Collected Short Subjects

MouseStation 254 – Collected Short Subjects

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Run time 0:43:07

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Let us hear from you!

Send in your suggestions, comments or tips via our email feedback form or via voicemail on our toll-free feedback line (1-866-939-2278).

We’ve put together a new listener survey to help us learn more about you and what you like most about this podcast. This one is much more targeted than the old Podtrac survey. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and let us know what you think.

If you want to contribute a story for our Tuesday Magical Moment segment (and possible inclusion in the Cast Place column here on MousePlanet), you can either use our email Magical Moment story form or the toll-free feedback line. (We love it when you use the voice mail system, because then we can play your call on the show!)

Thanks to our sponsor

Today’s show is sponsored by Owner’s Locker, a great service that gives you a place to leave your vacation-only stuff until your next trip to visit the Mouse.

The cost of an Owner’s Locker isn’t quite as high when you think about the per-bag fees that many airlines are now charging. It’s a risk-free trial, so why not give it a try?

Also, if you have any great ideas for how to use an Owner’s Locker, if you’ve signed up and are anticipating using your locker, or if you have already used your locker, send us an email or call our voicemail and let us know what you think!

Tip of the Week

This week’s Tip of the Week came in a voicemail from listener Joey from Tucson, who noticed that cast members generally don’t enforce the end time of the window on Fastpasses, so he will hold on to his Fastpass until whatever time he feels like riding that ride.

Mark noted that the reason that this is because Disney doesn’t want to penalize people if they get stuck somewhere and can’t make their Fastpass time. As long as it doesn’t become a huge issue that throws off the line-management algorithm too far, they’ll continue to let you use your Fastpass at any time after the window opens, as long as it’s the same day.

(What’s your opinion?)

Featured Attraction

This week we look at The Jungle Cruise at both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom .

Mark told the story behind the name of the headhunter at Walt Disney World, who is no longer named the same at Disneyland’s Trader Sam. Mark and Mike both prefer the Disneyland version of the attraction to the Walt Disney World version, despite the fact that Disneyland does not have anti-aircraft hippos.

Review System Spotlight

This week we look at the Beach Club Villas at Walt Disney World. MousePlanet readers love it, rating it 4.6 out of five planets. Our featured review this week is by GoofTroop3 of Washington, DC.

GoofTroop3 visited during the trial run of having Villas guests check in at a special desk at the Villas instead of at the main Beach Club check-in desk. Many guests liked it, but Disney decided that there should be just one check-in desk and merged the function back into the main check-in desk. GoofTroop3 enjoyed the view from the room, the location, the food options, and more.

While Mark has never stayed at the Beach Club, he has walked around there quite a bit, and took a tour of the accommodations just as it was being completed.

Mike has worked at the resort in the past, and he loves the resort.

You can also find the Beach Club Villas in our Park Guide.

Ask the Kid

This week’s question comes from listener Kate Tillan. Kate asks: “If you could have any job you wanted in the Disney parks, what job would you want and why? And, if your dad could have any job in the Disney parks, what job would you want him to have and why?”

Mark’s son decided that he’d like to run Space Mountain so that he gets to watch all of the lights and get to hear the music (from the Disneyland verion) and hear people screaming all day. He wanted Mark to work Toy Story Midway Mania so he could get backdoored onto the attraction.

Mike said that he saw Mark as working at the American Adventure, so that Mark can listen to the Voices of Liberty throughout the day. Mark decided that Mike should work at DisneyQuest.

Quick follow-up

To follow up on a topic from two weeks ago, Mark talked briefly about what the 2008 Walt Disney World Ambassador Team has been doing to show that they have been very busy and that having a Chief Magic Official hasn’t left them with nothing to do.

Last Week on MousePlanet

Once again, Andrew Rich, down at MousePlanet Global Headquarters, told you what you may have missed on the MousePlanet site last week if you’re not visiting regularly.

CHOC Walk/Team MousePlanet

Thank you for supporting Team MousePlanet at this year’s CHOC Walk! With your help, this year Team MousePlanet raised over $5,600 for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County!

Listener Feedback

Liana wrote in to comment on Paul Schnebelen’s feedback on her monorail Magical Moment. She also teased Mike abot his attitude we Mark read the email on the show.

She also apologized for the audio quality on her last voicemail. It was recorded using her Bluetooth headset for her cell phone. She won’t do that again.

Rusty Calise wrote in to note his fandom for the JAMMitors.

Vance Cope wrote in to let us know that he’s still listening, despite how crazy it is with the new baby. He’s disappointed that we cut back to two shows a week, but at least he’s been able to stay current with the new shows.

He wondered whether we’d made any progress on a live call-in show. (Not a lot, but keep watching this space for news of any progress.)

Vance also asked an interesting question: “Assume that the only ticket that you get for all of 2009 is you free birthday ticket and you don’t have to worry about any other expenses…which park would you use it on? Me? I’m actually thinking about flying out to Disneyland for the day and then fly back the next. I also have a stong feeling that I’ll end up staying a few extra days…which I’m sure what Disney is hoping for with this promotion.”

Finally, Vance asked whether either of us were still planning to go on the Disney Cruise now that Mike’s wedding is off. While we’d love to go, it’s not a responsible fiscal decision at this time.

Facebook

We’re now on Facebook! Join the MousePlanet and MouseStation groups. If you join the club and use Pieces of Flair, you can get your MousePlanet and MouseStation flair from Mark (though you have to friend him first).

MouseFest

Registration is now open for MouseFest! You can sign up now, and check out the many meets being hosted by MousePlanet as you plan your trip.

Wrapping up

We’ve put together a new listener survey to help us learn more about you and what you like most about this podcast. This one is much more targeted than the old Podtrac survey. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and let us know what you think.

Don’t forget to go to the iTunes podcast directory and give us a good rating for the combined feed!

You can get your MousePlanet (or MouseStation) swag from the MousePlanet CafePress store and the MouseStation CafePress store.

Also remember to go out to our main podcast page and stick a pin into our Frappr map.

Thanks to our audio engineer and sound editor Steven Ng and to announcer Andrew Rich.

Thank you for listening!

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