WDWNT Network Announces New Additions to Celebrate 2 Year Anniversary

WDWNT on June 24, 2009

As we kick off the two year anniversary celebration of the WDWNT Network and WDW News Today (running now through August 8th), we are proud to announce a number of exciting new additions and enhancements throughout our family of websites and podcasts. On July 8, 2007, we pledged to find new ways to bring the latest news, information, magic, and fun from the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts directly to you. Over the past two years, we have kept to that promise, launching some of the most popular entities in the Disney online fan community such as the WDW News Today podcast, The Disney Pincast, and Disneyland News Today. We have also innovated with the only fully interactive Walt Disney World Resort focused podcast, the internet’s only podcasts covering current events at the Disneyland Resort and the huge hobby that is Disney pin trading, and most recently, the newest version of our WDWNTube, the premiere location for streaming and sharing your favorite Disney Park videos. Moving into our third year of operation, we plan on being more innovative, interactive, informative, and entertaining than ever before.

The Podcasts of the WDWNT Network

While we could have never imagined it two years ago, our podcasts have been the heart and soul of everything we do at the WDWNT Network. Making use of the utilities that the remainder of our online community provides, we have used things such as our WDWNT Network Community Forums to enhance our already popular weekly productions. Beginning in July 2008, we kicked off a program we call WDWNT Interactive, allowing WDW News Today Podcast listeners to vote for the topics discussed in their favorite segments on the show. The popularity of that program has been unparalleled and has made us sure that every segment we air is one that a majority of our audience will find useful or entertaining. Based on this success, we are proud to announce that the Disneyland News Today Podcast will launch a similar service called DLNT Interactive, where listeners will be able to head to the community forums and vote for the segments that would like to hear on that weekly program. DLNT Interactive will be officially launching on July 2, 2009. In addition to these interactive features, all three of the WDWNT Network produced podcasts offer multiple services on the WDWNT Network Community Forums. WDW News Today and Disneyland News Today Podcast listeners can already view show notes and discuss the shows with those who produce it weekly by posting and reading under corresponding sections. Listeners of the Disney Pincast can not only discuss the show, view show notes, and weekly pin releases while on the forums, but can also discuss Disney pin trading and other Disneyana collecting (such as Vinylmation) while visiting. All of these features make a visit to the WDWNT Network Community Forums a must and enhance the listeners experience each and every week.

Focusing only on the podcasts of the WDWNT Network, some popular segments of these shows are leaving and returning, and a number of new offerings are just on the horizon. The WDW News Today Podcast is proud to be introducing two exciting new segments, titled “The Golden Age” and “World’s Finest”. “The Golden Age” will be a quest to find out which point in Walt Disney World history could be considered the best overall period of the “Vacation Kingdom’s” existence. The “World’s Finest” segment will provide listeners with plenty of opinions and banter, as the WDWNT Podcast team tries to figure out what the very best of Walt Disney World truly is. Two classic segments that haven’t been heard in quite a while will also be returning, in “Back to the Future” and “Disney Don’t Forget the Lyrics”. Since it’s debut in January 2008, “Back to the Future” has allowed the WDWNT Podcast crew to educate listeners on the past, present, and future of Walt Disney World while honoring a favorite film series of the same name. “Disney Don’t Forget the Lyrics” was the first trademark game show on the WDW News Today Podcast and has set an example that many other Disney fan podcasts have tried to imitate, but have been unable to duplicate, a game where contestants must remember the lyrics to the classic songs of the Disney Parks. Over on the Disneyland News Today Podcast, the “What Were They Thinking” segment will find a new home. In this segment, the DLNT Staff will look at the various decisions made by Disneyland Management both past and present and try to figure out “What Were They Thinking?!?”. This segment will also be part of the all new DLNT Interactive program being introduced

At many times during our continuous evolution, we have brought you some new and experimental projects, one of the longer-lasting and well known was “Your Ear to the World”. On June 10th, 2009, the “Your Ear to the World” podcast had its final episode. This was a fun and innovative project for us over the last year, but we have decided to retire it to make room for a more unique method of bringing you audio experiences. The name of our latest and perhaps most exciting project to date is WDWNTunes.

