WDW Radio Show Disney Podcast #42- Nov. 25, 2007

[Lou Mongello]

Welcome to the WDW Radio Show, your Walt Disney World Information Station. Thank you for tuning in once again. This is Show #42 for the week of November 25, 2007.

This week, I will once again look at the news from Walt Disney World, as well as visit the Walt Disney World Rumor Mill, with updates on FASTPASS, Spaceship Earth and the Wonders of Life pavilion.

In my continuing efforts to help you plan and make the most out of your Walt Disney World vacation, I want to introduce you to a new product and service that can help you do just that. John VanMeter, the owner of OwnersLocker.com, joins me to talk about his new service, and how it can help you and your family on upcoming visits.

In honor of Mickey's recent 79th birthday, Jeff Pepper and I take a trip aboard my Walt Disney World Wayback Machine to visit none other than the appropriately-titled "Mickey’s Birthdayland" in the Magic Kingdom.

I'll answer more of your emails, including questions about the Dining Plan, holiday decorations at the resorts, the trains of Walt Disney World and more.

So sit back, relax and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Be sure to view this week's complete show notes page.

You can email the show at lou@wdwradio.com or call the voicemail at 206-202-4WDW. Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week to the WDW Radio Show Disney podcast!

[cp1999]

Another great show Lou. Keep up the fantastic work. Of course after you get some sleep.

[04CP_ Nolan]

Great show as always Lou. I really enjoyed the Mickey's Birthdayland piece. I also found the Owner's Locker interview to be really interesting. An interesting idea turned into an even greater working company. Looking forward to all the podcasts to come.

[pippin1957]

Really liked your retrospective of Birthday land, but feel you shortchanged the 'show' itself and sort of misrepresented it.

As I recall, it used the concept of 3 show rooms, to make what otherwise would be a long 'cycle' show into a continuous show. You started out in one show room ,which set the premise of the birthday party for mickey, and then you went into the 'kitchen' to see the making of the cake, then finally into the last room with the giant cake and celebration. Each section took about 5 minutes or so (maybe longer), so that the whole attraction was about 20-25 minutes (counting time to go from one theater to the next)

Another really neat thing that Disney did was to set up your meeting with Mickey in his dressing room. you were held in the queue and then led past innocuous doors,till you got to Mickey's dressing room, which had mickey's name on it. It took me 3 times to realize that in between groups (hope no one is going to be traumatized for life) the cast members would move the name plate to different doors, so that there could be many meetings going on at the same time. It was a wonderful concept, and we never felt rushed or pressured to move on.

I think this was the first 'meet' that used this concept.

[mini-V]

Till the dates were given, I wondered why I hadn't heard about Mickey's Birthday Land. I was stuck in the middle of Australia when it was open.

The Owner's Locker is an interesting concept. Certainly would have been cheaper than buying a house; the solution we used.

Another great show, Lou.

[Lou Mongello]

Glad you all liked the show!

John posted about the interview on his blog at Inside John's Locker. I invite you to visit and comment (show him some DWT love!)

[CMulcahy]

Hi Lou

You mentioned in this episode that somebody sent you pictures of the new improved Fantasia shop at the Contemporary Resort,where can I find them

[KingJamesUT]

The Florida License plate that they mentioned was also put in Mickey's garage near the old mailbox.

[bobbyworld]

I have a sad story about "Birds in the Park". I took part in the Walt Disney World College Program in Fall 2005. One day I had the pleasure of working at the Sunset Ranch in Disney-MGM Studios. I was busing the tables there outside and a guest brought to my attention a bird was laying on a table. Apparently the bird was a victim of the fan propellers that are there. I and another Cast Member had to take of the situation.

[jdvm]

This won't come as a surprise to regular listeners of The WDW Radio Show...but I've got to tell you what it's like to be on the other side of an interview with Lou. He is the most competent. prepared, interesting, genuine, professional that you can imagine. I've spent a lot of time working with the media in a prior life and Lou is one polished interviewer. We chatted only a couple of minutes before we did the show...there were no retakes at all...and at the end, Lou asked me if there was anything we didn't cover and the answer was nothing at all. Lou absolutely nailed it. Owner's Locker is a completely new business that a lot of people just don't understand. I've been working on it for over five years and Lou had a fantastic grasp of the business in no time flat. No wonder he wins awards. Let me tell you....being on the other side of a Lou Mongello interview is as good as it gets in my view.

John Van Meter
Owner's Locker

[bucknut20]

Great show this week lou.