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Howdy all! Just checking in.

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Thu, 01/15/2009 - 02:46
MouseTraveler's picture
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Howdy all! Just checking in.

Wanted to say HI to everyone. My name is Edward Owen, but you'll find me as MouseTraveler. I'm a television broadcaster, and big time Disney fan. Soon, I'll be debuting the MouseTraveler online newscast. In the meantime, check out my Disney travel blog at www.mousetraveler.tv/blog. The blog is a bit different, as I look for items to help you enjoy your vacation to a Disney property.

Why do I think I can talk about Disney? Well, my first trip to WDW was in 1973, and I've probably been 50 times since. I've stayed at almost every hotel in the parks. I'm a DVC member since 1995 (OKW - home resort), and I've been on five Disney Cruises. I've also been to Disneyland several times and have coordinated meetings from 10 to 200 people in Anaheim, Orlando and on board DCL.

I'm doing this because I love it, and I love the idea of this group. My wife has ALWAYS joked that "Disney is NO place for kids!".

Come visit the blog, and I look forward to talking to many of you.

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Thu, 01/15/2009 - 02:49
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Welcome Edward! (Or do people call you Ed!)

1973 eh!?? That's quite a resume. Does every hotel include every DVC location as well?

Thu, 01/15/2009 - 03:29
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cdub wrote:
Welcome Edward! (Or do people call you Ed!)

1973 eh!?? That's quite a resume. Does every hotel include every DVC location as well?

A few people call me Edward, more call me Ed, and those that have known me the longest call me Eddie. I'm cool with any of them.

As far as DVC resorts, I've stayed in OKW, Vero, Boardwalk and Wilderness Lodge.

My all time favorite hotel is still the Polynesian, but I haven't stayed there in probably 15 years. Always make a point of getting over there for dinner or drinks or just to walk around though.

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Thu, 01/15/2009 - 04:11
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MouseTraveler wrote:

My wife has ALWAYS joked that "Disney is NO place for kids!".



laugh laugh

I think Disney World is a completely different--and wonderful--experience without the kids. There's just SO MUCH to enjoy, and in such different ways.

So glad you're here, MouseTraveler, and I look forward to your comments, insights, and info. Going to head over and check out the blog now... mickey

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Thu, 01/15/2009 - 12:28
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Thanks for the warm welcome.

We had an interesting experience as far as the adults thing go. On a Disney Cruise in 2004, we met up with two other couples that were also in our general age group, and also that had no kids. One from England, one from California and us being in Kentucky.

We had a marvelous week together, and the following year we all met up at Disneyland as our Brit friends finished the DCL repositioning cruise. We've sailed with the Brits a couple of times since then and they featured our "Disney without kids" story in the Disney Vacation Club magazine shortly after our California reunion. I've got the pic somewhere and I'll upload it sometime.

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Thu, 01/15/2009 - 15:18
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Hey Edward! Glad to have you here!

Your blog seems to have a TON of entries. Must take a long time to keep up eh?

Do you live near Florida, or do you just make a lot of time to travel there?

Thu, 01/15/2009 - 15:19
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Welcome! The website looks like it's coming along! awesome

Do you have pics of your cruises? Would love to see some shots of the boat/state rooms without the "Disney sheen" on them...

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2005 Port Orleans Riverside
2006 Animal Kingdom Lodge
2007 Wilderness Lodge
2008 Animal Kingdom Lodge
2009 CBR/Polynesian

Thu, 01/15/2009 - 17:37
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dsoup wrote:

Your blog seems to have a TON of entries. Must take a long time to keep up eh?

Do you live near Florida, or do you just make a lot of time to travel there?


Actually, I've held off promoting the blog until it had some "meat" to it. I didn't want to start a blog of this type, until I had some content.

No, I'm in Kentucky, so I'm 717 miles from my driveway to the Magic Kingdom. But I fell in love with Disney World early on, so when we go to Florida, we always make some "Disney time". I was lucky enough to be a meeting planner for an organization too, and I held a board meeting in Anaheim once, another on a three night Disney Cruise, and held three conventions at Disney World. (Two at the Contemporary & one at Coronado Springs)

It's helped too being a DVC member.

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Thu, 01/15/2009 - 17:38
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SpaceAce wrote:

Do you have pics of your cruises? Would love to see some shots of the boat/state rooms without the "Disney sheen" on them...

Tons of them, although most of the stateroom pics are of the "towel animals" they put on your bed at night.

Are you thinking of a cruise?

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Thu, 01/15/2009 - 18:35
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By the way admins, any thoughts about adding a Disney Cruise Line forum? Or in my haste did I miss it?

Also, I've tried to upload my logo in both bmp and jpg formats and both times I've been told that format isn't allowed. Anything I need to know here?

Thanks!

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Thu, 01/15/2009 - 19:18
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We've had some discussions about cruises. Maybe we should have a forum.

Let me take a look at what's going on with the "Supported Images."

Thu, 01/15/2009 - 22:55
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MouseTraveler wrote:
dsoup wrote:

Your blog seems to have a TON of entries. Must take a long time to keep up eh?

Do you live near Florida, or do you just make a lot of time to travel there?


Actually, I've held off promoting the blog until it had some "meat" to it. I didn't want to start a blog of this type, until I had some content.