Introducing WDWNTunes!!!

What is WDWNTunes? WDWNTunes is a streaming online radio station that will bring listeners audio from the Disney Parks, as well as exclusive content from the WDWNT Network. The main site for WDWNTunes will also provide listeners with a chat room, a full listing of our current audio library, a broadcasting schedule (coming soon!), and much more. In addition, WDWNTunes will be the new home of our WDWNT Live! shows, an opportunity to join us join us each month for a live interactive podcast. The first WDWNT Live! presented on WDWNTunes will be taking place on July 8, 2009, and will be a special show to commemorate our two year anniversary. Be sure to stay tuned for more details on this special show as we get closer to that date. In the mean time, you can find WDWNTunes online at www.wdwntunes.com and follow WDWNTunes on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wdwntunes and on Facebook at this link.

More To Come

If all of this news wasn’t enough from the WDWNT Network, we invite you to join us for the Town Square Talk segment during Episode 100 of the WDW News Today Podcast and Episode 70 of the Disneyland News Today Podcast for a few more pieces of news, as well as a blockbuster special announcement that will shake the very foundation of the WDWNT Network.

WDW News Today and the WDWNT Network is proud to present this full line-up of changes and additions to you, our audience, and hope you will continue to be a part of our still growing community. We are truly thankful for your devotion to our websites and podcasts and would like you to know that the last two years would have never been possible without your support. We hope you are as excited as we are about these new efforts in continuing to “Bridge the Gaps Between You and the World”.

Tom Corless
Owner of the WDWNT Network

WDWNT Network Announces New Additions to Celebrate 2 Year Anniversary

WDWNT on June 24, 2009

As we kick off the two year anniversary celebration of the WDWNT Network and WDW News Today (running now through August 8th), we are proud to announce a number of exciting new additions and enhancements throughout our family of websites and podcasts. On July 8, 2007, we pledged to find new ways to bring the latest news, information, magic, and fun from the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts directly to you. Over the past two years, we have kept to that promise, launching some of the most popular entities in the Disney online fan community such as the WDW News Today podcast, The Disney Pincast, and Disneyland News Today. We have also innovated with the only fully interactive Walt Disney World Resort focused podcast, the internet’s only podcasts covering current events at the Disneyland Resort and the huge hobby that is Disney pin trading, and most recently, the newest version of our WDWNTube, the premiere location for streaming and sharing your favorite Disney Park videos. Moving into our third year of operation, we plan on being more innovative, interactive, informative, and entertaining than ever before.

The Podcasts of the WDWNT Network

While we could have never imagined it two years ago, our podcasts have been the heart and soul of everything we do at the WDWNT Network. Making use of the utilities that the remainder of our online community provides, we have used things such as our WDWNT Network Community Forums to enhance our already popular weekly productions. Beginning in July 2008, we kicked off a program we call WDWNT Interactive, allowing WDW News Today Podcast listeners to vote for the topics discussed in their favorite segments on the show. The popularity of that program has been unparalleled and has made us sure that every segment we air is one that a majority of our audience will find useful or entertaining. Based on this success, we are proud to announce that the Disneyland News Today Podcast will launch a similar service called DLNT Interactive, where listeners will be able to head to the community forums and vote for the segments that would like to hear on that weekly program. DLNT Interactive will be officially launching on July 2, 2009. In addition to these interactive features, all three of the WDWNT Network produced podcasts offer multiple services on the WDWNT Network Community Forums. WDW News Today and Disneyland News Today Podcast listeners can already view show notes and discuss the shows with those who produce it weekly by posting and reading under corresponding sections. Listeners of the Disney Pincast can not only discuss the show, view show notes, and weekly pin releases while on the forums, but can also discuss Disney pin trading and other Disneyana collecting (such as Vinylmation) while visiting. All of these features make a visit to the WDWNT Network Community Forums a must and enhance the listeners experience each and every week.

