This Week in Podcasting May 6-12

ISO 5571 Episode ???: Let me start off by saying I have no idea what ISO 5571 stands for. So, yea, its going to be that kind of review. The show is hosted by a few people; Tom Bricker and Ryan Pastorino, with Cory Disbrow. Now this is my first encounter with Ryan and Cory, but I know Tom. Well at least I thought I knew Tom. I know the Tom who co hosts the Dis Geek podcast. I know the Tom who had a guest spot on WDW Today last week; but I do not know this Tom. When I downloaded this show I thought I could handle it and all of its advanced technology talk. But just like a 19 year old and his first bottle of tequila, I was in way over my head. Fortunately, I did not end up face down in the bathroom covered I puke. That only happens when I listen to Remotely Universal. While listening to the show I took some time and visited the guys Flickr accounts and I was very impressed. This weeks show focuses on how the hosts prepare for a visit to WDW or Disneyland. Again, I thought I could hang, but I was wrong. Its not that the guys were bad hosts, or the show sucked; I am just not advanced enough in the world of cameras and photography. Maybe doing a review of a show that covers such a foreign technology is not fair, but it was their time. The show was not terrible, I fact it was a decent listen, and im sure once I learn more about photography this will be one of the shows I download every week. I would guess anyone who is apt to this technology would find this weeks show very useful. The production quality is standard and the hosts have an ok delivery. Its not about flash and flare on this show; its about sharing and discussing the technology with each other and the listeners. Even without know what a lens hood or aperture is I still learned a few things and plan on using some of the tricks with my handheld point and shoot POS on my next trip WDW.   

These Amazing PlacesEpisode 211: Wow! On this weeks show hosts Adam and Doug give one of the most extensive reviews of Disney World annual pass holder benefits that I have ever heard! They cover prices, discounts, when and where the discounts are available and how to purchase the pass. I have been listening to this show for a few months now and I must say I am surprised by how well these guys covered the passholder program at WDW. Accompanied by decent production quality, this weeks show is a very easy listen; for me at least. I am already a WDW passholder and I already knew of all the benefits offered, but I still didn’t mind listening to the show at all. Everything you ever need to know about being a WDW annual passholder is packed into this show. Don’t read a blog or read Disneys official propaganda, save yourself some time and listen to this week’s These Amazing Places! Since this show was such an easy and enjoyable listen I really do not have anything negative to say about this weeks show. Maybe they could have splashed in some WDW history or changed up the background music, but other than that this show is about as good as it gets. What I like most about this podcast is the guys are not only fans of Disney, but they are fans of vacationing altogether. I love Disney, but my ultimate goal is to travel and see the world; the real world, not just Disney world. I have yet to work this show into my regular rotation, but the more I dip in and listen to a show here and a show there, the closer I am to putting it into my regular podcast listening rotation.       

Dis After Dark Episode8: This offering from the bad boys of Britain is a little bit different. This week the guys are broadcasting from the Bullring Travellodge in Birmingham for Mousemeets 2012. This show was recorded in front of a live audience. The content of the show is the usual with a few different thing thrown in and a little bit less organization; but still the same Dumb Ass question, news, and rant segments. The two hosts have chemistry for days! They are humorous, witty, and quick on their toes with the live crow. UUOP co host Tracey has a quick cameo on the show. If your listening to this show to learn anything, then I really wouldn’t waste my time; and that is not a knock on the show, that is kind of the way the show was designed. It’s a relaxed, comical, and slightly satirical look at WDW. The guys don’t take themselves too seriously and they keep the content light and enjoyable. If you need some good filler on your Ipod or a show that will help you unwind on the way home from work, then definitely take a listen to this week’s Dis After Dark.   

