Then there is the one big reason: IT'S DISNEY! Disney is a huge expense and takes a great deal of planning, especially for those who must travel far. It also usually takes a large time commitment. Some may be fortunate enough to celebrate on the actual day, but many, even most, cannot. Many will forgo normal celebrations and gifts to celebrate later at Disney. Some have to consider school and work. Some need to go in value season. The important thing is the cekebration, not the timing. We moved Christmas and all gave up major presents to do Disney Christmas in January value season.

Disney understands this and is happy to accomodate people.

Now it is another story if you celebrated your day normally and either lie or decide you just want some goodies for everyone. Let your conscience be your guide!

When we went in January I did not celebrate my January birthday because it wasn't a birthday trip. However, this September we will celebrate my wife's 50th on the actual day and our 30th anniversary 5 months early and then won't make a big trip next February.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I forgot a simple solution for wearing a button on a day other than your actual birthday or anniversary: (Someone mentioned this already, I think.) Make your own button ahead of time and put the date: "Celebrating our 30th Anniversary Feb 25th, 2014" or bring stickers and add them to the Disney issued buttons. Then you won't have any confusion.

 

[SingingMom]

This past January was the first time we ever were in WDW on an actual birthday. My DH, normally a quiet kind of guy, really enjoyed wearing his pin. We stood at the entrance of HS for two hours, cheering on the marathon runners and so many called out "Happy Birthday Bob!" as they ran by or "Go Blue!", because he was wearing his University of Michigan Mickey shirt!

Someone at Main Street Bakery gave him a cookie, but other than that, it was just birthday wishes. But for a quiet unassuming guy, he really got a kick out of all the CMs wishing him a cheery HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[mrsmomo]

In western culture moving the observance of a celebratory day is quite common. Birthdays, anniversaries, even major holidays like Christmas may be celebrated on a different day due to work, health, family gathering logistics, etc.

Disney changed its buttons to accomodate this reality not just to make money. "My son was having cancer treatments and couldn't travel, may we celebrate his birthday 3 months late?" "I promised my daughter her 16th birthday at Disney and then got shipped to Iraq, can I celebrate it 9 months late?" "We promised each other a 30th anniversary at Disney, then I was laid off, can I celebrate it a year and a half later?"

The answer to the above... OF COURSE YOU CAN!! It is the observance with loved ones, not the date or timing, that matters.

Then there is the one big reason: IT'S DISNEY! Disney is a huge expense and takes a great deal of planning, especially for those who must travel far. It also usually takes a large time commitment. Some may be fortunate enough to celebrate on the actual day, but many, even most, cannot. Many will forgo normal celebrations and gifts to celebrate later at Disney. Some have to consider school and work. Some need to go in value season. The important thing is the cekebration, not the timing. We moved Christmas and all gave up major presents to do Disney Christmas in January value season.

Disney understands this and is happy to accomodate people.

Now it is another story if you celebrated your day normally and either lie or decide you just want some goodies for everyone. Let your conscience be your guide!

When we went in January I did not celebrate my January birthday because it wasn't a birthday trip. However, this September we will celebrate my wife's 50th on the actual day and our 30th anniversary 5 months early and then won't make a big trip next February.

I think this is it
I was fortunate enough to go last yr 3 wks after ds bday n 2 wks before dd. This year we are going again because we had such an amazing time last yr. That was our first family trip in yrs and we realized we should try to do this once a yr because we deserve to enjoy our family and our hard wrk or school. Unfortunately that means sacrifices like not being able to go on their birthdays even though they know its their bday present, does that mean they should not get to celebrate even though it is their bday present?! They are giving up their bday parties because they understand we can't afford to do both, so for us they will wear their bday pins before their bays and feel special like they should. Just how I feel about it and how were gona do it.

 

[revdisney33]

Last year we were chatting about birthdays with a CM. we have been during my DD and DW but not my other DD. he said the rule is simple. As long as your birthday is within 6 months before you are there or 6 months after, you should celebrate. Just my 2 cents.
Also when you make dinner reservations they ask if you are celebrating anything special while there. I told them my DD who's birthday was in April. They said they would make sure it was on every reservation.

 

[SingingMom]

Last year we were chatting about birthdays with a CM. we have been during my DD and DW but not my other DD. he said the rule is simple. As long as your birthday is within 6 months before you are there or 6 months after, you should celebrate. Just my 2 cents.
Also when you make dinner reservations they ask if you are celebrating anything special while there. I told them my DD who's birthday was in April. They said they would make sure it was on every reservation.

Just don't "expect" anything, and be happy & surprised when something happens ;-)

We were there on an actual birthday, had it put on all the reservations, and only one restaurant "remembered ". But that is ok. It was sweet and we had a marvelous time!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards