Mike Scopa Part 2: How Disney World Changed His Life
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | Android
Disney World is Mike Scopa’s passion.
Connect with Mike Scopa!
Listen to how Disney World turned Mike Scopa into a successful blogger and podcaster! We also discuss how he got started with running, and what keeps him moving!
Buy Illuminations: Reflections of Earth
Episode 14
Transcription
1
00:00:22,220 –> 00:00:27,380
this is the dreamers podcast where
dreamers shared their stories to inspire
2
00:00:27,380 –> 00:00:28,640
you
3
00:00:28,640 –> 00:00:34,309
now join host Joe Pardo as he interviews
a dreamer who’s living their dreams
4
00:00:46,630 –> 00:00:51,250
welcome to the dreamers podcast I’m your
host Joe part of it today I’m
5
00:00:51,250 –> 00:00:55,420
interviewing Mike school who is living
history by helping people around the
6
00:00:55,420 –> 00:00:56,410
world plan
7
00:00:56,410 –> 00:01:01,150
disney vacation as well as getting them
into a healthy lifestyle
8
00:01:01,150 –> 00:01:04,300
welcome back for part 2 Mike let’s jump
right into it have you run into any
9
00:01:04,300 –> 00:01:11,620
roblox with running in 1981 i exploded
my anterior cruciate ligament on my left
10
00:01:11,620 –> 00:01:17,320
leg and left me and my my orthopedic
surgeon said you know Mike you’re going
11
00:01:17,320 –> 00:01:22,389
to have arthritis when you hit 40 45 and
you probably shouldn’t run more than
12
00:01:22,390 –> 00:01:27,130
five or six miles in any point I was
laid up for a little bit in about a year
13
00:01:27,130 –> 00:01:31,240
and a half ago I had a problem with it
but you know through the magic of
14
00:01:31,240 –> 00:01:39,190
science and chemicals have been able to
to run that’s the only obstacle i’m
15
00:01:39,190 –> 00:01:43,240
running into an obstacle now have a
different nature because i have just
16
00:01:43,240 –> 00:01:50,710
taken on a new position with a company
in Dorchester mass so it requires me to
17
00:01:50,710 –> 00:01:54,910
make a long commute from New Hampshire
which means i really have a have to
18
00:01:54,910 –> 00:01:58,509
figure out how I’m going to run during
the week i may end up trying to figure
19
00:01:58,509 –> 00:02:01,869
out how to run during the day while I’m
down there other than that i’m going to
20
00:02:01,869 –> 00:02:06,69
be a weekend warrior and that’s not good
so that is an obstacle in itself but
21
00:02:06,69 –> 00:02:07,479
i’ll figure out something
22
00:02:07,479 –> 00:02:12,250
no but obstacles are only what
physically and mentally and emotionally
23
00:02:12,250 –> 00:02:17,470
hold you back and you have to figure out
how to overcome those just keep moving
24
00:02:17,470 –> 00:02:24,850
forward aged a lot of people think about
ages as stopping you i think age is just
25
00:02:24,850 –> 00:02:29,829
a number and until my body says no I’m
gonna keep running
26
00:02:29,830 –> 00:02:34,780
so how about with any of your disney
stuff have you had any roblox I you know
27
00:02:34,780 –> 00:02:39,220
I think if if i was going to say
roadblock it would be that I’m not
28
00:02:39,220 –> 00:02:44,530
wealthy enough to just sit and write and
talk to me all day long they have been
29
00:02:44,530 –> 00:02:49,930
many times where I have wanted to do
certain things but Disney sometimes has
30
00:02:49,930 –> 00:02:56,530
to take a backseat to the priorities in
life be it work be a family get health
31
00:02:56,530 –> 00:02:59,290
whatever so the roadblock
32
00:02:59,290 –> 00:03:05,19
sometimes time and there are times when
I wish I could clone myself because I’ll
33
00:03:05,19 –> 00:03:09,489
think of something I want to do disney
wise and I won’t be able to do it
34
00:03:09,489 –> 00:03:13,719
because there’s something that sort of
ahead of the game higher up on the
35
00:03:13,719 –> 00:03:18,10
priority list so and I think I speak for
a lot of people when I say that I think
36
00:03:18,10 –> 00:03:24,10
there are a lot of us who are in this
disney inner circle who would love to do
37
00:03:24,10 –> 00:03:31,30
more and we just can’t because life is
more than just that kind of stuff you
38
00:03:31,30 –> 00:03:31,599
