THIS WEEK IN PODCASTING: DECEMBER 11-17, 2011

WDW Kingdomcast Episode 7, Drinking Around the World: This week’s show features special guest Leonard Kinsey, author of The Dark Side of Disney. As is the usual with this show there is a lot of cursing, drinking, and farting. Nothing wrong with that, if that’s what your in the mood for. The premise of the show starts out innocently enough; lets walk around world showcase and talk about the best places to drink. This format ended up molested and abused by about the third country. Drinking shots after every country can do that to you. Its not the best the WDW Kingdomcast hosts have to offer, but it wasn’t a bad listen. Slightly entertaining and funny, this show was fun to listen to while sitting back in my game chair and playing WWE12. Any show that has Leonard Kinsey on it will get my attention.    

Betanouse #90Optimized Touring Plans: This week was a week of highs and lows for Betamouse fans. Host Henry Work discussed how to use the new Touring Plans application which optimizes in park touring plans. Joined by Unofficial WDW Guide and Touring Plans guru Len Testa, Henry breaks down different situations you may find yourself in while using the new Touring Plans application. The two go back and forth and really put the application through its paces. The new application allows you to update, change and adjust your on the go, in the park touring plan. If you find yourself in the park consider using the free app. Good conversation and interaction between Len and Henry. On a much more depressing side, Betamouse host Henry Work announced that he will be leaving his post at Touring Plans and his position as host of the show. He will be working for the Disney Company. As a result he will be discontinuing the Betamouse podcast. If you haven’t listened to the show yet, I’d say it’s time you begun. Start downloading and you wil learn a ton about WDW tech!

In the Loop RebootedDecember 12 2011: The Coaster Crew does it again. Another show filled with marginal theme park info, half cocked opinions about upcoming attractions and slightly less foul language. All kidding aside, host Clint is a true professional and puts on one of the best produced shows I’ve ever heard. This week’s show sees a fun contest for tickets to Dollywood. Co host Joel does give some really insightful views and opinions on the latest happenings at Disney. I love the live interaction the hosts have with the fans in the chat room. Any podcast that takes live phone calls from listeners gets bonus points from me. Alec Baldwin is this weeks Douche of the Week.

WDW Today Shows 967, 968: In addition to the usual “Listener Questions” show this week Matt Hochberg and the rest of the WDW Today crew gave us episode 967. The hosts pick a value or moderate resort at WDW and explain how they would turn it into a deluxe resort. The idea had a lot of merit and potential but I think the crew may have phoned this one in. With predictable answers like, “I would add a table service restaurant” or “I would make the pool bigger”, I think the crew really wasted a golden opportunity. This topic had lots of potential but trying to squeeze the opinions of 5 different people into 15 minutes really waters down the show. They can really do better. Words I have heard my mom repeat a thousand times. 

The Dis Unplugged December 14 2011: This week’s show from the Dis was… sigh…. I mean it was…..sigh……What I’m trying to say is that the show was very……sigh…. Ok, ok. This week’s show did not offer up much in the way of news, content, information, or entertainment. I guess you could say it was their year in review show? The crew was broadcasting live from the Swan and Dolphin hotel the morning after their big party at Universal Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The show opened up like any other Dis Unplugges show; the crew glossed over a few news stories and then spent a lot of time trying to sell you Dreams Unlimited trips. Sigh. This weeks show was a chance for the Dis to thank their fans for listening and buying all those expensive overpriced trips from Dreams Unlimited travel. I say it was a chance for the crew to thank the fans, but instead the show consisted of fan after fan walking up to the mic and thanking the podcast crew for all they do. Again… sigh…. How this show manages to maintain such a loyal almost fanatical fan base I have no earthly clue. They must be taking a page out of Ron Pauls book. If you missed this show, thank yourself!

Your Mousecast Show 38 –Back in Time: This is another one of those shows that continues to get better and better with each new edition. The hosts continue to gel and their interaction with each other is great. They also have one of the best and most entertaining news recap segments in Disney podcasting. On this week’s edition the crew talks to Disney historian Jim Korkis. Jim talks about some general Disney history and also makes an appeal to all the single ladies in the UK. The hosts didn’t miss a beat when it came to trying to keep up with Jims slightly twisted since of humor. Hosts Alan, Chris and Steve did a great job at asking Jim insightful questions, and Jim did an equally great job at answering them. A very interesting and informative listen for any Disney podcasting fan. Your Mousecast may be one of the most underappreciated shows out there.

SHOW OF THE WEEK: WEDWAY 100 This may not only be just the show of the week, but this may be the show of the year! In WEDWAY 100 we listen to the first meeting of the Metro Retro Historical Society. The society consists of Disney historians Michael Crawford of Progress City USA and George Taylor of Imaginerding. With WEDWAY Radio hosts Matt and Nate Parrish they discussed the vision, implementation, and changes to the pavilions in EPCOT’s future world. I am not a huge fan of EPCOT, and in fact, EPCOT may be my least favorite park in WDW, but I was glued to my iPod for the entire episode. I learned so much from this show and the hosts, and since I am a nerd, learning is my favorite activity! When the MetRet society takes us through the Land pavilion I was so tuned into the show I nearly rollerbladed into a busy intersection. I was drowning in the depth and wealth of information being presented by the crew. When talking about the history of the SEAS pavilion I could see myself walking though it with the crew. This show was podcasting gold; packed with useful information, great interaction between the hosts. In addition, Matt and Nate seem to get better and better with each podcast! You would be hard pressed to find another set of podcast hosts who have more chemistry, knowledge and passion than these sibling hosts. As a wrestling fan I have seen very few 5 star matches, and as a podcast fan I have heard very few5 star shows; this one may be one. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Listen for yourself!

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