This Week in Podcasting July 22-28

Mousetalgia Episode195: I think for the last few months or so, I have fallen in love with shows that focus on Disney parks other than Walt Disney World. The Disneyland focused Mousetalgia show is growing on me quite a bit.  I cannot put my finger on it exactly, but there is something a bit special about this show. Maybe it’s the fact that the hosts focus on Disney history, maybe it’s the great chemistry the hosts have with each other, or maybe it is something else that my half assed 4^th grade writing skills just cannot describe. I do enjoy the bits and bites segment, which acts like a rapid fire news segment; even though this segment was not too rapid. But that is ok, because the segment was efficient and the hosts kept it interesting. The relaxed, fun, and easy going vibe that the hosts give off really comes across in the show audio. This show is easy to listen to, and they still manage to get their points across. On the Mousetalgia Emporium segment the crew talks to the California couple who decided to visit Disneyland everyday this year. The interview was a bit of a fluffy, softball interview, but I didn’t expect the hosts to go all Bill OReilly and start yelling at or hounding the guests. I just wish the hosts would have asked some more interesting questions. The segment on the visit to the Disney history exhibit at the Regan library was funny, informative, and very well done. Again, relaxed, laid back, and funny. The hosts have a ton of chemistry and put out some really great shows.         

Disney Geek AdventuresEpisode 79: This was my first time listening to this show and I was not sure what to expect. First off I should say that I really enjoy the way the background music is blended in with the main audio. I am usually not a big fan of background music in podcasts. I think what the host is saying is most important, and too many times the music is distracting and gets in the way. On this show however, the music is expertly blended and really does enhance the show. I should mention that this is the first new episode of this podcast in almost 1 year. The host has been away at school, and handling some personal things, but he did not seem to miss a beat! The main focus of the show is on a recent trip to Disneyland Paris. The show features audio from the park. As I have said before, I am not the biggest fan of in park audio, and this show did do some good to change my mind. I am very curious about DLP and want to absorb as much about the resort as possible, I think the host did a decent job of mixing his own commentary with the ambient sound from the park. Still not the biggest fan of in park audio, but im not just skipping past it like I used to. All in all, this show was pretty good. The host did a good job at sharing the park with the listeners, and seems to have a true passion for Disney. Is it top ten material? Not for me, just yet. But go ahead and give it a listen, your thoughts may be the exact opposite of mine.      

ISO 5571 Episode 29: I think I like torture. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad show at all. I just don’t know what the hell these guys are talking about half the time. That is not their fault at all; its mine. As someone who is a growing photography fan, I am going to dedicate more time to listening to this show on a regular basis to help me build my knowledge. Maybe then, I can come on and give this show a full stamp of approval. Again, to someone who is experienced in photography I am sure this is one of the best podcasts out there for theme park fans, but for me, I have a lot of catching up to do. On this weeks show the hosts discuss which lens is the best to use when inside the Disney parks. As usual, these guys know their stuff. The hosts are experts in their field, and offer up some great information that can be used inside the parks. When talking about using a wide angle lens one host says, “(Mickey) looks creepy, and he looks like a scary clown.” Ok, so maybe in type it doesn’t seem funny, but in audio form it is hilarious. The hosts are very personable and do a great job of sharing their knowledge and experiences. I really did enjoy listening to this week’s show, and despite all of my gripping about the show material being too advanced for me, I really did learn a lot from this podcast, and I look forward to more great shows. I hope someday I will have enough knowledge to keep up with the conversation on every show.    

Show of the Week: Disney FilmProject Episode 81: This is a really cool show. This week the hosts discuss the much aligned Disney animated film, Home on the Range. The hosts are not shy at all to share their feelings about how bad, from beginning to end, this film was. Much more than make fun of how bad the movie is, the hosts take you through the movie, and give you details and notes on the film. I instantly found myself drawing comparisons between this show and the Rotoscopers podcast. While Rotoscopers has a better production quality and a bit more structure, this show is relaxed, funny, and does not have the loud constant giggling, and over quoting that plagues the Rotoscopers. These guys really know their movies, and know their nerdy, college film 101 movie terms. The show is snarky, smart, and funny. The show clocks in at about 58 minutes, but it goes by quickly; that’s because the hosts make great use of their time, and make every minute of the podcast count. The hosts are laid back, and the production quality is good enough. Nothing spectacular on the audio side, but the lack of distracting music and sound effects is a big plus. I look forward to adding this to my regular weekly shows. It is really worth the listen. 

