Has the DIS UNPLUGGED podcast gone sour?

[disneysteve]

I've been listening for many years. No, I don't think it has "gone sour". I think it's the same great show it has always been.

The complaints about the company, the movies that you didn’t like, the looming strike and the bad food at this place or that place are not the podcast that I’ve enjoyed so much for many years.

I don't think any of this is new or different. One thing that I love and respect about the show is it is honest. They call it as they see it, and they don't always all agree with each other either. It's not all pixie dust and rainbows. Disney has it's problems, and increasingly more of them in recent years. It would be disingenuous for the show not to reflect that.

And they still give plenty of praise and glowing reviews when they feel it is warranted. There is even a whole show dedicated to the Best and Worst of Walt Disney World. I was just listening to one of the "Best" episodes earlier today and they were quite passionate about the things that they felt Disney has really gotten right, talking about how nobody does it better.

OP, if all that is coming through to you is the negativity, try checking out some of the "Best of" episodes. Also, most of the dining show episodes have been generally positive.

 

[NuttyDisneyDad]

Which is really ironic since the OP is blasting members of the podcast for their opinion.

He wasnt blasting them at all. No irony here

 

[Jennasis]

He wasnt blasting them at all. No irony here

You can't be serious. Of course he was blasting them. And name calling. "sour pusses"? "Downers"? That post was absolutely a blasting (whether deserved or not). Which is fine, but don't get all huffy when people blast back.

 

[GAN]

Prizematron, now that is a blast from the past. Had did that go away?

It had an engineering failure similar to that of the Yeti.....

 

[GAN]

Everyone relax. It’s been determined that the OP was a Russian BOT.....

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Oh joy, another I’m upset with [#podcast team member#] thread.

its a commercial enterprise. JLK was the best thing on the show.

 

[smcabee]

He wasnt blasting them at all. No irony here

Agree 100%. Im sure that the podcast team welcomes the feedback regardless if its positive or negative.

 

[Spencer Wright]

...I honestly think Disney World has changed drastically over the last 15 years. Customer serves is the most obvious but there are other real issues, park cleanliness, food quality, cost of and vacation. Remember when one park a week would stay open until 3:00 AM? No longer....

That was a thing???? The more I hear about what the parks used to have the more dissatisfied I get!!

I still love the parks of course, but increasing cost and planning for seemingly no additional benefit is starting to sour me a bit...

 

[FCDub]

Go try Lou Mongello’s podcast. Bob Iger could run over his dog and Lou would gush about how brilliant and amazing it is.

 

[maxiesmom]

So when someone puts someone else on blast for putting someone else on blast, who is wrong or right?????

I tend to agree with the OP.It seems lately they get joy out of being negative. But when they start to bother me, I just don't listen for a while.

 

[Irish_Mike]

I wouldn't say the show has gotten any more negative in recent years - but I am curious if it's a tonal issue.

Going back and listening to shows from a while back, whenever Pete or someone at the table went on a rant of dining, a resort or experience, one of the other standbys (John, Kevin, Bob even) would chime in with something comedic to either lighten the mood or counter it. Not to detract from the point, but just a natural way to keep the show entertaining.

Not to say that still doesn't happen, but because there's a more routine rotation of hosts (Kevin and John might be away, so we get Steve and Charles who offer different insights and ways of discussing), it often feels like there isn't that natural balance when the discussion gets critical.

It's why I enjoyed the "debate" over Disney Springs so well - not only was there good discussion, but Julie and Kevin both brought in that comedic element that makes it enjoyable to listen to.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

Just wanted to say I think our high level of knowledge has us all too much in the nuts and bolts under the magic. Sometimes I think we just know too much to get wrapped up on concept art or original budget talk. Sometimes the team gets tripped up, but as super fans we all are guilty of this too so I don't fault them for it because I do it too.

I know someone who went to DL recently and was granted pixie dust at a popular restaurant because they asked questions out of sincerely not knowing how something worked and the CM saw an opportunity. Not familiar with the attractions, they stopped a random CM in the park for a suggestion on what to do next and were granted a major pixie moment. He simply said, "follow me, I want to show you something special." My type A touring plan would not have ever facilitated the things they got.

I recently got on a crawl of YouTube 80's and 90's Disney commercials. I was watching the famous one of the baby who learns to walk. The base of the plot is Mom says they can't go until the baby can walk, so Dad and big brother are desperately trying to coax her, Mom overhears them, relents and off they go! Sure enough the baby walks right up into Mickey's arms!

And all I was thinking is, "Why would you want a newly walking toddler at DW?" and "How did they plan a trip in like one week with NO reservations?!" and "That baby is going to get trampled!" Someone who doesn't know the logistics, watches and goes..."AWWWW!"

 

[melorun]

Not everything Disney does is good and the DIS does a great job of highlighting that. Considering it's a team dotted with members whose livelihoods depend on Disney, WDW and other FL attractions' success or failure in some fashion, the lack of bias and the lack of fear in calling out Disney on their shadier or cheaper practices is perfectly welcomed.

Personally, it's why I keep coming back.

 

[jhaig]

Personally, I love the fact that they call out Disney on their greed, bad food, etc. It's a reflection of the way the parks are going right now.

You want rainbows and unicorns, there's a podcast for you. You want the truth, and all of the grumpiness that inevitably goes along with it, stick with the DIS.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I definitely can see it with some members - but on the other hand I've been surprised how positive a lot of the dining reviews have been lately ... might just be which members you focus on or which topics each of us has a specific interest in and if those happen to be negative currently than the whole might seem more negative than the individual parts

 

[Horizons-1]

I only started watching/listening to the DIS related videos about a year and a half to two years ago. This was probably around when Oliver started.

From what I've experienced the overall attitude isn't sour or negative, but there are times where individuals allow themselves to be honest with their thoughts & expectations. This certainly can lead others to view those moments as negative when they are looking for topics to get them excited for upcoming park changes or vacations. If you watch regularly you will see the "sour" individuals brighten up when something excites them.

This dynamic is what I enjoy about the DIS, and keeps me coming back each week.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

I have to agree with @TheMaxRebo I have been SURPRISED how positive and optimistic they have been on some topics.
Like last week discussing the building of another entire Disney resort in North America, I was just shaking my head in amazement, because I literally do not ever see that happening in my lifetime - the logistics, the staffing, the building permits, the infrastructure, I was like... I just don't see it.

I would love to see a 3rd gate at DL before I die, I don't even know if I will see that.

 

[disneysteve]

Like last week discussing the building of another entire Disney resort in North America

They were pretty far along with their plans to build Disney's America in Manassas, Virginia in the early 1990s. They had 3,000 acres of land but ultimately abandoned the planned park due to local opposition. I think of it every time we drive past the Manassas exit on 95 on our way to or from Disney World.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

They were pretty far along with their plans to build Disney's America in Manassas, Virginia in the early 1990s. They had 3,000 acres of land but ultimately abandoned the planned park due to local opposition. I think of it every time we drive past the Manassas exit on 95 on our way to or from Disney World.

Yes, and I was TOTALLY excited for this, and DEFINITELY planned to visit!

 

[disneysteve]

Yes, and I was TOTALLY excited for this, and DEFINITELY planned to visit!

Same here. It would have been awesome to have a Disney park so close to home. I actually have a souvenir from Disney's America in my collection as they did produce a small amount of promotional merchandise. I have a pinback button with the park logo.