MouseStation 279 – Collected Short Subjects
(Download show – Main podcast page – Subscribe – Podcast radio player)
Run time 0:45:53
On today’s show, we’ve got huge portions, lots of Pooh, new segment ideas from the Kid, a quick MouseFest chat with Brian Ripper, 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
Sean Jones wrote in to recommend splitting food to save money because portion sizes are so huge. He and his wife share portions and still have some left over.
Mark mentioned one of Mike’s favorite tips of ordering double burgers and getting an extra bun. He also mentioned that you can order entrees a la carte without buying meal deals. Mike chimed in that sides can be ordered separately, as well.
Featured Attraction
This week we look at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in Critter Country at Disneyland Park and Fantasyland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
Mark disagrees with the Disneyland Park Guide’s assertion that the attraction ends with a birthday party for Pooh. Mark (and Mike) think that it ends with the Hero Party for Piglet.
Mike prefers the Disneyland version because he hasn’t been on it as much, so it seems more “new.” Mark prefers the Walt Disney World version because the ride vehicles are superior, with the WDW vehicles having a full motion-control base, while the Disneyland vehicles make the same wobbling motion for the entire ride.
Toad passes the deed to the attraction to Owl in this often-missed image on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at Walt Disney World. Disneyland’s version of the attraction still has the heads of Max, Melvin and Buff from when the Country Bear Playhouse was there. Photo by Mark Goldhaber
Mark remembers riding with his son when his son was very little and the sound going out. They were able to ride again because of the sound. This past August, he was riding with both his son and his wife, and as they approached the exit they were asked if they wanted to ride again, and they were allowed to ride through again.
Review System Spotlight
This week we look at the Disney Cruise Line’s Walking & Kayak Nature Adventure at Castaway Cay. A MousePlanet reader really likes it, rating it 4.0 out of five planets. Our featured review this week, the only review of the excursion so far, is by Drince88 of New Orleans, LA.
Drince88 really enjoyed the excursion and gave a great summary of the walk and the kayak ride. She said that it was not too strenuous, claiming that she’s not in athletic shape. Mark argued with that, claiming that she’s in good shape and had even done the half-marathon (or maybe it was just a 10K, but still…).
Mike noted that the excursion takes up a good chunk of time, so you might wasnt to only take it if you don’t mind missing a portion of your time on Castaway Cay.
Ask the Kid
This week’s question comes from Jenn Rannings, who asks: “If you could create a new segment for the MouseStation podcast what would it be? Would you want to be a part of it or would you just like to listen to it?”
The Kid would want to be part of it. His first suggestion was a “park ride of the week”. Mark reminded him of the “Featured Attraction” segment and noted that he can’t participate because our recording time is after he goes to sleep. The Kid would also like to do more “Around the Station” segments. We’ll see if Sean has time to draw more. The Kid has some more ideas that he wanted to talk about offline. He also offered up a roller coaster segment. Mark tried to think of how such a segment would go. The Kid asked Mark if he has any ideas. Mark noted that we’re playing around with a couple of ideas, but don’t want to say anything until we launch them.”
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 Brian Ripper of the All About the Mouse Podcast at PodFest.
Brian talked about his experiences on his MouseFest trip so far. He had a great time at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party the night before. He was staying in building 7 at Pop Century, which Mike thought was in the 70s section, but was actually the 80s section (the 70s are buildings 6 and 0).
Listener Feedback
Pam responded to a recent Tip of the Week about teaching your child your cell phone number in case you get separated. Since her daughter is too young to remember their cell numbers, Pam bought a “Whose Shoes I.D.” and put all of the important information on it before attaching it to her daughter’s shoes. They were very visible so it would have worked very well if they had gotten separated.
Mike has use “Read My Wrist” in the past, though it appears that their web site is currently down.
Jeff Peterson from Escondido, California wrote in response to Episode 265, correcting Mark’s contention that the Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel was spelled with one “R” while Disneyland’s King Arthur Carrousel was spelled with two “Rs.” In fact, they both use two “Rs.” He provided a great deal about the history of carousels, and also provided a great detailed summary of carousel history that he found on the Internet.
March of Dimes
Mark has gotten an early start on raising funds for the March of Dimes! Last year, MousePlanet readers and MouseStation listeners helped Mark to raise over $5,000 for the worthy charity. We’re looking to beat that this year and raise $6,000! Just go to Mark’s fundraising page and help to provide a better chance to prevent prematurity and to help those babies that are born prematurely.
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!
Subscribe to the podcast