Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Disney Podcast Updates, Feb. 15-21, 2010



 
Well, if you remember what I said with last update, I mentioned that I'd be doing a "catch-up" post where I gave mostly just the show descriptions; however, that flew out the window! I'll get caught back up soon, but I already had the majority of shows already listened to and commented on, so I decided to do a regular update. 31 shows are included here, with 185 in the queue.

 
If you are interested in listening to any of these episodes, I have links to subscribe for most of these shows in my post HERE. Also, if you're willing, you can help these shows out by posting a review over on iTunes. The more they get, the higher up they appear on searches. If you do start listening to a podcast as a result of what you've seen on here, please let the podcasters know!

 
As always, please note that this again is not a comprehensive list of the Disney Podcasts that are out there. Mike Hamilton has created Disneypodcastdirectory.net, which he periodically updates with new podcasts and removes dead casts. He also has the automated RSS (historical) feeds of the podcasts. This is more of a cross-section of what is currently being talked about…perhaps something may sound interesting, and you'll subscribe to listen to that topic.

 
Any and all comments are welcomed! Also, if you know of another podcast that fits here, let me know.

 

 


    • 02/19/10 – Episode 149, IIIIII Love a paraaaaaaade…and that's what this show is about after the news. In response to the Summer Nightastic announcement, Bryan and Jonathan bring on Glenn Whalen and Chuck Canzoneri to talk about the various parades at the Disney parks. (Mush: I can't wait for our boys to see MSEP for the first time this summer!) Time: 1:21:55


    • 02/18/10 – Episode 204, It's the Olympics as you've never seen (heard) them before! Mike, Rikki, Pam, and Debbie come up with ideas for events that can be done in the parks. Mike's stroller dash at DHS reminded me of Mario Karts…perhaps you could have the riders throw out turtle shells and bananas. The "lick it or drip it" event…wow! (minds out of the gutter, folks…it deals with Dole Whips). If I had to come up with an event, I'd go with something like a Princess Kiss Relay, where you have to find a way to get a kiss from a princess (or prince) at every park (bonus for getting his/her phone number). Time: 40:19
    • 02/21/10 – Episode 205, MFries is on! It's Disney Mom's Panelist and fellow Cubs Fan Margaret Fries on the show (MFries is her Twitter account, and I love following her tweets). Margaret talks about the recent "Social Media Moms Weekend", which was held the same time as the announcement of Summer Nightastic. Mike and Margaret talk about the events of that weekend, including the news and the world-record canned food drive taken on at WDW. Time: 38:55


    • 02/19/10 – Episode 3, Sparks fly as the rest of the crew (all holding iPhones) team up on co-host Nate (who's holding an Android phone) in this shocking episode! Okay, there's only mild Droid hatred, but, as you can guess, the topic of the show is smartphones! The roundtable discussion focuses on power-saving ideas in the parks, useful apps, protection of the phone during that fall on Splash Mountain, and more! Time: 40:25


    • 02/19/10 – Episode 44, Chris shows us Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. While that may not seem like much to the Florida folks, Unlike Cinderella Castle, you can walk all around the Anaheim castle, complete with a storyline full of dioramas and technology of Princess Aurora. The video quality yet again is amazing! Time: 9:33


    • 02/21/10 – Episode 86, this is an A.D.D. show! They throw the typical structure of the shows out the window and do a sort-of non-sequitor show amidst some tech issues. Sorcerer, Jeff, Imagine, and Pluto are the hosts. Time: 52:48


    • 02/18/10 – Episode 27, Marc takes on the Summer Nightastic announcement and other news items in this episode of DISCast. In it, he includes some of the "missed" items from the press event, including the hopes that Captain EO would find its way back to Epcot. I've got to disagree with this idea…I think that A) it makes it seems like Disney is capitalizing on Jackson's death; B) while the technology was (from what I was told) state of the art back then, it may appear antiquated now; and C) it really doesn't fit so much in Epcot. Still, it's a good show that provokes discussion on this. Good job, Marc! Time: 8:47


    • 02/18/10 – Episode….I'm not sure!, Electric Mike and Kilt Boy are back with another vidcast. Since this was released in February, Mike and Steve decide to look at an appropriate attraction, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. But just talking about it is not enough for these guys…they bring on legendary Imagineer Bob Gurr, who was instrumental in creating the "innards" of the animatronic, to talk about it. They also have video from the media preview event, with Tony Baxter and Scott Trowbridge, followed by the actual attraction (all I can say about the Lincoln AA is WOW!!!). Mr. Gurr then joins imagineer Josh Shipley (who is the director for the current Lincoln show), and they compare notes. These guys don't put out a lot of shows, but they provide some AMAZING material. Time: 56:34


    • 02/21/10 – Episode 100!!!!!! (Congrats!!!!) Tom and John take the first half-hour to reflect on making it to this landmark show. After this, they get into the segments that you'd expect: pin trading news, events, and releases. Tom then takes over to help the pin trading newbies with "Pin Trading 101!" IPLS #79 is the lucky member to be inducted in this episode (though they also read #78's full survey…look at the last set of updates for more info). #79 is Rick De Luca from Phoenix. RSC is next…RSC????? They received a lot of prizes from listeners and they did a "Random Selection Contest" to give away those prizes! Pinquiries is the last segment, where they help listeners with their pin questions. The wrap with some 100th episode e-mails. I'm not a pin trader, but I have to applaud these guys for providing this show to those who are passionate about the hobby! Time: 2:24:09


    • 02/21/10 – Episode 44, Still reeling from the Colts' loss in the Super Bowl, Tracey (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!) coaxes Scott to take on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. When I first heard this, I thought that they were breaking away from their usual Disney features before informing me (as they always do so well) that there is a Disney link (Touchstone Pictures is a Disney subsidiary). After that, Buzzy comes on and provides the musical interlude. As you listen to the music, you start to notice a change; before you know it, the music is familiar again to me, and I recognize it as Pixar-based. That must mean one thing: the next installment of the Pixar movies! In their sights for this segment is A Bug's Life, where, again, you'll learn tons about the background/casting/etc. of the movie. The last part of the show has Scott surprising Tracey with several phone-ins to wish her the happiest of birthdays! Time: 1:08:44


    • 02/16/10 – Episode 35, Adam, Craig, and Juz start off with the news and have some great lines about Breathless II. Adam presents the next installment of his trip to WDW last year – well, he also includes DCL and Sea World. Adventureland attractions are next in the "around the world in 80 segments" segment. Time: 1:28:03


    • 02/17/10 – Episode 198, the Squad of 5 (huh? John Corigliano did such a good job subbing for Bryan that they added him as a new co-host). Someday I'm going to have to do the chat and hear a live recording…these guys are crazy! Time: 1:44:19


    • 02/21/10 – Episode 255, After the news segment, we're treated to an all-MK day by Ricky…he reports on the lunchtime seating at Pecos Bill's (including the new seating procedure…his report gives it a thumbs-up). Then he gives a review of the Verizon Mobile Magic App and the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique (it apparently is better in the warmer months as the dresses don't handle the cold too well). User feedback wraps the show. Time: 50:44


