Deb's Digest

It's been almost 2 months since we started the AllEars® blogs. Seems like a good time to hear directly from you, see what you think, listen to your feedback and suggestions.

Please take a few minutes (ok, maybe 10) to fill out the survey.

We'll be posting some of your comments and feedback in an upcoming blog.

Deb

Thank you to everyone that took time to fill out the AllEars® Blog Central Survey! We closed the survey at 1000 responses. To the over 700 of you that entered your email addresses for the All Ears goody bag, we are in the midst of contacting you.

Mike Scopa and I discussed the results in length and want to share some of your comments.

So here goes....

We asked some general Disney questions including these:

What is your favorite Walt Disney World theme park?

By far you chose the Magic Kingdom as #1, followed by Epcot #2 and then the Disney MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom were a distant 3rd and 4th.

When was your first visit to Walt Disney World?

About 80% of you chose the 1973-1999 time frame, with the majority visiting for the first time between 1980-1989!

Then to questions about blogs like these:

How familar are you with blogs?
The overwhelming majority were familiar with blogs.

We asked you to list your 5 favorite blogs and actually learned about a few really good ones ourselves!

Now specifically onto the All Ears Blogs.

Navigation! -- One of the main things we wanted to learn from the survey was about our navigation! Can you find the blogs easiliy? Is the navigation easy? etc.

COMMENT: You shouldn't have to do so much scrolling on the Blog Central Page to get to the lists of current blogs

DEB: You are correct. We set it up that way in the beginning so that folks unfamiliar with our bloggers could read a little about them before heading to their blogs. We will be modifying that page for easier navigation in the near future.

COMMENT: I find it confusing that if I click on one blog entry on the Blog Central page I get only this one blog entry and not all of them in their chronological order. I am never sure how to get to the page with all the entries of one particular blogger.

COMMENT: Your link to Blog Central does not appear in all the headers of the website.

DEB: We have begun work on these navigation suggestions.

COMMENT: I'd welcome a single, consolidated option to read everyone's blog postings -- a "mega blog" with an easy URL that combines the posts from all of the individual blogs..... It's easier to skip over a blog posting that doesn't interest me, than it is to navigate to all the individual pages that do.

DEB: Actually, this is something we have planned for later this year. Our blog software is currently beta-testing the next version. It has some great new features including the ability to combine all the blog post listings in one place. So, look for it in a few months.

We asked what topics you'd like to see?
Theme parks were favorite followed closely by Dining, Resorts and Special Events. In addition, you offered some other suggestions:

**It would be fun to follow someone through the process they go through to set up a Disney vacation.
** More peeks at the "method behind the magic"
** More DLR and some info from DLP, TDR and HKDL (maybe by guest bloggers?) We visit WDW mainly but I love info on the other parks.
** More about park happenings and how current things being made or are under construction are coming along.
** Trips in action. Loved living vicariously through Deb's recent trips. Made you feel like you were there. Sort of....
** Let's get an Anita Anwser Blog too! :)

DEB: Thanks for all the great suggestions you made. We want your feedback so we can bring you the types of writeups you're interested in. For those of you who want an Anita Blog -- well, you'll have to email her directly.... she's still pondering!

That's it for Part I. Look for Part 2 soon.

Thanks again to everyone who filled out the survey!.

Deb

This is Part 2 of the All Ears Blog Central Survey Feedback.
If you missed Part 1, read it HERE!

Here are more comments (and a few responses) from the ALLEARS® Blog Central feedback survey!

COMMENT: "Calling these "Blog"s implies that they are updated nearly every day, which I know is a lot of work, but it would be best if one of the many blogs could have a new entry each day. That would keep me coming back. Thank you for all your hard work!!!"

DEB: The ultimate goal is to have a team of bloggers so that there is something new each day. Right now, we are still in Phase I and flexing our muscles a bit to see what possibilities exist. Your feedback in the survey is helping us to form the Blog Central Team!

COMMENT: "Your "blogs don't support comments, which is a major feature that turns the blog from a static experience into an interactive one - the main reason I don't read your blogs often is the lack of commenting."

DEB: You are correct, comments are a major part of blogs. We have chosen, at least during Phase I, to not allow comments. We are considering this for a future enhancement.

COMMENT: You "should have younger demographic 18-35 type." AND "The only thing I like to add would be that you don't have a younger demographic rep to add their thoughts on your blog. For example, Pleasure Island is virtually empty of useful info for a club setter. Just throwing that out."

DEB: We'd love to have someone covering this demographic for us.. let us know if you are interested.

COMMENT: Folks both loved and well, didn't care for, our Blogs about the Mediterranean Cruise. One reader writes: "3 Bloggers on the same cruise seemed like a waste, especially when I had no interest in the European cruise."

DEB: This is as good a time as any to step back and expand on our Blog philosophy at AllEars (basics can be found on main blog central page). Just as the All Ears.net website and AllEars® newsletter compliment each other, our goal is that the blogs will add to that compliment too.

All Ears Blog Central will provide a more up close and personal view of Disney through the eyes of those blogging. Our topics will be broad and will include Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, special Disney related events, basically anything under the umbrella of Disney.

