Retro Disney World Podcast (Lake Buena Vista Historical Society)

Welcome to Episode 10.5 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "RetroCon and Episode Previews" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

RetroCon - Brian and JT will be a RetroCon at a Retro Disney World table this coming weekend in the greater Philadelphia area! Brian discusses what RetroCon is and explains the cool items we'll have on display as well as give-a-ways and the secret password to get early access to the next podcast episode!

Episode Previews - Next month our episode is titled "First things First"... we've got two special guests on the show and we're going to also discuss some crazy stories about the First Families at MK and EPCOT - and we will show how the STOL port was not the first airport on WDW property! Brian gives a sneak peek at the upcoming Christmas episode and calls out for photos, memories and documents relating to the holiday season.

RetroWDW Merchandise -  www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Mail - A big thank all of our listeners and explain how some of the incoming mail has sparked new episodes. Please keep writing to us: podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Listener Memories - We go over how our new segment will work - we setup a phone number where you the listener can leave us short, under 3 minute, messages with your memory from disney world of past years. We'll put many of your memories on the air in this new segement. Leave a short memory/story today: Call 1-978-71-RETRO (73876)

Film Restoration - A quick discussion onf our account on Patreon.com where you can pledge to help the restoration effort and in return receive exclusive early access to this podcast for 1 year! If you can help us please check out Our Restoration Project on Patreon.com

If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 11 titled "First things First"!

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 12 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "There's No Place Like World Showcase" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. This marks one year of podcasts, so thanks for sticking with us and supporting this fun endeavour. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.  We could have a clip show coming in the near future...

Main Topic - We have a special guest, Glen Simpson, who is on board to discuss his career at Walt Disney World. He primarily worked at EPCOT Center in the World Showcase area. Glen also did some work at the Magic Kingdom starting in 1978 with food service and he was also a Jungle Cruise skipper. We get some great insight into the opening days of World Showcase, special guests, and some hilarious mishaps that only a former cast member would have experience with. Glen is a great resource and we think you're really going to enjoy this one!  

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, Michele, she guessed the barker bird outside Pirates of the Caribbean. Michele will get the Cinderella Castle model. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win a King Stefan's Banquet Hall glass mug. Send your guesses by November 10, 2015 - All correct answers will also be entered into a drawing in December of 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

RetroWDW Merchandise - We thank you for your purchases and we'd like to let you know about some new items comign soon.. We are debuting two shirts based on the STOL Port, which are super unique and only for the true retro diehard. We also are taking some interest surveys on a model of the planes that flew to the STOL Port, so let us know and check out what we have. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Mail - We appreciate all your kind notes, emails and social media connections. Todd sent us some information on the STOL Port, conecting some dots and pointing us to more information. Johnathan had a question regarding boat access from Epcot to MGM, which How addresses. Keep the emails, tweets and pictures coming! Please contact us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - We view a listener purchased tape, containing B-Roll Epcot Center World Showcase footage. Being video tape, the quality is lacking and edited to a level that is as good as it gets. Still a fun movie to watch of old world showcase. Huge thanks to everyone who donated to our pledge drive, helping make the major film restoration a reality. Check out Passport2Dreams from Foxxy, who was a huge supporter of this project.

Listener Memories - This month we had tons of great singers calling our hotline. They have all been edited together to make one glorious production that we think you'll enjoy. Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO.

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 13, thanks for listening!

Welcome to Episode 13 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Unveiling The Magic" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. This marks one year of podcasts, so thanks for sticking with us and supporting this fun endeavour. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Special Guest - We have a special guest, Michael Crawford, a longtime Walt Disney World fan who wrote the book: Progress City Primer.  This book contains all kinds of stories, features and just a grab bag of anything WDW. Starting off with Walt and moving on from there, you will find everything from EPCOT Center to unbuilt attractions and lands. The book sometimes even matches many of our previous episodes, which is really cool. Check out this great book and even gift one for the holidays.

Main Topic - We sit down and watch a fully restored version of "The Magic of Walt Disney World". This is an original 16mm copy of the film that would have been sent to schools, local clubs and anywhere else back in 1972. The reel is 1200ft long and we have the only restored copy in existence. 35 listeners donated funds for this project, which included shipping, transfer and of course restoration. This really should be listened to, as you watch the film to get the full experience, you can watch the film here. You can also read fantastic annotated notes for the film written by @MKPony.

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, Justin, he guessed the Tiki Statues in Adventureland. Justin will get the King Stefan's Banquet Hall glass mug. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Progress City Primer. Send your guesses by December 14, 2015 - All correct answers will also be entered into the drawing for the Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!! - This is your last opportunity to enter for the big drawing.... Thank you for all the guesses over the past year.

RetroWDW Merchandise - We thank you for your purchases and we'd like to let you know about some of our newest items, which include STOL Port themed merchandise. These are RetroWDW original works of art, done by How. Super neat stuff that is only available for a limited time. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Mail - We appreciate all your kind notes, emails and social media connections. Jonathan sent us an email regarding the music, style, fonts and small details at EPCOT Center. Our good friend Michael Crawford chimes in about these EPCOT details; this is covered in his book as well. Keep the emails, tweets and pictures coming! Please contact us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Your holiday greeting this month could get you on our next podcast...

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 14, all themed around the holidays releasing around December 20th. 

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 15 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Veggie Veggie Fruit Fruit" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Corrections & Comments - One small correction, we learned how to pronounce Captain Saltyhinder, apparently we did it wrong. John Hench had an idea, which we learn all about from How. For our regular listeners, we start a new show order for 2016, hope you enjoy!

Listener Mail - A friend of the show, Mathius, sent us some interesting information on Howard Keel. We find out about his Disney connection. Keep the emails, tweets and pictures coming! Please contact us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, April, she guessed the Ham & Eggs portion of the show from Kitchen Kabaret. April will get a Main Street USA poster drawn by our friend, Chris Buchholz. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win the collectible D23 pennants from 2012 & 2014. Send your guesses by February 15, 2016 - All correct answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pack slowly built over the course of 2016. The Prize Pot is building.....

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, and this month we added a World of Motion guidebook. The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes!

Main Topic - This month we discuss the amazing Epcot Center attraction, Kitchen Kabaret. How takes you through the entire history of the show, describing each part in detail. Some amazing sound clips are included throughout the commentary, taking you back to The Land Pavillion, how it used to be. This take on the food groups in amazing animatronic goodness was a classic that is no more. Hope you enjoy going back with us.

Film Review - As a group, we sit back and watch The Magic Kingdom Club film from 1980. This was filmed on 16mm, but we did find some of the older footage was filmed in a different format. Set up your VCR Plus and follow along with us as we jump around enjoying the film. How notices a super rare shot of some people in a bar, right around the 9:01 mark. Do you know what this is?

RetroWDW Merchandise - We thank you for your purchases and we'd like to let you know about some of our newest items, which include merchandise from Roy's Cabin. These are RetroWDW original works of art, done by How. Super neat stuff that is only available for a limited time. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 16...We have some goodies coming up with amazing guest stars, hope you join us!

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 16 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Walt Hired Me: A Chat With Tom Nabbe" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Corrections & Comments - How brings up his forgetting of Mr. Mayonnaise last month in our Kitchen Kabaret episode. With so many characters in the show, it's amazing we didn't forget more... We are glad to fix the mistake though. How also answers some listener questions surrounding Bonnie Appetite's design and where she now resides.

Listener Mail - Our friend Dan wrote in and asked a question regarding a tram ride and the sewers of Paris. He remembers this happening in 1981, so we dive head first into the sewers to let you know our thoughts... We also received a tweet from Mike with some awesome matchbooks. This led to a small discussion about these great free souvenirs you were able to get. Please contact us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, Joel Wartgow, he guessed Tomorrow's Child from Spaceship Earth. Joel won the D23 fan pennants, given by Brian. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win the autographed copy of From Disneyland's Tom Sawyer to Disney Legend: The Adventures of Tom Nabbe. Send your guesses by March 14, 2016 - All correct answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pack slowly built over the course of 2016. The Prize Pot is building.....

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February and this month our prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag. The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry. 

Main Topic - We have a Disney Legend in the studio, his name is Tom Nabbe. We spend over an hour with Tom discussing his start at Disneyland being directly hired by Walt. The insight Tom gives us regarding the construction of Disney World Monorail system, US Steel and of course Roy's Cabin can only be found on this podcast. Tom was amazingly nice and open to discuss anything our retro minds could think of, including the working wave machine and Dick Nunis. Join our conversation with a Disney Legend - you are really going to enjoy this episode! If you enjoyed our chat with Tom you should pick up a copy of his book at Amazon!

RetroWDW Merchandise - We thank you for your purchases and we'd like to let you know about some of our newest items, which include merchandise from Roy's Cabin and the amazing, unseen Wave Machine. The Electrical Water Pageant design is back as well! These are RetroWDW original works of art, done by How. Super neat stuff that is only available for a limited time. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 17...We have some goodies coming up with amazing guest stars, hope you join us!

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 17 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "From Vinyl Chairs to Elephants and Hippos - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Listener Mail - A listener named Joy Johnston wrote in and gave us some very positive feedback. She offers up a great reminder of all the amazing history located throughout the website. Tons of great pictures, info and history. Our next piece of mail was from Kelly Wise, who shares with us the story of finding a ton of vintage construction photos. Her grandfather worked at WDW, she found the pictures recently and of course they blew up online. This is a great little piece of history we are so happy she shares with us. Our crack team of photo restoration experts plan to give these the full treatment; recoloring and making them look like new. Finally, we invite you to take a survey and give us some feedback: Click here for the survey - Please contact us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, Rachel Cook, she guessed The Carousel of Progress. Rachel won the autographed copy of Tom Nabbe's book. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win a copy of the book "Together in the Dream" written by RJ & Suzanne. Send your guesses by April 12, 2016 - All correct answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pack slowly built over the course of 2016. The Prize Pot is building.....

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag and on this episode we add an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set. The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry. 

Main Topic - This episode, we spend some time with RJ & Suzanne Ogren. They recently wrote a book about their experiences both working at Walt Disney World. RJ was an artist in the parks responsible for rehabbing and fixing ride fixtures. Suzanne did some work as a character throughout the parks. One cool thing about them: they both were monorail pilots too! We chat with a couple of former cast members who have amazing stories, and wrote a really good book. Hope you enjoy our conversation with them, as they take you back to Walt Disney World while sharing their story. Enjoy!

RetroWDW Merchandise - We thank you for your purchases and we'd like to let you know about some of our newest items. The "Tom Nabbe" grabber line of merchandise! The Electrical Water Pageant design is still selling in record numbers and you can also enjoy some Nunis Wave Machine items. These are RetroWDW original works of art, done by How. Super neat stuff that is only available for a limited time. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 18, where we return to our roots and focus on an original attraction: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 18 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Nowhere in Particular" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Dedication - Since our last episode was released Todd's Mother passed away...he offers up a short little story and a dedicates this episode to his mom [Photo Right, Todd and his Mom in 1980]

Survey - Todd discusses the survey results done by you, our listeners. We thank you for being honest, giving us feedback and helping us guide future episodes. Such a great way to help make our show better for the listeners.

Listener Mail - Our first piece of mail is from Singapore; Mark asks us about the General Motors "Make Your Own Magic" promotion. How refers back to our World of Motion episode and also gives some more insight. Next, we here from Mark Starr, asking if we remember the blue mayonaisse. Brian informs us of some other colored condiments at Cosmic Ray's. Brian also mentions a tweet from Kate, regarding a 1994 Magic Kingdom Map. Kate was asking about the Timekeeper building and Brian gives us the full story. Please contact us with your questions, comments and concerns; we love hearing from you - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

RetroWDW Merchandise - How is releasing an amazing collection of Mr. Toad ride vehicle names, which will be color coordinated on shirts and other various items. You will be able to dress up like your favorite toad car! These are RetroWDW original works of art, done by How. Super neat stuff that is only available for a limited time. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Audio Rewind - Huge number of responses this month - Amazing turnout and 97% of you got it correct! Congratulations to our winner, Tammy Norman, she guessed Cranium Command. Tammy won a copy of "Together in the Dream". If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win the glass Pirates of the Caribbean Mug from the late 80s. Send your guesses by May 16, 2016 - All answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pack slowly built over the course of 2016. The Prize Pot is building.....

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag, an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set and new this month; a glass candy dish from the 1970s. The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry.

Main Topic - This episode, we get back to the good stuff. How is bringing us back to a gone but never forgotten attraction, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. If you don't know Mr. Toad, he was located in the Magic Kingdom in the spot of Pooh. This is one of the original classics that is sorely missed and we get a great intro from Rolly Crump by Brian. How takes you through the ride from start to finish, leaving no detail out. If you are one of the original fans who misses this amazing ride, this episode will take you right back in time with a perfect visualization and even sound! If you sent in a question to How about Mr. Toad, listen carefully as you may hear your question in this episode. Hope you enjoy this month's main topic!

The RetroWDW Event - November 19-20, D23 will be hosting an event at Walt Disney World. Our posse is planning an event that weekend where you can interact with us, look at some vintage WDW artifacts, host a guest and even record a live podcast. This is all in the planning stages and we will be ironing out the details over the coming months. Stay tuned for more info and please contact us if you would be interested in attending.

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

Sign-Off - Todd signs off this episode with a few more words about his mom and we all learn how she was the illustrator for his book, WDW Made Simple. A sweet ending takes us out as Baby Mine from Dumbo is played.

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 19, where we take you back to Epcot Center...but you the listener can help us decide what pavilion to explore. Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts... Thank you!

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 19 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "The Deluge" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Comments & Corrections - How addresses the Haunted Mansion bullet holes, Todd reads notes from an old family vacation related to a restored film which also includes some more information about the reuction in size of the Grand Prix Raceway.

Listener Mail - This month we received a ton of mail! Mike Forrester sent us a rare picture from his time on an evening cocktail cruise from the contemporary. We also heard from Aaron Davis and a great story about potentially having Michael Jackson, the king of pop, serve him a Mickey ice cream bar. Finally, we locked down some blue mayonaise photographs from our friends at Wedway Radio. Please contact us with your questions, comments and concerns; we love hearing from you - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

RetroWDW Merchandise - To coordinate with our main topic this month, How has designed some "Water Elevator" themed items. These capture the spirit of the world famous Hydrolator portion of the attraction. These are RetroWDW original works of art, done by How. Super neat stuff that is only available for a limited time. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Audio Rewind - Huge number of correct responses this month. Congratulations to our winner, Brian Blake, he guessed "Another Part Of Me" - one of the songs that played in Captain EO, during the exit. Brian won the Pirates of the Caribbean glass mug. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win the plastic mug set. Send your guesses by June 13, 2016 - All answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pack slowly built over the course of 2016. The Prize Pot is building.....

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag, an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set, a Disney Glass Candy Dish and new this month; a copy of the Tomorrowland Handbook. The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry.

Main Topic - For this month, we take you back to Epcot Center. It's been awhile since our last stop in Future World, so we thought it was time to discuss The Living Seas. We learn about some of the early origins and history of the sponsorship. The pre-show is discussed along with the famous Hydrolators. Throughout the show, we discuss what has changed and what has stuck around in the new version of the attraction. Finally, we look all around the exhibits and attractions after you exit your Seacab.  Hope you enjoy the trip back to Seabase Alpha!

The RetroWDW Event - November 19-20, D23 will be hosting an event at Walt Disney World. Our posse is planning an event that weekend where you can interact with us, look at some vintage WDW artifacts, host a guest and even record a live podcast. This is all in the planning stages and we will be ironing out the details over the coming months. Stay tuned for more info and please contact us if you would be interested in attending.

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 20...... Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts... Thank you!

Welcome to Episode 20 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "The Deluge" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Comments & Corrections - We were sent lots of extra information on The Living Seas, even a voicemail.  On the podcast, we bring up some new facts and extra things that were brought to our attention.

Listener Mail - This month our mail was crazy good. Tons of great feedback, stories and extra information. We appreciate everyone that gets in touch with us to share memories and stories. Everything from Kitchen Kabaret updates, Living Seas follow-ups and even some new information regarding evening cruises with new restrooms being installed. Please contact us with your questions, comments and concerns; we love hearing from you - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

RetroWDW Merchandise - How has designed a fourth of July, Retro Epcot themed piece of merchandise. This is based all around the "build your own flag" touchscreen game that used to be in Epcot. These are RetroWDW original works of art, done by How. Super neat stuff that is only available for a limited time. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Audio Rewind - Huge number of correct responses this month. Congratulations to our winner, Tom Yoder, he guessed "Space" from Horizons. Brian won the All-Star Movies plastic mug set. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win a mint copy of 1985 Disney News, courtesy of Joel. Send your guesses by July 12, 2016 - All answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pack slowly built over the course of 2016. The Prize Pot is building.....

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag, an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set, a Disney Glass Candy Dish, Tomorrowland Handbook and new this month; a copy of '85 Disney News donated by our listener Joel. The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry.

Main Topic - In the spirit of the summer, How takes us back to the 70s and the world famous America On Parade.  This vintage parade wasn't seen by many, including most of us, but it is such an interesting piece of history. Learn all about the giant sandwiches, large headed characters and everything else that made this craziness happen. We have a great video to accompany this months podcast, take a look on the Retro Disney World YouTube Channel.

The RetroWDW Event - November 19-20, D23 will be hosting an event at Walt Disney World. Our posse is planning an event that weekend where you can interact with us, look at some vintage WDW artifacts, host a guest and even record a live podcast. This is all in the planning stages and we will be ironing out the details over the coming months. We are planning The Retro Disney World Lake & Lagoon Tour with your favorite hosts, showcasing all of the vintage pieces that are still there.

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! 

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com.

Check back with us very soon for Episode 21...... Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts... Thank you!

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 21 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Listener's Choice Q&A" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Q&A- This month we took a call for all of your questions; things you want to know, different things you remember and even some memories that we have forgotten about.

- We start off in Epcot discussing Figment and the Imagation Pavillion. The discussion also moves onto Spaceship Earth regarding continents projected with lasers!

- RJ McBean is discussed with binaural audio and also our MGM Studios Opening Day Episode.

- The Bay Hill Cottages and where Roy stayed, not Roy's Cabin, during the construction. How & Brian have some seriously detailed information on this.