    • 02/16/10 – Mikey takes a cool, drizzly Friday and turns it into a "4X4" contest, where he attempts to hit all 4 parks by 4 pm. The Rules: 1) he has to ride at least one attraction (not show); 2) get a FP for an attraction he doesn't necessarily have to ride; 3) get a pressed penny of a character from each park; 4) eat a snack unique to each park; 5) not use any courtesy trams inside or outside the parks; and 6) take a pic with at least one character in every park (NOT the Fab 5 or chipmunks). His first stop is DHS, and he gets the entire elevator to himself (love the pic!). We then find out that Mikey is A.D.D. because he takes a side-route to see some Muppet vinylmation while looking for characters. We'll need a judge's ruling on whether the character pic counts or not. Time: 5:55
    • 02/20/10 – Part II of the 4X4 event! Mikey tries to remember what park is next (AK). He bypasses the tram and actually shows us his feet hitting the pavement as he hoofs it to the entrance. The crowds must have been really quiet this day as his FP return times for both DHS and AK were around an hour after he got them. He screams on Everest, gets a mango pie, and presses a Pooh penny (say that 5 times fast). He missed the characters near the entrance as he exited, however. (Mush: I loved the WDW Today promo!) Time: 5:11


    • 02/15/10 – In this show, Nathan and Jim take a look at the newly-reopened Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction on Main Street in Disneyland and give some interesting history behind the attraction. Time: 34:02
    • 02/21/10 – Jim gives his report on his attendance of New York City's "Toy Fair" event and includes his perspective of some possible future happenings from Disney. Time: 31:12


    • 02/21/10 – Episode 239, All three are here to talk more Disney! They're still getting listener feedback on their smartphone apps segment a few weeks back. Also included in the listener feedback is talk of the Olympics and a listener response to a recent question on passports and cruises. They then turn the discussion to the one-year anniversary of D23 and report on feedback they received on whether people will re-up or not. Time: 33:27


    • 02/15/10 – Episode 389, Short subject day!!!! Expedition Everest is the first review (lots of good storyline info here that I never knew). In the "review system spotlight", the Disneyland Hotel is spotlit. Andrew Rich is back for his….waaaaaiiitt a minute. Steven Ng fills in for Andrew this week in the MousePlanet Week in Review. Mike and Mark then forego the rest of the usual segments for a lot of voice mails! Time: 40:06
    • 02/17/10 – Episode 390, For the featured topic, Mike and Mark give their two cents' on the Summer Nightastic announcement and whether it will work in its attempt to stave off anticipated losses from the soon-to-be-open Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Time: 24:48


    • 02/16/10 – Episode 53, Robb, Kevin, and Carlos bring on Colin Carroll to talk about Marathon Weekend last January. In the discussion, they talk about the training, the Expo, the races before the half, the actual race, and more! Carlos also reveals the winner of the prize package for the iTunes review contest. Time: 52:58


    • 02/16/10 – Episode 49, Gordon does some more in-run audio, where he talks about the recent failed race at Myrtle Beach (I would NOT have been happy had I been there only to have them cancel the race) and the subsequent impromptu running of the friends. Time: 53:53


    • 02/16/10 – Episode 91, Megan and Tairy join the Cats to talk about potential pitfalls of dating at the theme parks (i.e. can dating ruin the experience if you break up later on but have fond memories of visiting the parks). (Note to the Cats: I very nearly took this entry down a whole other path, with talk of lesbians, "three-to-a-room" at the Contemp, and making out on Peter Pan!). Time: 53:29


    • 02/16/10 – Episode 30, as Katie and Shawn work on lining up big-name guests for the show, Shawn takes a look back at his love for Miley Cy….I mean he presents some memorable clips from past shows. Oh, okay – he also denies any feelings for Hannah Montana (but it's so fun keeping that line going!). Also, there are clips from interviews with Lee Cockerell, Eddie Carroll, and others. Near the end, we have the original "Bono" moment. Congrats on 30 shows! Time: 38:21


    • 02/15/10 – Episode 130, Oh boy…strap yourselves in for this one! There are so many one-liners in this show that it would take me hours to get them all in here. The crew introduces a new segment (the Top Ten), and they list/argue the top ten attractions at WDW. You HAVE to listen to this one…you'll thank me (or the Phoenicians) later. Watch out for B'rer Carnotaur, and don't forget to include Spaceship Earth and TOT. Time: 2:10:42


    • 02/17/10 – Video Extra, Lou offers a tantalizing preview of his Fantasyland Audio Guide. I love the scene 1:48 in, where the camera is at just the right angle to give Cinderella her crown. If my wife asks anyone for ideas for a Father's Day gift, feel free to drop Lou's Audio Guides! Time: 6:35
    • 02/21/10 – Episode 158, Beci Mahnken is on the show, which means one thing for WDW Radio faithful…it's e-mail time! They plow through quite a few of them before wrapping up and sending Lou to Disney Historian Jim Korkis to talk about the newest land (and first to go, thanks to the Fantasyland expansion), Mickey's Toontown Fair. Time: 1:14:08


    • 02/15/10 – Episode 682, Matt, Mike, Mike, and Len present their views on the recently-announced Summer Nightastic event coming to WDW this summer…my wife listened to this episode and is trying to hold back judgment as she was REALLY hoping to see Wishes this summer. I wonder if I can get Newell to devote an entire evening to Wishes on MWR? Time: 21:17
    • 02/17/10 – Episode 683, Matt, Mike, Mike, Annette, and Fill-in-Len (AKA Fred Hazelton) tackle listener questions…one of the more interesting ones is the final e-mail they read, where a listener valiantly hit all four parks before noon. While that in itself is a feat, consider the fact that he did it on Christmas morning! Time: 35:29
    • Matt is joined by Scopa, Tequila Testa, and the Magnificent MEI Marvels (Annette and Beci) to talk about the (then) upcoming Tentfest, including a teaser on the "Mousefan Challenge". Time: 21:38


    • 02/15/10 – Episode 226, Magic Joe is back at the controls to present another "My Disneyland Memories" (the 13th installment). This is a special show that is different from what his shows are normally like. While you'll still hear some audio from older attractions, the meat of this show is dedicated to celebrating one of Disney's true legends: Bill Justice. This is someone whom I don't know much about, so I learned quite a bit from this episode. The end of the show includes well-wishes from many, including current and former animators, makeup artists, Disneyana leaders, Imagineers, actors, movie critics (no, I'm not making this list up…Mr. Justice is known around the entertainment industry), etc. Time: 1:17:33


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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

WDW Family Trip, December 2007, Day 4, Part 2: A Whole New World


Part I of this day can be seen HERE.


That done, we decide to scream over to Epcot to see if we might have a chance at Soarin. If not, we can let the boys enjoy Nemo again. We walk out to the bus stop and, within 5 minutes, in rolls the bus. A few minutes later, we're heeeerrreeeee! Soarin is a 45 minute wait, and the FastPass return time is 12:15. Nope…guess we'll have to come down again in a couple of months to get our fix.


 
We make our way over to the Seas with Nemo and do the MINE birds thing a couple of times. The wait for the clam-mobiles is about 5 minutes, and we're on! I love the starfish at the end!


 
We head out and go straight for the windows into the aquarium. We spend probably a good 15 minutes in here before we drag the boys over to the manatee room. Eric really likes these…he calls them "hippo manatees."


 
The boys plead to ride Nemo again, so we ride it AGAIN. Afterwards, we tell them we need to head out to rest. We're walking around underneath Spaceship doing the salmon swimming upstream thing (everyone's still coming in). I look up for a second to make sure we won't run into anyone, and there's a family about 15 feet in front of us heading our way.


 
I look down


 

 
A brief instant later, alarms start going off in my mind.


