MouseStation 285 – Collected Short Subjects
(Download show – Main podcast page – Subscribe – Podcast radio player)
Run time 0:47:50
On today’s show, we’ve got a new Stump the Hosts challenge, Ask the Kid, Tarzan’s Treehouse, more debate on forcing your kids to ride 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 note that he uses websites to compare airfare prices, but notes that lately it is much more complicated because some airlines charge Luggage Fees, Pick your Seat Ahead Charges, More Leg Room Charge, etc.
Mike noted that there’s a great table comparing all airline fees at Kayak.com.
Featured Attraction
This week we look at the Tarzan’s Treehouse at Disneyland Park.
Mark likes the view from the top of the treehouse, while The Kid prefers the drums at the end. Mike likes the overlay, aside from the fiberclass jungle cats. Mark thinks that the sound that they use for the jungle cats is cheesy, though maybe an 8-year-old would like it.
Stump the Hosts
We had a five-question Stump the Hosts challenge sent in by Jeff Peterson of Escondido, CA. Mark and his family tried the questions at dinner one night. The first question, both Mark and Mike got correct, with Mark remembering reading about it in a MousePlanet article by David Koenig. The second one stumped Mike, but Mark and even the Kid got correct. Both Mark and Mike got the third question correct. The fourth question stumped Mark’s whole family, as well as Mike, but none of them had ever been at Disney’s California Adventure since its installation so they had never seen it. The final queston was easily gotten by Mike, Mark and Mark’s family..
Ask the Kid
This week’s question comes from Kelly Z., who asks: “My 8 year old son rode Rock’n Roller Coaster for the first time last September. He skipped riding with members of our party the first time, and waited with me and his 4 yr. old sister. He was crazy nervous, but really wanted to ride it! He did finally and was instantly hooked! He rode it 7 more times that week, even 3 times in front row. So, here’s my question: If DisneyWorld were to create a new roller coaster, which park would you like to see it in, what type would it be (meaning would it have loops, cork screws, etc? would it be a traditional out in the air coaster or enclosed or both (like Exp. Everest for example)?), and what themeing would it have?”
The Kid first came up with an Indiana Jones-themed coaster at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios, then came up with a complex, multi-faceted Nemo-themed coaster, but got stuck on the details.
You can submit your own question for The Kid.
Magical Moment
Kirsten wrote in with information about a magical birthday moment that she experienced at Disneyland, when a cast member at the Emporium made her day.
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
All of today’s feedback focuses on the question of forcing children to ride attractions.
Amanda Andrews led off this week’s batch of letters by saying that she couldn’t imagine forcing her son onto an attraction that he was afraid to ride. Amanda favors letting kids ride once they’re comfortable with the idea.
Pete from Chicago called in to the feedback line noting that he was forced into riding coasters by his family as an adult, and found out after riding that he loves the coasters.
Rhonda forced her 9-year-old daughter to ride attractions by telling her that she was going to like it and she would ruin the ride for others because they were going to ride the ride and and weren’t going to leave her alone while riding.
Dan Young wrote that he believes that forcing a child is a stupid, potentially dangerous thing to do to a child, and that it’s really rude to the rest of the people who now have to ride the attraction with a screaming, terrified kid.
Lori wrote to agree that you do need to know your kids, but that her older kids now thank her for forcing them to go on rides. She says that she has seen so many kids who are terrified of 80% of the rides just because their parents gave in at the tiniest little whimper.
Dan the Light Man called the voicemail to say that he never forced his son to ride anything, and the son decided when he was ready to ride the coasters. Now his son loves coasters.
Marc in Hoffman Estates, IL, wrote that he agrees that every kid is different and feels that a parent should decide what’s best for their child when it comes to riding or not riding. His two children have different responses to attractions, and one is much more fearless than the other.
Mike reiterated that Disney’s policy (and his approach) is that kids should make the final decision whether or not they should be allowed to ride.
Mark recalled a literal sink-or-swim situation that he was subjected to as a child that was a psychologically scarring incident.
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.
Facebook and Twitter
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). You can also follow Mark and Mike on Twitter.
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!
