Including a stop at San Diego.
I figured I would do another installment of ASK THE WIFE AND DAUGHTERS
So you can ask us questions but, like last time, I am limited the topic to conventions and Disney theme parks.
So ask away.
Including a stop at San Diego.
I figured I would do another installment of ASK THE WIFE AND DAUGHTERS
So you can ask us questions but, like last time, I am limited the topic to conventions and Disney theme parks.
So ask away.
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Oooh, I just got back from Disney. Which of the parks if your favorite?
Mine would have to be Epcot, followed closely by Hollywood Disney.
Hmmmmm that’s a hard one . . . Probably Magic Kingdom followed by Hollywood Disney aka Disney MGM. I love Epcot too but I kinda OD’d on it at one point so it slipped in the rankings
Convention related question- I have a play going up in the NYC International Fringe Festival next August called Saving Throw Versus Love. It’s a romantic comedy for people who play role-playing games. Do you think any conventions would be interested in sending representatives to see it as an event for future cons, or is it a waste of time and energy to solicit?
http://www.savingthrowvslove.viviti.com/
That’s not the website. Wish I could delete it. Ah well.
Larry,
Fixed that for you. I can edit so I found the website and put it up in your comment for you.
Kath
Interesting idea. I think I am going to come see the play myself and see if I can get Peter to come with me.
That’s a really hard call. I’d check around at some of the more local conventions to see if they might want to have a look at it.
I can’t think of many that do full theater productions as part of programming but it is worth a try.
Awesome, Kath! It should be a good time. (I just sent Peter an invite with the info, since I didn’t have your e-mail address.)
Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated!
Thanks, Kathleen,
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Did you enjoy your trip Down Under earlier this year? How did we compare to the US conventions? Would you recommend to other creators to make the (long) trip? Any thoughts about returning and, if so, where would you like to visit?
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Cheers, Jarrod
We had a great time and have already recommended it to our friends in the profession. Feel free to have anyone that knows us to contact us for a reference. I have to say that we were well treated. Everyone was very professional and friendly. Caroline had a blast and a half.
The foreign conventions feel very different from the US conventions. They are run a little more differently but it works. So it is a bit like comparing apples and oranges.
I’d be willing to do it again sometime in the future. And where ever we go is great because there is so much to see.
Woo-hoo! A hearty endorsement indeed; thanks, Kath!
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As for a reference, well, there’s this guy in Nigeria but he’d also like your full name, home address, bank details….
I’m kind of cheating here so I won’t be upset if you don’t answer.
When my wife and I went on our honeymoon, we hit all the major Disney Theme parks and the Universal ones.
For us, without kids, we enjoyed the Universal parks pound-for-pound more than the Disney parks.
Do you ever go/enjoy the Universal parks as well?
Yes we do and yes we do. The Universal is a little more rollercoaster kind of thrill ride than I can’t participate in anymore due to back injury. There are still a lot of fun things to do and with the addition of Harry Potter, we will be going there again.
It does have a very different energy than Disney and does feel a little more “adult” (for lack of a better word) than Disney World.
For Kath: What are three tips you’d give to anyone going to a convention?
For Caroline: What is your favorite Disney theme park ride?
1)Hydration is very important. Make sure you don’t short yourself on water.
2) Look over the schedule of events before the convention (if you can) and figure out what you want to do and if you can do it. Remember that planning to eat is a good idea
3) comfortable shoes are a must
Caroline: Peter Pan
Personally, I’d expand 1, and the end of 2, to what’s almost always brought up at every “Welcome to [convention]” panel I’ve ever seen or been on. Namely the 6-2-1 rule; every day get at least 1) 6 hours of sleep. 2) 2 meals (grazing a snack filled con suite doesn’t count), and 3) 1 shower. While more of any of these are fine, you can’t mix them up; 6 meals, 1 hour of sleep, and 2 showers just doesn’t work. : -)
Not really a question, but I had to leave this comment…
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When I first glanced at this in my RSS feed, I read it as “Peter is off walking across the country,” and I thought “I knew it! PAD is Superman! That whole ‘back injury’ thing was just to throw us off…”
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But then I realized how ridiculous that was. I mean really, walking across the country?
That would have been a hoot and a half. Nope he is working across the country. A couple of gigs that he has need him to be there for a bit to get the info he needs to finish the project.
I know – walking across the country?
Like Cabeza de Vaca?
Like Alexander Mckenzie?
