YOAMD: What's Your Postcard to Prize Ratio?

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

Mine is 44:0
(I sent 44 postcards and got 0 prizes.)
Just curious how everyone else did.

 

[EAWildman]

Mine is 44:0
(I sent 44 postcards and got 0 prizes.)
Just curious how everyone else did.

I actually have no idea. I sent in 4 cards per day, six days a week from late October 2007 until early December 2008. I missed a few days here and there throughout the year.

We have won 18 prizes. 2 pin lanyards from 2007 and 16 sets of Dream Ears. 7 of the 2008 Cloud Dream Ears and 9 of the generic "Live Your Dreams" Dream Ears.

The odds indicate that if you play every single day, you should win between 4-5 prizes over the course of a year. It appears that they have sent prizes out through September 2008 so far. So, our family as a couple more months where we could win something. So, we will likley be right on the average as stated by the odds.

But I have no idea how many cards I have sent in, so I can't give you a ratio.

Eric

 

[lovedoggies]

We sent in a total of 60 postcards and have won nothing

 

[disneyin2008]

I realize that a lot of the attraction of entering a contest is the thrill/hope of winning, not always the prize.....but consider this, lol:

PP sent 4 cards per day x 6 days a week x 13+ months. For ease of calculation, and because I figure PP may have missed a few days here and there, let's just call it 1,000 postcards (24 a week for a year would have been 1,248 so that # may be low).

At .27 a postcard in postage that $270!

On ebay right this moment, there are YOAMD ears at Buy It Now prices of $24.95....and lots more with starting bids of around $10. And there are the lanyards on ebay for a little less than that! In fact, there are some auctions for a YOAMD lanyard, ears and pin altogether.


Even the OP who sent in 44 cards x .27 postage would have only spent a couple dollars more to have gotten the item from ebay.

I know it's not the same for some of us......we won our ears in the park and I'd not sell them for anything less than a million dollars (or a stay in the Castle, lol). But if the goal is the prize, just know it can, like everything else now a days, be had for a price.

 

[KatMark]

I've sent in a single postcard almost every day and we've won four times:

1) Year of a Million Dream Ears (two sets)
2) Huge gift package which I discussed back in September with lots of goodies
3) Year of a Million Dream Ears (one set)
4) Year of a Million Dream Ears (one set--received this week)

 

[EAWildman]

By playing everyday, you should win about 4-5 prizes. The odds favor all of these prizes being Dream Ears and Pin Lanyards. However, there were other prizes available...winning a castle stay by postcard gets you a gift basket valued at over $500. Winning a trip, or a DVC membership is much more valuable.

So, sure, you could go on e-bay and buy a set of ears or a pin lanyard. However, by spending the money to enter the contest, you have the "thrill" of winning something unexpectedly...and you also have the chance of winning "the big prize" in addition to getting some dream ears or a pin lanyard.

I enjoyed having this year long hobby of filling out postcards and sending them in everyday. It was a pasttime and a chance at winning a big prize. I have only won "little" prizes, but the contest has certainly met my expectations anyway.

So, I played to get my ears and lanyards and to have a chance at a big prize.

Eric

 

[EAWildman]

I realize that a lot of the attraction of entering a contest is the thrill/hope of winning, not always the prize.....but consider this, lol:

PP sent 4 cards per day x 6 days a week x 13+ months. For ease of calculation, and because I figure PP may have missed a few days here and there, let's just call it 1,000 postcards (24 a week for a year would have been 1,248 so that # may be low).

At .27 a postcard in postage that $270!

On ebay right this moment, there are YOAMD ears at Buy It Now prices of $24.95....and lots more with starting bids of around $10. And there are the lanyards on ebay for a little less than that! In fact, there are some auctions for a YOAMD lanyard, ears and pin altogether.


Even the OP who sent in 44 cards x .27 postage would have only spent a couple dollars more to have gotten the item from ebay.

I know it's not the same for some of us......we won our ears in the park and I'd not sell them for anything less than a million dollars (or a stay in the Castle, lol). But if the goal is the prize, just know it can, like everything else now a days, be had for a price.

Yeah, your numbers are about right. I figure I spent about $350 or so on this project. So far we have won 18 prizes. The dream ears are valued at about $15 and the pin lanyards are valued at about $25 according to Disney.

We won 16 sets of Dream Ears so at $15 a piece that's $240. We also won 2 pin lanyards so that's an additional $50 for a total of $290. So, I am in "in the hole" about $60.

But, I think I could win a few more prizes in the next couple of months (for October and November). So if I won even just 4 more dream ears....I would break even....and if I win a $500 gift basket (or better) I will have come out way ahead for the year. Granted, that's not likely to happen....but at least I had the chance and wound up virtually breaking even on my costs.

So, really, this played out better than the lottery. And it was fun!

Eric

 

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

I sent about a dozen postcards in Oct/Nov. Could I still win on those?

 

[JessR]

 

[Mickey_for_President]

I probably sent in 100+ postcards this year and have won nothing.

I have visited WDW three times this year with my kids and have never been "dreamed."

Oh well! I just don't, and have never, possessed that kind of luck.

BUT... I am on my way back to my favorite place on earth on Wednesday with the love of my life to celebrate our engagement with ten days of adults-only fun at WDW. Yippee!!!

 

[webray]

I sent two postcards a day, every day for 2008. Not sure if they all made it, many returned saying wrong address.

We have won about a dozen ears, some the just blue, recently the dark blue with clouds. Really was hoping for at least one lanyard with pins, since we won one last year, no luck.

 

[BellyBaby]

I have sent in 3 postcards, one in Oct, one in Nov, one mid Dec. One was mailed in the US, 2 from Canada (I live close to the border).

I just got a call saying I won a set of Dream Ears, so 3:1 is pretty good I suppose! Cost about $3 for postcards and stamps. I picked the most Canadian card I could find, a moose, and I drew black mickey ears on him.

We went to WDW for the first time last Jan. and decided last minute to take a boat across the lagoon at Epcot - too tired to walk back, and we all got the lanyard with pins.

Feeling extremely lucky now! Now I just need to win the trip on Cdn site!

 

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

I'm the OP who sent in about 44 postcards. Yesterday I arrived at home to find a box on our front porch. Though YOAMD is over, my son just got our first and only prize - a set of ears. We're thrilled! Yes, I suppose I spent more than the actual worth of the ears, but winning is fun and we love the ears!

 

[rh3772]

I sent in about 90 postcards and won......... nothing!

 

[bytheblood]

Over 100 post cards - 0 prizes.

 

[Stitchfans]

I don't feel as bad now cause I only sent around 12 and like everyone else didn't win anything. Didn't win anything while we were at the parks either. Oh well...

and for this new promotion we won't even qualify. Again, oh well.....

 

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

I don't feel as bad now cause I only sent around 12 and like everyone else didn't win anything. Didn't win anything while we were at the parks either. Oh well...

and for this new promotion we won't even qualify. Again, oh well.....

We don't qualify for the new promo either! Oh well.

 

[AlternateEgo]

You guys sound like Eeyore

 

[Stitchfans]

You guys sound like Eeyore

 

[nowellsl]

I sent in one a day (with a few exceptions) for 8 months in 2007 and all of 2008. I won 6 dark blue dream ears, 2 of the newer ones with clouds, and 2 pin/lanyard sets.