- Todd's book is discussed and compared to the current generation of WDW, analyzing his old tips and tricks.

- The Dreamfinder book, written by Ron Schneider - From Dreamer To Dreamfinder - We had a listener ask about this title and we give you some history on Ron.

- The anniversary cakes are discussed and also mass cake serving to park guests. 

Thank you so much for all of your questions, this is just a small sampling of the topics we discuss from our listeners. Not everyone made it to the show, but thank you so much for contacting us. Please contact us with your questions, comments and concerns; we love hearing from you - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Audio Rewind - Huge number of correct responses this month. Congratulations to our winner, Christina , he guessed "Spectromagic". Christina won the Disney News issue from 1985. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win a copy of Disney U, a book all about Disney University. Send your guesses by August 15, 2016 - All answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pack slowly built over the course of 2016. The Prize Pot is building.....

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag, an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set, a Disney Glass Candy Dish, Tomorrowland Handbook, a copy of '84 Disney News and new this month........a copy of The Walt Disney World Explorer CD Rom AND expired Discovery Island Tickets! The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry.

Listener Trivia - We gave you the listener, a chance to answer a number of easy and super difficult trivia questions.  In this episode, you hear our own How Bowers attempt the same questions our listeners did... See how he did and also see which listener won! Our listeners win some 3D printed items; a peoplemover car & EPCOT Center Logos. Thanks for playing along, hope you were able to answer some of these great questions. 

Interview with Ted - Ted Linhart is in the studio to discuss his passion, Disney documents.  We hear all about his website, The History of Disney Parks Documents.  Ted has an amazing collection you have to check out.  Hope you enjoy our interview with him.

RetroWDW Merchandise - Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

The RetroWDW Event - November 19-20, D23 will be hosting an event at Walt Disney World. Our group is planning an event that weekend where you can interact with us, look at some vintage WDW artifacts, host a guest and even record a live podcast. This is all in the planning stages and we will be ironing out the details over the coming months. We are planning The Retro Disney World Lake & Lagoon Tour with your favorite hosts, showcasing all of the vintage pieces that are still there. Some of the final details will be shared with you on our next episode, promise!

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! 

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com.

Check back with us very soon for Episode 22...... Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts... Thank you!

Welcome to Episode 22 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Comments & Corrections- We get back to the basics this month, focusing on our regular routine. The mystery of RJ McBean is solved and debunked. We also shed some light on what happened to the penny arcade games, how you can play them now and finally how some of them have changed states... Lots of great information during our comments and corrections this month.

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner from last month, Phil Speck, he guessed "Big Rock Candy Mountain". Phil won a copy of Disney U! If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win a Progressland Brochure, from Ted Linhart. Send your guesses by September 20, 2016 - All answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pot slowly built over the course of 2016.

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag, an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set, a Disney Glass Candy Dish, Tomorrowland Handbook, a copy of '84 Disney News, The Walt Disney World Explorer CD Rom, expired Discovery Island Tickets and new this month........a Frontierland Viewmaster Slide! The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry.

Main Topic - For this month, we take you back to the original years of the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village. You will find it absolutely amazing how much has changed, grown and updated since the early days. As a group, we go through the different stories while sharing memories of the different visits we've had. The architecture is discussed along with watercraft and even menswear. Great topic with lots of great history, hope you enjoy!

Directly from Todd's personal archive: A video from 1989 of the Disney Village

RetroWDW Merchandise - All new design this month that incorporates the LBV Whatchamacallit! Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

The RetroWDW Event - Join the RetroWDW Podcast crew for a 1 hour tour of Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon! Take your lunch break at Destination D this year and join the RetroWDW Podcast crew for a tour around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon! Tickets go on sale 9/25/16 at 12:00pm. These will sell out quick, so make sure you don't miss out! Click here for information on the tour and how to purchase tickets.

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! 

Check back with us very soon for Episode 23 where we take you back to the Carousel of Progress!

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 22.5 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "David Coolidge talks Lake Buena Vista" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

We recorded an interview with David Coolidge and due to timing and length, it didn't make it into Episode 22. So we figured we'd release a special Bonus episode of our interview!

David Coolidge (http://www.davidcoolidge.com/) is an American Watercolor Realist and in this episode Todd and How sit with David and discuss how he was one of the first people ever to display his art at Lake Buena Vista. David gives some insight to how his show came to be and what the shopping village and vacations villas were like in the early years including shopping, a giant silver Taj Mahal, water taxis and trombonist Herbie Green!

During our chat, we discover that David did use the original Polynesian waterfall as the subject of one of his paintings and we will announce shortly on how you can get a giclee print!

Here is an album of David's photos from Lake Buena Vista and we've also restored some of David's personal films from his trips

Swan Boads and Adventurelande Shari Lewis, Top of the World Show Magic Kingdom and Mickey Mouse Review 1975 Lake Buena Vista RetroWDW Merchandise - All new design this month that incorporates the LBV Whatchamacallit! Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

The RetroWDW Lake and Lagoon Tour - Take your lunch break at Destination D this year and join the RetroWDW Podcast crew for a tour around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon! Tickets go on sale 9/25/16 at 12:00pm. These will sell out quick, so make sure you don't miss out! Click here for information on the tour and how to purchase tickets.

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! 

Check back with us very soon for Episode 23 where we take you back to the Carousel of Progress!

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 23 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Carousel of Progress" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Comments & Corrections- We start off learning the origins of the Captain Jack's Restaurant name and then move onto some more information about the Lake Buena Vista toy stores.

Listener Mail - Lincoln writes in asking about Walt Disney biographies, we got a tweet from Senor Peanut with pictures of Pablo Escobar visiting Disney World, How tells us about World Key ending and finally we got a question regarding Walt Disney World mail order. For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner from last month, Robert Burke, he guessed "Delta Dreamflight". Robert won a copy of the Progressland Brochure! If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win some 20th anniversary brochures and guides. Send your guesses by October 17, 2016 - All answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pot slowly built over the course of 2016.

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag, an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set, a Disney Glass Candy Dish, Tomorrowland Handbook, 1984 Disney News Magazine, The Walt Disney World Explorer CD Rom, expired Discovery Island Tickets, a Frontierland Viewmaster Slide and new this month........the WDW Tencenial Coin and....a WDW Pocket Protector! The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry.

Main Topic - For this month, we discuss all things Carousel of Progress. We take you back to the General Electric days and start you off with a bit of history. The journey starts right after Disneyland opens and follows us up to the version we all see today. You are really going to enjoy this main topic filled with sound clips, effects and tons of snipets to remind you of this attraction has changed over the years. We even get our fans in on the show, playing your version of the theme song from your call ins. One of the most classic attractions in Disney Parks history is our main topic this month; enjoy the show!   

L’Omelette Superb Avec Jambon 6 eggs 2 tbls butter 1/4 cup milk 6 slices pre-cooked ham Salt & Pepper Instructions Beat eggs in mixing bowl. Season to taste. Add milk to egg mixture. Dice ham - set aside. Heat butter in skillet, add eggs. Let cook until eggs coat entire pan. Add ham. With spatula, fold over 1/2 omelette. Let cook approximately three minutes. Remove and serve

RetroWDW Merchandise - The Lake Buena Vista Whatchamacallit merchandise is finally ready! We had a slight delay on the design work, but we are ready to release this to you along with some other extra special items. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

The RetroWDW Lake and Lagoon Tour - Much faster than anticipated, the Lake & Lagoon Tour sold out in record time. We are accepting standby reservations, which will basically be a waiting list, in case an opening pops up or if we have the ability to open up another boat tour.  Thank you so much for your tour reservations and we are super excited to take this cruise with you all! We will all be around all weekend during Destination D, so please check our social media accounts for postings on where we will be and how you can meet us all.

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! 

Check back with us very soon for Episode 24 where we take you to The Golf Resort in honor of our old buddy, Arnold Palmer.

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 24.5 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Destination: Retro" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Main Topic - Todd, Brian and JT are back to give you a recap of the Destination: D Trip and some other highlights. We discuss the D23 event, some interesting findings brought to our attention and also talk about the Lake & Lagoon Tour. 

The RetroWDW Lake and Lagoon Tour - The tours were a great success! We had seven boats go out over two days and they were filled to the max. The different sights and locations were all discussed in detail and on this episode, we give you a little recap of the different stops. Thank you so much to everyone who was able to join us, we plan to release some audio versions of the tours very soon. This way you can take your own journey on Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon.  

Dinner with Tom Nabbe and David Coolidge - We had two very special guests of honor at dinner and afterwards Tom told us monorail stories as we rode the restort beam in search of the elusive missing beams!

ReeseRileyReview -  A big RetroWDW Hello to Reese and Riley! We were special guests on Episode #8 of the ReeseRileyReview! - Be sure to follow the girls (@ReRiReview) and listen and watch their shows as they review Disney Resorts and more!

RetroWDW Merchandise - Fantasy Pins are here! We have a great set of custom pins for sale now. Be sure to get your pins (retrowdw.com/pins)  and add them to your collection as these are limited time and won't be around forever. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug- www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! 

Check back with us very soon for Episode 25 where we take you to the 25th Anniversary Celebration! Brian is super pumped to tell you all about this entire experience, in honor of our 25th episode. 