Focusing only on the podcasts of the WDWNT Network, some popular segments of these shows are leaving and returning, and a number of new offerings are just on the horizon. The WDW News Today Podcast is proud to be introducing two exciting new segments, titled “The Golden Age” and “World’s Finest”. “The Golden Age” will be a quest to find out which point in Walt Disney World history could be considered the best overall period of the “Vacation Kingdom’s” existence. The “World’s Finest” segment will provide listeners with plenty of opinions and banter, as the WDWNT Podcast team tries to figure out what the very best of Walt Disney World truly is. Two classic segments that haven’t been heard in quite a while will also be returning, in “Back to the Future” and “Disney Don’t Forget the Lyrics”. Since it’s debut in January 2008, “Back to the Future” has allowed the WDWNT Podcast crew to educate listeners on the past, present, and future of Walt Disney World while honoring a favorite film series of the same name. “Disney Don’t Forget the Lyrics” was the first trademark game show on the WDW News Today Podcast and has set an example that many other Disney fan podcasts have tried to imitate, but have been unable to duplicate, a game where contestants must remember the lyrics to the classic songs of the Disney Parks. Over on the Disneyland News Today Podcast, the “What Were They Thinking” segment will find a new home. In this segment, the DLNT Staff will look at the various decisions made by Disneyland Management both past and present and try to figure out “What Were They Thinking?!?”. This segment will also be part of the all new DLNT Interactive program being introduced

At many times during our continuous evolution, we have brought you some new and experimental projects, one of the longer-lasting and well known was “Your Ear to the World”. On June 10th, 2009, the “Your Ear to the World” podcast had its final episode. This was a fun and innovative project for us over the last year, but we have decided to retire it to make room for a more unique method of bringing you audio experiences. The name of our latest and perhaps most exciting project to date is WDWNTunes.

Introducing WDWNTunes!!!

What is WDWNTunes? WDWNTunes is a streaming online radio station that will bring listeners audio from the Disney Parks, as well as exclusive content from the WDWNT Network. The main site for WDWNTunes will also provide listeners with a chat room, a full listing of our current audio library, a broadcasting schedule (coming soon!), and much more. In addition, WDWNTunes will be the new home of our WDWNT Live! shows, an opportunity to join us join us each month for a live interactive podcast. The first WDWNT Live! presented on WDWNTunes will be taking place on July 8, 2009, and will be a special show to commemorate our two year anniversary. Be sure to stay tuned for more details on this special show as we get closer to that date. In the mean time, you can find WDWNTunes online at www.wdwntunes.com and follow WDWNTunes on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wdwntunes and on Facebook at this link.

More To Come

If all of this news wasn’t enough from the WDWNT Network, we invite you to join us for the Town Square Talk segment during Episode 100 of the WDW News Today Podcast and Episode 70 of the Disneyland News Today Podcast for a few more pieces of news, as well as a blockbuster special announcement that will shake the very foundation of the WDWNT Network.

WDW News Today and the WDWNT Network is proud to present this full line-up of changes and additions to you, our audience, and hope you will continue to be a part of our still growing community. We are truly thankful for your devotion to our websites and podcasts and would like you to know that the last two years would have never been possible without your support. We hope you are as excited as we are about these new efforts in continuing to “Bridge the Gaps Between You and the World”.

Tom Corless
Owner of the WDWNT Network

WDWNT Network Exclusive Interview with Pirates of the Caribbean’s Lee Arenberg

WDWNT on May 15, 2009

pincast-lee

We here at the WDWNT Network are proud to announce that we were able to obtain an interview with actor Lee Arenberg, who played the part of Pintel in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. The interview was conducted by John Rick and Tom Corless for The Disney Pincast, but will also air on some of the other podcasts of the WDWNT Network this weekend. In the interview, Arenberg tells us about working on the epic Pirates of the Caribbean film trilogy, being a part of a Disney attraction, the importance of the movie premieres inside Disneyland, and some of his other work notable works, including Seinfeld, Star Trek, and a host of other shows. You can hear the interview now by listening to episode #60 of the Disney Pincast (download on iTunes or listen through the site), or you can wait until Sunday when the interview will air on the WDW News Today Podcast and the Disneyland News Today Podcast.

