The View from Scopa Towers

I kept telling myself to put together a mailbag blog entry and kept forgetting but forget no more. Here is the first of what I hope are many opportunities for me to share with all of you some of the letters I receive from time to time. I’d like to share them all with you and it was most difficult choosing which to share…perhaps that’s what has taken me so long to getting around doing a mailbag blog entry.

Anyway, here are some I hope you will enjoy.

Surprise! Surprise

From Jennifer:

Was catching up on your marathon posts, as I haven't had time to read your blog lately and imagine my surprise when I came across your picture of the people in the Soarin' queue guiding the bird through the forest. No, it wasn't me, but my brother! He's the one in the gray Illinois State t-shirt. He was visiting Epcot that day by himself, the only free day he had while attending an Army National Guard conference at a nearby resort.

Thanks for making him just a little bit more famous and for giving me a good laugh for the day :)

Jennifer

LOL...thanks Jennifer...here's the picture Jennifer speaks of.

There’s a Reason for Everything

From Leslie:

Dear Mike,

Leslie Mack

Leslie the only regret I have after reading this note from you is that I did not get a chance to see you at the race and give you a hug for your tremendous attitude and effort. You are an inspriation to us all.

Perseverance Pays Off!

From Janelle:

Congratulations on the Race, Mike!

Janelle

Janelle...I think that certain "something" that came over you at the Expo was your confidence in yourself to do this. Nice job.

Congrats to Claudia!

From Claudia:

Hey Mike,

Claudia (in UK)

Way to go Claudia. Thank you for the kind words and sharing your experience.

My American Cousin

From Joan:

I have just read your article about the American Adventure. I too love the attraction. I visit Disneyworld at least once a year. The reason I'm writing to you is because my cousin posed for the father in the "two brothers" segment.

Joan Neumann

Author’s Note” Unfortunately Joan’s cousin passed away a few years ago but here is a photo of her cousin standing next to his animatronics counterpart.

Disney Magic!

From Nicole:

Reading Mike Scopa's article "The Unheralded Treasures of Walt Disney World" spoke of Streetmosphere at Disney Hollywood Studios. One of my favorite memories of my dad comes from a trip I took with my family when I was 10 (over 15 years ago).

My mom and I were talking a few steps behind my dad when a mime walked next to him and took his hand. Thinking it was my mom he started a conversation but got no response. When he finally looked at his "wife" he was shocked to see the mime and even jumped a little while my mom and I were laughing.

Nicole

Vacations serve many purposes Nicole and one purpose is to make memories. thanks for sharing.

Special Moments

From Holly:

I just read the "Unheralded Treasures" article. What a great term. We all have had those special moments which is what keeps us coming back. The article reminded me of our Unheralded Treasure.

Holly

Y'know Holly, I know there is an undiscovered unheralded treasure waiting for everyone on every trip....one reason why we keep going back.

The Little Things

From Sally:

My absolute favorite unheralded treasure is hearing the lovely French music that plays on the lower path of the walkway between the resorts around Crescent Lake and the International Gateway.

Sally

Yes Sally it's the little things or as we see in the next letter from Virginal...it's the details.

Here's a picture I took from International Gateway one morning before WS opened...that's the bridge to France.

Don’t Forget the Details

From Virginia:

Reading your article in All Ears Newsletter made me think those are the special things about Disney that cause us to make the trek several times a year, the thing that most people don't understand. I want to add one to your list.

Virginia Pierce

Virginia, thanks for reminding me about some of the Magic on Main Street USA.

Thanks to everyone who took the time and effort to drop me a note. I appreciate feedback and any thoughts you may want to toss my way.

2009 Marathon Weekend Alert

For those of you who are planning to participate in any of the races during the 2009 Disney Marathon Weekend I encourage you to register ASAP with special emphasis to those planning to do the very popular Walt Disney World Half-Marathon.

That race is at least 85% full.

Go to the Walt Disney World Half-Marathon Registration Page to register.

