Monday, December 17, 2007

Mousefestivities

If you scour the Disney internet community about now, you’ll be flooded with reports, photos and videos from Mousefest. Since nobody in Passamaquoddy had ever been to Mousefest until this year, we’ve even got a touch of it here. I must admit I was reluctant to attend Mousefest. I wasn’t sure what Mousefest was like and joining a cult of Disney freaks holding hands and singing “The Mickey Mouse Club March” bilingually for four hours straight didn’t sit well with this fisherman. Fortunately, my trepidation was unfounded and we never did get around to that sing-along. Mousefest turns out to be a no-duh, obvious vacation option.

Weeks before the event begins, attendees receive a convenient little booklet including a detailed agenda of all the possible events. It puts you quickly in the mood as you look at your options and make up your preliminary schedule- a schedule that works flawlessly at its inception. It just won’t work when the events start running. You quickly find things pulling you this way and that, turning your schedule into a guideline- but that is okay.

In my mind, there are four types of meets that you can attend.

1. The Mouse Club: This is a meet built around networking and meeting others from the various Disney communities around the world. It’s a place to shake hands, hug and put faces to names and avatars. The largest event – the Mega Mouse Meet- is a perfect example of this.

2. The Mousekebar: Similar to the Mouse Club, but this meet revolves around food and/or drink. From a Dole Whip to fancy glowing martinis, to character breakfasts, to the most rancid drink that ever was produced, to everything including the kitchen sink ice cream, people gather and chat over their meal.

3. The Wild Ride: Here you have the opportunity to join your friends – sometimes hundreds of them – as you experience one of the Disney attractions en masses. From flying on Soarin’ , challenging the Yeti, to taking over several Simba 1 vehicles on the morning safari, the group gathers for fun – and photographs.

4. Mouse Studies: These meets are a bit more intellectually stimulating, where an expert takes the time, sharing knowledge with attendees. Whether it’s hunting for Hidden Mickeys, learning photography tips, checking your knowledge in trivia contests, studying a park through history, or exploring the details of décor and story in a DSI (Disney Scene Investigation).

Depending on personality types and interests, attendees will lean toward a particular style of meet. Even with all of the available meets, there are other things to pull you off schedule. You’ll have old and new friends who pull you away to enjoy ADRs and other events. Not to mention, you’re in the largest, most spectacular playground in the world, its rides pulling you their way.

No matter the schedule, Mousefest is a very rewarding experience. Over the next couple weeks, I’ll be giving some reports on the happenings.

Posted by Doc Terminus at 16:12:26 | Permalink | Comments (3)

Monday, December 10, 2007

Travel Tips: Back from Mousefest!

So, I make it back late lasy night from a few days at Mousefest. Was a great time with lots of great folk that get all excited about some weird stuff. It brought to mind the great Salmon Run party of 1992 without the sewage back-up issues. Now one thing I learnt early was Disney Top 10 lists.

You see, I stayed at the All-Star resort named “Sports”. This hotel has star-fish all over as décor – thus the “star”- and oversized sporting equipment. I was gonna offer advice on getting smaller sized equipment cause nobody could figure out how use it. But then I saw Eric Hollister (from GeoMouse) slam dunking on the basketball hoops. (I quickly ran away in case he was going to go blow one of them big whistles.)

Anyway, every night I returned to my room and turned on the television. Some girl named Sally kept counting down the best stuffs to see while at Disney World. There was no volume on that channel for some reason so I had to watch over to the Spanish Language version. She’d countdown what’s best to see all over Disney World. Unfortunately I always fell asleep - BLUHBLBBLUHHBLBLBLUH- by the time she got to “cinco”.

Since I learn only from the best here are my:

Top 10 Things I learnt while at Mousefest.

10. Mousefest people love to win. If you was giving away a used sardine can, they’ll pile on like a school of King Mackeral.

9. “Mongello” is a word that can be a greeting, a shirt slogan or an expletive. (Note: Ironically, I met a guy who also uses it as his last name as in “Lou Mongello”.)

8. The Caribbean Boat Trip Pirates have no idea how to create a true “Munter Italian Friction Hitch” Knot. Their “Grinner Fishing” and “Prusik Self-locking loop” knots where suspect as well.

7. The Disney people are willing to stop the Pirates ride for over 20 minutes if you jump out of your ride vehicle and swim over to fix their faulty knots.

6. When some kids go on rollie coasters, they hope to achieve feelings of “spew”, “ralph”, “yak” and most commonly “blow chunks”.

5. Whan the ladies who clean up the hotel rooms get angry, they speak in Spanish.

4. “Señor, usted no puede mantener un pez vivo en la bañera” in the Spanish language means something like “You can’t keep a live sturgeon in the bathtub.”