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This Week in Podcasting July 15-21

Sorry for keeping things a bit brief on this week’s article and for the two week absence. I am home from a very busy vacation in which I was able to collect some really great interviews from some very interesting people. Stay tuned for those in the coming weeks, and as always, thanks for reading and supporting! – CW

Communicore OnlineEpisode 87: Ok, Lester Day is growing on me, but I am still a fan of a straight forward news segment. I admit I am not your average podcast listener (Then why am I reviewing podcasts?) so I may be ou of touch with the usual listener. Shane is still a top notch host, and this weeks show is no different. On this weeks Ears to the Ground segment is audio from Wishes. Since I just returned home from a week at Disney, I skipped this segment. The Wishes audio is not my favorite. From what I could hear before I fast forwarded past the segment, Shane managed to get some good, clean, quality audio from the show. Shane does a really good job with the hidden Mickey segments and they are worth the listen every time. Shane slides in a funny quip at the end of this segment that got a hardy laugh out of me. As usual, Shane keeps this weeks show short, crisp, and very efficient. I wish the shows were a bit longer, but I can appreciate efficiency and smoothness of the production. Shane makes another plea for people to attend his EPCOT’s 30^th anniversary event and group booking deal which sounds like fun. This show is consistently good, and since it is always kept short, it is always worth the listen. Shane does a great job at not wasting the listener’s time. I appreciate that a lot.   

 

WDW Fanboys Episode137: On this weeks show Paul, Bret(t)?, and Tim talk about some of the recent rumors that are coming out of Universal Studios Florida. I really like how a show that is supposed to be focused on WDW spends time on Universal Orlando. I think it really speaks to how far the “other” park has come in the last two years or so. At times I think this is the best ensemble of hosts in podcasting and at other times I think they are their own worst enemy. At their best the Fan Boys are smart, informed, and funny. But when they are not on their game it shows. Sometimes they go out of their way to be funny and sarcastic and it is not funny. It’s distracting and can sometimes kill the momentum of a conversation. This week we get the funny, informative Fan Boys. They really hit on the root of fanboy conversation which is rumors, speculation, and wishing/wanting for improvements at Universal Orlando. Tim and Paul have a really good back and forth when it comes to how the quality of rides can or cannot depend on their source material. I personally think Paul was being stubborn when it came to visiting and enjoying Universal Orlando. I think calling the Transformers ride, “laughable”, was a stretch and an attempt to just be a difficult. But that’s ok, because I think the ride looks less than average, but not, “laughable”.  If you have been out of the loop on what is going on at UOR this weeks show will go a long way in helping you catch up with what is going on with Transformers, Potter, and more. One good thing about this weeks show is that the rumors and speculation is backed up by “facts” and semi-solid logical information. Give it a listen and soak yourself in the classic fanboy conversation you have come to know and love.    

Magical DefinitionJuly 21, 2012: Nathan and Jim are back after missing a few shows; this is where I would yell and scream about them not being consistent, but I took a couple of weeks off  myself so…..  On this weeks show they recap and talk about their time out in San Diego at Comic Con. Jim and Nathan bring their usual wide range of knowledge and insight to this podcast. To say that Jim and Nathan had some of the best coverage on 2012 Comic Con would be an understatement. But what is really cool about this weeks show is that the two hosts really sift through all of the information and present only the “need to know” stuff that their listeners want to hear. Jim is full of important information and must hear stories that take you behind the scenes of the film industry and tells you some of the best nuggets of backstage Disney information. Jim does tend to go down a rabbit hole and goes a little bit off topic, but when Jim Hill goes off topic, you want to listen! Give this show a listen if you want to know what all of the latest happenings are in the Disney and entertainment business. Hopefully they, and I, are back to a regular weekly schedule because I start to go crazy without my weekly MagDef fix.  