know
39
00:03:31,599 –> 00:03:38,78
yeah unfortunately uh huh what I mean
you kind of touched on a little bit but
40
00:03:38,79 –> 00:03:43,30
with the with running what have you done
to overcome some of those obstacles i
41
00:03:43,30 –> 00:03:49,569
think that the being agile being it
being able to adapt is really really
42
00:03:49,569 –> 00:03:57,790
important i think when you have a
healthy injury issues with running one
43
00:03:57,790 –> 00:04:01,840
of the things you have to fight is
impatience so I’ve learned to be patient
44
00:04:01,840 –> 00:04:07,989
with myself even though when i was
recently heard i tried to run I wasn’t
45
00:04:07,989 –> 00:04:14,79
patient enough and I i did not want to
defer my races i think i ate about three
46
00:04:14,79 –> 00:04:18,10
or four race registration is because
they did not want to defer I wanted to
47
00:04:18,10 –> 00:04:25,990
run a regarding time I have figured out
that and everybody needs to figure this
48
00:04:25,990 –> 00:04:31,900
out what is the minimum type of training
i need to maintain a certain level of
49
00:04:31,900 –> 00:04:37,210
conditioning I know what that is and I
just need to figure out how to maintain
50
00:04:37,210 –> 00:04:44,859
that at times so I think being agile
being able to adapt to your limitations
51
00:04:44,860 –> 00:04:50,380
really helps everything if you cannot do
that then it’s just going to drive you
52
00:04:50,380 –> 00:04:51,250
crazy
53
00:04:51,250 –> 00:04:55,300
come let that happen so is there any
parts of your dreams that haven’t quite
54
00:04:55,300 –> 00:05:01,870
worked out i think that when i think of
the overall dream I think that it’s
55
00:05:01,870 –> 00:05:08,320
exceeded expectations when i was writing
those trip reports for the people who
56
00:05:08,320 –> 00:05:12,550
are on those disney boards in my company
and the company had as many as I
57
00:05:12,550 –> 00:05:18,790
in 37,000 people in at one point my only
and I just right for people all around
58
00:05:18,790 –> 00:05:23,590
the world it was a it was very well
known company i often said you know I
59
00:05:23,590 –> 00:05:28,869
would love to share this type of
experience and how i feel about this
60
00:05:28,870 –> 00:05:35,140
place with people outside the company
and that was when the internet was
61
00:05:35,140 –> 00:05:39,70
barely barely getting off the ground
that’s when Al Gore just started to
62
00:05:39,70 –> 00:05:43,930
figure out you know what the heck of it
should be like my dream was to write for
63
00:05:43,930 –> 00:05:50,500
those pairs of eyes that were outside my
company and so I think that that
64
00:05:50,500 –> 00:05:54,760
happened and you know who who would have
ever thought that we would have
65
00:05:54,760 –> 00:05:59,440
technology advancements to the point
where people would not just be able to
66
00:05:59,440 –> 00:06:01,810
read my words but hear my voice
67
00:06:01,810 –> 00:06:05,980
yeah it’s a pretty incredible thing
everything that’s happened just in the
68
00:06:05,980 –> 00:06:09,250
last 10 years you know YouTube 10 years
ago didn’t exist
69
00:06:09,250 –> 00:06:14,680
yeah oh yeah we’ve been doing the wwa
podcast for nine years
70
00:06:14,680 –> 00:06:18,760
it’s amazing how many people are out
there you know doing podcasts and like
71
00:06:18,760 –> 00:06:24,640
this one and and all you need is a
computer a headset and you’re good to go
72
00:06:24,640 –> 00:06:32,50
so do you have any dreams for the future
i think that one of the things that i’m
73
00:06:32,50 –> 00:06:40,570
always looking at is what have I set
aside for one reason or another that I
74
00:06:40,570 –> 00:06:47,920
have not addressed what areas on my
checklist have I on my bucket list i
75
00:06:47,920 –> 00:06:53,410
should say have yet to do i’m not sure
if there are any healthcare left I i
76
00:06:53,410 –> 00:07:00,220
think it’s it’s always good to to reach
for a higher level than what you really
77
00:07:00,220 –> 00:07:07,000
think you can get because I think that
helps you get to that that first area as
78
00:07:07,000 –> 00:07:12,400
far as dreams go well I’ll tell you one
dream i have Mickey miles podcast has
