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 probably not that helpful but I love the posts about the “small” things around the parks and the difference between the various parks.
I’ve greatly enjoyed the non-American park reviews as I’m planning on visiting them all in the (hopefully) near future.
As for small things, I’ve also enjoyed your post about light fixtures.
It might be interesting to see more posts about the history about specific rides and attractions.
I have stayed at the Wilderness Lodge over ten times and not only is it the best resort at Christmas, it’s awesome all year long! Yes, I would most definitely be interested in a group rate for that time! I believe the renovations will be completed by then and I’m anxious to see the new villas!
I would be interested in a group rate, I have been trying to get my husband to go with me to Disney World, as he has never been, and this might just be the way to do it.
I’d be very interested in a group rate. I was already planning a trip for the following week, but could easily adjust the dates
Hello!
I love your blog, your unique voice, honesty, humor and GORGEOUS photos. I love that you are both enthusiastic about Disney, and still honest about the not so great parts.
You have put together an amazing resource for travel planning!
I will admit that right now I unfortunately don’t have a trip to Disney planned and probably will not be able to go for a few years. But this blog was a wonderful escape for me as I dealt with some life issues and depression – so thank you!!
I had NO IDEA that there were so many different events, hotels, restaurants to see – your individual reviews of them are like fun little presents that pop up in my blog feed. I also love your Christmas posts, and your take on how best to enjoy Christmas at WDW and Disneyland.
I think we are about the same age, but I am also so sad when they get rid of the older rides and replace them with new because the weird, old, nostalgic things were/are my favorite! But maybe I just need to be more accepting of change, what’s nostalgic for me might not be so for future generations.
Personally, I was dismayed to see your post about the upcharges at Disney, that is something that worries me too and I really, really hope Disney execs will consider your opinions on that because you are so right. If you started a petition I would sign it 🙂 I took my husband for the first time in August of 2015 and it wasn’t quite as magical as I was hoping. Mostly because of the heat, crowds and way we were rushed – we only had one day and I always have high expectations. I was also much older than the last time I went so I am sure part of this was just being more cynical. But I did notice so much more commercialism than I remembered (rides/activities sponsored by X,Y) and if they were to introduce noticeable upcharges that affected other’s experiences in the park that would just be awful and ruin one of the most magical things about it. I agree with you that the parks were a great equalizer.
Thank you so much for all that you do – I hope you and Sarah have a wonderful holiday season!
Tom,
Love the blog, the only thing (and forgive me if this was already said) is when you update an article with new content, is it possible to delete all the comments from a previous version? Most of the time the old comments are not helpful.
Contrary to what other said, your info on the Int’l parks was what brought me here originally and helped immensely in my planning to Tokyo and Paris!
Thanks!
Doug
Definitely would be interested in Wilderness Lodge at that time in 2017.
We just returned from an 8 day trip to WDW on Saturday. 🙁 Two adults and a 17 year old. I’m fairly sure prior to our trip my family was sick of my quoting your blog constantly. I primarily used your blog and one other in my ninja like obsessive planning. The first time we sailed through a line on a ride with a standby time of over TWO HOURS and walked on with our Fast Pass my family was sold on the planning. My son even traded a pin and got me a Fast Pass pin as a joke. Needless to say I went through the trip feeling like a hero and in large part thanks to your blog. I only disagreed with your food assessment twice. (Coral Reef and Columbia Harbor House) I was also able to get some idea of the lengthy times to travel between parks and hotels and used that to organize a smooth flow for the week. After two days of everything working out exactly as I had planned I was able to loosen the reigns a little bit and we added a bit of spontaneity to our days but not at the expense of my carefully planned Fast Passes and ADRs. Everyone was hooked on them and the convenience they provided.
Sorry this may be more flattering than constructive. I guess just keep the tips coming. I’m already thinking about next year.
I’m not really interested in the blogs about the international parks, so I just skip them, so no harm. I do love the photography, so would be sad to see that go.
What would be nice is to know the date you last reviewed a hotel or restaurant – maybe it’s there and I just don’t see it.
I really liked your top ten and all advice for Food and Wine – like not going on a weekend!!!! We were there in October and went on a Tuesday and it was great. Made the mistake of going back on Saturday because we ran out of things to do at HS. It was nuts, so we just kept walking and caught the monorail back to the hotel. I may be interested in group rate at WL the week you mentioned (if I can talk my husband into going a third time in just over a year 🙂
Tom – We would be interested in a group rate for Wilderness Lodge for that week.
