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Episode 304: Free Dining, Smuggler’s Run Update & Stitch Merch
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On This Episode
The guys answer a listener's question about the Friendship boats in EPCOT. Disney revealed that dining packages will be free for children in 2026, along with the return of free water park entry, early theme park entry, and extended evening hours. WALL-E visited the Disneyland resort for Earth Day. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will be updated in 2026 with new scenes from the upcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu movie, with riders being given the choice of which land they want to travel to. With the release of the upcoming live action remake of Lilo & Stitch, Disney has released a wide range of Stitch merch.
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction and Sponsorship
00:00:06
Speaker
This is Skipper Albert A. Wall, the voice of the jungle, broadcasting on the DVC to all voice unknown. If you're within the sound of my voice, you're listening to Welcome Home Podcast on the DVC.
00:00:25
Speaker
Welcome Home Podcast on the DVC.
00:00:30
Speaker
Hello and welcome home. This episode of welcome home is brought to you by DVC resale market. Thank you for joining us on episode 304 of welcome home, a Disney parks and vacation club podcast.
Milestones and Future Planning
00:00:39
Speaker
I'm Tom here with Trevor Damon. How's it going guys? 304. Just such a, such a terrible.
00:00:45
Speaker
Well, when's the next milestone for you then? When's the next one? 325. No, I don't think so. But when's the next time? I just want to go back to the same place we did. I want to go there every time we have an event.
00:00:56
Speaker
Oh, the place that we went for the 300? Yeah. yeah So the question is when do we go back there? I mean, we can have an event anytime we want. got to be 400, doesn't it? i mean we I mean, we can have an event anytime we want. It doesn't have to be a special episode event, right?
00:01:09
Speaker
Just we're having an event again? Yeah, why not, right? I guess we could. That would make it easier for Trevor. Yeah, we could just yeah you know make it really fun. Like the 353rd episode, like we're having an event, okay? Wait, just plan it that far ahead of time?
00:01:26
Speaker
ah We gotta gotta to make sure Trevor can come. That's true, that's true. Yeah, I mean, yeah yeah, if we could work it out timing-wise that it's not... or yeah Yeah, you're right. we we could We could arbitrarily make it an event just because... like i think if we're going to do like a random number, just has to be like the like this is actually all three of us getting together is the only reason that we're...
00:01:49
Speaker
So it's really just when can Trevor come to the US? That's really what the the next one will be. Yeah. Besides going on a Disney trip. Besides doing the Disney trip.
Disney Trips and Cruise Events
00:01:58
Speaker
you Can you fit it in the next 52 weeks is the big question.
00:02:03
Speaker
Likely no. ah So then we might be able to to match up against 400. Yeah. yeah i mean, we we can make something happen with that. Yeah. Well, he just go to Disney.
00:02:13
Speaker
We could also do that, too. i i mean, I think we said the next one would be at Disney, right? Did we? Okay. I thought we did. I mean, I thought that... I mean, that's fine. Yeah. 350 at Disney? Is that possible?
00:02:24
Speaker
Yeah, sure. Why not? we I mean, the venue we did it at last time was really was really nice. I mean, it was it was a nice experience, and it was, you know... What's that? What time of the year would that be?
00:02:38
Speaker
I mean... would probably be March. Yeah. I could do that, I think. All right. Let's make it happen. have something to look forward to. God, I have something to look forward to. Yeah. 350 in Disney.
00:02:52
Speaker
Yeah. I've been thinking to myself after this cruise and and my little trip here is like, what do i and what do I have to look forward to after that? I don't have any have the other vacation. I meant this year. Like what next year? Yeah.
00:03:04
Speaker
Yeah. i just I'm just saying I don't have any other vacations scheduled, so it's just like... Did you have a cruise and a trip to Disney? Is that what you say? Is it all one trip or no? Yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah it's that One trip for the summer? Yeah, that's going to probably be our trip as of right now. Yeah, I don't i don't know if we're going to... like to always kind of bang out two, because I feel like two is good.
00:03:22
Speaker
Like, one is tough. Yeah, I would agree with you. I would like to do two. It just depends on, you know, my wife's job. Two is, yeah, mean, we're doing that the quick universal. And then yesterday, we just booked our excursions for Cocoa Key, I think.
00:03:38
Speaker
So we're going, me and the boys are going to the water park and my wife and daughter did not. So they're going kayaking, which I would never, ever, ever do. So are you worried about it? Like flipping over and getting stuck underneath it? Cause that's like, Oh, there's that.
00:03:54
Speaker
how old is that so i'm not I don't ever worry about things where swimming is involved. Like a kayak flipping on top of me, like I'm okay. I'm good in war. I actually aren't that bad. Yeah. I'm not trying to get sharked. yeah So can I, can I ask you a question, Damon, that came up my house this past week?
00:04:09
Speaker
ah Not about you specifically, ah but I want to know. And I think I know the answer to this. How much or how little did you participate in pirate night? Every time you've gone on a Disney cruise.
00:04:20
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, well, I mean, remember, we went Halloween and I was full out dressed. You went full on? Okay. Yeah. Remember, because I was Uncle Stan. Like, I definitely was full on.
00:04:32
Speaker
But not pirate, though. You didn't dress like a pirate. So, yeah. So that's what I'm going to ask. Like, what what do you mean, like, my involvement? Did I wear the bandana? 100%. I bet you'd, like, wear, like, a full on pirate outfit.
00:04:44
Speaker
No, I'm not bringing that. Like, no, no, no. Like, I'm not bringing that sort of stuff on the ship. Like, there are people that do, for sure, that have really nice outfits. But, I mean, involved? Like, yeah, I mean, I got my bandana on. like That works.
00:04:57
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that's that's kind of the extent of it for me. i mean, but there are people that go all out, for sure. Well, can think about it. Well, yeah, it's too much to pack. Yeah, I get it. It is it' a lot. And people go like, I mean, people go all out. Yeah.
00:05:12
Speaker
Well, so what happened was ah like last week, my wife was like, well, did you get a pirate costume? Because everybody else has pirate costumes. And I'm like, oh, no, I didn't get one yet. Right. So so she was like, well, if you don't get one, you're going to the only one not dressed like a pirate. I was like, OK, fine.
00:05:25
Speaker
So I was like, you know what? If I'm going to do this, I'm to do this. Yeah. But even if you think you're going to do this, you are going to come nowhere close to people that are really doing this. No, no, no. I'm going to do it more than what the rest of my group is doing. Okay. Because the rest of my group, I think, is just doing like a thing you could buy at a Halloween store kind of pirate costume.
00:05:44
Speaker
Yeah. But not even like the good ones, just like some sort of like skull and crossbone shirt. And, you know. That only works if you sneakily don't tell them that and then just fall out when you it. Well, that's what going to I'm not telling anybody that. 100%. I respect that. The only one I told was my wife.
00:05:56
Speaker
ah Oh, I wouldn't have done that. But okay, I would respect that game. But I would not even have told my wife. It's okay for her to be in on it. like she that That's a fair. Boots lips think ships, though. you know You never know.
00:06:08
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, listen, i i she actually reigned me in because I was going to go harder than I did. No, that's what you needed to see. This is the whole reason why you never should have told her. You should just just come all in.
