The Quest for Disney Continues

I think I've mentioned that a good friend and I are doing a Disney-talk at our church's annual Women's Day in October. The theme is how to plan a great Disney vacation for less. We are both absolute fanatics about The World and so this is right up our alley.

So we started plotting and planning a little over a month ago and split the topics up between us and got the whole shebang under way. That was where my map dilemma came in and the Disney Company saved the day by offering us some free lithographs. They are adorable.

So feeling spunky and successful in that quest, I contacted my friend Ric over at the Magic for Less Travel (he ALWAYS gets me the best vacation deals) and asked if they would be willing to send us some promotional stuff for the talk. And they are. Thank you, Ric!

Okay, so now I'm just about bursting at the seams at all of the information we will be able to give these ladies and how we might now have to invest in gift bags, we decide to take a field trip to the Disney Store. I know, weird to think of it that way but we brought the kids along and so it made it seem like a little adventure. So we go, we look around and see what kinds of brochures and pamphlets they have to offer and we finally get to speak to a manager who was very, very nice. He gave us a bundle of brochures and told us that there was a planning guide that was coming in in three weeks and that he would put 50 aside for us. Bless you, kind little Disney man!!

Now I'm feeling out and out bold and ask it they have any old posters or displays that were getting ready to be thrown away that we could have. Hey, at this point in the planning process our motto has become "You have not, because you ask not". So I asked. It turns out (and this is just BIZARRE to me!) that he - as the manager of the store - is contractually obligated to DESTROY any and all promotional displays when they are done with them. Not even the employees get to have them. Two people have to go to the dumpster/compactor and DESTROY these things!!! I'm sorry, but I think that Disney would make a FORTUNE on selling these items. I know I would have bought a thing or two! If that spinning Mickey Mouse or Peter Pan sitting up there near the ceiling were for sale, they would SO be in my house right now! I just thought it was all a little extreme.

We meet again on Monday to plot, plan and discuss all-things-Disney. It's going to be the BEST day.