WDW News Today Announces Exciting New Features

WDWNT on April 22, 2009

The WDWNT Network has once again reached out to our audience and made changes and additions based on their thoughts. After collecting responses from our 2009 annual survey, we have decided to add and enhance a few features of the WDW News Today website.

The first major addition is a new calendar function powered by Google Calendar. After testing some alternative calendars over the last few weeks, we have determined this to be the calendar to meet our needs and the needs of our viewers, providing a clean, easy to read layout that will allow us to post Walt Disney World Resort and WDWNT Network events regularly. The Google Calendar also provides some useful features that the other candidates did not, such as the ability to copy events to your own Google Calendar, print an agenda of the calendar’s upcoming events, and provide weekly and monthly viewings based on preference. Our new calendar can be reached by clicking the calendar button in our navigation bar on WDW News Today.

The second major addition is that of a text-based WDW News Today Newsletter, carrying our latest Walt Disney World news headlines straight to your email box. So many of you responded that you wanted news by email, that we could not deny the request. This is only the first version of the newsletter we will be presenting, as we are already actively looking to make some enhancements to the system in the not-so-distant future. To subscribe, just simply enter your email address into the subscribe box in the left sidebar of the WDW News Today website.

The final update will certainly make our many Twitter followers happy. While most of the WDWNT Team is at the Walt Disney World Resort next week, we will be frequently updating the WDWNT Twitter with text and pictures bringing you the latest happenings from around the parks (including coverage of the 20th Anniversary events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios May 1st). If you are not following WDWNT on Twitter yet, be sure to go to twitter.com/wdwnt and start following us today!

For our Disneyland News Today audience, don’t fret, the calendar and newsletter functions will be rolling out to the DLNT website sometime in the next week.

We hope you enjoy all of these new additions to WDW News Today!

Thank you for your continued support,
Tom Corless
Owner of the WDWNT Network

2009 WDWNT Network Guest Survey

WDWNT on March 31, 2009

We here at the WDWNT Network would deeply appreciate it if you would take a few minutes of your time and tell us what you think about the current state of the WDWNT Network of Disney inspired websites and podcasts (WDW News Today, Disneyland News Today, the WDW News Today Community Forums, the WDWNTube, etc.). We will be using your survey responses to guide the direction of our websites and podcasts over the next year in order to better inform and entertain you. Thank you very much for your time and support.

We ask that you please take a few moments and click HERE to take the short 5 minute survey.

WDWNT Live! Episode 6

WDWNT on February 16, 2009

This edition of WDWNT Live! has been completed, but don’t threat… For those of you who missed it, we will be releasing it as podcast sometime in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned!

Included in the Show is:

  • Call-In Questions
  • “What Were They Thinking?!?”: So Many Celebrations
  • John Rick’s Disney Pin Investigation
  • WDWCelebrations Studio 20 Event Update
  • And More!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary Disneyland News Today!

WDWNT on February 8, 2009

Well, we made it…

Today is the 1 year anniversary of Disneyland News Today! It certainly has been an achievement for everyone involved, with quite a lot of turmoil on the path to a year, but as I said, we made it. It has been a great year for me personally with this website. It’s given me a great sense of achievement in having done something that brings information like this to a bigger audience than I’ve ever had. I’d like to personally thank Tom Corless, the owner of the WDWNT Network, for bringing up the idea of Disneyland News Today with me, and sticking with it this past year. I’d also like to thank the people who have helped out DLNT in some way or another this past year, including Chuck Canzoneri, Lee Scott, Kenny Siegel, Jose Castillo, Chris Lastrapes, James Kemp, Myrna Litt, and many more (you know who you are). The final people I want to thank are you, the listeners and readers of this site, for with-out you guys, Disneyland News Today wouldn’t have the drive to exist!

At the time of writing this post I am deep into editing our big 50th episode of the Disneyland News Today Podcast, featuring special editions of all of your favorite segments, a new inductee into the WDWNT Hall of Fame, the return of a classic DLNT segment, and a big Year in Review discussion. Expect this to be released later today.

