MOUSEFEST NEWSLETTER
News, Announcements, and Fun
August 30, 2007 * Issue 1
Visit us at http://www.MouseFest.org
MouseFest By Sea – 12/2/07- 4-nights from $539* pp
Book By 8/31/07 - Last
Call at these rates & save up to $210
Get up to $100 Gift Card, Private VIP Party & an entry
into a drawing to attend our “Sweets
in the Suite” event!
MouseFest By Land – 12/6/07
- 4-nights from $134*pp
Walt Disney World® Resort
Book & get IllumiNations: Reflections
of Earth
VIP Viewing & Dessert Party for 2- FREE!
Visit us at: www.MouseFanTravel.com
*Rates
per person, dbl occ, subject to avail. Savings include MEI discount
CST207807440-As to Disney artwork/properties:©Disney. Click for full details
==========================================
MouseFest Feature Article: MouseFest Through The Years
==========================================
by Jennifer Marx, MouseFest Cruise Co-Chair and Registrar
Imagine, if you will, several old friends huddled around a tiny table in a cozy little lounge. I was sitting on a spare chair pulled up to the table, which was barely large enough to hold the drinks and snacks we'd ordered. Among the many people present that day was my husband Dave Marx and my friend Deb Wills. We'd gathered to decompress as the annual RADP gathering was winding down. As we relaxed and chatted about the great time we'd had, another idea was forming. We imagined an event at which individuals from around the world and from many different Disney fan communities could gather and connect with one another - a "super" gathering. The date was Sunday, December 15, 2002. The place was the Crew's Cup Lounge at the Yacht & Beach Club. This was the day that the MouseFest idea was born.
More than four years have passed, and we've realized our dream through four MouseFest events. I have so many amazing and magical memories of MouseFest through the years.
Truth be told, I mostly remember the people of MouseFest - old friends, new friends, first-timers, fans, and my own family. MouseFest is like a big family reunion, with old family members to reconnect with and new family members to meet!
Each year MouseFest has seen more and more vacationers joining the fun. We've grown tremendously since our first MouseFest in 2003, and this year's MouseFest promises to be huge. So huge, in fact, that we're struggling to cover the costs our not-so-little gathering generates. So for the first time we're asking for a little help from our fellow MouseFest attendees through a small registration fee. Somehow I've landed the role of MouseFest Registrar (I blame my husband, er, the Chairman!) and I'll be getting us all registered in time for the big event. The great news is that with registration comes more cool stuff and more ways to make everyone's MouseFest experience a success! To learn more about registration, see the handy FAQ below.
So here's to MouseFest 2007 and all the magical memories we'll make together in December!
-----------------------------------------
MouseFest Registration FAQ
Q: Who should register for MouseFest?
A: Anyone planning to attend MouseFest should consider registering and supporting MouseFest. While registration is not required to attend MouseFest, your support is needed and greatly appreciated. The MouseFest organizers, sponsors, and community leaders have already registered and paid (or are planning to do so in the near future) and our hope is that you will also register.
Q: How do I register and how much is it?
A: All MouseFest attendees may register at http://www.mousefest.org/register/default.asp -- you'll find the full list of registration benefits (lots of cool stuff!) and the prices (sliding scale for larger families) at the above link. Please register as soon as possible, and no later than November 1 please.
Q: MouseFest has always been free. Why the change?
A: MouseFest started out small, which meant the event was "below the radar." For example, we were able to obtain inexpensive meeting space for Mega Mouse Meet. The number of MouseFest Pocket Guides (event listings) needed was small enough that Jennifer and Dave Marx could print them in their office and assemble them by hand.
When MouseFest was smaller, our participating communities, celebrities, and businesses could confidently pledge enough financial support to meet that relatively small budget. The organizations and individuals that financially support MouseFest believe strongly in "give back" - our community members, readers, listeners, and customers support us year-round, and MouseFest is one way we can support them in return.
Alas, MouseFest is now a "victim" of its own success. The amount of meeting space required for the Mega Mouse Meet is now such that it can't be had for anything close to cheap (the meeting space we need for this year costs well over $10,000). The number of MouseFest Pocket Guides is so great that printing and assembly has to be done by commercial print shops. It now costs thousands of dollars to produce enough program guides, MouseFest pins, and similar items to go around. The budget has grown beyond the ability of the participating sponsors to pay all the bills.
