WDW Spirited Quickees

[the.dreamfinder]

 

[WDW1974]

This is a really interesting thread, thankyou! Can I just ask why Disney are taking Legal action on Lou Mongello's tours??

Perhaps, you should be asking Disney Legal that ... not that they'll respond, but the more complaints they get, the quicker he's back looking for a real job.

 

[WDW1974]

That.
They made Jim Hill stop his tours. Why not stop Mongello?
While they are at it, they need to go ahead and finally put a stop to all the live podcasting and interviewing on property. Real media couldn't get away with it.

I liked the post. Gave it a like. I noticed that you don't often like my posts, No. 2. I can't help but think that's the ugly side of jealousy showing its head. C'mon even Mrs. Lee likes me better and you know it. (I would use my Dr. Evil smiley, but whenever I do, it freezes my browser and shuts me out of the site ... so pretend it's here now!)

But you are correct. Real media has to park on over at the Crossroads just to do standups and report on Disney, yet somehow these unvetted (in many cases unbalanced) Disney Lifestylers can get free reign on Disney property.

Does that not seem off to anyone?

Worse, these Lifestylers now camp out over the smallest thing (a new bathroom opening ... a planter getting walls taken down ... a new FP machine??!?!) and these people are negatively impacting others trying to have MAGICal WDW vacations. They are always first at events ... in front rows ... etc ... because they are no-lifers. They also act like because the Celebration Place Social Media Cabal knows who they are that they can do as they please.

And, no, because they all have APs doesn't mean they can just come in every day and do whatever they please.

 

[WDW1974]

That would be extremely hard to enforce. So many are simply done from cell phones/nonprofessional equipment....how would they stop podcasters without abridging the rights of the average tourist taking videos with their phones?

Have you ever watched Mongello and his posse with that box wrapped around him and a microphone?
None of these folks are using iPhones. They are using big cameras and professional-like equipment.

 

[HenryMystic]

Have you ever watched Mongello and his posse with that box wrapped around him and a microphone?
None of these folks are using iPhones. They are using big cameras and professional-like equipment.

Yeah, they aren't very discreet

 

[WDW1974]

The ones they need to stop would be the ones with very official Disney-looking shirts, toting laptops and microphones through the park, interviewing guests and cast.
If legit media isn't allowed to do that...

and by doing so, they appear (because they do) to have the approval of Disney, which allows guests to let their guard down ... just wait until one of them steps out of line or gets accused of something ...

 

[WDW1974]

And there's my tour guide plans... Shot down before I'd even started....

I'd take one of your tours. But you'd have to learn how to speak American first!

 

[WDW1974]

Yes, exactly.
He should have been ejected from the park as soon as a CM saw him.

Here's one for you ... what if he is a CM?
What if Disney is paying him and he's playing a role and not being forthcoming about it?

I don't believe it, but someone I know has said he has a maingate. If he does, he's cast and Disney is playing a VERY dangerous game.

 

[WDW1974]

Tokyo wouldn't allow any of this crap, you can't even put your butt mat out until x minutes before the parade

That's for damn sure. They ask you to move back six inches (no lie) to allow others to sit in front of you (but as a 'tall' American, it's great to get to see a parade there without waiting!)

I also want to make clear that I don't think the problem is Lou and his ilk. The problem is TDO. These parasites are taking advantage because Disney is allowing and encouraging it. Period.

Could he afford to visit Tokyo or Paris on a regular enough basis?

Not yet, clearly. But the goal of all of them (because they are BORED out of their minds with WDW, OCD/mental illness aside) is to get free trips to Anaheim, NYC, Hawaii, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo and DCL ...

 

[WDW1974]

I always thought Mongello was a former attorney -- in other words, that he no longer practices law.

However, according to the website of Mongello & Scialabba (which is linked to the WDWRadio site), he is still described as "of counsel" to the law firm, whatever this designation means. Furthermore, his bio on the law firm's site also notes that "he is currently the Chief Technical Officer and Vice President of Operations" for Tricat, which ostensibly provides "medical imaging information services."

All of this raises a number of questions.

Is it ethical for a practicing attorney to contemporaneously own and/or operate multiple, other non-legal businesses?

Conversely, is it ethical for a non-practicing attorney to continue to draw an income from a law firm, even if that firm is owned in part by the attorney and/or other members of his family? (I don't know whether Lou in fact derives any income from Mongello & Scialabba, but it would be odd to publicly hold oneself out as professionally affiliated, in a presumably non-volunteer position, with an entity for which one does no paid work whatsoever.) Keep in mind that what is "ethical" from a layperson's point of view (e.g., having a family member paying you for work you didn't really do by characterizing such payment as a gift) may not be ethical from the standpoint of a professional organization that regulates the practice of law.

And how much law can someone really practice if he not only lives hundreds of miles away from his law firm, but also spends seemingly all of his conceivable free time wandering around theme parks and working on material for his podcast, blog, and website? If I were a potential client, would I really want to engage the services of a law firm, one of whose attorneys seems to have little actual commitment to or interest in the practice of law?

