Collected Short Subjects

MouseStation 381 – Collected Short Subjects

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Show run time 0:35:49

Mark and Mike talk about dinner and a movie, doubling Dumbo, Padawan selection and more.

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Thanks to our sponsors

Today’s show is sponsored by:

MouseEarVacations.com. Providing Magical Vacations for over 21 years.

Tip of the Week

This week’s tip comes via email from listener Thomas Melanson, who suggests:

I’ve got a tip to share, too, that was shared with us and worked like a dream. It is for Jedi Training Academy.

Last year we got to go to Disneyland for a day and were excited to experience Jedi Training Academy for the first time. It was suggested to create signs to hold up to be chosen to participate by the cast members. We did. The signs were just letter sized sheets of paper, one saying, “Pick this Padawan” and the other, “The Force is Strong with This One” set in the iconic Star Wars typeface. Pretty fun, not too hard and we were able to just fold them upand place them in the backpack.

We did not make it to the Jedi Training Academy until the last performance of the day. I handed my two sons the signs and had them hold them over their heads. The Jedi trainer had already chosen about a dozen padawans by the time that we got there, so I did not expect my sons to be chosen. The signs caught the cast member’s eye and out of the easily fifty+ other children that we jumping up and down waving their arms, they were chosen. I was pretty pleased and got in position to video record the event. Another parent saw me getting out my camera and asked if my child was chosen. I told her two of them were. She asked me how. She and her child had been trying all day long and had yet to be chosen. Have to admit that I felt a bit bad after that. But it worked.

Mark noted that he has heard that they have changed the method for selecting Padawans at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but is not sure whether it has been changed at Disneyland as well. If you’ve experienced the new selection method, please let us know.

Featured Attraction

This week, we look at Dumbo the Flying Elephant at both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

Mark once again went through the history of the attractions, including the redeployment of the ride mechanics originally destined for Disneyland Paris for that park’s grand opening. Mark also talked about the “queueless wait” plan for the redevelopment of Dumbo at Walt Disney World, and the test that was run at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster late last year. He also talked about planned location for the new “double Dumbo” following the Fantasyland re-imagining in 2012.

Review System Spotlight

This week we take a look at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. MousePlanet readers like the restaurant, rating it 3.3 out of five planets. Our featured review this week is by JCardillo of New York.

JCardillo and her husband had a great meal with great service on their honeymoon. The restaurant is one of their favorites, and they plan to return again. This led to them giving it a 5-planet rating.

Mark ate there in November with Tracey and Scott from the Disney, Indiana podcast, and was surprised at the improvement in the food and service. He also gave the backstory about the “car” tables’ license plates.

You can also find the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater in our Park Guide.

Last Week on MousePlanet

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

Listener Feedback

Brian King responded via Twitter regarding out Bottom 3 lists for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, claiming that his list would be 75 percent of the park.

Darlene from West Seneca, NY called the voicemail line to review A Christmas Carol and Old Dogs. Darlene loved both movies and recommended that everyone go see them.

Cami Henderson sent Mark a message on Facebook wondering what we thought of the ideaof using Tron to create an updated attraction at DisneyQuest.

Chris Henry emailed to complain that Mike said that he didn’t like Beauty and the Beast Live.

SharlaManglass responded via Twitter that we should make reader trip reports a separate segment on our Tuesday feature and also that she likes the new spiels that we’re using to open and close the show.

What do you think? Let us know!

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.

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

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