Many travel companies and tour operators are struggling to come up with creative marketing strategies in a tough economy. Trust Walt Disney World to come up with one of the more original, and clever, ideas.
The idea is simple. For anyone booking a Walt Disney World resort package before December 23, they or their travel agent can schedule a call on Christmas, from Mickey Mouse, telling their family or children about the upcoming visit.
The call can be scheduled within a two hour window on Christmas Day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in U.S. time zones. For those who don’t celebrate Christmas, Mickey will wish them “Happy Holidays.” And for those who might be out for the day, the Mouse can also handle answering machines.
The call does require booking a package; simply buying Disney tickets won’t work. Also, travel agents and travelers alike must call by December 23 at 9 p.m. EST to sign up (Christmas Eve is too late).
This year, families who might have scheduled a Disney trip plus more presents might be cutting the other gifts back. So it’s a nice way to make the vacation special before it starts — especially with younger children. My son is 19 now, but there were a few years at least where seeing Mickey was a major highlight of any Disney visit.
And considering that one of the major drawbacks to a Walt Disney World vacation is the cost, one more bit of Christmas cheer. The Mickey call is free for anyone booking one of Disney’s vacation packages.