Walt Disney World (including the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin) does a huge business in groups, conventions, weddings, and meetings, so when an event gets as big as MouseFest has become, it's no longer possible to find free locations to assemble large numbers of people. As a number of other Disney fan groups have learned, despite the amounts spent individually by attendees on rooms, meals, and admission, it's only when organizations/gatherings become "visible" in their own right by paying for special events and meeting space that they get real cooperation from Disney for running those events. That's where MouseFest is at this point.
Q: Isn't sponsorship money enough to make ends meet?
A: We wish it could be. However, most of MouseFest's participating communities and celebrities are doing what they do as a labor of love, and they simply can't afford to pay the kind of sponsorship fees necessary to meet all the costs. Disney is a very popular destination for meetings, conventions, weddings, gatherings, etc., and Disney's prices, terms, and conditions for group services are, not surprisingly, quite stiff.
Interestingly, even the "big" commercial sponsors don't make enough money on MouseFest for them to pick up the remaining tab. For example, because there are so many different travel agencies associated with the many communities of MouseFest, no one agency can do enough business to justify a really large sponsorship.
Q: I'm already paying so much to come to Disney. I really can't afford anything more. What do I do?
A: We're all paying similar expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and admission, so we surely understand how difficult the budget can be. However, that doesn't change the fact that MouseFest is trying to exist in that same, very expensive environment, and that almost none of the money any of us spend with Disney comes back to support MouseFest.
We don't need much from each individual to help make MouseFest happen -- the price of a couple of trading pins; or of a movie ticket, popcorn, and a Coke. We hope, over the course of four nights at sea and/or six days at Walt Disney World, that MouseFest activities are worth at least that much to each attendee.
Q: What do I get for my money that I can't get for free?
A: We want to develop a situation where you get more MouseFest and more magic for every cent that you put into it. We've found many ways to return extra value in exchange for that extra expenditure -- it's not a matter of getting the same MouseFest at a higher price: The "Extra MouseFest Hour" including refreshments before the Mega Mouse Meet; the personalized nametags, MouseFest lanyards, and MouseFest collectible cloisonne pins so you can recognize fellow MouseFest participants; the convenience of receiving your copies of the MouseFest Program Guide (the Pocket Guide), nametags, and other registrations materials mailed to you weeks before MouseFest... all this is new. And, you get the satisfaction of knowing you've done your part to help ensure MouseFest's continued survival and success.
We know from reading the message boards and our private correspondence just how excited folks are about attending MouseFest, and just how many have rearranged their vacation schedules in order to be at Walt Disney World during MouseFest. If MouseFest is that much fun, if it's that compelling, isn't it worth just a little more to make it that much better?
Q: Will MouseFest keep getting more expensive?
A: That's up to you, and whether the majority of MouseFest attendees are willing to support these changes. Consider 2007 to be an experimental year. The success of this experiment determines MouseFest's future.
However, at no time will MouseFest become more "expensive." If we continue to ask participants to pay in future years, it will only be to provide greater benefits to the participants. You may pay more to MouseFest, but you will get full value (and hopefully, more) in return.
Q: What if this year's experiment doesn't work?
A: If we can't find enough folks to support this change, the likely result is that MouseFest will have to downsize in future years, as MouseFest's size is the single, biggest reason for these changes. We may have to eliminate or downsize the Mega Mouse Meet, as it costs far more than any other aspect of the event. Perhaps MouseFest won't be in a position to welcome every community, author, podcaster, blogger, etc. into the fold, because of the additional people they'd attract (but we surely hope it will never come to that).
Q: What if this year's experiment is successful?
A: If MouseFest receives enough support for these changes, it opens the door to new possibilities in future years - large group events like private parties at beloved attractions, or even in entire theme park lands; banquets with special guest speakers from Disney and/or character visits (all possible for a fee). Special tours and activities... Disney does all sorts of magic for large groups and many of us have watched jealously on the sidelines when it has happened for others. If MouseFest attendees would like this sort of thing and are willing to pay extra (similar to the way most of us pay for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party tickets) we can be the folks having those ultra-cool experiences.