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Welcome to Episode 25 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Anniversary Special" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Comments & Corrections- To start this episode, we discuss things that scare us at WDW. Mike wrote in and said he used to be scared of Tick-Tock Croc on Peter Pan's Flight. Kate was scared of Body Wars due to her fear of shrinkage. Hipster Mickey wrote in telling us about being scared during the Studio Backlot Tour. Next up, Brian recaps his visit to the old Golf Resort. Currently, known as Shades of Green, Brian was able to worm his way over there and see what still exists. BJ Major sent us an Epcot Film which was absolutely amazing.

Listener Mail - We had lots of great letters sent in this month. Bernie wrote us to discuss character meet & greets and how it has changed over the years. Brian remembers a paper mache Pete's Dragon and also a walk-around dog from the Shaggy DA. For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com

The Orange Bird Film - One of our holy grail films was released a few weeks back and we discuss as a group. The Orange Bird is back in amazing color and he even does a dance for you. We talk about the different types of bird head and give our opinions on which is best. Hope you enjoy the film and check back for more soon...we have lots of rare films that will be released very soon.

Main Topic - This episode is all about anniversaries, including our own! How starts us off with year one then quickly moving into the five year anniversary and tencennial. The fifth is when things got serious; this includes waterski shows, Boardwalk & Baseball and many other amazing events.  Who out there still has their "I'm a Winner" Visor? The Earforce One was another 15th anniversary special item along with the famous ticket system, giving almost every person who entered a prize. This included the Chevrolet Cavalier(one per day), pins, stickers, park tickets and of course the visor. The 15th was absolutely epic!

Prize Pot - Our year end prize is huge! Included are: An Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag, an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set, a Disney Glass Candy Dish, Tomorrowland Handbook, 1984 Disney News Magazine, The Walt Disney World Explorer CD Rom, expired Discovery Island Tickets, a Frontierland Viewmaster Slide, the WDW Tencenial Coin, a WDW Pocket Protector, and finally the RetroWDW Pin Collection.

Congratulations go out to Wes Hansen! He was randomly selected from over 600 entries to receive this years big prize! Congratulations Wes!!

More Main Topic - How takes us back to the 20th anniversary! The infamous Castle Balloon was featured during this anniversary. How also got to see Michael Eisner, again... We also hear about 20 things that debuted for the 20th. Great walk down memory lane for this crazy annivesary. Brian discusses the Florida Legislatures Weekend and his amazing intvitation of the fold out Empress Lily. Brian takes us into the 25th, a topic that he has a huge amount of information on. This includes the two TV Specials, which includes Drew Carey eating a turkey leg. The unbelievable Castle Cake is discussed in great detail. So much mid/late 90s goodness with tons of highlights. If you still have your "Guest of Honor" pin, show your 25th anniversary pride - these things sure do bring back memories. Brian has a favorite shirt from this anniversary, showcasing the two castles. The how-to on this whole castle is super interesting. To round out the 25th, we bring on our buddy Matt to discuss to the road show, The Maigical Memories Tour.

RetroWDW Merchandise - Fantasy Pins are here! We have a great set of custom pins for sale now. Be sure to get your pins and add them to your collection as these are limited time and won't be around forever. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug- www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! 

Check back with us in January for  Episode 26 where we take you back to a time when you could journey under the sea...

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 26 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Tiny Bubbles" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Listener Mail - First off, we have a real letter! Rob wrote us discussing history on the Golf Resort and some new facts we didn't cover. Next, a listener wrote in asking about updates to the utilidors. Cameron wrote us about the corrugated wall and how he found it. Joey was next, asking about our opening title music. We give you the history and also details on each section of the song. For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com

Audio Rewind - We are back with a new audio puzzler. If you think you know the answer, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a pack of RetroWDW Pins!  All entries due 2/12/2017 and a winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the NEW PRIZE POT! 

Prize Pot - This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter.  The first prize pot item is the Walt Disney at the World's Fair CD Set. This is an amazing start to the Summer Prize Pot, so be sure to get your entries in.

Main Topic - This month we take you back to the Magic Kingdom and onto the classic ride, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. How & Todd take us back to the 1950s, giving us a bit of history to begin. As we continue, you learn all about the subs, the ride, sounds and everything down to the smallest detail. This is one attraction where nearly all of us have some experience actually riding and loving. Gone but not forgotten, this ride never made it to "Classic Status" before it was too late. Our own How Bowers is one of the few people on earth to take the final ride around on the sub... Hope you enjoy going back with us to Fantasyland, before it was new and when you could ride with Captain Nemo.

RetroWDW Merchandise - How has given us an amazing design based on the Home of Future Living. This one is absolutely amazing and you can get it in shirt form and many other products. Give How some feedback on your favorite design by tweeting at us, showing your purchases. As always, we appreciate your support and love seeing you out there sporting your RetroWDW gear! Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug- www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Film Restoration - Todd gives us all an update on our film projects coming soon.... Lots of goodies are being processed as we speak, so if you are one of our film buffs, it is time to get excited.....

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

-Join us next month for a grand and miraculous journey, as we take you to EPCOT Center and into Spaceship Earth-

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 27 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Tomorrow's Child" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Listener Mail - Candler wrote us regarding the old photos of the 20k subs in Florida. He corrected us, saying they were in Plant City. @CoderBrad asked us about the origins of the five legged goat on the Contemporary mural, How informs us on every detail possible regarding this. Reese is curious about a 20k scuba diving outfit, which ended up at The Living Seas & The Seas With Nemo. Brian helps us figure out this one, but let us know if you recall this piece. Rob from Las Vegas remembers a gold coin from Pirates, that had the date stamped on it. We go into great detail letting him know about this machine, what it did and finally how cool it was!  For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com

Audio Rewind - Last month, the audio rewind song was JP and the Silver Stars, you were correct! The winner is Frank Schell, winning a set of RetroWDW Pins.  Great job Frank! If you think you know the answer to this months audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a pack of RetroWDW Pins!  All entries due 4/3/2017 and a winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the NEW PRIZE POT!

Prize Pot - This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter.  The first prize pot item is the Walt Disney at the World's Fair Four CD Set. This month, we are having How add a mystery gift...The item will not be revealed, and this is the first time we are adding a mystery item to the pot.

Main Topic - This month, we rejoin at the gates of EPCOT Center, to take a ride on Spaceship Earth. An opening day attraction that has changed a few times but lots of aspects remain the same. EPCOT was an amazing achievement and still is, so join us as we take you back to construction, opening day and the ride itself. Guided by the retro master himself, How goes into great detail taking you through the geodesic sphere. We also mention the Ray Bradbury script, which you can find here. 

RetroWDW Merchandise - This month, we are bringing you a Spaceship Earth design in honor of our Podcast. How just keeps putting out these one of a kind designs that you cannot find anywhere else. Give How some feedback on your favorite design by tweeting at us, showing off your purchases. As always, we appreciate your support and love seeing you out there sporting your RetroWDW gear! Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug- www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

-Join us next month for a trip to the Old Swimmin' Hole. We take you back to River Country, the first themed water park!-

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Welcome to Episode 28 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Whoop-N-Holler" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Corrections & Listener Mail - Todd started us with some corrections on the Spaceship Earth episode. First, the music you hear is not called "Space", instead it is an instrumental section of Tomorrow's Child. Another listener mentioned Michelangelo and which hand he is, How chimes in to tell us he is left handed...The triangle boxes between the SSE cars were discussed during the episode. Former cast members informed us they did not know, so we discuss some of the more popular theories. This is going to start a new series on the show called - "How Did It Work". 

The mailbag this month was crazy full. Brian goes into great detail about how Mickey stood on top of Spaceship Earth, involving a rope and high winds. Next up, we discuss an email we received about the lack of children in the parks when you view some of our older films. Finally, @FancyRobotCouch asks us why Mission To Mars closed... We go into some various reasons and also discuss an incredibly rare piece of film we just acquired. For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com

Audio Rewind - Last month, the audio rewind song was Impressions de France: Opening Theme, if you guessed that, you were correct! The winner is Stephanie Haddon, winning a set of RetroWDW Pins. Brian is also adding a souvenir photo set from the 1964-65 Worlds Fair; this was given out at the 2014 Destination D. Great job Stephanie! If you think you know the answer to this months audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a pack of RetroWDW Pins and random brochures!  All entries due 4/30/2017 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the NEW SUMMER PRIZE POT!

Prize Pot - This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter.  The first prize pot item is the Walt Disney at the World's Fair Four CD Set, followed by a NEW Official Disneyland/WDW LP Record from 1988 and new this month is A Surprise For Mickey Mouse Little Golden Book from 1971.  All entries for the audio rewind go to winning the Summer Prize Pot.

Main Topic - This month, we discuss the old swimmin' hole: River Country. The original themed water park from 1976 is discussed in detail, taking you back with Birnbaum quotes and original guest testimony. If you didn't get to visit this 5 acre park, you are in luck because we walk through each experience and attraction. We even managed to lock down some original cast members who worked the park and their interviews are included in this episode. Take a trip back with us and relive River Country in the glory days. After you finish the episode, take a trip over to our YouTube Channel and watch one of our restored movies from when the park was fully operational.  Enjoy!

