MOUSEHUNT 2004 ... What went down!

You've seen the avatars and signature lines. Many people have IM'ed me, asking me what it was all about. The wait is over. I will finally reveal what MOUSEHUNT 2004 is.

Mousehunt 2004 actually started last Saturday. I was lying in bed, and thinking about something special that Tifani and I can do for our very last weekend in the parks using these Annual Passes (which expire tomorrow. I renewed mine today). I came up with Mousehunt. Originally, it was going to be Tifani and I going around, trying to break a world record. The more we talked about it, the more we decided that a world record was not the way to go. Instead, we turned it into a fun challenge with Tifani and I actually competing AGAINST each other. The premise was, go around to different parts of Walt Disney World, and get our papers signed by castmembers at that location. We started Mousehunt at 11am , and below, I will list the events of today, and lastly, who the winner of the very first MouseHunt was.

Here were the locations we needed to visit. Each one was worth a different amount of points.

Mouse Hunt 2004
April 25th, 2004


1)Magic Kingdom - Tomorrowland Light and Power Co. - 20 Points
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2)Epcot - MouseGear - 20 Points
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3)Disney/Mgm Studios - Tatooine Traders - 20 points
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4)Animal Kingdom - Creature Comforts - 20 Points
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5)DisneyQuest - DisneyQuest Emporium - 20 Points
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6)Blizzard Beach - Ticket Window - 10 Points
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7)Typhoon Lagoon - Ticket Window - 10 Points
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8)Downtown Disney Marketplace - Sweet Memories - 10 Points
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9)Downtown Disney West Side - Mickey's Groove - 10 Points
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10)Grand Floridian - Sandy Cove - 5 Points
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11)Fort Wilderness - *freebie* - 5 Points
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12)Contemporary - Fantasia - 5 Points
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13)Polynesian - Robinson Crusoe's - 5 Points
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14)Swan - Disney Cabana's - 5 Points
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15)Dolphin - Daisy's Garden - 5 Points
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16)Animal Kingdom Lodge - Zawadi Marketplace - 5 Points
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17)Boardwalk - Thimbles and Threads - 5 Points
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18)Wilderness Lodge - Wilderness Lodge Merchantile - 5 Points
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19)Yacht Club - Fittings and Fairings Clothes - 5 Points
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20)Beach Club - Atlantic Wear and Wardrobe Emporium - 5 Points
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21)Old Key West - Conch Flats General Store - 5 Points
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22)Caribbean Beach - Calypso Trading Post - 5 Points
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23)Coronado Springs - Panchito's Gifts and Sundries - 5 Points
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24)Port Orleans Riverside - Fulton's General Store - 5 Points
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25)Port Orleans French Quarter - Jackson Square Gifts and Desires - 5

Points
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26)All Star Sports - Sport Goofy's - 5 Points
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27)All Star Music - Maestro Mickey's - 5 Points
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28) All Star Movies - Donald's Double Feature - 5 Points
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29)Pop Century - Shopping Pop - 5 Points
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30)Transportation and Ticket Center - Freebie - 5 Points
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Ok, so with that in mind (and on our papers) we took off. I first went to Wilderness Lodge, and Tifani went to the MK area hotels. I managed to get WL, and MK before going to CB to meet Tifani for lunch. We ate (and left our MOUSEHUNT 2004 mark on the place) and then I headed over to AK. It became obvious to me that I was gonna need some more time. I called up Tifani, and asked her if it would be alright to extend MouseHunt (that was supposed to end at 5pm) be moved, so that it ended at 6pm. After alot more signatures, I made it to Epcot and met Kenan at the Tip Board. He came with me to get my Yacht / Beach Club, Swan, Dolphin, and Boardwalk signatures. (Kenan, you didn't even need to worry about taking up time (lol...you'll see...keep reading). So, then I went over to get more signatures and I finally made it to the Cheesecake Factory at DisneyQuest, since that was where we were supposed to meet. Oh, I forgot to mention, it was 7pm by this time.