The topics on the blogs may also weave back and forth depending on what's going on and where we happen to be. For instance, in less than 2 weeks Deb, Mike Scopa and Steve Barrett will be attending the annual MagicMeets event in PA. We plan to blog from that event and also have readers blogging live with their reports! We plan to do the same at MouseFest in December.

We have several niche blogs - like Mike Scopa's Running with Mickey series and Steve Barrett's Hidden Mickeys quest; more are in the pipeline! Have an idea for a Disney blog -contact us! Some readers expressed interest in learning more about Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland.

Now specifically regarding the Mediterranean Cruise reports -- It just so happened that the Med cruise was the first ever Disney cruise in that part of the world. In the broad world of Disney travel, it was big news. A number of All Ears® team members decided to travel together on that cruise. Disney did not (nor do they ever) pay for us to go on a trip and report about it. Each of us spent our own money for our vacation cruise. Yes, it was our vacations. The blog reports were not the reason for taking the cruise - but we felt it was important enough in the world of Disney Cruise Line that we wanted to take the time and share our experiences with you.

I know this is a long response but the bottom line is we now offer 3 distinct mediums for you to obtain your Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise line, and Universal Orlando information: the AllEars.net website, the weekly AllEars® newsletter and the AllEars® Blog Central. If you are looking for objective, general, non-personal information head over to the website and newsletter.

Think of Blog Central as a menu where you pick and choose what is of interest to you. If you want something a little different, read our blogs! Let us know if there are special things you'd like to see in the future. We have lots of plans for the blogs.. and we are just getting started!

COMMENT: "I would like to see a forum for all readers to post their opinions & anything pertinent to the Disney experience. I enjoy rate & review very much, but I would like to see more place for reader to post & discuss their thoughts."

DEB: A week doesn't go by without someone asking if we plan to have message boards. The simple answer is no. We have given this a great deal of thought, consideration and analysis over the years and will continue to do so. However at this point in time, we believe there are a large number of Disney forums available for those interested. We do have Ears to Ears™, a moderated forum on yahoogroups (email earstoears-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to subscribe)

COMMENT: A Blog "written by a local Orlando person, a current events type blog would be useful. Even information out of the newspaper. Upcoming weather forecast for the week, news regarding the airport, road construction, reminders about the time of year, (i.e. don't forget Star Wars weekends going on during June weekends), etc."

DEB: We are considering this for a future enhancement.

COMMENT: A few of you wondered about my current sig: "Life IT too short."

DEB: Well, I was goofing around one day with friends - who were giving me a hard time about traveling so much. They kept asking why am I always going somewhere! Without thinking I twirled around and responded with "Life -- IT too short!". They laughed and it became my current "saying".

GENERAL COMMENTS:

Over 98% of you were extremely positive in your response to our latest effort on AllEars. For that, we thank you. Just remember this is Phase I of Blog Central and plan to grow and expand over time.
let us know if you are interested in being a "guest blogger".

And I"ll end with one last reader's comments: " I enjoy the blogs and remind myself to read at least 1 or 2 a week. I have been receiving the newsletters for a few years and absolutely enjoy all the information and updates that the allears team shares. Thank you for the dedication, and commitment to helping us Disney loving people feel like we are on vacation even when we are not by guiding into the "World" each week. I can tell you all put lots of time and research into making sure the most recent information is available. Very gratefully!!!"

SURVEY WINNERS
Those of you who answered the survey all the way to the end, know that we were giving away AllEars goody bags to 10 random respondents. All winners have been notified via email and we've heard from 9 of you. Your packages have been mailed.

Congrats to: Debbie Williams, Joni Stacy, Bill Vandiver, Isabella Pedone, Joanne Covell, Jenifer Hughey, Charissa Banks, David Hammack and Amber Keen. Still waiting to hear back from the last respondent whom we've emailed twice!

Once again, thanks to everyone for taking the time to provide important feedback on AllEars® Blog Central!

Deb

On this eve before Thanksgiving, I want to take a few moments and thank all of you for your continued support of AllEars®!!!

You rate your experiences at the resorts, restaurants and special events which in turn help other readers make important vacation decisions.

You subscribe to our weekly newsletter, AllEars®.

You support us by supporting our advertisers.

You submit photos and ideas and tips and updates so we can continue to provide you the most current and accurate information possible! For these things and many more...

Thank you and have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

Deb and the AllEars® Team

This time I don't mean the Disney Magic ship!

It's giveaway time. Clearing out some inventory. I had AllEars T-Shirts to giveaway. They are all claimed now. Congrats to the Winners!!!!!

CONGRATS to Grey XL Tshirt winners:
Nathan Cripe - Indiana
Ramona Gaylor - Georgia

CONGRATS to White XL Tshirt winners:
Tacey Atkinson - Canada
Jacky Cross - Somerset, England

CONGRATS to the Short Sleeve Size L Grey All Ears TShirt Winners:
Rob Smith - Nebraska
Lauren Sullivan - Tenn
Patrick Albrecht - MN