RetroWDW Merchandise - This month, we are bringing you two River Country designs in honor of our Podcast. How just keeps putting out these one of a kind designs that you cannot find anywhere else. Give How some feedback on your favorite design by tweeting at us, showing off your purchases. As always, we appreciate your support and love seeing you out there sporting your RetroWDW gear! Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug- www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

- Join us next month for a trip on Listen To The Land -

*Event Alert: Plan on joining us, later this year for an upcoming and amazing fan event! Details to come....*

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 29 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Listen To The Land" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Corrections & Listener Mail - Todd started us with some discussion on River Country being built on some granite.... We learn some more about listener theories on the water slides at River Country and what they were made of. Tom gives us some insight on the mysterious pyramids on the Spaceship Earth ride vehicles. Brian gives us some more information on the famous Mickey on Spaceship Earth commercial shoot. Finally, a listener wrote in to discuss some of the underwater effects on 20,000 Leagues.

The mailbag is opened up for this month! Lots of great stuff! We learn about the "River Country" song at the end of our last podcast and also some other WDW music from the 70s and 80s. Our resident EPCOT Center experts tell us all about meeting Figment & The Dreamfinder; so cool! Remember the old Skyway at The Magic Kingdom? We tell you about the old stations and where you can look for them now. Have you ever been curious about retro wait times? We discuss how long it took to get on famous attractions back in the early years of Disney World. Reese wrote us this month and asked about the how The Land changed... You can learn all about this in our main topic. For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com

Audio Rewind - Last month, the audio rewind song was super hard! We go through some of the guesses, but if you guessed the strollers at The Magic Kingdom going over the bridge, you were correct! The winner is Ali Jurgens, winning a set of RetroWDW Pins and some other mystery pieces. Great job Ali! If you think you know the answer to this months audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a pack of RetroWDW Pins and a Nunis Wave Machine Shirt!  All entries due 5/22/2017 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the NEW SUMMER PRIZE POT!

Prize Pot - This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter.  The first prize pot item is the Walt Disney at the World's Fair Four CD Set, followed by a NEW Official Disneyland/WDW LP Record from 1988, A Surprise For Mickey Mouse Little Golden Book from 1971 and new this month, All Aboard: The Wonderful World of Walt Disney's Trains.  All entries for the audio rewind go to winning the Summer Prize Pot.

Main Topic - This month, we discuss the EPCOT Center attraction, The Land. Brian takes us through the history of this original attraction and how it came to be. The original sponsor was a logging comapny called Georgia Pacific. Tony Baxter was originally in charge of this, before the theme was changed. We look at the ride, different areas and even Symbiosis. Kraft took over as sponsor, Claude & Rolly took over and gained this new sponsor. The attraction has changed over the years and even had a live narrator up until a few years back. Follow us back through the history, wall carpet and vintage music as we take you back to the early years of The Land. Enjoy!

RetroWDW Merchandise - This month, we are bringing you a new Symbiosis shirt with original font! A second shirt is coming too, which is a tribute to Horizons, featuring the Pegasus logo. Stickers are now available on our store too, along with our "Now Is The Best Time" Clock. How just keeps putting out these one of a kind designs that you cannot find anywhere else. Give How some feedback on your favorite design by tweeting at us, showing off your purchases. As always, we appreciate your support and love seeing you out there sporting your RetroWDW gear! Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug- www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

- Join us next month for a look at the old television specials about WDW -

*Event Alert: Plan on joining us for Epcot35 in late October...More details to follow soon!

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Welcome to a special edition of the RetroWDW Podcast, Episode 29.35 "Planning for EPCOT35"!

In November 2016 the RetroWDW podcast held a special event at WDW, specifically our Lake and Lagoon Tour was centered around DestinationD. We had limited spots and always wanted to do something that more of our listeners could attend. With the recent announcements and ticket sales of official EPCOT35 events we decided to begin the research to plan our own event to coincide with the anniversary. We're working on putting together a special character meet and greet, a cocktail/dessert illuminations party and a special attraction ride to end the evening of September 30th, 2017

In this short episode we discuss the details of our plans and ask that if you are interested in attending to please fill out the survey at www.retrowdw.com/epcot35  so we can better gauge the party size and interest levels. If you have an suggestions, ideas or thoughts about the event please email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each episode and we hope to see this September!

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 30 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Prime Time Specials Part I" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

We start off discussing music from The Land; It seems to be all over the place and all flight based. Many songs are not connected to Disney and most have a connection to flight in some way.

Disney In Ohio writes us about the window above Casey's with a Chinese Restaurant. How discusses the origins of these windows and what it all means. The Main Street windows all have a great story, which we will continue to discuss in future episodes.

Mark wrote us about a menu, which is from The Land. He sent us some scans which led us to discuss Key West Pizza. We also talk about broiled BBQ Shrimp, The Landwich, and the huge favorite, Fresh Dolphin... Interesting menu and a great trip down memory lane. Thanks Mark!

Bill wanted to know about the record breaking tomato plant. Todd explains all the details, facts and figures on this amazing plant.

For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com.

Last month, the audio rewind was kinda tricky.. How created this one for us and we had some good guesses. The Mickey Mania Parade is the correct answer though.

The winner is James Bolen, winning a set of RetroWDW Pins and some great ephemera. Great job James!

If you think you know the answer to this months audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a GAF Guide to Walt Disney World. A super cool vintage park guide donated by our friend David Eppen.

All entries due 6/20/2017 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the Fall/Winter Prize Pot, being picked in December.

This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter.

The first prize pot items are:

• The Walt Disney at the World's Fair Four CD Set
• followed by a NEW Official Disneyland/WDW LP Record from 1981
• A Surprise For Mickey Mouse Little Golden Book from 1971
• All Aboard: The Wonderful World of Walt Disney's Trains
• and new this month, The WDW Pictorial Souvenir from 1977

This completes our first half prize pot, which is being given away this episode!

Our prize pot winner is Tammy Norman! Tammy wins everything above for the first half of the year prize pot.  Thank you everyone for playing, and congratulations Tammy!

All entries for the audio rewind go to winning the next prize pot.

This month, we discuss the multiple original WDW Primetime Specials that aired on TV.  We go through these in chronological order and Todd gets us going with the Magic Kingdom Grand Opening Special. 

 The Magic Kingdom Grand Opening Special

This show aired on October 29, 1971 on NBC. The host was Julie Andrews and included a number of stars to round it all out. A great disco version of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah is discussed as well as Bob Hope's standup in the Contemporary.

Brian hits us next with "The Opening of Epcot Center" - Danny Kaye is the main host of this special. This episode has tons of robots, Alan Shepard and even Drew Barrymore. Filled with great audio clips, you will get a great idea how this show goes. Brian lets us know that 50% of this show is Danny Kaye song/dance numbers with a little bit of stock EPCOT Center Footage. The ending of this show is one of the best parts to hear Brian describe, Danny Kaye is just an absolute mess!

JT brings us the two hour special on the Magical World of Disney, The Disney-MGM Studios Grand Opening. The cheese factor has been enhanced to the highest of level. This was a tough episode to sit through, but Michael Eisner kicks us off with Hollywood that never was. We go into the level of celebrity for this special and why they picked certain celebrities to be on the show. Some of the were safe bets and others were connected to the WDW company. Props, montages, and random celebrities are all over the place on this one.

The next and final special How discusses, is the Muppet's Special. Right after MGM Studios opened, the Muppet's were signed on to join. This special aired in May of 1990 and the reason was to introduce the Muppet's to the Disney family. Kermit is headed to a swamp which is located behind WDW and this also introduces Bean Bunny. All the characters are in this special; including a visit to EPCOT Center!

Some of the related episodes include our MGM Studios Opening Day Retrospective, One Little Spark and The Anniversary Special is a good connecting episode too.

This month, we are bringing you a new Symbiosis shirt with original font! A second shirt is coming too, which is a tribute to Horizons, featuring the Pegasus logo. Stickers are now available on our store too, along with our "Now Is The Best Time" Clock. How just keeps putting out these one of a kind designs that you cannot find anywhere else. Give How some feedback on your favorite design by tweeting at us, showing off your purchases. 

http:/www.retrowdw.com/supportus

- Join us next month when we take you back to Flight to the Moon and Mission to Mars! We also have a very special film to release from the attraction!

*Event Alert: Plan on joining us for Epcot35 in early October...More details to follow soon!

Welcome to Episode 31 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Mission To Mars" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

First off, we discuss Meredith Wilson appearing in some of the movies we viewed last month and also make some additional connections. 

Brian corrects his statements regarding Ray Bradbury in our last episode, which a number of listeners wrote in and let us know about.

Our 20k episode, we discuss an alternate narration. Plastic Seaweed let us know the original narration just came to light; it is on YouTube now, and was surprisingly recording by a blind park guest.

Mike Frank wrote us, loves the podcast, and wants Mr. Bowers to release "Tales of the Styrofoam Head". All of the various audio recordings How has done over the years is sitting in the archives, which could be released in the near future. For now, check out Kingdom of Memories for some already released audio.

For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com.

Our audio rewind this month turned out to be Magic Journeys! The winner is Mark Brent, winning the GAF Magic Kingdom guide full of great information. 