Show of the Week: Mousestation Episode 447: On this weeks show host Mark makes us all jealous and share some stories and audio from his recent trip to a behind the scenes trip around new Fantasyland in WDW. The audio portion is really neat and brings to the forefront some rare and very special audio. I really wish they would have entered I some pictures along with the audio walk along. Kind of the way WDWNT does with their enhanced podcast, but maybe I am being too greedy and just enjoy the great audio on the show. Mark on eon one interview with Imaginer Chris Beaty is really well done. He manages to get some really important information out of him. Mark definitely knows his stuff and he asks Chris some very interesting questions about the relationship between the new Fantasyland construction and the former 20,000 leagues attraction. That is a question that only a pro who is well versed in WDW history could ask! A big thanks to Mark for reminding me of how little I know about WDW history.  He also asks Chris about sightlines and other things. This interview is a cant miss for anyone who is anticipating the opening of New Fantasyland. The interview with Danielle Duffy is just as good. As someone who does not stay on site I was not as thrilled about the Art of Animation resort, but the interview was still a good listen. This show is very well organized. The hosts have a great presence and really know how to navigate the listener around a podcast. I really find the whole “Mouse Planet” gimmick and mentions kind of forced and corny but its not too much, but it does kind of distract me as a listener. Give me a simple, straight forward listen. Tell me stories and make me laugh. I do not need to hear that I am to, “keep my hands and feet inside the podcast”. I hate it when shows do that. That being said, I am very happy with this show. I am surprised I have made it this long and I am just now getting around to listening to and reviewing the show. At the end of the day, of all the podcasts I listened to this week, I learned the most from Mousesation. Packed with insider information and a splash of Disney history, I was very surprised and pleased with this show. Its my first time listening to the show and my first time reviewing it and it has already won its first Show of the Week! That’s impressive.   

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This Week in Podcasting April 29 - May 5

WaltCast Episode 140: From the firs time I listened to WaltCast I knew it was a very special show. Hosts Sean and Katie tend to switch up between doing shows that focus on Disney history and doing shows that focus on current events at Walt Disney World. Like some other podcasts out there, I find myself liking some of the WaltCast shows a ton, and the I find that a some of the shows are really take it or leave it; for me. I have said before that I am big fan of shows that discuss Disney history, so when Sean and Katie released this week show that cover the upcoming Eat to the Beat concert series at EPCOT, I found myself giving a bit of a "meh" to this weeks offering from WaltCast.  That being said it is more than evident that hosts Sean and Katie have some really greta chemistry. They are never afraid to disagree with each other, and equally important, they really know their material. From talking about what bands are playing at EPCOT, or diving into Disney history from 40 years ago, these two are really smart and have a vast wealth of knowledge. Unfortunately, smarts combined with great chemistry was not enough to make this weeks show from WaltCast anything more than just easy podcasting listening. Nothing terrible, but maybe I have set my standards for WaltCast too high. I need to realize that they cant do a show every week that breaks down Walt Disney history. Just like every review of every podcast, this is my personal view and perception of this weeks show in particular; you may listen to this weeks WaltCast and totally disagree with my less than stellar review this week.   

Communicore Online Episode 84: No doubt that this is one of, if not the best produced podcasts on the net today. When I first started to listening to Communicore I really did not like the Lest Day news segment, but like stank on zoo monkeys, the segment is really growing on me. Each show I find myself liking the segment more and more. This week host Shane Roberts shares the audio from the Disney Resort tv show, Disney Must Do. To be more than honest, since I am at Disney every month, and I hear this show play over and over and over, I fast forwarded past this part of the show.Since the Disney Must Do audio was the majority of the content of this weeks show, and I didnt listen to the segment, this review will be short. Although, I learned a heck of a lot from this weeks hidden Mickey segment. Even though a lot of Communicore Online shows clock in at under 30 minutes, host Shane manages to get a lot of information to the listeners. It may be minute by minute, one of the most efficient shows today. He does not waste much time at all and, again, the production quality combined with the end of show "advice" or word of wisdom from Shane makes this a great listen. You might say that this show is a "Must Do".  

You MouseCast Episode 47:  Ok. Well I have to admit that I went through a phase where I was really down on British Disney podcasts; see my recent review of Minnie Minxes. Not because I hated the shows, or thought they were awful, but only because i was finding it increasingly difficult to relate to the shows from people across the pond. As an exercise in the Japanese of "kiason", the act of continuously trying to improve ones self, I am diving back into the British wasters and I am starting things off with a review of this weeks Your Mousecast. This podcast my be one of my favorite segment based programs out there today. The structure of the show makes it very easy to listen to and the format does not cause the listener to strain themselves with trying to keep up with the show. Some shows are very stream of consciousness and this could be a very difficult listen if a listener is trying to focus in on a certain topic. The news segment this week is an average one from Chris, Alan, and Steve.  They do delve into a little bit of Euro Disney talk and my inner Yankee who only want to hear WDW talk was starting to squirm like a 6 year old in a dentist chair. But much to my surprise, not only was the Euro Disney chat tolerable, I actually learned a thing or two! The marathon trip report from guest Nathan was a standard trip report, but it was a good listen non the less. The main feature segment about the groups top 9 restaurants was a good segment. The guys really know their stuff and keep you laughing, sometimes unintentionally I think, during the entire segment. Your MouseCast is not on my immediate go to list of podcast each week, but with a few more information packed shows like this, it soon will be. Well, a few more shows like this, and if they drop the continuously playing Fantasmic music in the background. That alone, would move the show up a spot or two on my "list". Don't get me wrong, I love Fantasmic, I just don't want to hear it 5 times in one show!         

