FMA New Member Spotlight: WDW Magazine
- Magazine: WDW Magazine
- CEO: Steph Shuster
- Creative Director: Danny Shuster
- Operations Manager: Brydie Huffman
- Website: WDW Magazine– The Ultimate Disney Fan Magazine (wdw-magazine.com)
Who is WDW Magazine?
At WDW Magazine we aim to provide our customers with a moment of escape from the everyday; a little Disney fix to hold them over until their next trip “home,” and a safe space for fans to fly their Disney flags. We are committed to publishing spectacular photography, interesting insights, and accurate information about all things Disney in a positive tone to celebrate our favorite places on earth. Our female-led team is an international group of some of the biggest Disney fans out there, and we actively seek to provide opportunities to diverse, highly skilled, passionate professionals with proven track records who are ready to take the next step in their careers and create magic for their teammates and our customers.
What is your vision over the next five years?
Our plan includes the launch of two new publications: DLR Magazine (focused on Disneyland Resort in California) and DCL Magazine (focused on Disney Cruise Line travel) in addition to our Walt Disney World focused annual print, digital, and special attractions issues. We also want to improve our video content on our ever-growing social media channels and round out our goals by making better connections with other publishing teams in the Sunshine State!
What was one of the best articles/publications you published in the past year? What made it the best?
We’re pretty jazzed about “The Magic of Imagineering” issue (coming out June 2022), which covers the incredible work by Imagineers at WDW now and historically, with special features on the role of women in Imagineering, the ambitious Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, and the development of motion simulator technology. Our fans have really loved our latest Attractions Special: Pirates of the Caribbean, which gave our readers an in-depth look at one of the most beloved and iconic Disney rides ever, in Florida and around the world.
Best cover of past year and why?
Our “Most Magical Celebration” issue from January 2022, in celebration of Walt Disney World for its 50th anniversary was pretty special to our team as it was our 100th issue. The unforgettable cover shot of Cinderella’s Castle draped in EARidescent shimmer and the high-quality images we’re known for really captured the powerful nostalgia of being at Disney.
Why did you decide to join the Florida Magazine Association?
Our team is spread out across North America, with our (adorable!) married CEO and creative director residing most of the year in Ontario. While we have team members in Gainesville, Orlando, and St. Petersburg, we wanted to expand our network in Florida in a genuine way by aligning ourselves with others in the Florida publishing game (we’re coming for those Charlie Awards!).