Mike's Mailbag

Before they get lost in the shuffle let me share some recently received emails.

Most of them touch upon my recent discussion on Disney Withdrawal and Disney Saturation:

First up, Heidi Potenza:

It has been 1 whole month since we got back from our trip to Disney. Mike's blog brought a smile to my face because we too have had this very discussion about "too much of a good thing." We started out visiting WDW every couple years when we could afford to. We have now made it an annual pilgrimage with our kids who truly look forward to it as much as we do!

Heidi

Thanks for the email Heidi. My tears usually appear on the last night of a trip when I’m leaving Magic Kingdom. Once I hit the Emporium area I cannot turn back to look at the castle.

From Jon Simon:

I fully comprehend what Mike refers to as saturation. I would rather use a different term, because I think saturation equals a lack of appreciation.

Jon

Thanks for the note Jon. I had a great time chatting with your son Ben. The only thing better would have been if you were there to take part in the conversation.

We called you from the top of the hill in the picture below...right near International Gateway.

From Philip DeLuccia (who I happen to know just celebrated a birthday…Happy Birthday Phil)

Mike, I just finished reading your blog about Saturation Point. My family and I have been down there every other year since 1994, but recently my wife and I are trying to go once a year. We find ourselves visiting the newest attractions (or recently upgraded), then we take in our favorites as time permits. We've also tried out of the ordinary outings like renting a boat from Old Key West and traveling along the waterways to The Marketplace, Port Orleans, and back. We've also tried Para-sailing behind The Contemporary and are planning on going to Discovery Cove this coming January 2009 (weather permitting).

I have to say that just being in the parks gives me a feeling of fulfillment and pleasure, whether I get on an attraction or not. Evelyn (my wife) is looking forward to upcoming races and I look forward just to be in The World. We experienced Mickey's Not so Scary this past October as well as the Tower of Terror 13K (if you remember, Evelyn and I chatted with you while waiting for the beginning of the race). I'm going to pick up Annual Passes for the two of us, since we'll be going down this coming October for 5 days, 10 days in January, and another 5 days in October 2009. I figured Oct 2009 would be at the beginning of the month, so Evelyn can run the Race for the Taste. I enjoyed talking to you this past October, and, after reading your blogs and listening to your opinions on the podcasts, I find that we have much in common. I totally agree with you regarding not letting my children roam around a Theme park by themselves. I don't care if it's WDW or not, I trust my children, but I don't trust everyone else. Our children are our most valuable possessions and I know I'd die if anything happened to mine. Hopefully we'll get to chat again while in Florida (maybe Jan 2009). Until then, I'll keep reading your blogs and listening to your podcast.

Phil DeLuccia

Phil is referring to a recent discussion on the WDWTODAY podcast in which the panelists debated on whether or not they would allow a thirteen year old and his eight year old brother to roam in the Magic Kingdom while the parents enjoyed a quiet meal at California Grill.

By the way Phil, my wife and I and two of our cast member friends spent one afternoon on a boat and went to see Old Key West. Here is what it looked like as we arrived at OKW.

From Jenny:

I found your blog on saturation to be extremely true. Walt Disney World definitely means many different things to everyone. Like your early years, we can only manage family trips every other year and are working towards our biggest one yet and the anticipation and planning are only part of the fun. We have celebrated all (honeymoon, birthdays, Christmas, New Years, & soon anniversary) at the World and the saturation has not yet set in and I hope that it never does. For us, it truly is THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!

Your Blog is great, keep it up!!

Thank you for the kind words Jenny. I think annual trips work well for most folks because of the excitement of planning and anticipation of every trip and more importantly, annual trips keep everything fresh and that saturation point well off the radar.

Here’s a note from a fellow AllEars colleague

From Glo
Mike,

Glo

Glo, your note triggered a thought. I have another friend who moved from Michigan to Florida and he lives about an hour from WDW. I’m not sure where he is on the saturation scale but one of the things he said his family misses is the resort atmosphere. There is no need for them to stay at the resorts and that, he said, is part of the whole WDW experience....