00:06:20
Speaker
Yeah, yeah sorry sorry. Wait, me and Damon are on the same page. with this is yeah You know, your wife is telling you to dial it down. That tells me you should dial it up. they got you excited I mean, listen, I'm gonna, I i have, i so I got, you know, I got the hat.
00:06:37
Speaker
I got, i have like a nice like leather vest thing. I've got the poofy shirt. I got the pirate pants. I bought pirate jewelry. I really saw it. i Well, I was going to also buy, and this is when my wife was like, you're going too far. I was going to buy like fake clip-on earrings and like ah like a nose ring. I was going to fake tattoos and stuff. She's like, you're taking it too far.
00:07:00
Speaker
But I'm like, I think I'm just taking it far enough, personally. um if we're going to do this, let's do it. Clip-on earrings, I think, are almost the accoutrement that you need. That's what said, right? that That's not too far. i was a nose ring...
00:07:12
Speaker
yeah Maybe, but the earrings, I think, are just part of what you'd have to do. Yeah, I agree. I agree with you. I'm i'm with you. i'm I was going to also get, you know, like some of like the cool, like leather armbandy things, too. But then I was like, all right, I i've pretty much already spent 100 bucks on this and I probably shouldn't have gone that far. But the one man you're good for a Halloween this year.
00:07:33
Speaker
Yeah, I can see the pass on those, but the the earrings are just like kind of like a must. I hate to say but. Well, i was i was also saying to myself, like, look, i i can I can probably like reuse this to go to like the Renaissance Fair next year or something. Right. Like you can do a pirate at a Renaissance Fair. Right. I mean, you can just use pieces of it for the Ren Fair. Like, yeah, exactly. Right. You always see pirates. I think you'd be safe there.
00:07:53
Speaker
I think I'd be good with a pirate, right? Yeah. So, yeah, I don't know, man. I just was wondering. I don't know. i know so some people probably go really hard and other people probably just like, you know, throw on it. Oh, and I got like a like really cool leather eye patch too, you know, to get like the cheap, like stretchy band one. I got like this really cool. You're not going to like that when you fall overboard, but sure. Just remember the distance of the railings. That's all I will tell you. I will stay away from the railings. yeah Okay, there we go.
00:08:16
Speaker
Yeah, I'll cover up my my bat and my bad eye and just I'll have to get on it. Well, because I can't see anything without glasses. That's the other problem. And I don't do contact. So I'm going to have to take my glasses off and just basically not see for a while. Oh, boy. We're not going to see Tom again. He's definitely on the board. So you absolutely should just do the patch with your glasses. because On top of the glasses? Yeah. that's so yeah that That looks like you've just been to the eye doctor.
00:08:41
Speaker
like That's what that looks like. It looks like you had a glaucoma test. That's exactly right. Tom decided to have a cataract surgery. With the rest of the outfit, I mean. Oh, I did buy fake tattoos. i We are going to do... we're gonna i bought it for the kids, too. I bought it for me and for the kids. so I love when there's stuff that you can buy for like the kids that you also like. I mean, that's always a win. so Yeah, absolutely. e I mean, listen, i my initial tattoo per fake tattoo purchase was going to be like you know those kind of like fake like sleeve ones that are pretty cool.
00:09:12
Speaker
But um then I was like, you know what? Maybe the if I put fake tattoos on, the kids are going to want to do it, too. Absolutely. Yeah. So I was like, okay, I'll go a little more cartoony with it, and you know, kind of do the cartoony kind of, you know, pirate theme stuff, like the cartoon treasure chests and the cartoony, you know, skull and crossbone kind of thing. But, but yeah, man, I got, I got the whole thing. I'm, I'm pretty, I'm pretty excited about it. I, I want to, here's the thing that's going to be funny though, is we might ah end up getting to pirate night and I'm going be like, oh man.
00:09:39
Speaker
I'm just tired. thent one buy like like I It could happen. i could 100% see that happening. So, yeah, I don't know. we'll We'll see what happens. But I was just curious, Damon, if you how you participated in it. Headband. Yeah, about it.
00:09:54
Speaker
that's about it Yeah. All right. That's fair. That's fair. We also are a little worried that the pirate night is going to somehow end up on the same day that my daughter and my niece are doing Bippity Boppity.
00:10:05
Speaker
Cause we're like, well, then they're going to be like, what pirate princesses, I guess we'll just have to like, yeah, is valid. Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, anyway, what were we even talking about? I don't even know. We didn't even start the show yet, so nothing.
Listener Engagement and Community
00:10:19
Speaker
Yeah, yeah we we should probably you know get to the rundown and see what we got here, right?
00:10:24
Speaker
I guess it's fair. We should... Okay, let's let's let's start by calling out the the listener tips and trip report line. and I did fix it, by the way. So, yeah, for anybody that wants to call in tips or share trip reports, you can... Danny didn't even do it, though.
00:10:41
Speaker
Well, very well i'll get I'll get to that in a second. But 833-WHP-TIPS or 833-987-8477. You know, give us a call.
00:10:52
Speaker
You know, let us know about a recent trip or anything like that. I will call out Jeremy. He has been posting in the group. You know, really appreciate him sharing his mini trip reports for hit because he just got back.
00:11:03
Speaker
That's all the number, man. Yeah, yeah I know. But ah that that's fair. i I'm saying it's great that he did it. in No trip reports. but jar No, no, no. jar like I'm trying to be positive about this. dance and whole Positive reinforcement. Yeah, good, good but you know let let's call it in. Also, um just as we're talking about the group, I also want to call out Ashley, who put a she put a bunch of stuff in for a Peeps contest that was going on in her town. There was a bunch of Disney stuff there, but...
00:11:36
Speaker
Yeah, like so they did like it was like an Easter, you know, peeps um or things made out or like they did like dioramas made out of peeps, right? Yeah. um The most hilarious one, though, is actually there's a squid game one from the merry-go-round game and it's all peeps.
00:11:51
Speaker
I just I want to call that out that that is very funny and I love that very much. That is pretty funny. Yeah, that's funny. All right. um Do we want to do listener questions or do we want any topics that we want to
Disney World Offers and Strategies
00:12:04
Speaker
start with? I want to i want to do Philip's question. Okay.
00:12:09
Speaker
What is the purpose of the boats across the lake at Epcot? Is that really necessary or am I missing something? So, first of all, I can't remember the last time I even saw them running. I feel like the last time I was at Epcot, they were not running.
00:12:22
Speaker
But I could be running. Maybe I didn't notice it. They were there when I was there in February last year. Were they? Okay. Yeah. So... I mean, I have maybe gone on. I want to say I've done it like once.
00:12:34
Speaker
I really just think if it's my feet hurt and I want to take like a break and get from one side of the showcase to the other, that's really the only purpose of it to me. But I mean, I guess it also does have a cool aesthetic to it. i You know, you watching the boats go around, you know?
00:12:46
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, there there is an element of kinetic energy to it. I guess for me, it's, yeah, it's, you know, the the World Showcase is pretty big. And yes, I know we can all walk around the World Showcase. But um yeah, if if you're tired and you just want to get back from, you know, the far side to the entrance or get closer to International Gateway, it's...
00:13:07
Speaker
You know, it saves you a bunch of walking. that's Does it have to be any more complicated than that? I don't think it does. i just know said i just thought it was an interesting question because you feel like you don't really see that many people even using it all that often.
