Your Feedback on Changes to the Main Website

[Goofy]

The main website will be changing over the next month.The 1st step is to clean of the navigation of the website.
Of the ~500 pages on the website about 400 of them are Disney Resort Specific.
Because of that the left menu is dominated by Disneyland items.
As the website grows with more non-disneyland topics that needs to change.
So all the Disneyland vacation planning Articles and general disneyland articles and all Disneyland Review topics went to 2 left menu links.
The question is what to do with once you click each link.
There are 2 versions.... 1 has all the links for DL Articles on 1 page and all the links for DL reviews on 1 page. 2 has another level of pages.
Vote for your choice.
If you like neither let me know why.
General comments on how to improve the structure of the main site are also welcome.
<A href="http://d4903554.z104.wobbooksite.com/test1.htm">http://d4903554.z104.wobbooksite.com/test1.htm
(the links Disneyland articles and Disneyland Reviews have the 2 versions)
Andy

[Disney5]

I'd go with one just because it sounds more new user friendly. However, I'm actually fine with whatever you two think is best because I trust you and what you've done before.
I'd go with whatever the majority wants, so if my vote is a tie-breaker, move me to whatever!

[Goofy]

I like all the articles being listed on 1 page (version 1) but I worry that there are just too many off them and it becomes overwhelming to the user. Maybe more and better categories will help that.
On the reviews side we will eventually have a review for every item in the Disney resort so there will be hundreds.

[Disney5]

Good point Andy. I think this whole site is overwhelming - people don't expect to get as much info as they do here, which we hear over and over again - that's a GREAT thing!

[Disney5]

Lol Jena!

[Tink]

Did you mean to give a second link Andy?

[Tink]

Okay, I see what I missed before. To get to version two, you must click some of the links! Sorry.

[Tink]

I like version one! But can be convinced if number 2 is better. lol

[Sue]

I still think the site does not lend itself to WDW people...and you are getting more of that traffic...I think more subsections on the main page, versus listing everything, would get you more traffic throughout the site.

[Goofy]

Sue (1/3/2007)[hr]I still think the site does not lend itself to WDW people...and you are getting more of that traffic...I think more subsections on the main page, versus listing everything, would get you more traffic throughout the site.
I would love more WDW people but unfortionately Leanne and I can not write WDW articles and reviews because we have never been there... so we have ~75 DL articles and &gt;300 DL reviews compared to 13 WDW articles/reviews.
Currently, of the 12 Disney Park subsections on the main page... 2 are shared, 1 is WDW, 1 is Crusies, and 8 are DL.
The new look has only 3 DL subsections off the main page with the rest staying the same.
So the new look actually takes some of the DL subsections off the main page and will make it more balanced.
I can put 2 WDW subsections by splitting it up between WDW articles and WDW reviews.
Eventually we will put in a WDW Resort Guides section like we are Disneyland but with all the parks and hotels in FL there will be &gt; 1000 descriptions we have to write and rate. It'll we be much slower since we haven't been there.
Andy

[Sue]

Just to clarify my comments on WDW..
When reading the different subgroups, etc...it is often not clear if I am clicking on a generic disney park (any) tip, or a specific WDW/DL thing...I think some consistency in verbage would be helpful.
Guess I will tell hubby we have to go back again so I can write more reviews! :)

[Disney5]

Oh yes Sue - reviews, please!!!!

[fantasmicmom]

I am torn on this one. I like the clean look of version 2. I think it is not so overwhelming and people can pick the category of articles they want to read and then see how many wonderful articles you guys have written! But, if someone were just quickly glancing--they may want to see alist of all of the articles right away.
I like version 1 but I also foresee version 2 being easier to manage as more and more articles are put on the site.

[fantasmicmom]

My husband also suggested maybe a seperate link just for California Adventure since it is a seperate park.
Either that or keep all of the CA articles together so that instead of having DL ride reviews and then CA ride reviews, DL dining reviews and then CA dining, etc... it is just CA ride reviews, dining reviews, and so forth.
Hope that makes sense!

