DIS Unlimited Podcast Disney Virtual Roundtable Discussion Episode #1

[disneysteve]

Don’t they have the welcome center in Port Canaveral?

Can the studio be set up here?

The welcome center is much too far away. It also is a fairly small space. Definitely no room to create a studio there.

 

[dachsie]

Episode 2 was much better. You all looked more relaxed and the conversations were more free flowing than stilted. Looks like you took some of the suggestions and made them work. Good job!

 

[mamaofsix]

Episode 2 was much better. You all looked more relaxed and the conversations were more free flowing than stilted. Looks like you took some of the suggestions and made them work. Good job!

Agree. This week was miles better. Looks like a few people worked on their cameras and lighting. The discussion was more interesting. Unlike some, I really like the new music, intro and brand design much better than the old version.

 

[TresGriffin]

So one thing I have always observed about the DIS is that with as many personalities there have been over the years, it always seemed like it was divided into “cliques”. Like there’s the Ryno/Craig/Erica “clique”. There’s the John and Kevin “clique”. There was the (redacted) and his flavor-of-the-week “clique”, etc. I’m not sure how intentional this is. The thing is, they seem to have more fun and are loose with themselves when they’re in their own little silo. Like they’re friends hanging out and having a good time. Then fast forward to the Tuesday show and then you’ve now got folks with differing personalities, differing styles, and from differing “cliques” together and it comes off more like a meeting than a podcast.

I liken it to when I have a gathering with friends, which I rarely do because I don’t really have a core friend group as much as I have individual friendships with different people, so I get kind of nervous about mixing them, lest they don’t get along.

I say all this to say: Maybe spend more time on camera with each other as a broader group. Mix it up and establish a better rapport with everyone. I think y’all would benefit greatly and establish more chemistry for the Tuesday show.

P.S. A vast improvement this week, now that the cobwebs have been shaken off! Keep at it!

 

[hertamaniac]

I enjoyed this episode orders of magnitude better than the last one. The truncated news-style sections were welcomed by me. The shows preface of a John/Kevin dining review had me looking forward to watch to the end. But I'm with Craig as a local in that we don't typically like to reveal our lesser-known eateries, so they don't become oversaturated.

That being said, my vote would be to bring on more John/Kevin dining reviews especially after showcasing some of the new foods coming/at WDW.

 

[DisneyMimiUSMC]

I might be in the minority here as there are a lot of John and Kevin fans, but they bring a very odd feel to the show. Seems like they would be better off behind the scenes. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is that makes me uncomfortable about them, but they are not my vibe. It's time to bring in some fresh family friendly faces. Or heck, bring in some Disney loving grandparents. Shake things up. A panel of four men, three without kids is not what people are looking for when it comes to reviews on Disney.

 

[Oscar_The_Grouch]

I might be in the minority here as there are a lot of John and Kevin fans, but they bring a very odd feel to the show. Seems like they would be better off behind the scenes. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is that makes me uncomfortable about them, but they are not my vibe. It's time to bring in some fresh family friendly faces. Or heck, bring in some Disney loving grandparents. Shake things up. A panel of four men, three without kids is not what people are looking for when it comes to reviews on Disney.

I think you speak for a lot of people & your points have been brought up many times before, especially when we were asked what we would like to see in the 'new era'. I'm a single gay man but there needs to be much better representation of families with kids on the show. It would be different if Dreams Travel were advertising themselves as a primarily gay-centric travel company but they aren't.

So far the only parent who is regularly on the team is Craig who has a small baby & so can't yet share his experience of bringing a five year old to the parks, which will be very interesting when that happens I'm sure. Maybe in the past Pete deliberately didn't go down the family route as he felt intimidated by couples with kids or had no empathy with them (or couldn't easily groom them) but as he's no longer here I think whoever is now in charge of hiring should bring in a person or people with a fresh perspective. If not a permanent person we could have a rotating guest speaker maybe drawn from members of the Dis Boards. They did that one week with that lovely British lady but that experiment hasn't been repeated. That was a real breath of fresh air & I would love to see it again.

 

[DisneyMimiUSMC]

I think you speak for a lot of people & your points have been brought up many times before, especially when we were asked what we would like to see in the 'new era'. I'm a single gay man but there needs to be much better representation of families with kids on the show. It would be different if Dreams Travel were advertising themselves as a primarily gay-centric travel company but they aren't.