Now, from the stories on the car ride home : Tifani was telling me that her feet really started hurting and that slowed her down. She also was telling me that she had to wait in a giant line for the Monorail, which broke down when she got there. She had to deal with a crazy bus driver who kept saying "DOWWWWWWWWWWN TOWWWWWWWWWWWWN DISNAAAAY" and yelling at the cars next to him, saying things like, "C'mon car, you can go" and then pointing to another car and saying "BUT YOU CAN'T". We were laughing all the way home but that was in part, due to the fact that we were so incredibly tired. Everything hurts (even things I didn't know I had).

So, who was the winner, you ask?

first, I would like to thank:

Chris at the MK
Seth at Epcot
M---- at MGM
Debbie at AK
Mary at DisneyQuest
Aida at Sweet Memories
Debbie at Mickey's Groove
Cecilia at Cont.
J. Weatherman at Poly
Roberto at GF
Merideth at WL
Do at the Swan
Luis at Dolphin
Leanne at AKL
Jamie at BW
Yashoki at Yacht Club
Kay at BC
Cherrle at CB

And thats all I got signed. So, with all that being said...

The Winner

of the FIRST EVER

MouseHunt 2004

was....






ME!!! My grand total was 175 points. Tifani got 135. I need to be fair though. She got points off for being late to lunch, and most of the day, she was ahead of me, but I really stepped into gear at the end of the day.

I hope next year, more people will participate (I only know some) and it would be more fun. I have to tell you, the real challenge in all this was using WDW Transportation...ONLY WDW TRANSPORTATION!

Well, that was MouseHunt 2004.

 

[1stStarIC2nite]

Ahhhh I would have LOST.. LOL.. I dont even know where half those places are :lol:

Anyways, glad you had fun buddy

 

[GoofBall06]

wow! just reading all those places makes me dizzy! Sounded fun though!

 

[scorp111]

my feet hurt...... and I wasn't there

 

[se8472]

That is a awsome idea here. I am just mad that space mt was not on there but that is ok.

I think there should be a prize for winning or something

oh well, gratz on the win

 

[ISTCrew20]

Pics are up...


SE---The Space Mountain SHOP was lol...Space Mountain may be included in RideSlide2004:animwink:

 

[SpongeScott]

Interesting idea, Patrick. Couple of questions:

1. Who decided the locations and point values?
2. Was only a signature requied?
3. Why the penalty for being late to lunch--part of the game?
4. What was the world record you thought about going for?
5. Who checked your paper to see if you didn't cheat? :animwink:

This sounds like something fun to do with my older kids to help pass a day at WDW.

 

[Nansafan]

I'm sorry if I sound dumb and if it was mentioned and I just missed it, again I apologize. What papers are you referring to that you got signed? The idea for MouseHunt sounds awesome and would be a great game for my family to do.

 

[General Grizz]

That's so awesome. :lol:

 

[ISTCrew20]

Originally posted by SpongeScott
Interesting idea, Patrick. Couple of questions:

1. Who decided the locations and point values?
2. Was only a signature requied?
3. Why the penalty for being late to lunch--part of the game?
4. What was the world record you thought about going for?
5. Who checked your paper to see if you didn't cheat? :animwink:

This sounds like something fun to do with my older kids to help pass a day at WDW.

and the answers to your questions...

1) I did. I flipped through the Birnbaum guidebook, and picked a location at each place by random.
2) Yep, only a signature
3) The penelty for being late was for 10 points. Tifani was 10 mins late, and 10 points got knocked off her score. It was just to add an extra challenge. However, we thought for sure that we could get all 30 locations. I only got 18, and it was alot harder than it looked. Next year, we'll allow for a little more time
4)The world record was to go to every location at WDW using only WDW transportation. Included in the 30 places was EVERY Hotel, Park, and everything else (minus mini golf and WWOS) on Disney property
5) We just had to take each others words on it. I know that I wasn't gonna cheat, and I'm sure Tifani didn't. We also talked on the phone alot so I got a general idea of where she was, and what she was cappable of going to before time was up. I think next year, a picture at each location may be required.


