10 Best Posts of 2012 That You Didn’t Read
Pretty much everyone who has a blog is taking the opportunity to share their “Top 10” posts of 2012. It’s a brilliant move, really. Not only does it spare the author from having to write new content, but it allows them to remind readers of some good posts they might have missed.
Since I’m incredibly lazy, this new holiday blogging practice is scratching me right where I itch! Of course, I don’t want to follow blindly along doing what everyone else is doing, so I’m adding my own twist to the Top 10. I’m going to share my 10 best “under-appreciated” blog posts. I got the idea from TV Guide, which used to run an annual issue on the “Best Show You’re Not Watching.” This is how I discovered one of my favorite television shows of all-time, Sports Night, so I figure it will be how you discover some of the greatest blog posts of all time. At least some of the greatest on this blog…which is basically the bowels of the internet, so that’s not really saying much.
Anyway, here we go. The top 10 posts you (maybe) didn’t read:
10. One More Disney Day Trip Report – With over 24 consecutive hours in the park, plus a trip to the rarely-seen Walt Disney Studios, this is probably one of our best-ever trip reports. It was not nearly as popular as our relatively mundane February 2012 Walt Disney World Trip Report, though!
9. Tips for Traveling on a Budget – A lot of you question how we can afford to travel so much. I set out our strategy for frugal travel, but not many people gave it a read. I guess most readers just like to overpay for travel…or already know it all? 😉
8. Top 10 Disney Dining Tips – Admittedly, this one has a few generic ones that will have you thinking “duh” if you’re a Disney vet. I assume that’s why this post wasn’t too popular. That said, there is some good stuff here for guests of all experience levels.
7. Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 Lens Review – I started out the review with these sentences: “The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens is the Chuck Norris of wide angle lenses. Actually, that’s an understatement. It’s the Chuck Norris+Jack Bauer+James Bond+whatever other badass you can think of, all rolled into one, in lens form.” Even if you don’t like photography, how could you not read that post?!
6. Gardens of Walt Disney World Review – I praised this book as my third favorite Walt Disney World book ever, but I think many people didn’t care because they’re not interested in gardening. Neither am I. This book is a top-notch title and should be owned by anyone who is a Walt Disney World fan.
5. Citricos Review – I didn’t do nearly as many dining reviews this year as I should have, but the Walt Disney World ones I did write were generally well-received. The exception was this Citricos review, which offers a contrast to most reviews I’ve read of Citricos.
4. Disney California Adventure Retrospective: From Burger Invasion to Buena Vista Street – I spent more time on this blog post (writing and acquiring permission to use historic photos of Disney California Adventure) than any other blog post of the year. Much like the original DCA, not many people seemed to care. It’s worth a browse if only to see the photos and see just how bad this park used to be.
3. The Land Vintage Photos – My (still ongoing) EPCOT Center tribute posts have been reasonably popular (especially Journey into Imagination), with the exception of The Land, which is actually my second favorite post in the series. Just remember: if you dislike Kitchen Kabaret, you dislike America.
2. Cars Land Photos & Review – I thought more people would be interested in reading about and seeing more photos of the biggest addition to any Disney theme park of 2012 (sorry, New Fantasyland, you’re not even in the same league as Cars Land). Maybe this will find more of an audience now that Cars Land rumors are swirling for Walt Disney World!
1. Disney Counter Service Renaissance – While the rest of the internet is complaining about the Disney Dining Plan destroying the quality of food at Walt Disney World, I took the position that counter service food is actually on the upswing. Given this article’s reception, I’m guessing not many of you agreed with me. Well, you’re all wrong! 😉
If you read all of these articles the first time around, you are a true patriot. If not, give them a read now! They might be good (dare I say Pulitzer-worthy?), but then again…they might have been unpopular for a very good reason! In that case, I would apologize for wasting your time, but if you’re regularly reading this blog, you clearly don’t mind people wasting your time!
Share your thoughts in the comments!
I received “Gardens of Disney World” for Christmas largely upon your recommendation. As someone who likes to garden (or did, before I had a daughter consume my free time!) I find it double interesting.
I am glad you posted this list! I hadn’t read all of them and was glad to have the chance. Especially the DCA one! WOW!
The DCA one was a lot of fun to write, even though it was a lot of work. It also gave me a new appreciation for the DCA-overhaul, as some of the original DCA I had not seen in person.
I wasn’t pleasantly surprised that I have in fact read 8/10 of them before this post 🙂 (not sure this says much about me as a human being….but it says quite a lot as far as Passionate Disney Fan is concerned, lol)
was! was pleasantly surprised! lol
I think you had it right the first time! 😉
While not a communist, I will admit to not having read all 10 when they were posted throughout 2012. That said, I did love Kitchen Cabaret, so that should speak somewhat to my republican values.
Also, I completely agree with you & Cara that “Sports Night” was a phenomenal show. I regularly quote it, whenever possible. For example: Did you know that momentarily means for a moment, not in a moment?
That quote is from Jeremy, right? Sure sounds like a Jeremy line.
It’s actually this whole exchange between Dana & Natalie. Dana starts the ball rolling and says something like “When the flight attendant tells us that we will be landing momentarily, I inform them that if we only land momentarily, it will not give the passengers enough time to get off the plane.” Is it sad that I’ve watched it enough to remember that?!
Ahhhh, I remember that now. Not sad at all. I find that I don’t quote Sports Night as much as other shows I like, if only because Sorkin dialogue is often so long-winded that quoting it is difficult. I can usually paraphrase, though!
Sports Night, BEST SHOW EVER!!!!
Since no one has responded yet proclaiming themselves a true patriot, I’m assuming none of you read all 10 posts when they originally were posted? Communists! 🙂