What would you like to see in the new era?

[neopolitech]

But that can be done simply by making WDW look like a desireable place to go. I'm not sure there is any content that needs to be reconfigured to fit the fact that the channel is run by a TA. In fact, I'm not even sure what that would look like.

I agree with you. In the past, Pete would cite the travel agency as being the reason behind certain DIS Unplugged business decisions. For example, when they decided to get rid of the Disneyland show the most recent time, Craig made a point of saying that it wasn’t because of the viewership numbers. He said that after he and Ryno had taken over the show from others, the numbers had actually improved, but that Pete wanted to cancel the show because it wasn’t driving enough business to the travel agency. Which I remember thinking was odd at the time because Disneyland isn’t really the type of destination that needs a travel agent so it doesn’t surprise me that most people don’t use one. However, I can definitely see the benefit of using one for WDW, DCL and ABD, which became a main focus of the shows. I agree with you that if you just focus on creating great shows and great content in general, people will use the travel agency so it doesn’t really make sense to cater your content only to what you think specifically drives people to it.

Just as an example, as a California resident, I actually found the DIS through the Disneyland show, but eventually ended up using the travel agency for 3 separate WDW trips.

 

[teruterubouzu]

I think when we say "non-local" perspective, it's because we're looking for practical information that sometimes gets left out of the videos. You guys, as locals, could certainly provide that info and give very specific videos to cater to a non-local audience. Imagine you're visiting Tokyo Disneyland for the first time - what would you, as a Florida native, need to know about Tokyo before you go?

Transportation:
-Navigating MCO, both from a domestic or international flight. An airport tour would be great. What amenities are near certain gates? Where is the ride share loading and drop off area? How do we get to the Mears Connect buses? A compare / contrast of Mears vs. Ride share. Perhaps have someone film the entire process of making Mears transportation reservations, getting on the bus, being dropped at their hotel and vice versa. Share how long the trip takes on Mears - how many stops do they make, and which hotels might they do a drop off at first?

-Monorails. Think very basic. What stops do they include? How long does it generally take to get from the TTC to Epcot, for example? Have the team time themselves taking the monorail from MK, to TTC, to Epcot. Go over the difference between the Resort Monorail and Parks monorails. A little monorial etiquette advise thrown in for good humor...

-Boats: What are the options? How do the friendship boats work and where are they all located? How often do the GF / Poly / MK boats cycle through? How long does it take for a ferry to load, leave and arrive at the dock (ie: I was surprised that this took nearly 30 minutes the first time we rode the ferry)!

-Skyliner. Again - very practical info such as: what's the average wait between getting in line and boarding the skyliner - is it different at each stop? What's the process like for switching lines? How long would it take to get from Epcot to HS via skyliner, including transfers?

-Internal resort buses - how do they work at each resort? How to navigate the app for finding out when the next bus for a certain park will arrive at your resort. What's the wait like for bussing at the end of each day in the parks? Is it worth it to do ride share over busing in some cases? What about a review of the Minnie vans?

-Parking: tips and tricks. Can you park at resorts if you're not staying there? Go over preferred parking and disability options at each park. Cost for those staying offsite. Parking costs and perks for those staying onsite

Hotels:
-Onsite reviews of each hotel with tours of amenities
-Favourite offsite vacation complexes such as Reunion, Windsor Hills, bonnet creek, etc.

Navigating the Parks:
-How early do you need to arrive to do a true "rope drop." Advice for navigating Genie+. Where can you take a quiet break in the parks - which attractions can you have a quick nap while watching in the AC?

I'll add to this even though rideshare exists, even though Mears exists, etc people do still get rental cars and up until recently it would have been important to note the parking fees Disney annoyingly tacked onto at the Disney resorts.

One of the threads I read months back was discussing the Visitor Toll Pass. We used that in May 2022 so we had experience with it and we used it again in January 2023 so we commented on that thread.

It's a lot to ask someone to actually rent a car from one of the companies and to take out a Visitor Toll Pass so in practicality I wouldn't expect them to actually do it but what would be nice is even just a quick video showing "here's where you go for the main rental car companies if you land in Terminal ___", "if you do the Visitor Toll Pass here's the kiosks for them". It's one of the most frequented questions when one is traveling regarding rental cars and what you do to get your vehicle. Given this information is unlikely to change too frequently it's an easy quick and long-lasting in relevancy video to do. I wouldn't demand they do this it's just something that I think would be nice and one that touches on the non-local aspect.

Of course someone can just go look up the airport's website although I'm not certain the Visitor Toll Pass is discussed much if at all but just mentioning a quick and easy enough aid if we're discussing transportation.

