Show 57 - Symphonies, Weddings and Listener Assistance

Welcome to the show notes to accompany our podcast, number 57, for 9^th August 2015. Coming up in this episode:

• We share news of the silly symphony release
• Open our listener mailbag to discuss WDW favourites
• Plan a virtual Disney wedding
• Talk about how we see the podcast growing and how you can help 

As always, you can find our podcast via iTunes, Stitcher Radio and all the other podcast catching places or your could simply listen by clicking on the icon below.

Silly Symphony Collection

We were approached by the team behind the exciting project to share the news about this projects pre-order date. Boy were we excited to do so! So we recommend you watch this eight minute youtube clip (Silly Symphony Clip) that will tell you everything you need to know about the project. 

So you will now know, it is a 16-record set containing the audio from the Silly Symphonies. It will become available for pre-order at D23 and then on their website from 17th August 2015. Exciting stuff! So our competition. We asked for your to email us the names of the very first and the last Silly Symphonies to info@disneydreamgirls.com and we will put all the correct names in a hat and draw the lucky winners name out. The prize is one of the limited edition publicity postcards, which are only selectively being given out at D23. Also we will pop in some other swag that we collect during the expo. 

Favourites

A listener, Christa from Germany, emailed us to ask about our own personal Disney favourites as well as to help with a date night. Well we love giving out our advice! So to hear what we advise, listen to the show!

Disney Weddings

It has been reported in the San Francisco magazine that a couple recently (and secretly) married on Disney property. Whilst we don't officially agree with any rule breaking, wouldn't it be fun to dream up your own imaginary Disney wedding? We discuss what we would do and invite you to email us your ideas for sharing on a future show. 

Changes to the Podcast

Over the past few months we have been trialling being a weekly show by adding a news show. So firstly, we wondered what you thought about this? Secondly, the show is growing! We have added the wonderful Sarah Woloski, from Skywalking Through Neverland, and Jeanie Gallo, of the Princess Papers, to the show. Both these wonderful ladies enable us to have a presence in both theme parks: Sarah being a Disneylander and Jeanie now resident near to Walt Disney World. This means more content direct from the parks and also we are wanting to have more give aways and create more DDG products, other than buttons. 

There are lots of ways we can achieve this. On the show we discuss these options in more detail. However, we want to stress, the podcast will be available free of charge via the same methods regardless of what we do. Here are the options:

1. Attract sponsorship
2. Continue to self fund 
3. Investigate using Patreon

So firstly, sponsorship. Lets be honest who watches adverts on TV? I personally forward wind them and its the same when I listen to a podcast - I speed that section up. Also with us being UK based and the majority of our listeners being in the USA, it gets complicated. Also we pride ourselves in being able to freely express our views so we can reflect on Disney services without fear of alienating a sponsor. So we do not think this is the right route. 

Second option, we could stay as we are and fund the show on our own. Sure, we can continue doing this. So far we pay for our own fees to have the show available, artwork, buttons and giveaways but the costs are rising and there comes a point it isn't realistic to do so.

Third option, Patreon. Many other podcasters are turning to these services. Listeners visit a secure website and set up a monthly payment, which in turn goes to our account. It is not a lifetime commitment and can be cancelled as and when. We view it as a way of our listeners giving us a financial 'tip' if they have enjoyed the show - like you would for good barista service at a coffee house. We do not see it as compulsory, a massive financial commitment or permanent. So if you subscribe to our show and want to throw in a dollar or so a month, you will have our eternal thanks. If every listener paid a $1 it would make a massive difference  and we would then use this to improve the show as outlined above but also buy additional recording and editing equipment.

We do not, and again we want to stress this, want to make anyone feel compelled to donate via Patreon, we haven't as yet even set it up. We would, at this stage, value your input. So please, send us your thoughts to info@disneydreamgirls.com or comment on this blog post. 

We will be back on August 9th with another set of notes to support the podcast. 

Episode 4 - Value Resorts and more

So here comes episode 4 which sees the ladies embark on a couple of discussions; the first being all about Disney's Value Resorts and the second covers the new Disability Access Service Card with special guest Kathy Kelly from Special Mouse Podcast

So what Value is there to Value Resorts?

Basically Disney have a recipe for what a value hotel looks like, e.g. a pound or vanilla sponge and for each hotel add a flavour such as chocolate chip for movies, or lemon poppyseed for Pop. So each resort has the same basics but with some slight differences. Standard rooms have the basic facilities of the usual items plus: a tiny table/2 chairs, TV, drawers, hanging space, wall safe, iron and ironboard & hairdryer. You will also find a food court, choice of pools and larger than life themeing. Standard rooms are approximately 260 sq foot though at Art of Animation is 277 sq foot. Art of Animation and Pop both have their one bus stop; whereas the All Star Resorts share a bus between the three, which can be disadvantageous.

Jeremiah Good from Window to the Magic, contacted us with his thoughts about value resorts;

Downsides to the Value resorts are

1. You get what you pay for, don’t be expecting a spa!

2. No room service other than pizza, but that’s not just the values that offer that.

3. It is a value resort and as such it attracts a lot of $ conscious guests and families

4. The placement of the hotels, Pop and Art of Animation are pretty close to the parks so they are not too bad, but All Star Resorts are put down in the south point of the property which, unless you're going to Animal Kingdom, is quite a distance from the other parks.

5. Large groups tend to use the values whether cheerleaders or bands, if they are on property they are at a value because that is, as it states, the best value for them.

Upsides to the Value resorts are

1. Themeing is great in all the values, they have the most "fun" theming with the large icons and fun pools.

2. Food Courts (I know this can be a downside also) offer a variety of food offerings to the point where even the pickiest kid can find something.

3. Most visitors go to WDW to go to the parks, while it would be great to be able to spend hundreds a night to see the Castle across the Seven Seas Lagoon, I would rather save the money and be able to see the Castle in person while playing every day. I have always said that if you are on a Disney Vacation you need a bed and a shower because most of the time is in the park so why not book a value?

4. You may be paying for the value resorts, but no matter what you are still at Disney so you have a CM just a phone call away.

5. Disney, even value, is better that off property hotels!

Have a listen and see what you think!

Kathy Kelly from Special Mouse Podcast then joins the girls as they talk about the recent changes to the Disability Access Service offered by Disney and whether the new system is working as well as previous systems.

Check out the Disney Parks Blog for more information about the Disability Access Service Card.

You can follow both Kathy & Jeremiah on Twitter @KathyKellyRN and @jeremiahgood