What’s New At DisneyExaminer
Jordie here! First and foremost, I wanted to take this time to greet every one of our readers and followers a heartfelt thank you – as always! Truly DisneyExaminer has become and is becoming something much more than I ever thought it would be, and it’s all thanks to you or readers who, through your word of mouth and kind notes to yours truly and the rest of our staff, have seen us grow to the big site we are now!
Yes friends, we are expanding, but never forgetting the ideals and friends like you we’ve made along the way. So with that, I wanted to close this speech with the “start of something new!” (lame…)
DE has been working really hard to make our website experience much different from everyone else out there and in doing so, attract a larger audience. Disney news comes in all sorts of shapes and forms. DE has always been attracted to the fact the delivery of that news is what gives readers a different and much closer perspective at what’s happening out there in the Disney world. That was one of our ideals from Day #1 and we continue it on today through our new offerings and annoucements! So let’s get started with those annoucements shall we?
1) Gigwalk
I am very proud to announce our utilization of Gigwalk! What is Gigwalk you ask? Well, if you have an iPhone, think of it as your ticket to getting your churro paid for…by yourself! Gigwalk is a company that has created a “mobile” workforce through an iPhone application! How does this apply to DE? Well, starting soon, we will be utilizing Gigwalk as a means reporting (and other fun tasks)! When you’re in the Parks, just launch the Gigwalk application, locate a Gig – which is indicated by a red pin on the map from within the application, and get started! The Gigs can be anything! For example, If we need someone to take a picture of the new entry gate at DCA, we’d just place a Gig indicating we need that picture and you’re open to completing it next time you’re in the Parks!
Wondering about your incentive? When you first begin as a Gigwalker, or task taker, you usually must build up your “streetcred” – basically smaller tasks that prove that you can handle the larger tasks. Those larger tasks will then be provided by not just DE, but maybe individuals/businesses that may need your help with something, where when completed, you’ll be able to earn actual money! Not Disney Dollars people, REAL DOUGH! Exciting eh?!
We’ll have more on Gigwalk and when we have our first Gigs posted later on, but for now, download the application and get acquainted with Gigwalk by doing some tasks in your area now! For more information, please visit Gigwalk’s official site.
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2) Next up, your new Snippet Reporters!!
Folks, please give a warm DE welcome to David and Drexelle Park – your new Snippet reporters and DE’s OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS!
From the couple –
We’re proud to be a part of this Disney fan-family and are so excited to capture those magical moments at Disney Parks around the world. Stay tuned, readers!
I am very excited to be working with such a distinguished couple like these two. Personally, we’ve known each other off and on for a couple of years now through family, but I am even more excited to be working with them now to grow our friendship and professional sides! David and Drexelle have pretty much had a fairy-tale life by all means! They started as friends, grew into high school sweethearts, then got married and started their own wedding photography business…and best of all, they LOVE Disney!
That love of Disney and their great passion for photography is something that we admire very much and find it very fitting for them to join our team!
David and Drexelle will begin their roles for DE as our new Snippet reporters – utilizing their great photography and fun and lovable blog-writing skills to report on the weekly happenings around the Resort. If you haven’t seen their work yet, here’s a sample of what you all are in store for!
From their recent trip to Disneyland Paris – Click the photos for their full report on their blog.
Their work is gorgeous and really, who can ask for more! What I’d also like to note is that they are still professional photographers…FOR HIRE! Having a Disney wedding? Give them a ring! Seriously…you won’t regret a moment with them snapping your precious Magical moments in life.
If you’d like to talk to them about a future event of yours, be sure to contact them. In any case, be sure to say hello and drop them an email at their new email address at dpark@storytellermedia.org.
Get excited for their reports!
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3) Next what’s in store for all of you guys and us for the rest of the Summer of ’11!
As many of you have read in our Note on Facebook, we are expecting A LOT to happen throughout the summer. We’re lining up a lot of exciting things, so here’s a sneak peak of what’s to come! Start marking your calendars…
i) The D23 Expo in Anaheim – August 19-21, 2011!
There you go – “The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience.” Basically, it’s a gathering of all of Disney’s various divisions – from Parks and Resort to the Studios, there will be exclusive exhibits and of course Disney fans from across the world Oooh-ing and Ahhh-ing at the same things you’ll be Ooh and Ahhh-ing about! Since everyone here as part of the DE staff are Disney fans…might as well go, right?!
If you haven’t had the chance to experience the D23 Expo, you’re deprived of much things. If you don’t know what it is, visit the D23 Expo official page and see for yourself! Try to come and make it down as a pilgrimage, if I may say. If you can’t make it down, you can assure yourself that we’ll be there to cover it ALL!
