How do you guys feel about the current generation of planning DVDs?

[brocklesnar69]

The last 3-4 years of planning DVDs have all been focused on how happy-sappy things are at Disney. Personally, I am not a fan of this. I don't care how heartfelt some person feels because they went to or works at Disney. I want a more informational/in-depth feature, with the fluff kept to a minimum. In other words, sell it without caking on layers and layers of ooy-gooy "gee-golly-gosh."

My absolute favorite Disney planning movie was the "Walt Disney World: 100 Years of Magic" VHS. I still get goosebumps watching it today. That video is the epitome of what I love about Disney planning videos, as well as what I love about Disney itself.

So, whenever I plan a trip to WDW or DLR, I prefer to watch that over the current "I'm so happy" ones.

How do you feel about this? What type of presentation do you prefer? What are some of your favorite planning videos/DVDs?

 

[starshine514]

I've only seen a few 2009, 2010, 2011, but I must say that 2009 and 2010 were very similar, yet interesting. The 2011 one was different, but kinda on the dull side...

 

[skiingfast]

I just got the new one the other day. I haven't watched it yet but am curious to see what it shows.

I know they are meant to pull at our heart strings. I've known/know two well experience admen. They both had two things in common, they didn't do ads for the local doctor's office, they did national campaigns, and they are doctors. Sounds odd? They are physchologists. Serious marketing is aimed at what affects us most.

 

[brocklesnar69]

Well, the things that affected me most were the older ones which weren't so heavy on fluff. The "100 Years of Magic" pulled me in faster than a Death Star tractor beam. I was hooked for the entire showing.

The one from a few years ago with the different people showing us around WDW & DL (The timid dad, the mother, the teen, and the single adult) was really good too.

But the last few years of all the "We're so happy" just turned me off. The other, older ones conveyed all that without drilling it into your head over and over and over and over.

 

[babyruth]

I didn't find it to be any help with "planning." I had one I watched for our WDW trip in 06 and I remember it to be at least minimally informative. This one I just got for DLR was really short and basically said "this is the happiest place on earth, you can stay here or offsite, you can eat here and your little ones will enjoy the park." It really didn't have any specific information relative to planning an actual vacation.

 

[tzeitel]

I got the new one a few weeks ago - meh. It did not help at all - just like all those Disney episodes/specials on the Travel Channel, they are basically commercials

 

[Judy from Boise]

I have most of the old ones dating back to when it was the vacation club. I still love the one they did for the millennial celebration 2001.

 

[skiingfast]

The last 3-4 years of planning DVDs have all been focused on how happy-sappy things are at Disney. Personally, I am not a fan of this. I don't care how heartfelt some person feels because they went to or works at Disney. I want a more informational/in-depth feature, with the fluff kept to a minimum. In other words, sell it without caking on layers and layers of ooy-gooy "gee-golly-gosh."

So now that i have watched the planning DVD comparing to older ones the new "Memories" version seems very strait forward. It started with the memories commercial just like can be seen on tv. Other than that it's more of a walk through all the vacation opportunities. And less look at how happy 3 generations can be together. To one extent I was pleased because of that, granted it didn't have anything new to see, for me.

It used the word "dream" a few times about DCL but nothing in the video was actually about the new ship.