Odds & Ends Update
It’s been a while since we did a random housekeeping post covering things that don’t really fit elsewhere, and that’s what this is. Nothing exactly exciting or informative–rather, this is mostly about you answering our questions and providing some feedback. (Feedback that could end up saving you money, though, so don’t close the tab just yet…)
One of the things I really enjoy about this is that it’s a personal blog with a sense of community. Even though I’m always writing to you, via the comments, forums, and social media there is back & forth. To maintain that personal connection, I think it’s mutually beneficial for you to give feedback and for us to hear it.
What is the blog doing well and poorly? What would you like to see more/less coverage of (restaurants, hotels, certain parks, etc.)? What kind of content (trip reports, rambling vlogs, planning tips, etc.) do you like? I’m genuinely interested in feedback here, and I know that is something people hesitate to give because most people don’t take well to it.
Please leave actual, constructive criticism and critique. It does us no good if the feedback merely showers us with flattery or faint praise. Obviously, it’s nice to know people enjoy the blog, but it’s also nice to know where there is room for improvement. Sometimes a third party perspective is necessary to see that.
I’m genuinely interested in reader feedback, and will incorporate some of that into the blog, but please understand that I’m not going to blindly follow all advice. I am not simply a barometer of popular opinion. I know some of you think the blog skews too negative, is too opinionated, and has too many posts about the international parks. (I’ve received your complaints!)
While we strive to make this as informative as possible, that necessarily requires value judgments, and some of those happen to be negative. I’m not one of those people who believes Disney is infallible, and everything is magical. (Sorry?) As for the international parks, I know most people don’t care, but there are so few resources in English about those destinations. Plus, I enjoy writing about them.
Second, I was going to do another photo update before Christmas, but I’m not really sure that makes sense. The photo/photography posts are almost as unpopular as the ones about the parks in Asia (almost), but the difference there is that I have other means of posting photo content: via social media.
I think not doing those posts is a bit ironic since this blog started out as centering around photography (in the beginning, I was a best described as a “Disney fan photographer who happened to have some opinions”) and at one point consisted primarily of “Photo of the Day” posts, but has since moved more towards the opinions. Now, I’m a “dude who yells on the internet and happens to own some cameras.” Some (newer, I assume?) readers have even asked who takes the photos for the blog!
In any case, I’m still thinking of doing an Osborne Lights Tribute post because I feel like there’s some sentiment worth sharing there, but I’ll probably nix additional Christmas photo posts. I’ll just share those photos on Instagram (@tom_bricker) if you’re interested in seeing those. (Sarah is also on Instagram: @sarahbricker.) I have a lot of Christmas photos, so I’ll probably be posting a few per day.
Next, we have a question. Would anyone be interested in a group rate November 26 – December 2, 2017 (rough, tentative dates)? Please note that this would not be a group trip, or any sort of meet-up event. What it would be is a group booking through a travel agency at a particular resort (or resorts, if there was enough demand) to qualify for a convention rate.
You don’t have to give a firm commitment right now–we’re just floating the idea to see if there is sufficient interest to justify looking into the logistics of this. Based on reader comments, I know a lot of you visit during this week, and as one of the 3 best weeks of the year that we recommend, I think there’d likely be sufficient interest. I just want to get a feel for whether my assumption is correct.
Tentatively, I’m thinking we’d try doing Wilderness Lodge (because that’s where I want to stay, and it’s an irrefutable fact that Wilderness Lodge is the best Walt Disney World resort at Christmas), assuming it’s a hotel that offers good convention rates. The whole goal of this would be to save ourselves (and you!) money if you plan on visiting during/around those dates. Again, I want to reiterate that this would not be an actual “event” or big group thing with meet-ups.
Trust me, I’m not nearly as cool in person (not that I’m cool online, but it’s even worse in person…if you can imagine that). Meeting me is like watching a duller version of Stitch’s Great Escape on loop. I wouldn’t want to ruin your vacation with that. 🙂
Anyway, if this is something in which you’d potentially be interested, please say so in the comments. Also, if there’s a resort aside from Wilderness Lodge that would interest you, please mention it in the comments.
I’m a reader based in the UK and I love all the content you publish about the international parks – I’ve been going to WDW and Paris since I was about 2 years old, back when it was EuroDisney! I’ve also managed to tick off Hong Kong and Disneyland but from reading your blog I am desperate to go to Tokyo! Really hoping to plan a trip there in the next couple of years and I know I’ll be using all the great information you provide to help with that. I enjoy looking at your photos but not being into photography myself I don’t read the posts about camera lenses etc. I love the trip reports – still waiting on the rest of the impressions de Bricker 🙂 . One thing I have thought would be useful in the past is a ‘last updated on’ or ‘originally posted on’ – you guys work really hard to update old posts and even though sometimes you mention it in the text it would be good to have as a point of reference. I’m also a fan of the top 10 etc posts as those are fun to read – I think the thing that keeps me coming back is the variety of posts, I haven’t found another blog that covers different parks and types of posts. So please keep innovating and trying new things!
