As I listen to the podcasts from years ago, I am reminded of the freshness and excitement that used to exist for all things Disney. Of course there were critiques, but they were always with merit and done both respectfully and tastefully. As I scroll through the past years podcasts, I am sadly reminded of the great Dis podcasts of the past. Now, they seem poorly planned, rushed reminders of once great discussions and reviews. In my opinion, most of the regulars seem to feel almost bored by all things Disney. The podcasts seem like a "job" now, with average reporting and just poor banter. Maybe it's a simple transition from audio to video that has shifted the focus from creative and informative to how I look on camera. I continue to listen, but I grow less and less interested as weeks pass. I hope that the podcast family can breath some new life into a very special podcast because it truly feels like a simple shell of it's former self.
.
Just getting around to this thread. Honestly, for the life of me I cannot fathom how anyone could consider the addition of Craig, Shaun and Dustin, and the content that they have brought to the show, to be anything other than "fresh", "exciting", "well planned" and "creative". To say nothing of the special features such as :"7 in 7", "Drinks Around the World", live
D23 coverage and podcasts from Alaska, Hawaii and
Disneyland. I haven't a clue what the OP is pining away for, but if it involves a return to the "good old days" that had none of this content, then I want nothing to do with it.
I have not perceived any downturn in the quality of the shows. Pete, John and Kevin are every bit the correspondents that they have always been, (despite the fact that Kevin is half the man he used to be.
). If you find the restaurant reviews to be too negative, well, perhaps this should tell you something. Disney-philes are far too quick to declare anything related to Disney to be great. But a restaurant reviewer's job is to be objective across the board and not rate on a curve. I want and expect an honest review to tell me that a particular restaurant is one of Disney's best, but still falls short of like-priced cuisine outside of the Kingdom walls, if, in fact, that is the case. Were a reviewer to tout every Epcot restaurant as "Four Star Cuisine", they would instantly lose credibility (at least with me). I served as a restaurant reviewer for many years and read dozens of reviews every month. In my opinion, John and Kevin, (and no offense to John, but especially Kevin) are among the finest, most honest, unpaid, unpublished reviewers out there who keep things informative and light. I don't always agree. But I always enjoy.
As for the video podcast versus the audio....well....things have changed and that change is inevitable. When the video podcasts began, we were told: "Nothing will change. It will be just as it always has, only live with video." Soon after the changeover, I noted that no, things are not just the same, and got scolded for saying that by Pete. "For God's sake. We just started. Give it time", I was told. But unfortunately I think Pete missed my point, which was that there had indeed been a change, but the change was for the better. I still feel that way. Every time Pete says" "Cut to me!", there can be no denying that the video podcast is not intended to be the same, and if you are only listening to the audio version, you are missing something. And when the video podcast inserts one of Justin or Craig's awesome videos into the podcast, that video is eliminated from the audio version. That is unfortunate for people who can only listen, but toning down the video content in an effort to make the new podcasts "just like the old days" would be unfair to all the great video content that Dustin, Shaun, Craig, Corey and occasionally Kathy and Teresa put together. There is no going back, nor should the crew even try.
I have tried and tried to give the OP a fair reading and the benefit of the doubt, but I'm sorry. I just don't see it. I see effort. I see organization. I see freshness. I see excitement. And I can't wait to see more.
