{"id":1149,"date":"2006-12-18T07:58:55","date_gmt":"2006-12-18T12:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_ms_news\/?p=1149"},"modified":"2022-05-05T00:14:02","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T04:14:02","slug":"mousefest-in-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/mousefest-in-review\/","title":{"rendered":"MouseFest in Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MouseFest<\/a><\/p>\n

By Carol Garcia<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s that time again.\u00a0 No, not a December holiday, but MouseFest!\u00a0 This year, like last, my family and I made the trip to Walt Disney World for the annual gathering of Disney fans.\u00a0 Although the purpose of our trip was to be a part of MouseFest, the great thing about all of these meets is that they are constantly going on, so it is possible to hit one, hit a few, or even more.\u00a0 It can be the experience that fits you.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nEveryone gathered to check out the Gingerbread House at the Boardwalk.<\/p>\n

The first meet of our trip was TheMouseForLess Welcome Meet.\u00a0 This was a tour of the Christmas decorations around the Epcot area resorts (except for the Caribbean Beach, which we couldn’t walk to).\u00a0 This was a great time to greet old friends and make some new ones.\u00a0 What did I learn from this meet?\u00a0 Well, going to Epcot and walking through to the Beach Club with three kids and only a Disney bus to get us there was not going to make this trip easy!\u00a0 We arrived; albeit a bit late (you will notice a theme here!). We admired the decorations and gingerbread houses and shared in some amazing goody bags.\u00a0 Some MouseFest attendees hesitate to bring the kids to meets, but I have to say that they were welcomed by everyone and really enjoyed the gingerbread house and train at the Boardwalk.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
\nThe children were glowing before the fireworks started.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
Although many of us went our separate ways after the meet, we would not be apart for long.\u00a0 The next meet we attended was that evening, during Mickey\u2019s Very Merry Christmas Party.\u00a0 There was a large meet of multiple groups in the Rose Garden to watch the Holiday Wishes fireworks display.\u00a0 What did I learn from this meet?\u00a0 The kids have no concept of time!\u00a0 They were in the Magic Kingdom and didn\u2019t care if we were going to see the fireworks; they wanted to ride it\u2019s a small world.<\/em> Why, you might ask?\u00a0 Well, I\u2019m not sure!\u00a0 But we did ride, and we did find some friendly faces before the fireworks started.\u00a0 And what kid wouldn\u2019t love to attend a meet where adults readily give up their glow sticks and some kind soul passes out glowing Mickey Mouse lollipops.\u00a0 It did briefly cross my mind that perhaps sticking a candy-coated light in their mouths wasn\u2019t the best idea, but hey, they were happy!\u00a0 And anyone with kids knows that happy kids make for a more pleasant viewing of Wishes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

There were quite a few people in the Rose Garden.\u00a0 It was difficult to distinguish which group each person was affiliated with.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t matter, as we were all having fun, but it does sometime make it difficult to realize that sometimes you already know that stranger next to you.\u00a0 The fact that we were all in sweatshirts (and some in hats and gloves) doesn\u2019t make it easy to read name tags.\u00a0 It was fun to see how many people we could jam into the Rose Garden, and although the view wasn\u2019t perfect, it was still breathtaking.<\/p>\n

After a long night at Mickey\u2019s Very Merry Christmas Party, it was time to sleep in the next morning, right?\u00a0 Well, maybe for some, but not this MouseFester (oooh, a new word)!\u00a0 I got up and to the Animal Kingdom bus stop at my resort in plenty of time, but, alas, the bus gods were again not smiling on me (or the 50 other people wanted to get to Animal Kingdom.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I finally did get on the bus and get into the park, I was running late for the Kilimanjaro Safari Meet that I was hoping to catch.\u00a0 There were over 100 people who rode the Safari together.\u00a0 I did miss the throngs gathering, although I heard about it via cell phone as I was entering the park.\u00a0 It was a very cool morning, and, as a normal summer Florida traveler, I wanted to see how many animals were in view when it wasn\u2019t 95 degrees out, so I jumped in the stand-by line.\u00a0 Well, the advantage to being at a meet with so many attendees is that the end of the group was actually just getting on the safari when I made my way to the jeep.\u00a0 Although the two-week journey was still cut short by poachers, the number of animals who were wandering about made the whole thing worth it.\u00a0 And I discovered that I could ride \u201cby myself\u201d(with no family or friends) and not spontaneously combust.\u00a0 What did I learn on this meet?\u00a0 You know the drill by now: Disney transportation and getting to a meet on time do not seem to mix well.<\/td>\n\n
\"\"
\nAnimals, animals everywhere on the safari.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