79
00:07:12,400 –> 00:07:14,770
Mickey mile is running team
80
00:07:14,770 –> 00:07:18,340
my dream is to get a thousand people on
that team you know maybe that’s
81
00:07:18,340 –> 00:07:24,909
unrealistic but I think dreams supposed
to be unrealistic at times because it’s
82
00:07:24,910 –> 00:07:26,409
a dream which means it’s very
83
00:07:26,409 –> 00:07:32,349
hi to achieve or attain as far as other
dreams with this is me talking about
84
00:07:32,349 –> 00:07:40,449
disney i think that i would like to
someday possibly write a book that is
85
00:07:40,449 –> 00:07:47,319
somehow related to disney i have been
approached by a publisher to write a
86
00:07:47,319 –> 00:07:52,749
disney oriented book but the subject
matter the topic that he wanted me to
87
00:07:52,749 –> 00:07:57,399
address with something that I wasn’t
interested in so i graciously refused
88
00:07:57,399 –> 00:07:59,169
the opportunity
89
00:07:59,169 –> 00:08:03,998
this was at least seven years ago I
think as a writer
90
00:08:04,599 –> 00:08:07,989
you’re always dream about putting
something out there that will establish
91
00:08:07,989 –> 00:08:13,539
your legacy that will live is that will
have your words live beyond your
92
00:08:13,539 –> 00:08:18,99
lifetime so I think that’s something
that have yet to do they could be a book
93
00:08:18,99 –> 00:08:22,360
that is disney oriented it could be
fictional it could be something other
94
00:08:22,360 –> 00:08:26,259
than fictional I don’t know but I think
that probably in the back of my mind
95
00:08:26,259 –> 00:08:30,639
that’s my dream i would love you even if
I you so a new question I’ve been adding
96
00:08:30,639 –> 00:08:34,509
to the show is you’re stranded on a
deserted island with your family what’s
97
00:08:34,509 –> 00:08:36,699
three things that you can’t live without
98
00:08:36,698 –> 00:08:40,448
I know a certain co-host of mine is
going to like what my first answer is
99
00:08:40,448 –> 00:08:45,790
something that I i never thought i would
say but I think my iphone with a
100
00:08:45,790 –> 00:08:51,160
perpetual battery in it that would never
run out because it would allow me to
101
00:08:51,160 –> 00:08:56,469
continue to do the things i would like
to do number one and number two like to
102
00:08:56,470 –> 00:09:01,720
have a donut machine out there other
thing that would be important would be
103
00:09:01,720 –> 00:09:08,500
to have a sense of optimism that the
next day would bring a change would be
104
00:09:08,500 –> 00:09:13,420
rescued would be saved or something
would happen i think you need that any
105
00:09:13,420 –> 00:09:18,399
that’s that’s an intangible but I think
that’s what I’d want I mean I could you
106
00:09:18,399 –> 00:09:23,649
know keep in contact and do things with
my iPhone I would you know it’s a it’s a
107
00:09:23,649 –> 00:09:27,550
desert island so it’s going to be hot so
I think the door with machine is you
108
00:09:27,550 –> 00:09:31,269
know with the you know again it’s
perpetual door machine
109
00:09:31,269 –> 00:09:37,000
I mean that would be something good and
and having in the back of my mind that
110
00:09:37,000 –> 00:09:40,60
optimistic viewpoint that wake up the
next
111
00:09:40,60 –> 00:09:43,810
how this could be the day we get rescued
you know things like that i think i
112
00:09:43,810 –> 00:09:51,69
could get that for about 4 95 it’s
called Wilson said that so so before we
113
00:09:51,70 –> 00:09:54,70
end is there any last thoughts you’d
like to share with our audience
114
00:09:54,610 –> 00:10:00,850
well I think that and I don’t know how
many of your audience has red neon
115
00:10:00,850 –> 00:10:07,840
listen to the podcast but I don’t often
get to thank everyone who has sent me
116
00:10:07,840 –> 00:10:14,380
very nice notes and messages over the
years i think that since i started doing
117
00:10:14,380 –> 00:10:20,800
my internet thing which was almost 15
years ago I can’t tell you how how many
118
00:10:20,800 –> 00:10:23,829
people I i can now call my friends like
you Joe
119
00:10:23,830 –> 00:10:29,440
it’s kind of and i also speak of a lot
of cast members who become my friends