No, I'm in Kentucky, so I'm 717 miles from my driveway to the Magic Kingdom. But I fell in love with Disney World early on, so when we go to Florida, we always make some "Disney time". I was lucky enough to be a meeting planner for an organization too, and I held a board meeting in Anaheim once, another on a three night Disney Cruise, and held three conventions at Disney World. (Two at the Contemporary & one at Coronado Springs)

It's helped too being a DVC member.



Kentucky isn't too bad. At least it's drivable. Do you make it to DL as well? (Asking since you mentioned Anaheim)

Thu, 01/15/2009 - 23:10
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cdub wrote:
[Kentucky isn't too bad. At least it's drivable. Do you make it to DL as well? (Asking since you mentioned Anaheim)

We've been to Disneyland three or four times. All but once we were able to combine other trips with a side trip to Disneyland. Right now we have a trip scheduled in July to Disneyland for a few days. As with ANY Disney related trip, can't wait!!

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Fri, 01/16/2009 - 01:56
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Welcome to the forums Edward! We're so happy you could join us. Can't wait to check out your Disney projects.

Fri, 01/16/2009 - 03:57
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MouseTraveler wrote:
Soon, I'll be debuting the MouseTraveler online newscast. In the meantime, check out my Disney travel blog at www.mousetraveler.tv/blog. The blog is a bit different, as I look for items to help you enjoy your vacation to a Disney property.

Why do I think I can talk about Disney? Well, my first trip to WDW was in 1973, and I've probably been 50 times since. I've stayed at almost every hotel in the parks. I'm a DVC member since 1995 (OKW - home resort), and I've been on five Disney Cruises. I've also been to Disneyland several times and have coordinated meetings from 10 to 200 people in Anaheim, Orlando and on board DCL.

I'm doing this because I love it, and I love the idea of this group. My wife has ALWAYS joked that "Disney is NO place for kids!".

Come visit the blog, and I look forward to talking to many of you.



Well, Edward,

welcome

You sound like you'll fit in just fine around here!

In what capacity were you coordinating meetings in Anaheim? Was this business or pleasure?

Fri, 01/16/2009 - 04:04
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Annie wrote:


Well, Edward,

welcome

You sound like you'll fit in just fine around here!

In what capacity were you coordinating meetings in Anaheim? Was this business or pleasure?

Thanks Annie. Only did one meeting in Anaheim. The others were in Florida, but they were all business. (IF you can consider a meeting at a Disney property "work" that is!)

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Fri, 01/16/2009 - 16:04
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Does the price work out to be considerably higher than other places, convention-wise? That would be my first concern.

Fri, 01/16/2009 - 16:32
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MouseTraveler wrote:

Are you thinking of a cruise?



Always thinking of a cruise! We've never done one, though.

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2010 Beach Club Resort
2005 Port Orleans Riverside
2006 Animal Kingdom Lodge
2007 Wilderness Lodge
2008 Animal Kingdom Lodge
2009 CBR/Polynesian

Fri, 01/16/2009 - 18:41
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dsoup wrote:
Does the price work out to be considerably higher than other places, convention-wise? That would be my first concern.

It's like anything Disney, it IS going to be higher, but you get a return on quality. When we did our Contemporary meeting, we had a great room rate ($139 a night), and we could designate about 20 rooms as tower rooms, so we could take care of our special guests.

Food costs are a bit high, but if you do the meeting there then you get your meeting space complimentary. We found that we could do fairly well by sticking to lighter meals, and opening up some "park time" so that our attendees could do other things when we'd normally be giving them a big meal.

You can normally do a lunch for somewhere between $18 and $35 a person, with dinner probably running $30-$50. Of course its all built into the cost of attending the meeting.

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Fri, 01/16/2009 - 18:51
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I'd certainly be more willing to pay for a convention in WDW than many other places to be sure.

Fri, 01/16/2009 - 19:58
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cdub wrote:
I'd certainly be more willing to pay for a convention in WDW than many other places to be sure.

When we had our meetings, there were far more families with our attendees than when we were in other places. Disney knows this and they know those families will spend a lot of money while they are there, and many times the conventioneers will arrive early and stay late.

Your convention room rates are good for several days before and after. As I said, we had a rate of $139 both years, when the going rate was probably a hundred dollars more than that.

The also take VERY good care of meeting planners, so if you ever coordinate a group on Disney property, you will not forget the experience.

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Fri, 01/16/2009 - 20:05
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So I can go there on convention and stay extra days at a reduced rate?

Fri, 01/16/2009 - 20:19
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greebil wrote:
So I can go there on convention and stay extra days at a reduced rate?

I think they offered our group the convention rate two days before and two days after the actual show.

It might vary by group.

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Sat, 01/17/2009 - 16:47
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MouseTraveler wrote:

I think they offered our group the convention rate two days before and two days after the actual show.


I'm pretty sure I've heard of this being pretty standard. Makes a lot of sense, as you said, to encourage families to come and spend more.

When I was last in Disney for business, it was during the first free dining pitch, so I tacked on an extra week of free dining after the conference.

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Sat, 01/17/2009 - 18:24
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When's your next conference Ed?!!? Can I get a discount at the Contempo-Tower rooms!?!

 
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