 

 

 

 

 
That girl looks really familiar


 

 

 

 

 

 
I look back up right about the time I hear "CHRIS???"


 

 

 

 

 
"LEIGH???!!!"


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Aside from the fact that I weigh about 150 pounds more than her, didn't have make-up on, wasn't wearing pink, didn't have guys turning heads to look at me, and am male, we had to look exactly the same at that instant (okay, we both had our mouths open at the sight of each other).


 
We introduced our families to each other. Sheri took one look at Audrey and wanted 5 more children.


 
We talk for a couple of minutes and then say our goodbyes and head our separate ways. Let's see...DD's crew, Mare's crew, Mel's crew, Todd and Mo's crew, and now Leigh's crew.


 

 

 
December 2007, Moose Meet II

(I should have made t-shirts)


 

 

 
As we make our way to the exit, we gauge the boys' power level and decide that they've got some gas in the tank yet. Now might be our best chance to look at some of the resort decorations. We exit Epcot and make our way up the ramp to the monorail without telling the kids where the ramp leads to. Of course, Aaron demands that we stop to go potty as we reach the top of the ramp.


 

 
Argh.


 

 
They've been begging to ride the monorail since we saw our first one this trip…needless to say, they were excited to hop on. Aaron completely forgot that his back teeth were floating as we started our way to the TTC. Down one ramp and up another (the crowd was small, so Sheri and I raced strollers up the ramp), and we're on the monorail to the Poly. One more stop, and we're at the Grand Floridian.


 

 



 

 
Haughty or not, that Christmas tree is impressive!


 

 



 

 
Haughty or not, that gingerbread house is impressive!


 
Sheri takes the boys potty, while I get in line to buy a couple gingerbread men. Miss Florida (or Miss September…it worked either way) was manning the gingerbread house and was working the charm on trying to move the pre-made houses to guys entranced by her beauty. Hell, I almost bought one!


 
We retreat to the infamous couch in the atrium where, two years on this very day, we feared getting banished from the resort if we spilled a crumb from the cookie.


 



 
Haughty or not, that couch is impressive!


 

 
Oh, I think we spilled a crumb...AND WE'RE STILL ALIVE!!!


 
The cookies taste remarkably good there…much better than we remembered. Eric has fun with his gingerbread man... "please, don't eat me!..CRUNCH"


 
Soon we depart the GF and monorail it over to MK where we stroll down to the bus stop for the Pop.


 
We're the only ones on the bus, so we sit up front to keep the driver company. I notice that the same @#%^#$%@ music is playing yet again. I used to like All in the Family as well as Dave Seville's Witch Doctor and Frank Sinatra's New York, New York. After hearing this loop for something like the 4th time, I was nearly suicidal.


 
So, of course, I ask the bus driver how he tolerates hearing the same loop over and over without contemplating driving the bus into Bay Lake.


 
Apparently, the music in the loop gets quite a bit better later on if you can get far enough into it. He mentions that, when gassing it up and preparing for the day, he'll throw the MK-OKW loop on…lots of Buffett music on there.


 
My goal the next trip is to go from MK to Old Key West and coordinate a traffic jam in front of the bus.


 
The boys fall asleep on the bus, and we do the "throw-the-kids-up-while-we-open-the-strollers" maneuver. We're a little hungry, so, after looking around in the gift shop for a little bit, we decide to do a ten-minute trip by ourselves and have a meal without kids. We use up the last of our counter service meals with calzones and chicken strips.


 
As I take my first bite, guess who wakes up?


 
We split our meal with the boys and then go back to the room in an attempt to rest before heading back to MK for the AAA Character Story Time.


 
Yeah, right…they just slept for 45 minutes. The only one to sleep, according to wifey, is me.


 
We get ready to head to MK, and the boys are in ultra-hyper mode. I pull out the little-used "if you don't calm down we won't be able to see Renee again this trip!" threat.


 
That actually worked…they chill on the bus ride as I give Mare a call to see what her plans were. I leave a message as we get to MK.


 

 
(Continued HERE)

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Disney Podcast Updates, Feb. 8-14, 2010



 

 
As promised a couple of days ago, here is the next week of Disney podcast updates. Over 30 shows are included in this one as well. Along with some laugh-out-loud funny shows (e.g. Teenage Disney Geek and the end of Mouse Droppings), you'll see a couple of shows for those contemplating the 2011 Disney half-marathon (Beyond Main Street and Running to Disney), as well as several shows discussing the (then) newly-announced Summer Nightastic coming in early June to the WDW parks. We also have a couple of first-time entries in here. I was going to start with the March 1 updates, but I had already listened to some of these and figured I'd just start updating them now. Betamouse (only their second episode!) and the Disney Royal Ladies are debuting in this list. Thanks to the In Your Ears Experience show, I also was introduced to another podcast which may find its way on here soon (MouseTimes).

 
The next update will be one of my "catch-up" posts, where the entries will be primarily show descriptions. I'll still add the tags to help with online searches, but I need to do one of these in order to get somewhat back to "current" on the release of the information.

 
If you are interested in listening to any of these episodes, I have links to subscribe for most of these shows in my post HERE. Also, if you're willing, you can help these shows out by posting a review over on iTunes. The more they get, the higher up they appear on searches. If you do start listening to a podcast as a result of what you've seen on here, please let the podcasters know!

 
As always, please note that this again is not a comprehensive list of the Disney Podcasts that are out there. Mike Hamilton has created Disneypodcastdirectory.net, which he periodically updates with new podcasts and removes dead casts. He also has the automated RSS (historical) feeds of the podcasts. This is more of a cross-section of what is currently being talked about…perhaps something may sound interesting, and you'll subscribe to listen to that topic.

 
Any and all comments are welcomed! Also, if you know of another podcast that fits here, let me know.

 

 

    • 02/09/10 – Episode 64, OH……..MY…….GAWD!!!!!!!! This is one of the funniest shows I've heard in a long time! The dysfunctional super family is joined by Esquire Matt from Mousedroppings, a not-so-housebroken dog, and Will & Shannon from Magic Never Ends to talk about their December trip. (Animal Kingdom bus goes by). You'll learn more than you ever wanted to know about pork shank and Kjottkake (Animal Kingdom Bus); you'll hear them calling out Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod Aaron and his claim that he actually had friends on his commando trip (he did…nobody saw them, though) (Animal Kingdom Bus); you'll learn about peeing standing up while holding a baby at the urinal; what it's like staying at the "Polynesian" (Animal Kingdom Bus); and tons of other things that will leave you almost in tears from laughing so hard (LFFP…Keegan's father…is simply hilarious! I had 4 separate voice memos where I had to stop and comment so I wouldn't forget). Did Grandma ever make it home? (Animal Kingdom Bus). One word of warning…this one's definitely rated-R, and you won't want to have your kids nearby when listening to it. AWESOME show!!! Time: 2:26:22 (Animal Kingdom Bus).

