Happiest Blog on Earth - Post-Vacation Blues

Well, our vacation was, in a word…awesome! Joyce and I had such a great time on our two week vacation that it made coming back to work most difficult. Oh I know what you’re going to say: “If it weren’t for work, vacation wouldn’t mean as much”. Ah…yeah it would! I’d STILL love it! A LOT! But, without the dreaded dreary mind-numbing thankless work day, we wouldn’t be able to afford such an awesome vacation, so I’ll give you that.

As I mentioned, we took a two week vacation, and as you know, Joyce and I are, well, crazy about the Disneyland Resort. So, as any normal, fanatic would do, spent the first week of our vacation IN Disneyland. Ok, five days of it anyway. We stayed at the Paradise Pier Hotel, one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels, and it was a fantastic experience. Now, we’ve stayed there before, and always liked it. But this time was special. We celebrated our 15^th Wedding Anniversary at the Happiest Place On Earth. Of all the places in the world we had open to us (cruising, Hawaii, Europe, the Scotch Tape museum in Lompoc, California), we chose Disneyland because it is our most special place.  And between our podcast sponsor Randy Crane and the Paradise Pier Hotel, we were treated to a most memorable time indeed. First, when we checked in, we were upgraded to the 11^th Floor, with an amazing view of Disney California Adventure. NICE! Then, (skipping ahead a bit) on our actual anniversary (October 26^th), upon our return to our luxurious room (had to throw that in) what did Joyce discover waiting for us? A nice tray of chocolate covered strawberries and an ice bucket with champagne (ok, sparkling non-alcoholic wine) chilling in it and a nice card from Randy! Did I say it was AWESOME?!

So, I’ll get into the actual trip details in another blog posting, but for our anniversary dinner, we dined at our very favorite restaurant at the Resort – Café Orleans in the New Orleans Square area of Disneyland. We had a terrific table outside overlooking the Rivers Of America, right next to the lovely tree that shades a lot of that area. Now, it’s interesting to note that the very first time Joyce and I ate there it was at that very table! And we didn’t even have to ask, it was just an awesome coincidence they put us there. We had a wonderful meal, I even tried something out of my ordinary – the Four Cheese Monte Christo! Then after a decadent dessert, we headed over to Downtown Disney to meet up with our good friend Kenny. He had a few things for us (for my birthday and our anniversary). Kenny gave me some Harry Potter goodies from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (by the way, the Acid pops…ARE ACID!), and he purchased matching Yoda coffee mugs for me and Joyce from Disneyland! Thanks Kenny!

All in all, our vacation rocked. Disneyland rocked. It all rocked! Our second week was spent at home, just relaxing. Well, one day we took our puppy Kate to the mysterious Superstition Mountains for a day hike. Kate fell in love with it! It was beautiful and quite and a great way to get some much needed exercise. Then we just did some yard and house work, rearranged our recording studio/office to make it more Feng Shui – ok, that’s a joke. I just wanted more room in there!

But alas, as with all great and awesome things, this too had to come to an end. So now here I am, back at work sifting through 400+ emails, all marked with “urgent issue” wishing and dreaming about our recent trip to the Happiest Place on Earth, as I write the Happiest Blog on Earth! I miss vacation – I miss Disneyland and I miss spending 24/7 with my wife! So, what’s next on my daily planner? Why, planning our NEXT vacation of course! ~~~ Al


View From Our Room! What a way to wake up every morning!



Disneyland's World Famous Jungle Cruise!

Video by Tales From The Mouse House podcast



Where can you go to see some of the most dangerous animals in the world, all only feet from your tour boat, and get a good laugh along the way? Why, Disneyland of course! One of the most popular, and I might add, one of my all time favorite, attractions at the Disneyland Resort is the World Famous Jungle Cruise. Located in Adventureland, this attraction is without doubt one of the most entertaining in the Park.

The attraction opened in July, 1955 and was originally intended to be a serious attraction where guests could get a taste of what it would be like cruising through some of the most famous, and dangerous, rivers of the world. However, over the years, the Jungle Cruise Boat Skippers developed their "humor" and have actually evolved that into official "scripts" for the Castmember Skippers to follow! Which, quite honestly, is one of the biggest draws to this attraction. The jokes and puns are, well, not always the greatest, but, they'll always bring a smile to your face!