Like the Corps of Discovery? (Well, they were on the water a lot but frequently on foot dragging the boats so it may count.)
Like Peter Jenkins?
Writing comics as he goes. You could have X-factor doing a cross country adventure.
“You could have X-factor doing a cross country adventure.”
I seem to remember Captain America doing that at least once. It was kind of nice seeing superheroes outside of New York when it happened. Happens a lot more often now, of course.
When I was at Hersheypark a few years ago, with a heat index in the three digits, they were offering free water at all the food vendors. Just tap, but still, never would’ve expected a theme park to risk cutting into their profits like that…
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What do you think about Disney closing down Star Tours to update them? Personally, I’m of two minds… upgrading the graphics and such is good, but I’m less than enthusiastic about them cutting stuff out to include, say, Anakin’s podrace. And I’m entirely offended that the Disneyworld one is closing on my birthday LOL
I think that an update is a good idea since the technology has come so much further than when these went in.
I won’t worry about the final product the Lucas films chip in my head tells me that it’s going to be great. (Yes, I am still under an NDA that I signed for them).
If I may ask, what do you ladies do at conventions when you’re not hanging out with Peter being a supportive family?
I mean besides possibly touring the convention grounds on your own. Do you take in shows/panels? Do you actually leave the hotel and do regular touristy things depending upon where you are?
I could see where there might be some overlap at conventions between comics and puppets. Do you maintain your own booth sometimes?
Just wondering.
Honestly it depends on where we are and what is going on. I am a fan from way back so there is a lot that interests me at these conventions. Now that more of them are child-friendly, there are things for Caroline to do as well.
But if we are somewhere we don’t get to often, then I tend to travel outside the convention center. Like for the Chicago Comic Show a friend of the family gave us tickets to a Cubs game that I took Caroline to. Boston we visit the aquarium and various museums. So there are times that we do our thing while Peter is busy at the convention.
Since you’re also big Disney fans, have you guys done a Disney cruise yet?
Peter and I went on it for our Honeymoon. We took the girls along too. Their cabin was all the way forward and ours was all the way back. We all had a great time and look forward when we can do it again in the future.
Ahh, cool. That trip we just returned from was one of Disney’s Northern European Capitals cruises. It seems we got the best weather of the four: the 1st was apparently cold and rainy, and now the 3rd and 4th trips are too dámņ hot in port.
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We’re already lined up for one their Alaskan cruises next year, but I think we might avoid the newer boats that are coming.
Which do you find the more interesting zoo, San Diego’s or ComiCon?
Depends on how the wildlife is acting.
With Disney buying out Marvel, are there any Marvel heroes-themed rides or events you’d like to see at Disney? What about Marvel characters joining the Disney folks in walking around all day in their costumes –and favorites? (I’m now picturing a Halloween night event where the usual Marvel heroes are replaced by Marvel Zombies and chase Mickey, Donald, et. al all over the park.)
How about a really good Dr. Strange facing off with Chernabog?
There is already a bunch of stuff on the boards for when the Marvel license is up at Universal. Probably a lot of it will land at Hollywood Disney because that seems the logical place for it.
But it would be cool to use some of the “scientists” from the Marvel U at Epcot to explain all kinds of science and ecology.
Oooh! Latveria definitely needs an Epcot pavilion, with Dr. Doom explaining technology and explaining why the cursed Richards has no clue….
Just got back from Disney 3 weeks ago, and just have to share this with you, because it goes along with this line of thought.
We were waiting outside of the firehouse on Main Street, waiting for my wife to come out of the break room. My daughter was approached by a little boy, maybe about 7 or so, and he asked her if she was Rogue from the X-Men and if she would sign his autograph book. Britt has a blonde dyed streak in he hair, and knows who Rogue is, and knows that she has a little resemblance to her. She looked a little shocked at first, but leaned over and politely told the little boy that she wasn’t Rogue, but wished that Disney would have the X-Men in the park so that she could try out for the face-character part. The little boy kinda accepted the story, but as he stood to the side with his dad, he kept looking over at her and was very obvious that he was thinking “I know that you’re Rogue and I’m gonna catch you doing something to prove it.” It was the highlight of my daughter’s trip and she has told everyone about it.
Fave for me, Epcot, best food available at Disney in that park.
What about Marvel characters joining the Disney folks in walking around all day in their costumes
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Rumor is, there’s in-fighting at Disney’s entertainment division right now because some there want to start pushing the Marvel characters at Disneyland (not Disney World yet) starting this Halloween.
