25 December 2009

Tomorrow is still but a dream

Almost twelve-hundred articles and a little over two years ago I started this journey I curiously dubbed the Main Street Gazette. It was an outlet, a place for me to share my thoughts, insights, and perspectives on Walt Disney World. I thought I had a wealth of information to share, and then I felt the pangs of reality settle in, it was going to take a lot of work to keep this hobby going and I didn’t have nearly as much education into the wonderful world of Walt Disney World as I had thought. So, I began my own education.

In a little time what I had started as a hobby, and as a way to stop pestering my wife (then fiancée) with mind-numbing lists of facts and figures, brought me more joy, thanks to all of you, and ideas than I thought I could hold or create. I pumped out more and more articles and crafted an ever-growing list of projects for myself behind the scenes. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest minds in the field of Walt Disney World that do not work for Disney on podcasts and in Celebrations Magazine and through a number of other venues, but each and every day I return back to this small publication I started.

What started out as a hobby has grown into a dream that I couldn’t have dared imagine a few short years ago. I have reached a point where I need to begin some solid work on projects, projects I hope to be able to discuss in more detail with you all soon, but the Main Street Gazette requires so much of my time. So, sadly, as of January 1st the Main Street Gazette will be cutting back to a weekday only distribution. But that is the only piece of slightly depressing news I have for you today.

On the other side of that coin, I am happy to announce that I am going to be shifting away from a blog format to a more substantial design. While there will still be articles on the front page each day, the Gazette will, over time, begin to create a resource to chronicle the multitude of details from around Walt Disney World that I love to talk about so much. While all of this will not be completed, or ready to launch, tomorrow or next week, it will be coming soon and will continually be a work in progress. The design is in the more than capable hands of our good friend Eric Hoffman, who seems to succeed even in the face of my bumbling things up.

Starting in January, here is what you can expect on a daily basis from the Main Street Gazette:
PERSPECTIVE (Mondays) – Personal reflection on a Disney topic. Thoughts on art, shopping, underexplored areas, changes, anything that sparks the imagination. This will also include the occasional roundtable discussion.

THE WED PAGE (Tuesdays) – The history of Walt Disney World. The stories, lighthearted and/or documented accounts, covering the past forty years of Walt Disney World.

DISNEY DELISH (Wednesdays) – Restaurant reviews, the design of dining establishments, home cooked Walt Disney World recipes, if it has to do with food and Disney, you’ll find it here.

PHOTO SAFARI (Thursdays) – A photo article detailing the highlights of a specific area or a mass quantity of photographs pertaining to a specific topic.

THE WDW RECORD (Fridays) – The detail resource the Main Street Gazette is going to be creating will take time to develop. This section will highlight a single entry once a week.

So, there you have it, the new plan for the Main Street Gazette. Wait… it feels like I am leaving something out… New design, check... New schedule, check... New content, check... Oh, I know!

Some of you may have taken a second glance when you saw the words The WED Page as a weekly section. Starting in January, Tony Caggiano is going to start writing for the Main Street Gazette twice a week. For those of you who know Tony and have read his work, you know his passion for the history of Walt Disney World rivals my own. He will bring his brand of storytelling, humor, and deep-rooted love of Disney to the Gazette, and I cannot wait for all of you to see what he has in store! I hope you will all welcome him with warm hearts and open arms.

The new Main Street Gazette will carry with it the same heart as its previous incarnation, but without all the clutter. I hope it will be a resource to all who want to learn about the happy place that is Walt Disney World, and I hope it will bring more Disney to your daily life than ever before. On day one, over two years ago, I said I had blathered on quite a bit, but that I hoped you would come back, and you have resoundingly. For that, I am humbled and I can never thank you enough. I only hope that you’ll continue to want to read what I, and Tony, have to say.

For today, however, I hope you find warmth with the loved ones you are with and the magic of the season in your hearts. Merry Christmas, or Happy Friday, to one and all!

1 comment:

Chuck Munson said...

Ryan,
Congratulations! Change is at once scary and transformative. Sounds like you have a solid plan of action and some help (hi Tony, I read his blog as well) to smooth things out. I'm looking forward to seeing the fruition of your plans.