What would you like to see in the new era?

[jarestel]

There have been a number of good suggestions so far and it's obvious many people care about the unplugged show. If I may add my $.02...

These boards themselves are a great source of information regarding almost all facets of Disney (and non-Disney) topics. On each of the various boards, there are generally a handful of folks regarded as experts and that knowledge could certainly be leveraged into segments of the unplugged show. Short and concise pre-recorded interview segments showcasing the expertise of the DISboards posters on a specific weekly topic would be an easy and useful addition. (I suggest pre-recorded segments to avoid the quality issues (audio and video) inherent in many home internet connections.)

 

[hiroMYhero]

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 a non-local visiting my DD who was a CM for 10 years, I’d always post Magical Dining Month info on the Orlando Hotels and Attractions board as well as the Dining Board. The deals applied to onsite and offsite restaurants and was of great benefit to those who had never heard of Magical Dining month.

We once met a Boston family at Yacht Club who asked if we always chose YC. When we explained we were on a quest to stay at each resort at least once (we made it to 12), they asked about our favorites. So we explained the pros and cons of our personal favorites.

Also local coupons can be of interest to non-locals. For that Boston family, they shared they were having dinner at Shula’s that night. We had eaten dinner at Shula’s the previous evening and saved $50 by using a local 20% off coupon. We gave them the info to use for their party of 9.

Things like that which may seem mundane or not of much interest to locals, can be of great value to ‘tourists.’

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Things like that which may seem mundane or not of much interest to locals, can be of great value to ‘tourists.’

this 100%

A UK / Irish family will have saved for 1 maybe 2 years to visit Orlando, their trip, flights, hotel and park tickets for 14 nights can cost on average £10,000 / $12000 per before they set foot in the parks. Most will not have a table service every day, but when they do, a lot of the time food will be shared as the portion sizes are bigger than in our country. For a local, if they dont finish the food, they just box it up to go, but a tourist does not have that option. Sharing food cuts down on cost and waste, as a tourist may not have the facilities to keep food for several days or a means to re heat food.

Doing a food review and saying, this portion is too much for me, I'm going to get the rest to go, but it would be prefect size portion for 2 people to share would be very helpful.

 

[robinb]

As a non-local visiting my DD who was a CM for 10 years, I’d always post Magical Dining Month info on the Orlando Hotels and Attractions board as well as the Dining Board. The deals applied to onsite and offsite restaurants and was of great benefit to those who had never heard of Magical Dining month.

We once met a Boston family at Yacht Club who asked if we always chose YC. When we explained we were on a quest to stay at each resort at least once (we made it to 12), they asked about our favorites. So we explained the pro and cons of our personal favorites.

Also local coupons can be of interest to non-locals. For that Boston family, they shared they were having dinner at Shula’s that night. We had eaten dinner at Shula’s the previous evening and saved $50 by using a local 20% off coupon. We gave them the info to use for their party of 9.

Things like that which may seem mundane or not of much interest to locals, can be of great value to ‘tourists.’

Wow! I've never hear of Magical Dining Month. I just looked it up and it's going on during our next trip! We have a similar promo where we live, but it's only a week long. Thanks!!

 

[V.B.]

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.

For myself (I can't speak for others), I appreciate the knowledge those of you on the Dis have about the parks, you know the rides that load the fastest, which ones have single rider lines, which restaurants have the best burgers, etc. But, as the poster above from the UK/Ireland perspective suggested, there are a lot of practical questions and I think those are questions that many who are going for your first trip to Disney, or first time in years. There are hundreds of videos on the cupcakes you can get and the food choices during Food and Wine at Epcot, but practical videos on the different companies you can use to get to and from the airport to your hotel. How long do you need to plan if you're using the buses and aren't renting a car, or using Uber. You have lots of travel agents who could provide info on what their clients ask. Things like how many nights do the parks do fireworks (or do they close early for parties). Even a video of Craig and Ryno walking through the parks and showing "short cuts", or areas that are good to sit for a few minutes of peace that aren't well known. Those are things that a non local would need to know, but that you guys would have a wealth of knowledge about.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

I volunteer as an Out Of State AP Holder + toddler mom to give any tips/insight I can on the matter!

There are pages and pages of great ideas here and I think one thing is clear: Get BACK in the parks, and don’t lose the critical eye but maybe lose some of the cynicism (or at least balance it out with some strong pixie dust vibes).

 

[FCDub]

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.

You, Ryno, and someone else all leave from the airport at the same time and head to the same place while taking different forms of transportation. It would allow people to gauge car service vs Mears bus vs Uber for overall transit time, amenities, cost, etc.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

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.

I say this as a big fan of yours who enjoys your wry style: I think it’s been obvious for a while that the cynicism and fatigue of covering the parks as locals has come through from everyone. It’s like if you eat candy every day, you get tired of it, but most people visiting only go 1-2x a year if that (more likely once in a lifetime). You guys need to get creative and find ways to make it fun for yourselves again.