00:13:19
Speaker
you know i mean, every time I look at it, there's a bunch of people on it. It's not like it's ever... like The boats are never empty. There was a time where they weren't running it because when they had... um What's it called?
00:13:32
Speaker
Harmonious going, right? because i think they Because of the barge in the middle, right? Because of the Stargates. Yeah, right? Stargate and the tacos, right? I think that made it a little bit difficult. But yeah, no, I guess i i guess it is running again. mean, they still listed on Disney's website. I just don't remember seeing it last time.
00:13:48
Speaker
Listen, I'll be there in a week, so I'll tell you when I'm there. ah You'll be hyper aware of it now. Yeah. Now I'm going to pay attention. i feel like it's one those things you just don't pay attention to, you know, it's just in the background and, you know, you may or may not notice that it's there or not. So.
00:14:01
Speaker
All right. Well, that's all I had on that. I just, I just thought it was a funny question, but. Okay. No, that that's fair. All right. ah Do we want to start in on the dining plan?
00:14:15
Speaker
Yeah, you know what? the This article is not just about the dining plan. That's just like the headline, right? So there're they're talking about all of the free stuff that's going to be ah in 2026, right? Even though we're only you know a quarter of the way into 2025, they are going to be opening up bookings for 2026. Well, they already did, um I should say, right? So they already opened bookings for 2026. So, of course, they want to communicate what the the benefits are going to be.
00:14:40
Speaker
um But the first one, and this is an interesting one, i almost put this as DVC news because it's it is a little bit of DVC news, but it says ah as a special offering for 2026, meaning I guess the entire year, right?
00:14:52
Speaker
I mean, it doesn't say between certain times. It just says 2026. twenty twenty six assume that's the entire year. Yeah. Yeah. So any guests staying at any of the 25 Disney World hotels will get a free dining plan for their kids when they purchase a dining plan as part of their package for other members of their party.
00:15:14
Speaker
So basically, it's like ah you know your local restaurant. a Kids eat free on Tuesday nights. It's what they're doing. But for your entire vacation. Yeah. Which is a really interesting thing that they're doing. I mean because typically in the past when they've done the free dining plan, it's been during times specifically when they want to stimulate people to come, right?
00:15:32
Speaker
But now this is just... They're doing it for the entire year. And also, I mean, i i can't think of a time where DVC has had access to free dining plan, right? Like, this is...
00:15:42
Speaker
Yeah. DVC is not excluded from this DVC. you You don't have to be a blue member or anything. You could just be a guest staying at a DVC resort. You don't have to be a member or anything like that, but it it it will apply to all of the Disney resorts.
00:15:56
Speaker
You know, the the yeah. The interesting thing about that is ah You're making me think about like, is this this Disney's way of saying that they want or that are they saying that there's not enough families going to Disney right now?
00:16:12
Speaker
Like, I feel like that's kind of what this is implying is that they're trying to drive, you know, people with kids ages three to nine specifically because that. Yes. so So the thing about the kids dining plan is it only applies to ages three to nine, which um You know, it's that that's a I mean, i don't want to say that's a small amount of people, but it's a limited set of people going to Disney.
00:16:37
Speaker
And they are definitely like I feel like they're trying to, um you know, get more families to come back and not necessarily. I'm going to get in trouble for saying this, but, you know, it feels it feels like they're trying to, you know,
00:16:52
Speaker
not or it's it's non-incentivizing like you know disney adults or families that have older kids or anything like that like it feels like they're trying to get a very specific demographic into the hotels see i like i was looking at it as this was just like and don't want to say cheap but it's a it's like a it's a way for they're offering it specifically for the kids because it's the cheaper portion of it right like they'll make their money on the adult version and then and then they'll you know the the kids are are just not that big of a deal for them money-wise. I mean, I'm sure it costs them something, but it's, you know, it's the kids plan. Like if they were giving free adult plans, you know, that's different, you know, like when they do their free dining plan, because obviously they feel like it's worth it to do that.
00:17:35
Speaker
ah But yeah, I don't know. Cause the other part of this too is the kids free dining plan can be combined with other select offers. So you can actually do both. So, which is usually the other way around, right? Like usually they don't let you do both.
00:17:50
Speaker
So, like, you mean, like, you can get, like, the free dining promos where, like, you you pay for a room, you get free dining, and then you also get a dining? I'm going to guess not free dining just because that kind of defeats the person. I would think. I don't know.
00:18:04
Speaker
But because free dining, you're already getting the free free dining anyway, right? But you're paying more for the room. So it's kind of... Yeah. Yeah. buying cost yeah But i I guess what I'm saying, maybe it'll be like a later thing where they're just doing like, a you know, the, when they do like the 20% discount on the room thing, you know?
00:18:21
Speaker
Yeah. Which, yeah, again, and like that, that's very interesting that they're like, this is basically just a, yeah, it's, it's a free for all with, you know, kid kids eating for free, which I guess the other thing I would argue too is You know, weve we've tried to math out the dining plan in the past. And, yeah you know, for kids, it's it's really hard to justify it for kids because they're like, oh, you get all this food. And, and that you know, there's kids that, you know, don't, you know, kids will never eat anywhere near what they offer the dining plan. So it's so hard. like Like, maybe Disney has finally conceded that there is, you know, you know, kids,
00:19:04
Speaker
Kids are not costing them a ton of money because... That's exactly right. Yeah. Because, the yeah yeah, you know, most kids would never take advantage of the dieting plan to the extent that you should if you you know if you're talking about from a you know ah ah cost effectiveness standpoint. So...
00:19:21
Speaker
um Yeah, maybe maybe Disney realized that you know it wasn't worth you know fighting that battle of you know getting getting people to come and pay for their kids. So they're just like, fine, you know your kids eat for free. And you know for a lot of people, I think that's that's enough of a tipping point that um yeah yeah yeah it's a lot easier to rationalize it when you're you're only paying for yourself. Right.
00:19:45
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, i listen, I think it's a really good incentive, right? Like, I do think it's obviously, you know, they whatever number cruncher they have over there figured out that ah the dining plan doesn't cost that much for them to give for free. And what they get out of it is worth more, you know, of just them booking the package, the adults booking the package and paying for the dining plans out of pocket.
00:20:04
Speaker
So, I mean, it's, you know, it, I think, I think it probably just makes financial sense for them. And it's like a good incentive for them to offer. It is funny, though, that we've gone from no dining plan to now everyone gets a dining plan.
00:20:18
Speaker
It's just kind of funny. I mean, listen, you don't really because you still have to but everyone else has to buy the dining plan that's in your party, right? So. yeah It doesn't mean you just get it for free. you so You actually do have to pay something. And it's, you know, as ah as one of my relatives, I was used to say, there's no such thing as free.
00:20:34
Speaker
ah and And, you know, in as cynical as that is, it's it is partly true, right? Like you're paying for the the parent plan, the adult plan. ah You know, i say adult, even though it's 10 and up, which, you know, I don't think anybody would call a kid that's 10 years old, ah ah you know, an adult. But, know,
00:20:50
Speaker
youre but You're still paying for that piece and you're still paying for the vacation and you're still buying merch and you're doing all the things that they want you to do. So, you know, it's it's free. Yes. But you're also still still doing all the stuff they want.
