Gossip phone

[Pocahontas]

I have hard so much about this gossip phone, but I know very little about it. From my understanding, it is in one of the shops on Main Street. Could somebody please tell me which one? Or if it is even still in operation, which it might not be. It's just something I've heard about and think is cool. Information would be much appreciated, thank you.

 

[minniemickeyfan]

I found one of the phones in the hat shop between the confectionary and Tonys. There maybe more I don't know. I listened for awhile, don't remember what it said now, but I do remember it was women talking.

 

[Pocahontas]

I found one of the phones in the hat shop between the confectionary and Tonys. There maybe more I don't know. I listened for awhile, don't remember what it said now, but I do remember it was women talking.

Huh, interesting. Was this recently?

 

[Master Yoda]

I can confirm. The gossip phone is in the Chapeau on Main St. Walk in the front door, turn to your right and you should see it on the outside wall. It was still in operation as of a few weeks ago. No reason to think it will not be in the near or distant future.

The story behind it is quite simple. Back when phones were new, not every house had its own unique phone line. It was quite common for a single phone line to be used in several homes. Because of this it was not uncommon for you to pick up your phone and hear your neighbors having a conversation, or in this case, a woman to be gossiping about everyone in the neighborhood.

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

I can confirm. The gossip phone is in the Chapeau on Main St. Walk in the front door, turn to your right and you should see it on the outside wall. It was still in operation as of a few weeks ago. No reason to think it will not be in the near or distant future.

The story behind it is quite simple. Back when phones were new, not every house had its own unique phone line. It was quite common for a single phone line to be used in several homes. Because of this it was not uncommon for you to pick up your phone and hear your neighbors having a conversation, or in this case, a woman to be gossiping about everyone in the neighborhood.

I picked up the phone on my trip last year while waiting for my hats to be embroidered. It sounded like 2 new Yorkers having a conversation, not sure what about, I can hear the voice still but none of the words if that makes sense.

 

[Allygator]

I can confirm. The gossip phone is in the Chapeau on Main St. Walk in the front door, turn to your right and you should see it on the outside wall. It was still in operation as of a few weeks ago. No reason to think it will not be in the near or distant future.

The story behind it is quite simple. Back when phones were new, not every house had its own unique phone line. It was quite common for a single phone line to be used in several homes. Because of this it was not uncommon for you to pick up your phone and hear your neighbors having a conversation, or in this case, a woman to be gossiping about everyone in the neighborhood.

Back when phones were new???? We had a "party line" when I was growing up! Lol I was trying to explain it to my daughter. I can't wait to show her! Thanks for the info!

 

[Master Yoda]

Back when phones were new???? We had a "party line" when I was growing up! Lol I was trying to explain it to my daughter. I can't wait to show her! Thanks for the info!

My wife had the same thing in the late 70's. Party line were used rural areas well into the 80's. Some still exist, but as kind of a novelty.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

That's awesome.

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

Apparently there is one in Tomorrowland too:
Located in Rocket Tower Plaza (beneath the Tommorowland Transit Authority station and the Astro Orbiter) is a phone with a several buttons. Pick up the phone and each button will connect you with the likes of Sonny Eclipses’ Agent or other Tommorowland residents.
I can't verify this as I didn't look for this one, but I do remember reading there were two.

 

[Pocahontas]

Apparently there is one in Tomorrowland too:
Located in Rocket Tower Plaza (beneath the Tommorowland Transit Authority station and the Astro Orbiter) is a phone with a several buttons. Pick up the phone and each button will connect you with the likes of Sonny Eclipses’ Agent or other Tommorowland residents.
I can't verify this as I didn't look for this one, but I do remember reading there were two.

Thanks

 

[Hot Lava]

Back when phones were new???? We had a "party line" when I was growing up! Lol I was trying to explain it to my daughter. I can't wait to show her! Thanks for the info!

I remember those as well! And the "old" people (when I was a kid) still liked to use the way the use to state phone numbers they way they used to - with a location name and then a couple numbers.

Also even try to explain to kids today a phone without call waiting or caller ID. Or with the rotary dial. Kids today would lose their ADD minds having to wait for the rotary to go back and forth.

 

[minniemickeyfan]

Huh, interesting. Was this recently?

This past June.

 

[MissM]

I picked up the phone on my trip last year while waiting for my hats to be embroidered. It sounded like 2 new Yorkers having a conversation, not sure what about, I can hear the voice still but none of the words if that makes sense.

There's a Mom and Daughter talking about prices of steak (11 cents a pound!!) and other prices for goods and then the Mom tells the daughter she can only marry a man who makes $8/week since prices are so high these days.

Here's a page where you can listen to it: http://www.disney-pal.com/MagicKingdom/the_chapeau_history.htm

And here's a pic showing it's location: http://thedisneykids.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Mk-Phone.jpg

 

[Phonedave]

My wife had the same thing in the late 70's. Party line were used rural areas well into the 80's. Some still exist, but as kind of a novelty.

Party lines are grandfathered in. You cannot order a new one, but if you had the service you could still keep it. It's chraper than a regular 1FR service. I have never seen one that was a true party line - it was party line service, but there was only one party left on it. There are still people out there that lease their phones (or so I have been told). When I went though plant school in 1996 they still tought party line repair - how they are wired. I doubt they still teach it now.


-dave

 

[ddrongowski]

I can confirm. The gossip phone is in the Chapeau on Main St. Walk in the front door, turn to your right and you should see it on the outside wall. It was still in operation as of a few weeks ago. No reason to think it will not be in the near or distant future.

The story behind it is quite simple. Back when phones were new, not every house had its own unique phone line. It was quite common for a single phone line to be used in several homes. Because of this it was not uncommon for you to pick up your phone and hear your neighbors having a conversation, or in this case, a woman to be gossiping about everyone in the neighborhood.

And that right there is why wifi (shared) is never going to be as good as hard wired (switched). FYI they are called party lines.
It is good to understand whatever your using in full and not just be a simple end user.

 

[ddrongowski]

Party lines are grandfathered in. You cannot order a new one, but if you had the service you could still keep it. It's chraper than a regular 1FR service. I have never seen one that was a true party line - it was party line service, but there was only one party left on it. There are still people out there that lease their phones (or so I have been told). When I went though plant school in 1996 they still tought party line repair - how they are wired. I doubt they still teach it now.


-dave

I am old enough to remember using these. We had one and so did both sets of my grandparents.

 

[MissM]

When I was a little girl, my grandparents had a party line back in PA. They lived in a duplex and both sides of the house shared the same line. I found it the oddest thing because even outside of the "city" up in the rural mountains where I lived, we had our own phone line! But every now and then, you could pick up the phone and someone else would be talking.

 

[Master Yoda]

And that right there is why wifi (shared) is never going to be as good as hard wired (switched). FYI they are called party lines.
It is good to understand whatever your using in full and not just be a simple end user.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/gossip-phone.875018/#post-5745132

 

[ddrongowski]

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/gossip-phone.875018/#post-5745132

Endless loop

tip and ring

right back at you

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/gossip-phone.875018/#post-5745132

 

[donaldtoo]

WOOF!
Big time blast from the past for me...!!!
Grandparents on my pops side never even had a phone on the farm. Grandma only got one when they moved her into town (7 miles away, population 1200-ish) after grandpa passed in '78.
Grandparents on moms side had a party line on the farm as far back as I can remember until they both passed not too far apart from each other in the mid '90's. Everyone on the party line had their own particular ring and everyone knew who's was who's...! When we were around anyway , my grans never picked it up unless it was their ring...