Mousellaneous

Duffy The Disney... Who?

2010-10-14T19:07:00.001-04:00

Duffy The Disney…. Who?

As many Disney fans may know, Duffy the Disney Bear made his American theme park debut today. But if you are anything like me you may find yourself saying Duffy who?

Well for the uninformed, i.e. those of you who don’t care enough to research this character (everyone), here is the story of Duffy.

One day sailor Mickey is about to go to sea, Minnie wanting to give him something special makes him a bear named Duffy. Minnie presented the bear to Mickey at the pier by the old lighthouse on a blustery day. Mickey smiled brightly, and placed the teddy lovingly into his duffel bag. "I'll call you Duffy!" And the two were off to begin a wonder-full journey.

The story goes on, but really that’s the important part.

Duffy the bear is a minor character form an obscure story from Tokyo Disney. The only reason he is coming to Epcot is that Disney believes he will be a big seller.

Don’t believe me? Liz Boyce, Senior VP merchandise development even stated during her opening line during the press conference “I guess you are wondering who in the world is Duffey.”

Now, don’t get me wrong I have no problem with Disney making as much money as they can (I am a stock holder) and I do spend obscene amounts of money that I really don’t have at Disney every year. Like many of you other Disney fans, I spend the money on things that I love. I love the resorts, from the Poly to the Pop each has its own unique appeal, high standard of service, a bit of magic, and it beats the “no tell-motel” down the road. I love the food, the themeing, the cast members and the characters.

Characters that my parents grew up with, that I grew up with, that my son is growing up with. And yes there have been some additions over the years, but normally when they add characters they build a story, an experience, a world around them. Only then, when we embrace them does Disney finally bring them to the parks, sells plush toys, and hold a press conference. To me, Duffy was the exception.

It seems that Disney is trying to make an obscure character a big deal simply to increase the sales of Duffy dolls in the U.S. Fine, great, more power to them, but I don’t know if it is going to work. I dislike the fact that Disney is trying to force this bear down my throat, why not give me something I want. Lets say Phineas and Ferb.

Phineas and Ferb are a favorite in my house. My three year old would wait in line for hours to meet them and Perry. He would also beg me to buy and buy and buy Phineas and Ferb toys. Why couldn’t they bring them to Epcot… Would anyone argue that they would not be a great addition to Innoventions. Or what is Disney doing with the old Wonders of Life pavilion… Maybe a few Phineas and Ferb inspired rides.

I will end here before my blood pressure gets too high, but I will leave you with one fear that I have. My son sees Duffy and wants one, not because he loves him the way he loves Mickey, but because it’s a bear and he is three.

iPad on Verizon...Is the iPhone next?

2010-10-14T10:05:00.000-04:00

Verizon Wireless says it will start selling Apple's iPad and in its retail stores beginning Oct. 28.

The company says it will also offer data plans for the tablet computer for $20 per month, breaking AT&T Inc.'s exclusive hold on Apple's mobile devices. Price for the 16gb iPad and MiFi mobile hotspot will be $629.
One of the best parts of this new announcement, NO CONTRACT. Verizon has announced that the $20per month data plan will be pay as you go.

The deal could give both Apple Inc. and Verizon, the country's largest wireless carrier, a boost going into the holiday shopping season.

Separately, AT&T Inc. says it is also offering the iPad at retail locations for the first time. The carrier has been the exclusive wireless provider for the iPad since its launch earlier this year, offering data plans that start at $15 per month.

Will the iphone be far behind...

Disney computers go down

2010-10-12T12:39:00.000-04:00

Just a reminder that Walt Disney World will be updating their computer systems today at three o’clock. Staring at this time many Disney services will be unavailable.

Here is a list of the known areas which will be unavailable during the system maintenance:
All Disney hotel bookings including Walt Disney World resorts, Disneyland resorts, Aulani in Hawai, Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island
All Disney Vacation Club villa bookings
Magic Your Way ticket redemptions and upgrades at Lobby Concierge desks (theme park Guest Relations booths will be able to assist with all ticket transactions but extended wait times are expected)
Advance Dining Reservations
Behind the Scenes tour bookings
Watercraft rentals, golf tee times and all other recreation reservations
Cirque du Soleil ticket pick-up from Lobby Concierge (box office will still be able to issue tickets)
Ticket pick-up for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Ticket pick-up for dinner shows including Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show and Mickey’s Backyard BBQ
On-line check-in service will be down
Key to the World charging privileges MAY be impacted--park guests are advised to carry alternate payment media
Use of Disney Dining Plan credits is NOT expected to be interrupted.

Member Services will be closing at 3pm eastern while other systems are scheduled to go down at 4pm on Tuesday, October 12, 2010. Access is expected to be restored early the morning of Thursday, October 14, 2010.

If you need to use any of these services or make reservations do so now.

Ticket Books Start Today (in1955)

2010-10-11T09:51:00.000-04:00

Though many of us Disney fans know about or have heard about the ticket books that were once used at Disneyland and later Disney World, many of us don’t realize that the ticket book was not what was used when Disneyland first opened.

