What would you like to see in the new era?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I personally don't think I need a lot of non-local perspective.

That's probably because you're already on the DIS in a veteran form in terms of information. I think about it like "how would I explain things to my family who doesn't go to Disney some basic stuff" You've likely built up on your information over time.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Can I ask a specific question about the 'non-local' perspective? What exactly is the perspective that you're looking for? Like up-to-date info on what it's like to fly in/MCO transportation? Is it the idea that someone who doesn't live here might be less informed so they might bring up good points about what people are asking about/need to know?

As we continue to look at how we want to shape content moving forward, I want to include this, but I need to know 'who' I'm looking for to satisfy what everyone wants from the non-local perspective. Like what are the specific weaknesses of being a local versus a tourist? We are already planning on better ways of approaching Genie+ which I know is a huge request, but there has to be more than that.

And I just want to make it clear, I'm not dismissing this in a way like we've done before when this topic comes up. I think both perspectives are important based on the location. Such as never ask a New Yorker for advice on visiting the Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty because they've probably been once or never, but at the same time, don't ask a tourist for advice on the best food you can find in Rome when you can ask the locals. WDW is unique, and while my opinion is to trust people who go more than others whether local or non-local, I also know there are specifics we are missing otherwise there wouldn't be a request for out-of-towners.

What I mean by this is go to the parks the way someone on vacation would--rope-drop, trying to maximize vacation time even with crazy crowds, wanting to do a lot of attractions and stay for the fireworks kind of day. Give strategies for making the most of a park day, maybe with different goals in mind (ride the most rides for kids, an enjoyable day for adults, etc). What navigating the park is really like during Thanksgiving week. Not going to the park just to do one specific thing. Think like what easywdw used to do on his blogs ().

Obviously y'all can't do this every time you go to the parks, but a few times a year might be good. The one thing videos do have their place (I've liked the recent videos and the Patreon posts with you, Erica and Ryno), but if that's all you're doing, then it doesn't paint a complete planning picture for the vacationer.

 

[disneysteve]

The show seemed to struggle when it was overly scripted

I wanted to highlight this one point. This is so true. We tune in to hear what all of you have to say, not to have someone read Disney press releases to us. Your California show was excellent. Craig obviously had an outline and some questions to ask the panel but beyond that it was just everyone sharing their experiences and feelings. It was real and made for such a great show. I'd love more of that on Tuesdays.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I also don't think I'd keep listening if it switched to an audio-only format.

Agreed here. I put stuff like this on on my tv in the background as I work around the house - I like the occasional visual break as well as the audio. I'm much less likely to tune in to audio only.

 

[dobball23]

Agreed here. I put stuff like this on on my tv in the background as I work around the house - I like the occasional visual break as well as the audio. I'm much less likely to tune in to audio only.

Another agree. I watch things on YouTube. I don't listen to podcasts. I'm sure I could find out how to listen to podcasts, but I don't even know how to do it.

 

[disneysteve]

Another agree. I watch things on YouTube. I don't listen to podcasts. I'm sure I could find out how to listen to podcasts, but I don't even know how to do it.

Just keep in mind that others are the opposite. I listen to podcasts in the car. I don’t sit around at home watching videos.

 

[dobball23]

Just keep in mind that others are the opposite. I listen to podcasts in the car. I don’t sit around at home watching videos.

I think that is what makes it so difficult for them to decide what to do. There are so many individuals they are trying to entertain and inform, and each of us likes different content and different ways to consume it.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I think that is what makes it so difficult for them to decide what to do. There are so many individuals they are trying to entertain and inform, and each of us likes different content and different ways to consume it.

And theres where the expertise of a marketing professional kicks in. A marketing professional will create customer profiles, maybe 4 or 6 different people. Depending how skilled they are, the profile will have basic or in depth information about the person, everything from age, gender, local / non local / international, family or no children, etc etc etc. Once you have the completed customer profile, you then create content for each one.

Even with just 4 basic customer profiles you can get a great picture of who your audience is and what they needs and wants are.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Just keep in mind that others are the opposite. I listen to podcasts in the car. I don’t sit around at home watching videos.

