How Did You Find the Dis Network?

[DreamFlightCpt.]

The inspiration for this thread was sparked by another Diser who posted an open letter to the Dis team aobut how he found the Dis Unplugged Podcast during a time of grief and and it helped him get through that tough time. (to that OP, thank you so much for sharing). This got me thinking about my own experience in finding the Dis.

I've had issues with depression on and off in my life. It rears its head randomly and hits you harder than the last time. Not so long ago I got hit really hard with it. I knew I had a trip with my family to WDW coming up, and thinking about it seemed to help a little. One day I figured I'd search Youtube for ride vids to further lift my spirits. I found some really high quality vids from either the Dis Unplugged or the DIS channels. Any way, I liked the vids I saw so I started poking around the channels, and I found the "why we love" series on the Premium hotels. The one on the Contemporary particularly stood out because of Kevin's emotional and passionate story of the Contemporary being the genesis of his Disney life. I too became emotional because I realized that I feel the same way about WDW and have had similar experiences. I had to watch more on this channel and ultimately i found the podcast vids and started pouring through those. Then I watched the 10th anniversary podcast and the "get to know us" one from 2015. in both episodes Pete explains how WDW and Disney came into his life and I really identified with it. I'm not equating drug addiction and depression, but what he described about how he saw how beautiful life could be and how it got him out of his dark place and what ive felt in my own depression experience and Disney felt extremely relateable. After this I found the boards and my eyes opened to a group I never really knew existed. My Family was always a Disney family, but I felt weird expressing my passion for it outside out that environment. I came to the boards and I felt at home, even more so than I did watching the podcast vids. All of this has helped and continues to help with my blues. So, this is how I found the Dis.

How did you find the Dis Network? I'm really curious to see what you all say. No matter if it's a simple story of finding and liking it, or if there's a more personal connection. This being an awesome and supportive community I look forward to all who share!

Side note: The connecting with Walt podcast also played a big role in this. As part of my "therapy" i would talk long walks and listen to all the episodes. Listening about all of Walt's (And Roy's) successes, failures and unwavering hope in the future really helped me to look forward to another day.

 

[Accident]

I've been on forums since they were called usenet and home internet wasn't a thing yet. It was a trip in 2014 where I had 3 days of downtime and it started to click that there is lots of little short notice short term things that happen around property. I find the site originally looking at their news and information about some tours we were considering to make up for lost time (including one that just started). uncovered a lot of info. Then researching possibly coming back 2 months later for what happens during christmas is when I started to find the podcasts, videos and got into the forum more.. It was also our first non-summer trips ever so doing things we didn't even know happened was sparked and that requires a little more knowledge of what's going on around wdw. This place is a great spot to hear things fast, even if some other site posts it, it's reposted here very quick.

dustins show (which never came back) is the one I really loved. I liked the long format on a single topic discussion and it fit in with my new found desire for what else is going on around disney. you'd think a news show is that topic but somethign about people who see changes over time and the time to discuss them in a show I found to fit my style better. news just kind of happened mainly because it lines up well for when I do a lunch break for work so it's somethign to watch at the same time. most of it, I already know but it is great to get some opinions on things I don't want to put out money for until I know more about it.

to be fair, i'm kind of tapering off so I'm not really sure what isn't capturing my attention lately that was 6 months ago..

 

[rteetz]

I found the podcast first. We had went on a 2012 trip and stayed at the Dolphin. After that trip I was hooked on Disney and was looking things up all the time. Once the podcast went video right around that time I found them on youtube. I was an avid podcast watcher then. They talked about the boards on the podcast so then I had to join here. Now I am still an avid listener to all of the shows and a disboards moderator.

 

[loves to dive]

I found the boards first but don't really remember how, I'm sure I was doing some sort of surfing looking for some sort of information on an upcoming trip. I belong to a number of scuba related boards so I probably did some sort of search on Disney and boards. I didn't discover the podcast until about a year into it. I've since gone back and watched all the episodes to all the various shows.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

I found it from a podcast review they did on ABD Backstage magic in 2014!!! I was specifically trying to figure out what the backstage magic ABD was and at the time there wasn't many reviews out there.
When Kevin releases the next Dis ABD I should have enough saved I hope. They seem to have a good track record of smooth trips and extra surprises.

