MouseStation 275 – Collected Short Subjects
(Download show – Main podcast page – Subscribe – Podcast radio player)
Run time 0:41:38
On today’s show, we cover Liberty Tree Tavern, Parade of Dreams, designing a video game, a quick MouseFest chat with Mike Rahlmann, listener feedback and more.
You can subscribe to MouseStation from the links at the bottom of this page, or via your favorite podcast aggregator. If you’d rather pop up our podcast radio player into a separate window so that you can continue browsing MousePlanet in this window, click here. (NOTE: Our podcast radio requires Adobe Flash Player. You can dowload the player here.)
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 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
John Papas wrote in to recommend teaching your child your cell phone numbers or put them on a piece of paper in your child’s pocket to make it easier for cast members to get a hold of you if you and your child get separated in the parks..
Mark noted that he and his wife first wrote their cell phone numbers on a piece of paper that was safety-pinned inside his pocket and also used a rhythmic chant to teach the Kid their address, phone number and cell phone numbers. He also noted that he heard that some people also put it on laminated cards that they then put in their children’s pockets or putting it into a fanny pack that the child is wearing.
Mike said that he would write his contact information on the inside of colored plastic wristbands and then put them on the wrists of his nephew or niece.
Featured Attraction
This week we look at the Parade of Dreams at Disneyland Park.
Mike loves the parade and Mark really enjoys it as well. It’s a lot of fun to watch and very dynamic. Mike talked about watching it during the opening of Disneyland’s 50th birthday celebration, and Mark talked about how MousePlanet covered the event. Mike loves how the Phil Collins music is used in the parade.
Mike’s favorite float is the Lion King float, partly because is the only float that’s got Nala on it. Mark likes the kinetics of the bungee cord puppets on the Pinocchio float and the trampoline on the Alice in Wonderland float.
Review System Spotlight
This week we look at Liberty Tree Tavern at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Our MousePlanet readers love it, rating it 4.0 out of five planets under the Character Meals listing and 4.5 out of five planets on the generic listing (though reviews there also included character meals). Our featured review this week is by Michelle1503 of Cape Coral, FL.
Michelle gave Liberty Tree Tavern high marks, noting “Any one who has bad reviews is probably b/c they were tired from walking around the park all day, or are very hard to please because you should not miss this experience!”
Mark and Mike actually had dinner bought for them at Liberty Tree Tavern during MouseFest. (Thanks again, Cathy!) They were quite concerned by the fact that they were able to get a same-night reservation for a night of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at prime dining hours. They had a lot of fun playing with the characters, and really enjoyed the food as well.
Mike jokes around with Pluto during dinner at the Liberty Tree Tavern. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
Mike talked about not mentioning his food allergies until the waitress had brought the bread, butter and salad to the table. She pulled the food right off of the table and said that at all Disney restaurants no food can be served at tables with food allergies until the person with the allergies talks to the chef. Mike took care of that and the food returned to the table.
Mark hams it up with Goofy during dinner at the Liberty Tree Tavern. Photo by Cathy Sowa.
They were able to get a full meal, take their time, interact with characters and still not miss much of the Christmas Party at all.
Mark noted that the characters will be disappearing from the Liberty Tree Tavern this month due to budget cutbacks. It’s a shame, but the food is still good.
Cathy has fun with Dale during dinner at the Liberty Tree Tavern. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
Mike said that his earliest Disney memory is from Liberty Tree Tavern from when he was two years old and his father threatened not to let him see the fireworks because he was acting up.
You can also find Liberty Tree Tavern in our Park Guide.
Ask the Kid
This week’s question comes from Julie from the UK, who asks: “If you were to design a toy or game for Disney to sell in their stores, what would that be?”
The Kid noted “Actually, that’s a really interesting question…” He said that he had a whole lot of ideas, but that he would only give one because he didn’t want to be here for four hours. He suggested a video game based on original Disney cartoons, where one of the mini-games could be to balance out the sound and the main game would be to try to go through the evolution of animation. He also suggested more roller coaster models. They only did California Screamin’, and it’s really big – it takes up a lot of space. He also wished they made more monorail play sets.
You can submit your own question for The Kid.
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.
MouseFest Moment
Rather than doing a big show compiling a whole bunch of short interviews Mike did during MouseFest, we’re going to string them out for a few months as an extra segment on our Monday show.
This week, Mike talks with Mike Rahlmann at PodFest. Mike is the host of the Be Our Guest podcast. Mike D. used the interview to get on his soapbox about the Dream Squad again, but Mike R. isn’t against them. Mike R. loves arriving at the parks with his family. Mike D. and Mark both enjoyed meeting Mike R. and his co-host Rikki at the various events. Mark noted that it was at the Be Our Guest podcast meet that he got the phone call with the news about the damage that his house had from the ice storm and he wasn’t able to join the chat until after the meet was over.
Listener Feedback
Tracey from Indiana called in to say that she and Scott also collected some of the ride vehicles and monorail items, so they can sympathize with the Kid’s dilemma from the last show, and suggested that the reason that there are no monorail accessories from Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Anmal Kingdom again because the monorail doesn’t go there.
Mark asked that, if Tracey was going to keep calling us while she was out walking the dog, she should probably tell us the dog’s name so that we can say “hi” to him. He also noted that Tracey’s husband Scott was the winner of the MousePlanet-sponsored door prize at MouseFest’s Mega Mouse Meet (a week in a three-bedroom villa from Advantage Vacation Homes, a locker with a year of unlimited visits from Owner’s Locker and a copy of MousePlanet staff writer Jeff Kober’s new book The Wonderful World of Disney Customer Service).
Sean Jones wrote on Mike’s Facebook wall that he couldn’t wait to see the buttons from MouseFest with his artwork and that the show kept him in good spirits while his computer was on the blink.
March of Dimes
If you’re looking for a last-minute tax deduction this year, Mark has been able to set up his March of Dimes site early this year. 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).
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!