Nansafan - they were papers I printed. I will scan them soon.

And this MouseHunt really wears ya out. I had to get up at 5am this morning for school, and when I got out of bed, everything cracked!

 

[SpongeScott]

Originally posted by ISTCrew20
I think next year, a picture at each location may be required.


And this MouseHunt really wears ya out. I had to get up at 5am this morning for school, and when I got out of bed, everything cracked!

Another good variation to the game--just have a photo Mousehunt without having to involve CM's. Make a list of specific things to photograph and off you go. Have someone neutral make the list for you so that you really don't know what to expect until you get the list. Things could range from a pic of Cinderella's Castle to the name tag of the person taking orders at Pecos Bill's. You get the idea and a great idea for a game you have come up with.

As for being tired, I would imagine it would wear you out. WDW is huge!

Thanks for the answers.

 

[tigsmom]

Thats sounds like so much fun. I'd be exhausted, too. :lol:

 

[nicholas]

That sounds like such a fun idea! I love scavenger hunt sort of things! I really love the idea of having to get pics at the locations. Perhaps for your next one instead of just saying the things to get picture of, use just clues. Something like:

Swimmers might enjoy this pool if they have a few minutes to SPARE.

And so you have to figure out it's the Pop Century's bowling pin pool instead of just being told what it is. Adds a little more to the game.

Fun idea! I wanna play!!

 

[Kenan]

im in the planning stages of planning something like this for the test track crew which will involve taking pictures of various places and of/in various things and of certain people

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I like the idea...sounds like fun. I was reading about how you thought you would extend the time for the next one. You shouldn't do that, so you can make the challenge more strategic. It would make you think what route would give you the best chance of getting the most done. Those kind of games aren't always about getting everything done, it is about thinking what will allow you to get the most done.

For example...There were the least number of things to do over in the AK area. You only had 35 points to find in the AK (AK, AKL, BB). If you were to use the MK--Epcot--Studios route you probably could get a lot. And then if you ended at DTD like you said you could have made that your last stop.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

What a great idea. Sounds like a lot of fun. I think you just started something huge that a lot of people are going to copy in some way.

 

[ISTCrew20]

Originally posted by nicholas


Swimmers might enjoy this pool if they have a few minutes to SPARE.

Tifani would be stuck in the same spot all day long. She is aweful at clues like that.

SpongeScott - Yea, next years will be different from this years. I don't know what will be taking place, but I have 364 days to think about it. Anyone who will be at WDW in April, pm me. For MouseHunt 2005, I am also liking the idea of teams, so we will need some more people. My team is already booked though:lol:

AND ... If you liked MouseHunt, just wait for "RideSlide 2004" in October, and "FASTPASS FastDash" sometime this year! Both will be very different from MouseHunt, and from what I have planned so far, much more fun. I will be starting posts about the events about a month before they actually happen, so if anyone is down at that time, and would like to participate, all they need to do is let me know.

And Kenan, what happened to the original name of your event?:lol:





and DisneyInsider- I think next time, we will do it on a Saturday, and do it from 10am-7pm. Sounds like ALOT of time, but WDW transportation takes about 45 minutes at each location. I thought for sure that I would get all 30...I only got 18, and I kept going non-stop!

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Oy, the energy the kids have...I need a nap after reading this thread. :snore:

 

[Nansafan]

Been thinking about your game all day at work. I'm thinking that for our group, a multi-day team event would be best. Ex. MK day, have to hit one specific location in each land in a 2 hour period with a pre-determined meeting point and time penalty for tardiness. The next day would be Epcot and so forth. This way we can enjoy the park as a group after the hunt. It would rule out the WDW transportation aspect of the game but it would keep it going over a longer period of the vacation.

 

[cherrynegra]

This sounds incredibly fun. I'm tired just reading about all of the fun you two had. It would be great to have this for a much larger party. Maybe take a pic of every CM you get to sign off. With a group of 100 people playing it would be great.