On opening day at Disneyland, guests were expected to individually purchase tickets, much like at a carnival today. Originally there was a park admission price and tickets cost between 10 and 35 cents.
To address complaints that visitors were being "nickeled and dimed to death," Disney introduced lettered tickets on October 11th 1955, just three months after opening day. At this juncture, there were l only 3 types of tickets “A”, “B”, and “C”.

The "D" tickets were added in the middle of 1956 and the famous "E" ticket was introduced in June 1959 with the opening of the Matterhorn, Monorail, and Submarine attractions.

The "E" ticket represented the best and most exciting attractions in the park and the phrase made its way into popular culture. For example, when the first American woman was a crewmember on the Space Shuttle was asked to describe the launch, she called it "a real e-ticket ride."

However, the lettered tickets were phased out around 1982 in favor of all-inclusive passes which allowed visitors to visit as many attractions as they wanted to wait in line for.

On a side note, I can’t imagine having to pay per ride at Disneyworld. Part of the magic of Disney is that when I am there I can do what I want as often as I like without regard to how much I can afford.

For more Disney info, history or travel tips be sure to visit www.mousellaneous.org

11 years of Pin Trading

2010-10-10T11:34:00.000-04:00

Disney Pin trading.. An event that was only supposed to last a year celebrates its 11th anniversary.

Pins have always been present at Disney parks, but it wasn't until 1999 as part of the Millennium Celebration that Paul Pressler introduced Disney Pin Trading at the Disneyland Resort. (The pin trading "event" was originally only supposed to last through the Millennium Celebration) The next year, the craze spread to the Walt Disney World Resort, which has become the home of most Pin Trading events. Since then, Pin Trading has spread to Disneyland Resort Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise Lines with each location creating their own pins and traditions.

Many people don't understand the draw that pin trading has and I will admit I was once and still am one of those people. Having said that I also have to admit that with the money I have spent on pins, I could probably have paid off my house.

So why do people trade pins, well everyone has their own reasons, for me I use them to commemorate special events. I have pins from spring training, birthdays we celebrated at Disney, opening day of a new ride or movie, fathers day pins, and the most ~~special~~ frequent event... my son says "Daddy can I please have that pin". Hey it beats buying him a bunch of candy.

Free Dining Extended

2010-08-16T17:17:00.001-04:00

Free Dining Has Been Extended Through SEPTEMBER 2011! Lots of blackout dates on this one and Disney raised the maximum night stay to 4-nights.

You can get FREE dining when you book a full price 4-night/5-day or longer 2010 or 2011 Magic Your Way vacation package for stays most nights 10/1/10 - 10/7/10, 10/22/10 - 10/28/10, 11/12/10 - 11/18/10, 11/27/10 -12/2/10, 12/10/10 - 12/21/10, 1/1/11 - 1/5/11, 1/9/11 - 1/13/11, 1/21/11 - 2/3/11, 2/11/11 - 2/17/11, 2/25/11 - 3/3/11, 5/27/11 - 6/2/11 and 8/19/11 - 9/29/11.

To qualify, you must purchase a vacation package that includes at least 4 consecutive hotel nights at an official Walt Disney World resort, plus at least a 5-day theme park ticket.

Food and Wine 2010 Part 1

2010-08-03T13:03:00.000-04:00

Well it’s coming up on that time of year again; Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival! I know it hasn’t started yet, actually it’s about two months away, but for this I start planning early. This is one of the best if not the best event that happens in all of the Walt Disney World Resort. Every year starting in October and running through the beginning of November Epcot adds even more delicious food and wine selections to their menu.

Add to that the Eat to the Beat concert series, and numerous classes, workshops, wine pairings, and tastings and you have the making of one great month at EPCOT.

We at Mousellaneous look forward to this event all year long, in fact we spend months drinking in order to prepare for this event. Check back in tomorrow for a review of some of the food that is making a return from last year. Keep checking for our tips hints and tricks for getting the most out of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

Stop by www.mousellaneous.com for festival map, details, and concert schedule.

