The WDW News Today Podcast - without News Today · Tom Corless & Eric Morton

Our Thoughts on Destination D23 - The WDW News Today Podcast: Episode 77

·44 min·2 clips

Tom says pin pickup at Destination D23 took six hours for three pins already paid for.

1. The WDW News Today Podcast episode centers on Destination D23 and the Disney World announcements that came out of it. 2. Eric Morton hosts with Tom Corliss, who is introduced as WDW’s CEO and speaks as both host and media attendee. 3. The episode asks whether Destination D23 still serves the park-history audience that loved the early Destination D events. 4. Tom says the 2011 Destination D was built around the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney World and deep history panels. 5. He contrasts that with Destination D23, which he says now feels like a mini expo with less park focus. 6. The hosts single out a 2000s Disney animated films panel featuring Tarzan, Atlantis, Treasure Planet, and Brother Bear contributors. 7. They also praise the Archives-produced “Down the Rabbit Hole” presentation and the musical performances at the event. 8. Tom says 4,000 people bought tickets and notes that some attendees were likely there for pins or resale value. 9. A major criticism is the pin pickup process, which they describe as separate lines and two-hour waits for each of three pins. 10. They say the castle repaint announcement caused the biggest cheer in the room. 11. Tom argues that Cinderella Castle’s pink 50th-anniversary look had worn out its welcome and started to look like a toy. 12. He says a return toward the original color scheme would make the castle look like a castle again. 13. The other major announcement is the Walt Disney animatronic moving from Walt Disney: A Magical Life into Carousel of Progress. 14. Eric and Tom discuss the plan for Walt to introduce the attraction and connect him to the Florida project. 15. They worry that Gene Shepard’s longtime narration role will be hard to replace cleanly. 16. They suggest the final scene, the grandfather role, or a more historical framing might fit Walt better than a brief load-in appearance. 17. The tone is conversational, skeptical, and still openly enthusiastic about a few specific announcements. 18. The episode moves from jokes about snacks and business models into a detailed, point-by-point critique of event design and park presentation. 19. Listeners who follow Walt Disney World announcements and attraction history will get the most from it. 20. Listeners wanting a quick news recap without strong opinions may skip it.

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