Reset Pal Mickey?

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Do I need to go somewhere to have Pal Mickey reset with new park information? I thought I remembered the CM saying that I did, but I could be wrong. we haven't used him since Oct. 2005. TIA

 

[anbouk]

im pretty sure u dont have 2. last time i went to disney this past august, pal mickey told me new things and i got him on '04. i didnt do anything to him

 

[disneyaggie]

You can take him to the Cinema on Main Street and they will "update" him for you.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

That is incorrect.

You cannot "update" an old Pal Mickey.

Pal Mickeys can be RESET, but there is no way to give it information it doesn't already have.

While some people report that their Pal Mickey "learned" new things, it didn't really; the Pal Mickey 2.0's already had those sayings, phrases, and data for upcoming events/attractions inside of them, and they were "unlocked" via the transmitters in the parks. Many times this doesn't work entirely properly, and that's when you need to take one in to be "reset", which just resets the software inside.

The memory that contains the phrases, sayings, etc. is completely ROM (read-only-memory). It doesn't have a mechanism to store new data, only access the data it shipped with. That's why there is a Pal Mickey 2.0, and it sounds like the OP has an original Pal Mickey, which will not have the new phrases, jokes, etc. The only way to get the new ones beyond what is unlockable in the original Pal Mickey is to buy a 2.0.

You're Pal Mickey will still work, and do everything it already did, it just won't talk about the brand new stuff (i.e. Everest, which I'm 99% sure was only unlockable on 2.0). Hold him in front of you as you enter the park, and he should orient himself, but if he's wonky you can take him to the Cinema on Main Street to have him reset (but again, not "updated").

NED

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

That is incorrect.

You cannot "update" an old Pal Mickey.

Pal Mickeys can be RESET, but there is no way to give it information it doesn't already have.

While some people report that their Pal Mickey "learned" new things, it didn't really; the Pal Mickey 2.0's already had those sayings, phrases, and data for upcoming events/attractions inside of them, and they were "unlocked" via the transmitters in the parks. Many times this doesn't work entirely properly, and that's when you need to take one in to be "reset", which just resets the software inside.

The memory that contains the phrases, sayings, etc. is completely ROM (read-only-memory). It doesn't have a mechanism to store new data, only access the data it shipped with. That's why there is a Pal Mickey 2.0, and it sounds like the OP has an original Pal Mickey, which will not have the new phrases, jokes, etc. The only way to get the new ones beyond what is unlockable in the original Pal Mickey is to buy a 2.0.

You're Pal Mickey will still work, and do everything it already did, it just won't talk about the brand new stuff (i.e. Everest, which I'm 99% sure was only unlockable on 2.0). Hold him in front of you as you enter the park, and he should orient himself, but if he's wonky you can take him to the Cinema on Main Street to have him reset (but again, not "updated").

NED

"Wonky", I love that. It is the HCOE Mickey with the tux on. Is that the original? Will he still give me parade times, etc. even though it sounds like you're saying he won't have the correct parade names? What about the new Miickey show in front of the castle or things like that?

 

[disneyaggie]

Hmmm -- that is odd. I went to the Cinema to purchase a Pal Mickey and a lady came up to the CM and said, "Can I update my Pal Mickey? I bought him last year"? The CM said, "Sure, just bring him in".

I have also heard others say that you can update your Pal Mickey with the new information.

Just curioius, NewEnglandDisney, where did you get your information? I would really like to know which is true.

 

[Robo]

Hmmm -- that is odd. I went to the Cinema to purchase a Pal Mickey and a lady came up to the CM and said, "Can I update my Pal Mickey? I bought him last year"? The CM said, "Sure, just bring him in".

I have also heard others say that you can update your Pal Mickey with the new information.

Just curioius, NewEnglandDisney, where did you get your information? I would really like to know which is true.

No. An older Pal Mickey can not be "updated."
The MAIN "Pal Mickey Store" at WDW is in MK, in the "Main Street Cinema/Pal Mickey/VMK Store"

They can perform the so-called "upgrade" at that location.
Its not really an "upgrade", however, but it is a "re-boot" (like a computer re-start) for PM via a small IR interface with PM's nose.

>>> Scroll down to the 3rd picture in the following site to see this being done:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/wdwupdate/wdw030617avp.htm

This can fix "glitches" that might develop with PM's internal microprocessor.
I bought a PM, when they first came out, that didn't talk much in the parks.
I took him to the PM store, they did the re-boot (30 seconds or so) and he started to work perfectly... and has continued working through many trips since that time (years).

BUT...
This re-boot does not "upgrade" an older PM to the capabilities (or audio volume) of a "50th Anniv. PM".

This incorrect info has become an "Urban Legend" of sorts when it gets repeated on websites so often.

