The MousePlanet Mailbag is a regular compilation of some of our reader feedback and writer responses that may be of interest to our readers. We encourage you to drop your questions, opinions, or comments to us in care of our mailbag.
The letters this week are all answered by our MousePlanet staff writers in response to news items we have reported as part of our weekly Disneyland Park Update. Simone writes:
Just a heads up—along with the rate raises you reported, it also costs $40 instead of $30 for people with the crummier annual passes to get into the park on blockout days. I learned this the hard way on Saturday.
If that’s in the update, sorry I missed it, but it’s probably a good thing for people to know when planning a trip when their AP isn’t valid.
Thanks. We are adding this to both the DLR update for this week and the Disneyland Resort park guide pricing page.
Jerry S. writes:
I was wondering if you know whom to contact to have a live musical group perform at Disneyland (Rock n Roll Dance Band). Thank you for your time.
I searched on Disney.com and found this Web page that should help you.
Good luck!
The recent appearance on YouTube of a video of Pluto running has created a media splash, and was reported in a recent MousePlanet Update (link), prompting the following readers to write in with their own reactions. Christine writes:
First of all thank you for being an online access to Disneyland, where we can all visit the land after work, during work when we are unable to actually be in the park.
I just wanted to make a quick comment to you all about this ridiculous Pluto incident. Our family has seen both Pluto and Goofy chase kids around town square before, taking hats and running… and as far as being “pushed” Pluto obviously just tripped on the curb! I am saddened that the media is trying to find something that is nothing and turn it into everything, even one site saying, “Happiest place on earth?” Come on!
I know that you all will find out the bottom line on this situation, I just felt inclined to share that I have seen both Goofy and Pluto chasing kids in a game of chase before. Thank you for your commitment to the truth, I truly love MousePlanet, and I know that you all will do your best to clear up a situation that has been blown way out of proportion!
Hector H. writes:
This e-mail is in reference to the video of Pluto chasing the small child in Town Square.
While it does make Pluto look very bad I have to sit here and wonder what made the character chase after the kid. Having worked at Disneyland and having had to help a costumed character out before, I can clearly see that the kid must have done something to hurt the cast member inside the Pluto costume.
Those costumes are already extremely hot inside not to mention that any kind of tugging on them will hurt our costumed friend. Don’t pull the tail and especially don’t mess with the head of the character. Parents perhaps even the ones who belong to this kid probably were the ones telling the kid to go pull the tail. Believe me it happens. Had a cast member been around, from any department, and had Pluto seen this cast member. She (usually it is a female cast member inside Pluto) would have walked up to the cast member in a hurry and would have had the cast member contact security. I think most cast members take this seriously, including security, and the parents would have had a very long talking to about leaving the characters alone.
I wish that we could put some of the guests into those costumes and then go have them endure the torture that they sometimes have to. That would definitely make most think twice about even touching these guys.
I think Pluto is getting a bad rap here. But then again the video starts off with Pluto taking chase. I wish I had footage of at least one minute before this. I think I would be proven right about this kid needing a good smacking.
It is really very hard to tell exactly what is going on in this video, and that’s why we restrained ourselves in this week’s DLR update to just describing the action. However, there’s a spirited discussion of the video going on in the Disneyland Resort section of our MousePad discussion boards (link), which I encourage you to read and join.
An anonymous reader writes:
In regards to the September 24 Disneyland Resort update, you mentioned the old YouTube video of Pluto chasing a child. Well, I came across this post at stupidguesttricks.com, and it reveals just what that clip was all about. (link)
We appreciate having this bit of information. Thanks for writing.
An anonymous cast member writes:
I’m a resort Cast Member (prefer to stay anonymous) and I’m passing this message on from a co-CM friend of mine who’s a ‘well weathered’ character host and knows what happened.
“This event happened last year—that Pluto is no longer working with us. The kid being chased was rough-housing with Pluto before the camera rolled, and he did not kick Pluto at all. Pluto gave chase, and the kid started to wildly run. Pluto ran as well, which is not allowed, so that’s strike one. The kid being chased started to really get scared, and was screaming in earnest trying to get away. Pluto did not fully understand this. The woman who ran up and grabbed Pluto’s arm was the child’s mother. She demanded that he stop chasing her son, as it was no longer a game.
Pluto was angry that the woman had yanked his arm, and pulled back from her. That was strike two—he did not stop when a guest became in contact. He stepped off the curb and fell down. The woman did not push him, as he was already on the edge. However, he thought she had pushed him, and stood up with his paws in front of his face to show he was done. The guests in front of the camera were concerned, asking what happened, and Pluto pointed to the woman, “saying” she’d pushed him. The host then came over at this time to talk to the woman and find out the whole story. This Pluto was a very self-sufficient Pluto, who neither wanted nor needed a Host with him when he did his sets.
The falling down was strike three. However, the day in question was an exception. That Pluto decided to quit, citing that he was tired of the crowds and guests and stress it caused. The host in question was not at fault, as the host was told not to worry about Pluto and tended to the other characters. Pluto, however, took things too far on a hot day, with huge crowds, and a rowdy kid with a protective mom. The end.”
Just thought you might want to know the real deal.
Disneyland HalloweenTime has arrived, and this last group of letters is related to the Update reports on the event, as well as the recent HalloweenTime photo tour (link). Dan Y. writes:
I love your Monday updates, and read them regularly. That said, I must take exception to the following in your Disneyland Update.
“Across the Esplanade at Disney’s California Adventure, Golden Screams is now open in place of Golden Dreams—but the less said about that, the better.”
It’s one thing for you guys to editorialize your reports—after all, that’s your right on a site like this. But to report something like this, and then express your dislike of it without ever stating what it is that you dislike does a disservice to your readers. I’m sure there was discussion last year about this event, but I don’t recall what it was. So all I know now is that there’s something distasteful about the Screams show, but I don’t have a clue as to what it is. Please, a little more info in the future before discounting something as not worth your reporting.
Your comments are always welcome and in fact I agree with them. We don’t have a lot to say about Golden Screams this time around, but I did go back and add a link to last year’s coverage.
Jeff writes:
Next time you’re in the parks, be sure to look for Lady Tremaine and the two Stepsisters! After an extremely successful test run at the Magic Kingdom (in beautiful brand new costumes, no less), they decided to put them out for Halloween this year!
I think they go back and forth between Fantasyland and Golden Screams, so keep your eyes peeled.
We actually had a picture showing Lady Tremaine and the Stepsisters in front of the Golden Screams queue, but it didn’t quite make the cut (bad lighting) to be included in our photo tour. I’m looking forward to seeing them in person! Thanks as always for writing.
James N. writes:
I’m a cast member who works at Flik’s Fun Fair. On one of your pictures for DCA Halloween you asked who took out the big bite on the giant candy corn? Well Heimlich did! And he actually pops up about every 5 minutes out of the hole where he took a bite! I know this for walking by it last weekend before the park opened I was startled when he popped up and started talking! I just love Disney and their added touches like that!
I agree, extra added elements like Heimlich popping out of the candy corn really do give it that Disney touch. Thanks for the tip and thanks for writing.