**Who’s this, you ask? Well it is Lea Salonga – singing voice of Jasmine in Aladdin, Mulan…and PROUD FILIPINA! We’re hoping to interview her around the Expo, as she and other Disney contributors and artists are receiving a Disney Legends award for their work! Keep your fingers crossed! As most of your staff here at DE is Filipino, this would indeed be an honor all around!
ii) Goofy’s Sky School and New Restaurants Grand Openings in the revamped Paradise Pier!
July 1st marks the opening of the new re-imagined attraction and restaurants in Paradise Pier! What was once Burger Invasion, Pizza Om Mow Mow, and Mullholland Maddness has now been complete transformed to match the theming of the surrounding area. Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta, Paradise Garden Grill, and Goofy’s Sky School will grace that area now and will give guests a new reason to visit Paradise Pier – with the new gourmet food and even the re-themed Goofy’s Sky School, we’re sure the small and big changes will have a BIG impact for all of us who’ve been there, done that.
And we aren’t kidding! We’ll be LIVE Tweeting our first reviews on the new foods that day, as well take you on a ridealong on our first flight lesson with Goofy via our Ustream channel! So be sure to join us July 1!
iii) Aulani
Disney’s creating a Resort in Hawaii?! It’s certainly my dream come true! I’ve loved Hawaii ever since I went for the first time…last year! For all of those who haven’t been, you should and if you can’t its all good too! Our best excuse to go to Hawaii is for business…and rightful so! Set on the more secluded shores on the island of Oahu, Disney has created a Resort the compliments the environment that it’s in. Just like the Grand Californian here in my own backyard, Aulani will take the authentic Hawaiian experience and put it all in itself.
We’ve taken a exclusive tour of what the rooms will look like and seen videos of the pool area, and we’re already excited! Be sure to check out last week’s Snippet as well to see some shots of the rooms at Aulani!
We are currently working with Disney PR right now to see if we can cover any opening events in August, so again keep your fingers crossed! We’d love to bring you all Hawaii right on our webpage!
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And that’s it for Summer ’11…or is it?! We’ll see! We got a lot more surprises in store…so stay with us and tell your friends! DE’s Summer is just getting started!
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4) Cars 2
VRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOMMMMMM. DisneyExaminer raced back to the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood to be treated to a special screening of Cars 2 [THANK YOU AGAIN, WALT DISNEY STUDIOS!] this past Monday and we’re sure that Pixar has another hit on their hands!
A stop by the Disney Soda Fountain & Studio Store for the “Fountain of Youth” shake. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Also pictured, my review notebook, our special screening ticket, and synopsis packet.
Sure, we were skeptical when we saw the trailer and the spy theme and all…but no doubt, this is a Pixar film – and Pixar films are awesome. Bias? No. Truth. We’ll have a full review from yours truly posted next week, as well as a review from my little cousin! If there’s a critic out there can tell it like it is, it’s him. [UPDATE 6/29 – We’ll actually be posting our official review of Cars 2 with our official review of Winnie the Pooh later on this month! ~ Until then, what have YOU thought of the movie? Send in your own reviews to webmaster@disneyexmainer.com and be featured on our website!]
Until then, be your own critic and watch the film yourself starting NOW, beginning June 24! Be sure to let us know what you think by letting us know on our new forums…
What.
5) OUR NEW FORUMS!
Yes friends! We finally have a discussion board, or for all your fancy people – a forum!
Our forum is like any other forum, being that is a place where we, you, and everyone else in our Disney Fan community can chat and get to know each other!
We were very worried that having a forum would not be the best idea for our website, but who are we to say no! You be the judge! If you think we should have a forum, we’ll have a forum! As the logo states, we are in BETA, meaning a test phase. We’ll be tweaking everything in the technical sense, but also be monitoring how well our activity is! If we don’t see that a lot of us are not the communicating type, it’s all good! We’ll rid ourselves of the forum and focus on something else.
I promise! There is no negative connotation to that statement, just simply saying that DE is not a forums site – making us more different, which we like! But prove us wrong! If you want a forum, participate and start posting today! Be sure to register first…
UPDATE 6/29 – Our Forum is not cooperating with us right now…we’ll let you know when we have it back online. Thanks to the people that registered already and for your patience!
And that’s it folks! I wasn’t kidding when I said there would be a TON of news today! Thanks for taking the time to read through all of this, but we hope at the end of all this reading that you are all excited of what’s in store for us here at DE! We do it for us of course, but more so do all this for all of you. I cannot stop saying that because it’s so true!
To those who have sent it your very supportive and loving notes, thank you for staying with us and making us your source for Disney news and fun! To those of you just joining us, we hope you enjoy what we have to offer and look forward to having all of you in our Disney fan family!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Till next week,
– Jordie