Retro Disney World Podcast

Lake Buena Vista Historical Society
  • 4.8 (545)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY
Retro Disney World Podcast

A monthly trip back in time to Walt Disney World - From pre-opening to 25 years ago; your four retro hosts discuss now closed, but not forgotten attractions, designs, architecture and more! Come experience the Vacation Kingdom of the World...the way it was...and the way it is in your memories!

  1. APR 16

    97 Music of EPCOT Center

    Take a deep dive into the music of the original EPCOT Center, including: How the Epcot entrance loop ripped off music from rock bands Alan Parsons Project and Trickster Hear the original, longer version of "Closer to You," the song from AT&T's "Age of Information" exhibit that predicted the future with incredible accuracy Composer George Wilkins' favorite piece of music that he wrote for Epcot The arranger who worked on Bob Moline's Epcot songs, including "Canada (You're a Lifetime Journey)." Hint: he went on to compose the music for a Spaceship Earth rehab Join us as Todd, Brian, JT, How and our listeners reveal their favorite songs from the many eras of Epcot and we reveal behind-the-scenes details about each of them and the beloved attractions they came from.

    2h 15m

  2. MAR 19

    96 - Banking at Walt Disney World

    This month Brian leads a discussion about banking at Walt Disney World and everything guests had to do to pay for their transactions at the parks and resorts before debit card terminals and Magic Bands became ubiquitous. Cash was king, but Traveler’s Checks and personal checks were also common before Walt Disney World began allowing credit cards. We’ll reveal how they worked, their benefits, and their frustrations. We also dive into the history of Disney’s relationship with its original banking partner, Sun Bank. Find about their full-service branches located in each of the parks and near Disney Springs, including the beautiful late-1880s-styled bank on Main Street which is now the Chamber of Commerce, and why we think the bank vault is still there. If you’re a cast member who can confirm or deny our hunch, send us an email!Todd also takes us into the many advancements in banking technologies that make paying for things in the park easier and more worry-free today.

    2h 30m

  3. FEB 7

    95 - Camera Shops and Film at WDW

    This episode is about a long-lost art form that used to be very prominent at Walt Disney World. The idea of lugging camera equipment around, having it serviced at WDW, and even developing your pictures all on-site are almost laughable this day in age. When we look back through history, Walt Disney World is brought back to us from family photos and film/video. Depending on your era, the method could vary drastically and so did the technical aspects. In this episode, we dive into nearly every aspect of capturing the memories of your trip. With different sources, being professional resources and personal stories, this episode should hit with anyone who has captured their trip on some sort of film.The theme parks were very different 50 years ago, including things like a bank, card shops, flowers to purchase, and even furniture. Disney took on the memory business and you could do everything from bringing all your own equipment to renting on site. Film purchases, VHS tapes, servicing your camera and more; the different parks and resorts had an immense list of services and supplies for everyone. Nowadays, you are lucky to find a disposable camera, which we dare you to locate… We try our best to not get into the weeds too much, but at the same time you will get a little bit of a techy history in this episode, which is almost needed if you did not live in this era. As you listen to this one, drop us a note about your experiences with the camera centers or even having Walt Disney World develop your photographs in under an hour. Enjoy!

    2h 32m

  4. 12/13/2024

    94 - Cranium Command with Jerry Rees

    We're back with Episode 94 where we get to interview the great Jerry Rees. Over the years, we have had Jerry at our different events to discuss Cranium Command and the various projects he has done for the Walt Disney Company. While we have gotten to know Jerry very well, we found that our post-event interview has been in the archives for several years and we are very excited to bring it to you. The interview begins with us discussing how this all came to be. Jerry gives us some amazing first-hand knowledge on meeting many Disney higher-ups, giving him some directives and also asking him to save some attractions. One of the highlights of this time at Disney is how they worked in the old Magic of Disney Animation building while in development of the attractions. You could actually see Jerry and his team down in the 'pits', storyboarding and making it all work. There is a chance you might have some old home video of them working their magic in this attraction. Go check after you finish this episode!Jerry gets into Cranium Command as well, which has such a unique history. The development and how it originally started is very interesting and we get that information about how it changed into the attraction we all saw at EPCOT. Jerry has always been super kind and fun to speak to, especially if you enjoy how films and movies are made. Jerry's career kind of blurs the line of Disney Imagineer and film director which is why the attractions he worked on always seem to be unique and different. We hope you enjoy this chat with Jerry; be sure to check out the different films we have of us and also some of the archive footage he has sent our way, which is on our YouTube Channel.

    1h 44m

  5. 11/25/2024

    93.5 - A Chat with Tad Stones

    In this episode, we are taking you back a number of years to a lost episode! We spent some time many years ago speaking with Tad Stones, a Disney animator who worked for the company from 1974-2003. The problem is this edit fell through the cracks and went into podcast purgatory. We are here to resurrect it and get our conversation with Tad Stones out so you all can listen. This conversation begins with EPCOT Center and some of the different items he had his hands on. We get into World of Motion, Journey into Imagination, and more. The EPCOT perspectives from these early days are fascinating and surprising at the same time, as most of this is not the major highlight of Tad’s Disney career.Tad also gets into a fun story about meeting George Lucas in the early 1980s, eating fried chicken, and even giving a little foreshadowing about the prequels. Either way, this is such a cool interaction and story that we are so excited to share with you. Tad has such a unique perspective on the early EPCOT years, digging into development, planning, and how it all came together.Tad has been a major part of Disney animation, which is one of his biggest claims to fame. Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck, Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Ducktales, Hercules, & Atlantis are all credited to Tad, which is unbelievable if you think about it. While we were hoping to have Tad at RetroMagic back in 2023, we are hoping there is a chance we can have him at a future event so listeners can have the opportunity to meet him. While this episode has been many years in the making, we hope you all have enjoyed the time with Tad Stones.