After my Safari, I caught up with TheMouseForLess group and we all headed over to Expedition Everest for our meet.\u00a0 This was a wonderful mix of people from all groups who had grabbed FastPasses before the Safari and were ready to face the Yeti.\u00a0 We got some added pixie dust on this one, especially me, the perpetually late attendee.\u00a0 The earliest FastPass time for our group was 10:20, so they let our entire group into the FastPass line at that time, as long as we had FastPasses.\u00a0 This worked really well as mine wasn\u2019t good until 11:40 and I feared I would never get to ride (I have actually been through the queue twice on previous trips, but a kid always chickened out and I never actually rode<\/em> the ride).<\/p>\n

Well, my apologies to those in the stand-by line, but it was great to get all 45 of us on the ride together, and I got to ride!\u00a0 A wonderful fellow MouseFester even took pity on me, being roller coaster challenged, and rode with me to ensure that I was safe and knew someone as I had my panic attack.\u00a0 Well, the protection was probably unnecessary, as I survived without incident and actually liked it.\u00a0 It was the smoothest coaster I\u2019ve ever been on (though the list of coasters I\u2019ve been on is admittedly rather short). I really enjoyed it and would ride again (shhh\u2026don\u2019t tell anyone.\u00a0 I have a petrified reputation to keep up!)<\/p>\n

After the ride, we chatted with some Podcasters, and it was off to Nemo: The Musical.\u00a0 Now, I seem to remember that this was actually supposed to be a meet, but our group never found any other MouseFesters.\u00a0 No matter.\u00a0 We were actually seeing an attraction before official opening!\u00a0 And what a show this was!\u00a0 It was honestly a bit longer than I expected, but it was fascinating.\u00a0 The performers hold puppets (some of them quite large) and act out the story.\u00a0 It is a bit like The Lion King on Broadway, if you\u2019ve seen that.\u00a0 For some reason, I noticed the actors\u2019 faces more, but I think that is the intention.\u00a0 It is very entertaining and has some funny parts.\u00a0 Only half way through did I remember, though, that Nemo didn\u2019t start out as a musical.\u00a0 It sure does adapt well to one.<\/p>\n

After a brief lunch with some friends who I hadn\u2019t even met before the last MouseFest, it was time for a nice rest.\u00a0 Honestly, sometimes this is one of the highlights of a busy vacation: a little afternoon nap.\u00a0 But, not too much time for napping, because there is yet another meet to attend (hmmmm, I\u2019m starting to realize why I was tired when I got home).<\/p>\n

Perhaps I didn\u2019t mention this before, but it was cold<\/em> in Florida.\u00a0 Yes, I\u2019m from a northern state, and it was frigid when I left for Florida, but 50 degrees in Florida isn\u2019t what I expected.\u00a0 Well, on this cold Florida day, what better way to spend an even colder Florida night than on a Fireworks Cruise?\u00a0 Ah, the sacrifices I make for an article!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
\nWe gather by the tree before getting on the boats.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
We met at the Wilderness Lodge lobby to get to know each other, get boat assignments, and check for hats, gloves and other warm clothing.\u00a0 There were 40 of us attending, and I have to point out, I wasn\u2019t the 40th person to arrive this time!\u00a0 OK, I was staying here, but still, I wasn\u2019t late!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