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Personally, I’m thinking it’s an awful idea to mix the two in such a manner.
I agree with it being an awful idea. I mean: do we REALLY want to see Spider-Man chilling with Chip and Dale? No.
J. J. Meylar says: “I agree with it being an awful idea. I mean: do we REALLY want to see Spider-Man chilling with Chip and Dale? No.”
I was wearing a Spider-man T-shirt one of the days I was trolling around Disney. My friends and I ran into Chip and Dale and posed for pictures. Chip saw my t-shirt and immediately struck a classic “Spider-man using-his-webshooteres-to-shoot-a-web” pose. It’s a great picture.
I think if we survived ARCHIE MEETS THE PUNISHER (reprinted recently) and the character mash-ups in SUPER SMASH BROTHERS (Kirby vs. Metroid? Really?) we can survive these two sets of fantasy characters mingling together.
And I’d love to see the Hulk and Goofy flexing their muscles next to each other.
(Heck, toss Pixar into the mix and you could be posing with Iron Man and Buzz Lightyear!)
I like the Pixar/ Marvel idea . I would like to see:
1. The Incredibles with The Fantastic Four
2. Nemo with Namor
3. The guy from Up going out with Aunt May
4. Wally with the FF4’s robot.
A new Marvel theme park would be great. Imaging Marvel’s New York with a Baxter building, the Bugle, Avengers Mansion and all sort of crazy stuff happening everywhere. I mean, forget King Kong in Universal wait until you see Galactus! Namor invading the surface world would be great too.
Have you guys ever cosplayed as certain characters that go together?
Also: which Disney character makes Peter geek out more than any other? I bet it’s Goofy. 🙂
I think the last time we cosplayed was when Caroline was almost 2. Peter was King Arthur, I was Patty and Caroline (in a backpack on my back) was baggage from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Peter has a lot of favorites. He has a fondness for the Winnie the Pooh Characters. Malificent has special meaning to him. And Triton from little Mermaid. He doesn’t geek out as much as enjoys watching his daughters interact with the characters.
That rocks. I remember when he put an image of Caroline in a Madrox shirt and a Jedi robe ((with a lightsaber)) in an issue of “X-Factor”. That told me, instantly, that he loves getting the family into geeky situations all of the time. Gotta love being a geek. OH! And I just want to point this out: I usually get my comics in the mail the Saturday after the come out. If I get “X-Factor” #207 on this Saturday: it will be on my 18th birthday. “X-Factor” is my favorite comic……so yeah. 🙂 Have a good day!
Is Peter considered a Disney employee at the parks now that Disney owns Marvel?
I’d be happy to have you and your family ride my boat at the Jungle Cruise at the Magic Kingdom. People assure me I’m very good.
Yes he is considered a Disney Employee and we have the cards to prove it.
We’ll have to be on the look-out next time we are down there for you. Caroline has not done the Jungle Cruise at an age that she can remember.
What’s your favorite anecdote about a convention?
Hmmm, that others would know? Cause I got a ton but a lot of them are rather personal like when at DragonCon after a B5 panel Peter told me in one breath that he and his ex were getting a divorce and he wanted to know me better. I was stuck on the information that he and his ex were separated not the other information. Thank Goodness for AIM because that’s how we started talking after that.
What’s your most memorable convention experience?
Also, any chance you guys are going to be at New York Comic-Con?
I’ll answer the last one first. I know Peter is. Ariel might but she is in school by that time. Caroline and I might but it will probably be Sat and Sun that we would be there..
Now as to my most memorable, gosh that’s a hard one to quantify. I have had so many in my life both with Peter and before I met Peter
Hmmmmm, meeting Jim Henson at a WorldCon the year that Dark Crystal opened is way up there because he never forgot who I was after that since I asked him a question about a project that he had done earlier that he thought no one knew about since it never aired.
Sweet! It’s going to be the first convention I’m not working a booth at, which means I’ll actually be able to do stuff this time.
Oh wow, that’s definitely something you wouldn’t forget. What project was the question about?
Tales of the Tinkerdee
Captain Eo or Honey, I Shrunk the Audience?
Captain Eo. It was insane fun.
The Disneyland park happens to be my family’s favourite place to go during the summer time. My children love to go there every year to go on the rides and the water park. This place is a must go for a family vacation at least once in your life span. The tickets can be a bit expensive, but it is well worth the price!