Lou Mongello/WDWRadio Meet Up in NYC

[idratherbeinwdw]

Yesterday I attended a meet up with about 100 other WDWRadio fans. Lou Mongello was in NYC to speak at a blogging convention, and he decided it would be fun to have a meet up while he was here.

We met at Bryant Park (it's on 42nd and 6th) in Manhattan at 10:30 AM. I took the Long Island RR in from LI, only about a thirty minute ride for me and a ten minute walk to the meet up. It seemed very fitting to arrive by train, as of course Walt was such an afficianado.

People came from not only the NY area, they were from as far away as MA and PA. More than one of the attendees were making a mini vacation out of this, and had stayed the weekend in the city. We mostly just hung around and talked WDW, while Lou interviewed people and broadcast the meet live on WDW Radio. It was really nice to meet so many WDW nuts in one place, and the conversations flowed easily. I met up with one of the folks from this forum, Maturod aka Doug, and his lovely and friendly DW--they had taken the train all the way from MA!

A number of Lou's cronies from WDW radio were there, and they made everyone feel very welcome. The plan was to walk over to the Disney Store in Times Square (largest Disney store in the world outside of the Theme Parks) at 12:30. But at about 11:45 or so the police showed up and asked us to move. Evidently you need a permit to have that many people in the park, and as we didn't have one we had to leave. So we left for TDS early.

We walked over as one huge group. Funny enough we ran into two people dressed as Mickey and Minnie on the way there (there are lots of folks in the area dressed in disney and other costumes--they want to charge you to take a pic with them). The costumes weren't even close to as good as what you'd see at WDW, but it was still cool to walk past them with all of us dressed in our Disney shirts.

It was great fun in the store. Lou had arranged a special event with the place, and we had our own little area to hang out. There was a big screen in the area, and the CMs played trivia games with us and handed out small prizes (ie stickers, bookmarks, store magnets). The CM running the games was very knowledgeable about Disney lore, and mentioned many interesting facts. He also showed us some clips from Pixar movies that had hidden mickeys, as well as the Pizza Planet truck scenes from many of the pixar movies (if you don't already know, that truck is in every single Pixar movie).

After about an hour of this we spread out to look around the store. I have been there already, and to be honest it never impressed me much. It is larger than the average store, that's for sure, but the merch is not any better, just more of it. I looked at the train schedule and if I left right away I'd get a much earlier train than if I hung around. I opted out and headed home. JUST made the train. whew!

Here are some pictures:

On the way!:



Lou having fun while broadcasting:



Maturod1, member of DVCNews:



Another shot of Lou interviewing:



At TDS:



Pizza Planet truck in Wall E:





These 2 CMs were great:





It was a fun event and I am very glad I attended. I had met Lou at two other meets at WDW, and it's always enjoyable. I guess I have to say it's the most fun to do this at WDW, but it was really neat to have this so close to home. I met a lot of nice people and had a slew of great WDW conversations. And btw I would say at least 75% of the folks I spoke to were DVC members!

[Minne's Friend]

We never get stuff like this in West Virginia - but then again I guess it is not much fun interviewing squirrels Looks like a good time was had by all

[Maturod1]

It was deff a lot of fun. It was nice to meet new people, Mar and actually catch up with a friend from high school. Though paying for it today, I need a nap.

[drewdc]

Lou and his wdwradio crew are awesome... Been a "box" person for years, finally met him during our last WDW trip back in April. Thanks for the report.

[idratherbeinwdw]

It was deff a lot of fun. It was nice to meet new people, Mar and actually catch up with a friend from high school. Though paying for it today, I need a nap.

LOL I took a nap when I got home from the event.

Lou and his wdwradio crew are awesome... Been a "box" person for years, finally met him during our last WDW trip back in April. Thanks for the report.

Hey there from one box person to another! We may have been at that same meet up if you mean April of this year. Were you at the Dawa bar in AK on Earth Day? That was my second Lou meet up, the first was at BW bakery in January 2010. Fun times!

[drewdc]

Actually ran into him coming out Earl of Sandwich (go figure) on my way to meet him in downtown disney... weekend before Easter. Did not make the AK meetup.

LOL I took a nap when I got home from the event.



Hey there from one box person to another! We may have been at that same meet up if you mean April of this year. Were you at the Dawa bar in AK on Earth Day? That was my second Lou meet up, the first was at BW bakery in January 2010. Fun times!

[idratherbeinwdw]

Actually ran into him coming out Earl of Sandwich (go figure) on my way to meet him in downtown disney... weekend before Easter. Did not make the AK meetup.

LOL I ran into him walking from BWV to Epcot (he was going the opposite direction) a couple of trips ago. I wonder how often he gets spotted and greeted by fans on his visits to WDW?

[drewdc]

He had a line of people waiting to take pictures and talk to him by the time I was done talking with him, so he does get noticed. Was able to meet his wife and kids also, very friendly. His daughter raided his swag bag for us and handed my kids buttons and cd's. He's gotten a lot of recommendations from me that's for sure!! Cya in the box!!

LOL I ran into him walking from BWV to Epcot (he was going the opposite direction) a couple of trips ago. I wonder how often he gets spotted and greeted by fans on his visits to WDW?

[idratherbeinwdw]

He had a line of people waiting to take pictures and talk to him by the time I was done talking with him, so he does get noticed. Was able to meet his wife and kids also, very friendly. His daughter raided his swag bag for us and handed my kids buttons and cd's. He's gotten a lot of recommendations from me that's for sure!! Cya in the box!!

ITA, Lou's wife and kids are super. The first time I went to a WDWRadio meet up was at the Boardwalk bakery. I didn't stay that long. I talked to a few people met Lou, shook his hand and had him autograph his picture in Celebrations magazine. Then I had plans with some friends in Epcot, so I left after about a half an hour.

Later that same day I was on the monorail and started talking to a woman seated next to me in the same car. She had two kids with her and the little girl told her mother she recognized me. We sort of chuckled about that, assuming she mixed me up with someone else. Then I noticed the woman had a WDWRadio shirt on, so I told her I was a fan too. It turned out she was Deanna, (Mrs. Lou Mongello) and her daughter HAD seen me earlier that day at the meet up! I spent a lot of time talking to Deanna at the Dawa Bar meet this past April, what a sweet woman!

Yeppers, see you in the box!

[denlo]

It looks like you had a great time Mar'. Thanks for sharing the details and photos.