Show of the Week: Magical Definition May5, 2012: Objectivity is really important to me. When it comes to the things I read and in the articles I write. I to be completely honest with you all, the last few shows of Magical Definition were not too good. They were short, bland, and some of the material hosts Jim Hill and Nathan Rose felt discussed was old and very "been there, already talked about that". With that said, this weeks show falls back into the show that I learned to love. Jim and Nathan talk about the recent release of the Disney film, The Avengers. Even though Jim and Nathan have talked this topic to death, they bring a lot of important must hear information to the front. What I love the most about this weeks show, and the majority of the other Magical Definition shows, the hosts dont waste much time and they make sure they dont waste the listeners time. They make sure they give you the information you need to hear, and there is no filler. Jim has such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Disney and the entertainment industry and his presentation of the information is almost perfect/. I know I am not the only one who finds myself hanging on every word Jim says. This weeks show is standard fare for Nathan and Jim; standard fare being this best theme park material out there in podcasting today!     

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April Show of the Month

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

 

Show of the Month: MouseChat April 15: First off I should say that this crew turns out more shows than teenage horny rabbits turn out babies. Every other day or so, when I am updating my podcasts, I see a new Mouse Chat episode. That is a good thing by the way. On this weeks show co host Elizabeth shares her trip report form a recent trip to Hong Kong Disneyland. As with Disneyland in my Walt Cast review, I have never been to Hong Kong Disneyland so I was listening to every second of this show and trying mot miss a word or the smallest detail. Luckily for me, Elizabeth did not spare any details, so I was in Disney geek heaven. Usually, I am not the biggest fan of shows that are hosted by travel agents because I feel like they are trying to sell to you during the entire show, but the more I listen to Mouse Chat, the more I can appreciate the value in having someone who is so experience and knowledgeable tell you about their Disney experience. Still, don’t expect much love from me for Dis Unplugged. As Elizabeth walked the listeners through the Hong Kong resort she does a great job at bringing forward the visuals and different senses she experienced. Elizabeth shares her experience in the new Toy Story themed land at Hong Kong, and the other hosts do a great job at asking her questions. I found that as a question popped into my mind, another host would jump in and ask Elizabeth the same question. This show was not really a five star show, but it was as close to a five star show as you could get without being a five star show. I get the feeling that only makes sense to me. Suddenly I am getting the feeling that this entire blog is only making sense to me…. Uh oh……   

 

 

 

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This Week in Podcasting april 15-21

Unofficial Universal Orlando Podcast Episode28: This weeks show from Lee and the gang was a special show celebrating their one year anniversary. This show came with a lot of hype and really big expectations. Talking with Lee, it sounded like the creation and production of this weeks show was big labor of love. The running time of this weeks show is a little bit over three hours. That is a lot of time to fill, even if it is an anniversary show. The show was tolerable, but it did not seem to be the attention grabbing, page turner of a show that I am used to from UUOP. I do not blame the content or the hosting crew for that, but rather the running time. It did not seem as if the crew was stretching their conversations on purpose to fill time, but I found myself not really caring too much about their conversations when they got half way through them. This week they share a lot of stories and share a lot of laughs about the last year of shows, but I just found myself very, very unengaged throughout the show. The interview with they had with the composer of Islands of Adventure music was insightful, fun, and a good listen; but I, again, think that the interview ran just a little bit too long. This weeks show is not a snooze fest, to say the least, but it was a little bit average. Don’t get me wrong, average is not bad, but for a show like UUOP, I did expect something else. I was looking for a little bit more substance in this weeks show, but I think there was a bit too much filler and fluff. But I understand,; this weeks show was a celebration. `Often times I find that my view of a show is reflected by the mood I am in while listening to the show. I listened to this show a day after having a wisdom tooth pulled, so that may be a reason for this less than stellar review. Lee, Tracey, Darren, and Hunter worked really hard on this show, and I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it were about an hour or so shorter.

