Would anyone be interested in a Pal Mickey swap?

[HaleyB]

I would love to do this, but it looks like we have popular dates (June 1 to 8). I would be glad to split the cost of one with someone if they are either leaving May 30-June 1st or coming on the 9th-11th. We are in WDW area from May 30th to June 11th with 1st-8th being our park days...

 

[DMRick]

Is Mickey washable? I sold mine while he was still new, but I've seen some pretty sad ones in the park, after just one week. I just keep thinking of baby drool being passed from one child to another. OK, call me a spoil sport (LOL..I've been called worse), but I can't imagine passing something like this (and Mickey with his pure white hands, if I remember right) around from child to child and not have it be disgusting really quick. Plus, how do you pull it away from your child, once they got to hold and love him?

Just some thoughts I've had while watching this thread take on a life of it's own : )

 

[bridgettesmom]

I'm interested!! We'll be at POR or POFQ from October 4-10.We'll be celebrating DGM 80th birthday and we'll love to have Pal Mickey join our celebration

 

[shadowteach]

We would be willing to babysit him from June 9-16. But we have already got two mickeys, so we would rather someone else if possible. But we could baby sit him.

 

[poohbear8]

Mickey is sitting here....his tag says "do not immerse in water". I opened him up, and I don't think you can wash him. First, it looks like it is not easy to remove the inside computer/battery compartments. Second, if you got them out, you may not be able to get him back in.

I also was worried about the white hands with my 2 kids. In the end, his hands did get dirty.

An idea: since everyone is willing to rent him, how about buying a new one each month. (this way he couldn't get too dity) If he's $60 after tax (I can't remember how much right now), and there are 30 days in an average month. He would be $2.00 a day.

The first people there for the month would get the money via paypal from the others. Users would have to sign up with the host family for the month. They would use him, then somehow work out how to pass him on. (leave in a sealed box at the hotel where they will be staying??) (make a label before you leave home)

Second family uses him, then leaves him in a box at the 3rd family's hotel.

After a month....I can't think of what would be next. Mickey gets retired to a hospital for sick kids? Then the new Mickey would start.

Ok, it's late and I'm tired. Maybe this makes no sense to anyone but me. On the other hand, maybe it can get some other ideas flowing.

I'll think about it some more and post later if I come up with some other ideas.

Peg

 

[Mickey527]

Has anyone tried those dryer dry cleaning bags?
would Pal Mickey be able to be heated in the dryer and how hot do you have to have the dryer to clean items?
I have never tried these things but I wonder if that would work to clean Mickey.
All the resorts have dryers, maybe that could be done before each hand off. Peggie

 

[poohbear7]

I would like to do this I will be at DW May17th-25th.

Please let me know how I can help.

Could Pal Mickey be carefully surface washed?
Just wipe him over with a damp cloth.

 

[HaleyB]

Since Disney rents them I assume there must be some way to clean them up... maybe we could call and ask. But most electronic toys are surface washable and baby wipes do wonders.

I also think it may be a better idea to have each Pal in limited use. Maybe we could strch it to 6 weeks, because most people will want him for about a week and that would be 6 families/people before he retires. It will be hard to get the dates set up for everyone with so many of us having the same dates. Maybe we could agree to limit ourselves to 4 days when needed. I don't see myself wanting him for 8...

What about battery life? What kind does Pal Mickey use? It might be a good idea for each of us to supply our own fresh set.

We should get a firm price (w/tax) and remember to add a bit for Paypal fees so no one gets stuck.

 

[Disney Debbie]

WHAT IS PAL MICKEY?????

 

[mad4themouse]

Hi Disney Debbie,
Your original question kind of got lost in the flurry of posts.

Pal Mickey is a talking Mickey Mouse plush toy that entertains and informs. He interacts with you at various attractions and can tell you wait times and little-known facts while you tour the parks. He uses wireless technology to download new information when he enters a park. He rents for $8 per day or can be purchased for $60 with tax.

Here's a picture:

 

[sif]

I'm intrigued by this idea of a Pal Mickey swap. We will be at WDW April 24-28, so it looks like we're the earliest so far. We're staying offsite, if that matters (I don't think it does, really). I share DMRick's concern -- hard to take it away from the kids if they have become attached to it. But we'll only be in the parks for 3 1/2 days so $60 to purchase seems a lot. $24 to rent for 3 days is better, but if I'm not going to keep it, I might as well save even more and pass it on to others...... Hmmm...

Logistics are the major hurdle here. Assuming there is no "taker" for the week after us (I think May 7 is the next time spoken for so far), would we just take Mickey home and mail it to the next person, rather than leave him in a hotel lobby for a week or more? I think Paypal payment is a good idea, but how to figure the amount? If it is strictly per day of use then who is responsible for cost of days not in use? I also share concerns about cleaning Mickey. We would be among the first users so he would be clean; I would do my best to make sure that my 3 and 5 year olds took care of him. But, well, um, they are 3 and 5..... I would feel bad if Mickey was unable to be cleaned up. Any more thoughts on that?

Also, if this is going to work, I was thinking we would probably need a schedule worked out with dates, costs, locations, etc. Wondering how the stroller swap organized itself? Anyone have insight?

 

[Disney Debbie]

Thanks! mad4themouse!