Over the years, the Jungle Cruise has seen it's fair share of famous Skippers. In fact, Robin Williams is said to have captained a boat, and of course, arguably the most famous, being John Lasseter from Pixar. Every time we ride the Jungle Cruise, I'm always paying close attention to the Skippers. If they're really good, funny and comfortable, I make sure I take a lot of photos and video. You never know who will make it famous some day!

So, on your next visit to the Disneyland Resort, why not head on over to Adventureland and stop in for a cruise? And if it's your birthday, be sure to tell the Skipper. They'll have a "special" song, just for you!

So, in closing, here's a heart warming farewell by one of our most recent Jungle Cruise Skippers:

"Crew, I just wanted you to know you were outstanding on the cruise today. Now, I need you outstanding on the dock. Seriously, leave!"

Until next time, make it a Mickey Day! ~~ Al

Mr. DAPS on Media Appreciation Day - Mr. DAPs

From time to time, we'll bring you some wonderful stories and pieces written by guest bloggers that love Disneyland, well, almost as much as we do! Please enjoy the following piece by a very talented guy by the name of Mr. DAPs who is very full of that wonderful Disney Magic. For more from Mr. DAPs and the entire DAPs family, visit him at DAPS Magic 

Mr. DAPs and Mickey Mouse!

"Disneyland and the media have a long relationship, going back to the early days. Walt Disney believed that if you treated the media well and let them experience Disney magic for itself, everything else would fall in place.

Fifty six years later, Disneyland still carries on this legacy. Last weekend, I had the honor of being invited to Media Appreciation Day at the Disneyand Resort. This is exactly what the name implies, a day where Disneyland shows the media appreciation. As the leader of DAPs Magic, I’ve been invited to this event for the last couple of years. Each time I have participated in this day, I have had a blast. This most recent event was no exception.

For Media Appreciation Day, I am allowed to bring three guests. This year I brought our code master for DAPs Magic, my buddy Francis Fairy Feather, and my partner in crime. We arrived late morning and found the check in table outside of the Main Gate at Disneyland and checked in. Once inside, we made our way to Aladdin’s Oasis where they had snacks, entertainment, characters, face painting, tattoo art, and games for our enjoyment. I’m pleased to report that our group experienced EVERYTHING that they had to offer except for the face paint. We were also given a ghost mickey popcorn bucket!


We grabbed some food (I’m partial to the pretzels) and soon found ourselves sitting at a table, playing name that tube. The DAPs crew is always very good at this game and this year was no exception. We did have a severe handicap as we were sitting about as far away as one could sit from the MC and had posts, spider webs, and a giant tooth between obstructing his view of us. Never the less, we had fun.

Throughout out stay there we were able to meet all the characters visiting that day. Mickey and Minnie were dressed in their Halloween best and were an absolute pleasure to interact with. Cruella, the Evil Queen, Captain Hook, and Jafar also made appearances. Jafar was a bit of a trouble maker and tried to use his staff to hypnotize one of our group. Thankfully, his evil plot to disrupt our day was averted...perhaps through the power of MY imagination? I’ll leave that up to you decide on.

Francis was the good sport who got a new tattoo on his arm, it was amazing. He also played some of the games that they had out for the kids. It really is amazing at how much they cram into Aladdin’s Oasis for these events!

Once we had decided we had experienced Aladdin’s Oasis sufficiently, we made our way to Ghost Galaxy and then Haunted Mansion Holiday as we were offered fast passes for both of those (along with Tower of Terror and Star Tours). After experiencing our two rides, we decided we had enough fun for the day and it was time to head home. So we bid Disneyland a fond farewell and walked to our car with appreciation for Disneyland for appreciating us with another Media Appreciation Day." ~~ Mr. DAPs

Happy Halloween!

Pixie Tales - Once Upon A Time They Lived Happily Ever After...

 

“To all that come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America... with hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

Happiness is defined in many different ways and different things bring happiness and joy to people.  My happy place is and always will be Disneyland. There is a special kind of magic that happens to me when I enter the gates of Disneyland.  It creates a kind of magic that some people understand and others just don’t get. If you have the magic in you then you can understand how it got the reputation - the happiest place on earth.