    • 02/12/10 – Episode 148, Jonathan's dealing with a screaming kid, and all of us parents fully understand why he's not on the majority of the show. After news and the roll call, Tony Caggiano and Matt Hochberg join Bryan to talk about love and romance. Huh? It's nearly Valentine's Day. They have a roundtable on romantic things to do at a park that many consider to be a place for kids (I deal with this all the time when I talk to students…they can't see how Disney can be an adult place). The big thing to remember from this episode: DO WHATEVER SHE WANTS!!! At the end, Jonathan rejoins the show and brings on Don Morin who is organizing the upcoming Pacific Northwest Mouse Meet to talk about what's coming up in Washington in August. Time: 1:35:55

    • 02/11/10 – Episode 202, The topic of this show is one that parents probably agonize over every time they consider a trip to Disney…do you take the kids out of school for a trip? The hosts give their views and also provide educational ideas for your child/children to do while down there in the case of taking them out. Make sure you listen for the "hamster" story in the show. Time: 44:40
    • 02/14/10 – Episode 203, Lots of audio from Marathon weekend, including ride-thrus, commentary, marathon audio, and more. Time: 1:14:17

    • 02/10/10 – Episode 2, (I decided to start updates for this show before March 1st…sue me). Henry Work introduces the crew (I feel like I've known many of these folks for quite a while already). If you're not familiar with the show, check the list of podcasts, where I've added an entry for this show. Scott Barrett, Jeff Chaney, Katie Siloac, and Nate Parrish join Henry for a show on the KimPossible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot. We're looking forward to doing this with the boys in June (hopefully). Being a tech cast, they start off with what it is before going into the how, why, where, etc. Discussion includes the new (and very well-funded) RFID/NextGen project that Disney has been doing fairly well at keeping the lid on thus far. Katie walks through what a typical KimPossible mission would be like. I won't spoil much, but they go into possible ways the current and future technology might be able to be implemented …go subscribe to the podcast and listen in! Time: 37:37

    • 02/09/10 – BMS 82, Gung Hay Fat Choy! It's Chinese New Year, and Lou treats us to a video of the Dragon Legends Acrobatic Troupe from Epcot's China pavilion. Time: 15:03
    • 02/14/10 – IYEE 55, Lou breaks his normal routine and has a special guest on. John Corigliano from the MouseTimes podcast (which I just subscribed to and will start providing updates for soon) did a really interesting show on his feed where he recorded the half-marathon from start to finish (he was running it). Lou brings on John to talk about the experience, which (along with Gordon's Running to Disney show below) is a really good one to listen to if you are considering running your first half- or full marathon. Time: 46:39

    • 02/14/10 – Episode 99, They're just about to 100! It's the same format as the others (a little shorter in anticipation of a longer show #100)…John and Tom navigate through the pin trading news, Disney- and fan-sponsored events across the nation, and releases in Orlando, Europe, Anaheim, and via the Disney online store. IPLS #78 is Suzanne Benaquista from the Garden State…well…she is mostly inducted (they forgot some of her answers to the IPLS questionnaire. They wrap up the show with a foreshadowing of #100 and a review of a recent fan meet at the Frontierland Trading Post in WDW. Time: 1:12:16

    • 2/12/10 – Episode 23, In this premiere (at least on this blog) show, Larry Heidenberg is on to talk about Disney and disabilities, allergies, and other items that many would never think about when touring the parks. Larry has been featured all over the online Disney fan community (Allears, touringplans, Twitter) and has written quite a bit about what he is on the show for. This will be an eye-opener for some listeners. Time: 1:25:32

    • 02/10/10 – Episode 196, There's something about bubbles in this show…in "What's Dave Like" they talk apps…the EA iPhone app is almost ready for distribution…if you want EA apps of Disney on Android, let David know, and they might make one for it. Lots more chat interaction, off-the-wall audio, and typical insanity. Time: 1:33:36
    • 02/13/10 – Episode 197, Advertisement for David's new release on audio from Spaceship Earth. Samples included. Time: 20:24

    • 02/14/10 – Episode 254, After news and the Tip of the Week, Ricky gives his view of the Summer Nightastic announcement and also interviews Disney imagineers/executives after the press event about the summer program as well as the upcoming Fantasyland refurb. Skipper Ben and Lisa (I'll let them fight over whether it's "Snow White" Lisa or "Dumbo" Lisa give their review of the Christmas Party from their recent December trip. Time: 1:04:03
    • 02/14/10 – Video Supplement to 254, Fantasyland Expansion talk with Imagineer Diego Parras. Time: 2:58
    • 02/14/10 – Video Supplement to 254, Summer Nightastic press event. Meg Croften at the podium, and Carrie Matson (Director of Marketing for WDW) interviewed. Time: 5:36

    • 02/13/10 – Episode 11 of the Disneyland trip…I'll call it "potpourri"…it's a mish-mash of several clips from their trip last fall. Included is some jazz music on Main Street, a celebrity sighting in the park, a railroad time machine to the Jurassic era, and some just plane crazy stuff. Time: 8:42

    • 02/10/10 – Greg, Mike, and Shaft bring on current Disneyland cast member "Push" to talk about some of the current goings-on at Disneyland, particularly the construction at California Adventure. Time: 1:32:20

    • 02/14/10 – The Mortis takes a break from punking Scott over at Disney, Indiana to bring the family together for one of my more well-liked Disney classics: The Absent-Minded Professor. The Disney, Indiana crew stops by for some great trivia knowledge of the movie. Do they like it? Kids: "It was good!", "Yadayadayada", "it was funny…especially the basketball scene"; Adults: "Liked it as much as the Robin Williams version" "I actually stayed awake!" "Robin Williams is a little bit funnier" (Mortis: my older son would fall in love with your younger daughter…they sound so much alike sometimes!). Sounds like the same result as at our house…a winner! They then give a little extra audio from the Monster's Inc attraction in Tomorrowland (I'll forego what everyone calls it). Time: 36:38

    • 02/09/10 – Episode 22, When I saw the title of the show, "Calculus is Scary", I knew I was going to enjoy it (I'm a stats and econ geek in real life, and calculus is the lifeblood of the economist). In this show, Matt meets up with DPN'er Burnt Toast to experience the new Sum of All Thrills attraction in Innoventions at Epcot. He hits another home run with another "Real Men of Genius" segment (Miss Brazilian Tour Group Flag Carrier). I was listening to this one in the car with my boys, and they are still laughing at the sexy banana reference and occasionally start chanting it (luckily they missed the "BrazILF" reference that had me laughing, so I didn't to try to explain that one!) Time: 23:04

    • 02/14/10 – Eric, Cathy, and Dan (no intro this time…my boys noticed LOL) push through a bunch of e-mails in this episode and talk about the new Summer Nightastic announcement for WDW. Time: 42:39

    • 02/08/10 – Episode 387, HTTP 404!!! After the Tip of the Week (it's a Tuesday show), Mike and Mark talk about Finding Nemo: the musical (some good comments by Mike in trying to compare it to the Lion King (e.g. "Finding Simba" or "Festival of the Lionfish"). In terms of pageantry, I'd have to give the nod to the Festival of the Lion King, but, in terms of storyline, I think Finding Nemo takes the cake. Kona Café is in the Review System Spotlight (gotta have me some Tonga Toast, and a big helping of my wife's pineapple macadamia nut pancakes to go with my pressed pot kona coffee…I'm in heaven with that breakfast!). Time: 52:32
    • 02/10/10 – Episode 388, If the above was the Tuesday show, then that means this one is the Featured Topic Thursday show! Mike and Mark channel Ty Pennington and introduce an "Extreme Makeover" idea, where they take an attraction, kick out the tenants (where do they send them to if they're already at Disney World?) and redo the attraction. They take on one that I think a lot of people would welcome a wrecking ball – Journey Into Imagination. Having never ridden it (yet…planning on it this summer for the first time), I really can't comment on it. Interesting way of presenting the topic…I hope they continue on with this one. Time: 34:09