 

[ToddyLu]

My DH promised to take me on my first trip to Disney in 2002 for our 8th wedding anniversary. I was 34. I was instantly addicted and we booked our second trip almost immediately when we returned home. We are now DVC owners, etc. So back in 2008 we had a PA student in our clinic who sparked a discussion one day about Disney and she told me about this awesome message board called the DIS. She used it to plan her Disney Wedding and said I could find any info I needed there. I came home and looked it up. I remember having a little trouble navigating at first but kept at it and once comfortable it was a daily fix for a Disney Addict. I was tickled pink to see everyone here and loved having a place to go to be with my "peeps". It is now a part of almost daily life. Sometimes I skip a couple of days but I usually check in several times a week. Now I am a Podcast junkie and look forward to watching it on Youtube on Tuesday evenings. So it is a place where my Disney friends live and I can knock on the door anytime and either sit on the couch and lurk, or help plan a trip with other addicts who generally appreciate my participation---what's not to love?!?

It is also the place where I reached out to fellow Dissers and have actually met a few in real life and have new terrific friends that completely get this part of me. Thanks DIS!

 

[curiouserandcuriouser1989]

I found the podcast and disboards about the same time just over a year ago when I ended up planning my family's trip basically on my own. I have been to WDW 5 times throughout my life, with the last trip in 2012 before new Fantasyland opened. I started listening to help me learn new things going on in the parks. I only discovered the disboards because I was trying to surprise my dad with a cake for his birthday and the Custom cakes thread was ridiculously helpful so I branched out to all of the other forums! I got hooked to both the boards and the podcast, so even though I have no clue when I'm going back, I have to keep up with everything that's going on in the most magical place on earth!

 

[KingLlama]

I was in prison(it's a long story).

I had earned special privileges for good behavior and for my strong work ethic while working in the laundry room. One of my privileges was the opportunity to host discussion groups for inmates. Some guys hosted sports talk groups, some hosted groups about politics, some about religion. It was a good way for inmates to discuss important issues in a safe environment. Guards were there in case it got too intense.

I wanted to host a discussion group about Walt Disney World. I tried three times, but nobody showed up. I even had topics announced in advance:

-"Horizons? More Like No-rizons, Am I Right?"
-"The Tomorrowland Speedway is a Road to Nowhere"
-"You Wouldn't Eat a Giant Turkey Leg In Front of Your Neighbors: What Theme Park Eating Habits Teach Us About Ourselves"

Finally, after the third unsuccessful attempt, one of the guards felt sorry for me and said "Hey man, there's this thing where dudes, and a few ladies, sit around each week and talk about Disney World. We started listening to it because our last trip was such a fiasco. We left after one day because we got lost at Animal Kingdom and just kept circling around Tree of Life over and over and never found any of the rides. Then my bunions flared up and we just went on home."

He couldn't bring me recordings of the show, as I had not yet earned the privilege of using any electronic devices. But his kid was taking a typing class at his high school, so for extra credit he would type up a transcript of the show and his dad would bring it to me each week. There were a lot of typos each week(A lot of times he said the host was "Pert Wanger", but I could still make out most of it. I would sit in my cell and read the transcript of the show and imagine that I was in the discussion too. At one point I made little puppets to represent each of the team members and "acted out" the show in what I imagined their voices sounded like, but that is all I'm going to say about that.

I was released a few years ago. When the board asked me if I had any final words, I said "I'm just happy to be paroled here". I got a good chuckle out of that. They didn't get it.

One of the first things I did after getting out of the joint was learning how to use "the internet", and that's when I was able to watch and listen to the show each week, as well as chat with you fine folks here on this discussion board.

I'll never forget that kind prison guard, and his son's typing teacher.

 

[GSLand]

The Unofficial Guide to WDW listed the web site as another source of info for trip planning. That was several years ago(!).

We have gotten lots of good advice for WDW, DL, ABD, and DCL adventures

 

[samsteele]

Years ago, I was searching online for info for another WDW vacation when I found an audio 7-in-7 re French Quarter. Don't think it was a good experience for the DIS Team but I loved the info, humor & vibe. I then jumped into Kevin & John's dining reviews & was hooked. Thank-you DIS for all of your great content & hard work!

 

[samsteele]

I'll never forget that kind prison guard

LLama: I'm just happy you made it over the wall. The world is a brighter place for it. ps I watched Shawshank Redemption last night, too.

