Subscribe to Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod via iTunes by clicking the button above!
...Or just enter http://aaronspod.libsyn.com/rss into the podcatching program of your choice.

What is a Disney Podcast?

Wikipedia defines "podcast" as "a series of digital media files, usually digital audio or video, that is made available for download via Web syndication." Put more simply, a podcast is just like a radio show, only (1) you find it on the internet, (2) you listen to it on your computer, an iPod, or other .mp3 player, and (3) there are a LOT of shows to choose from. Just like radio shows, podcasts are entirely free to listen to. You can find most popular podcasts in the iTunes Music Store -- search for podcasts there just like you would search for music. When you find a show you like, "subscribe". Subscribing is free -- it just means that new episodes will automatically download to your computer as soon as a new episode is ready.

So what is a Disney podcast? Easy -- a Disney podcast is just like a radio show that is all about Disney. That might seem like an unusually specific topic but there's actually so much to talk about that Disney podcasts have developed into a podcast genre all their own, and one of the most popular genres at that! There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of Disney-specific podcasts available on the internet.

There are generally two kinds of Disney podcasts: (1) Official Disney podcasts and (2) Unofficial Disney podcasts.

Official Disney podcasts are produced and distributed by the Walt Disney Company or a subsidiary thereof. Disney produces an ever-growing but still small handful of these official productions and they are available on iTunes for free. These productions are commercial in nature, typically designed to promote a current initiative or upcoming project from some branch of the Disney company. The episodes are typically brief and not altogether very substantive.

Unofficial Disney podcasts make up the bulk of the Disney podcasting out there. They are shows produced either by casual fans or respected experts who have considerable experience in Disney. These shows are not affiliated with or authorized by the Walt Disney Company or any subsidiary thereof. These unofficial Disney podcasts are therefore able to offer more analytical or critical content. The unofficial Disney podcasts began with The MousePod (which has since been retired), followed soon therafter by Inside the Magic and Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod. Within a couple of years, these three shows were joined by hundreds more. This boom in Disney podcasting led to the creation of The Disney Podcast Network (DPN), an online "headquarters" of sorts for some of the most popular unofficial Disney podcasts on the internet. The DPN is hosted by another unofficial Disney podcast, The Meandering Mouse.

Most unofficial Disney podcasts focus almost entirely on Disney theme parks. Many of these are "park audio" shows, meaning that the podcast is primarily focused on recording audio of the host walking through the Disney theme parks and experiencing the attractions, often giving running commentary during the show.

The other most common type of Disney podcast is the "discussion" show. Unlike "park audio" shows, these podcasts are recorded primarily in a studio and feature one or more hosts discussing some specific aspect of The Walt Disney Company or Disney Entertainment in each episode. These shows usually offer reviews (such as movie reviews, music reviews, or book reviews), thoughtful Disney analysis, celebrity interviews, special articles of discussion, and "trip reports" (unscripted recitations of the host's experiences while on vacation inside a Disney theme park).

In addition to the theme parks, Disney "Discussion" podcasts also often discuss Disney movies, Disney music, Radio Disney, The Disney Channel, ESPN, the Disney Cruise Line, ABC Studios, and other branches of the Walt Disney Company. Theme park discussion on these shows is also often expansive so as to include all of Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios / Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom), Disneyland Resort (Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure), Disneyland Paris (Disneyland, Disney Studios), Tokyo Disney (Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea), Hong Kong Disneyland, and other Disney Parks and Resorts properties like Adventures by Disney.

It isn't unusual for a Disney "discussion" show to focus an entire episode on, say, a Disney movie -- The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Toy Story, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Song of the South, and High School Musical might each get an entire episode (which may run anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours) devoted to it. Likewise, a single episode could focus on anything as specific as Rock 'n' Rollercoaster Starring Aerosmith or Adventureland, or as broad as all of the Walt Disney World resort.

Ultimately, Disney podcasts are all about having fun, thinking critically, and reflecting on a brand of entertainment that has captivated millions for nearly a hundred years. The shows are typically categorized as travel podcasts or family podcasts in major online podcast directories.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod is an unofficial "discussion" Disney podcast. The show is a weekly, interactive discussion of the ins and outs of Disney fandom: news, reviews, analysis, and general discussion about what it is that makes us love all things Disney. Topics include Disney animation and movies, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and all the other aspects of the Walt Disney Company. Aaron Wallace, film critic and Disney enthusiast, is your host.

Aaron Wallace is a film, television, and music critic and media correspondent who has written hundreds of reviews, celebrity interviews, and articles for two of the internet's most popular and respected media outlets, UltimateDisney.com and DVDizzy.com. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Communication Studies and English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a concentration in media studies and is currently a Juris Doctor candidate at the Wake Forest University School of Law.

Subscribe to Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod via iTunes by clicking the button above!
...Or just enter http://aaronspod.libsyn.com/rss into the podcatching program of your choice.

Index of Reviews and Articles written by Aaron Wallace

Contact aaronwallaceonline.com at aaronspod@gmail.com

Home • About • Reviews • Links • Episodes Blog • RSS Feed • Contact

All text and original content trademark of Aaron Wallace and aaronwallaceonline.com.

"Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod" is an independent and unofficial podcast. Neither "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod" nor www.AaronsPod.com are authorized by or affiliated with The Walt Disney Company in any way or at any level. All text and original content trademark of Aaron Wallace, 2009.