We made our way out to the boat docks, another fabulous goodie bag in hand, and tried to get used to the temperature (impossible!).\u00a0\u00a0 After we had a sufficient number of glow sticks passed out and the boats were ready, we made our way on the Alaskan, er, I mean Wishes Cruise.\u00a0 On our way to the viewing area, our driver chatted about Disney and gave us some trivia.\u00a0 In spite of the cold, it was a wonderful time.\u00a0 And then we stopped, right before the fireworks began.\u00a0 I don\u2019t even think we noticed the cold!\u00a0 This was the special Holiday Wishes we were seeing and it was amazing.\u00a0 Since we were on a premium cruise, the music was piped into the boat, so we had the ultimate fireworks experience.\u00a0 And afterward, our driver used all necessary speed to get us back to the warmth of the Lodge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next day was Saturday, and that means the big event: the Mega Meet.\u00a0 This is a trade show of sorts for all of those websites, book authors, podcasters, travel agents and anyone else you can think of using when talking Disney.\u00a0 The greatest part (other than I seemed to have broken my late streak)?\u00a0 When you register, you get a bag to fill with lots of freebies from the various vendors at the Meet, plus you get a raffle ticket that enters you into a drawing for some truly great prizes. There was also a nice kiddie area when the children could color and do crafts while the grown ups met friends, old and new.\u00a0 If you want to meet all of those names you see splashed around Disney fan websites, this is the place to go!\u00a0 And attendees are encouraged to list the community (or communities) they frequent, so it\u2019s easier to spot those friends you\u2019ve never met face to face!<\/td>\n\n
\"\"
\nBinnie with a drawing winner!<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Well, there were quite a few fun meets scheduled for after the Mega Meet, but it was time to spend some quality family time.\u00a0 I mention this because there are a few noteworthy things to mention.\u00a0 First, it was ridiculously crowded this weekend.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t it supposed to be the slow season?\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t seem so.\u00a0 Second, we were able to see the new and improved Osborne Lights.\u00a0 Although they look similar to last year (they are all on New York Street), they do something new: dance!\u00a0 It\u2019s a bit like standing in the middle of one of those emails that go around, showing people\u2019s Christmas decorations set to music.\u00a0 There are lights and music and it is just amazing to see.\u00a0 Finally we walked (yes, walked, we\u2019d had it<\/em> with Disney transportation and did I mention that the place is crowded?), over to Epcot.\u00a0 We settled into a bench by the Lights of Winter (one of my favorite things: I could sit there for hours) and suddenly heard some cheering.\u00a0 We turned to see the Space Shuttle lifting off through the night sky!\u00a0 What a truly amazing experience.\u00a0 Even above the music and noise, we could actually hear it, too.\u00a0 Being at Disney<\/em>, seeing that<\/em>, it was just something that no amount of planning or research could create.\u00a0 It was magic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
\nWe gather for one last meet.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
The next day was departure day.\u00a0 We were able to squeeze in one more meet before leaving (one that I was co-hosting, so it was good I made it).\u00a0 During our Penny Saving Adventure, we played some games, answered some trivia, got some great prizes and goodie bags (I just love these goodie bags we\u2019ve been collecting) and shared some money saving tips.\u00a0 It was a great way to end our MouseFest experience.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Although I missed the meet that TheMouseForLess sponsored at Give Kids the World, I was able to catch almost everything else I had hoped to see. \u00a0\u00a0I\u2019ve heard that the Give Kids the World meet was another great experience and something I hope to be able to do next year.<\/p>\n

So, there were lessons learned, fun times shared and friendships made.\u00a0 It was a great experience and something that my family and I hope to repeat for years to come.<\/p>\n

To see more photos and to see a complete list of meets, visit the MouseFest<\/a> website or the information on TheMouseForLess website.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Carol Garcia It\u2019s that time again.\u00a0 No, not a December holiday, but MouseFest!\u00a0 This year, like last, my family and I made the trip to Walt Disney World for the annual gathering of Disney fans.\u00a0 Although the purpose of our trip was to be a part of MouseFest, the great thing about all of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":202,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6189],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured-article"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/202"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1149"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79294,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1149\/revisions\/79294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}