As for non-locals: Tips on finding the best resort accommodations, what’s new at the resorts, what’s new on property in general as a monthly or quarterly recap will go a long way in helping people feel informed and excited.

You also need more parental tips/tricks - traveling with small children and toddlers (and babies) is a WHOLE different ballgame than traveling as adults. And since you’re a parent now yourself I’d love to hear more about how you prepare your baby for a park day, what you pack, how you dress for the weather, what you do to take breaks, where you find snacks and meals that your toddler will eat, what to do with a screaming/cranky
toddler if you can’t leave the park (NO SERIOUSLY PLEASE TELL ME help )

Excited for the next era with you guys now that the trash has taken itself out.

 

[Angel Ariel]

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.

The biggest issue I see in local vs. non-local perspectives is that for those of us who only come down once/year, we have a very limited amount of time to experience as much as we can, so prioritizing must-dos is absolutely critical. Many also often plan in rest days, so seeing reviews/information of the smaller things around Disney ( for ex, surrey bikes at the boardwalk, resort activities, pools, mini golf, disney springs, etc) helps plan some low-key time for those days.

For me it's less the non-local perspective than bringing in perspectives from people outside of the demographic of the team. We have a DAS user in our party, for ex, so there are things that are helpful to know for our trip planning. Things like locations of companion restrooms, are companion restrooms closed for extended times in certain areas (for ex, the ones by The Land were closed, and may still be, due to the central-epcot construction), how can the DAS best be used in conjunction with Genie+, tips for using DAS without having genie+ (preselecting vs day of, touring order suggestions for day-of DAS) (just stay away from discussions about what needs to be said to qualify for DAS). Tips for visiting with mobility disabilities if you don't have DAS, etc, etc. These are questions I see pop up in Disney Disability communities constantly.

For military families, information regarding the Armed Forces Salute Tickets, hotel reviews and restaurant reviews of Shades of Green, transportation reviews for shades of green, etc.

Some of these things above don't necessarily need to be their own shows or topics, but can be woven in with what you're already doing (like how Erika discusses food allergy ordering within the overall dining reviews)...but may require input from people with experiences that the team may or may not have themselves.

i hope that helps a little bit

 

[choiski]

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.

I would like the YouTube channel to focus on advice and perspective for the visitor, primarily non-local, but also for frequent visitors, e.g. AP holders. Touring help and dining help would be appreciated but I don't want you to replicate channels like All Ears or Mammoth Club which are focused on Ride or Die visits. Show how best to enjoy your time not how to get everything done in the minimum time.

And since you're a recent parent, it would be great for you to cover how to handle the parks and resorts with children. Most YouTube channels don't cover this area.

 

[mort1331]

Tons of great ideas. We are from Canada and have a different look at getting to the parks as well. Drive or fly, which route, stop or not.
Also I have never seen a review of the golf. As a golfer, I will say if you want to make a video of the courses and thoughts, I will be your ginny pig and take you around a few of the courses. It is one of the many things to do while not in the parks. Plus a great footgolf course as well.
I should be free in 6 months when we head down again. Just saying

 

[WedWayPilot]

I’m not sure if this was mentioned, but I think focusing more on helping young families learn and prepare for Disney instead of the focus on the Adult-centric Disney experience. Julie provides a touch of this when she is on the panel, but they don’t usually include enough of her thoughts. Hopefully with Craig’s new baby this will happen naturally, but I’m sure it would be appreciated by many.

 

[disneysteve]

Can I ask a specific question about the 'non-local' perspective? What exactly is the perspective that you're looking for?

First, thanks for asking. Not that I doubted it, but it shows that you and the team are listening and considering what your followers are seeking going forward.

Second, if you haven't already, take a look at the poll I posted. So far 85% of responders have said that trip planning is NOT the main reason they watch/listen to the show.

I think that highlights an interesting dichotomy here. Some people want more trip planning advice; others don't turn to the show for that reason.

All of that said, I'm also one of the people who has said you need the non-local perspective. The entire experience of a Disney vacation is simply different for a visitor than it is for a local, from the first step of planning to the travel to the hotel stay to the park experience to the return home. And if you're a first-timer, the whole thing is tremendously overwhelming. Disney has made trip planning outrageously complicated.

Just one example: As a local, you can pop into Epcot one evening and try a couple of F&W booths, come back on another day to sample a few more, and return yet again to experience others. Someone coming for a few days or a week only has one shot, maybe a few hours, to visit Epcot. They're going to approach the festival very differently than you would. It's great to hear the team discuss all of the booths and menu items but that doesn't necessarily help a visitor come up with a plan of attack.

Another example: All many trip planners have to go on is Disney propaganda, why you need to say "in the magic" or whatever wording they use. They don't know that staying offsite is a legit option with everything from cheap motels to high end luxury resorts, timeshares, and rental homes. I know Dreams is in business to sell Disney packages but I'd love to see the show acknowledge that the majority of WDW visitors don't stay onsite. Maybe have a recurring feature where you discuss offsite options. It doesn't have to be full out individual property reviews but at least focus on the different areas where one could stay: 192 east, 192 west, Hotel Plaza Blvd, the Palm Parkway corridor, International Drive, etc. Do some videos with a driving tour of each of those areas similar to how the Moving to Orlando show did episodes focused on various towns years ago. Maybe bring in a guest or two who has rented a vacation home to talk about that process and show some of the more popular rental communities: Windsor Palms, Windsor Hills, Lindfields, Margaritaville, etc. Talk about some of the big timeshare resorts like Vistana and the Marriott properties.