    • 02/11/10 – Episode 48, Gordon is brave…he brings Mrs. Disney Runner on again and starts off with a discussion of "man credits" (my wife is the same way…she thinks I expect a parade if I do something around the house). The show revolves around her decision to start training for her own long-distance events. She uses the same training partner that Gordon does (Megan). He then gets into a monologue while he's driving (he loses it at the end). Good show…especially for those who are thinking of starting their own running program (like BMSLou's show above). FYI: my boys really liked the Dr. Seuss reading at the end. Time: 1:14:45

    • 02/09/10 – Episode 90, Henry Work, from Touringplans and the new Betamouse podcast, joins Lisa and Jennifer to talk about Lines. Time: 44:26

    • 02/09/10 – Episode 29, It's another nice, short show, as Shawn and Katie are in the middle of prepping for several guests to come onto the show. They do find a way to slip a Life of Brian reference though. They talk a little about the Super Bowl before a little news and commentary, including the loss of more McDonald's restaurants (woohoo!) and their replacement businesses. Time: 23:29

    • 02/08/10 – Episode 129, the Tom and the gang give us another "Golden Age" segment, with Future World (particularly Spaceship Earth) being the focus of this one. There definitely was not a consensus on this one. I can't really comment because I've only seen the Jeremy Irons version once just before the refurb, and the sound was terrible (volume was so low it made it almost inaudible.). Based on that, the Judy Dench version seems far and away superior. After this, they do a Town Square Talk without the Mayor (Diffendal subs in as the Viceroy or something like that). Time: 50:05

    • 02/14/10 – Episode 157, Lou surrounds himself by a harem of Disney Mommy Bloggers in this episode (you'll have to head over to the WDW Radio forums or look at the show notes for all of their info…there were a bunch of them (Lucky guy, Lou!). They have a round-table discussion on the recent Disney Summer Nightastic announcement and give their views (The Electrical Parade is highly anticipated). After that, Lou brings on Disney Social Media Director Thomas Smith to talk about Disney's venturing into Facebook, Twitter, and the blogosphere. He ends with trivia info and then a note expression gratitude and thanks for all the well-wishes after his father's passing. One final note: for those who have tried friending him up on Facebook – he has reached the max number of friends, so he simply can't accept any more. He's trying to do more interaction with the WDW Radio fan page over there, which has a much higher limit. Time: 1:05:02

    • 02/08/10 – Episode 679. Ommmmmmmmmmm…Matt's gone today, and everyone has a fresher outlook on life and the world. The rest of the appreciative crew welcomes Hidden Mickey guru Steve Barrett to talk about some of the new things he's been working on (phone apps, cruise line HMs, etc). Time: 25:49
    • 02/10/10 – Episode 680, Listener's questions with Matt, Newell, and Len-sit-in Fred Hazelton (with Tequila and all). Some of the questions deal with a ghost at the Yacht & Beach Club, Love for Marvin (if you ever need someone to call in, I can almost match his voice), Fantasmic DL vs WDW, Gone With the Wind's link to the Great Movie Ride (nap, as I call it), and "Goat Goat Goat!" (Mush: I'm waaaay off…I thought the Goat chant came from the Disney Podcast Network (Auntie Lorien)…I never knew it came from something earlier.) Time: 30:39 Shut Up, Will Ya!
    • 02/12/10 – Episode 681, this is a trip down nostalgia lane for many as they crew talks about traditions that they have or had when they were younger that pertained to planning, traveling to, or actually being at the theme parks. Really good show, and I bet it will spawn a lot of family discussions. Time: 26:29

    • 02/11/10 – Episode 35, Matt and Nate reflect on the now-extinct Wonders of Life Pavilion, with Cranium Command, the Making of Me, and Chasing Elizabeth Shue (a.k.a. Body Wars). This is one of the few extinct attractions at WDW that I can relate to as I actually got to see this before it was closed. Time: 45:36

    • 02/08/10 – Episode 225, It's another audio adventure through the parks with Paul…this is the last segment from the 2009 Friends of the Magic meet. We start off with a little live music in front of POTC before heading over to Critter Country to get Pooh audio. We're then treated to a walk down Main Street to the exit. I love these shows! Time: 1:07:19

    • 02/09/10 – Episode 48, Aaron starts a feature on the Disney Legends, and, with the recent passing of Walt's nephew, Roy, he highlights Roy E. Disney's life and (often turbulent) times with the Disney company. Another informative, well thought-out show, Aaron. Time: 1:03:20
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

2009 Disney Podcast Updates

The link on the right-hand side of my blog was getting a little long, so I decided to do a little work on it to make it more manageable.  Below is a list of links that will take you to all of the posts I did for 2009.


2009 DISNEY PODCAST UPDATES:


12/31/2009
12/20/2009
12/10/2009
No Updates 11/16-11/30
11/15/2009
10/30/2009
09/30/2009
09/20/2009
09/13/2009
09/05/2009
08/21/2009
08/07/2009
07/28/2009
07/20/2009
07/10/2009
06/30/2009
06/24/2009
06/12/2009
06/05/2009
05/29/2009
05/22/2009
05/15/2009
05/08/2009
05/01/2009
Posted by Mush at 1:18 PM 0 comments
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Disney Podcast Updates, Feb 1-7, 2010



 
I took a bit of time off of the updates so I could focus on something that is a bit more important…my dissertation. I wasn't going to skip any shows, but I knew I was going to get behind. One look at my iTunes stats tells me that I have nearly 7 days' worth of shows. Granted, some of them are past shows that I just decided to keep, but I still have over 160 shows not listened to yet.

 
I decided to break this up into weekly updates instead of trying to do a multi-week post (too many shows, and the post would be nearly a mile long). Still, there are 32 episodes on here. Look for Feb 8-14 in the next couple of days - they've all been listened to...I just need to sit down and type them up. After that, I'll probably have to do a catch-up show where I present mostly just the show descriptions to get to the beginning of March. Once I get to March 1, I'm going to add several new shows to the lineup: Betamouse, Keys to the Kingdom, Disney Royal Ladies, Mr. Frank's Wild Ride, and Mousin' it Up. Again, it's not comprehensive, but it brings some of the newer shows into the spotlight, and one (Betamouse) is gathering a following rather quickly.

 
If you are interested in listening to any of these episodes, I have links to subscribe for most of these shows in my post HERE. Also, if you're willing, you can help these shows out by posting a review over on iTunes. The more they get, the higher up they appear on searches. If you do start listening to a podcast as a result of what you've seen on here, please let the podcasters know!

 
As always, please note that this again is not a comprehensive list of the Disney Podcasts that are out there. Mike Hamilton has created Disneypodcastdirectory.net, which he periodically updates with new podcasts and removes dead casts. He also has the automated RSS (historical) feeds of the podcasts. This is more of a cross-section of what is currently being talked about…perhaps something may sound interesting, and you'll subscribe to listen to that topic.

 
Any and all comments are welcomed! Also, if you know of another podcast that fits here, let me know.