 

[Jennasis]

I've been on the DIS since 1999. Before the migration. But I hadn't ever listened to the podcasts. We went on a trip in 2012 that was just fantastic. Truly a highlight among our many trips. However, we returned to a proverbial poop-storm at home with our business that totally threw me for a loop. It happened literally a day after we got back and I was already feeling the post-Disney blues, and then coupled with the sucker punch to the gut business-wise and I was truly not okay. In fact, I was a wreck. DH knew I DIS'd and he went online and downloaded a couple of shows for me to try to take my mind off of things.

All I can say is, thank you Pete and the crew. You guys got me through a very dark time. I'm sure you hear that from people a lot. But when my mind was a raging torrent of despair and hurt, you gave me something to laugh about...to listen to and take my mind off of things. you gave me "friends" when I felt I had none. Thank you.

 

[Toon crazy]

I was searching on you tube for Disney World videos. We were planning our first trip and I wanted to know everything. I came across the seven resorts in seven day videos and watched them all. I then began listening to other episodes and was hooked. I think I have listened to every episode, (some more than once).

Listening, I found out about the boards but mostly just lurked and read comments. I just recently began to feel comfortable enough to post.

 

[Hunterr]

I was looking up Test Track 2.0 ride through videos to see what changed.
Saw the Dis' video, that led to seeing the podcast video, which led me looking at more episodes, which led to the audio version, which led to today.

 

[Aerin75]

I was daydream planning a trip during a cold winter (dreaming of warm!) and then ended up on the cruise forum when we started planning a cruise. Found some of the podcasts from videos on YouTube and then ended up in this forum too.

 

[Diana or Di]

Fun thread!!!

I'll never forget that kind prison guard, and his son's typing teacher.

That was a truly fantastic story. Thank you for sharing it with us.

I have been sending away for the WDW vacation planning videos every year since I was 18 and could order them myself. I'm now 35, and continue to do so even though everything can be found/watched/etc online, and I don't particularly find them helpful for planning. I just love watching them. Years ago my ex got into listening to podcasts about stuff that couldn't interest me less, but the idea fascinated me. Essentially radio that interested me while I did housework, etc. I didn't discover the DIS then, but shortly after my discovering podcasts I discovered youtube. Do you guys watch those Disney surprise trip reveal videos? More than once I've needed tissues. I'm a sucker like that. Anyway, youtubing resort reviews or something I came across the DIS vids and I've since poured through them. I work full time, but occasionally I get a Tuesday off and I get to watch an episode live, which is big excitement let me tell you. I also lurked for a bit on the boards before deciding to actively participate in the community.

 

[DreamFlightCpt.]

I'll never forget that kind prison guard, and his son's typing teacher.

That's an awesome story. Glad so many have found something positive by absorbing and contributing to this community.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

On one of my trips to Walt Disney World, I was doing Disney's The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour at Magic Kingdom. After we got back to Main Street, and during our break by the train station, I began talking to another man that was on my tour. After talking a couple seconds, we both found out we were from California (I don't live there anymore), and started talking about Disneyland. After a while, we started chatting about what we did. At the time, I was in College, and he told me that he was doing a review for a Disney podcast he was on.

So, after my Walt Disney World trip, I knew I wanted to learn more about Walt Disney World, since I knew Disneyland backwards and forwards. I then went to Youtube and started looking up Disney podcasts. I came across the Dis Unplugged, and watched many videos. I then came across the WDW Edition's podcasts about Disneyland. While watching one of those videos, I noticed that I recognized the man that was on my tour at Walt Disney World. Turns out, I was on a tour with Michael Bowling from the Disneyland team. It then took me about a year of watching the podcast before I decided to join the boards.

 

[Sean91]

Google, looking for trip planning tips and found this place. My one true love haha

 

[SorcererHeidi]

On one of my trips to Walt Disney World, I was doing Disney's The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour at Magic Kingdom. After we got back to Main Street, and during our break by the train station, I began talking to another man that was on my tour. After talking a couple seconds, we both found out we were from California (I don't live there anymore), and started talking about Disneyland. After a while, we started chatting about what we did. At the time, I was in College, and he told me that he was doing a review for a Disney podcast he was on.

So, after my Walt Disney World trip, I knew I wanted to learn more about Walt Disney World, since I knew Disneyland backwards and forwards. I then went to Youtube and started looking up Disney podcasts. I came across the Dis Unplugged, and watched many videos. I then came across the WDW Edition's podcasts about Disneyland. While watching one of those videos, I noticed that I recognized the man that was on my tour at Walt Disney World. Turns out, I was on a tour with Michael Bowling from the Disneyland team. It then took me about a year of watching the podcast before I decided to join the boards.

VERY cool, thanx for sharing!