First up in this week’s mailbag, Mouse Tales author and MousePlanet columnist David Koenig answers reader mail in response to some recent columns.
Tony R. writes:
Your notes on the MK VII Monorails and their problems absolutely floor me. These trains seriously have no AC? Were the designers people from a colder climate or something? I can’t possibly think that anyone working in the design of these new trains who has ever lived in a warm or hot climate (Anaheim certainly counts) could even consider the idea of such a vehicle without AC.
Beyond that, there is simply no excuse for the other design flaws that you point out. It’s not like they’re putting together a brand new attraction; the monorails have been running for a number of years last time I looked. For heaven’s sake, even if you weren’t bright enough to involve past imagineers in the process, one could certainly ensure that the operational integrity of the trains was assured by making certain that operational design parameters set by existing trains were adhered to (beam clearance, electrical load, etc.). Were these the same folks who came up with Rocket Rods for the PeopleMover track?
I’m not hammering on you David, but this is just really irritating. The trains look great, but great looks with poor guest experience and operational / maintenance headaches make for a short-lived attraction. Almost makes one hope it was being done deliberately so you didn’t have to consider the possibility of people actually being that short-sighted. As always, thanks for the article David.
You’re right. The Mark VIIs look gorgeous. But guests won’t walk away with a good impression if the actual ride is unpleasant or unreliable.
Bob writes:
“Back in 1957, the marvel of Tomorrowland’s House of the Future was a microwave oven that could bake a potato in three minutes. Today’s Tomorrowland, with a brand-new “House of the Future” at Innoventions, is unveiling a similar futuristic marvel: a Monorail that can bake a guest in three minutes.”
In 1945 at the Pan Pacific Auditorium Home Show you could get a “Radar Hot Dog” in one minute, the first public microwaved food. Those cookers were in use for many years and were quite the talk.
Alex D. from Hartlepool, England writes:
Can I just say what a joy it is to read all your books — Mouse Tales, More Mouse Tales and Reality Land? As a seasoned visitor to Florida and to the parks, I have enjoyed reading about the other Disney parks in California. I will look at Disney World in a different light when I go in 2009. Keep up the good work
Much thanks for the kind words. Happy to hear the books travel well!
Shauna P. writes:
What “movie’s 50th anniversary on January 29th” are you referring to? I really hope they reopen this attraction. I grew up with and absolutely loved it. It was a must see every year I visited.
Sorry for the confusion. Early next year marks the 50th anniversary of the first theatrical release of “Sleeping Beauty.”
In the next section of the mailbag, Lani Teshima answers questions on topics from running to taxi fare, then on to luggage size.
Eva writes:
What is the name of the race at Disneyland? I wanted to run it but lost the flyer. Thank you very much.
Disney organizes a number of running events, but if you are thinking of the flagship Disneyland event then you are likely thinking about the Disneyland Half-Marathon.
As with last year, this year’s event is being held over Labor Day weekend. However perhaps having learned that it’s not the wisest of moves to actually hold it *ON* Labor Day itself when they have to compete with a number of other events, they have pulled this year’s event forward by a day and are holding it on Sunday, August 31.
As of mid-May, registration is still open for the event, which is currently listed at their official Web site (at http://www.disneylandhalfmarathon.com) as being 70% full. If you live in one of the nearby Southern California counties and you are thinking of registering, I suggest you do it soon. Last year when registration reached near-capacity, race organizers created two separate wait lists based on one’s residence, giving higher priority to out-of-towners.
Happy running!
Azraai writes:
Do you know how much taxi fare is for SNA-LAX?
Taxi fare between Orange County Airport and Los Angeles International Airport is probably going to be pretty prohibitive. The distance is roughly 40 miles, but it goes through quite a bit of the congested freeway system that LA is notorious for. Licensed taxi cab companies operating out of LAX charge a rate of 35 cents per 1/7th of a mile traveled, not counting stops and various other airport-related fees, so my guess is that you would probably end up paying over $100 plus tip. If you have a lot of luggage, I think some cab companies charge for the extra luggage, and/or you may be expected to provide an additional $1 tip for each bag that the cab driver handles for you.
Depending on how many people are traveling, though, it may not be too bad of a bargain, especially if you can all fit into a larger mini-van type cab.
Depending on the number of people you have in your party, as well as how much luggage you have, there are a few other options. One would be the various van shuttles (such as Super Shuttle). One way, they will probably only charge around $20 per person between airports. Another option would be the airport bus, which would charge a bit less per person.
I believe the green line on the Metro may also be an option, and may be cheaper, although I am personally not experienced with the Metro system and cannot give you details.
Finally, if you prefer to fly a lot, you might consider looking into flying between the two airports. The cost will probably range anywhere from $150 on up, and amazingly you may need to do a stopover in another airport, but if you are trying to earn extra frequent flyer miles that may be an option for you.
Kjetil A. writes:
Regarding travelpacks and your trying to find smaller ones… Another problem with, as you say, the manufacturers wanting to make the bags as large as the airlines will allow, is that they make them as large as *US* airlines will allow. Carryon allowance seems to be larger in the US than in Europe, and I’ve had trouble finding bags that aren’t too big for every airline on the continent but still large enough for a widescreen laptop and more than one sock.
One solution for packing a travelpack to fit non-US airline requirements is to not overpack an American pack, and take it one step further by cinching it down with a cinching belt. You can purchase such cinch belts in most travel gear stores.
In addition, some companies like Tom Bihn manufacturer smaller versions of their maximum carry-on bags (in the case of Tom Bihn, their Aeronaut comes in a slightly smaller version called the Breve).
Finally, the mailbag editor responds to Mike C., who writes:
Lucky was actually in New York City at the World Science Festival recently. Disney gave a seminar and they were showing him off.
Thanks for writing to the mailbag to tell us about this. If you read the MousePlanet update, you’ll see that Mark Goldhaber attended the event and reported on it. There’s even a photo.
[Editor’s Note to our readers: Did you happen to attend this event? If you took any photos, we would be happy to see them. Just submit to the mailbag and we may run them in a future edition!]