I agree - I'm not advocating that they discontinue the audio. Apparently on the patreon there was discussion of moving the tuesday show to an audio-only format, no video option. IMO, both should remain available.

I would love to listen to podcasts while I drive, but when I drive I have DD in the car, and she only has so much patience for talking. She prefers music. I work from home, so it's easier for me to enjoy this content in the background as I work than in the car driving.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Just keep in mind that others are the opposite. I listen to podcasts in the car. I don’t sit around at home watching videos.

I often listen in my car--I just run the youtube through apple carplay and listen away.

 

[dachsie]

Just keep in mind that others are the opposite. I listen to podcasts in the car. I don’t sit around at home watching videos.

i have listened to the youtube videos in the car. So if keeping it on video, the podcast people can still just listen.

 

[DLgal]

What I mean by this is go to the parks the way someone on vacation would--rope-drop, trying to maximize vacation time even with crazy crowds, wanting to do a lot of attractions and stay for the fireworks kind of day. Give strategies for making the most of a park day, maybe with different goals in mind (ride the most rides for kids, an enjoyable day for adults, etc). What navigating the park is really like during Thanksgiving week. Not going to the park just to do one specific thing. Think like what easywdw used to do on his blogs ().

Obviously y'all can't do this every time you go to the parks, but a few times a year might be good. The one thing videos do have their place (I've liked the recent videos and the Patreon posts with you, Erica and Ryno), but if that's all you're doing, then it doesn't paint a complete planning picture for the vacationer.

This right here.

Listen, I'm a Disneyland local. I go every week with my kids.

I hadn't been to WDW since 2019 and recently took my kids for a week and I was tripped up by a LOT of things I THOUGHT I had a handle on. I've been to WDW like 25 times, after all. It has CHANGED A LOT in just a few years and this podcast, in particular, hasn't done nearly enough to update current vacationers.

The same way I am not very good at helping Disneyland VACATIONERS plan a week long trip, the DIS podcast team has fallen into the trap of being local frequent flyers to the parks, and has lost the ability/desire (not sure which) to provide content for people planning WDW vacations.

Now, this is all well and good if you aren't trying to provide that content, but I'd venture a guess that is what your sponsoring travel agency would like you to be showcasing.

I don't know that you need to go into great detail about all the logistics of arriving at MCO and getting to your hotel, but you do need to do some resort stays where you behave like a vacationer and experience the resort like a vacationer might. This includes a LOT more emphasis on amenities like pools and gyms, quick service dining, bus, skyliner, monorail, and boat transportation, stupid things like parking (how far of a walk is it from guest rooms, how easy is it to find a space), using Minnie Vans, extra magic hours and extended evening hours, etc.

Also, it would be helpful to visit these parks and Downtown Disney at NIGHT. A lot of your content is midday, usually during the week. Go to Disney Springs on a Saturday night and SHOW US what a nightmare it is. I wouldn't have gone on a Saturday with more warning about how nuts it is. Show us what fireworks and parade crowds look like. Don't always just go at the most opportune times for you. Show us the reality of different times of day and different crowd levels.

 

[MonaMN]

This made me think of Josh from easyWDW for some reason . Loved his visual with his timeline of real time in parks and strategies for different times of day. Having 3 people go 3 different ways and time to see what crowds are like, wait times,is g+ needed etc then discuss in round table with vids spliced in would be fun. EasyWDW was my go to for planning for so long…would love fora show to do this.

I like this... maybe give each person a list of things to do in a park and different approaches, sprinkling in wisdom around what to rope drop, what to hold off on until mid-day, etc.

I remember overhearing one family looking at the MK map and deciding that they should just approach the park in the numbered order on the map... made my little planning heart hurt!

 

[Monykalyn]

the Galaxy edge “day” was fun but why not expand that? For the Star Wars fan here’s a day devoted to that (rides, characters, light saber/droid building, food/meals). Do same for Toy Story/buzz/woody obsessed. Or a princess theme day. Or where all the Mickey/Minnie day. Or superhero day.
So many people want to go to Universal “only” for Harry Potter so why not flip that around?