00:21:02
Speaker
But that this goes back into also, you know, I feel this may be Disney actually listening to people talking about the Disney bubble and all the things that they've taken away. Agree. The Disney bubble is, yeah, you're right. yeah You know, the dining plan, magical express, all that stuff was, you know, going like, I feel like the, this is them trying to say, Hey, you know, if you come here next year, you're going to show up and you, you know, your food is taken care of, you know, we'll see what else they, they do between now and then. yeah,
00:21:30
Speaker
you know, at the very least, hey, you and your family don't have to worry about paying for food for this trip. which And again, I know you're right that, yeah, technically it's not, you're not saving any money per se, but it is there is a convenience and a... Yeah, it's convenience. there There is, yeah, that mental factor of not having to, you know, balance a budget. yeah and And depending too on how, like, you know, how many kids are in your family, I ah get where it could be very...
00:21:59
Speaker
um it could be very off-putting to have to worry about every time the bill comes in that... Yeah, you know some of some of these sit-downs can end up translating to hundreds of dollars. And if you have the dining plan, it's just kind of taken care of, right? You just use a couple of credits and you're good.
00:22:17
Speaker
so i i think the interesting thing about this, and I don't see any any things that said you can't do this. What if you're just like... a couple that has like 10 kids, not that you have 10 kids under 10, but let's say you have five kids under, under 10. Right.
00:22:32
Speaker
And so just the two adults have to pay and then the rest of the kids get to eat for free. I mean, that's pretty great. Yeah. I get, I guess they don't specify on like, it's not a one for one thing. It's not, no, it's it's not as long as you have an adult dining plan.
00:22:46
Speaker
like Yeah, it doesn't say that. It just says all the adults in the party have to purchase it and then all the kids get it for free. Yeah. Which, yeah, two adults bringing like you know their their kids and all of their kids' friends with them.
00:22:59
Speaker
That's I'm saying. I mean, I could not imagine trying to wrangle a group of, you know, ages three to nine kids ah in the parks. Like that would be, that would be crazy. And just for the sake of free food.
00:23:12
Speaker
ah Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So, but I mean, that is interesting though. There, there are going to be ways to kind of game this a little bit, you know? Oh yeah. And, and yeah, like you said, you know, the, the fact that this is, they're, they're leaving this open to combining with other offers and all like, like it feels, this feels to me like Disney is going to,
00:23:34
Speaker
they're They're implying that there's going to be a bunch of other stuff coming for 2026 that's going to make coming to the parks attractive.
Park Perks and Features
00:23:41
Speaker
Sure. That's what this feels like. Yeah, absolutely. ah So the other thing here, too, they they they're mentioning that they're keeping early theme park entry at every park for 30 minutes every day, which I've said before, I do see an hour.
00:23:56
Speaker
Yeah, an hour would be better. I agree with you. ah But also for you know the DVC members that are staying you know at deluxe resorts and or anybody else really staying at deluxe resorts, they do have those extended evening hours at certain parks on certain days. So almost an almost an extra magic hours kind of thing.
00:24:13
Speaker
Uh, but you know, only on certain dates, they, they're, not they don't do it like, you know, all the time. So, uh, yeah, like I even just looked for when I'm going to, I mean, like it's over the weekend, so they're not doing it over the weekend, and you know, they're doing it the times where it's going to be less busy.
00:24:27
Speaker
Uh, but, but yeah, they're still going to have that. So that's good. I don't know why they even bother with the transportation thing because it's always the same. but they had are This is a funny... i mean I mean, it's a great bullet point for people that don't know, i guess. yeah you know you know If you're just coming here and you you don't go to Disney regularly, they go, oh, you know hey, we we eat the monorail and the Skyliner, those are all free like you know for the rest of us that go there all the time. It's like...
00:24:54
Speaker
Yeah. And yeah, obviously. Yeah, obviously. Yeah. um I do. I so it's funny, Trevor, because I was, you know, since I'm going to spend those couple days and I know you're going to spend a couple of days.
00:25:05
Speaker
It's weird to me because I had to renavigate the whole lightning thing because I haven't, you know, now you can book them ahead time and and pay ahead of time and all that. ah But I hadn't really, you know, just I hadn't thought about it until now. But, you know, they mentioned here, too. So, you know, resort guests get early access to dining reservations and lightning lane for the entire stay.
00:25:25
Speaker
So ah but yeah, so I'm going I'm go to book that seven, seven days out. They do also mention they say coming back in summer of 2026. which tells me they're not going offer this maybe in the beginning of 2026.
00:25:37
Speaker
But the ah the free water park admission on the on check-in day, which is available now, is they're saying is going to come back in summer 2026. So obviously at some point they're going to end it this year. I'm assuming when the, you know, I don't know. Did they did they put a date on it for this year? I don't even remember them putting date on it.
00:25:55
Speaker
Yeah, I don't remember seeing it because they did the same. Yeah, they did the same kind of thing that they're doing with the dining plan where they just said for 2025. Right.
00:26:06
Speaker
Yeah. yeah like So I would assume it runs just until the end of the year. Yeah. Until they are until they yeah until they say that they're extending it. Oh, wait, actually, let's see. I'm trying to find this answer really quickly here. But ah but yeah, the also the other thing that they added as a as a little a little you know exclusion is ah when available, right? So like they're saying that they might say that it's not available on a specific day, I guess, if it gets too busy.
00:26:36
Speaker
But it says, like, we'll be it'll, you know, i don't it doesn't say that here, but it's subject to availability. Yeah, so that's what says right there. So... Yeah. So, I mean, they could be, mean, I don't know if that's just them covering for themselves or, or are they just, you know, want to maybe restrict it more next year, but yeah, that's the right. i I feel this, that they're making sure that they have the ability to turn it off at any point if they want to. Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:00
Speaker
Yeah. So I don't see, I'm just trying to find dates on the website here. It just says water park day in 2025. It doesn't say dates. So maybe at the end of the year, it stops and then they'll boot it back up again in the summer next year. i don't know.
00:27:13
Speaker
It's just weird to me that they cut out the first half a year, especially when the water parks, you know, end up being closed a lot towards the end of the year and the beginning of the year, because it's so cold. It can be cold in Florida sometimes, you know, occasionally in December, of January.
00:27:27
Speaker
mean, yeah, maybe a couple of days in January, but Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But okay. So well it's some interesting stuff. I'm sure again, this is like you kind of said, this is kind of just the beginning, right? So we'll, I'm sure we'll, we'll hear more about special offers and things like that.
00:27:41
Speaker
ah Yeah, i'm i'm really I'm really curious how the this promo with the dining plan is going to fold into other things. Because it's like, I mean, for me, it's I wish that this came out eight years ago when my son was old enough that he, could you know, we could actually make use of it.
00:27:59
Speaker
um You know, I'm in that boat now where he's he's basically an adult. So, you know, we'd just be paying for adult dining plans. But yeah. yeah the the The fact, though, that that that they're not limiting this to you know non-DVC or or or you know they are opening it to DVC and the fact that they're saying, hey, this is going to be combinable, I feel like yeah Disney is definitely going to They're going to throw some other stuff out there. And if you're actually if you're paying attention to this stuff, it's probably a good chance to capitalize on um getting some some cool trips going. Right. Like like they're going to make it easy to go. There is what it feels like.
00:28:39
Speaker
Like I'm also remembering but back in 2016, I remember they actually had the ah um we we got something for our park tickets. they They had a promo on park tickets, DVC specifically.