 

 



    • 02/02/10 – JISD #7, Jason in San Diego gives us another video! This one starts out a little gloomy as the video shows no water in the Rivers of America…it quickly flashes back to give us some great down-home music as the Princess Tiana Showboat Jubilee is the focus of the video. Love that music! Time: 10:21



    • 02/05/10 – Episode 147, News and the Roll call start off the show. After the formalities, they bring on Karen Prell, former muppeteer and computer animator. It's the first time I've heard of her, but she has a varied background and several links to Disney, including stints at Pixar. Some great bloopers are at the end of the show…don't end it too early! Time: 1:00:09



    • 02/04/10 – Episode 200, start throwing the confetti…they've made it to 200 shows (congrats, guys!)!! It's also monumental because they have proof that Rikki actually rode Dinosaur (she's got the Hochberg syndrome…scared to death of that attraction). Also on this show is a look back by the hosts at their most memorable moments from past shows. Several congratulatory voice mails are also included. Time: 51:23
    • 02/07/10 – Episode 201, Two of the male members of the Disney Moms panel join the show to talk about their love of Disney and what it's like being on the panel. This show was a fun one to listen to…I really liked the insight that Jonas (Lehmann-Karp) and Marc (Lorenzo) had on the position. Time: 37:10



    • 02/05/10 – Episode 85, After starting the show with a little talk about the short hiatus of the show, Jeff comes up with the latest news. Le Chefs de France is reviewed by Kristen. A large portion of the show is dedicated to the next segment, which focuses on planning for your trip (note, when you hear the background music to this segment at 125% normal speed, you're almost prone to seizures…and since when has it been wrong to have spreadsheets to map out your dining??!). Pluto and Imagine give another monorail segment, with the Marketplace of DTD in the spotlight for this show. The show wraps with e-mail. Time: 1:31:47



    • 02/06/10 – Episode 26, Marc gives his reaction to the news of the iPad. I think he missed one point on the iPad in his critique that it's not much more than a big iPod Touch…one of the things that it will do is provide stiff competition to Amazon's Kindle. In addition to being a e-reader, it's going to have a much stronger online capability that the Kindle currently has. He ends with Disney news. Time: 7:04



    • 02/07/10 – Episode 39, The Dudes begin the show with a recap of what has been up (we've been worried! Someone even sent AATM an inquiry). Real life tends to get in the way, sometimes, and this is no exception. Trace, I'm sorry to hear about the job loss…hope something heads your way soon! Wayne takes the lead in this show by giving us a ride-along report of his recent trip to WDW, starting with the drive down. Some of the best stuff is the short audio they throw in between the report. (BPH???!!! LMAO!). Part 2 of the trip report will follow later. Oh, and you'll be snapping your fingers in applause at the end with the current poetry reading. Time: 1:15:40



    • 02/06/10 – Episode 98, Man, I love the enhanced version of this show! One piece of news makes up the shortest segment of the show's history. After Disney-sponsored events and fan-sponsored events, we get into releases (not a lot of new releases, but a few, including Pinocchio's 70th anniversary, a "then and now" Horizons to Mission: Space pin (really cool!), a Stitch St. Patrick's Day pin, several other St. Patrick's Day pins, an Alice in Wonderland pin, 10th anniversary pins…all these are to be released at WDW). They also chronicle releases at Disneyland and Europe releases. After all the releases, John does a DPI on PinPic #36542, a Classics of Animation pin. A Time machine is used by Tom to look at a "magical milestones (35 years)" pin set. IPLS #77 is introduced, and that member is Sam Haggett. Time: 1:29:35



    • 02/01/10 – Episode 66, Tairy's back after a short rest to bring us a list of things to do in the Disney parks when Mother Nature isn't entirely cooperating. Included are tidbits on what to do when it rains at Disney. Time: 13:41



    • 02/07/10 – Episode 41, Before I get into the show, I have to make a comment: Ohhhhhh….Scott and Tracey…you just had to talk about New Orleans Square before the Super Bowl. I was going to blame it on the Colts' defense and the superior play of the Saints, but it…was…you…all…you. Okay onto the show: As the teaser above mentions, they talk about New Orleans Square at Disneyland and, as always, provide a really good, in-depth account of its history, features, and more. Buzzy chimes in with lots of jazz, including music from, yes, The Princess and the Frog. As an aside, I did want to take a moment to offer my thanks for the kind words you gave regarding the blog. My numbers are small, but at least it's good to know that what's on here does occasionally bring a smile to a face. Time: 1:03:00



    • 02/02/10 – Episode 34, News and rumors start off the show. Segments of this episode include the next installment of "Around the World in 80 segments". The focus of this portion of the audio is the shopping/dining/entertainment along the Magic Kingdom's Main Street, USA. Trivia contest winners are announced (again, I really need to get caught up so I can enter these things!). Craig also recaps his recent trip to Disneyland Paris in this show. Time: 1:31:50



    • 02/01/10 – Episode 195, it's the first podcast after the first podcast of the HOJO podcast and pool party. Confused? David, Liana, and Brian go stream-of-consciousness in this show, entitled "Liana has never done that before". They welcome back Deb Wible to the show with the chat folks. Time: 1:48:47
    • 02/03/10 – Episode 196, it's part 1 of the first annual meet of the month at the HoJo Pool Party across from Disneyland! Time: 55:28



    • 02/03/10 – Episode 52, Greg presents us with a recording of the NFFC/Disneyana Legend Award banquet where a new award was unveiled…the Heritage award, given to those who are not cast members but would otherwise be worthy of an honor like the Legend award. The first recipient of this award is Leonard Maltin. Time: 1:36:54



    • 02/02/10 – Episode 252, Ricky gives us a trip report from his recent jaunt to the left coast park. Included is ride-thru audio of the Roger Rabbit attraction in Toon Town. Time: 1:10:19
    • 02/02/10 – episode 253, After news/rumors/tip o' the day, Ricky treats us to some British Invasion audio before offering a real treat…the full audio of the original Tiki Birds over in Anaheim…first time I've heard it all the way through. Listener feedback ends the show. Time: 59:07



    • 02/02/10 – It's award season, and on this week's show, the magical definition crew of Jim and Nathan discuss what Disney has been nominated for, what their chance is for winning, and more. Time: 43:35



    • 02/05/10 – Show 154 (I'll take their word for it), it's mailbag time, which, of course means, they'll be all over the spectrum regarding what they talk about. Seriously, I would like to just sit, order a couple rounds of beer, and just listen to these guys talk. That's just what this show is always like…you're listening to friends at a bar, only these guys are hellaciously knowledgeable about Disneyland. Time: 1:33:26



    • 02/07/10 – Eric, Cathy, and Dan are back with a jam-packed show. They start off with lamentations about the Colts' loss (well they aren't lamentations yet…they're still hopeful as this was recorded prior to the Super Bowl). They then get into the new Latin restaurant that's opening at DTD. Next up is the main part of the show: a discussion on the nominations that Disney received for the Oscars. Listener questions end the show, with several pertaining to smartphone apps discussed in the previous show. Time: 50:14



    • 02/01/10 – Episode 385, Mark and Fae (huh?) threw me for a loop today….there's no featured attraction segment! After the tip of the day, they piqued my interest when they reviewed the 50's Prime Time Café, which we'll be dining at for the first time in a few months. Andrew Rich does the week in review, and, if you typically don't listen to the listener feedback portion of the show, you may want to for this one…they had a lot of fun with it! Time: oops…deleted it before I wrote it down.
    • 02/03/10 – Episode 386, What do you do in the winter months when the parks close early, but you're rearing to go? Of course, you head over to Pleasure Isl……ummmm… Well, Mike and Mark take on this task in the featured topic on late night entertainment at Disney World. There actually is quite a bit to do – at DTD as well as at other popular places (Boardwalk, Yeehaw Bob, etc) Time: 32:33