 

[dachsie]

I know it was mentioned on the Patreon that they Tuesday show may go audio only. I think that would be a big mistake. The one thing different that the Dis does is that roundtable discussion. There are loads of vloggers out there, but the panel to discuss Disney stuff was unique. Even if they have to do it on Zoom for a while, a la Covid, then do it. Don't wait too long as you don't want to lose the audience you have.

 

[disneysteve]

Apparently on the patreon there was discussion of moving the tuesday show to an audio-only format, no video option.

I really don't see an issue with that. Lots of people, even in this thread, have said that they put the show on in the background while they're doing other things so the absence of video wouldn't be a huge loss. And I'm sure they'd still put out all of the video content they do now.

There is a non-Disney podcast that I listen to weekly that is audio only. I listen on the podcast player on my phone but she also posts them to YouTube so someone can play them there. There's just no video. It's just a static screen with the audio playing, just like when I use YouTube to listen to music and the only thing on the screen is the title page.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I really don't see an issue with that. Lots of people, even in this thread, have said that they put the show on in the background while they're doing other things so the absence of video wouldn't be a huge loss. And I'm sure they'd still put out all of the video content they do now.

There is a non-Disney podcast that I listen to weekly that is audio only. I listen on the podcast player on my phone but she also posts them to YouTube so someone can play them there. There's just no video. It's just a static screen with the audio playing, just like when I use YouTube to listen to music and the only thing on the screen is the title page.

I watch the videos and wouldn't really restart paying attention to them if they went audio only. I'm not an audio person, I don't listen to books on audio, I don't listen to audio only podcasts. In this respects when it comes to trip planning and all things Disney news you're going to lose out to other vloggers if you're not in that game. There's too many of them for people to stick around if all they can do is just listen rather than see as well.

In this case a removal of video is a net loss. As is you prefer to listen to audio, but you get that even with the video format. You would remain unaffected by a change to audio only so I'm not entirely certain it's fair for you to continue to hammer in your point.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

You know what's going to happen. There are so many varied opinions that they're going to be trying to cover everyone's wishlist and in doing so please no one. My advice would be don't do anything too drastic. Start slow. Your fans will be forgiving. The toxicity has been removed (we hope anyway) and let the transition to the "new" shows be organic. I wouldn't start making any crazy changes if I were them. Start with one out of town guest, but one who knows Disney well enough, and see where it goes from there. Currently Paul and Amy Krieger are doing that with their DVC show. They have guests on who are not locals and one who just moved to Orlando giving their viewpoints. But they also know Disney well. I think that works. I don't want to hear about Disney from my neighbor who hasn't been there in 10 years and only just subscribed to Disney+ because Verizon gave it to her for free! Also it doesn't matter as long as the people on the show bantering are interesting personalities. Just don't go "chicken without a head" mode bc you feel like you HAVE to do something.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I really don't see an issue with that. Lots of people, even in this thread, have said that they put the show on in the background while they're doing other things so the absence of video wouldn't be a huge loss. And I'm sure they'd still put out all of the video content they do now
There is a non-Disney podcast that I listen to weekly that is audio only. I listen on the podcast player on my phone but she also posts them to YouTube so someone can play them there. There's just no video. It's just a static screen with the audio playing, just like when I use YouTube to listen to music and the only thing on the screen is the title page.

If they make a YouTube feed available for audio only, that's fine. But then I would also challenge - why couldn't audio only listeners just stream the YouTube in their car and not watch the video? That accommodation does go both ways.

Ultimately I don't have a stake in how the team chooses to go about, but I do think it would be a mistake to stop using YouTube as a platform for the Tuesday show (in whatever form/whatever day/etc it returns as).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't want to hear about Disney from my neighbor who hasn't been there in 10 years

Well I wouldn't either but you know what I would like to get information about is FOR that person that hasn't been to Disney in the past 10 years.

At least when I read the comments from people and just putting in about my opinion I think that non-local thing got misinterpreted. You're just trying to give people who are less familiar with Disney especially those who haven't been since so many things have changed more information to go on. What most are trying to convey (IMO) is you (general you) take for granted that you already know this stuff. People do this on the Board all the time. Think like a person who doesn't have a clue and you'll usually get a better feel for what it might be for someone who came to the DIS looking for help.