00:28:51
Speaker
But I remember like as we were coming in, they were talking about or like our guide was talking about. Like, oh, yeah, you know, they they always do, like, you know, if you keep an eye for it, like, you can get, um you know, like, like discounts on annual passes, or which, you know, we we get that now with the Sorcerer's Pass and all that.
00:29:08
Speaker
But, um yeah or, you know, like the, like the, the, the, It wasn't free park tickets. It was something like you like you paid points for park tickets or something like that. yeah Yeah, yeah. But I feel like we're going to start seeing that kind of stuff coming back again. I really hope this is the you know the tip of the iceberg on it and that Disney is actually starting to pay attention to all the stuff that they've taken away that they really should be bringing back.
00:29:33
Speaker
I mean, it seems like it, right? With the return of the luggage service and, you know, like there, it seems like some of these things are starting to trickle back in again. Right. Yeah. But hopefully they, you know, keep adding them. So Trevor, why don't we go ahead and do the ad and then we'll talk about a few things.
Sponsor Acknowledgment and Special Appearances
00:29:50
Speaker
All right. So the sponsor of this episode is DVC Resale Market. DVC Resale Market, a world of DVC company, is the leader in the DVC resale industry with 13 former Disney Vacation Club guides and three former Disney Vacation Club quality assurance managers.
00:30:03
Speaker
If you're thinking of buying DVC, browse the largest selection of DVC resale listings anywhere with DVC experts on hand seven days a week to answer your questions. If you're thinking of selling, turn to the friendly professionals at DVC Resale Market, where over 98% of listings sell within 30 In 2024, DVC Resale Market helped over 4,400 families join or add on to their memberships.
00:30:23
Speaker
Go to DVCResaleMarket.com slash welcomehome or call 1-844-DVC-PROS. That's 1-844-382-7767. And when you speak to them, be sure to let them know that Welcome Home sent you. All right, Trevor, Wally.
00:30:37
Speaker
Wally? Wally was in the parks, which i I kind of forgot about Wally. I'll be honest. The actual robot that they built? Because they built them a long time ago, but they don't use them that much, I feel like.
00:30:50
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it's, and it's ah you know, they they did it for Earth Day, which I think, yeah you know, because of the the messaging and WALL-E, you know, it was definitely a good good timing for it.
00:31:01
Speaker
But, yeah, it's just, I feel like, I feel like they should do more with WALL-E, especially for the fact that I kind of forgot about him.
00:31:14
Speaker
Well, this is, I mean, but this is also not to go back to the, the Epic Universe conversation because, ah you know, nobody else wants to, nobody wants to hear my opinion about that anymore. So somebody, somebody got annoyed with me about it, but this is fine. I mean, it's, it's fine. But anyway, this is the stuff you're talking about, Trevor. It's like more of this stuff floating around the parks and and more of these kinds of interactive things. Cause I mean, this, they, and so I just looked this up. it They debuted this in 2013.
00:31:41
Speaker
2013, it's been around. but which Yeah, which... But you never see it, though. Yeah, like, like they they have these things, and Disney just chooses to not use them. and And, again, it's great that they brought it out on Earth Day, but why does Wally only have to come out on Earth Day?
00:31:57
Speaker
Would be my question. Yeah, I mean, I guess just because of the movie, but I mean, you're right. I mean, they could do a, you know, meet and greet with them. Like, they could do... People would meet Wally. I mean, if you look at the comments on Or just have them wander around more like Push. Like...
00:32:11
Speaker
I would be thrilled to see him in the park. Trying to think where you put him though. Tomorrowland. you think he fits it tomorrow in Tomorrowland though? Cause he's like an old rusty busted up robot though. You know, he's still a robot. Yeah. You know, Tomorrowland is inclusive of all robots of shapes and sizes. Tom. That's fair.
00:32:27
Speaker
That's fair. That's fair. Don't be so close minded about robots. Tom. You're right. If you look at the comments though, on the Instagram though, it's just, it's literally just filled with people saying, I want to meet Wally. So it's like,
00:32:39
Speaker
Yeah, do it. Like, why not? Yeah, like exactly. Like, like it, this is, you know, Disney doesn't seem to understand what they're actually holding on to. It feels like.
00:32:50
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, maybe there's a reason. Maybe it doesn't like, you know, maybe it's not ah particularly, ah you know, durable or something. I don't know. but Might have some pinchy spots on it that if you, you know, if he moves the wrong way when somebody has their hand on it.
00:33:04
Speaker
Yeah. could be It could be a liability thing. Yeah, but I mean, like, listen, they've been they've had this robot, which is, listen, it's a very impressive robot. It it looks exactly like WALL-E. It does all the same movements. I mean, it looks it looks like you're meeting the real WALL-E, right?
00:33:17
Speaker
Like, it's pretty amazing that they've had this for, you know, 12 years. they could But they could improve on it even now at this point with, you know, the newer technology they have. Although I don't know what they would do to improve on it because it looks pretty perfect. I don't i don't know what else they could do.
00:33:31
Speaker
It does all the things that WALL-E does already. Does it need to do more? like no that's what I'm saying. It doesn't. I'm just saying, you know, if I guess they could improve on it if they wanted to. Okay. i I'm trying to think how you improve on WALL-E, though.
00:33:42
Speaker
I guess what I mean is they maybe some of the technology in it. like you improve like You know what I mean? Make it more durable. Make it more... more date is' what are you like kind of Or maybe I guess what you're saying is like how they're using ai for the yeah the robots in Galaxy's Edge. like Exactly. of Giving him an upgrade to his behaviors and stuff like that.
00:34:02
Speaker
That's exactly yeah exactly right. like do Do some different things with him. but I do think it's cool they they pulled him out because, they again, they they built a bunch of these robots over the years. You just only see them occasionally for special things.
00:34:14
Speaker
You know? Yeah. Like I said, I'm i'm just um happy that we actually are getting stuff like that again.
00:34:24
Speaker
like it Like you said, you know maybe maybe they'll pay attention that you know the way people are responding to it. that you you know set up more meet and greets like this because why not?
00:34:36
Speaker
Actually, the more that and more than I'm looking at it, yeah, like that this this would be a really hard meet and greet to do, I feel. there's there's a lot of There's a lot of very intricate moving parts on Wally and I feel like somebody could get ah you know a finger caught in the wrong spot. A finger crushed in there?
00:34:56
Speaker
Yeah. yeah what Wally doesn't seem very meet and greet friendly.
00:35:04
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, it actually looks like I'm just... So the the the thing that the ah the internet picked up was ah somebody... some A group of fans built a WALL-E in 2013, but I can't seem to find when Disney built their own WALL-E. i It's been a long time, though. I remember...
00:35:20
Speaker
when it debuted, I just don't know how long it was. And now if you Google Disney Wally, they, all that comes up are those, ah the new droids that are kind of, they're saying are like inspired by. Yeah. yeah Yeah.
00:35:32
Speaker
Oh wait, this, wow. There's a, okay. It's actually even further back because I just found a video from 2008 of them debuting it. Oh, wow. Yeah. is it really that long ago? Oh my gosh. Yeah. two thousand and eight 2008, July 1st, 2008. This video is from with Wally. So they've had that robot now for, well, how many years is that? Oh my gosh. 16, 17 years. Yeah. 17 years. Yeah.