EDIT:  I should also take time to thank Lee and Tracey for all of their helpful hints this week. You guys helped a lot and made my dental operation and recovery a lot more tolerable. Thanks guys! 

WDWNT Show #238: This show, along with WEDWAY radio is probably one of the most consistent and information packed podcasts out there. I also think that they have one of the best hosting crews today. The crew is very knowledgeable and passionate about what goes on at the Disney parks. This week they run down the latest in Disney World news and dissect things from the Avengerrail and the new Photopass Plus feature offered at WDW. Since they offer up anywhere from 4 to 6 different hosts on each show, the listener gets a great variety of opinion, and is able to hear almost every side of any argument that is bought up on the show. They also have a segment where they run down the top ten live entertainment attractions at WDW. This crew knows their stuff, and while sometimes I think they argue about trivial and silly things, they are fun to listen to. From show to show the format will not change too much but they do a the best job of any other show of switching out segments and making sure that their podcast is fresh and listenable. It is a very easy listen and I can listen to it no matter what kind of mood I am in.

DisdadsEpisode 28: This week the Disdads break away a little bit from their normal format and they discuss the DVC resorts at WDW. Since some of the hosts are travel agents, they really do know a lot about the resorts. This show is very well produced and well structured, but eve that cannot save a little bit of a lack of charisma from the hosts. I felt throughout the show that the hosts were reading off of paper and just selling to me. Now, if you are looking for a show that gives you dry, flat information about DVC’s the this is your show. Maybe I am being a little too harsh, but the delivery from the hosts just seemed a little too forced. This weeks show is a little under a half an hour and while the hosts do a great job at giving you the need to know information, they seem to lack a personal touch and insight. Don’t get me wrong, im the biggest fan of a podcast that is short on flash, and glitter, but when I listen to this week’s Disdads podcasts it felt like they were just going through the motions. I am not expecting a flashy music bed and fancy sound effects from these guys, but it would not hurt if they moved away from the dry format and gave this show a little bit more of a personal touch. This weeks show is not completely listenable, but do not expect to be wowed by the show. This podcast does, however, have a lot of important information for you if you are looking to stay at DVC.

Show of the Week: Dis Unplugged April 18: What?! WHAT?!! QUE?! I cannot believe I am saying this, but this weeks show from the Dis Unplugged was more than tolerable, but a really good listen. I realized, after listening to the first half of this weeks offering from Pete Werner and crew, that I was going to have to make this the Show of the Week. I had no other choice. This was, without a doubt, the best podcast released this week. This crew is packed with true professionals. The content, production, and execution of this weeks show was top of the line. i found myself captivated and hanging on almost every word the crew offered up this week. That’s some of the good stuff about this weeks Dis Unplugged, but lets quickly talk about some of the bad thing and hang ups I had with the show. The show opened up with a rant from host Pete. Pete’s rants or legendary and often unforgettable, but this week Pete turned his sights on some of his own listeners. There was, I guess, with the Dis Boards being down, and some listeners had expressed their anger with the boards being slow. Pete’s response was to tell the complainers that his webmaster was working very hard on the site and to lay off. He said he was, “Pissed off” about the situation. Pete demanded that his board users go on the boards and create multiple threads thanking the webmaster for all of his hard work. A little odd, and it was “business as usual” I thought for the dis Unplugged. After the news and housekeeping segment, the show quickly changed gears and went into overdrive.   Kathy and Teresa tried to give an EPCOT 101 walkthrough, but as usual, the others chimed in and made fun of Kathy and Teresa for being actual Disney fans. I really wonder sometimes if Pete, John, and Kevin are more interested in enjoying Disney attractions, or selling cruises and Adventure by Disney trips. Even with all of the heckling from the other hosts, this segment was saved by Teresa and Kathys true passion for Disney and EPCOT. It was truly a fun and informative segment to listen to. What really put this weeks show over the top was a review by the crew of their recent Royal Caribbean cruise. I thought at the onset of this show, that this was just more useless shilling of a travel agency product, but the crew’s professionalism and knowledge quickly made me forget that I was listening to travel agents. I have never been on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but after listening to this segment, I want to. This has without a doubt been a weird week in podcasting, maybe not for everyone else, but maybe just for me. Having a wisdom tooth pulled causes a lot a pain. When you have a lot of pain, you take heavy painkillers. When you take heavy painkillers you give UUOP a sub par review, and you make the Dis Unplugged your Show of the Week.         

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