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.

I would add that "non local WITH KIDS" is also something many of us might want perspective on. @Teleclashter could give us his perspective, for example, on a practical things he experienced as a dad at Disneyland. Did they bring their own stroller on the plane, or rent one in the parks? How did that work out? What was it like navigating the plane ride and airport with a baby? What does Disney provide for babies in the hotel rooms - did their child sleep okay in the pack n' play provided? How did they navigate nap time? Character interactions? etc.

People actually do want to hear those mundane types of things - and Craig could I'm sure provide some entertaining anecdotes as a Dad that we'd all enjoy, even if we don't have children.

These all seem like great ideas for standalone videos on the channel rather than the weekly "show." That way they could be keyworded and thumbnnailed to work as evergreen content to be discovered via search (at least as long as the content was still valid/current). Some of these could also be good places to include affiliate links where applicable for an additional revenue source.

 

[AshleyGoBlue]

7 in 7: 7 resorts in 7 days review.

That series The DIS did back in like 2014-2015 is how I found the DIS and this place.

 

[JD80b]

7 in 7: 7 resorts in 7 days review.

That series The DIS did back in like 2014-2015 is how I found the DIS and this place.

Youtube reviews of restaurants, resorts and other activities/events you can book usually get the most views. If I were planning out content for the year, I would list every restaurant and resort at Disney and/or Universal and review them in order then the following year start at the top again.

 

[Lizgistix]

For example, those of us who are YT creators often use an SEO tool such as TubeBuddy. A quick search shows that a video title of "How to Park at Disney World's Magic Kingdom" has a 90% overall keyword score - which is EXCELLENT. It means there is a high search volume for that topic, and relatively few videos out there compared to demand.

That's interesting. As a writing creator, I was looking at my SEO stats and found people found me organically by searching 'animal kingdom pics'.

Based on last Friday's show, I think having a guest who adds a different perspective to going to Disney freshened things up a little. I understand doing this weekly would be difficult, so maybe once a month or so?

 

[kahblue]

I miss the kinds of videos that were done at the very beginning. Ride POVs (like the Figment one you just did - great job!), restaurants and resort videos with just music - no talking. Just show a general overview of places to get a good idea of what it's like. These are the videos I tell newbies to look for to start their planning. All the other stuff is great info and fun for when you want more. I know when I was just starting my planning many years ago, watching a 10-15 minute video was a great way to start. These look professional and will make you hungry for more!

As far as the weekly show goes, definitely keep it in person. It's what you all do well when there is chemistry in the room. Whatever topics you are going to discuss on any shows, all participants need to have experienced it at some level even if it's just a good understanding of what it is. Many times there have been too many of you who haven't eaten at a restaurant or experienced an attraction which doesn't make for good conversation.

I enjoy hearing about your week,how you're feeling, etc. but when small talk takes up the first 15 minutes of the show, you've lost me and probably anyone new who many have just found The Dis.

As I'm typing all this I come to one main thing: you're regular and long time followers will watch regardless of what you do but you need to draw in the new people for the purpose of researching and planning their first and/or irregular Disney trips. Get some basic trip planning info out there. Disney changes so much all the time that a lot of general information needs to be updated a lot. Maybe when you do a video or talk about some aspect of planning, you could direct people to the section on the Disboards and or your website it pertains to for more information.

Lastly, you can't do it all with 3 people. We all need to remember that. As you find your groove and make changes, hopefully more people can be added. Use the travel agents that are willing to Zoom in on a show and get some frequently asked questions answered. Zoom with regular Disers from different boards that have a lot of experience (pre-recordings are great so you can edit and make sure the person is helpful and interesting). There's a lot of regulars on the Facebook page as well.

Keep up the good work and see you in the parks!

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Craig, Deni, and Ryno are who I always like and want to see more.

 

[hertamaniac]

There is whole demographic of middle-aged+ folks that could/should be part of the new show. There are quite a few that travel to WDW solo from out of town. Maybe inject that type of traveler(s) into the show format?

 

[Friendly Frog]

I think your vision is spot on! I may not post a lot but I "lurk" a lot. That's just me. I do the same thing on Facebook, Tiktok, IG, ect. But saying that, I have been a member since the very beginning. I know my joined date says 2000 but that is only because my original membership got "lost" in the shuffle. I have a love for these boards that I just can't explain to an outsider. These boards bring me back to a time when I was happiest. PLEASE don't let them go away all together!

