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Meet The Box People 5

BoxPeople_FinalIt’s that time again!  BOX PEOPLE TIME!  For those of you who don’t know, “The Box” is the chatbox that Lou Mongello talks to every Wednesday night at [7:30].  We talk about the latest Walt Disney World news and just goof around!  This is the 5th time that I am introducing “Box People”, or people who participate in these live broadcasts, to you guys in a more detailed way.  We mostly don’t know each other personally, and this is everyone’s chance to become closer to the box people.  This week I am featuring three members of the box family, Itsepcotcenter (Brian), Disney05 (Jim), and Sjsjbrook (Saundra).

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Itsepcotcenter:  My name is Brian and I currently live in Missouri via Uncle Sam (Wisconsin is home).  I have been serving in the U.S. Army for almost 18 years.  I enjoy traveling, meet the box 5 itsepcotcenterplaying tennis and listening to music with a preference for vinyl.  I think my fondest Disney memory was in 1981 and I was 4 years old. I was with my family on vacation to California and we were in Disneyland.  I don’t remember why but my parents let my sister and two brothers take me to see The Main Street Electrical Parade.  I couldn’t see through or over the crowd and a complete stranger that noticed picked me up and put me on his shoulders where I watched the entire parade go by.  When it was over he let me back down and handed me a pin.  It was a plastic Mickey head pin which I still have to this day.  Asking for my favorite attraction is like asking who your favorite parent is.  One attraction I make sure to see every time though is The American Adventure.  My favorite restaurant?  That’s like asking who your favorite child is!  Germany’s Biergarten Restaurant – I like it because of the atmosphere and live music show.  It takes me back to the time I lived in Germany so I remember all the good times I had there.  The food is good and is actually quite authentic to what you would find and eat in Bavaria.  Yacht is my favorite hotel on property – because it’s within walking distance to EPCOT Center.

I can’t recall how I heard about Lou – probably searching for Disney podcasts.  I made it to one Meet of the Month during Epcot30.  I did meet Lou but it was so unseasonably hot that day that I didn’t stick around too long.  Being in MO, I think Lou should make a trip to Marceline.  I’ll meet up there for sure!  I don’t remember the exact show but during my favorite podcast, Lou was in Epcot Center and kept broadcasting through Illuminations.  It was fun to watch Illuminations with all the Box People.  I’ve been in The Box a little over a year now.  Why join The Box fun?  It’s a great way to get to know some people and share that common bond that we have – a love for Walt Disney, the parks and everything else that goes along with it.

I would like for people to please always say EPCOT Center.  That’s what it is, it’s EPCOT Center!

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meet the box 5 disney05Disney05:  My name is Jim and I live on Long Island, NY.  I’m a flight operations manager at a busy flight school/corporate jet center.  I’ve been married for 23 years and have two children ages 20 and 13, who, by the way, are all Disney addicts, too.  Our house is filled with little hints of Disney everywhere, pretty much having to do with Mickey.  I have a habit of drawing Mickey heads all over the place.  If I find a space on a piece of paper, dusty item or dirty car, I’ll probably draw those three familiar circles on it.  We have a chalk board in our kitchen where there’s always a Mickey head with a number in it, the countdown to our next WDW trip.  My fondest Disney memory has to be when we took our kids to WDW for the first time in 2005.  It had been 13 years since my wife and I had first gone and much had changed. We stayed on property for the first time that year, Coronado Springs, so that place holds a special meaning for us.  We have a great picture of my son walking through the Magic Kingdom holding the hand of his (then) 5 year old sister from that trip.  Favorite attraction is a tough one but it would have to be Pirates of the Caribbean.  Love the detail.  Our favorite restaurant has to be ‘Ohana, gotta love anyplace that cooks on a grill that big.  I think I love all the hotels on property and we visit all of the ones on the monorail loop every time we go, but we’ve stayed the most at Coronado Springs.  The place is huge but the grounds are beautiful. I love walking around the property early in the morning.  We have a golf cart at work that, every time I hear it go, reminds me of the carts that go around the Coronado.

I honestly don’t remember how I heard about Lou and his web site.  We had gone to WDW in May 2005, something just clicked and I was totally hooked.  So, I think I probably found Lou doing a search for anything Disney.  I’ve never had the pleasure of getting to a Meet of the Month, yet.  I absolutely love the live shows – especially the Anniversary shows.  Lou’s broadcasting for hours while walking around with Beci, Tony, Scott, Glenn and whoever happens to be joining in are really fun.  I have been in the “Box” since day one.  The only time I miss a show is, believe it or not, when I’m at Walt Disney World.  The Box has really grown.  It’s a great place to meet a great group of friendly, funny, and supportive people.  Many of us don’t just connect in the Box but also on Facebook and Twitter.  People generally surround themselves with other people with like interests.  And Disney fans are awesome!  Being a part of this group just feeds my addiction to Disney.  I did start a blog but it’s been a bit since I’ve updated it.  We do have plans in 5 years, when my daughter graduates high school, to move to Florida, most likely only a few miles away from Walt Disney World.  And I’m still waiting to finally meet Lou in person and get that handshake and a hug!

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Sjsjbrook:  My name is Saundra and I live in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.  I am a stay at home mom and a professional volunteer with 4 kids:  3 girls (ages 18, 11, 10) and one boy (age 3).  I spend lots of time coordinating volunteers for the kids’ dance and planning other social events.  I have so many fond Disney memories.  My first was meeting Mickey Mouse for themeet the box 5 sjsjbrook first time in 2000.  I was so excited to finally be there and to meet him.  My most recent was my last trip where my son ran up to Mickey and gave him a big hug (all caught by the Disney Photo Pass Photographer).  My favorite attraction is the Carousel which will always be Cinderella’s to me.  Crystal Palace is my favorite restaurant.  It is the one place you can get both Chocolate and Vanilla Mickey waffles.  My favorite hotel right now is Beach Club.

I started listening to Lou in August 2007, while planning a trip to WDW.  I had just gotten my first iPod and searched for Disney podcasts.  I have never made an official meet, though I have gone on both Cruises and met some of my best friends through these.  I like the family environment, being in a group that shares the same passion with Disney as I do and that everyone is so friendly.  I actually ran into friends in the park once and it was a great feeling.  I love all of the podcasts.  So many memories:  driving in Lou’s car (I was glad I was only in The Box), him singing accidentally for the first time and during the last anniversary show, having us be able to call from home to the phone booths in England was so much fun.  I have been in The Box since that very first night in Lou’s basement.  Join the box because the community is fun and I have met some of my best friends in the box.

I am lucky that my family shares my love for Disney and they enjoy stopping and seeing the details.

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Wow!  I learned a lot about three amazing people as I was reading their responses.  I hope you enjoyed hearing (well, not literally hearing) the stories of three box people.  If you aren’t in The Box now, why not?  Just jump right on in Wednesday night at [7:30].  We are a friendly group of people who love Disney just like you do.

See ya REAL soon!

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Quote of the Week: “Think of the happiest things. It’s the same as having wings!” ~Peter Pan

 

Makena is a 14 year old high school student who spends much of her free time researching Disney. She enjoys sharing Disney facts and even plans Walt Disney World vacations (including searches for secrets and Hidden Mickeys) for friends and family. Makena began blogging for WDW Radio in December 2011.

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About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…

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