Pal Mickey?

[jflatto]

Has anyone bought the Pal Mickey toys/gadgets (the plush Mickey Mouse that knows where you are in the parks and tells you facts, etc.)? They sound like they could be a lot of fun and neat to have, but wanted to get some 'reviews' from those of you that might have bought/used them in the past.

We were thinking of getting them for the kids, but I have a feeling that if we do, DW and I are going to be the ones that ends up carrying them most of the time. So just want to know if they're worth it (and how big they are).

Thanks - Jerry

[7swans]

We enjoyed ours, we bought him a couple of outfits and took turns carrying him.
I would recommend only buying one & taking turns though. In my mind buying more than one would be a real waste of $. He is diverting, but in a limited way.

[harmrose22]

How much is a Pal Mickey running? How old are your kids?

We thought about buying one last May but DS was only 2 and we thought he would not get enough out of it yet. He picked out a stuffed Mickey dressed as a Pirate the first day we were there and still sleeps with it a year later. We were thinking about it again for this September as my MIL and FIL might like it but not sure about DS.

[vwl mom]

The first time we had a Pal Mickey my kids were 8, 10 and 12 and I did get stuck carrying him a little more than I would have liked. The kids missed much of the content when I was carrying him because he's not very loud. (What he really needs is button to get him to repeat what he just said for those who didn't catch it the first time :headscrat) The next year, DS who is the oldest and a true Disney fan, carried him (same Mickey from previous trip but with fresh batteries) and really enjoyed it. He shared tidbits he thought were useful and let the girls sing along or play a game while we were waiting in lines, etc. but it was mostly his deal. Having gotten more than one trip out of it made it more worthwhile to me - we even bought him a new pirate outfit last time - and I know that each in their own way all three kids liked having him around. :goodvibes

[Kynna]

The first time we had a Pal Mickey my kids were 8, 10 and 12 and I did get stuck carrying him a little more than I would have liked. The kids missed much of the content when I was carrying him because he's not very loud. (What he really needs is button to get him to repeat what he just said for those who didn't catch it the first time :headscrat)

We have a blast with ours but it could be louder. We got our in this past Christmas and if you miss what he says you can squeeze his tummy and he repeats. We end up pushing it once per person in the louder areas of the park. I wouldn' t think you would need more thgan one since he says the same thing unless your kids are really competative. He fits in the backpack just fine so he isn't much of a burden to carry. The games really helped out while waiting in long lines.

[jramals]

We just got him. He was $65 and Mom had the most fun with him. The kids liked him, but I enjoyed his corny jokes more than they did. I thought it was a lot to spend, but for me he was worth the money. We didn't have many lines, but I'd push his tummy and we'd play a game or do trivia if we were waiting. I think the next trip the kids will get into him more.

[JimP]

I am a minimalist while in WDW... so having a Pal Mickey would drive me crazy because it is about 1000X larger than anything I want to carry.

I lock up my wallet, and simply carry my room key, drivers license, one credit card, and my AP. Because I am a geek... I always carry my Blackberry. I refuse to carry my wifes tiny ELPH camera because I don't want the extra bulk. If she wants pics... she can carry it.

/Jim

[jflatto]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think we will get a couple. Although expensive, our kids just turned 6, so we should be able to use him for quite a few trips in the future as well, based on the feedback.

And yes, we will get two. With twins who are very conscious of who has what, just having one and mkaing them share would likely make for quite a few arguements and lots of pouting. Don't get me wrong - they can be very good at sharing, and we do force it a lot, but on a trip where they (and we!) are supposed to be having lots of fun, I think it makes more sense to not even set up that situation. Plus, if there are outfits for it, I'm sure they'll want different ones (they're boy/girl twins.....)

We're leaving Wednesday - can't wait!

[Mary]

If you buy 2 it is that much more that you will end up carrying. I also carry a bare minimum. He does have some kind of a clip that hooks on something (my husband always ends up carrying him) We bought 1 when it first came out--the jokes are cute. We forgot to bring him in April and we missed him so I guess he is worth it. Mary

[jflatto]

Well - we'd like to carry a bare minimum, but with 2 6-year-olds, that is different than without. DS especially is kind of wimpy with heat, so we figure we need to have water (and probably snacks) in case we're in a line and he gets thirsty/hungry. So we'll have a backpack with us for those kinds of supplies. If the Mickey's can hook on, then they can probably get hooked on to the outside of the backpack somehow.

