MOUSEFEST NEWSLETTER

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Feature Article: What is MouseFest and Why Do I Participate?
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by Denise Duggan, Founder of ScoutingWithTheMouse.com


There's a cool breeze blowing in the air again. Yes, even those of us down here in Florida can feel it now and again. That breeze means a lot of things to a lot of people -- the end of long summer days, the start of school, maybe time to start looking at the tires and see if they'll get through another winter of snow chains (okay, well, not here in Florida). But to me cool weather means another thing. That cool breeze reminds me that December is getting closer, which can only mean one thing. No, not Santa Claus -- something even better ... Walt Disney World with less crowds! Even though my non-Disney-addicted friends don't "get it" (and think I'm absolutely nuts), I'll never get enough of Walt Disney World. There's just something about the magic of the place that keeps drawing me back time and time again and makes me feel like I'm home. And after last year that cool breeze means something else too. MouseFest is coming! MouseFest is coming!

Last year was my first year at MouseFest. I was going to Disney in December because that's the time I've always tried to go. Hey, what's the use of living in Florida if you can't hit the Happiest Place On Earth when they're not trying to make a gazillion people happy all at the same time. As I researched my trip, I heard about this fan meet called MouseFest and decided that I'd stop by a few of the meets and give them a try since they sounded kind of interesting. That, as they say, was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

I'm of an age where I'm still sort of "gee whiz" over the Internet. No, I'm not going to say exactly how old I am. I don't mind getting older (beats the alternative) but a lady still doesn't tell her age. However, I will say that when I was a child, we had three stations on a television you had to get up out of your chair to turn the channel on. For me to call my mother at the office was a long distance telephone call -- and on a rotary phone no less! Now with the advent of the Internet, I can chat with folks from all around the world in chat rooms and on forums. That still amazes me. And I do it. Often. Probably more often than I should. In fact, don't tell my boss that I'm in a Disney related chat room all day. Okay?

Even though it's cool to be talking to folks from all around the world, I'm still old fashioned enough to want to know what folks sound like. Or if it's a podcast I listen to (another incredible invention -- radio shows on demand!), to know what they look like. So when I saw the list of people and communities that were going to be at MouseFest 2006 that was yet another reason to check it out. So, come December, 'twas off to MouseFest I went. Yes, I got to see the celebrities that I listen to on podcasts and that was cool. And yes, I met some of the people that I've been chatting with online and that was cool. But even more than that I met tons of people that I never would have known were out there. And everyone was so very nice and welcoming. Being a MouseFest newbie I didn't have a clue how the meets worked or what was going on. Everyone was so nice and kind and helpful and wonderful and very soon I felt just like I was with family. In fact, one of the things that I was able to tell people about MouseFest attendees was that I really experienced the Disney Difference in everyone I interacted with!

Another thing I enjoyed about MouseFest and the Mega Mouse Meet in particular was learning just how many Disney communities there are out there. I'm a web surfer as opposed to a web user. I don't just go to a few specific sites but am constantly looking for new places to be. However, even that and the links I've seen would never have led me to know how many Disney sites there are out there. I figured that out fast at the Mega Mouse Meet. I'm still amazed at the number of people in the room and the number of tables that were set up with Disney paraphernalia, books, and all kinds of other Disney related stuff. Forget Willy Wonka's factory -- this was heaven!!! And I learned that no matter what aspect of Disney excites you, there's someone out there that shares your love.

So now here comes MouseFest 2007. And once again I get to share the fun with other folks that "get it." There's no way my co-workers or my family would understand me getting antsy and wanting Spaceship Earth to stop right there where Rome is burning and there's that smell (oh, that smell!) because that's the slot I picked on the Spaceship Earth roulette meet. Nor would they understand me traipsing around through Epcot and off to the Beach Club and Yacht Club looking for Hidden Mickeys when I could actually be riding something. They'd never understand the joy of seeing someone try the infamous "Beverly" for the first time or why I'd "waste" time talking about how to take good pictures of a flower when the castle in the background isn't even in focus. Especially when I already have seventy million pictures of the castle from every angle. They'd never opt to forego Space Mountain for a bit so we could sit in an out-of-the-way spot playing a trivia game with dozens of other folks. Or why I'd stay to see who won even after I was eliminated. Alas, my family and friends just don't get it. The folks at MouseFest "get" all of these obsessions. They enjoy them just as much as I do and we have a great time together indulging in our great passion. That's why I'll keep coming to MouseFest every year from now on. And that's why that cool fall breeze reminds me that I'll soon be back home amongst "my people." Because MouseFest is coming! MouseFest is coming!!

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