00:35:56
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it and it looks pretty much the same as it did. So yeah, even longer. I said 2013. It's actually 2008. Crazy. Hmm. crazy So anyway, yeah, I said, hopefully we'll see more of it.
00:36:09
Speaker
Yeah. um Also, speaking of, you know, Disney upgrading stuff, it sounds like Smuggler's Run is going to be getting an overhaul.
Smuggler's Run and Merchandise Updates
00:36:17
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, they kind of already announced part of this, right? That there was going to be like Mandalorian and like Grogu themed adventures coming to Smuggler's Run. But now there's there's a new piece to it that we're finding out, which is that one of the crew members is going to get to choose which destination you go to. It's not going to be like a random thing. You get to choose where you want to go.
00:36:38
Speaker
And so they're... which I get, listen, I actually it's kind of cool, especially since they're giving this job to the engineer position, which is, you know, probably the one that does the least on that ride. So now the engineer gets to communicate with Grogu the entire ride and also choose the locale of the mission.
00:36:57
Speaker
Wait, the end, no um the engineer is not the one picking the location. It says the crew will be in in control of the destination. it And that says the engineer positions will communicate with Grogu.
00:37:09
Speaker
Yeah, but from what I've read, i read in a different article, not this one, where they said the engineer is the one that's picking. But i they're not... See... and See, that, I don't know if I like that.
00:37:20
Speaker
that That the engineer's doing it? mean, you can decide as a team, i guess, and just yell at the engineer to do it. Yeah, but then you then you need to have you need to have a full party, or you need six people to have, you know, your own party in Smuggler's Run.
00:37:37
Speaker
So if you're put in with randos, then you could have, you know, one of your engineers is picking a location that you don't want to go to, but you wanted to pilot.
00:37:51
Speaker
You see where, you see where that becomes a problem. I'm, I'm thinking about, okay. So, so when we rode smugglers run, um, it was, uh, it was ah me, me and my son and my parents. So there was four of us. Then we had two random people who those two random people ended up in the engineer positions.
00:38:06
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And, the The thing is, is, you know, we we didn't know them and that was fine. You know, we didn't we didn't have to talk to them or anything. The thing about the engineer positions, though, is that there wasn't a lot they had to do. And I think those those people were kind of happy that like they didn't care to do any of the decision making stuff. And they were happy to, you know, let us, you know,
00:38:26
Speaker
you know my son being the youngest one on there, you know, you know, he was basically driving for us. My wife's the same way. She didn't want to. She's like, I don't want to drive. I'd rather just push buttons. And I'm like, OK, engineer for you. know like But then so but then the thing is that the engineer is given, you know, decision making power.
00:38:42
Speaker
then yeah Then the pilot is yelling back at the the engineer like, pick a spin or right. Like, yeah. Well, know course so it's it's funny, like, like I get it's good that they're adding more interactivity to it.
00:38:58
Speaker
um But I just, I can see where, you know, so this is a case of like giving people control can actually backfire. Yeah. It's what I feel. It could.
00:39:09
Speaker
Yeah, it could. So essentially what it says here, that I sent you the article, Trevor, but it's in this article specifically, and I don't know why they don't say this in the Disney Parks blog post. They kind of say it, but kind of don't, to your point.
00:39:22
Speaker
But in the other article I'm reading, it says at the Star Wars celebration in Japan, ah that you know they said that there will be multiple paths you can take and whoever's the engineer will make the pick. So, yeah.
00:39:33
Speaker
Interesting. Interesting. By the way, the ride will, but the, the updated ride will, will debut the same day as the movie because, you know, Disney can't ah give up a good opportunity for cross promotion within the parks and the, and the movies. So we, we still have a whole year until this happens.
00:39:51
Speaker
Okay. um it's It's funny, though. This article says, on Smuggler's Run, you're either a pilot, a gunner, or an engineer. As the ride is is now, the engineer is kind of the most boring role to play.
00:40:02
Speaker
But with this new ride, it will be the spot that gets to choose which planet you go to. Also, that's where you where you'll interact with Grogu on a small screen. So I guess that it probably, it seems like you're not only going to pick the place, but there's also going to be some things you do with Grogu while you're, while you're on the flight. Right.
00:40:17
Speaker
Assuming that your engineer is paying attention. Well, there's also that there's always that, right. Cause yeah, like, like I, this is the hard thing. I, like I said, you know, you know, when we did it, it was, you know, the people in, in the engineer positions were very clearly like they were just watching the front screen and they were not paying attention to their, know,
00:40:36
Speaker
what they had to do at all. Yeah. that i And, and they were missing, they were missing buttons. I know that that there was, cause there was prompts that you do have to hit as the engineer and they were not doing them, which is fine.
00:40:48
Speaker
Um, it's the same kind of thing as, uh, um, when you go on mission space where you have the, you have the four people in, in different roles and you're supposed to press buttons at certain times. But of course the, the ride does just override and, and do stuff for you. So it doesn't, it doesn't hurt the ride per se, but it definitely hurts the immersion of the ride when, when, you know, if, if four of you are in it and you're like doing the thing and then there's, you know, even one or two people that are just not participating, know,
00:41:23
Speaker
i hope I hope however they do it, it's not obvious if the engineer doesn't do whatever they need to do with Grogu. That's my only comment on it. It's a hard thing, right? Because you yeah want to have that interactivity, but you also... um but people are When people aren't willing to to participate, that actually becomes...
00:41:46
Speaker
it detracts and and you notice it, right? Like, like you know, and when everyone else is is playing ball and one person is like, no, I'm not um'm not doing this. It's like, that's not fun. That's not as fun.
00:41:56
Speaker
No. Yeah. I just thought sounded funny on Mission Space because it's like, if the computer can just do it by itself, like, let's talk, like, we're pretending like we're in the mission here, right? Then why do I have to push the button?
00:42:07
Speaker
You know what I mean? Like, if you don't push the button, the computer takes over and does it for you. But why do have to in first place? It is manual override. Or just as override and it does it. Right. But that's, yeah but again, it's just to make sure that the ride.
00:42:19
Speaker
I know. I'm just, I'm, I'm just joking about it. Cause I just think it's funny. Like if you're living in that world and pretending like you're really going to Mars, like, you know, it's kind of pointless for you to push buttons if the computer can do it by itself.
00:42:31
Speaker
But that's true. But anyway, fun fun aside to that, if, if you ever want to play a hard mode in a mission space, ah My brother and I did this once where it was just two of us. And we so we we split ourselves up and we each man two consoles, which is, oh gosh, it's way harder than you think because you have to reach across and hit buttons and the G-forces are pushing you back and all that.
00:42:55
Speaker
but that but That sounds like fun. yeah you you cant You can run Mission Space with two people. I mean, technically, I guess you could run it with one person, you know, I mean, because the computer will just do it all anyway.
00:43:06
Speaker
Yeah, but but I mean, you you can you can keep the like you can keep the prompts going or the buttons going, which the interesting thing about Smuggler's Run is that things are spaced out enough that like you couldn't have, like, if you were missing your engineers, you couldn't have like your your gunners reach back and hit. Like, it's too far, right? like You can't. Yeah.
00:43:27
Speaker
Yeah. yeah and And you're not getting up in the middle of the ride to to do that. they will You're not. No, no. ah Yeah. So anyway, there's going to be a bunch of different places you can go with this. So listen, I think this is a good update to this ride. I mean, I'm glad that they're keeping it fresh. You know, it's I think that's important with and and they've been doing this with Star Tours, too. You know, Star Tours is a different ride every time you go on it And that keeps it keeps it fresh. And I think that's that's a smart thing to do.