We have shared the story of Al’s first visit to Disneyland but this day also represented a sad day for me as my 19 year old son was being deployed to Iraq.  I was an emotional wreck so we made sure we would arrive on the day of his deployment.  

When I enter the gates of Disneyland I love the sights and sounds of the train station, and then Main Street USA.  There is just a joy that comes over me as I “Run” from ride to ride or just sit and absorb the details in each land.  

This is truly the happiest place on earth in my eyes and it will never lose the magic as new memories are created each time I visit..... ~~ Joyce

 

I Love Mickey! 

The Happiest Blog On Earth - Getting Ready

Wow, it's hard to believe that it's October already! I love Fall for many reasons, one of the biggest is we FINALLY have a chance at day time temperatures BELOW 100, and overnight lows far enough to start what we like to call, Fire Pit Season. We love sitting in our backyard, a cozy fire blazing in our fire pit, billions of stars above. But I think, what I love best about Fall is that it represents the anniversary of my conversion...to a Disneyland Fan! 


It was September of 2007 when Joyce and I made our first trip together to the Happiest Place On Earth. In the four years now that we've been making the trek to the Disneyland Resort, we've visited in just about every month, every season really. But by far my favorite it Fall, right around the end of September to the end of October. Truth be told, the end of October is my all time favorite because the weather is perfect and, well, it's our wedding anniversary time. So, why have I shared this with you? Because, my magical readers Joyce and I are heading off to Disneyland near the end of October to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary! 


We thought long and hard about where we wanted to celebrate 15 wonderful years of marriage and both agreed there was only one place we wanted to be - Disneyland (ok, so it really took us about 15 seconds to decide!). Where better to celebrate the best day of my life but in my favorite place on earth, with my favorite person. Oh, and believe me, the Disneyland Resort IS the best place to celebrate anything. They go WAY above and beyond to make certain you feel special. Joyce and I have shared many things over the years, but the one thing that we share that has enabled us to spread magic to others is our love for Disneyland and Walt Disney. 


So, take it from me, if you're looking to find a place to celebrate your love, or your birthday, or that job promotion, or winning the big game...well, you get the picture, look no further than Disneyland. And if you're not sure, why not check out our latest video podcast. We've started a series we call "Through The Eyes Of The Mouse: Relaxing At The Disneyland Resort". In this series of special videos, we take you on a people watching-relaxing trip through the Disneyland Resort, and you don't even have to wear shoes! In this second of the series, we take you to Mickey's Toontown and Adventureland. If you'd like to see the first part, check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/talespodcast. And be sure to check out Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast in iTunes, or at www.talescast.com. ~~~ Al 

Disneyland in the Fall

The Happiest Blog On Earth - Happiness...

Happiness. Now that's a pretty personal word, isn't it? Happiness could mean a million dollars to one person, and it could mean a good hair day to another. The meaning of the word is as unique to the person as the person using it. To me, happiness isn't a "feeling", it's a state of being.

Let me back up a moment. Being happy, as I'm sure everyone knows, is always in a state of flux, that is, it's never constant. For example, you could wake up in a happy mood, then after battling a fierce traffic jam, be transformed into "Mr. Grumpy Pants"! Then, someone plays the "Baby Monkey Riding On A Pig" song for you, and viola, you're in the Happiness Realm once again! So, for most of my time, I'm a pretty happy guy, but can experience my "downs" with the best of them. But...there's ALWAYS one magical thing that reaches its hand down the deep well of Grumpy Town and rescues me - Disneyland! Yep, Disneyland. The location, the idea, the thought, the photos, the sounds, well you get the picture.

I'm a relative "Newbie" to the Disneyland Resort. For those who know me or have heard Joyce and me chat about this on our podcast you'll already know this. But, for the vast majority of my life I've been deprived of that awesome happiness factory called the Disneyland Resort. My very first visit to Disneyland wasn't until 2007 - at the age of 42! My darling wife finally talked me into visiting for the Halloween Season in 2007, and I've been HAPPILY hooked ever since. Disneyland represents a tremendous state of being to me that is extremely difficult to put into words. Once I walked through the Magical Gates of Disneyland for the first time, my very definition of happiness changed. No longer was it sufficient to watch my favorite movie to make me happy. No longer was it sufficient to hear my favorite song to make me happy. Oh no! Happiness moved to a whole new level.