If you think you know the answer to this months audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a stack of vintage Disney postcards from the 1970s and 1980s. 

All entries due 7/24/2017 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the Fall/Winter Prize Pot, being picked in December.

This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter.

We have moved onto Prize Pot #2! All prizes added to the pot will be given to one lucky winner this December.  Here is what we have so far:

• Life Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)

All entries for the audio rewind go to winning the next prize pot.  Email us to enter: podcast@retrowdw.com

We have quite the episode lined up for you this month, and it posts in conjunction with an amazingly rare film we acquired as well. You are in for a real treat as we discuss Flight to the Moon & Mission to Mars. How takes us through the entire history and also lets us know he absolutely hated this ride... Looking back, we hear about the unique things that are actually happening throughout both rides.

The origins of the show in Disneyland are discussed, which was titled Rocket to the Moon. TWA originally sponsored this, opening in 1955. The whole moon thing kind of lost excitement in Flight to the Moon, but before that, it did come to The Magic Kingdom. Mission to Mars came next, in 1975 and ran until 1981. We go into the various sponsorships of this attraction, all the way up to 1993. The first hand ride experiences given during this episode are absolutely amazing.

We will be releasing the Mission To Mars original film next week, so please check back for this amazing piece of history.

How is working hard to create an amazing Mission To Mars inspired piece of merchandise, so please check our store for this unique creation. How just keeps putting out these one of a kind designs that you cannot find anywhere else. Give How some feedback on your favorite design by tweeting at us, showing off your purchases. 

Retrowdw.com/supportus

• Join us next month when we take you to Journey Into Imagination at EPCOT Center. This is a highly requested topic and we know you are going to really enjoy it!
• *Event Alert: Plan on joining us for Epcot35 in early October...More details to follow soon!

Join Todd and Brian for a quick episode where we discuss the details of our upcoming event at EPCOT Center on September 30th, 2017!

In November 2016 the RetroWDW podcast held a special event at WDW, specifically our Lake and Lagoon Tour was centered around DestinationD. We had limited spots and always wanted to do something that more of our listeners could attend. In conjunction with the official EPCOT35 events we decided to begin the research to plan our own event to coincide with the anniversary. We're now ready to tell you what you can expect on this very special evening and how to get tickets!

Full information on the event as well as Tickets (on sale Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 1pm EST) can be found at retrowdw.com/epcot35 We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each episode and we hope to see this September!

Welcome to Episode 32 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Riding on Sunshine" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Lots of great feedback from our Mission to Mars episode. We discuss the subtle throwbacks that exist now in the parks and also answer some questions about the liftoff videos not being coastal exclusive. We also touch base on the placements of the different presidents in The Hall of Presidents. How discusses an original LP which has a layout built into the jacket.

Thank you for all the emails, tweets and comments you have sent our way. We try to respond to almost everything and do our best to pick unique questions for the show. For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com.

Our audio rewind this month turned out to be The Universe of Energy! The winner is Jessica , winning some vintage WDW postcards!

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a set of RetroWDW Pins and a WDW photo envelope.

This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter. We have moved onto Prize Pot #2! All prizes added to the pot will be given to one lucky winner this December.  Here is what we have so far:

• Life Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)
• Look Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)  

All entries for the audio rewind go to winning the next prize pot.  Email us to enter: podcast@retrowdw.com

A very timely main topic this month for our listeners. With the closing of The Universe of Energy this month, we felt it was time to take you back to the original attraction from EPCOT Center. We dive right into the opening concepts, how everything works and of course each show scene. The sheer size of this attraction and all the details will amaze you as ride along in the original attraction. We do hit on some comparisons to the current and now closed version with Ellen and Bill Nye, but this episode focuses mainly on the original show that ran from 1982-1996. If you never had the chance to enjoy the original, this will take you right back to the 80s and 90s with firsthand accounts and experiences.  Learn about the film direction, editing process and even how the animatronics area has changed over the years.  This truly is a classic that signifies the original magic of EPCOT.  We think you're really going to enjoy this journey back in time to The Universe of Energy.

How is working hard to create an amazing Mission To Mars inspired piece of merchandise, so please check our store for this unique creation. How just keeps putting out these one of a kind designs that you cannot find anywhere else. Give How some feedback on your favorite design by tweeting at us, showing off your purchases. 

 Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrowdw.com/supportus

Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming!

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or send us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com.

• Join us next month when we explore some Retro Food. Vintage menu offerings, impressions and also extinct meals. If you have any 70s, 80s and early 90s menus, please send them our way in an email or tweet.
• We will continue to share our plans for Epcot35 as we finalize details! Follow us everywhere for information!

 previous shows.

Corrections and Comments - We go back and rehash a little bit about the Town Square Cafe and also who the original designer of the Electrical Water Pageant was. Todd has an oddball thought about a Cuttlefish and we also found out about a very early autograph book at WDW.  

Main Topic - The focus this month is on The American Adventure in honor of the Fourth of July holiday. Todd, Brian, JT & How all discuss how the show works and also some of the history leading up to the attraction. Some great information is discussed on each of the eras presented during the show, JT discusses the backstage tour and all discuss the book Building a Better Mouse.

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winners, Alex Suarez and Tammy Norman, guessing True Colors from the pre-show for Magic Journeys and Captain EO. They are the winners of custom, 3D printed EPCOT Center Spaceship Earth Coaster and also some custom stickers from Redbubble featuring How's artwork!  If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win the book, Building a Better Mouse - All correct answers will also be entered into a drawing in December of 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

*This episode has the chance for you to win 3 seperate prizes! Listen carefully for the different questions, challenges, and opportunities where YOU, can be a winner and star of the show!

RetroWDW Merchandise - Our very first limited edition RetroTee based on an Illumnations napkin is now available for sale at The Imperial Shirt Company - Order now! This shirt will only be available until August 31! Additionally our redbubble store is off to a great start, in fact Brian and JT have upgraded audio equipment thanks to our supporters! The designs are exclusive to RetroWDW and will be rotated out and updated frequently. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Mail - Todd discusses a stage that once existed in Fantasyland and what makes it unique. How tells the story of the pirate ship on Discovery Island which is a perfect intro for Pablo Cruise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-C_kvDwqeY We take a detour through a very odd Christmas special starring Shields and Yarnell that is pure nightmare fuel, but dont say we didn' warn you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmQbNZxNToU

August of 1972 Magic Kingdom home movie, digitally transferred by Pixcel and restored by our very own Imageworks.  How finds some lost trashcans, Brian is amused by a man walking into frame, Todd gets confused about the first American flag and a kid in a funny feather hat walks by.

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 10, where we take you into the Disney-MGM Studios for the first time ever on our podcast. Our very own How was camping out, the night before opening day....Super pumped up to hear his whole story, and we may have a guest star as well.  

Until next time... "Spare a dime? Hehehe. Sure buy four of my apples, and I'll loan ya back the ten cents."

Welcome to the First Episode of the Retro Disney World Podcast.  We have had lots of great feedback thus far, we hope you enjoy the first official episode!.  

Introductions - The regular crew is all here, Todd, Brian, How & JT are all present and accounted for.

Main Topic - This first episode takes us to the early days of Tomorrowland, or the small area with two attractions that was referred to as Tomorrowland in '71. How goes into many great details about what happened and how it all began. The Grand Prix Raceway, If You Had Wings, and Mission to Mars and others are discussed in crystal clear retro detail and of course we make our way around the rest of the land as well.

Viewer Mail - From Mark, we discuss the question "Do you recall the smell that exists in the dinosaur section of Universe of Energy?" - Send your questions to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Audio Puzzler - Congratulations to Jared for winning the Preview Episode Audio Puzzler, the answer was "Legacy" which played in the EPCOT Center entrance area. If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com  We will enter all correct answers into a drawing for retro prizes! 

Film Restoration - In this episode, we watch and discuss two films that have been restored with Pixcel and Imageworks.  Follow along with us as we add color commentary to these two classics from '71 & '72.

• View the 1971 Magic Kingdom Restored Home Movie - Found by Brian at a garage sale!
• View the 1972 Magic Kingdom Restored Home Movie - Taken by Todd's Grandparents

We hope you enjoyed our first episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Once you are done listening, you can discuss the podcast and interact with the team and other listeners in this thread. Be sure to check back with us very soon for Episode #2 focusing on the Contemporary Resort. 

Until next time, "Kindly move all the way to the end of the aisle, filling in all available spaces..."

  We have created some original artwork for t-shirts, stickers, pillows, phone cases and more. Our first two designs are inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant and the World of Motion. Get into the 4th of july spirit with the "It's Fun to be Free" red white and blue tee or have your morning coffee in an Electrical Water Pageant mug...

All sales proceeds will go towards improving the equipment used to record the RetroWDW podcast!

Designs will be only available for a limited time order yours today before they are gone! www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Welcome to Episode 10 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Hooray for Floridawood" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Corrections and Comments - Brian discusses some EPCOT 30 corrections about World Showcase from our last episode and we have photos of the real "depression era house" inspiration from The American Adventure shown to us. Take a look!   

