Disney’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse has been a favorite of our son Gideon since birth. Now four years old he still loves watching Mickey and the gang playing at the Clubhouse. Through these adventures we’ve been introduced not only to good citizenship but also to letters, numbers, shapes, and basic map skills. I accepted a review copy of this DVD as it contained Gideon’s favorite episode – Goofy’s Coconutty Monkey from the series second season. Goofy’s monkey friend Coco wants to host a coconutty party but they haven’t been able to find any coconuts for the party. It appears to be the work of a pair of tiny footed coconut takers. As Mickey and friends search for the missing coconuts more and more friends are invited to the party introducing basic addition skills as Mickey counts up the number of friends and the numbers of coconuts needed so each friend can have one. I have to admit that I love the catchy tune introduced in this episode “Coconutty Party.” It’s been sung a few times around house since we first we watched this episode.
The DVD’s featured episode, Quest for the Crystal Mickey, takes Mickey and the gang on an Indiana Jones style adventure. It was new to us although it was a recent Disney Jr. special as it’s longer than the traditional series episodes. After the tricky Plunderin’ Pete steals the Crystal Mickey the Clubhouse begins to disappear. Professor Von Drake explains the crystal Mickey powers the magic of Clubhouse. After introducing the Mouseketools, a part of each episode, Mickey receives a map to Plunderin’ Pete’s hideout. He then dons a fedora, jacket and shorts and as Kansas City Mickey heads out with his friends to find the object and return it to its proper place before the Clubhouse disappears.
After Professor Von Drake’s stern warning that they needed to find the Crystal Mickey before the Clubhouse disappeared forever, Gideon became quite concerned about its future so I made sure to stay with him. He watched the story unfold with the same edge of the seat reactions I recall watching Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was fun to see him pulling up the blankets with nervousness as portions of the clubhouse would disappear. He even asked me a few times if Mickey and the gang would rescue the Clubhouse when Plunderin’ Pete caught them in some tricky traps.
Once again the episode introduced a tune, this time celebrating Kansas City Mickey, that we found ourselves singing later in the day and throughout the week. And we really enjoyed the song and dance about making a new friend near the episode’s conclusion. And you’ll never believe the final secret Mouseketool Kansas City Mickey calls upon in his efforts to save the Clubhouse. But I challenge you to keep from singing:
Where’s the trouble he’ll be there
On the double So bad guys beware
He faces danger without a care.
Kansas City Mickey, Kansas City Mickey
He’ll go down in history!
Other episodes on the dvd include:
- Donald of the Desert (season three)
- Donald the Genie (season three)
- Goofy’s Giant Adventure (season three)