Volunteers get free Disney day

Source: Agencies  |   2009-9-30  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

DISNEY is offering a free day's admission to 1 million guests who complete a day of volunteer work next year.

The "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program will provide certified volunteers with a one-day ticket to any park at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, or Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, in the United States, next year.

Would-be volunteers must register online with Disney and must be residents of the US, Canada or Puerto Rico to be eligible for the free admission.

Disney is partnering with HandsOn Network, a clearinghouse for volunteer opportunities, to connect people with projects and to certify that the work was done.

"We are trying to inspire 1 million people to volunteer in their communities and we're inspiring them to do that by giving them a free day at a Disney park," said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Rasulo called the promotion "very timely," citing the increased needs of nonprofits in the weak economy, as well as US President Barack Obama's national volunteering initiative.

Duncan Dickson, who teaches theme park management at the University of Central Florida's Rosen School of Hospitality Management in Orlando, said the volunteer initiative is "a smart marketing move."