Q: Would that mean the minimum cost for MouseFest would skyrocket?
A: No. We expect we will continue having a low basic participation rate, while the special events would be optional extras.
Q. What if I don't officially register for Mousefest? Does this mean I cannot attend some events?
A. Certainly not. The registration process this year allows attendees to help support the event and also gives the Mousefest organizers an opportunity to thank MouseFest supporters with added value to their Mousefest experience as mentioned above. You are not required to register to attend most MouseFest events. If you choose not to register, please note that we will be distributing a limited number of free MouseFest Pocket Guides during the event for un-registered attendees, but we will be unable to provide free MouseFest buttons.
Q: I want to support MouseFest. How do I register?
A: Registration is fast and easy. Go to http://www.mousefest.org/register/default.asp to get all the details and fill out our registration form. If you choose to have your information listed in our Who's Coming page online, it will appear immediately after registering!
Q: Can I pay my registration fee with a credit card? How about a check?
A: Yes, you will be given the option to use a credit/debit card or echeck (via PayPal) during the registration process. If you are unable to use PayPal, we can make alternate arrangements for payment -- please contact us for details.
Q: Can I pay for the registration of another person/family?
A: Yes, so long as you know their information. If you wish their registration materials (nametags, etc.) to be mailed to you, be sure to list your own address rather than theirs -- or simply add their information to your own when you do your registration. You can also register individuals or families and list their names and mailing address, but still pay with your own credit/debit card/bank account/PayPal account.
Q: I began the registration process and submitted my personal information, but stopped when I got to the PayPal page. What do I do now?
A: Please contact us so we can arrange for you to send your registration fee or cancel your registration.
Q: I see my information in the Who's Coming list, but I haven't yet actually paid for registration. Does this mean I'm registered?
A: This only means that we have your personal information in our database, but not yet your payment information. Please contact us so we can arrange for you to send your registration fee or cancel your registration. If we do not hear from you within seven (7) days, we will remove your information from the database.
Q: What happens if my information changes? Can I update it?
A: Yes. Please contact us before November 1 with your new information and we will make the updates for you. We can make some changes after November 1, but not all.
Q: What happens if need to add or remove people?
A: We can accommodate you in this, too! Please contact us before November 1 with your new information and we will make the updates for you and either send a refund or give you directions on sending in additional registration fees.
Q: If I register now but am unable to go to MouseFest, can I get my registration fee back?
A: Yes, so long as you contact us BEFORE we mail your personalized nametag, lanyard, pin, pocket guide, and other items. Ideally, you should contact us before November 1, 2007.
Q: Is there a cut-off date for registration?
A: In order to get your registration goodies mailed in advance, you must register before November 1, 2007. If you register after November 1, we MAY still be able to mail your items, but it will be decided on a case by case basis (depending on date and your location).
More questions? Please contact us and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!
==========================================
MouseFest 2007 Cruise News
==========================================
With 90 registered cruisers (so far!) and a great schedule of events, the fifth annual MouseFest cruise is shaping up to be a WONDERful time as always!
If you're sailing with us, please signup to receive the MouseFest Navigator, our daily schedule of events,
and to be part of one of the MouseFest Cruise's great traditions, the "Wonderful" Stateroom Door Decorating Contest.
Contest judges will be roaming the ship's halls to judge decorated doors on creativity, originality, and the ability
to work MouseFest into the decor (all doors must incorporate MouseFest in the design). You can sign up online at http://www.mousefest.org/cruisenewssignup.asp .
Our group of hearty cruisers will undoubtedly make a big splash at Pirates in the Caribbean Night, too
(even if we're not forced to walk the plank).
We had tables full of be-costumed buccaneers last year, so don't leave your bandanas, eye patches, and bucklers behind! Yo ho!
There's just so much to do! You'll find a full listing of MouseFest Cruise events at:
http://www.mousefest.org/cruiseevents2007.asp
MouseFest Newsletter is only sent to those who have subscribed at http://www.mousefest.org
If this newsletter was forwarded to you by a thoughtful friend, please join us! You can subscribe at: http://www.mousefest.org
Copyright (c) 2007 - MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter Travel Press