Ok, I've probably watched the whole DVD now, including all the special features, and took a look at the CD-Rom and have a slightly different view on all it now. I still think the previous DVD's/videos were more "sophisticated" as I said before, but I think the newer version is more informative and a bit more fun to watch.
After watching everything on the new DVD, I got to give it a big thumbs up. In my opinion, the Luke character is the only downer/annoying aspect on this new video and actually can ruin parts of the DVD. Not every person who likes thrills is a teenager. The other hosts though are wholesome, fun, and seem to actually enjoy and are excited about telling you what WDW offers, even if at times Erin seems to be trying a bit too hard. Its also a bit more "hipper" than previous videos, which of course comes at a price of being a little less nostalgic and classy....but I don't think that's a bad thing.
The planning videos aren't meant to be a trip down memory lane for frequent park goers/huge fans (even if most of us here, including myself, fall into that group and ordered), but are rather meant to get folks who are considering a trip excited and eager to plan a visit to WDW. I do honestly think the new DVD does that better than the older ones. That's why the newer video shows more of the hosts actually "explaining" things and showing them having "fun" at WDW rather than just clips of attractions that can be found on the videos you can buy at the parks. Its meant to help you plan, not meant to help you re-live your WDW trip (even if that's what I used them for in the past
) I also think the inclusion of the CD-Rom and other features on the DVD really help people start the planning process for a trip.