MouseStation 265 – Collected Short Subjects
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Run time 0:45:50
On today’s show, we’ve got a carousel (or carrousel) horse race, a meal at the Plaza, The Kid decides where to add more parks and more.
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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 sponsors
Today’s show is sponsored by:
MouseEarVacations.com. Providing Magical Vacations for over 21 years.
Scooter Vacations. Official mobility scooter charitable partner to Kids Wish Network and Starlight Starbright Foundation.
Owner’s Locker. Why bring all that stuff back and forth, when you can leave it at Disney and have it waiting for you when you come back?
Tip of the Week
Since the “tip jar” was empty, this week’s Tip of the Week came from Mark, who recommended continually checking back on prices when traveling on Southwest Airlines. Southwest has no change fees and the cancellation of a flight results in a credit to your account of those dollars spent on the cancelled flight. By rebooking three times so far, Mark has saved $95 off of his original MouseFest airfare, and is hoping for a Ding fare to drop the prices down even further.
Noted that credits must be used within one year from your original booking date.
Mike uses Farecast.com to predict the best time to select your flights to save money.
Featured Attraction
This week we look at King Arthur Carrousel at Disneyland Park and Cinderella’s Golden Carousel at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
Cinderella’s Golden Carousel has 86 horses and chariot seating for four, while King Arthur Carrousel has 68 horses and bench.seating for four.
“Jingles,” the lead horse of King Arthur Carrousel, was rededicated to Julie Andrews earlier in 2008, and it was repainted in honor of that. The lead horse of Cinderella’s Golden Carousel is not publicly noted, but Cinderella’s horse is in the second row; it’s the one with the golden bow on its tail.
Neither Mark nor Mike has been on either carousel in at least two years, so they talked about possibly having an impromptu meet at Cinderella’s Golden Carousel during MouseFest.
Mark noted that he did not know that many of the horses on King Arthur Carrousel were converted to jumpers until he read the MousePlanet park gude page on the attraction.
Review System Spotlight
This week we look at the Plaza Restaurant. MousePlanet readers really like it, rating it 3.8 out of five planets. Our featured review this week is by muchado aboutmuffins of Cambs, UK.
muchado aboutmuffins had a nice meal there with their family.
Mark last ate there last December for the inaugural meeting of the MouseFest Executive Committee to kick off planning for this year’s event. He had a great sandwich and the table had an interesting conversation with some of the Main Street characters who had wandered into the restaurant.
Mike has not eaten there since he was seven; however, he stop by there to check menu prices for the first mini-MouseAdventure in 2005. He’s now thinking that he needs to try to eat at more places on future trips.
You can also find the Plaza Restaurant in our Park Guide.
Ask the Kid
This week’s question comes from Vance Cope. Vance asks: “Hey kid, I got a question for you. If you could build a new Disney park anywhere in the world, other than your home state, where would build it? What if you had to build one in the US and one in another country?”
The Kid, perhaps inspired by discussions at Sunday school prior to the show’s recording, decided to put a theme park in Israel. Restricted from putting it in our home state, decided he wanted to put it into whichever state was closest to us. He then took over the segment closing from Mark.
Mike mentioned that he enjoyed the Israel attraction in the Millennium Village pavilion during the Millennium Celebration. Mark noted that, while it’s highly unlikely that there will be an Israel pavilion due to the currrent world political situation, he did like the design of the originally-planned Israel pavilion that was never built.
You can submit your own question for The Kid.
Magical Moment
Mike contributed a Magical Moment that was told to him by his friend, former Disney hotel manager James Romeo. James was creating a special display for a couple of young kids when the kids walked into the room. It got a bit dicey, but things worked out and the kids enjoyed their surprise when they eventually got it.
Last Week on MousePlanet
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.
Listener Feedback
Alex from Houston wrote in seconding John Papas’ tip about being careful about using other languages while in the the parks. He also asked for more information about where to get MouseStation/MouseFest gear, which is available here.
Brian from Riverside called into the feedback line to ask what are our favorite Disney or Christmas movies for the holiday season are and what we liked of the 50th anniversary merchandise at Disneyland.
Since there really aren’t any great Hanukkah movies, Mark doesn’t feel all that strongly about holiday movies; however, he enjoys It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, A Charlie Brown Christmas and maybe Miracle on 34th Street. Mike likes A Muppet Christmas Carol, Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, the Santa Clause movies, and Jingle All the Way. They both like the old Rankin-Bass TV specials like Frosty the Snowman, Rudoph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Year Without a Santa Claus, etc.
Mike and Mark both agree that their copies of A Musical History of Disneyland CD set were their favorite bit of merchandise from Disneyland’s 50th.
Dan the Light Man wrote in to say that he really enjoyed Mark’s interview with Lee Cockerell (Lee’s book is on Dan’s holiday wish list) and that he agrees with Mark that the Voices of Liberty just edge out the JAMMitors for the top position for live entertainment at Epcot.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Mike is again joining Broadway Care/Equity Fights AIDS Gypsy of the Year online fundraising campaign. This year, he has aligned himself with The Lion King Gazelle Tour team. For more information or to donate, go to his fundraising page.
We’re now on Facebook! Join the MousePlanet and MouseStation groups. You can also become a fan of MousePlanet or the MouseStation. 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.
Listener of the Month
If you’re interested in joining us aboard the MouseStation as our “Listener of the Month”, call the toll-free feedback line at 1-866-939-2278 and tell us what the show featuring your guest appearance would be about. Listen to the show for restrictions.
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!