120
00:10:29,440 –> 00:10:34,180
cast members in the past cast members
who would and still cast members and
121
00:10:34,180 –> 00:10:37,569
those who are probably going to be cast
members in the future i think that all
122
00:10:37,570 –> 00:10:42,550
of you all of my listeners all of my
readers all of my disney contacts keep
123
00:10:42,550 –> 00:10:47,229
me going every day there’s a saying that
goes no man is an island
124
00:10:47,230 –> 00:10:50,740
this is very true thank you for giving
me this opportunity to say from the
125
00:10:50,740 –> 00:10:54,610
bottom of my heart I’m very humbled by
all the the the nice people who have
126
00:10:54,610 –> 00:10:58,150
gotten to meet and you know if I touch
the lives in a positive way then that’s
127
00:10:58,150 –> 00:11:04,60
made me smile and that’s a very
priceless thing to to see and I just
128
00:11:04,60 –> 00:11:09,160
wish that more people would understand
you know touching people’s lives and in
129
00:11:09,160 –> 00:11:14,680
doing something to make make their day
just a little bit better is something
130
00:11:14,680 –> 00:11:23,770
that you can’t buy wow oh well thank you
for all that like i love you i love you
131
00:11:23,770 –> 00:11:26,110
too like I’m so glad that I got to meet
you
132
00:11:26,110 –> 00:11:30,610
that was quite a weekend that was quite
a weekend job it was it was and it was
133
00:11:30,610 –> 00:11:34,210
it was so nice that you find out that
everybody i had been listening to for
134
00:11:34,210 –> 00:11:36,490
years and years was just so approachable
135
00:11:36,490 –> 00:11:41,170
yeah well it was kind of funny how we
talked so much during fantasmic and then
136
00:11:41,170 –> 00:11:45,849
we experienced some of Becky’s magic and
I was I was pretty happy when I put your
137
00:11:45,850 –> 00:11:46,450
name up
138
00:11:46,450 –> 00:11:49,860
holy cow you know you don’t know what’s
going on
139
00:11:49,860 –> 00:11:53,670
and that was that was quite a weekend
Becky and her magic
140
00:11:53,670 –> 00:11:58,290
yeah yeah no she she definitely helped
me an amazing weekend continues to I
141
00:11:58,290 –> 00:12:03,000
mean all six of you make a an awesome
weekend that anybody who’s a big fan of
142
00:12:03,000 –> 00:12:06,450
Disney should come down the reunion and
i think this year it’s what December
143
00:12:06,450 –> 00:12:12,630
don’t know second to the fit our come on
like I’m gonna have to edit this out i
144
00:12:12,630 –> 00:12:16,350
don’t fit December second or fourth or
whatever but I’m sure that outfit i
145
00:12:16,350 –> 00:12:19,920
think that one of the things I’m trying
to do is trying to make reunion a little
146
00:12:19,920 –> 00:12:21,60
bit different
147
00:12:21,60 –> 00:12:25,560
over the next couple years so i won’t
divulge any secrets but Becky and I had
148
00:12:25,560 –> 00:12:32,219
our lands to suggest some changes that a
lot of people will find interesting and
149
00:12:32,220 –> 00:12:36,149
we’ll put a new spin on reunion it’s
always welcome
150
00:12:36,149 –> 00:12:40,200
well before we go would you like the
plug all your site’s your facebooks your
151
00:12:40,200 –> 00:12:44,310
Twitter’s you can find me on facebook
you can find me on twitter i think i
152
00:12:44,310 –> 00:12:48,149
have I don’t know and have a lot of
people follow me on twitter i don’t
153
00:12:48,149 –> 00:12:53,279
tweet out that much but when I do you
can be sure that it’s important this I’m
154
00:12:53,279 –> 00:12:58,380
gonna give you a scoop in the very near
future i will be blogging for touring
155
00:12:58,380 –> 00:13:03,810
plans . com the land and I talked about
this for awhile and like to of course
156
00:13:03,810 –> 00:13:09,660
plug wdw today.com the podcast that I’ve
been doing with mike newell in manhaj
157
00:13:09,660 –> 00:13:14,699
bergen want esta over these many years
we’ve done a lot of things and we’ve had
158
00:13:14,699 –> 00:13:18,390
a lot of laughs and we’ve got a long way
to go before we’re going to be done with
159
00:13:18,390 –> 00:13:22,829
that I don’t know when just something
about 2,000 episodes just before I talk
160
00:13:22,829 –> 00:13:31,829
