A CELEBRATION 100 ISSUES IN THE MAKING A Note Of Appreciation From Our CEO & Creative Director
BY STEPHANIE SHUSTER
The year has just begun , and there is so much to celebrate in 2022 . Of course , the big news is Walt Disney World ’ s 50th anniversary . Our team has been busy researching , writing , photographing , and reporting on all the details so you can plan your trip or , even from the comfort of your couch , feel like you ’ re right there on Main Street , snacking on Mickey Bars and watching Disney Enchantment light up the skies above Cinderella Castle . But it ’ s a pretty big year for our company too .
This is our 100th issue of WDW Magazine ! Back in October 2013 , it was incredible to think about hitting 10 monthly issues or even a year ’ s worth . At that time , we had zero full-time employees ( we ’ re up to 14 employees now — and still growing !) and dozens of contributors ( today , we ’ re lucky to work with international reporters , writers , photographers , and artists ). One hundred issues sounds big , and it is : That ’ s thousands of magazine pages and over a million hours invested into making this the Best . Disney . Magazine . EVER !
For those subscribers who have been around since the start of our Print Edition with Issue 66 in 2019 , THANK YOU . We cannot tell you how much your support means to us . And for those who have been with us since the very beginning with Issue 1 of our Digital Edition , we are humbled and grateful that you ’ ve shared these past eight years of Disney magic with us . Our fans keep our team going , and speaking of our team … all the credits , because it ’ s so important to acknowledge the work and contributions of everyone who played a part in making the film come to life , and that ’ s true for a magazine like ours too .
Some of our 2022 themes include Cast Member magic , all about Imagineering , Pixar fun , Disney Parks after dark , and a nostalgic look EPCOT ’ s 40th anniversary
We hope , dear readers , that you take a moment not only in this issue but in every issue to look at the listing of writers , photographers , and other contributors on our very last page . Maybe you ’ ll send a comment or emoji of encouragement on our social media posts for our reporters and social team who bring you those daily moments of escape . Or be kind in your interactions with our customer care team when they ’ re helping you resolve an issue . Read an author bio on our site , share a blog post with a friend , or follow us on Google News so that our editorial department will see that you ’ re enjoying the content they work tirelessly to prepare . Or even to leave a review so that other Disney fans can hear from our readers why you love receiving the latest issue each month . Unlike a film class where the creators never knew we were watching , at WDW Magazine , we review all the feedback you send us and share it with our team .
WDW Magazine owners Danny and Stephanie Shuster celebrate with a PhotoPass MagicShot in Tomorrowland during a media event in fall 2021 .
amazing issues coming up this year that I just can ' t keep all of them under wraps : Some of our themes include Cast Member magic , all about Imagineering , Pixar fun , Disney Parks after dark , and a nostalgic look at EPCOT ’ s 40th anniversary . Building on the fan-favorite Haunted Mansion Attraction Special from last year , we will be releasing another detailed look into a classic attraction this spring . And you asked for it , so we ’ re creating it : New magazines focused on Disneyland and Disney Cruise Line are coming ! Visit our website to learn more and get on the waitlist for our launch dates .
This month marks a personal milestone for us as well — it ’ s been a year since Danny and I took over ownership of WDW Magazine . In that time , so many of you have reached out to us with support , congratulations , and heartwarming feedback . It ’ s been a wild ride , and we know the fun is just getting started . We can ’ t wait to share more Disney magic with you all for years to come .
IT ’ S ALL ABOUT THE TEAM In college , Danny and I took a few film classes , and the professors would make us watch all the way to the end , through
SNEAK PEEK OF WHAT ’ S NEXT ... Our content planning is done 18 months in advance , so we ’ ve been working on 2022 for a while now and have so many