    1h 24m

  6. 10/22/2024

    93 - Birnbaum Guides

    We are down a man this month, as How has been working on rebuilding his house and dealing with hurricane fallout. We begin this episode with a special message from How and we hope he will be back for Episode 94. This episode focuses on Birnbaum’s guides, which still exist to this day. Join us as we embark on a nostalgic journey, exploring how these iconic travel guides shaped the way fans experienced Disney parks from the 70s to the 90s. We’ll discuss some unique aspects, behind-the-scenes insights, and personal anecdotes from our own Disney adventures using Birnbaum as our guide. Whether you’re a lifelong Disney enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this podcast will transport you back to the enchanting world of Disney, one Birnbaum Guide at a time!The guides have changed over the years and when you locate a vintage copy, the notes and highlighted items are always fun, as we discuss in this episode.  We get into guides from the 80s, how they have changed to the current day, and also dive into the kid editions. Birnbaum was the bible for some people before/during/after their WDW vacation, similar to the way you currently subscribe to your favorite blog or park-related social media account. As you listen to this episode, you may want to search eBay sooner rather than later, as the prices and availability may change for an old guide as people start searching after listening. Between all of us here at RetroWDW, we have a decent collection of these and have nearly every year represented. Sometimes things changed, other times it rolled over for multiple years and editions.Throughout this episode, we hoped to capture the magic of vintage vacation planning and also how it used to be. We really all had no idea other than what we heard or what we learned from a travel agent. Birnbaum Guides really made it possible for someone to learn all about WDW while still keeping their sanity planning that trip.

    1h 59m

  7. 09/01/2024

    92 - Meet the Japan Pavilion

    Join us in this captivating episode of the RetroWDW Podcast as we explore the rich history of the Japan Pavilion at EPCOT. From its stunning architecture to the immersive cultural experiences it offers, we delve into the origins and evolution of this beloved destination. Discover how the pavilion has celebrated Japanese traditions, cuisine, and artistry over the years, while also examining its significance within the broader context of EPCOT’s mission to promote international understanding. Whether you’re a Disney aficionado or simply curious about the intersections of culture and entertainment, this episode promises to be a delightful journey into the heart of the Japan Pavilion. Tune in and let’s take a stroll through time together!How leads us this month with a deep dive into every aspect of the pavilion, its history, and how it has changed over the years. We refer to this video from 1983, A Visit to EPCOT Center, which has some very early footage of the Japan area. The dining experiences have changed over the years and we get you an entire walkthrough of how the place used to be. We discuss a letter from John Lennon, recommending a Japanese restaurant. Most of us have hit up the various establishments in the Japan area and share some experiences from the different menus and locations. Overall, the Japan pavilion has much more to offer than you first realize when walking through. The shopping and dining experiences more than makeup for the lack of attractions and rides. One of the true original pavilions that has the original World Showcase feel to it, allowing you to explore the unique culture of Japan. Hope you enjoyed this in-depth walkthrough and history of this one of a kind pavilion.

    2h 29m

  8. 07/24/2024

    91 - Contests at Walt Disney World

    For our main topic this month, we decided to dig into the always-present and always-sought-after contest connecting to Walt Disney World. If we all think back, I am sure you all have seen, heard of, or attempted to win some sort of contest either at Walt Disney World or at home trying to win a trip to WDW. JT takes the lead on this one and begins with the group telling us about a contest they have each won, in one form or another. To follow this up, we reached out to listeners and fans to see what they have won. We had lots of great responses, including the ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire: Play It!’ prizes that Jared supplied us to showcase at the various events we hold. Another fun one we heard about was Eric and the story about winning a Segway Scooter at EPCOT; amazing!The mother of all prizes though, the infamous Night in the Castle during the Year of a Million Dreams. Everyone wanted this one and we tracked down a real person who actually won and spent the night in the castle. Ian joins us from Intercot, which we have a little history with, and gives us the entire story on how this all came to be. Brian gives us his experiences with this contest and we all chime in on how big of a promotion this was. Hearing how big of a deal this was, it is amazing nothing like this has happened in recent years for all the anniversaries. For the next portion, we go through a massive assortment of contests, ads, promos, and even local contests that connect with Walt Disney World. Some of these contests are very obscure and interesting, which we take deep dives into. Overall, these things are an absolute blast to look back on and we hope we do most of them justice by discussing them in detail. We did not hit them all by any means, but we would like to hear from you. Have you won a contest that got you to WDW? Did you enter one and get the consolation prize? Either way, let us know! This was a fun episode and we hope you have enjoyed this journey with us through contests at Walt Disney World.

    2h 24m
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4.8
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About

A monthly trip back in time to Walt Disney World - From pre-opening to 25 years ago; your four retro hosts discuss now closed, but not forgotten attractions, designs, architecture and more! Come experience the Vacation Kingdom of the World...the way it was...and the way it is in your memories!

Information

  • Creator
    Lake Buena Vista Historical Society
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2025
  • Episodes
    131
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Lake Buena Vista Historical Society. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Retro Disney World Podcast

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