I actually read mostly to get your take on things (and for the excellent photos). We don’t always agree, but since this is opinion and not a matter of life or death I really enjoy getting different points of view.
I especially like it when you offer updated reflections on parks/restaurants/resorts etc that you have written about previously. If anything, I’d love to get even more of that. Current “best of” lists and updated opinions on pre-existing reviews could be done more often and maybe labeled more clearly?
While your text and photo entries should continue to be your bread and butter I have liked the video content you have offered so far, so I’d enjoy seeing that some more even if it’s just on a monthly basis or once for each trip or some combination of the two. Like anything, you’ll get better at it the more you do it.
My favorite part of your blog are the trip reports – they’re why I originally started reading. They help me to feel like I’m on vacation, even if I haven’t been in a while (i.e. WDW), or may not ever get to go (i.e. the international parks). Tips/tricks/planning advice are helpful too, although there are lots of other resources available on the internet that serve mostly that same purpose. My only constructive criticism would be regarding the timeliness/regularity of your trip reports. I feel like you sometimes promise trip reports that never get started, or you start them up only to update them in a pretty irregular fashion. I also second the opinion that the site is difficult to navigate if I remember reading sometime a while ago and want to find it again – I use the search, but it often returns a lot of nonsense posts and I have to rummage around a while to find what I really want.
I enjoy the photography content and often show your photos to my husband who also enjoys travel photography (as do I). I value the negative and positive opinions you express, as well as the humour and candid comments. I enjoy the posts on the international parks, even though I may never go to any of them (other than Paris – we have been there). I agree with one of the other posters that an indication of the date of the article would be useful and that it is sometimes hard to find the article I am looking for on the main menu. I enjoy your reviews of the different hotels and DVC properties as it has given me ideas on where we should try to stay another time. We own at BLT and it is hard to tear ourselves away from there due to the transportation aspect and overall convenience, although we have stayed at Saratoga Springs too.
I love your blog! I check it almost daily before trips to help me plan and schedule. The reviews are great and always help. Also, I would be interested in the group rate! Already have a trip booked at another resort that week and would love to switch if the price is right!
I really enjoy your blog and it has truly helped me plan our family’s vacation more so than any other site. I have used several of your amazon links to purchase items and have been greatly pleased with your recommendations. Your photos and photography articles have encouraged me to purchase my first DSLR camera! However I feel your site is a bit hard to navigate and find specific info on topics I am interested in. I would be interested in a group rate if it became available to your readers.
I have learned more about how to navigate Disney World than anywhere else on the internet – and I love the photography posts! I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for what you do!
I have enjoyed this blog very much. It has helped us plan our first Disney trip which we will leave for in just a few minutes! I would love a search feature. I could never find search, but often I already knew which post I was looking for and it was hard to filter through all of them.
Love the blog and all of its subtle (and at times not so subtle) humor! I have never traveled internationally but your posts about the international parks have certainly added them to my bucket list! I’d love to see more restaurant reviews or even Top 10 lists, but anything with a good Sam Eagle quote works for me!
I read this blog every day, so I certainly don’t want you to cut down on any content (and I love the photography pages!!!) From a planning perspective, I’d appreciate time stamps at the top of articles so we can see immediately how old the information is. Also I have found navigating the main menu a bit cumbersome. Appart from that, I would love more from Sarah and more pictures of food. You rating everything at the food and wine festival this year was incredibly helpful. So basically don’t stop doing anything!!!
I would possibly be interested in a group rate and would LOVE to stay at wilderness Lodge that time of year!
Tom, i found your site while researching my first trip to the Tokyo resort earlier this Summer. Since then, your writings have inspired me to try to visit all of the resorts, and I’ve now made it to Hong Kong as well.
I particularly love your “top 10” lists as you seem to be one of the few who have been to all of the resorts within a relatively recent time frame, and have a measured, fair approach to critiquing them. It’s great fun to see a list that draws from all of the parks and see how they stack up against each other in your mind.
I’d love to see you take this a step further and write future posts comparing rides that exist in multiple parks….not only comparing and contrasting, but also providing your rankings from best to worst. For example, a detailed article comparing and contrasting all 5 “Pirates” rides, with your personal “ranking”. Of course it would also be fun to see the reader comments for various other perspectives and rankings.
Keep up the great work…yours is my new favorite Disney site!
