Disney rewards volunteers with free pass

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, Calif., or Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla., in 2010.

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 President Obama's volunteering initiative.

"The spirit of our country is very much behind that, whether it's the First Family or whether it's the average family," Rasulo said.

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."

Disney kicked off the volunteer promotion by sending 1,000 volunteers, including employees from Disney and Southwest Airlines, to work on projects nationwide, from a Habitat for Humanity site in Los Angeles to the Bethune School of Excellence in Chicago.

Would-be volunteers must register online with Disney and must be residents of the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico to be eligible for the free admission. The work must be performed in 2010, and the park visit must take place by Dec. 15, 2010. Participants must be 18 or older to sign up for the program, but volunteer work done by children ages 6-17 qualifies for a free ticket as long as kids are accompanied by an adult when volunteering. Unused admission certificates can be donated to a charity designated by Disney.

Volunteers who have multiday tickets or annual passes can get a special FASTPASS for up to six people in lieu of the voucher.

Financial analysts who follow Disney said there was no downside to the promotion. "It's a nice thing; it's a very socially responsible thing," said Michael Nathanson of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. in New York.