So far the only parent who is regularly on the team is Craig who has a small baby & so can't yet share his experience of bringing a five year old to the parks, which will be very interesting when that happens I'm sure. Maybe in the past Pete deliberately didn't go down the family route as he felt intimidated by couples with kids or had no empathy with them (or couldn't easily groom them) but as he's no longer here I think whoever is now in charge of hiring should bring in a person or people with a fresh perspective. If not a permanent person we could have a rotating guest speaker maybe drawn from members of the Dis Boards. They did that one week with that lovely British lady but that experiment hasn't been repeated. That was a real breath of fresh air & I would love to see it again.

Yup, it's like it's become an alternative lifestyle Disney travel channel which is fine if that's how they want it to be, but they shouldn't be surprised as their viewership continues to sink. John comes off as completely disinterested in anything related to the parks and Kevin looks to be on the brink of taking his last breath at any moment. Thoughts and prayers for him if that's the case, but neither of them are compelling edutainers. Rhyno has his moments, but he complains too much which gets old quickly. Erica (I heard she's leaving) looks mostly disinterested about being on the show and what she contributes is flat. As a foodie who has actually had culinary training, I find all of the food reviews laughable except for Craig on occasion who clearly has a broader palate. Erica and Rhyno both seem to have limited experience with most cuisine and are both far too picky to have balanced reviews. They need to hire a marketing consultant at a minimum for a one off planning/strategy session to find influencers to help round out the show better.

 

[Oscar_The_Grouch]

Actually I'm amazed that Craig & Ryno are still functioning individuals after what I'm reading from Jenilynn, who was on the show from 2014-2016. The rest of the team come off well but boy, was Pete a toxic boss! Playing people off against each other, berating & humiliating employees, his jealousy, changing the goalposts constantly etc. That part of their lives has only recently ended and getting out of that mental groove (where you've essentially been terrified of a bully for years) will take a while. I compare it to shell-shock. I love Ryno, he Craig & Corey are the backbone of the team and I think they will move things forward nicely over the next few months.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Actually I'm amazed that Craig & Ryno are still functioning individuals after what I'm reading from Jenilynn, who was on the show from 2014-2016. The rest of the team come off well but boy, was Pete a toxic boss! Playing people off against each other, berating & humiliating employees, his jealousy, changing the goalposts constantly etc. That part of their lives has only recently ended and getting out of that mental groove (where you've essentially been terrified of a bully for years) will take a while. I compare it to shell-shock. I love Ryno, he Craig & Corey are the backbone of the team and I think they will move things forward nicely over the next few months.

agree

 

[DonMacGregor]

I think you speak for a lot of people & your points have been brought up many times before, especially when we were asked what we would like to see in the 'new era'. I'm a single gay man but there needs to be much better representation of families with kids on the show. It would be different if Dreams Travel were advertising themselves as a primarily gay-centric travel company but they aren't.

This right here. As a married straight man (albeit with adult children), I struggled to say the same thing artfully and without sounding bigoted or homophobic (right down to your point about how Dreams Unlimited markets themselves). Even Panda and Erica represent the LBGTQ+ community, which isn't a bad thing at all, but it doesn't represent the broader Disney visitor demographic that you need to reach out to, unless again you are transitioning (zero pun intended, it's just the correct word) into an organization providing LGBTQ+ centric travel services.

Of course, even before the Great Schism, other show regulars like the Kriegers (no kids), Deni (a parent, but with a grown adult LGBTQ+ child), and the other (all older) Dreams employees who appeared on the show didn't represent or possess the in-parks and resort experiences families would face visiting WDW today. It was primarily the guests from the World of DVC that provided input for viewers looking to visit WDW with children.

 

[Oscar_The_Grouch]

This right here. As a married straight man (albeit with adult children), I struggled to say the same thing artfully and without sounding bigoted or homophobic (right down to your point about how Dreams Unlimited markets themselves). Even Panda and Erica represent the LBGTQ+ community, which isn't a bad thing at all, but it doesn't represent the broader Disney visitor demographic that you need to reach out to (unless again you are transitioning (zero pun intended, it's just the correct word) into an organization providing LGBTQ+ centric travel services.