For those of you who love Disneyland, you understand. Walking through those gates puts you in another world, another time. The worries and troubles that plague you on "the outside" just don't exist for those few magical hours you get to spend there. Walt Disney was a very insightful man. He understood that folks NEED, not just want, but NEED, to be connected with that inner child. He found a way to help folks re-connect with the child they used to be, transporting them - US - back to an age when we were happy just being...and that's exactly what happens every time I walk through the gates of Disneyland. I'm happy...being. And spending those few magical hours with the love of my life...well, the word happy just doesn't cover it.  Call it magic, call it clever marketing, it doesn't matter. The end result is the same: HAPPINESS.

The Happiest Blog On Earth - Back To School...Disneyland Style!

Fall. A terrific time of year, especially for those of us who live in the Southwestern United States. Fall means a lot of things for us: day time temperatures falling below 110 degrees finally; Christmas decorations going up (far too early) in most retail shops; most schools beginning their educational season again, and most importantly, the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California adorning the Happiest Place on Earth once more with those whimsical “Halloween” and Fall themed decorations!

For me and my wife Joyce, fall at Disneyland has a very special place in our hearts for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, the very first time we had visited the Resort together, in fact, MY very first time at a Disney Park EVER, was September of 2007. The day after we arrived, the fall decorations were put up. It was quite magical really. We had enjoyed the Resort the day we arrived, then the next morning, just like Magic, the Resort was transformed into a Halloween/Autumn Wonderland that neither of us were expecting. An awesome way for me to be introduced to Disneyland, and an awesome way for Joyce to get “reacquainted” with the Resort after many years. Secondly, with kids recently returning to class, the Park wasn’t very busy!

There’s really no “bad” time to visit the Disneyland Resort. For each season of the year, cast members “dress” every inch of the place with some type of decoration signifying where in the year you are, but honestly, there are two very impressive seasons to visit: the Holiday Season and of course, Halloween. Although Joyce and I LOVE the Holiday decorations at the Disneyland Resort, our favorite time is Halloween, for those sentimental reasons I mentioned earlier, and of course, the Happiest Haunts Tour!  One other very nice aspect to fall at the Disneyland Resort is that the daytime temperatures hover around the mid 70’s, and the overnight temperatures are chilly enough to wear that cool Disneyland jacket you just purchased, or chilly enough to cuddle with that very special someone while riding on the Disneyland Railroad!

So, for us, back to school time means something a little different than it does to most. It means a trip down memory lane at the Disneyland Resort…and shorter lines!! - Al

Pixie Tales - Shine The Spotlight

The theme of this blog is "shine the spotlight" and I would like to begin with the man who started it all, with a mouse no less, Walt Disney. His vision of a place where families could have fun brought so many families together and created life long memories.

Next, I would like to shine the spotlight on my parents, Art and Bobbi. They created such an amazing childhood for my siblings and me. Family first was the motto around our house. I am not saying that work life and providing for us did not get in the way of things, however my parents were always there for football practices, school events, etc... and as a family we traveled a lot. My favorite memories are the trips to Disneyland, Disney World and the beach. I still have a love for everything Disney and the beach. My first choice is always Disneyland though.

As an adult, I am sharing my love for Disney with my wonderful husband, Al. I want to shine the spotlight on him and share how he did not understand how Disneyland could bring so much magic to my life but made the trip with me anyways. This was because he did not have the pleasure of visiting Disney as a child, in fact his first visit to Disneyland was in 2007. His love for the Happiest Place on Earth was instant and now we both have a strong passion for this magical place.

Who would you shine the spotlight on as it relates to your Disneyland memories? - Joyce

My sister Cheryl on the left, and yep, I'm Mickey!

The Happiest Blog On Earth - It's Almost Time!

Wow!! Oh boy!! Yikes!!! All of these are going through my mind right now! The last several months seemed to drag by at a snails pace, but all of a sudden, BAM! It’s almost time to head on out to Disneyland and the D23 Expo!! Yeah!!!