Main Topic - We take you back to the opening day of the Disney-MGM Studios, way back on May 1, 1989. Our very own How and our guest, Hoot Gibson were waiting in the parking lot all night to be the first through the gates. They discuss rubbing elbows with Michael Eisner and Bob Hope and of course giving commentary about being the first to see different attractions. How has a great story about being the first person ever to take a pie to the face at Super Star Television. Join us as we relive opening day, through the eyes of the attendees. Todd references his trip in August 1989 and you can see nearly 40 minutes of vintage Disney-MGM studios footage here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hERibY2m40k

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, Andrew Toffolli for guessing the EPCOT lagoon shows that came before Illuminations (Carnival de Lumierem, A New World Fantasy, and Laserphonic Fantasy). Trevor Thornton guessed the audio rewind correctly, which was the Astutuer Computer Revue from Communicore. If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win a Living Seas Hydrolator #3 spiral notebook - All correct answers will also be entered into a drawing in December of 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

*JT is still waiting for your photograph at the old Discovery Island pirate ship; this will earn you a great bonus prize!!

RetroWDW Merchandise - Our very first limited edition RetroTee based on an Illumnations napkin is now available for sale at The Imperial Shirt Company! This shirt will only be available until August 31! Our Redbubble shop is doing great, in fact thanks to our listeneres we all have upgraded audio equipment! All designs are exclusive to RetroWDW and will be rotated out and updated frequently. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Mesa Verde University Tee - Jason has designed a fantastic t-shirt inspired by the Horizons desert farming scene. The MVU logo includes the schools official fruit (a Lorange) and the motto which reads: "Nobis septem annos liberos mittite, agricolas remittemus" (Send us your children for seven years, we will return farmers). This is only a 7 day flash sale! Get your shirt today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/mvu

Listener Mail - Lots of great mail this month, thanks so much for your emails! Kurt sent us a note asking about the World of Motion and how the scenes resemble books and photographs. The group gives him our answer and where he can locate the different scenes in print form. We also heard from Gordon, who did some recon for us, finding out that the Centorium did not have an early morning smell. The evening check though, did revealed a stench....  We had lots of great photos sent to us via twitter this month, super cool. Please contact us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - Due to time constrains we skip the film restoration discussion for a month, however Todd has acquired some super rare 16mm Walt Disney World films. These are very pricey to digitally convert. We've setup an account on Patreon.com where you can pledge to help the restoration effort and in return receive exclusive early access to this podcast for 1 year! If you can help us please check out Our Restoration Project on Patreon.com

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 11 titled "Land, Sea and Air" - we'll let you ponder on that for a bit.

Welcome to Episode 11 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "First Things First" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Corrections and Comments - How discusses the World Showcase original location, which is surprisingly way different compared to the current spot where it ended up. The Food & Wine Festival would have ended up being at an unusual location if they stuck with this plan..

Main Topic - This month we go back to many firsts at Walt Disney World. George & Becky Miranda from Ohio join us to discuss opening day at The Magic Kingdom. They both have an amazing first hand account from visiting the park on opening day along with a great collection of photos (You're going to want to load these up and look at them while you listen to them describe that first day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/georgelmiranda/albums/72157658664679871). We then jump into some great stories about the first families that entered each theme park, including a checkered past for a few of them. How moves us over to the original, first airport on property which ends up being yet another surprise found during the research phase. How then digs into the details of the STOL port on WDW property - this is a long awaited and often requested topic by our listeners!

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, Joe Yost from Atlanta, he guessed the Horizons Ending music. Joe will get the Hydrolator notebook. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win a Magic Kingdom, Cinderalla Castle resin model. Send your guesses by October 12, 2015 - All correct answers will also be entered into a drawing in December of 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

RetroWDW Merchandise - The STOL Port was discussed during this episode and that will lead to some new, top secret merchandise. Check back for information on that very soon. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Mail - Lots of great mail this month, thanks so much for your emails! Our selfie challenge was accepted by a good friend of the show, Tim Birch. He snapped the photo of himself riding by the abandoned pirate ship on Discovery Island. Tim will be receiving a 1984 Walt Disney World Calendar. Keep the emails, tweets and pictures coming! Please contact us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - Due to time constrains we skip the film restoration discussion for this month, however Todd has acquired some super rare 16mm Walt Disney World films. These are very pricey to digitally convert. We've setup an account on Patreon.com where you can pledge to help the restoration effort and in return receive exclusive early access to this podcast for 1 year! If you can help us please check out Our Restoration Project on Patreon.com

Listener Memories - This new segment is where you the listener can give us a call to share your memories. We had a few calls already and find these so much fun to listen to. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-Retro.

RetroCon - Brian & JT give us a quick recap on RetroCon 2015; Thank you so much to all the listeners that stopped by, it was great to meet each and every one of you. 

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 12, thanks for listening!

Welcome to Episode 14 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Christmas Around the World" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. This marks one year of podcasts, so thanks for sticking with us and supporting this fun endeavour. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Corrections & Comments - How discusses the infamous WDW Globes that now go for big bucks on eBay. We learn about their original cost and also how they were sold at the resort gift shops. Some clever listeners sent us audio samples from the Country Bears, as they refer to their original sponsors during the show. This very cool revelation is also joined by Todd letting us know that Bisontennial Ben is still around. 

Main Topic - The long awaited Christmas Episode is finally here. Brian takes the wheel to steer us into a great holiday episode featuring stores about the original Candlelight Processional, celebrity guests, amazing retro audio samples and tons more. Brian tells us about the Main Street garland and of course the history of the various holiday parades. This topic is loaded with content that will really spark some Christmas memories from Walt Disney World. Be sure to let us know if you remember any of these special events or have a memory we might have missed.

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, Preston W., he guessed the Pirates of the Caribbean digging scene in the queue. Preston will get the autographed copy of The Progress City Primer. If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win the Main Street USA poster, styled like the ride vehicle poster. Send your guesses by January 11, 2016 - All correct answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pack slowly built over the course of 2016. The Prize Pot is building.....

We finally get to pick our winner for the reproduction Paul Hartley map, from WDWMap.com - David Lambie. Thanks to all of our entries!

RetroWDW Merchandise - We thank you for your purchases and we'd like to let you know about some of our newest items, which includes a top secret Captain EO tribute design. These are RetroWDW original works of art, done by How. Super neat stuff that is only available for a limited time. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

Listener Mail - We appreciate all your kind notes, emails and social media connections. This month we hit on the burning smell in Pirates of the Caribbean. Does it exist or is our listener remembering incorrectly? This same note mentions seeing Walt discussing the contemporary in an early film. None of us have heard of this, although we do discuss Walt's very own chest of drawers. Todd gets to address the filming isues in The Magic of Walt Disney World, and how they rehased old footage that used different film sizes. Finally, we discuss some info about the WDW Waterski Show. Keep the emails, tweets and pictures coming! Please contact us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Our good friend Glenn Simpson gave us a call, among many others, sharing their holiday greetings and also some seasonal stories. Keep the calls coming!

We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 15.... Topic to be announced very soon!

We've got something special for our listeners! Todd & Brian were recent guests on the George and Tony Entertainment show where we go through the history of RetroDisneyWorld.com, the podcast, our films and more! Our listeners will love the detail, background and some unknown facts about our show!

Be sure to give George and Tony a listen at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/george-tony-entertainment/id886806400?mt=2

If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 19, where we take you back to Epcot Center...but you the listener can help us decide what pavilion to explore. Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts... Thank you!

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Retro Disney World Podcast.  We have had lots of great feedback thus far, we hope you continue to enjoy our retro presentations!

Introductions - The regular crew is all here, Todd, Brian, How & JT are all present and accounted for. How kicks off the podcast with the correct story behind the crying aligator gag in the Jungle Cruise from the last show.

Main Topic - The team starts by mentioning their favorite part of the Contemporary Resort, from there we dive into the overall design, the association with US Steel and how the rooms were constructed. JT gets to say "Like a chest of drawers" a few times while Brian imagines the construction view from Roy's Cabin. Todd struggles with the escalator size and continually gets lost in the Grand Canyon Concourse. We move on to the north & south wings and then ask "What would you pay to stay in a retro Contemporary Room?" Todd once again mixes up Shari Lewis and Phyllis Diller as we move up to the Top of the World. The commercial discussed during the show can be viewed here: US Steel Contemporary Resort Hotel Construction Commercial

Guest Star - We welcome Chad from wdwmap.com to the show to discuss his amazing reproduction Paul Hartley map of WDW that hung in the rooms at the Contemporary and Polylnesian Resorts.

Audio Puzzler - Congratulations to Carolyn for winning the Episode #1 Audio Puzzler, the answer was "Foot Power Scene" from World of Motion. . If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com  We will enter all correct answers into a drawing for retro prizes! All correct answers will be entered into a drawing in December 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

Viewer Mail - From David, we discuss a retro WDW Globe souvenier, one that How purchased a number of years back  - Send your questions to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - We watch and discuss a retro film that has been restored with Pixcel and Imageworks. Follow along with us as we add color commentary to this film: Contemporary Resort - 1970s Shag and Flair - Restored Home Movie HD

We hope you enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Be sure to check back with us in January for Episode #3 when we pay a visit to Fort Wilderness

Until next time, "Do not pull down on the safety bar please...I will lower it for you..."

  We have created some original artwork for t-shirts, stickers, pillows, phone cases and more. Our first two designs are inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant and the World of Motion. Get into the 4th of july spirit with the "It's Fun to be Free" red white and blue tee or have your morning coffee in an Electrical Water Pageant mug...

