Used by permission of All Ears Net.
The Internet has certainly established itself as a tool to help locate
all kinds of information, and there are plenty of sites devoted to all
things Disney. In this session we will look at some of the best sites
devoted to Walt Disney World and get the “story behind the story” on how
these sites came about.
All Ears Net
When you want specific Walt Disney World information and you want it
fast, you cannot find a better site than Deb Wills’ All
Ears Net, formerly known as Deb’s Unofficial Walt Disney World
Information Guide. It is the most comprehensive Walt Disney World site
on the Internet, and offers the easiest navigation to just about anything
you need to know about the Walt Disney World Resort.
If you want information on tickets, resorts, operating hours, menus,
telephone numbers, theme parks or just how to go about planning a trip,
Deb’s got it. Deb’s site may very well be the most bookmarked Disney site
on the Web because it provides the quickest access to all base information
on Walt Disney World.
Happy 7th Birthday
Deb Wills gets a hug from Pinocchio. Photo
courtesy of All Ears Net.
So where did it all began? It started back on January 17,
1996, when Deb Wills launched an AOL Web site called “Deb’s Disney Digest.”
Does that name sound familiar? I see some heads nodding out there. That’s
right! Many of us have taken this journey along with Deb.
So what prompted Deb to launch this site?
“I felt there was a severe lack of information available about vacationing
at Walt Disney World”, said Deb. “When I plan trips, I like to thoroughly
research the destination beforehand. The only things available in the
mid-’90s were the Birnbaum and Sehlinger books, and a few very small fan
sites online.”
Deb felt that the Internet needed to offer more to those who sought out
and thirsted for knowledge on the Walt Disney World Resort.
Deb says, “My original objective was to begin to fill the void of information
online. I began with menus and behind the scenes tour reports, because
these were the things I was most interested in at the time. Online menus
were nonexistent. In fact, until a few years ago, All Ears Net was the
only place to go for menus! ”
There were other reasons for Deb’s motivation to put together an informative
site on Walt Disney World.
Deb noticed that there were very few Disney online communities like bulletin
boards and message boards. She became a regular in the rec.arts.disney.parks
(r.a.d.p.) newsgroup and she and the other regulars found themselves constantly
being asked the same questions over and over again. Soon a Disney FAQ
team was formed to handle these questions on Deb’s site.
Word soon spread about Deb’s site and the information it provided. Deb
recalls, “As folks learned about the site, there were always suggestions
of things to add, and fortunately, I was able to do just that.”
A Labor of Love
To say that Deb’s site is a labor of love would be an understatement.
Not only has many Walt Disney World fans gotten what they wanted out of
the site… so has Deb.
Her words tell it all.
“To say my life has been enriched beyond my dreams would be an understatement.
I am really blessed! Not only am I able to channel my obsessive personality
traits into something productive, but also I am able to help people at
the same time. I get a great deal of personal satisfaction being able
to help folks out. And, along the way, Tinkerbell has allowed me to spread
some of her pixie dust! I have received many messages from readers thanking
me for the information I have provided and for saving them hundreds (sometimes
thousands) of dollars on their vacation – and that makes it all worth
it!”
Used by permission of All Ears Net.
Along the way, Deb has truly made use of her site in ways that should
be seen as a model for others. Sure, she’s developed special friendships
with people around the world, but there’s something else? more special?
more important to Deb?. something that hits home.
“All Ears Net also provided me with a tremendous vehicle for championing
my personal cause – the fight against breast cancer,” said Deb.
“As a 17-year breast cancer survivor, I participated in three Avon
Breast Cancer 3-Day 60-mile walks, and my generous readers enabled me
to raised more than $24,000 in 2 years!”
It doesn’t stop there. Deb works with Pink Ribbon Cruises, which donates
a portion of every cruise booked to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. Along
with Chuck Wagner, who played the Beast on Broadway, Deb plans to attend
a Disney Magic 7-Day Pink Ribbon Cruise on September 20, 2003, as a special
guest.
The Future
This lady never stops.
Deb keeps looking to improve All Ears Net. “I want to provide my readers
with the most current, dependable, and accurate unofficial information
about the Walt Disney World Resort, with a little fun mixed in, too! Through
my advertising affiliates, my goal is to continue to offer high-quality
services and products for my readers.”
As far as the future goes, Deb sees no limits. “As Walt himself said,”
explains Deb, “If you can dream it, you can do it! I’ve certainly found
that out!”
Last September, Deb launched a new site design, and the site never missed
a beat. The readers loved it. Complacency is not in Deb Wills’ dictionary.
“We are continuing to fine tune and hone the new design,” said Deb. “During
the coming months, we will be making a number of changes to the hardware
aspect of the site, which will provide even quicker access than users
now experience.”
Thus the site will continue to serve as Deb says as, “an informative
and entertaining place to visit.”
Next time
In our next session, we look another Walt Disney World Internet site
that stands out because of its special niche.
Class dismissed.