Hidden costs at Disney

2009-08-30T01:38:00.001-04:00

We all know that travelling to Disney World is expensive. But with any luck you have made your reservations and have gotten a good deal. So here you are all set to go, the trip is paid for, and you are nervous about those hidden costs that can pop up on any trip.
Disney is not like any other destination on the planet, so I wouldn’t call them hidden costs, but there will definitely be extra expenses, so you will need to plan accordingly.
One of the biggest areas where people under budget is on food and drinks. You WILL eat and drink more than you know while at the parks. Not a problem you say, you have the dining plan, you’re covered. Well did you remember that the dining plan does not include tips? Probably not, and tips can add up. The good news is that you only have to worry about tipping full service restaurant staff; all other Disney cast members are not allowed to accept tips (Valets excluded).
Also, one or two snacks per day will not be enough especially if you are traveling with children. You would be surprised how hungry and thirsty you get walking around the parks.
On the subject of children, they can be very persuasive when they want souvenirs. Plan on buying some!
Parking. If you are staying at a Disney resort and have your own vehicle, you will not have to worry about paying for parking. Resort guests can park anywhere and at any park for free for the length of their stay. (Once again Valet parking is not included) If you are staying off property, parking is very expensive.
Here are some tips for saving money:
1. Eat breakfast in your room: Buy some Pop Tarts, breakfast bars, ect and keep them in your room.
2. Avoid late night snacks: Like the previous tip, buy some sodas, water, chips and keep them in your room. Doing this will save you time and money by not having to walk down to the food court.
3. Tables In Wonderland: If you are not on the Dining Plan buy the TIW card this will give you discounts on most meals as well as allow you to valet park for free.
4. If you can carry it, bring it: Disney allows you to bring outside food and drinks into the park. Pack some bottles of water in you backpack.
5. Eat Wisely: I suggest two meals per day. A late brunch and an early diner. If you have a quick Pop Tart in your room, make a late breakfast reservation, then eat at one of the last lunch sitting you should be fine. The advantage is that by eating a late lunch you pay lunch prices for what is usually the same menu as the diner.
6. Make ADR’s early: One of the worst things that can happen is that you pay the money for the dining plan then can’t eat at restaurants that you like. As soon as you book your trip, book you’re dining reservations. In fact, I would book the restaurants and then the trip.
As always, check back often and for all your Disney info needs check us out at www.mousellaneous.org

Trying to make it in the World

2009-08-09T00:15:00.000-04:00

I started mousellaneous.org, this blog, the rumor mill blog because I love Disney. I have seen the other sites and blogs, many were good, looked cool, and to me seemed that the authors were having a great time creating them.

I never realized how hard it was going to be to do this.

I love creating, writing, discussing Disney and networking with other Disney World fans. It has been a blast! The hard part is all the non Disney stuff I have to put up with. I had just more or less got the site going, I was blogging almost everyday. Then just as I got rolling, hit my stride... Things started to fall apart.

My ISP started to crash, again, I mean all the time. So now here I no Internet access (yes in 2009 I couldn't get online) What a pain. So I switch providers, start catching up on things, and theres a power surge. Goodbye modem, goodbye router, luckily computers are still here.

Well now I'm back, and hopefully I can get back into the groove. And start enjoying this endeavor once again.

Great News for Annual Passholders

2009-08-08T23:34:00.000-04:00

Walt Disney World has unveiled an unprecedented offer: in fear that the economy will cause annual passholders to not renew their APs, Disney is offering a 15 month annual pass for the price of 12. The promotion began on August 2nd. To utilize the offer, the passholder must be within the usual renewal window (60 days or less before the expiration date). The offer applies to all annual passes except “Epcot After 4.”

Story courtesy of Netcot.com

Back From The World

2009-07-14T17:08:00.000-04:00

Well I just got back from my latest trip down to Walt Disney World. This trip had three purposes, fact finding for the website, to celebrate my son's birthday, and to have fun. I am happy to report the I accomplished all three tasks.
The trip was awesome! Great weather, great hotel, and I tried the Disney Deluxe Dining plan for the first time. Let me tell you, if you are planning a trip to Disney World, you MUST get the dining plan.
For starters, the dining plan saves you tons of money. Secondly, because you will want to use all of your dining credits you force yourself to eat a lot, and at a lot of different restaurants. Stop by www.mousellaneous.org for pictures and reviews of the trip.
The site is nearly completed... The basic information is in place. Now I get to start the fun stuff. Check it out at www.mousellaneous.org.

Future World

2009-06-28T10:54:00.000-04:00

So for those of you following along with the construction of the site, I have an update. The Future World section of Epcot is finished. God that took way too long.
I am slowly realizing how huge this site is going to be... after mostly completing the Magic Kingdom area and am currently half way through Epcot, I have almost 200 pages! That is a lot of code to write! And this is just the basic info part of the site. I have yet to get into the fun part... My tips, user submissions, a forum, rumors and up to date Disney news. oh yea and also the podcast. ( I have a ton of work to do.)
Having gotten my complaining out of the way, I must admit that this is a lot of fun. I am meeting all types of people, Techies and Disney Geeks alike, who are contributing to this project. It is a great learning experience. Plus, I am getting a few perks out of it.
What was it, 2 weeks ago...maybe 3 I through a Disney contact of mine was invited down to WDW for a tour of some new hotels and restaurants that will be opening shortly. What a great time!
Stay tuned for my next post where I give my reviews and tell the story of this awesome Disney experience.

Follow along at www.mousellaneous.org

It Starts

2009-06-27T10:37:00.000-04:00

Welcome,
I guess this is the birth of the Mousellaneous blog. Coincidentally it is also the birth of Mousellaneous.org! Yea!
Let me start at the beginning, I am a huge Disney fan, a HUGE Disney fan. Freakishly huge Disney fan. After years of being a fan, content with simply just going to the WDW park whenever I could (I have lived in FL, actually only 2 hours from the world for almost 10 years now) which was quite often I decided it was time to take it to the next level. I began a Disney site that I wanted to see. (Many others fell short)
So here I am, I'm almost done with the site, well, with the basic site. I wanted to get the history, attraction list, ect. out of the way. The next step is to add some helpful tips and tricks, add some Disney rumors, and hopefully, add a podcast.

Wish me luck!