...and I'm with you all the way on the fireworks! Have you ever watched Wishes from the California Grill?

From a fellow Red Sox fan

From Kathleen:
Dear Mike:

Kathleen

Thanks Kathleen. Everyone needs to see the new Spaceship Earth for themselves. There have been some amazing improvements to this attraction. I somehow get the feeling however that there is still more to do.

Go Sox!

Here’s one from a New England neighbor Virginia Pierce

Being a fellow New Englander from RI, I must start off by saying "Go Sox!"

Thanks for reliving the magic,
Virginia Pierce

Virginia I am so glad you sent me that email because it points out how rushing around a theme park prevents some guests from noticing the details that go into the design and development of each area of the theme parks. Once you noticed these details you develop a deeper appreciation for what Walt Disney World offers its guests. I’m always discovering these subtle touches.

I discovered something last Summer while riding the steamboat at Magic Kingdom. Have you ever noticed this dog watching this fish jump out of the water?

From Jennifer

Awesome blog post! What great observations! I love your point that although you don't take in as many attractions, you enjoy the atmosphere and just being there without the stress!

A short but very insightful email from Jennifer. I hope everyone sees Jennifer’s point here. A trip to WDW is supposed to relieve stress not add to it and sometimes you have to relax and not worry about making every attraction you can on every day of your trip.

From Nikki

Mike,

Nikki

Very interesting comments Nikki…although the theme park excitement isn’t there for you anymore there is still something that keeps bringing you back to WDW. This is yet another testimony that there is something for everyone at Walt Disney World....like...

From Shea:

Mike I could not agree with you more. My wife and I go to Disney about 1 X a month. We live in West Palm Beach. Since the new dog has arrived we have not been there since December. We go at the end of March for the day.

Shea

Shea, I love people watching. I could sit on a bench all day and watch guests walk by. I play a game and try to identify those guests who I feel are first time visitors and for those who are WDW veterans. I mostly enjoy watching the children. For those who know me you obviously realize that I can never get enough of Le Cellier.

Finally, from George, a note regarding the WDW Marathon weekend:

Mike,

George

Well George, obviously the best thing to do is to consult with your doctor before deciding whether or not you could participate in the half-marathon.

Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another.

Consult with your doctor to discuss what your limitations are rather than risk more damage to your knee. You never know, there could be some therapy available to help you.

There are quite a few people who love volunterring for Marathon Weekend. You should find information on how to volunteer by going to the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Home Page as we get closer to the event.

Thanks to everyone for sending their thoughts along and sharing them with me and everyone else.

This is a special mailbag edition of “The View from Scopa Towers” in which Michelle Scribner-MacLean I answer some of the many emails we received regarding our “No Kidding Around” blogs.

To refresh your memory, here are the links to Part 1 and Part 2.

Following each letter you’ll first find Michelle’s comments, followed by my comments.

Many readers supported the idea of having a trip to WDW enhance their educational experiences.

Karen’s daughter integrated her study of Germany with her trip:

“We ate lunch at the Biergarten and interviewed cast members about their home country and gathered info from the menus, shops any anything else we could find. She also needed audio-visual aids, so we bought a t-shirt with the German flag on it and some cookies made in Germany. (She wore the t-shirt and passed out cookies to the class) We also picked up an EPCOT guide map (written) in German to use in her presentation.”

Michelle’s comments:

While the idea of turning your vacation into an extended field trip may not appeal to everyone, Karen and her family clearly sought out the details that make each of the countries at EPCOT so interesting. The food and the ambiance were designed to entertain, but also to teach visitors about the countries. Karen made the most of her child’s out-of-school experience by doing some preplanning.

Mike’s comments:

I think that regardless of where you travel it will and should result in somewhat of an educational experience. WDW is no exception. The term “edutainment” was coined to describe what EPCOT has to offer…but I think it is also suitable for all the theme parks. There are some things you just cannot teach in the classroom.

