[Reiko]

Has anyone else heard about the new "Pal Mickey" interactove toy coming out in April. I hear it will be available at the wdw resorts and certain locations at the parks. You can rent or purchase it...It is a talking Mickey Mouse that recommends theme park attractions, reminds you about parade and show times, shares stories, plays games and helps locate Disney characters in the parks!
Rent: $8 / day, +tax +refundable deposit
Purchase: $46.94 +tax
Wonder if it will be as cool for the kids as it sounds.
Anyone else have any info??

[mickey]

There is a post around here somewhere that I posted about a month ago. Just search for Pal Mickey. If you are a DVC member, you will get a one day free rental starting in May.

[mickey]

Here is the link:

Pal Mickey

[Angie]

reiko,
I have the same info but now I'm wondering where I saw it? was it on deb's site? this is bugging me:madmad Anyway, I think until someone uses it, that's all we will know. It sounds neat but I don't know about renting it. I mean, I'm sure they would never ever pass the toy from kid to kid without dousing it in triple disinfectant lol but it seems like a germ incubator to me. If someone said it was really great, we might buy it but then, why do I need to know what time the parade is when I get home?
I am excited to hear about people trying it out.
Angie

[Angie]

When I posted, I didn't see Mickey's posts but after reading them, now I know where I saw the info. It was on some promo material that was sent to me re: dvc. (I'm not in the market to buy in right now but just wanted to know exactly how it worked)
thanks
angie

[BDavis932]

Originally posted by Angie
I don't know about renting it. I mean, I'm sure they would never ever pass the toy from kid to kid without dousing it in triple disinfectant lol but it seems like a germ incubator to me. Angie

I posted this on the other thread going, as well, but the idea of a stuffed animal seems weird to me. Within days it will be filthy. Unless they can just take the information chip out and put it in another one and somehow launder them, I don't see how they will last very long. After one Mickey shaped ice cream bar and my daughter, Pal-Mickey would be a mess!

[rlander]

I FOUND THIS ARTICLE ON THE NET:
Picture a young girl walking with her family near the Tree of Life Garden at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Suddenly, the Mickey Mouse plush toy she’s holding vibrates and giggles, indicating that he has something to say.

When the girl presses Mickey’s hand or stomach, he says, “Now somewhere around here is a secret trail with lots of swell animals. That’s where the capybara lives! Supposedly, he’s related to the mouse. Hmm... I wonder if he’s related to Minnie Mouse or Mickey Mouse... Ha ha! Aw, gosh, let’s see if we can find him. Wanna?”

Clutching her toy tighter, the girl spots the trail and leads her family toward a new adventure.

This experience will come to life in unique ways at all four Walt Disney World theme parks when Pal Mickey, a new type of theme park entertainment, becomes available in resorts in April and in the theme parks in early May.

“Pal Mickey brings a whole new level of personalization to our theme park experience in that he will give guests — kids in particular — a greater interaction with our characters,” said (the) vice president of Operations Strategy and Technology. “Usually, you see Disney characters in shows and parades or waiting for autographs. Now you can have Mickey himself talking to you as you travel through our parks.”

The 10-and-a-half-inch-tall Pal Mickey delivers hundreds of messages, from show details to Disney trivia to attraction height
requirements, in all four theme parks, focusing on the unique aspects of each park.

Pal Mickey will relive stories at the Magic Kingdom Park, share travel tips and fun facts during a world tour at Epcot, be a star-struck Hollywood insider at the Disney-MGM Studios and play up the feeling of adventure while sharing safari secrets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

“Pal Mickey extends the individual stories of the things you’ll see,” said (a) senior show producer and executive director for Walt Disney Imagineering. “He has a much broader emotional range — happiness, anger, fear, excitement, nervousness — and real attitude like the way he appeared in the old cartoons. For instance, when you’re near Kali River Rapids at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and you can hear the background sounds of logging chainsaws, Mickey gets angry about the destruction of the natural
environment.”

Pal Mickey also tells jokes and plays games when guests press his hand or stomach, whether they’re in the theme parks or at home.

“Our goal was to make Pal Mickey feel like a member of the guest’s family,” said (a) lead interactive designer for WDI.

Guests will have the opportunity to rent Pal Mickey for $8 a day (including tax) with a $50 credit card deposit. If the guests decide later to take Pal Mickey home, the $50 deposit will be deducted from their credit card. Guests who know in advance that they’ll want to take Pal Mickey home may buy one for $50 (including tax) instead of renting one and paying a deposit.

(The) Product Development Vice President said Pal Mickey will build memorable Cast and guest experiences. “This little guy ... will create great conversations between our Cast and guests,” (she) said. “These interactions will turn into great experiences that guests can remember by taking him home.”

[spike]

Sounds like I will be budgeting an extra 50 bucks for our next trip.

[BDavis932]

That sounds really cool!

I still don't think they will hold up with the rental thing....

but I do think it's a neat idea for purchase. I hope to talk hubby in to it!!

[goofygal1975]

I plan on buying one as well. It's something different for people who go so many times a year to WDW. How can we pass that up. I'm going up for just a day at the end of May to activate my AP's, so I want to check one out that day!!