Show of the Week: CommucoreWeekly Episode 27: Another sleek, efficient, and fun show to listen to. Like Communcore Online, this show is heavily segment based, which helps the podcaster, and listener to focus on one topic out of time and not feel overwhelmed with information. This is one of the best produced shows out there, and I like the original audio drops between segments. (I know I have said this all before, but it still rings true). This is one of those rare consistent podcasts you can listen to and know what you are going to get, each and every week. When I saw that this weeks history segment was going to be on the now gone EPCOT attraction World of Motion, my ears perked up and I was really looking forward the segment. Thankfully George and Jeff did not disappoint and gave a lot of great information and really got me more interested in World of Motion; hello Youtube! Always funny, and always informative, this segment is quickly becoming one of my favorites in all of podcasting. I just wish it was a little bit longer. The Book of the Week segment is also one of my favorites. As someone who can not get enough Disney history, I find this part of the show not only entertaining, but very useful. One of the best parts about this show is that the hosts do not take the usual topic bait that other podcasts out there take. So when everyone else in the world is talking about Cars Land or Art of Animation, you can always count on Communicore Weekly to have original content.    

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Hang in there.....

Hang in there you guys. I am in the middle of whrilwind 2 week vacation.




We are back in Florida from Indianapolis, Indiana and we are spending the week at WDW.

A new This Week in Podcasting will be up this weekend! Thanks for the continued support and remember if you have any questions you can email me at wakefieldreport.gmail.com

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This Week in Podcasting July 1-7

Disney Hipster Episode 6: This new comer to the theme park podcasting scene is one that “critiques the aesthetic choices of the Disney Company.”  And on this weeks show they do just that by chatting with guests Jamie and Keith about attractions, food, and beer from all around EPCOT’s World Showcase. I always find these, “Lets stroll around World Showcase” segments very interesting because every has a different opinion and everyone likes a certain country for a different reason. The Good Design, Bad Design segment focuses on the aesthetics of the lounges and bars around WDW and Disneyland. The crew is very knowledgeable and honest about what they like and do not like about the way things look around the parks. The hosts are….smart, and they really do a good job at conveying and explaining their opinion. A host could easily find themselves talking over their audience and leaving some listeners who are not so knowledgeable about design behind, but these hosts do a good job at slowing down and explaining the details with the listeners. The audio quality of this show is par, but I do appreciate the original pieces of bumper music in between segments. Any show that doesn’t lay down Fantasmic music as a bed behind their conversation is a friend of mine. As someone who does not frequent the bars and lounges at WDW, after listening to this segment, I am second guessing, and thinking about paying them a visit. This crew really knows their way around the bars and lounges in Disney Parks. The strolling around World Showcase covers a topic I have always been a little bit cautious to approach; the beer at EPCOT. During the segment they taste test the different beers and give their opinions. I am not the biggest drinker and have always been a little bit shy to spend my money on the overpriced and possibly nasty drink at World Showcase, but the Disney Hipster crew may have changed my mind during this segment. All things considered, this show is warm, informative, and chill. No fancy loud sound effects, and the crew seems very laid back, chill, and smart. My kind of people. I should also mention that these guys have one of the BEST YouTube channels ever!                 

WaltCast Episode 144: This week Sean and Katie celebrate their 3 year show anniversary by recapping their previous year on air, and by talking about the new Despicable Me attraction at Universal Orlando, and the new Agent P World Showcase Adventure at EPCOT. Sean and Katie are very likeable and very easy to listen to. The lack of beeps and boops in the background of the show helps the listener focus more on what the hosts are saying and helps the hosts get their point across easier. During their discussion of the Despicable Me opening Sean and Katie begin to give you a first person point of view of what is was like to be at the press event. They begin to, and right as they start to, they jump over to review Agent P’s adventure. This consisted of something to the effect of, “It was hot and not very fun.” I know that Sean had some family issues that had to be taken care of, but I am not sure why they even bothered to cover these topics if they were not willing to go into detail about what they experienced at the two events. Sean promises that a “revamping” of the show is underway. I am not too sure if this is needed, I would just like them to spend more than 3 minutes, literally, on topics….     

Unofficial Universal Orlando Podcast July 4^th Special Episode 40: This was an EPIC edition of UUOP. Tracey, Lee, Daren, and Hunter deliver again and, if you ask me, they get back to what made this show so successful in the first place. In the last few months I feel like the crew kind of fell into the trap of putting out shows just to put them out. The shows had started to become a little bit stale, forced, and the material was not too fresh. With all of the overly scripted segments and material, you kind of got the thought that the hosts were just going through the motions. This, of course, is not true but there was a period of time when the show became a little bit boring. This week, however, was an almost complete turnaround. The crew kept the scripted bits to a minimum and they really took hold of the topic and put a lot of passion into it and made it fun for the listener. The UUOP crew decided to tackle Universal Hollywood, and that, by nature, involved a lot of talk about the new attraction at Universal Hollywood, Transformers. There are several guests on this weeks show. It starts off with WDWNT’s Scott Smith who helps the crew get acquainted with the comic book and hardcore fan side of Transformers. Scott brings up a lot of information that the average theme park fan might not know. He is quick and very passionate about Transformers. Also on this weeks show is Disney Imagineer Andy DiGenova. Andy brings a more personal and hands on view of the Universal Hollywood park with his funny and eye opening trip report. The show also features an interview with Season Pass Podcast host Doug Barnes. Doug takes the crew inside of the ride and helps them get a hold of the scale, and possible future of the attraction. I think it was a very brave decision for the hosts to tackle this topic and they certainly came out on the other end looking good. This was definitely the most informative podcast this week, and has rekindled my interest in visiting the park on the left coast.           