I originally began reading your blog because of the photography. I’m also a Nikon user and was about to bite the bullet and buy the 810 until you began raving about the 750. Very happy that I changed my mind and went with the 750. I enjoy your photography posts – especially those surrounding lenses, etc. As a Seinfeld fan, I also appreciate your dry sense of humor.
I usually don’t read your posts on the international parks b/c I’m not interested in traveling there. But this is your website – you should post what you want to post. Not every post is going to appeal to all of your readers. You can’t make everyone happy all of the time.
Keep on doing what you’re doing.
Discovered this blog over the summer as I’m planning two week-long trips, definitely one for next year and then probably another once Star Wars Land comes out.
I will say I have mostly enjoyed the thorough reviews of restaurants, hotels, attractions, and special events. My one request is for a more in-depth look at the Dining Plan. Maybe for your next trip you and Sarah could use it, go to a mixture of table service and quick service, and weigh the value. This would be particularly helpful to my boyfriend and I being as we’re just two young people without kids who would still like to save money.
I will say something non-Park related that I enjoyed is your delve into pop culture. I really liked the Rogue One review. I would love to see more things like this, especially with Disney pumping out new Marvel and Star Wars movies every few months.
Longtime fan and reader here.
I love reading your international parks posts so please keep them coming! Your trip reports have inspired me to visit them (I did HK Disneyland this summer as a result!) and I really appreciate the thoughtfulness and honesty you put in all of your reviews. Also wanted to say a big thank you for all the time you spend working on this wonderful blog. I know much of it is behind the scenes and we don’ t see the countless hours you and Sarah must spend writing the posts and editing the photos, so THANK YOU!
Please keep sharing tips and updating posts as new tips arise. Love hearing about your tips & take on international parks especially – and any Bricker approved ‘must do’ as well as ‘avoid at all costs’. Your understanding that Disney park trips are an investment and your desire to help us all save where we can and spend where it’s worth it is great. It should also be said that many of your photos are on a wall paper loop on my desktop – forever enticing me to plan my next trip. Thank you!
More photography posts always!
Of course, this is coming from a photographer.
I don’t mean to just flatter, but the breadth of coverage you do on this blog is astounding and it’s hard to think how it could be any better. (Other than forcing you to sit at your computer for weeks on end writing reviews of the restaurants you haven’t gotten around to yet) Whether I am ever able to make my dream trip happen, your blog has given me hours of pleasure planning it.
If I were in a position to book soon, Wilderness Lodge during that week is hugely tempting. (My dream would be AKL the next week which would include my birthday)
Would love to see your suggested itinerary of the parks that’s written like a list- not just a “letter” style, but simple list. Same with packing tips, etc- would love to have a list that I could click on and print out.
Also if you have photography tips when using an iPhone that would be great.
100% into the idea of going that week in 2017!! Husband and I spent our honeymoon there last year (actually met you guys at MK very late one night!), and stayed at Wilderness Lodge. Our anniversary happens to be that week, and we are planning a trip, so count us in if it’s remotely affordable! Thank you for putting in the work to make this such an amazing blog. It is so helpful and so appreciated!
Also, more photography!!! Especially process. Even if it’s in a separate section, I would really like to see tutorials/tips on processing.
Hi Tom,
My wife and I have been thinking about doing a trip to Walt Disney World and would be interested in your idea of a group booking at Wilderness Lodge.
Other than that, I generally love this blog. I have been reading it for just over a year. Your advice on the parks and photography have been invaluable. Your trip post about Hong Kong and Hong Kong Disneyland inspired our vacation this past year. That was amazing!
As far as constructive criticism, I notice that sometimes the grammar and sentence construction in the posts can use some polish. However, given the personal tone and voice of this blog, the lack of polish has grown on me, and now I am as likely to find the odd awkward construction to be endearing as I am to be annoyed…
Cheers,
Mark
P.S. This message contains criticism of grammar. Therefore it is guaranteed to contain numerous errors…
“Familiarity breeds contempt”. This quote has some applicability in application. I do believe ur proximity to Disneyland and ur ability to go to some many parks so often has affected the tone of the blog. Not for the worse, just different from the past. You typically went 1-3 times a year the excitement was felt. Now it just feels “meh” U were always fair and provided excellent criticism, but I think the “tone” of the blog can be seen. Ur familiarity comes across in ur writing and I think has hurt the quality. I fully understand that u need to keep going to provide content and updates but again I think ur passion has been sacrificed for it. Anyways love ur blog, love your excellent dry and sarcastic humor it comes across GREAT in ur wiring. Keep doing great things.
