To Pal Mickey or not to Pal Mickey... that is the question

[Spyke1900]

Okay, so I am 22 returning to WDW for the first time since I was four. I’ve heard about Pal Mickey on the WDW website and read a bit about him in the guide books I have bought. Now here’s the thing, I am going to Disney as an adult, with adults, but hey if we are spending our vacation at Walt Disney World we really are kids at heart. So is Pal Mickey worth the $60.00 the guide books say it will cost? It just sounds so fun….

 

[RoseRoni2]

I think he is adorable, my dd6 did not care for him much, but I love having him around at MK. I did not take him to the other parks, but I should have. I would highly recommend you getting one he will make you laugh. I hear they are coming out with pal minnie, pal donald, and pal goofy, but I am not for sure.

 

[Spyke1900]

Thanks for your response. Anybody else? I have heard that he is rentable, anybody know how much that costs?

 

[MagicalMom]

We love our Pal Mickey! we are a bit upset that ours is less than a year old & there will be a newer version out already. I hope keeping up with pal Mickey won't be like GameBoys, there seems to be a newer version every time I turn around.

 

[TimothyG]

Thanks for your response. Anybody else? I have heard that he is rentable, anybody know how much that costs?

From what I understand, Pal Mickey is no longer rentable, only by purchase. I may be wrong on this. If I am, the rentable cost was $8 per day. But like I said, I'm pretty sure its by purchase only.

 

[efinn88858]

I think you're right about it not being rentable anymore. I also heard they are coming out with costumes to buy for your pal!

 

[TimothyG]

I think you're right about it not being rentable anymore. I also heard they are coming out with costumes to buy for your pal!

I remember hearing about that now that you mention it.

Also, it sounds really cool that they are coming out with Pal Goofy, Donald, etc.. Just wondering how you'd understand Donald though. He's really awesome but he's so hard to understand! LOL

 

[nluvwithmickey]

I don't have him yet...should've bought in Dec...... But I have been an adult for a while now and will definitely be getting him in July. I hear he is going to be all dressed up for the 50th anniversary celebration, can't wait!


And the best thing is he will be there to keep me company when I get back home and get a little blue and start mssing WDW. Who knows of I bug DH with him alot when I get back he might just want to go again!!!!

 

[lenshanem]

Waste of money. He is hard to hear. Most of the time we failed to even recognize he was vibrating or talking. I keep taking him back, but he usually ends up in the room cause nobody wants to tote him. JMHO

 

[S. C.]

We loved having pal mickey with us. Got him in 2003, took him back with us in 2004 and he will be going back with us again this year.

 

[trappednabox]

He's the only thing my little sister says she wants when we go, other than a mickey bar.

 

[efinn88858]

Waste of money. He is hard to hear. Most of the time we failed to even recognize he was vibrating or talking. I keep taking him back, but he usually ends up in the room cause nobody wants to tote him. JMHO

He can be a waste of money if you only use him in the parks, but he's fun after your vacation also. He tells jokes, and keeps the little ones entertained in the mall.

I think I remember something about Disney possibly setting up their mall stores to interact with your pals also. Has anyone heards this?

 

[eileenfk]

I like him. He has flaws, but is still fun.

If you are traveling after May 5, you will be able to purchase the new (significantly improved) version 2.0 Pal.

If Traveling before May 5, you might be able to pick up a used Pal on eBay (although the savings doesn't really look worth it to me).

If you do buy on eBay, be careful.
Most of the Pals (on eBay) are the older 1.0 version.
A few are the current 1.1 version.
Ask the seller which version before buying.

If you buy a Pal, and don't like him, you can re-sell him on eBay, and recover a significant percent of your cost.
You might even get lucky and profit.
I saw one Pal sell for $79, with multiple bidders bidding over current retail.
Mostly they go closer to $33-$51, with the version 1.1 usually ending higher then the 1.0. Shipping is usually $8-$11, the Pal that sold for $51 had free shipping.

- Eileen

 

[eileenfk]

He can be a waste of money if you only use him in the parks, but he's fun after your vacation also. He tells jokes, and keeps the little ones entertained in the mall.

I think I remember something about Disney possibly setting up their mall stores to interact with your pals also. Has anyone heards this?

I found that the features, that worked outside of the park, were lame and didn't work well. However, I have version 1.0 and understand the version 1.1 fixed some of the problems.
On my Pal, the hands were hard enough to squeeze in the correct place, that it made him very frustrating for a 5 year old, when playing games. The games are very dependent on being able to squeeze the hands either the correct hand or both hands at the same time. This really frustrated the 5 year old, when he would squeeze the correct hand, and Mickey would tell him he was wrong.

In my house, Pal Mickey is far less popular than either my interactive Stitch (which is way cool) and even my bouncing Tigger.

Inside WDW I really enjoyed him. He gives interesting information. I didn't need to read the plaque things in the Animal Kingdom, because Mickey told me about the animals. He gave me interesting facts in Epcot, and I learned something about Morocco that I didn't know.
He even told one joke, that made me (and my niece) laugh. Most of his jokes are pretty lame, but one of them was pretty good. The young kids will probably like the jokes.

Disney no longer owns the stores in the Mall.
But maybe they can get the Children's place to set something like this up. I doubt it, but it would be cool.
Maybe they will set up a "Build-A-Pal" sort of shop inside the Disney Store. Maybe if they do, one could buy new insides whenever they come out with a new version, instead of buying a whole new Pal.

- Eileen

 

[lenshanem]

How do I know what version I have???

 

[Princess Wannabe]

Check out these websites, which not only include reviews, but also FAN SITES for Pal Mickey! Where you can get him different outifts and such! I haven't got one yet, but I think it's a hoot when a toy has a fan club on the internet!!!

Disney’s Info on Pal Mickey
Deb’s Info on Pal Mickey
Interview with the Designer
On Tour with Pal Mickey
Review of Pal Mickey
My Pal Mickey Review

My Pal Mickey’s Adventures
Pal Mickey’s Grown Up Pals Club

 

[KilleriMac17]

I got a pal mickey on my last trip and loved it, gave it to my nephew and his family, they are going this year(but I am going again to at the same time, and also again in oct) I dunno if I will get one in april, or just wait to get the special edition one in oct.

 

[left210]

I just got back this week. I purchased a Pal Mickey on the first day but he never told me anything. We had him reprogrammed, held him forward, clipped him close, all of the thingst they tell you to do. On Day 4 I finally just took him back. I had my receipt and they gave me a full refund. I kept him clipped to me and he seemed to be a pain but then again he didnt work for us. I would play with him in the store first before you make your decision. My 4 year old was excited when we bought him but didnt want to carry him and didnt even realize when I returned him. Good luck.

 

[H_Pepper]

How do I know what version I have???

The original Pal Mickey 1.0 was launched in April 2003. If you open up the zipper in the back, the inner plastic housing was colored white.

The plastic housing inside the version 1.1 was black.

The plastic housing of the Spanish language version was made from green colored plastic.

The new version 2.0 is molded from a golden yellow plastic.

 

[lenshanem]

Guess we have version 1.0. Sooo, what is the difference???