to you but it’s a lot last but not least
the Mickey miles podcast which I co-host
161
00:13:31,829 –> 00:13:38,40
with the my best friend Michelle script
McClain and michelle and i have just
162
00:13:38,40 –> 00:13:42,120
begun to scratch the surface with only
about a hundred and seventy five
163
00:13:42,120 –> 00:13:48,630
episodes but i can tell you Joe it’s
just amazing how how much traction has
164
00:13:48,630 –> 00:13:53,430
been realized with this podcast and we
have I do I haven’t even checked
165
00:13:53,430 –> 00:14:01,199
recently 210 220 230 Mickey miles of a
running team doing things for charity of
166
00:14:01,199 –> 00:14:02,849
which you also are
167
00:14:02,850 –> 00:14:08,910
i doing some nice things for give kids
the world it just continues to grow its
168
00:14:08,910 –> 00:14:13,769
it’s just amazing so yeah again thank
everybody and you know thank you for
169
00:14:13,769 –> 00:14:19,290
this opportunity to you know come on and
then talk about my dreams and who knows
170
00:14:19,290 –> 00:14:23,759
is a dreamer out there who may be
thinking about something that he or she
171
00:14:23,759 –> 00:14:28,139
probably thought was not attainable but
you know never give up
172
00:14:28,139 –> 00:14:33,720
John Cena right never give up haha well
that’s that’s definitely the commission
173
00:14:33,720 –> 00:14:38,100
of this of this podcast is to encourage
people to follow their own dreams no
174
00:14:38,100 –> 00:14:42,120
matter what they are but thank you very
much for coming on the show Mike I can’t
175
00:14:42,120 –> 00:14:45,600
thank you enough for the wonderful
stories thanks Joe and we’ll see you
176
00:14:45,600 –> 00:14:50,850
don’t know when I’ll see you again but
hopefully before union but yeah right on
177
00:14:50,850 –> 00:14:55,529
well thank you very much thank you good
luck with everything
178
00:14:55,529 –> 00:14:59,490
thank you thank you thank you for
joining us for this episode of the
179
00:14:59,490 –> 00:15:01,660
dreamers podcast
180
00:15:01,660 –> 00:15:07,510
follow us on twitter and dreamers
podcast join us on facebook at
181
00:15:07,510 –> 00:15:13,960
facebook.com slash dreamers podcast if
you or someone you know would like to be
182
00:15:13,960 –> 00:15:19,240
a guest on the dreamers podcast please
send an email to j and j parr . comb
183
00:15:19,240 –> 00:15:24,730
this podcast is copyright 2014 by j parr
. comb
184
00:15:32,730 –> 00:15:46,320
my name is Elle and I’m Joyce and we’re
huge disneyland fans in fact we love the
185
00:15:46,320 –> 00:15:50,639
Disneyland Resort so much we host the
podcast dedicated to the happiest place
186
00:15:50,639 –> 00:15:52,949
on earth to share that passion with
others
187
00:15:52,949 –> 00:15:58,380
that’s right on our show tales from the
mouse house disneyland podcast we share
188
00:15:58,380 –> 00:16:02,160
current resort news some tips and tricks
we’ve learned over the years to help
189
00:16:02,160 –> 00:16:06,240
make your disneyland resort vacation the
most magical experience ever
190
00:16:06,870 –> 00:16:10,889
we uncover little-known and often
overlooked gems we like to call hidden
191
00:16:10,889 –> 00:16:14,970
treasures and even review the
attractions and places to eat and make
192
00:16:14,970 –> 00:16:19,949
the Disneyland Resort so much fun and if
that wasn’t enough we even share some
193
00:16:19,949 –> 00:16:24,959
video episodes to help keep you in that
disney magic state of mind if you’re a
194
00:16:24,959 –> 00:16:29,189
longtime fan of the disneyland resort or
you just recently discovered the magic
195
00:16:29,190 –> 00:16:34,139
this podcast is for you you can find
tales from the mouse house disneyland
196
00:16:34,139 –> 00:16:41,730
podcast at www.lnscaptioning.com and in
itunes and remember make it a Mickey day
197
00:16:45,779 –> 00:16:52,379
hey like walt disney world like insider
tips and tricks
198
00:16:52,920 –> 00:16:57,120
what if i told you where you can get the
two together head on over to walt disney
199
00:16:57,120 –> 00:17:02,610
insider.com for the latest news and tips
from walt disney world and tell them Joe
200
00:17:02,610 –> 00:17:03,360
part of sense