[Goofy]

Sue... we do need people to go to WDW and write us reviews... I'm patently waiting for 34Angels to move there and go to work for them. :D
I do think the new versions do a better job of segmented the parks out on the main page. People will know when they are going into the Disneyland section or the WDW section. It will also hide the fact that are WDW information is so lacking compared to our DL info.
The current menu structure was put into place to help Google see the whole site at once. The poor descriptions are a result of not having enough room on the menu.
Katie... I hate to break out DCA because I believe many of the visitors to our website will not understand that DCA is part of the Disney Resort. So those traveling to Disneyland might not read those reviews.
Version 1 is cleaner... but:
We had 25000 visitors last month. But they only averaged reading 3 pages per visitor. That is way to low. It is less then 1/2 % of our non-shopping pages. By comparison our Doodlebop visitors typically read about 30% of the pages.
I'm leaning towards a combination:
For all the articles... I'm thinking of going with version 1... all articles listed on one page broken up by categories. That way they can see everything and go down the line on which ones to read.
For the reviews I think I will use version 2. The categories are black &amp; white. Ride reviews, dining reviews, entertainment reviews and hotel reviews. So people will not get confused with it being broken up into 4 different category pages.
The structure will be designed for the new visitor in mind. For all of you that have already read most of the main website there will be other options on how to access the new additions.
But you'll have to wait to see what I'm doing in those cases. :)
Andy

[Disney5]

Surprises!!!

[Tink]

Oh and wait until you guys see what I am working on! You are going to totally love it.
Now I am taking a break today and writing an article for A Little Dose of Disney that Andy thinks he can take the time to put up tonight. I know you have all been missing that!
Leanne

[Disney5]

Yes, hurry! Get this done, I feel like I haven't talked to you in AGES with our schedule and yours! We'll have to chat tomorrow if you're around as well!

[fantasmicmom]

Andy, I really like the idea of combining version 1 and 2 because they both have some good things about them. I think you are doing a great job and it will look great when you're done! Thanks for all of your hard work!

[Tink]

thanks for the feedback Katie! I also like that idea!

[34Angels]

I kinda like version 2....it's let's everyone see the categories without having to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page (version 1 is kinda overwhelming in MHO)......before I vote I think I'm going to pull in someone who's not a big internet surfer and see what he thinks would be less overwhelming.

[34Angels]

Okay, consulted the non surfer and he said he like version 1 better because he could differ between the sections because they were bolded and bigger. He said version 2 looked like (his words not mine!) a big blob because they were all the same color and same size. He said maybe space them out a little to seperate them.....I love the idea of using both versions.....and for that I'm going to vote other (sorry, I'm no help!).

And Goofy.....I will be more than happy to write some articles for you!! I actually get discount tickets to the Disney parks because I work at the bank (apparently they're a Disney bank, whatever that means?) so hopefully will be going soon! It may just be one park at a time, but I'll write ya'll some articles!! :D

[Goofy]

He said version 2 looked like (his words not mine!) a big blob because they were all the same color and same size.
I would fix that.
But... for the reviews I think we have to use version 2 and break it down into categories. There will be over 300 reviewed items and that is too many to put on one page. And the categories are clear - dining, rides, entertainment, hotels
But for the Disney Information pages ( I'm thinking of using Infomation instead of articles) the categories are more subjective. Is a article on how to use Fastpass and what rides support Fastpass vacation planning (some people like to plan out their rides) or is it general Disneyland information?
Therefore I think for now that section will stay version 1.
Andy

[Disney5]

Sounds great to me, this site is a huge bonus no matter what!!!!

[34Angels]

Sounds good! I do like the idea of using both versions and once you space out the links in version 2 it'll help! Oh man, this is so cool! I've been here since almost the begining and to see the site grow and go through all the upgrades and new versions is fun!!

[Tink]

Yes Danette it is awesome! We have both been working so hard on this upgrade. I can't wait to see it when it is all completed!

[IluvKingLouis]

Tink,.....just so you know, I heard back from the guy whose website had that great Tinkerbell image. It is not an original, he too got if from somewhere else. I'm certain it must be Disney, and it's perfectly fine to use.

[Tink]

Thanks Elaine. Andy and I will have to think about it. We had not been planning on changing our logo, so I am not sure what decision we will come up with. lol