    • 02/01/10 – Episode 47, Gordon's fighting a bad virus during the recording of this show, yet he still continues running and gives some advice for the first-time marathoners (which I took great interest in). We quickly find out during his run that everything is your best friend (rest day, distance day, speed/hill day, etc). You can always count on one or two laugh-out-loud funny quips from Gordon, and this is no exception… we then hear something that made me slow the playback down to normal speed (just to make sure I heard it correctly): the conversation goes from a bionic dog that can smell Gordon approaching from a mile away, which make Gordon think that he smelled like something that dogs like. It all goes downhill from here because he brings up the fact that dogs like to sniff parts of other dogs…I'll leave it at that. Oh, and towards the end, we find out that not everything is your best friend…atomic diarrhea is not your best friend! Good show, Gordon! Time: 1:14:58



    • 02/02/10 – Episode 89, when I first saw the title of this show (That Darn Carlos), I was wondering if a feud with the Northern Mouse was ensuing. Much to my relief, they were talking about a well-known cast member who takes the opportunity to help give away prizes and turns it into his very own show, complete with trivia and everything! Ride-thru audio of the Haunted Mansion is included…taken during their December "non-MF-er" (no, MF does not mean what you think it means) event. Time: 33:19
    • 02/02/10 – Video supplement to Episode 89, Heather Morris, eat your heart out! (Is it wrong that I spent 10 minutes researching her name and 2 additional hours watching videos of her dancing?) Get your hands up all you single riders…good job on the song and video! Time: 3:17



    • 02/02/10 – Episode 28, after news, they get into a little talk about what's coming up at DTD's House of Blues. Time: 29:02



    • 02/02/10 – Rebroadcast of the January 2010 live show from MouseWorld Radio (Radio 1!). Time: 2:06:35
    • 02/03/10 – Episode 677, If you look at the calendar, you'll see that the 3rd is a Wednesday…it's listener question day (eehhhh). The voice memo got lost before I could write this up, but I think I remember some of the highlights…they talk about pitching tents (minds out of the gutter, folks) at Ft. Wilderness, the Disney pins for the various Disney bathrooms (limited edition…they're in high demand…and no, I'm not making this up!). They also talk about killer mosquitos that are able to haul off chihuahuas in Florida and mice that you don't want to see. They save the best for last as Len gets schooled by a precocious 8-year old commando-in-training-and-so-not-a-princess, who finds an error in Marvin (the UG). Scopa falls asleep during the outro. Time: 31:36
    • 02/05/10 – Episode 678, Fellow stats-geek "master" Fred Hazelton and tech prodigy "apprentice" Henry Work join the rest of the hosts to talk about the touringplans popular Lines application, its uses, and its accuracy over the few months that it has been available. Time: 22:12



    • 02/02/10 – Episode 34, after news, Matt and Nate talk about an upcoming event (which isn't really upcoming by the time you read this)…they talk about a big event that took place in early February. They each thought of a different event when planning the show, so we end up with a really good, in-depth show on Disney's involvement in both the Super Bowl (you've just listened to 200 podcasts…what are you going to do now? I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!) and the Olympics. The first 2/3 of the show are dedication to the Super Bowl, where they chronicle the company's doings for the halftime shows (note: they weren't responsible for any wardrobe malfunctions…they haven't taken part since around 2000). The real gem of this show is the discussion on the Olympics…it's not known to many that several traditions still in place with the Olympics stem from Walt Disney's influence at the Squaw Valley winter games of 1960. Time: 50:11
    • 02/07/10 – Episode 34, No…that's not a typo. The release on the 2nd was the MP3 version. This release of the show is the enhanced one. Time: 52:34



    • 02/01/10 – Episode 224, Paul takes us out of the parks and over to the 2009 D23 Expo for a session that, until now, hasn't been covered by any of the other podcasts. In this recording, he gives us "lost chords"…a discussion on a lot of the music that ended up on the cutting floor but still is amazing. Russell Schroeder moderates this presentation, which includes several outstanding pieces of music (I particularly liked the Donald Duck one). Time: 1:20:56



    • 02/01/10 – Episode 47, Aaron gets caught up on some of the bigger news items from all over the Disney universe in this show and adds his take on the stories. Lots of news and lots of interesting commentary! Time: 1:25:01
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Saturday, March 13, 2010

WDW Family Trip, December 2007, Day 4, Part 1: A Whole New World


You can read Day 3 here.

Stitch calls us at 6:30. We're on autopilot today, though it's kind of weird. Today is technically our last full day, but this is the first trip where we don't have to wake up at the butt-crack of dawn to make a flight. We'll actually have the chance to visit a park on the last day, so the downheartedness that usually ensues on this day of the vacation isn't there.


 
We have ressies at Hollywood and Vine over at the park formerly known as Disney MGM Studios at 8:05. Now, we know that MGM is pretty close to Pop, but we weren't sure about how often the bus made the trip, so we decided to head out to the bus stop around 7:10. Sure enough, at 7:15, up rolls a bus to MGM. We're one of the only folks in the queue and are soon on our way. 7:25, and we're at MGM.


 
Now what?


 
We head to the turnstiles because there's nothing else to do, and there seemed to be around 15 others there. All the families had kids, and, after a few minutes, the kids start running around. Hey, they weren't hurting anything or anyone (nobody was there, so there was tons of room), so, what the heck?


 



 
Aaron tries to get one of the boys in a stroller to come out and run, but he doesn't seem like he wants to. Aaron starts talking to him, and it looks like the other one doesn't really want to talk a whole lot. I start to tell him to head back out to run, but the mother of the other child tells us that he's autistic and could benefit with some interaction. Aaron's talking to him got him smiling a little and talking some, so all was well there.


 
The CMs (who looked like they were about to turn into ice cubes…thin-blooded Floridians) let us through about 7:40-7:45, and we do the obligatory pic with the hat (size is 342 3/8 btw) in the back.


 



 
We make our way to H&V and talk with some of the parents while we wait. Sensing that everyone else must be freezing as much as they are (@#%!*$ thin-blooded Floridians), the CMs bring out some hot chocolate. Great, loop the kids up on sugar and caffeine before we bring them into your restaurant. You asked for it. We all got some and, before we know it, our name is called to go inside. This is our first time here, so we take a moment to figure out the place. We get to our table, request drinks, and head up to the food.


 
At first glance, I'd definitely give the nod to the Crystal Palace for food and environment. For the characters, however, especially the interaction, the award definitely goes Hollywood & Vine. We sit down with the food, and, a couple of minutes later, Jojo comes out. We're the first table that she sees…Eric is completely caught off-guard because she materializes out of nowhere right behind him.


 



 

 
Goliath comes up a minute later…


 



 

 
We eat for a minute before the spontaneous singing and dancing starts up. I had a great video of the two of them singing Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, but it was lost with the hard drive crash.


 



 

 
A little more food, a run to the potty (where I realized that the 50's Prime Time Café is connected to Hollywood & Vine), and June and Leo…


 



 



 
…followed by some limbering up for some more dancing…


 



 

 
...followed by some more dancing…


 



 
...and we pay and run out!


 

 
For kids under the age of 5 who are into Playhouse Disney, this is an ideal character meal!


 
We head out and notice that it's about 3 minutes until opening. The opening ceremony is actually going on around ten feet away from us with the Streetmosphere folks. The park opens, and the poor Streetmosphere characters run for their lives as everyone bolts for RNR and ToT (remember...this is 2007 - before Toy Story Mania).