3. If you stand still long enough in a shop, you’ll eventually be stuck holding a ladies purse. (Note: That Lou Mongello guy must have that happen a lot cause he gave in and got a purse of his own. But, I didn’t say nothing since he’s already got that name thing to contend with.)

2. The Warner family is out of control. Their kids were all over the place. I felt like telling their Pop he needs a new hobby and must stop procreating… I mean really… It’s like they… It’s like…

It’s like…

BLUHBLBBLUHHBLBLBLUH

Posted by Doc Terminus at 12:21:24 | Permalink | Comments (13)

Friday, November 30, 2007

Things I’m gonna forget to bring to Mousefest

As any good travel agent knows, theres 2 things you always tell someone whose come to you for travel advice. First, tell them things they should pack for their trip and second, tell ‘em to stay away from Buford by the front door no matter how asleep he looks. Teeth or no teeth, that dog can get a hold of your arm something fierce.

So, since Buford ain’t coming to no Mousefest (he don’t chase no mice, that’s a job for our cat, Ole Miss Puddles.)… Anyway since, Buford ain’t coming; I thought I’d tell you what to bring to Mousefest. But since I is my own travel agent, I forgot to tell me what to brang so here, in advance, I got a list of things I forgot to bring next week.

First, theres the obvious stuff. The right clothes. In fact I recommend having clothing available almost year round. It can get cold out in public and you can get dirty looks. For Disney World, you may consider a couple changes of clothes for each day, you never know. Florida during that time of year can be hot almost all day and drop into the thirty’s later at night… Also, bring potential raingear. Since all my clothing is raingear, I didn’t forget this, but you big city folk may come without some. Everyday about 3 O’clock it rains a bit. And a hat will come in handy to keep out the constant sunrays.

Second, be sure to bring your tickets for any and all attractions you’ll be attending. If you don’t have any, consider taking care of them in advance as there sure is a lot of other stuff going on. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on a Dole Whip while you’re in line for entrance tickets.

Next, you’re gonna run into several authors and podcasters who write Disney themed books. You’ll be able to buy many of them while you are there, but if you have them already, be sure to pack them. I for one, know my Disney World Trivia book has not been signed by Lou Mongello and my Realityland by David Koenig, the same. Also, I got some gifts for some friends. Those gifts are back on my night table and my friends no longer talk to me.

Next, you got a lot of tech gadgets that are becoming part of everyday life that may slip aside if you take an extended weekend. This includes your cameras, ipods and SellYouLer phones. Even more likely forgotten? Your SellYouLer Phone Char Jer.

You’lls gonna be spending lots of money while at Walt Disney World, so hopefeully, you’ll avoid the extra expense of buying something that you have at home collecting dust.

Posted by Doc Terminus at 04:07:52 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Sunday, November 18, 2007

MouseFest is coming…

Special Report from Passamaquoddy’s only travel specialist, Captain Slippy “Slip” Wampoo. He’s good at travel stuff, but if truth be told, he’s better at cleaning carp.

Dateline: November Somethin’. Hi Misters and Misseses. The wife said I should tell you ’bout the thing I got in the postal mail or else I’d be sleeping in the net locker again. So, here it is. Mousefest is getting really close.

So, what is Mousefest? Why, it’s “a gathering that unites the enormous family of Disney enthusiasts from all walks of life, from all backgrounds, from all over the country, from all over the globe!” Sorta like our Oyster Shuck fest, except Oyster Shuck don’t got no rides, meets, internets or Pineapple swirled ice cream treats.

Anyways, it begins on December 2nd aboard a cruise ship called the Disney Wonder. Pictures look like its a big, boat. I imagine people on that boat gonna be swabbin’ the deck for 4 days straight. Then on Thursday, December 6th the whole thing swings over onto land. There are all kinds of events going on. One guy named Jonathan Dichter even plans on going on an upside down rollie coaster after eating food left over from the 50s or something. He’s aways talking bout it on “All About the mouse” radio show and his blog, Voice of Mousetunes. This’ll be my first time visiting mousefest… actually it’s my first time leaving the county ‘cept for in my boat.

Aside from staying in spensive hotels and spensive aeroplane flying, the event is very cheap. Anyways, in this weeks postal mail we received a packet that in itself was worth all the dollars for registering… Its gots a pin, a handy booklet and something called a “land yerd”… Here’s a picture:

MouseFest promises to be a great experience. All of us in Passamaquoddy are super excited. I’m sure we’ll see lots of reports when its over. Check out Mousefest’s own website here. Let us know if you’ll be attending as well! Gotta go now, the wife’s screaming at the dogs agin.

Posted by Doc Terminus at 01:03:34 | Permalink | No Comments »