Tom, i found your site while researching my first trip to the Tokyo resort earlier this Summer. Since then, your writings have inspired me to try to visit all of the resorts, and I’ve now made it tomHong among as well.
I particularly love your “top 10” lists as you seem to be one of the few who have been to all of the resorts within a relatively recent time frame, and have a measured, fair approach to critiquing them. It’s great fun to see a list that draws from all of the parks and see how they stack up against each other in your mind.
I’d love to see you take this a step further and write future posts comparing rides that exist in multiple parks….not only comparing and contrasting, but also providing your rankings from best to worst. For example, a detailed article comparing and contrasting all 5 “Pirates” rides, with your personal “ranking”. Of course it would also be fun to see the reader comments for various other perspectives and rankings.
Keep up the great work…yours is my new favorite Disney site!
We’re extremely interested in a group rate next November-December, but would suggest starting a day later (Nov 27) to avoid traveling on one of the busiest days of the year (the Sunday following Thanksgiving).
Please do not cut back on info about international parks, because it’s due to you that we’ve just booked Tokyo Disney in May! The info (and photos) in your blog provided impetus and confidence to go for it.
And speaking of photos, I’ll feel very cheated if any photos get redirected from the blog and to only airing on Instagram–first, because I don’t spend much time on Instagram; second, because your photos are one of the most delicious aspects of the posts (along with your candid assessments and curmudgeonly persona).
The only critique/request that comes to mind is to (continue to) update older posts whenever possible, staying current with prices and changes, so we aren’t left relying on tips found in comments.
Thank you for the time you spend keeping us informed, expressing your opinions, and giving us a Disney fix when we can’t be there in person.
I purposely wrote the comments above before reading others’ . . . but am now returning to say:
1. Yes, please do date entries, indicating when/if updated.
2. As others have indicated, vlogs are wasted on me. I’m usually in a setting that doesn’t allow for proper viewing, and in referencing later, I’d rather go back to an article than try to relocate info in a video.
3. It’s very affirming when you stick up for/promote things near and dear to my own heart, such as “Country Bears” and “Muppet Christmas Carol.” (I don’t need anyone’s approval for loving them, but it’s nice to have TB agree with me.)
4. Food. Keep writing about food.
I’ll just say that one thing I really appreciate about your Blog are the honest criticisms. So many of the other Disney blogs I follow just make everything about the positive and magic. I am pragmatic by nature and I’d rather know how it REALLY is. Case in point–your comments about the prices at DCA’s Festival of the Holidays. No other blog I read even mentioned how ridiculous $8 for a slider is. When my husband and I went a few weeks back we were prepared and thus not disappointed. Thanks for always keeping it real.
I would be interested in the dates you are talking about. Sounds like a good idea to me!
Thanks for all you do on the blog, it’s one of my favorite sites online.
As far as my favorite type of posts, I really enjoy trip reports due to the relaxed nature of them. I like that you can jump form topic to topic and it flows well since that’s what you did in the parks. Next, I enjoy reviews and the international topics. I love to read as much as possible before visiting a location and your site is one of the best for international planning. Last of all, I always enjoy the rankings post because they are pretty light hearted while still giving interesting opinions.
I would definitely be interested in the group rate but our AP runs out in early November and we likely won’t renew until DHS is in better shape. I know that it’s not really the style of the blog but I do think a meet up would be fun at some point, just to get a chance to say hello and thanks to Sarah and you.
Tom-
Long time reader, first comment.
I read almost everything on your blog and enjoy it.
Re: least exited about
I appreciate your pictures and the technical skills you’ve learned to take them but i skip through the details of the Fstops etc because I’m never gonna try and replicate. I also don’t like the earlier, more positive-emphasizing reviews that don’t get into the nitty gritty of why one place v. the other
Re: the stuff i re-read all the time
The how-tos, the “you must read this before you plan your trips or else you will probably spend 27373 hours in line and curse WD’s name,” the trip reports.
Re: the stuff I often dip into
The restaurant reviews (no holds barred ones, at least), hotel reviews (same goes). Basically I want to know your honest opinion whether it’s good or bad.
Re: 2017 and the Wilderness lodge
Count me and friends (4 total) as interested!
Would be very interested in a group rate. Interest in wilderness or animal kingdom lodge. Thanks for thinking up this awesome idea!!
Would definitely be interested in the group rate next fall. We are Fort Wilderness devotees so have never stayed at Wilderness Lodge!
I first started following this blog for the trip reports and then fell in love with the photos! So more of both! I haven’t had the opportunity to visit anywhere but Walt Disney World, but your info makes me want to! Honestly, I use your info (restaurant reviews, hotel reviews, etc) to help plan all of my trips, particularly bc I feel like you and Sarah travel and tour the parks the way my family does! I like that you think in terms of budget, and getting the most for your money.