Well, we’ve been planning and prepping for so long, and of course, I’ve been looking so forward to this visit (can’t believe it’s been 8 months since our last visit!), that time seemed to slow down daily. And of course, with that greater time distance comes a lack of motivation to get the things done that need to be done. Like cleaning out the inside of the SUV; fixing the lift-gate of said SUV so we can actually PUT our luggage in it; washing our “vacation” clothes and ironing them up (yep, I iron!); making certain all the camera and audio equipment are functioning and recording our podcast to launch while we’re in Disneyland so you great friends have something to “tide you over” until we get back! Typically, all of this got put off until the last minute, so all of a sudden...we’re running out of time! But, that helps the remaining few days before the trip fly by. Right? Right!

So, as I complete my last minute chores and tasks, I can’t help but get more excited by the minute. Disneyland! I can’t wait!! So now, the final task is to put my Disneyland Trading pins on my lanyards. All 200 pins...and 14 lanyards!! Oh, and I can’t forget to pack my stuffed puppy! - Al

The Happiest Blog On Earth - Getting Ready for the D23 Expo!

Just about a year ago, Joyce told me about the D23 Expo. She was so excited about it. After all, we WERE Charter Day Members of D23! At this point, we had already decided to go to Destination D, the D23 “mini-event” held at the Disneyland Hotel September, 2010. So I said, go ahead, buy the tickets and we’ll just figure out how to get there as the time nears.

Well, Destination D was awesome. Really put me in the Disney magical mood. At the Event, they shared video and stories about the first D23 Expo, about the stars that showed up, the neat Disney things that were revealed.  So, since then, I’ve been looking forward to the D23 Expo with an anticipation rivaled by few.

But of course, I didn’t take into account that most malicious of entities - Murphy. As in the lawman? Murphy’s Law! Let me tell you, Mr. Murphy is NOT a very nice person. He’s thrown so many obstacles in our path recently that I began entertaining the notion of hiring a hit-man to rid us of Mr. Murphy! (Just kidding).

Since the beginning of this year, we’ve encountered quite a few...set backs that have attempted to throw the proverbial monkey-wrench in our plans. An unexpected yet serious physical issue that resulted in a semi-emergency surgery for me (nerve damage...tune in to episode 23 for that one), some unplanned for home related expenses (landscaping issues, etc), and a few other financial challenges. Then to top it off, we had a horribly difficult time finding a hotel that could fit our financial needs as well as offer us some amenities that we wanted. We had booked a room at a local hotel very close to the convention center where the Expo is being held, but they were less than friendly when it came to honoring an advertised special rate.

Well, long story just a tad bit longer, tonight, as I was preparing an episode of our Just Because Podcast (www.justbecausepodcast.com), I stumbled across a banner ad for a hotel called Red Lion while researching something TOTALLY unrelated to Disneyland. Fate? Devine intervention? Perhaps. Walt Disney looking out for us? I’d like to think as much. So, not only did we find a highly rated, newly renovated hotel directly across the street from the Expo, and about a 10 minute walk to the Resort, but we found one that fit all of our requirements!

Moral of this story? Believe in the Magic. While others may let you down, the Magic will never fail you. So, Joyce and I are going to the D23 Expo. Very excited. And best of all, we get to visit The Happiest Place On Earth. So Mr. Murphy, I say to you thank you for trying! But Uncle Walt has got my back! See you at the Resort!! ~~~ Al

Pixie Tales - Integrity

“Our heritage and ideals, our codes and standards - the things we live by and teach our children - are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.”

This famous quote by none other than Walt Disney speaks of the integrity of Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company. 

At Tales from the Mouse House - A Disneyland Podcast, we pride ourselves in following the beliefs of Walt and use this philosophy when bringing our podcasts to you. 

The Mission of Tales From The Mouse House – A Disneyland Podcast:

“As true fans of Walt Disney and his Disneyland Resort, it is the sole purpose of “Tales From The Mouse House – A Disneyland Podcast” to deliver the magic and happiness we have experienced in all that Walt Disney created with his Original Park to our listeners by delivering the most entertaining and sincere shows possible through the use of audio and video episodes.  Following the example set by Walt Disney, Tales From The Mouse House – A Disneyland Podcast will always strive to improve what we bring to our listeners.”

We are joining The Three Disneyland Moms in pledging that we will blog and podcast with honesty and integrity.  By taking this pledge, we commit to bringing you only the facts,  showing respect to our audience and being honest in our reviews, remain positive and have fun when sharing our Disney experience, report on news story in a timely manner and verify the news is accurate and reliable, never use other bloggers or podcasters materials without their consent, and be friends to other Disney bloggers and fans.