Hi, I date back to before what is shown on my join date too. I remember being in the first group where we all chipped in to buy a resort fridge to share and how that grew till the fridges came with the contents of most kitchens! I also remember when the first photos of the team started to circulate, and how nervous that made some of them feel. Of course that was before they started doing anything on video. I really miss the humor of the early podcasts. I know now it is so much harder, with people being more sensitive, but sure hope they can capture that magic again.

 

[Friendly Frog]

I would prefer for you to still have a lot of studio content. The way I consume the content, this is more engaging to me than watching you take a trip to the parks. I want to hear your opinions, discussion and likes/dislikes, and see your personalities shine through.

Totally agree! I like the park shows some too, but the group in the studio is still by far my favorite. Nothing beats a good group discussion, especially when it is light and fun.

Speaking of the studio show, I don’t know if anyone else feels this way, but I really do not care for the format of a live chat where the host(s) are answering chat questions or making comments about the chat as they go along. I feel like it just kills the flow of the show…and frankly is boring.

Don’t get me wrong, having a chat going with a team member in it answering questions is great during the show, I just don’t like it interrupting the show and I can skip content filler like “ Hi to you too Jan.”, or “Mike, I am not sure when I will be back in the park.” And I really don’t need to be told by the host what Keith said in chat, because if it was important to me, I would already be reading along in chat. LOL

Seriously, all kidding aside I vote for leaving the "back-and-forth chat style" format to the shows with just one host, or like ones done in the parks, rather than the main weekly group show.

 

[WGCFV]

I have said it on other threads, but I really hope for less politics moving forward. If they do dive into that realm, hoping bit more of a balanced discussion overall.

 

[NovemberPapa3]

Zero...NONE would be preferable. Just right the ship as best they can and put the focus on the parks, dining, DVC, etc.

 

[OKW Lover]

I still believe that politics has a place on the show if it would impact Disney, CM's or the guests.

 

[disneysteve]

I still believe that politics has a place on the show if it would impact Disney, CM's or the guests.

Totally. When political actions are directly impacting the parks and resorts I definitely want to hear the team talking about it.

 

[80sTerraceCafeFan]

I actually don't think there was a ton of politics on the show - seemed obvious Pete did not want to alienate half his audience. He likely told the team to avoid discussing general political topics.

It was hard to ignore the local politics, covid policies, ready creek dissolution, etc - bc that was directly impacting the parks.

 

[finchy3]

There was a lot going on that wasn't spoken about it seems

 

[Oscar_The_Grouch]

I have said it on other threads, but I really hope for less politics moving forward. If they do dive into that realm, hoping bit more of a balanced discussion overall.

Agree with this 100%. I remember a show where Ryno was watching the live comments like a hawk and deleting anything that didn't fit with his world view. Fair enough I guess, however no-one said anything offensive, they were just opinions from conservatives. Unless people are being rude all views should be allowed. Pete used to say that the business was owned by gay men and many faces on the show were also gay or allies. Which puzzled me a bit, like all gay people think the same about all topics. I'm a gay man but I'm also right leaning & have some rather tame gender-critical views, if I aired these on the live chat I would probably be condemned as a bigot and suspended. Unless you are a Nazi or hateful everyone needs to be heard.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I don’t mind a political discussion but I need balance and counterpoints. It’s not a political discussion at that point more like a lecture.

 

[WebmasterCorey]

I doubt politics will be a main topic of conversation in the future, unless it's truly needed. It's not an enjoyable subject unless you are really into it. Although I'm never on the shows for various reasons, political topics were often demanded as news stories to cover. While I agree that topics pertaining to Disney tourism should be covered, the expression of certain political viewpoints always alienated a portion of our audience. I feel we've learned from expressing our one-sided opinions and hope to expand moving forward.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

I have only caught a few pages of this thread but wanted to offer my perspective. Something major is missing and for me that’s a regular Tuesday show. I find myself loosing interest in the channel and fear waiting too long for a replacement is going to loose a lot of viewership. I personally don’t care what the show format is, or if it’s live or even on Tuesdays, but it’s the show I set alarms form, planned my days around, got to know and love the team during. I appreciate the new videos and love the new vibe but it’s not enough to hold this channel.
In regards to studio/zoom etc. While I don’t necessarily care, I do find that the banter and chat is missing in the zoom/Skype type shows. There was something different about a group of people sitting around a table together chatting about Disney. You could feel the energy in the room (both the good, and sometimes the bad) but it really helped me get to know the team. Feeling like I knew the team kept me coming back every week, led me to care about their opinions on dining, rides, special events, resorts, cruises etc.
I’m trying to give it time, but I hope something is tried soon. I’m just not as interested in the channel in its current state.