 
We leisurely stroll down towards Muppetvision 3D. We didn't get to do this in October during the Moose Meet, and we didn't get to do this on Day 1, so I was going to make darn sure we were going to do it today!


 
Notice anything weird in the following pic?


 



 

 
Ghost town!


 
We looked around…


 



 

 
I thought I saw a tumbleweed drifting by.


 

 

 
We hop into Muppetvision 3D and grab our glasses. I've never seen the net full of jello or the key under the mat, so I make it a priority to find them. It was hard with all the people in there:


 

 



 

 
Darned if I couldn't figure out where they were...I'm blind.

 

 
We beat the horde into the theater so we wouldn't be stuck at the end of the aisle and grab what's left.


 



 

 
The other group that came in jokingly started to sit right in front of us. Sheri retaliated by pulling out the camera. There were 8 of us in the theater!


 
Now, I have to preface this with the notion that I am by far the Muppets fan in the relationship. Sheri tolerates this attraction, while I'm usually on the floor laughing even though I know all the jokes.


 
Two very bad things happened in here for Sheri:


 
1.    We discover that Aaron has my fondness for Muppets…he was on the floor laughing right along with me.

2.    (even worse) I caught her actually laughing out loud a few times.


 

 

 
We push our way out of the theater in front of the rest of the audience and head over to the gift shop. There is nobody else in there, which prompts me to enter DISboards mode and complain that there are too few people here and, thus, my vacation is ruined. Wifey decides that I haven't been slapped enough this trip and starts to make up for it.  Afterward, we head over to Animation Courtyard in the hopes that the Little Mermaid show is back up. It is!


 

 
We hop in and mockingly curse the fact that there are something like 25 people in there with us. The way Eric freaks out with things, I was a bit worried about the rain and thunder in the show, but he took it in stride and liked the dog character.




Day 4, Part II is located HERE

Posted by Mush at 8:40 AM 0 comments
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Friday, March 12, 2010

To Run, or Not To Run…


…that is the (strange) question.


 

 
Okay, so I've been agonizing for the last several weeks over the idea of running my first ½ marathon early next year at Walt Disney World. I don't know if it should be this difficult of a decision, but I'm known to analyze the hell out of things – this is no exception. I've decided, after much debate, to list my pros and cons and see if an answer jumps out at me.


 
  • PRO: It's at Disney World





    • …that has to be one of the top pros around. Everyone who follows me on Facebook, Twitter, and the blog knows that I'm a Disney freak. If I'm going to subject myself to something like this, why not do it at one of my favorite places to visit? Also, there are many, MANY people that I either know or would like to meet who will be down there that weekend. I've always wanted to meet many of the people that I write about face-to-face. I also know a lot of folks from my online stomping ground (the Moose) will be down there that weekend. Aside from the run itself, it is an opportunity to meet up with most of these people. 




    • CON: This is going to cost quite a bit of money





      • We're doing a trip in June for nearly a week. That's not cheap. I've been pricing different options, such as purchasing an annual pass. That could save us a little…especially if we stay on-site for the run and if theme park ticket prices and/or hotel rates increase substantially before purchasing them for January. On the negative side, it's going to be really difficult to say no to a short trip if we get some good airfare rates and a PIN code. Plus, the cost of running is an additional $130.










      • PRO: Completing a long-distance event is on my list of things to do before I die





        • I'm one of those accomplishment-driven people. This is something that I know I'll struggle with, and I can imagine the feeling of crossing the finish line. It's a long-term goal, and it's something that I can measure progress on, which is important as it keeps me interested in continuing on. Thanks to being A.D.D., I can lose interest in something really easily (look…something shiny!)





        • CON: I absolutely hate long-distance running





          • Why would I have this on the list of things I need to do before I die if I detest running??? Ask anyone who went to high school with me or saw me at the Air Force Academy, and they'll readily agree with the notion that I absolutely suck at it. I'm a sprinter by nature - I actually broke a 25 year-old county record in the 110 hurdles back in middle school, and I had a 4.67 time on the 40-yard dash, which isn't too bad for a guy with short legs. Anything more than 200 yards, however, and I really start laboring. I've never paced myself well, and I feel like I need 100% oxygen about 400 yards in. When I was in Basic Cadet Training my first year at the Academy, when I was probably in my best shape, I maxed out a 1.5 mile run in 10:36, and I nearly collapsed afterward. My average time for this was well over 11 minutes, which is not good, because anything over 11:16 was considered a fail (and, yes, I failed this run numerous times and was placed on athletic probation). So why entertain the idea of spending money to run farther than I ever have before? I feel that, if I can tackle this…something that I don't like at all…then it shows that I truly can do things when I put my mind to it.










          • PRO: It will get me in shape





            • I'll readily admit that I'm grossly overweight. I've been looking at training plans, and I have found one that gets you started running and then a follow-on that starts building up distance for the half. Before I even start the first training plan, I'd like to shed off 20-30 pounds in an effort to save my knees from getting angry and ultimately packing up and moving out. Being that heart disease runs on both sides of my family, and Type II diabetes is prevalent too, it makes perfect sense for me to get back in shape. Besides, my wife and I have been married for almost 13 years…it's almost time to trade her in for a new model, so I'll have to look good. (Yes, dear, I know…I'm on the couch tonight).




            • CON: Will I survive the training?





              • I've read that I have to maintain a 16 minute mile pace to avoid being swept off of the course, which I think I can do, even if I walk most of it (I plan to run quite a bit, if not all, of it). Still, being quite a bit heavier than I should be, I know it's going to stress the legs and joints quite a bit…and that's both for the training as well as the actual race. Also, I'm a worrier…while I know that aerobic exercise will benefit me in the long run (literally), it's the short run that scares me a bit. I sometimes take my pulse when I'm stationary…pretty much resting…and I've clocked it at well over 100 at times. I look back to my wife's uncle, who, though he was in good shape, suffered a heart attack after a run and died at a very young age.










              •  PRO: I can use this event to possibly raise funds for charities





                • There are many organizations I would like to help out, and I could try to get backers to pledge money per mile or give a flat rate. I know Deb Wills had Team AllEars for the last race to help raise money for breast cancer research, and, with my wife's cousin being a survivor, I could run for that. Lou Mongello has his fundraising for Make-a-Wish projects, which I definitely see the benefit in (especially after hearing some stories from the podcasts about inspirational children at the parks because of Make-A-Wish). Both of my grandfathers suffered from heart disease.  One of my best childhood friends as well as a colleague at work both deal with Crohn's disease on a daily basis.  The causes are there, and I think l could bring in a few hundred dollars to help one or more of these organizations.




                • CON: The fear of failure





                  • Can I do this? Yes, I do believe so…otherwise, I wouldn't really entertain the idea. Knowing my past efforts with distance running, however, casts doubt (again, the joy of A.D.D....scenarios often default to "doomsday"). If I set myself up to raise money and then not make the entire goal, I will feel that I will have let down not just myself but everyone who pledged money.










                  • PRO: Did I mention it was at Disney World?

                   

                   
                  All kidding aside…I know I can't be the only person that is going through or has gone through this. The agonizing continues…though the decision will have to made in the next month or so in order to A) register before it fills up; and B) start the training.


                   

                   
                  Stay Tuned.
                  Posted by Mush at 2:07 PM 3 comments
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