We hope you had fun during DLNT’s first year of operation, and will continue to enjoy many years to come! 

Thanks again everyone,
Luke Manning

2008 Christmas Podcast Parade Now Available for Download

WDWNT on December 25, 2008

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.- If last year wasn’t enough to shake-up your holidays, the latest Walt Disney World holiday tradition will return Christmas Day 2008. While the 25th annual Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade taped in early December airs on ABC this Christmas morning, another parade will be making its way down Main Street U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom. The second annual Christmas Podcast Parade will be broadcast from the Walt Disney World Resort on December 25th, but it won’t be on any television station. The parade’s creator, Tom Corless, has received the exclusive rights to broadcast the parade on episode 74 of his popular WDW News Today Podcast and the other podcasts in his WDWNT Network. “Being the creator of this new parade, I felt that I should be the only one airing it,” said Corless, “no television channel wanted a parade full of internet stars anyway.” 

Will this years parade happen without the involvement of an angry mob? Will Jason Diffendal be able to deal with Adam Roth and his massive ego? Will Jose Castillo learn that not every word needs an S at the end of it? How many Luke Manning jokes will there be? The only way to find out is to tune into the episode 74 of the WDW News Today Podcast (or any other podcast in the WDWNT Network) on December 25th, 2008 for the Second Annual Christmas Podcast Parade from the Walt Disney World Resort.

After the “success” of the inaugural 2007 parade, some big stars have been lined up for the 2008 edition. Planned to appear thus far are Randy Newman, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, The Muppets, Riders in the Sky, a variety of Disney characters, Santa Claus, and even a few surprise guests. Tom Corless says that his regular podcast listeners shouldn’t worry, because a number of the usual podcast staff will be on hand as well, including Brian Sommer, Justin Heyman, Chris Lastrapes, Kenny Siegel, James Kemp, Steve Swanson, John Rick, Matt Paul, and Kelly Russo. While the names of most participants have been announced, none of the floats that will be appearing on Thursday have been made public of of date.

While most of the general public is not aware of the stars of this particular parade, to thousands of Disney fans, they are pseudo-celebrities. Co-founders of WDWCelebrations, Jason Diffendal and Adam Roth, were chosen to host the second edition of the annual event after last year’s hosts went mysteriously missing. The team seems a natural fit, as they have created a successful fan organization and events working together as part of a team. The parade will also be hosted by a secondary cast including Jose Castillo, Kyle Duffield, Luke Manning, and Dame Judi Dench. This larger team of hosts plan to keep things a little cleaner and understandable then the anarchy that took place in 2007.

The WDWNT Network proudly presents “Our Christmas Card to You”, the Second Annual Christmas Podcast Parade, live (well, sort of) from the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Join hosts Jason Diffendal, Adam Roth, Jose Castillo, Kyle Duffield, Luke Manning, and Judi Dench for a wild time on Main Street U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom for holiday floats and famous celebrities.

This new Christmas tradition is proudly presented by WDW News Today, Disneyland News Today, The Disney Pincast, the WDWNT Tube, Your Ear to the World, The WDW News Today Community Forums, WDWCelebrations, Magical Travel, and The Muppetcast. Sponsored by G-Force Records, The Mr. Potato Head Clinic, Al Harrington’s Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man Emporium and Warehouse, WDWNT: The Breakfast, Disney Cruise Line, Brian Sommer’s Ego, and Southern California.

To subscribe to the WDW News Today podcast on Itunes, go to this link. If you do not have Itunes, visit our Podcast Download Directory to download or listen to all of our shows

This episode is also available in an enhanced version. An enhanced podcast is a podcast with added features that standard podcasts don’t have. Enhanced podcasts include many features like Chapter listings, this lets you skip through chapters or see what is in store for this weeks show. Enhanced podcasts also have images to let you differ the chapters by. Enhanced podcasts have one negative feature, you can not play them on most MP3 players. The file format for this is a .m4a which can play on Apple’s iPod and Microsoft’s Zune. You will also need iTunes or Windows Media Player to be able to skip through chapters. If you need or would like the standard edition, download the normal edition listed below this file both on Itunes and in our podcast directory.

