Episode 9: Disney Texting

Monsters, Inc Laugh Floor Texting Problems: (1-27-08, 9:14, 2.21 MB, mp3) I reference my interview with Dave Russell, show Director for Monsters, Inc Laugh Floor. I saw the show for the first time today. You watch cartoon monsters interact with the audience through the frame of a stand-up comedy show. Before the show, you text a joke to the monsters back stage. If they like it, they use it in the show. I knew actors in the show, so my joke was me letting them know I was in the audience. What they texted back to me, which is what every guest who texts in a joke gets back: "RE: Buena Vista Internet Group. That was so funny it was scary. We'll try to use it if we can. Your pal, Mike Wosowski. 407-939-6244". After the show, I called the number: it was a Walt Disney World information number. Wow.

I went to Guest Services to complain. They gave me an email address. I emailed them this:

"Hi. I texted a joke at the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor Show. It was lame (my joke). I just wanted to send a message to the actors backstage that I was in the audience. However, I was surprised by the text I received back saying (what I already wrote above).

#1: That message was not personalized.

#2 I expected that before I called the number that the "adventure would continue." It would give me a code to unlock something on the Disney.com website to play video games, give me a coupon code for a free ice cream. I don't know. But what do I hear? "Welcome to Walt Disney World Information. For reservations press 1."

This seems like a missed opportunity to engage me if I were a kid, further. If I called this number texted to me by Disney, maybe playa recording of Mike Wisowski thanking me for the joke. Ask me if I want a joke of the day texted to me or emailed to me. Great way to contnue receiving info from the show in the theme park, after you leave the theme park on a daily or weekly basis. You could send me to a website for more jokes. You could tell me how to submit jokes to the show through a website.

#3: Disney should know if my joke was used in the show or not after the show and send me a second text congratulating me on how well the joke went over with the audience. Or if my joke was not used, send me to some Disney website where I can view my joke, make a t-shirt from it, or view other jokes submitted.

If my joke was used, send me a link to the video of my joke being told at the show I was at and allow me to share it with my friends."

I received a form letter back from Disney.

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Episode 8: Hannah Montana

Hannah Montana: (1-28-08, 4:54, 1.18 MB, episode_8.mp3) Standing outside of Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World. Hannah Montana poster for 3-d movie catches my eye. Tickets for the concerts were being scalped. The movie: in 3-d, in theatres, only shown for a week. It's got the name/brand, the exclusivity (one week) and something cool (3-D). The Hannah Montana phenomenon: tv show, concert, then movie. High School Musical phenomenom: tv movie, another tv movie, live tour, 3rd movie in theatres.

#1: These 2 projects are huge. #2: They both milk content. The concerts are successful in themselves. You film it? Boom. Now you can spread the same content out to a wider audience WITH THE SAME CONTENT you were presenting in a live version.

I'd love to create something live, then film it, and do something further with the recorded content. They could take the audio from the movie of the concert and make a cd.

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Episode 7: Streetmosphere

Streetmosphere: (1-27-08, 7:04, 1.7 MB, Ep_7.mp3) Reporting from Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida waiting for "Streetmosphere" to begin. A friend is an actor in the show I am about to watch. The actors come out and the show begins.

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City Hall on Main Street, USA: renovation

This is "City Hall" on Main Street, USA in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL. Well, it's a cover. Apparently the building is undergoing renovations. I thought this was a cool way to "hide" the work: a gigantic 2-story photo of the building. Just thought it was neat.

Talking Garbage Can at Epcot, Walt Disney World

In a random restaurant in Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, I found a garbage can that, when its lid is opened, speaks. Each time the lid is opened, a different character voice speaks and a different line is spoken.

Click on the player above to listen to all the sayings. The writing sounds like it was done in 95.

Wanna download it? Talking_Disney_Trash_can.mp3