Long time reader and will continue until my eyes fall out.
I first found this site when reading Michael Greening’s photography tutorials on Micechat. In those ensuing years, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the site.
The Pluses:
You have provided me with so much information about all the parks, the nuances and strategies. Keep those coming. What I mean is how to best navigate WDW, learning how the Dining Plan works, etc. All of these were invaluable when I planned our first family trip to WDW in 2014. Whether it be WDW, Disneyland or anything else, any detailed descriptions of how to work with each park’s systems, hotels, and restaurants are invaluable.
Photos are what brought me and here and are now the icing on the cake (we all know the icing is the best part of a cake anyway). Never stop those. However, what I would love to learn is more about the steps you take to establish the photograph and how you post process it. Any step by step is beyond helpful to a layman like me. Through all of your and Michael Greening’s advice I have been able to learn photography. Being the type of person who learns visually, having the ability to read each step and view how you did it is the best way to learn.
Keep spending my money! As of my last calculation, you have cost me almost $2,000 on photography gear. While my wallet and wife may disagree, I am thankful. I know your pictures. Therefore I trust your opinion when you offer a detailed review about some sort of photography gear. Even if it is a piece of gear I will never buy or won’t work with my Nikon, I deeply appreciate the insight and constructive criticism.
Trip reports are fantastic and keep those coming. Never in a million years would I ever have considered going to Japan. Now thanks to you, Tokyo Disney and Disney Sea are on my list after the kids go to college.
I second the request for how you undertake your strategies for trips and so forth. While I know you don’t have kids, I would appreciate that if you so choose to expand your family down the road, how to learn new strategies for dealing with fantastic trips with the family.
The misses:
Improve the search functionality and add more links within the menu bars up top. Too often I have to use outside search methods to find something that should be easily linked to the drop downs
More clearly identify if you have received compensation in a review or other article. While you seem to do better than most, i would be helpful to more clearly distinguish if you were offered some form of compensation when talking about a product or other service.
“More clearly identify if you have received compensation in a review or other article. While you seem to do better than most, i would be helpful to more clearly distinguish if you were offered some form of compensation when talking about a product or other service.”
I’m pretty careful about disclosing the (rare) occasions when we are comped anything. If you don’t see it mentioned, it’s because we paid ourselves, which is the case 99% of the time. This site is not typically invited to media events or things of that sort.
Hi, a quick note to let you know I really appreciate your blog and while we were WDW regulars, had been to DLP several times, and DVC members prior, your Tokyo trip report inspired my husband to book our amazing Tokyo Disney trip in Dec 2016. Since then I check your blog regularly because I love your reports of ALL the parks worldwide (even if we have been), gorgeous photos, and advice. I cried happy tears when reading part one of the Shanghai trip report, because I knew how awesome it must have felt that first day! There are more than DL and WDW, and plenty of blogs that focus on only one or the other, so thank you for including the overseas parks. The parks overseas are Disney ambassadors in a unique way, and Disney magic and fans do exist outside the US! I feel there is tricky line between bloggers profiting off of their opinions/personal taste versus offering those opinions coupled with news, facts, tips, and truths based on experience, without the ego/know-it-all tone, if that makes sense. I really appreciate that you appreciate the Disney details and reference that in many of your articles (and is evident in your photos). Thanks for all you and Sarah do, keep up the good work, and self-reflection on the blog. Merry Christmas to you both.
P.S. Can you start a campaign to bring Muppet Family Christmas to a proper digital format?
I just found your blog yesterday – I’m fairly obsessed with catching up. You have a different take than a lot of others that I’m enjoying. (And the photography is amazing.) I find myself agreeing with you on just about everything.
I’m headed on my second trip from TX to WDW in 8 months (lived in SW FL for 17 years and So. Cal for 9) this winter and decided I’ll pick up my annual pass on this next trip. Seeing as how I’ve already tentatively planned to return the week after Thanksgiving in 2017 (in addition to a couple of other trips I’d like to make). So, yes, if the price is right, (I’m using DVC rentals and Undercover Tourist tix – Deluxe resort and park hopping – and saving about $1,700 on this next trip over booking direct through WDW)) I’d be interested in the group rate.
Loving, Pinning, and sharing,