Of course, even before the Great Schism, other show regulars like the Kriegers (no kids), Deni (a parent, but with a grown adult LGBTQ+ child), and the other Dreams employees who appeared on the show didn't represent or possess the in-parks and resort experiences families would face visiting WDW today. It was primarily the guests from the World of DVC that provided input for viewers looking to visit WDW with children.

When I watched those shows where two or three middle aged gay men were bragging about their concierge level cruises for the first half hour, I thought who are you appealing to, other than your egos? And I have to repeat that I am a middle aged gay man myself before anyone accuses me of being a bigot. If you have a diverse clientele (and diverse means including everyone) then you must realise that that bragging about $6k 3-day cruises or $200 dinners will only lose you viewers. It's like listening to loud show-offs at the next table in a restaurant. Bring along the majority of your customers - non-local families with kids going to the parks who are likely on a budget & the ratings and your Patreons will improve.

 

[DisneyWhirlGirl]

When I watched those shows where two or three middle aged gay men were bragging about their concierge level cruises for the first half hour, I thought who are you appealing to, other than your egos? And I have to repeat that I am a middle aged gay man myself before anyone accuses me of being a bigot. If you have a diverse clientele (and diverse means including everyone) then you must realise that that bragging about $6k 3-day cruises or $200 dinners will only lose you viewers. It's like listening to loud show-offs at the next table in a restaurant. Bring along the majority of your customers - non-local families with kids going to the parks who are likely on a budget & the ratings and your Patreons will improve.

Thank you so much for your perspective. I'm a straight female with 2 kids (and, unfortunately, a widow) and live out of state. I grew so tired and restless hearing about things that I'd never be able to afford. I'm not bitter; it's just reality.

Now it's not bad that they offer ABD and reviews of expensive gourmet dinners, but they need to balance it. Call it a splurge, a "treat yourself" experience, or whatever - but make sure that you are still appealing to your core.

I'm a product marketing manager by day, so I have many unsolicited opinions and suggestions.

 

[TresGriffin]

Actually I'm amazed that Craig & Ryno are still functioning individuals after what I'm reading from Jenilynn, who was on the show from 2014-2016. The rest of the team come off well but boy, was Pete a toxic boss! Playing people off against each other, berating & humiliating employees, his jealousy, changing the goalposts constantly etc. That part of their lives has only recently ended and getting out of that mental groove (where you've essentially been terrified of a bully for years) will take a while. I compare it to shell-shock. I love Ryno, he Craig & Corey are the backbone of the team and I think they will move things forward nicely over the next few months.

This makes me think of that time when (redacted) publically berated Ryno during the DISCon live show. And over something stupid like the camera not being on him. I wanted to jump through my screen and cuss his *** out for that.

But I agree that they’re pretty shell shocked. And then people have the nerve to harass them for them to make some sort of personal statement about it ASAP.

Like, can we give these people some time to learn how to breathe normally again? The process of decompressing years of trauma can take equally long.

 

[erinreid]

What JeniLynn has been talking about the last few days is making me physically ill. Her story just adds a whole new dimension to what I thought couldn't possibly get any worse. It's all just so sad.

 

[disneysteve]

What JeniLynn has been talking about the last few days is making me physically ill. Her story just adds a whole new dimension to what I thought couldn't possibly get any worse. It's all just so sad.

Is that on Instagram? I've seen the stuff she posted earlier when the story first came out. How do I find the most recent posts? I'm not very familiar with navigating Instagram.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

What JeniLynn has been talking about the last few days is making me physically ill. Her story just adds a whole new dimension to what I thought couldn't possibly get any worse. It's all just so sad.

I liked your post because I agree with what you said, not that I like what she is talking about. I knew she had a story to tell and its every bit as icky but in a very different than what the two men experienced.

Is that on Instagram? I've seen the stuff she posted earlier when the story first came out. How do I find the most recent posts? I'm not very familiar with navigating Instagram.

Its not on Instagram , it might take a herd of cattle to find it

 

[disneysteve]

Its not on Instagram , it might take a herd of cattle to find it

Thanks

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

nothing to see here.. I think Stich ate my post......

 

[Oscar_The_Grouch]

What JeniLynn has been talking about the last few days is making me physically ill. Her story just adds a whole new dimension to what I thought couldn't possibly get any worse. It's all just so sad.

There are some new revelations but references to her posts are being censored here. If the DIS moderators do remove posts they will have to face scrutiny later on that they are covering up some very toxic behavior. So in their best interests, they should let the posts stand.