Hop on over to http://www.3dlandmoms.com/p/three-disneyland-moms-pledge.html and take the pledge.--Joyce

The Chronicles of Duffy - Christmas, D23 and a Winner!

Christmas in July is traditionally celebrated in some parts of Australia, primarily because Christmas falls during their summer season. However, July is one of the coldest months in the “Land Down Under”. Since they find it difficult to follow certain traditions, like having a heavy meal, during the summer they follow all those Holiday customs for their Christmas in July celebrations. This unique celebration is referred to as “Half-Christmas” in Australia.

Here in Arizona, the summer temperatures do not put us in the Christmas spirit often, but the retailers have lots of Christmas in July sales. It is the perfect way to start Christmas shopping and save a few dollars. I have been staying indoors and have not ventured out much lately.  With all this fur and the Christmas sweater that I am so attached to, I get over-heated quickly and prefer to stay indoors. 

In celebration of Christmas in July, My Mom and Dad, hosts of Tales from the Mouse House podcast, launched a giveaway contest and we are happy to announce that our winner of the Tales from the Mouse House T-shirt is Christina.  Christina is a self-proclaimed teenage Disney Geek.  Congratulations Christina and thanks for being a loyal listener to my Mom and Dad’s cool podcast!

I am getting very excited for the D23 Expo and will visit with Mom, Dad, and Val. Katie is going on a separate vacation to play with her doggie friends. Although, I plan to report mainly on new attractions and going-ons at the Disneyland Resort, I’ll have some reports on D23 as well. Stayed tuned for my first real trip to the Park report! It will be my first time back since my adoption and I am so excited. Val is excited too because it will be his first time to the park.  He lived at Company D prior to joining our family.  Our good friend, Julie bought Val as a favor for Mom since we could not make a trip to the resort.  If you haven’t already done so, please read my blog about Val joining the family.

Don’t forget to visit our new webpage for Tales from the Mouse House Disneyland podcast: www.talescast.com.

Make it a Mickey Day! (That’s what Mom and Dad always say!)

The Chronicles of Duffy - Independence Day

Today I ventured out with my family to celebrate Independence Day. It was a hot day but we had a great time.

The park was not as crowded as we expected but it was 109 degrees and on Saturday, we set record high temperature of 118 degrees.

Mom took Katie and I for a walk around the park and we observed people fishing, feeding the ducks, picnicking and having quality family time.  Then we went back to our shaded area and relaxed with Dad. He is still recovering from a recent surgery so he did not join us on our walk.

In our community, the firework festivities were on Saturday and we did not watch them this year because it was too hot.  I am looking forward to going to Disneyland in August where I will get to see the best fireworks in the world.  We are getting ready to watch the Macy’s fireworks on TV.

Since it has been several months since I last blogged, I will catch you up on some of my adventures.  Katie, Val and I have been staying indoor just hanging out but on the weekend we get to run errands with Mom and Dad.  For Father’s Day, we bought Dad a new grill and we have been having lots of BBQs.  You should watch our youtube video of the first rotisserie chicken, Dad made.  It was yummy but very crispy on the outside.

Don’t forget to visit our new webpage for Tales from the Mouse House Disneyland podcast: www.talescast.com.  I will blog more after D23 Expo in August. Hope to see you there!

Make it a Magical Day!

The Happiest Blog On Earth - One Year Later

Wow, can you believe it? We can’t! Tales From The Mouse House Podcast is one year old! Seems like only yesterday that we...ok, well, that’s not true, is it?! We love doing this podcast and it feels so natural to us that we feel as if we’ve been doing this all our lives. Like we were...meant to bring the wondrous magic that Walt Disney created to you!

This podcast started out as a way to allow us to experience the magic of the Original Happiest Place On Earth more than just the few times we get to the Resort each year. We quickly found out that soon after a visit to the Disneyland Resort, we begin to miss that wonderful place a LOT! So we decided to podcast about it. Through the research for each show, and actually talking about it, we found that we kept that magic going between visits. A GOOD thing! But something else happened too. A few months after we started broadcasting Tales From The Mouse House, YOU started telling us wonderful stories about your visits to the Park. Another GOOD thing!! Then, through your stories we got to continue that Magical experience even more.