What Disney HAS offered in the past is to "trade in" your older PM for a new one at a reduced rate (don't know if they still will do that).

Do you NEED to take your PM over to MK for a "re-boot"?
If your PM (like the vast majority of them) is still "wiggling and giggling" and telling you facts in the parks, he does NOT need to be taken to the MK for an "upgrade/reboot".

And, if he starts "wiggling" (vibrating) and won't stop, he's not broken... he just needs s new set of batteries. He takes 3 "Double-A (AA) batteries, Alkaline or better.

-----------------------------------------

Additional info on this is at

http://palmickey.net/

Click on the "NEWS" button:

QUOTE:
Note About Older Versions of Pal Mickey: Due to the misinformation on certain message boards, I called the Main Street Cinema at the Magic Kingdom to verify. Cast Member John has CONFIRMED that the older Pal Mickey (any version prior to the HCOE version) can only be "updated" with the park's daily information (parade and show times, etc. - as stated in the instruction booklet) and can NOT be "updated" in any other way. In reality, their use of the term "updating" means to "re-set" him to enable him to receive signals from the emitters and to properly respond. However, the older Pal Mickeys can NOT be made to provide information on any of the newer attractions (Soarin', LMA, Everest, etc.), or to have the latest features (singing, louder voice, new games, trivia, interacting with the Glow medallion). These are the facts. I hate to see people buying the original at a huge discount and being disappointed that he won't do what they thought. The original Pal can still be fun (both of mine "do the parks" together often), but has limited capabilities. If you have an older Pal and would like to "trade up" to a new one, you can at this time do that at the Main Street Cinema for $40 with your trade in. They did not have that offer when the new Pal first came out, but I am sure this will be for a "limited time only."

 

[disneyaggie]

Hmm -- interesting.

 

[Robo]

"... is the HCOE Mickey with the tux on. Is that the original? Will he still give me parade times, etc. even though it sounds like you're saying he won't have the correct parade names? What about the new Miickey show in front of the castle or things like that?

The "Tux" Pal is version 2.

The original Pal came wearing the traditional MM red shorts with 2 white buttons.

And he still works great in the parks.

Pal Mickey does not usually say the specific "name" of the parades and shows, anyway.
He just says something like "...the parade is starting soon, better find a good spot if you want to see it..."

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

The "Tux" Pal is version 2.

The original Pal came wearing the traditional MM red shorts with 2 white buttons.

And he still works great in the parks.

Pal Mickey does not usually say the specific "name" of the parades and shows, anyway.
He just says something like "...the parade is starting soon, better find a good spot if you want to see it..."

Oh, ok, with my 3 DD's taking turns wearing him, I never got to hear him say anything. Thanks for the info.

 

[cnids00]

After 3 years of wanting a Pal Mickey, we finally gave in and got one for DD on this last trip, now a couple of weeks later, this new version came out , we got her the tux-version.

Now this newest one is totally different then tux-Mickey..would have to be our luck

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Thanks for the great follow-up, Robo.

On one board the argument got so bitter people tracked down the dang PATENT APPLICATIONS to the thing to prove it, LOL. If I can find that thread I'll put a link here.

It's one of the most oft repeated bits of incorrect Disney wisdom, as you pointed out. I think the confusion mostly comes from the fact that when they release a new Pal Mickey (well, at least the two we've had so far), they've pre-loaded future info to be unlocked. For instance, I don't have a 2.0, but I believe they talk about Everest, even though it wasn't opened when the Pal Mickey was released. They filp the switch one day and then when your Pal Mickey checks in electronically when you enter the park and he orients himself it triggers him to unlock the phrase he already was programmed with. This is what people usually provide as "evidence" that he "learns"; he does not.

NED

 

[Robo]

For instance, I don't have a 2.0, but I believe they talk about Everest, even though it wasn't opened when the Pal Mickey was released. They filp the switch one day and then when your Pal Mickey checks in electronically when you enter the park and he orients himself it triggers him to unlock the phrase he already was programmed with.

I don't even think its as complex as that.

Each attraction has its own IR-transmitter "cue" that triggers PM to spiel for that attraction as you pass.
Since EE's IR cue was not turned on until EE was open, that EE spiel in PM was just not ever triggered until the time of the opening.

The bit about needing to "load him" by pointing him forward at the entrance of each park may be a bit overstated as well.

PM does like to know which park he's in, but I've had times when he "missed" the front entrance IR cues and, after a few minutes inside a given park, he was speaking the correct lines.
I'm sure there are several park-specific general IR cue transmitters in various parts of the parks.

Its a pretty fool-proof system.

Now, can someone tell me on which attraction(s) Pal Mickey is programmed to speak WHILE you are RIDING with him DURING the attractin(s)?