It Is Official: Disney Magazine No More

[prberk]

Disney Magazine failed to keep up with the times in the Internet Age, and it simply became irrelevant to anyone but the most casual Walt Disney World visitor. You could learn 10 times more from a decent message board and a few fan websites than you could from Disney Magazine, and you would learn that info 4 months before the next issue of Disney Magazine hit the news stands.

Disney Magazine was out-geeked, out-scooped, and out-info'ed by the Internet. I will miss the "Ask Dave" column in the very back of the magazine, but Disney was wise to shut it down. At least there is still the E Ticket Magazine for legitimately informative Park information and history.

I completely disagree, and I read these boards like everyone else. The magazine (like most magazines) serves a different purpose. Internet news is immediate, yes, but not usually written or published like a magazine, which is longer and more illustrative.

I know that the Disney Magazine usually focused more on Walt Disney World, but I think that had more to do with its genesis as a companion to the Magic Kingdom Club (which was aimed more at East Coast vacationers in the last 25 years or so). So, its subscriber base was more East Coast; but still I agree that it was better with a broad base of appeal.

But either way, the Disney Magazine should not be shut down. As I argued before, often I could find out about VERY obscure stuff there (like the $60 Walt Disney Treasures coffee table book, and the old Walt Disney: the Man Behind the Magic CD-ROM) that I would not have really known about (or searched for on the internet) without the magazine. My purchases of these items were DIRECT influences of the magazine but did not show up as sales to the magazine. So, they do not know how much money and profit the magazine generates.

Sigh.

 

[Slowjack]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I won't miss Disney Magazine. In the last five years it had just become overly-slick marketing propaganda for Walt Disney World, with breathless descriptions of some new stage show, predictable interviews of an Imagineer or some Park manager, mandatory use of the word "magic" or "magical" in every other paragraph, and constantly-glowing reviews of any restaurant at Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotels.

I'm sad to hear the magazine is being cancelled, but I dropped off the subscriber list years ago for this same reason. When I first subscribed to the magazine it was for "magic kingdom club" members and had a real insider feel. When it went on newsstands it became fluffier as time went on. Even towards the end of my subscription there something good in each issue, but the percentage of advertising-as-feature-article grew too large to be worth paying money for.

 

[marlaymike]

What should I do if I haven't received the spring issue? Where can I call and/or email?

 

[PamelaNiebergal]

No refund option? Is this true? Cause if it is then I will be really mad.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I'm sure they will give a refund, but you probably have to call to get it. I'm sure they would rather get you hooked on another magazine so they make money. And if people switch that boosts the other magazines circulation which then looks good to advertisers which then makes Disney more moola. I know I want a refund.

 

[crazygirley]

I'll be sad to see it go... especially after I finally captured an authentic Hidden Mickey my vacuum cord made and sent it in hopes of it being published.

I always looked forward to my quarterly Disney Mag... and no matter what kind of day I was having, seeing it in my mailbox put a smile on my face for the rest of the day.

I will no doubt be getting a refund.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I agree, seeing the magazine in the mailbox always put a smile on my face. And this year I really needed, I had a ton of tough students this year.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I read my friend's post card. There is fine print that reads:

Subscribers not interested in receiving either Disney Adventures or Family Fun for the remaining unmailed issues of your Disney Magazine subscription please call 1-800-333-8734 to speak to a customer service representative.

 

[OliveMcFly]

This is so sad. I love this magazine. It gave me my Disney fix. I'm really going to miss it. Why is it ending anyways?

 

[Ringo8n24]

I read my friend's post card. There is fine print that reads:

Subscribers not interested in receiving either Disney Adventures or Family Fun for the remaining unmailed issues of your Disney Magazine subscription please call 1-800-333-8734 to speak to a customer service representative.

Thanks for the number. I do not see that on the sleeve, so I am going to call the one you listed. I am glad because I see my subscription runs out in 2008!!!

 

[FatBoy976]

Very sad. I'll be requesting my position as head of Walt Disney Imagineering.

 

[STGRhost]

Hmmm... I want to feel bad about this, but I don't. I had a subscription a few years ago, but I let it run out last year, for pretty much the same reasons that Slowjack and TP2000 mentioned. The only parts I'll really miss were the letters and pictures at the front, and Ask Dave at the back.

I would like to say, though, that if you have kids (or work with them like me), you may want to check out Family Fun. It's not overwhelmingly "Disney" (and not actually a substitute for the Disney Magazine), but I ~always~ find cute stuff to do or make with my kids. The website is cool, too. Just my 2 cents.

 

[TP2000]

Then you're really going to miss out on the last issue. It's all on the 50th anniversary of Disneyland.

Yes, I'd heard the Summer '05 issue was dedicated solely to Disneyland and it's golden anniversary. Which is as it should be of course. I won't miss out on it, as I always picked up the latest copy at Barnes & Noble and thumbed through it for 3 minutes before putting it back on the shelf.

The Summer '05 copy will maybe be worth 5 or 6 minutes of my time, but I doubt there will be anything in there that isn't already on display at the "Disneyland - The First 50 Magical Years" attraction in the Opera House, or available for purchase at the Disneyana Store on Main Street or the Walt Disney Gallery in New Orleans Square. (You should see the AMAZING print on demand vintage Disneyland artwork the Gallery is offering for the 50th!)

If I do see some pictures, or some nuggets of info about Disneyland I didn't already know or have access to via the miracle of the Internet, I may actually buy the Summer '05 issue of Disney Magazine. But I find it hard to believe Disney Magazine will be able to offer anything new or unknown, which is exactly why I'm not worried about it going away.

From now on without Disney Magazine I will just have to trust that the creme brulee' at the Grand Floridian is "Fabulous!" and the appetizers at the California Grill are "To Die For!".

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

I, for one, will miss the Disney Magazine. It was a great magazine that I always looked forward to getting... sigh ...

 

[brich]

Of course the magazine didn't have info that couldn't be found on message boards or info sites. Any ideas on time frames for items to be posted to the web versus printed publications being sent out to subscribers? For me, this magazine wasn't about learning the lastest or greatest although many times I did find out some really cool things. For me the magazine served the purpose of fullfilling my Disney fix. Same reason why many of us continue to order the planner videos even though we have been to WDW many times and have a library of past planners on our shelves. It's a shame that we're losing another way to stay attached to Disney when many of us are so far away...

 

[WDWScottieBoy]

I got my last issue in the mail today and I'm not wanting either of those magazines. I'm not 6-12 and I'm not a parent, so neither will make-up for what the Disney Magazine gave me. I'm calling them right now to get my refund!

 

[Jekyll Baker]

I just picked up the last issue this afternoon at Books-A-Million. I was going to subscribe earlier this year until I read here that it would probably be folding soon.

 

[DonaldD1987]

too bad it was a good magazine

 

[wim]

other magazine....

for them who wants to be informed about special issue about Disney in the future can try:
http://laughingplacestore.com/Product-9002.asp

 

[DanStat]

I called and talked to a (very) depressed sounding representative today. She said my refund check would arrive in 4-6 weeks. No questions asked. (Except zip code and last name, ;-))