Then another awesome thing happened. We started getting emails from listeners telling us what our show has meant to them. Listeners who haven’t been able to visit Disneyland, some in years. All telling us, that by listening to us go on about our most FAVORITE place to be, they were experiencing that Disney Magic as well! We were bringing the Magic home for you! That’s like telling a child they have just won anything toy in the toy story they want! We were delighted to hear these tales.

And...(yep, more), we started getting emails from folks from places like England, Australia, and far off lands called Washington! All telling us that they’d NEVER been to Disneyland, but found our podcast and gave it a listen...and got hooked. Our show allows them to feel the Magic of a place they’ve never been to, and now REALLY want to visit!!

So, from the deepest, most Magical places within our hearts, we thank you for all the support you’ve given to us through this first year of Tales From The Mouse House. It’s been a pleasure. We’ve met some of the nicest and true people you could ever meet. This wonderful Disneyland community is one of family, values and fun. Walt would be grinning from ear to ear!! Thank you, and we hope that you’ll invite us into your homes for years to come!! Remember, Make It A Magical Day! ~~~ Al

The Chronicles of Duffy - Adventures with Buddies!

My buddies, Katie and Val have been joining me on some adventures. A few weeks ago we played in the snow, well Katie played while I observed. It is crazy to see snow in the region of Arizona that we live in. You can watch Katie’s antics on YouTube.  She is not as popular as the laughing baby but equally as cute.  This past weekend, it was beautiful and we explored the wilderness, of our backyard.  Katie loves to sunbathe and Val and I are beginning to enjoy it too. 

We enjoyed a Saturday afternoon hanging out at Starbucks with other puppies.  My big sis, Katie got a little nervous when another dog tried to sniff me.  She is so loving and protective of me. 

We went shopping for our spring flowers and this year, Mom and Dad are adding calla lilies to the garden.  They are my most favorite and don’t I look so cute in my picture with them? Love springtime and can’t wait to go more adventures.  What would you like to see me and my family do?

The Chronicles of Duffy - Super Bowl & A Surprise!

My newly adopted parents had a small intimate Super Bowl party for the family. Katie let me wear her Mickey Mouse ears while I watched the game. I have a wonderful family that I love so much! Dad liked the commercials, Mom liked the game and Katie slept. I, like Mom, wanted Green Bay to win and they did! 

A few weeks later, we received a new edition to the family and it a friend for me, although it technically belongs to Dad. The new edition is Valentine Duffy Bear and he is so handsome. Dad named him Val Duffington. The first thing I thought was how much fun we are going to have together. I miss California Adventure and can’t wait for my next visit.

My must do adventures for 2011 are:

•Visit Disneyland for the first time and get a 1st Visit Button!

•Meeting Mickey Mouse

•Touring Walt’s apartment over the fire station

•Riding the Disneyland Railroad

•Dining at Club 33

•Visiting Flynn’s Arcade

•Staying at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel

•Attending the D23 Expo

•Keeping Katie from chewing on my toes

Let’s see how many I can cross off this year and hope you join me on my adventures.

My New Brother Val

Go Colts!

The Chronicles of Duffy - Adoption Day!

On an unusually warm day in December, I was daydreaming about joining all the kids that were laughing, playing, and making memories at Paradise Bay. When this lady walked in the shop, picked me up and said how cute I was, a man called her and she put me down and walked out of the store. A few minutes later this man came in the store picked me up and we went for a walk, next thing I knew I was in total darkness and could not really breathe.

I was scared until I realized I had been adopted into a loving family that LOVED all things Disney. So my adventures began on this day....my newly adopted parents vowed to introduce me to all their pals and create memories that would last a lifetime.

I was first introduced to Tim and Frank and found that they were the reason Mom left the shop when she was looking at me. Tim and Frank were friends they met on a recent Disney trip and Dad knew Mom would want to see them. Then we dined at Ariel’s Grotto but I had to stay in the bag because Mom was a little over protective of me. After dinner, I was tired so I went back to the hotel room and slept for the night while Mom and Dad enjoyed the World of Color and the Parks.

We stayed in California for the next two days then we went home to Arizona. When I arrived at my new home I found there was a furry friend to greet me and she had 4 legs and was named Kate.