Would anyone be interested in a Pal Mickey swap?

[ceecee]

Originally posted by 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?

: )

Those were my thoughts exactly!!!!! I don't think you could wash him other than sponging him off and febrezee-ing him. My Pal's tag says DO NOT IMMERSE IN WATER! Our rental Mickey ran out of batteries two times in 5 days (they replaced them free since he was a rental). We traded the rental in on a new one before we left and it still has the same batteries in it. I was hesitate about renting one and the CM assured me it had been cleaned and "sterilized" It seemed very clean, no odor, etc......his arms were rather limp like he was carried around like that for a while.

 

[sif]

Here's an idea on payment. I was thinking that if I'm first, I'm the one laying out the $60 at the beginning (as will someone else when it is time to buy a new Mickey). I'm not at all suggesting that anyone on these boards would fail to pay, but no one should need to bear that risk (as stated in previous post, the stroller swap never had to deal with this issue).

So, assume we set a value of $2 per day (realizing this is not set in stone). I buy Mickey for $60 and use him for 4 days. I work out transfer to next person privately, and they pay me $52 via Paypal ($60 - 4 days at $2). Say that person uses Mickey for 7 days. They work out transfer with the 3rd person, who pays person #2 $38 ($52 - 7 days at $2) via Paypal. As this continues down the chain, everyone gets back the money they laid out right away, minus their $2/day "rental fee". When the value gets down to zero, maybe it's time to buy a new Mickey. Does this make sense or is it just me?

 

[poohbear7]

Hi dizcrazy,


If this gets underway, I'm sure you and I could coordinate a swap.

 

[Julia M]

Wow,

I can see how this can get complicated. Maybe a better way is to have just a few people hook up, like people do for Illuminations Cruises?

I know I wouldn't mind spending $10-$15 for my few days in the park, and wouldn't care if I don't go home with Pal Mickey.

Anyway, just another thought.....maybe 3-4 families just combine together

Julia

 

[peg2001]

sif's idea for payment planning makes sense to me. This way, if something goes wrong and the pass-off isn't made, the last person to pay for Mickey still has him. . .and can try to contact the next person or sell him independently.

Peggy

 

[dizcrazy]

Julia M: I second your idea of having people coordinate together.

Anyone else?

 

[harleyquinn]

I think this is a great idea!

I'll be at POFQ June 21-28.

 

[Naisy68]

Our dates are July 18 -24 - We are celebrating my DD 3rd b-day that week. I noticed that Southern4sure will be there the same week. We are staying at POFQ and we would only need it a couple of days. I'd like to have it on the 20th which is my DD b-day and that's the day we are at The Magic Kingdom. If this doesn't work, that's OK too. It's not that big of a deal.

Southern4Sure if you could e-mail me or PM me that would be great, maybe we can work something out.

 

[HaleyB]

I know we have gaps in the stroller swap where no one has it, and I also know it had to be 'found' a few times. I don't think Pal Mickey will work unless there is an in person hand off.

If we can figure out person to person hand offs we need to decide how long we are going to keep the same Pal Mickey going.

 

[javaj]

First I agree with the idea of coordinating with the person before and after you.

Second, I don't think not having a "sitter" or someone to hand off to would be too big of a deal for Pal Mickey IF the next person is staying onsite and it isn't that far in advance. Since Mickey's much smaller than a stroller, can't it be left at the guest's hotel just as if it were mailed there? I know you can mail things to the hotel up to a certain number of days in advance of arrival, so I assume Pal Mickey could be dropped off with all proper info also?

Anyway, my dates were 5/31 to 6/6 but we'd only need Mickey 6/1 to 6/5, we'll be at CR, we can take hand off late 5/31, and we can hand off to the next person or drop off at a hotel late 6/5 or early 6/6.

Josette

 

[HaleyB]

I need to restate my concern over not having a sitter. The stroller WAS misplaced when left for someone with all the right info. Now it was also found, but the big difference here is that money is changing hands. If someone pays $10 to have Pal Mickey for 5 days and he gets misplaced, that person is going to be unhappy. That person might even feel like they should not have to pay for a Pal Mickey they did not even see. And who would be considered responsible in this case if he never showed up again? The last person to touch him... but that means you are accepting a risk if you don't personally hand him off. I just think it is only fair to people to make them aware of this risk. I would be much more comfortable if we could figure out a way to hand him person to person.

 

[Southern4sure]

Does Pal Mickey only work in the Magic Kingdom or all the parks. If its only MK, I dont need the full 6 days.....only 2. Can someone answer this for me?

Southern4sure

 

[Aisling]

Please put me in one of the "strands"...July 6 to 11!


I'll be glad to coordinate pick-up and drop-off with the Disers before and after me! This is a great idea! My kids will love it!

 

[poohbear8]

Southern4Sure,

Mickey works at all the parks. You have him facing forward when you enter a park and he vibrates. You push his hand and he will tell you where you are.

This is getting big....my suggestion would be for the first person to try and get this started. See if you can get 6 weeks worth of people after you. Then check dates and see if hand-offs will work.

I think the post about paying the previous user for days used makes sense. If you were to get stuck with it, you could always come back here and sell him, and that person could start up again.

Since I'm not heading back anytime soon (we were there in Jan.), I can't offer too much more. Good luck! I think this can work, if everyone agrees on how.