00:43:54
Speaker
without, you know, having to do these crazy long refurbishments, you can update some of these things without, you know, without really yeah closing it down. So yeah, keep keeping it for for those of us that go back enough to notice that is it is new and and interesting enough, or, you know, it gives you enough reason to go and and check it out. Right.
00:44:13
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. right. What else we got here? Oh, what do you want to talk about? You to about some stitch merch here? Yeah, let's let's talk about some stitch merch because they they are clearly pushing this for the the new movie. I'm not going to lie. There was ah a commercial popped up for the new stitch movie and my daughter was cracking up at it. She was like so into it.
00:44:36
Speaker
Yeah. ah She was, I don't know. I mean, maybe I'll actually get her to watch a movie, which I i never can, but maybe maybe this time i'll I'll actually get it done. But yeah, I mean, listen, this is, it's it's interesting because Stitch, even though it wasn't the biggest movie ever, I feel like there is a legion of people that are just Stitch fans.
00:44:56
Speaker
Like, you know what i mean? Like you just see a lot of people. It's almost got like a different cultural thing to it. Outside, I mean, i mean, like, too like, my son was definitely big into stitch, like, like, he he has a lot of stitch plushies and stuff that he grew up with. And, and it was, I think it was just a timing thing that, like, he wasn't, like, stitch actually came out before he was born.
00:45:19
Speaker
But yeah. um It was just like he sat down and watched the movie and and he just kind of got fixated. Yeah. Like you said, it's just like a it's just a thing that it's like some people just get like enamored with the character of Stitch.
00:45:33
Speaker
And because i like I will say, like, you know, looking at this merch, like I'm glad that they they definitely leaned more towards character. cartoon version of Stitch than yeah yeah and the live action version, which I think is good. like you know It does kind of give them some room to... you know The live action Stitch will definitely be its own thing, but all the merch really does... like like It plays into the the ah the the animation or the show that used to be on, the animated series, and the original movie. like It gives those some life back.
00:46:06
Speaker
um But yeah, like like that this this is ah This is way more stitch merch than I've seen. Like I, I remember when my son was younger, you know, we were kind of disappointed. We were like scouring the parks for anything stitch related.
00:46:22
Speaker
And, you know, every time that we saw like a different stitch plushie, we're like, oh, we've got to get it because we're never going see it. And now it's like, you know, looking but at this merch, there's like, there's like three different plushies there. that there's That's a huge plushie.
00:46:36
Speaker
i just I just think about the you so the babysitters I used to hire. right I say used to because they they went to college, but they were high school kids. there There's 17. And one of them, and i say I say them, they were twins. So they they would all both come over at the same time. So that's why I'm saying that. But essentially, one of them, I remember we came home one time and one of them, I noticed that their backpack had like a stitch thing on it.
00:46:57
Speaker
And I was like, oh, do you really like Lilo and Stitch? She's like, no, I just like Stitch. i like yeah oh And like, yeah And she's like, I've actually never seen the movie. I just like Stitch. And I'm like, that's what I'm talking about. like Stitch has like a different... He has a popularity outside of the movie, which I think Disney's trying to capitalize on by making this live action, but also just with all the merch.
00:47:15
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. and And you're right. that That's the thing is like, like my, my son, he's not like, he, he doesn't watch them. Like he watched the movie, I think like maybe once or twice, but it was the same kind of thing where it wasn't like, he wasn't like into the movie per se. It was just stitch. Like, like he just wanted stitch stuff. And yeah, there, there's just something about, I don't know what kind of lightning in a bottle they, they captured with him, but it, like you said, it's, it's weird because uh,
00:47:44
Speaker
Yeah, he's like he's got kind of this own his own thing going independent of the movies and all the other media around it. Oh, they got dog stuff here, too. I need to get... Okay, I gotta buy my dog. and I think it's because he's like both mischievous and also adorable, you know? Yes.
00:48:00
Speaker
like he's He's both like he's funny, he's silly, he like you know iss is gets into a lot of trouble, but then at the end of the day, he's also kind of adorable and lovable, right? I think that's where they kind of got it. I was looking at this cool... ah uh motorized uh stitch remote control car of him riding a uh riding ah a surf surfboard yeah yeah like that's pretty cool i like that uh the the dog stuff it again like we we've actually we have bought like you know stitch dog collars and stuff it's funny how that like they they've really leaned in hard on this like you can get like harnesses and stuff now which is oh yeah dog costumes like man where was this stuff five years ago
00:48:42
Speaker
They got bed sheets over here that they're doing. They got a ah stitch waffle maker. They've got their stitch gogurt, which I'm sure I'll be buying at the store sometime soon here.
00:48:53
Speaker
um They have like a where's Waldo book. That's, but it's weird. We're stitch. Okay. Hmm. That's cool. I guess. Right. I feel like that's that's a hard sell to me. You think so?
00:49:06
Speaker
Yeah, okay well, because Stitch, like, the thing about the Where's Waldo's book is that, you know, the striped shirt makes him camouflage in a lot better. i feel like i feel like Stitch is a little too... Too easy to find? Yeah, it's too hard to hide him in a crowd.
00:49:21
Speaker
Oh my god, this dog costume of Stitch? That's hilarious. Yeah. I want to put my dog in this just to make him look as miserable as this dog that looks... Oh yeah man. Although I like the bed, the bed looks like that. That's the kind of a dog bed that my dog would, would use for sure. I'm i'm digging the stitch walkie talkies over here, man. i you know, was go to say that the, the splash mat is actually kind of yeah i like for summertime stuff. I feel like you don't see a lot of that or they, they don't overly advertise, I guess the summertime
00:49:58
Speaker
kind of stuff and initially i thought i was thinking it was like uh or i don't know like i didn't even look at the picture i was just like oh it's like a stitch water thing ah i immediately thought like a crate a stitch crazy or like um what was the the water slide the yellow slip and slide yeah slip and slide yeah yeah yeah i want to say crazy carpets are like a winter thing um But yeah, so yeah, like I was thinking like a stitch slip and slide would be like perfect. That'd be pretty cool too. Yeah, that'd be Yeah, yeah.
00:50:29
Speaker
It's funny that they're doing, a I mean, summertime stuff for Stitch actually makes a lot of sense because, it you know you know, being that it takes place in Hawaii, it's very easy to kind of sell that like, you know, you know tropical water play kind of stuff, right?
00:50:45
Speaker
Like i'm yeah I'm actually surprised there's not more of it in and this merch lineup. I actually am surprised too. I mean, this is just also the beginning though, too. There could be more. I mean, yeah they they're saying they're saying too that this is ah yeah this is a a new line of stuff. so But I'm sure there's going to be more things.
00:51:03
Speaker
I wouldn't be surprised anyway. But I mean, most of these look like they i mean they look like the same Stitch that we know. So I mean, it's not... I feel like the live action one looks just like the animated one personally. but So i to me, they can make merch for both and it works fine.
00:51:17
Speaker
Like you do not notice the difference. I think the, the only thing on here that looks, or I shouldn't say the only thing, but there, there is these, um there's these vinyl figures towards the top. Yeah. That those those definitely look closer to the live action one.