I'm no expert on legal ethics, but most of the above questions arise naturally as a matter of common sense, as well as the general understanding that certain professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, operate within strict sets of ethics guidelines that regulate how they must practice their professions.

(As an aside, the website for Tricat has no content of any substance, nor any indication of what exactly the company does, who runs it, or where it is located. No address or phone number is provided, and the only way to contact anybody is to fill out an online inquiry form. You'd think that a company that purportedly provides medical services -- much like one that provides legal services -- would fully document their relevant accreditation, etc. As it stands, the website for Tricat almost makes it seem like an entity that was solely created as a shell for other purposes.)

Great post, Kuhio. I must say you covered the proverbial bases. All I can add is I find many (not all to be sure) attorneys to be among the least ethical people around. And I also believe most Disney Lifestyle whores are also among the least ethical people around. ... So, all in all, I could see someone going from law into Disney leeching very easily. ...Ethics be damned.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I don't believe it, but someone I know has said he has a maingate. If he does, he's cast and Disney is playing a VERY dangerous game.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what's a maingate?

 

[VoiceInTheCrowd]

The thing I don't understand is how is it that Mongello doesn't need to require every guest he approaches to sign a release? Are rules different regarding blogs? Do they have the right to film anyone even without their consent? If guests are approached by this guy to be on his dog and pony show and refuse they should then go directly to guest relations. Its basically soliciting in a park that you pay nearly $100 after taxes to get into. The problem is that most guests are deceived into believing he represents the Disney company.

Also if I'm going to be solicited at Disney I'd prefer for it to occur in a luxury room at the wilderness lodge!

 

[Lee]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what's a maingate?

A CM pass that allows the holder and their guest(s) free entry into the parks.

 

[Kuhio]

(I would use my Dr. Evil smiley, but whenever I do, it freezes my browser and shuts me out of the site ... so pretend it's here now!)

I think it's time to get a new, better computer.

Heck, I bet you could use the smiley even on an iPad!

 

[M.rudolf]

I think it's time to get a new, better computer.

Heck, I bet you could use the smiley even on an iPad!

No I can't use smiley on my iPad but I'm probably doing something wrong

 

[unkadug]

Here's one for you ... what if he is a CM?
What if Disney is paying him and he's playing a role and not being forthcoming about it?

I don't believe it, but someone I know has said he has a maingate. If he does, he's cast and Disney is playing a VERY dangerous game.

I could see this being a possibility...they already hire moms to do their PR work on their main webpage...Why not outsource other PR people and reward them with a token pass that cant be traced nor proved by the average guest?

I've never paid much attention to his podcasts, much less seen him in the parks. However if this is true, it is very fishy that it's allowed but the mainstream media must broadcast from outside the gates.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.


I love a good conspiracy theory!

 

[Mickey92]

I liked the post. Gave it a like. I noticed that you don't often like my posts, No. 2. I can't help but think that's the ugly side of jealousy showing its head. C'mon even Mrs. Lee likes me better and you know it. (I would use my Dr. Evil smiley, but whenever I do, it freezes my browser and shuts me out of the site ... so pretend it's here now!)

But you are correct. Real media has to park on over at the Crossroads just to do standups and report on Disney, yet somehow these unvetted (in many cases unbalanced) Disney Lifestylers can get free reign on Disney property.

Does that not seem off to anyone?

Worse, these Lifestylers now camp out over the smallest thing (a new bathroom opening ... a planter getting walls taken down ... a new FP machine??!?!) and these people are negatively impacting others trying to have MAGICal WDW vacations. They are always first at events ... in front rows ... etc ... because they are no-lifers. They also act like because the Celebration Place Social Media Cabal knows who they are that they can do as they please.

And, no, because they all have APs doesn't mean they can just come in every day and do whatever they please.

I always wondered how Lou Mongello was ALWAYS in the parks... They let him have free access so he can do his videos and podcasts when he's in the parks? Am I correct that they let him in for free.? Or no..

 

[coolbeans14]

I always wondered how Lou Mongello was ALWAYS in the parks... They let him have free access so he can do his videos and podcasts when he's in the parks? Am I correct that they let him in for free.? Or no..

it seems that way. At the moment it doesn't hurt them though, when was the last time he said anything even slightly negative about WDW?

 

[lazyboy97o]

it seems that way. At the moment it doesn't hurt them though, when was the last time he said anything even slightly negative about WDW?

This is part of the problem. What happens when one of these bloggers turns out to be a really nasty person with some serious issues? We've all seen the news stories about creeps using Disney as a place to prey. What happens when one decides to start a Disney blog and is in a park when he does something horrid? What happens if one of these guys is into some very bad financial dealings? Disney is so focused on the cheerleader message they are not making the effort to see who is doing the cheerleading and whether or not that person is really a fitting spokesperson, the role these people have tacitly been given by Disney by providing access to events, the parks, guests, merchandise, etc.

 

[DocMcHulk]

A CM pass that allows the holder and their guest(s) free entry into the parks.

How many people can a CM bring in?