[jessykah77]

We bought one for our daughter, she was 7 at the time of our first trip, it came with a lanyard and he clipped onto the end of it, she was pretty good about wearing him herself and it really made her feel special to tell us little tidbits we weren't aware of our a funny joke. We're going again in October and she's already made sure she knows exactly where her Mickey is because she wants to take him again. Our two year old has a stuffed Mickey and is just fine with that and we can toss it in the stroller if he's tired of it.

[JimP]

Our two year old has a stuffed Mickey and is just fine with that and we can toss it in the stroller if he's tired of it.

We never went to WDW until the youngest was 3... so we never used a stroller. I look at people manhandling strollers on/off the bus and I wonder if it is worth it.

Given that we own DVC now... I suspect we will have to deal with strollers some day if we have grandkids. Hopefully they will be walking soon enough to minimize their use!

/Jim

[tinkerbella's mom]

We bought 2 last yr. Kids were 5 and 3, very concious of who got what. My MIL had given them $$ to spend at Disney and they chose that. Since we still used a stroller carrying him was not an issue, he is not to big or to heavy. DD did a great job of not letting hers go, and I ended up clipping my son's mickey to the strap of my small swing pack. Just don't drop him the nose is a hard plastic that I think encases the chip that allows him to give you park updates. All in all IMHP worth the money.

[jramals]

We never went to WDW until the youngest was 3... so we never used a stroller. I look at people manhandling strollers on/off the bus and I wonder if it is worth it.

Given that we own DVC now... I suspect we will have to deal with strollers some day if we have grandkids. Hopefully they will be walking soon enough to minimize their use!


Sorry! Made me :hahahaha: Our oldest is 5 and we used a sit and stand when we were just there. We did do walks and tried to build up their stamina before the trip, but the stroller was essential. They both used it although they preferred the standing area and little bench seat. There is no way @ 3 either of my children would have lasted long and boy would we have moved slow without a stoller. But I also don't travel light.

We had water, juice boxes, snacks, diapers, wipes, extra shirts, 2 cameras, extra batteries for the cameras, Mickey, Goofy, Chip, Dale, Mickey, Pal Mickey, sun screen, small first aid kit, hats, autograph books, sharpie pens, photopass cards, money, CC, room keys, sweatshirts, if in the evening. Hmm- I think that's it. LOL! & Yes, I was happy we had all those items on more than one occasion. Well, probably could have lived w/out all the stuffed animals, but it saved many fights about Pal Mickey and many fights about him.

Now that I think about it, the first day we didn't have the stroller @ EPCOT and it was hard. I carried a backpack and my husband carried my daughter and we would switch. That was way more difficult and HOT than dealing with the stroller on the bus.

[JimP]

We had water, juice boxes, snacks, diapers, wipes, extra shirts, 2 cameras, extra batteries for the cameras, Mickey, Goofy, Chip, Dale, Mickey, Pal Mickey, sun screen, small first aid kit, hats, autograph books, sharpie pens, photopass cards, money, CC, room keys, sweatshirts, if in the evening. Hmm- I think that's it. LOL! & Yes, I was happy we had all those items on more than one occasion. Well, probably could have lived w/out all the stuffed animals, but it saved many fights about Pal Mickey and many fights about him.

LOL... I think we need a new thread on strollers. To me... this sounds like a vacation from hell. I get distressed because my AP cannot be put onto my room key... forcing me to carry an extra card! :)

/Jim

[tinkerbella's mom]

LOL... I think we need a new thread on strollers. To me... this sounds like a vacation from hell. I get distressed because my AP cannot be put onto my room key... forcing me to carry an extra card! :)

/Jim

LOL. Jim I must confess that as DINK's I was the first to thell my husband " Why is that big kid still in a stroller make him/ her walk" After all in my professional opinion as CPNP they are developmentally capable of walking!!!... Ha eat my words I must. Last Sept. my kids were 5, and 3, without that stroller it would have taken a week to walk through MK at their snail pace. Not to mention that it must be the only place on earth were they are suddenly tired and cant'walk anymore. Oh it also comes in handy as they pass out before 8 pm and need to be pushed out the parks-- that without giving them any of Greenspan's magic kool aid.
Bea

[JimP]

I started a new thread for strollers... so we can let this one revert back to Pal Mickey's.

/Jim