Show of the Week: WDWNT Episode 149: It was really a difficult decision when it came to making the call for Show of the Week, but this weeks edition of WDWNT from Tom Corless and crew was, from start to finish, the most enjoyable and informative podcast; n my opinion of course. On this weeks edition the WDWNT hosts continue their countdown of the 30 most memorable moments in EPCOT’s history. Without a doubt these countdown segments from WDWNT are some of my favorite in all of podcasting. On this segment they run down moments 19-15. The discussion they have on Horizons alone is well worth the download and listening time. The good part about this show is that the diverse mix of hosts brings the listener almost every possible view point, so no stone is left unturned. As usual, Scott Smith often finds himself on the other side of the fence staring back at the rest of the crew. I am not sure if Scott is a contrarian by nature, or if he just disagrees with almost everyone else almost all of the time just for the heck of it. Either way, at times it is overly annoying and distracting, but sometimes it helps add to the depth of the conversation. If you are a fan of EPCOT, or more importantly, a critic of EPCOT, this show is worth a listen. The crew really gets to the core of some of the longstanding issues and they really dig deep and present an unbiased and honest picture of the quickly aging park. In my opinion, EPCOT is the most overhyped thing since WCW’s Glacier (look it up), but we will circle back to my strong views on EPCOT when we get closer to October 1^st.   

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June Show of the Month

I gave you, the readers, a chance to vote on which one of the three Shows of the Week from June you thought should be Show of the Month. The votes came in via twitter @wakefieldreport and the winner and June Show of the month is.......

Show of the Month: Generation Mouse Episode 65: To be honest I should say that I am a fan of the Generation Mouse podcast, but when I saw the title of this weeks show on the iTunes run down I was very hesitant to download it. In fact, I waited two days before I finally downloaded the show and my expectations we set very, very low. Why? The title of this weeks show is, “Once Upon a Time”. I knew right from the start that the Gen Mouse crew would be discussing the ABC series Once Upon a Time. From the time the show started I had absolutely zero interest in the show, and a lot of the podcasts that were dedicated to it. I bit my tongue, took a deep breath, and made a promise to try to get myself through, at least, the first 15 minutes of this podcast. I should say that I really do applaud the crew for not taking the “Cars Land” bait like every other podcast did this week. They took a step away from their original content and talked about something different. The reason why they did this is because they are very passionate about this tv show, and that passion shows on this weeks show when they run down the entire seasons happenings.  As a word of caution, they do tell you everything that happens on Once Upon a Time; spoilers and all. Not only did they keep my attention for the entire podcast, but not I am going to make an effort to watch Once Upon a Time. Their opinions and analysis of the tv show is well thought out, and articulate. At times host Mark does get confused about some of the details but the girls straighten him out. I do warn that this week’s podcast is not for everyone. They kind of get mired in the minute details of the show and get into a lot of, “Well so and so met so and so, and then had a fight with so and so, because he didn’t like so and so”. It can get a little confusing at times, but if you hang in there it is worth it. Again, no theme park history, news, or stories this week. But they do have a really great discussion about a TV show that I previously had no interest in. Thanks to this week’s Generation Mouse podcast I am going to give Once Upon a Time a shot.  

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Voting for June Show of the Month Open!

You can now begin voting for the June Show of the Month. You can pick from the three previous Show of the Week winners.

The nominees are

                                                         DisGeek Podcast Episode 37

                                                       
                                                         Generation Mouse Episode 65

                                                             DIBB Cast Episode 28Xtra


Tweet me your votes @wakefieldreport or go to the GenMouse, DIBBCast, or DisGeek Facebook page and tell everyone you are voting for them for June Show of the Month! 

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