Several teachers jumped on-board and had their say. Larry, who is from a family of teachers, speaks for many educators wrote:

“…we suggest a temporary tutor or relative who can catch up the child. If they do take the work with them, and complete it and come back with a question, that’s great--we'll help. But many, many vacationing kids who take the work with them do NOT even start it, much less complete it. We gladly work with kids after school that have been out due to illness or other legitimate (approved/excused) reason. Even though we are tremendous Disney fans, we don't approve of leaving school for a trip.”

Michelle’s comments:

Larry makes an important point. If you’re planning on taking your children out of school, it is a good idea to contact the teacher to find out what work needs to be completed or made-up, but parents need to follow through. Missing school to go to WDW doesn’t mean that the work missed disappears. Making up the work might be considered “part of the deal” – and parents should hold up their part of the bargain by ensuring work that their child missed is turned in.

Mike’s comment:

Let’s face it, life is a partnership and early on our partners are our parents. If these partners don’t pull their weight then there will be consequences. I think the most discouraging aspect of this is that these parents miss out on teaching their kids a lesson on responsibility and also unfortunately are making a comment to their children that perhaps school is not that important.

A cadre of parents wrote to express their appreciation for teachers who were supportive and accommodating teachers. They felt that many educators supported their decision to take their children out school to go to WDW.

Reader Stacey agreed, saying, “Many teachers are more than willing to work with you so that you can take a nice family vacation and also make it a learning experience.”

Michelle’s comments:

Trying to find quality family time is something with which many parents struggle. Some parents supported the idea of taking children out of school because they have work schedules that do not mesh with school vacations, while others believe that taking their kids out of school to go to WDW only enhanced their family experience.

Mike’s comments:

It’s that partnership thing again….the child-parent-teacher partnership can make this a wonderful experience and in today’s society everyone’s schedule is just plain nuts. I know when my children were young there were piano lessons, singing lessons, dance lessons, baseball, soccer, basketball, and oh yes I was playing softball and coaching so rarely were those family days. When we went to WDW it was for two weeks at a time…the best two weeks of the year because we did everything together….priceless….but those two weeks were during the summer when our schedules were open.

Here are some other comments:

Pat mentioned that she and her family decided that taking kids out of school worked better when they were younger, but not as they grew older. She goes on to say, “…family time is an extremely rare commodity these days. The times we spent at Disney World are great memories for our family just spending together. We now have two college graduates, so I guess our Disney Trips did nothing to hurt their academic progress.”

Deb believed that her experience with her granddaughter was worth the missed school time:
“Her wonderful experience with us, at Disney, far outweighed any loss from being in school during that week. She still talks about her experiences every single time we get together. Life is about the memories we create with our loved ones.”

Finally, reader Marguerite broke Mike’s heart by asking…
“What exactly is a "Dole Whip?”

Michelle’s final thoughts on the topic (for now):

Regardless of whether or not parents decide to take their students out of school, planning a trip to WDW should be a team effort. Parents, children, and teachers should discuss the pros and cons of missing school, how feasible it will be to make up work, and weigh the benefits of a trip to WDW against the potential difficulties of making up school work. There’s no right or wrong here – every family has to make the decision that is best for them.

Mike’s final thoughts on the topic (for now):

The only right answer here is what is most appropriate for the individual child. Some children will thrive with an opportunity to enhance his/her education outside the classroom. A WDW vacation will do so. Others may struggle and face “catch up” on the return.

What is important here is that any decision should not be made in a vacuum but after some discussion among parent, teacher, and child. Remember, the focus should be on the child and a WDW vacation that requires taking the child out of school, if done right, will return many dividends.

We have received so many emails on this topic that it became very difficult to determine which ones to include in the mailbag; each and every email was worthy. We felt it best to include those which most exemplify the majority of opinions expressed.

We thank those of you who took the time to write and send your thoughts on this subject.

Michelle & Mike