Sounds cute - but probably more for people with young kids! We don't really like to carry much with us in the parks! But if you need someone to make it work - we'll be at CS 6/14 - 6/19.

 

[dizcrazy]

THIS IS AN AWESOME IDEA!!!!


We will be staying at POR May 15-22
I noticed that pooh7's dates are May 17th-25th.

If this gets underway, maybe pooh7 and I can coordinate a swap?

 

[dizcrazy]

here are the dates so far:

sif April 24-28
Microcell 5/7 to 5/13
poohbear7 5/17th-25th
dizcrazy 5/15-5/22
Mickey527 5/25-6/2
AdventurerKat 5/26 to 5/31
javaj 5/31 to 6/6
hyzdufan June 1st to the 10th here...
HaleyB 6/1-6/8
shadowteach 6/9-6/16.
Disney Debbie 6/14 - 6/19!!
swilshire 7/3 - 7/10
mad4themouse 7/ 10 - 15.
Naisy68 106 days - 7/ 18?
Southern4sure WDW 7/ 19 - 24, staying at POP
Julia M 8/7-8/14
minniegidget sept 14-19
LRigdon 9/18-9/26
chrisann oct
bridgettesmom 10/4-10/10
doodlebug939 11/12-11/20

 

[peg2001]

Eek. I started this thread with no real thoughts about how to coordinate such a thing. It just sounded like an intriguing idea.

I like the idea of a limited life Mickey and the idea of folks using Paypal to pay the purchaser. Paying a flat fee per day of use sounds the fairest. . .and I don't really care if the Mickey I use is a bit dirty if I'm only paying $2/day or so, as long as he still works.

My dates are Dec 6-11 and we could certainly leave Mickey at any Disney hotel before we left for the next person.

Hmmm. . .any other thoughts to get coordinated and actually going on this?

Peggy

 

[peg2001]

Ok. . .with the overlapping dates so far, I've broken people into 3 separate Pal Mickey Swap strands as seen below. We'd still need to decide at what point old Mickey should be retired and a new Mickey purchased. Would everyone please double check your dates to be the dates you would want Pal Mickey (I don't need him on arrival or departure day, for example). Also, a few people posted and didn't give dates.

Pal Mickey #1 Strand
sif April 24-28
Microcell 5/7 to 5/13
poohbear7 5/17th-25th
Mickey527 5/25-6/2
hyzdufan June 1st to the 10th
swilshire 7/3 - 7/10
mad4themouse 7/ 10 - 15
Southern4sure WDW 7/ 19 - 24, staying at POP
Julia M 8/7-8/14
minniegidget sept 14-19
LRigdon 9/18-9/26
chrisann oct - 10/5-10/9
doodlebug939 11/12-11/20
peg2001 12/6-12/11

Pal Mickey #2
dizcrazy 5/15-5/22
AdventurerKat 5/26 to 5/31
javaj 5/31 to 6/6
Disney Debbie 6/14 - 6/19!!
Naisy68 - need dates
bridgettesmom 10/4-10/10

Pal Mickey #3
angbuz 5/16-21
HaleyB 6/1-6/8
shadowteach 6/9-6/16.

I keep coming into this message and editing. Probably NOT the best way to do this. So sorry for any confusion. Chrisann had PM'd me her dates after I originally posted and so a few people have been juggled around.

 

[poohbear8]

I will try wet wipes on Mickey's hands later and let everyone know if that helps. (workmen are moving the hotwater heater, think I will stay out of their way!)

Batteries: 3 AA

I don't think he would work in a dryer with the dry cleaning kits. He has the battery pack and a computer pack connected inside him. They don't appear to come out. I am almost positive they can't come out, since Mickey has a sensor in his nose. (that is how he "knows" where he is. He has to face forward when you enter the parks)

I would suggest that someone check the stroller swap thread and see if you can find out how they started way back when. I'll keep checking back to see if I can offer anymore ideas, but I'm heading away in 2 days and need to finish a scrapbook first!

As for Pal Mickey being only for kids....I enjoyed having him also. He tells jokes and gives you info about the ride times and other misc Disney stuff. If I could rent him for $2 a day...I would do it!!

Good luck. I'm sure this can be worked out.

Peg

 

[DMRick]

I'll be at the mouses house May 12 - 19 if you need a sitter. We'll have a car too, so we can pick up and deliver.
When the stroller started it was already at Disney. Each trade off, pm'd and made their own arrangements for pick up and delivery.

I will tell you that the stroller needed clean up in between times. But is also was sturdy, and no one had to worry about if it would make it to the next person....it was pretty indestuctable. It was easy enough to "scrub" it down and free it of germs, and less likely to be left or stolen if set down somewhere.

In any case, if you need a sitter/transporter, I'll be there.

 

[peg2001]

I've gone up and read the pinned stroller swap threads and they have some good guidelines:

-Pass the item along as clean as possible
-It is up to each individual to contact the ones before and after them to arrange the swap

The stroller is a bit easier because they aren't asking for any $$ to exchange hands.

Peggy

 

[angbuz]

I would love to be a part of this also. Only thing is, my dates coincide with 2 other peoples dates. We will be there May 15-22. Only would need pal mickey 16-21. Hopefully this will work out, sounds like a great idea!