What are the pros and cons of driving your own car around property rather than using Disney transportation?
What are the options for getting groceries delivered? What are some good offsite restaurants that deliver to property?

So many topics that out of town visitors could benefit from knowing that locals probably just never think about.

 

[KandyM]

If you are wanting to know what the average non local is looking for in terms of Disney travel, Disney news, Disney dreaming and trip planning well, umm, you are connected to a travel agency…. Ask the dreams agents what things are trending, what questions do they get asked over and over and over, or what questions are new but trending. What’s trending with travel planning, etc etc etc. like you have a huge resource there that I don’t think any other blogger, vlogger, or influencer has. It’s a built in focus group of non local people knowledge.

As for me personally, as a non local, I love most of the things you are already doing but want to occasionally hear about the experiences non locals have to navigate. Driving to Florida, flying in, making and changing reservations, split stays, how to figure out a 4, 6, 8, or 10 day trip and figure out all those park days and meals. How to best do things if you can’t avoid busy times or bad weather times. Like a non local can’t just come back next week so they gotta stand in the line or brave the weather. Things a local wouldn’t think about.

 

[Gusey]

I do think a potential solution to the non-local perspective is to get some dreams agents or even Jackie back on the show as they deal with visiting WDW as non-locals now

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Something else I thought of. The majority of UK / Irish big blow out one and done family holiday to Disney and Orlando visit in June, July and August.

They need information about park hours, night time entertainment, rope drop. Many will not do ADR so family friendly quick service and counter service food options are essential. A lot of families are looking for burger, fries, hot dog, chicken nugget and pizza places, as its easier to give kids familiar food when there is so much over sensory stimulation.

Reviewing a menu change or new food item at Katsura Krill in Japan Pavilion in World Showcase for example has no relevance to the first time family travelling from Europe. They are not just going to pop into World Showcase for a few hours to try the new snack. What they need to know is, in World showcase will I find food my kids will eat and is it affordable. While say a new snack is priced at $10 and thats fine for 1 local adult who will only buy that during the 2 hours they are in the park, that same $10 snack ends up costing$50 for a family, and then its only a snack and everyone is still hungry, so they should have spent the $50 on pizza as it is a proper meal.

When you have to buy park food for breakfast, lunch and evening meal for a 4 person family for 10 days or more, you need to figure out ways to have proper filling meals in an economical way.

 

[dachsie]

To build on that, I would like to see you review the QS dining options sometimes. Maybe each of you could pick a place and review the menu and what you get and then get together to talk about the experience. Or maybe do a segment on eating at Disney inexpensively by having a budget and eating QS options that could help families know what to expect.

 

[john7994]

Frankly, it sounds like you could do a one and done “series” (3-4 shows) approach to tackling the big rocks around travel to WDW/UO as a non-local’s (out of state or country) or as a first time visitor resource (updating as needed at some later time).

This could include airport options, best arrival times, what to do if you are too early, check-in options, using guest services to your advantage, pros and cons to offsite/on-site accommodations including viable options or examples, other destinations locally to work into extended visits to avoid park fatigue, ground transportation options for families or large parties, arriving early or late to a park and what to expect - including those traveling by car (where and what to avoid)

As an example, One of the best vlogs I have seen was a treatment on all the Disney resorts in one marathon session - because it allowed “eyes-on” on each of the resorts versus reading a description or someone’s biased opinion - this could also serve to address amenities and accommodations with those having mobility issues (which also could be addressed on the parks segment of the series as well).

If well crafted and curated, it could address many issues simultaneously regardless of the guest’s origin. I think most of the “local” complaints stem from a natural bias that many of the team inherently know the ins and outs of an area but those traveling from outside the central Florida bubble or first time visitors don’t.

Even if it’s not a special segment dedicated to this audience, maybe greater attention to sharing an insider (local) pro-tips would be an enhancement to the viewer’s trip experience. The pro tip approach could actually serve to be a handy tagline along with highlighting things that are useful for non-locals if not wanting to specialize in the video content. Many ways to solve this problem.

 

[voicesatnight]

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.

I'm not sure how feasible or likely this idea may be, but it would be cute to do 'Week in the Life' style videos like '3 days at Grand Floridian' or '7 days at Port Orleans' '14 days at All Star Sports' and genuinely do it as a tourist. Like how often does housekeeping come, rest days, resort specific activities, stuff like that I suppose. IDK tho

 

[OKW Lover]

I'd love to see some more park bench videos. It was something they did quite a few years ago where they simply sat on a random bench in a park for some time videoing whatever went by. Nice to have some ambiance at times.