WDWNT Live! Episode 5 LIVE NOW!!!!

WDWNT on December 21, 2008

Join us now for our 5th live interactive program from WDW News Today, Disneyland News Today, The Disney Pincast, and Your Ear to the World. On this live show #5, we will be taking your calls and providing some special segments along the way. Be sure to join us from 9-11pm EST this Sunday for another edition of WDWNT Live!

How to participate: 
Call in: 
1. Dial: (724) 444-7444 
2. Enter: 20663 # (Call ID) 
3. Enter: 1 # or your PIN 

OR 

Join from your computer: 
Click Here

WDWNT Weekend Update

WDWNT on December 14, 2008

A few interesting developments from the last few days to note in this mixed-bag report:

-Matt Paul is reporting that the Mickey Mouse float in the Disney Dreams Come True Parade at the Magic Kingdom has been removed from the parade to be converted to the opening float for the latest version of the parade that will debut around January. The rumored name of the new parade will be the Celebrate Disney Dreams Come True Parade and it will most likely welcome in a slightly altered soundtrack for the parade using the “Celebrate You” theme song of the “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign. In the meantime, Mickey is appearing in a familiar spot on the castle finale float, where he once stood in his sorcerer’s apprentice costume during the Remember the Magic Parade. Matt will provide us with some pictures of this change once he returns home. Stay tuned for more information on this change as it becomes available.

-Disney has put up a number of new YouTube videos for the holiday season that you can view below:

  

  

  

-WDWNT Podcast Episode 72 is now available for download. Here’s a short synopsis:

Join me, Tom Corless, and a cast including Jason Diffendal, Justin Heyman, Matt Paul , Jose Castillo, Adam Roth, and Luke Manning for a show that Bridges the Gaps Between You and the Walt Disney World Resort. I hope you enjoy all of the Walt Disney World information and fun we have to offer on this “missing mountain” edition of the WDW News Today Podcast.

To kick off episode 72, we have all the recent happenings from the last week to discuss in our Walt Disney World Resort News and Rumor Report. This time around, we’ll be talking about some early changes to the “What Will You Celebrate?” entertainment line-up for 2009, a major Magic Kingdom E-Ticket attraction that may go missing next year, and just what attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios may not be operating next time you visit the park.

Following that, we’ll have the third edition of “What were they thinking?”, where we will try to examine why certain decisions are made by Walt Disney World management. This time around, we’ll be discussing the presence of famous celebrities in Disney attractions and if it is a good or bad thing for the parks.

Finally, Town Square Talk is back this week, highlighting the hottest topics around our WDWNT Network of websites. First up, Matt Paul is here to highlight some new Disney Park videos you can download from the WDWNTube (wdwntube.com). I’m also making some Town Square Talk this week, with news on some upcoming segments for the podcast that you can vote for as part of WDWNT Interactive. Jason Diffendal also drops in and informs us about the next WDWCelebrations event coming up in May 2009 that has a lot to do with the segment that follows this one.

Finally, to end this weeks program, we kick start our countdown of the 20 Biggest Moments in Disney’s Hollywood Studios History as voted by you with a look at what took the #20 spot. We’ll also be examining just how important this moment is in the 20 year history of the park. We hope to see this segment improve as it continues with a larger group of participants, we were a little short on staff this week because the holidays are quickly approaching.

To subscribe to the WDW News Today podcast on Itunes, go to this link. If you do not have Itunes, visit our Podcast Download Directory to download or listen to all of our shows

This episode is also available in an enhanced version. An enhanced podcast is a podcast with added features that standard podcasts don’t have. Enhanced podcasts include many features like Chapter listings, this lets you skip through chapters or see what is in store for this weeks show. Enhanced podcasts also have images to let you differ the chapters by. Enhanced podcasts have one negative feature, you can not play them on most MP3 players. The file format for this is a .m4a which can play on Apple’s iPod and Microsoft’s Zune. You will also need iTunes or Windows Media Player to be able to skip through chapters. If you need or would like the standard edition, download the normal edition listed below this file both on Itunes and in our podcast directory.