Peg

 

[mom2of2]

Hey All!
Stroller Swap originating coordinator here!!

WOW! You all have a great idea! I can tell you all that handeling the SS list was a tough job and after doing it for over a year I was glad to pass on the reins to the SS2.

It looks like most of you are willing to pay a handeling "fee" and that's great. The SS stroller was "donated" so we didn't have to deal with that.

My take on it all is this....feel free to disagree...
You should absolutely without a doubt make sure that the swaps are held in PERSON!!! Yes, PM is smaller then the stroller but the SS stroller was dark blue with LIME green ribbons all over the dang thing and it STILL got lost in baggage areas!!! DISers would take 2 steps into the baggage claim and they woud find it when CM's couldn't for DAYS on end.
Sitters or Mickey watchers are doing the PMS (Pal Mickey Swap) as a favor to all the users and should be treated as such. Meaning they shouldn't have to drive to do a drop off or a pick up...meet somewhere agreeable is good but they are already going the extra mile. Also them paying to help the PMS....that is your coordinator's call.
When you do decide if this is a go or not, contact BethR who is a mod here and ask her to make you "Important" so that your thread can remain at the top and not have to be bumped or hunted for.
I don't want to offend anyone by offering any more unsolicited advice but if you need any other suggestions or help please feel free to PM me.
mom2of2

 

[KathleenFL]

I second that advice from Mom2of2 --- to hand off Pal Mickey in person, whenever possible......And if you can't, you will need to get a luggage tag number from the CM if you have to leave it at a WDW resort........I once spent 2 days on the phone with CMs, trying to locate the stroller at the All Stars --- Plus the phone calls to/from DM Rick (Those were the fun part!)......... So I'm speaking from hard-won experience.....

This sounds like such a great idea -- I hope it works out!

Just a thought: Does anyone know a CM, to find out how they clean the rental Pal Mickeys??

 

[tigger12jb]

I have been following and reading this entire thread not posting unil there were more people towards my dates. We don't go until Feb 2005 but there is a cast member named Tyler that works at Pop Century he is the creator of the FAQ pop thread
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=475933&highlight=+pop++century++faq
would he be able to answer the questions about how they get cleaned?

 

[AdventurerKat]

Josette, I would have Pal Mickey til the 31st and our flight leaves late afternoon so I am not sure how late you would need him to be given to you.


Also, I do not have to have him our entire stay of 5/26 to 5/31, just a couple of days would be fine so if someone else would want him at the beginning or end of that, that's fine with me.

 

[Southern4sure]

The month of July -

1 - 17 -
2 - 18 -
3 - 19 -
4 - 20 -
5 - 21 - Southern4sure (P)
6 - 22 - Southern4sure (P)
7 - 23 - Southern4sure (P)
8 - 24 -
9 - 25 -
10 - 26 -
11 - 27 -
12 - 28 -
13 - 29 -
14 - 30 -
15 - 31 -
16 -

I believe we should set it at $2.00 per day and send our $ in advance to the appointed collector of each month so PM can be purchased at WDW. Dates would be penciled in and remain open until $ is received by the appointed collector who would also keep track of names, dates and etc. for that month only. I'm willing to collect the money for July and send a money order to the first sitter who actually purchases PM. Money needs to be received within 10 days of penciling in and all money should be received at least 2 wks before the 1st of each month, for example, for July - $ has be collected by June 17th. We could go a further step and say US postal money orders only. Wouldn't have to worry about bounced checks. Feel free to pencil in your dates, and send me a PM with your dates so we can get the month of July all set and ready to go. We can pm each other to get further info to set up pick ups and drop offs. The (P) stands for penciled and will be removed once $ is received. Am I leaving anything out? Whew!!

At the end of the month, PM can be donated to a children's home, that way we all used PM and a needy child gets a part of WDW. It would be nice to collect PM at the end of each month, now till christmas and donate them at one time to one childrens home. Im involved in the childrens home here in Mobile, so I could collect them. If thats ok with everyone else.

Southern4sure

 

[DMRick]

Wouldn't it make more sense to save on shipping, to have the last person using him, donate him to a hospital children's ward in their town? It would help pass the day for some kids to be able to play the games. Of course, by then his batteries will prob be caput, and so will he..and I know our local hospital will not take used stuffed animals so that may be moot anyway!

I don't have young children, but I'm still having a problem getting pass a sick child drooling and chewing on Mickey and him not being able to be cleaned properly LOL. I have to tell you, while I think it's a cute idea, I just can't see passing on a stuffed animal from one child to another. I would never buy a used stuffed animal for one of my grands (I hardly think a wipe off with a disinfectant wipe will do the trick) for that very reason. Disney prob has a special way to take him apart and clean him before they rent him. I remember what the stroller looked like one of the times when I got it..and the cleaning I gave it (and I didn't have any kids using it). I personally don't think all people take care of items that aren't theirs..or even that are! Is someone going to tell the next person, if they brought their child to DW ill?

I also wonder what happens if he stops working when someone has just had him a short time and has lots of money invested in him before being paid by others..will the receipt be passed too? And in that case, shouldn't he be paid for in cash, so if he breaks while under warrenty, the person who has him can exchange him..if they even can?

Can this really (or do you really want it too) work? The more I read, the more I wonder......