00:51:33
Speaker
I feel like everything else is, is very much embracing the cartoony version of stitch. That makes sense. Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. All right. Well, that's, that's all I got. I mean, know you want to, should we wrap this thing up, Trevor? I mean, yeah.
00:51:48
Speaker
Yeah, i think I think we covered a lot. Yeah, so this is the last time you're going to hear from us for with a timely show for a few weeks here. So we will still be putting out a show on ah the, what, May 5th.
00:52:02
Speaker
So look for a show on May 5th. That'll still happen. ah But we won't have a show at all on the 12th. ah So, and then we'll we'll come back ah that next week on the 19th. So, ah you know.
00:52:14
Speaker
we'll ah what we'll We'll be back. We'll we'll be trying to post it we'll post stuff too. So hopefully you'll be able to follow along with the stuff we're working on doing. so Yeah. So yeah, I guess yeah during the week of the 12th, I mean, you're because you're going to be on you're going to be coming back from your cruise and I'm going to be going.
00:52:30
Speaker
on my trip. So I think, yeah, you know, yeah um not, not putting it out there that there's going to be a ton of stuff, but, you know, definitely we'll, you know, I think we'll both try and post stuff as, you know, we, we see opportunities. So, you know, at the very least, if you're, um you know, if you, if you're not in the group or if you're not on Facebook, you know, you can, you can still follow stuff that we're putting on there because you will see posts on Facebook. So,
00:52:57
Speaker
And by the way, thanks to everybody who checked out at the first episode of Food Time. Trevor and I had a lot of fun doing it. And I'm glad ah we we've got some really good feedback about it and people really seem to like it. So thank you if you checked out Food Time. We really appreciate it. And apologies if you watched it early on. i Listen, ah we we'll chalk this up to it being the first episode. But really, there was you know there was an issue with the audio where it was only coming through one channel.
00:53:19
Speaker
ah you know, it's fixed now if you go back and watch it. Yeah. Yeah. Growing pains. Listen, it's, it's the, the first one we've done of these. So, um, you know, not going to happen again. ah but yeah. So thank you for, for your patience with that. And, and and also for checking out and giving us feedback. feedback We really appreciate it. I, I, I've enjoyed all the nice comments and i like i said, Trevor and I had a fun time doing it. So.
00:53:39
Speaker
Yeah. I'm, I'm looking forward to doing more of it. Like, I, I feel like, you know, now that you kind of worked, ironed out some of the bugs, um, it's just, it's going to get better. Yeah. Yeah. But thank you for checking it out. And like, if you want to, watch if you want to watch, watch it, it's available on YouTube. If you want to listen to it, of course you can just listen it to it through the podcast channels without video too. So yeah.
00:54:00
Speaker
All right. I guess, I guess it's my turn now to start the wrap up, isn't it? It is yours. Yeah. It's your turn to talk. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, um, yeah, you know, you know, for anything that we've talked about today, or if you have your own trip report, um, or anything you want to share with us, I'll start by mentioning the email address. You can always find us at welcome on podcast at gmail.com.
00:54:22
Speaker
I will also mention the, uh, um, the trip report line as well. So, you know, if you don't want to you don't want to email us, you can also call or text us. So you, you know, you can call us at 833-WHP-TIPS. That's 987-8477.
00:54:37
Speaker
um you know We love hearing from you guys. We love hearing your own trip reports or you know if you have questions or anything that you want us to talk about on the show, um yet you know you can always reach us those ways. And then also you can find us on social media. So as I mentioned earlier, we are on Facebook as Welcome Home Podcast. We're on YouTube as Welcome Home Podcast. And we're on Instagram as Welcome Home Picks.
00:54:56
Speaker
ah Make sure on Facebook, you also check out our group, Welcome Home Disney Waitlist, where we talk about all the stuff that you hear on the show. ah But then there is also a lot of very cool people in the group that post ah um that posts their own trip reports. you know you know we've We shouted out to Jeremy earlier this this episode. And um you know there's things like what Ashley shared in the group, you know calling those two out again. Just great stuff.
00:55:21
Speaker
Love seeing it. Would love to see more. Also love seeing you know people posting memes. About, you know, stuff that we talked about on the show. We, we, we don't always, we don't always, you know, think about how, I should say, you know, we, we don't memes always come of like the most weirdest things or, you know, something that we didn't even think was like a big point in the show, but you know, somebody always finds something fun to share about it and it's always in the group. So, you know, make sure you, you make sure you, uh,
00:55:49
Speaker
join the group. If you want to see all the memes and all the, the other stuff that, that, you know, people talk about and that we, we share around the show as well. So, uh, you know, check those things out.
00:56:00
Speaker
Also, if you want to help support the show, you can go to store.welcomehomepodcast.com and check out our different merch on there. So, you know, we have all the usual stuff, the t-shirts, mugs, um, all that kind of stuff that, uh, you can get. And, you know, if, if you do get something, you know, you know, send us a pic in the groups. We, we, we love to, we love to see it.
00:56:18
Speaker
And, uh, um And then similarly, we also have a patreony Patreon. So you can to patreon.com slash welcomehomepod and check out our different levels of Patreon support, which gets an exclusive logo that you can only get on Patreon. So so our Patreon supporters get get that.
00:56:34
Speaker
They also get access to the Discord server, which is yet another place that we we talk about stuff on the show, similar to the ah similar to the the Facebook group. But yeah, you Discord is...
00:56:46
Speaker
as just another platform for that. And also all of our Patreon supporters get early access to things like food time. So, you know, if you wanted to, ah you know, get food time before everyone else gets it on Thursday, you know, consider checking out our our Patreon.
00:57:00
Speaker
And last but not least, if you're listening on iTunes or Spotify or any platform where you can leave us a five-star review, please do so. It just helps more people find the show. You know, it's it's just one of those things with how the internet, how the little gears in the internet spin. um, yeah, you know, we got to get those little gears spinning and to, you know you know, make sure that, yeah, you know, you know, it's just a bunch of gears in the background. That's Yeah. That's all it really is. Yeah. So, so yeah, you know, leave us a five-star review. We, we love, we love seeing that stuff. And, uh, we also love seeing your reviews on iTunes. So, you know, if you want to write us a review and let us what you think about the show, we we love hearing that as well.
00:57:40
Speaker
Yeah. So write us some reviews. So don't have any new ones this week, but don't forget to subscribe to welcome home podcast. So you be reminded every time we release an episode, you can find us on Apple podcasts, Amazon music, tune in, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube music, just about any place you can find podcasts. You can find us just a reminder to our listeners. Welcome home podcast is for entertainment only. We are not employed by the one Disney company. And as such, all opinions we express on the show are our own.
00:58:02
Speaker
So please consult a DVC cast member or Disney cast member for more information about anything we talked about today. Huge thank you to our sponsor, DVC Resale Market, for sponsoring this episode in World of DVC for continuing to be our partners over the years.
00:58:16
Speaker
Join us next time for more Disney Parks discussion. Of course, more DVC talk. We hope to see you all real soon. This is Skipper Albert A. Wall, the voice of the jungle, signing off from Welcome Home Podcast on the DVC.
00:58:32
Speaker
When we hit a chair, how she can cuddle is known. I looked around from pole to pole, found her in a sugar bowl.
00:58:43
Speaker
Look out, here comes my ball and change.