All sales proceeds will go towards improving the equipment used to record the RetroWDW podcast!

Designs will be only available for a limited time order yours today before they are gone! www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Welcome to a special episode of the Retro Disney World Podcast! We talk to illustrator Dave Perillo in the latest installment of our series of occasional bonus episodes featuring interviews with subjects we think will interest you. Dave is a Philadelphia-based artists whose work has been featured on retro-styled merchandise for Disney with a focus on attraction artwork. He will be appearing this weekend at Disney Springs in the Wonderground Gallery section of the Marketplace Co-Op store. Dave shares stories of his history with Disney parks and how his love of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride has influenced some of the merchandise you’ve been able to purchase over the years.

Dave’s artwork runs the spectrum of pop culture interests.  If there’s a fan community out there for pop culture media there’s a good bet Dave has done some artwork that will be of interest to you.  Star Wars, Airplane!, Disney, The Simpsons, classic cartoons and advertising — you name it.  Dave’s whimsical artwork and Mary Blair-influenced style is sure to delight and amuse.

Listen to our interview and follow Dave on Twitter and Instagram @montygog

Dave will be at Disney Springs at the Marketplace Co-Op this weekend October 21st and 22nd from 5 PM - 8 PM and on Sunday October 23rd from Noon to 3 PM.

Check back with us very soon for Episode 24 where we take you to The Golf Resort in honor of our old buddy, Arnold Palmer.

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 3 of the Retro Disney World Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and giving us feedback. We love hearing from everyone and sharing your thoughts live on the air!

Introductions - The regular crew is all here, Todd, Brian, How & JT are all present and accounted for. We start off discussing the Tomorrowland Speedway changes through the years, Richard Nixon at the Contemporary and also more US Steel construction techniques for vibration resistance. 

Main Topic - Our main topic this month, Fort Wilderness. This is one of the originals at WDW and actually, none of us stayed there in the early years. JT is a regular to the Fort and we hear all about the opening years and what makes Fort Wilderness a unique place to be on property. The Fort Wilderness Railroad & River Country are slightly discussed, but we would like to devote two full future episodes to those topics. Learn all about Fleetwood Homes, tent camping, Melvin The Moose Breakfast and of course more concrete evidence about Roy's Cabin. Hitch up your camper and join us for a great discussion all about one of the most relaxing resorts on property, that has changed quite a bit over the years.

Audio Puzzler - Congratulations to Matthew for winning the Episode #2 Audio Puzzler, the answer was the Mike Fink Keel Boats background music. Matthew wins a great Mickey Christmas Ornament. If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com - We will enter all correct answers into a drawing for retro prizes, this month you can win a great bar of vintage Contemporary Resort Dial Soap! All correct answers will be entered into a drawing in December 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

Viewer Mail - Candler sent us a great email regarding the US Steel construction site where the Contemporary/Polynesian "drawers" were built.  If you would like to do some exploring, we have the actual address for you in this episode.  Thanks for your note Candler! - Send your questions to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - We watch and discuss a retro film that has been restored with Pixcel and Imageworks. Follow along with us as we add color commentary to this film: Todd's personal trip to WDW back in 1980 - 30 minutes worth of outstanding Kodak Film.

We hope you enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Be sure to check back with us very soon for Episode #4 when we move into the future and finally start discussing EPCOT Center.

Until next time, "But enough of this chit chat, yick yack, and flim flam."

  We have created some original artwork for t-shirts, stickers, pillows, phone cases and more. Our first two designs are inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant and the World of Motion. Get into the 4th of july spirit with the "It's Fun to be Free" red white and blue tee or have your morning coffee in an Electrical Water Pageant mug...

All sales proceeds will go towards improving the equipment used to record the RetroWDW podcast!

Designs will be only available for a limited time order yours today before they are gone! www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Retro Disney World Podcast. We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of the previous shows along with our latest. Thanks for listening!

Introductions - The regular crew is all here, Todd, Brian, How & JT are all present and accounted for. We discuss the original Fort Wilderness sign whereabouts and also a little Fort Wilderness Railroad trivia is brought up thanks to some viewer mail. We also speak of a eBay auction of an original Resort Wall Map fom the 70s and then How analyzes the he monorail loading zone at the Contemporary along with the missing elevator.

Main Topic - Our main topic this month is the conception, history and early years of EPCOT Center. We look into the original vision of how it wasn't really thought to be a theme park and that Walt wanted this to be the community of tomorrow.  Brian and the gang also discuss the 1966 film Walt made to promote the concept and also get people excited about what was going to happen in Florida. How talks about the original EPCOT mailer that was sent to him prior to park opening and we also touch on the Magic Kingdom Club.  This episode is loaded with tons of early EPCOT facts and ideas, some failed concepts and missing characters - Be sure to listen to this episode carefully, as you may miss all the great information Brian shares with us.   

Audio Puzzler - Congratulations to William Winikus for winning the Episode #3 Audio Puzzler, the answer was the Magnetic Mystery Mine on Tom Sawyer Island. William wins the "brand new" bar of retro Contemporary Resort Soap. If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler this month, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com - There is an opportunity to win one of TWO retro EPCOT souvenirs with this months episode.  All correct answers will be entered into a drawing in December 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

Viewer Mail - We received a great email from Jim, who is a current cast member at Walt Disney World. Jim gave us some great feedback and also mentioned how he uses the podcast to motivate him with his job at the Magic Kingdom, in Tomorrowland.  We always love hearing positive emails and comments on how you listen to the show or what it does for you - Send your questions to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - We watch and discuss a retro film that has been restored with Pixcel and Imageworks. Follow along with us as we add color commentary to the October 14th, 1982  EPCOT Center Film that has been restored to glorious perfection.

We hope you enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com.

Be sure to check back with us very soon for Episode #5 - We discuss World of Motion and learn how it's always fun to be free.

Until next time... "Please remain seated. Your time machine vehicle is rotating for your trip back to Earth."

  We have created some original artwork for t-shirts, stickers, pillows, phone cases and more. Our first two designs are inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant and the World of Motion. Get into the 4th of july spirit with the "It's Fun to be Free" red white and blue tee or have your morning coffee in an Electrical Water Pageant mug...

All sales proceeds will go towards improving the equipment used to record the RetroWDW podcast!

Designs will be only available for a limited time order yours today before they are gone! www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Stubborn Donkey" We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of the previous shows along with our latest. Thanks for listening!

Introductions - The regular crew is all here, Todd, Brian, How & JT are all present and accounted for.  There isn't much housekeeping this month, mostly because we are just that good, but Todd starts us off with a touching dedication that is more than appropriate.  We also experienced record downloads and listens last month; thank you so much for that and we appreciate all of your interest in what we do here.

Main Topic - Our main topic this month is the GM sponsored World of Motion pavilion in EPCOT Center. The facts and figures in this ride are simply staggering, we also talk about animatronic carry over and how this attraction shared so many characters from other WDW rides. World of Motion is analyzed section by section, discussing each scene and our memories. How is the expert this month and even does some audio forensics on the ride...Brian forgets what side of Future World he is on, JT marvels at Albert the monkey and Todd continually says "Tee Hee Hee"...We hope you are excited to learn all about this gone, but not forgotten attraction!

Audio Puzzler - Congratulations to our two winners this month, Laura Bowles and Kelly Heft.  The correct answer was The Living Seas.  If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler this month, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com - There is an opportunity to win a custom 3D printed Spaceship Earth container which you cannot find in your favorite Disney gift shop.  All correct answers will also be entered into a drawing December 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

Viewer Mail - We received a great email from Jeff, who has/is creating remastered versions of the Electrical Water Pageant digitally and posts them all to his site and Youtube - Take a gander at what he is up to.  We always love hearing positive emails and comments about how/where you listen to the show and even will answer your Retro Disney questions. Thank you!  Send your questions to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - We watch and discuss a retro film that has been restored with Pixcel and Imageworks. Follow along with us as we add color commentary to this 1976 Magic Kingdom film that includes the Swan Boats, restored to glorious retro perfection.  So many good things in this one!

We hope you enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com.

Be sure to check back with us very soon for Episode #6 - We discuss World of Motion or Stubborn Donkey Part II, the highly anticipated sequel to Episode 5.  The team is also in contract negotiations to possibly record some mini episodes from time to time... 

Until next time... "Please stand clear of the doors; Por Favor Mantengase Alejado de las Puertas"

  We have created some original artwork for t-shirts, stickers, pillows, phone cases and more. Our first two designs are inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant and the World of Motion. Get into the 4th of july spirit with the "It's Fun to be Free" red white and blue tee or have your morning coffee in an Electrical Water Pageant mug...

All sales proceeds will go towards improving the equipment used to record the RetroWDW podcast!

Designs will be only available for a limited time order yours today before they are gone! www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Stubborn Donkey Part II" We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of the previous shows along with our latest. This is the epic conclusion to "Stubborn Donkey Part I", so if you haven't listened yet - check it out!

Introductions - The regular crew is all here, Todd, Brian, How & JT are all present and accounted for. We discussed in the last episode the projected street video in WOM, well we have a copy of it for your enjoyment. The film was shot in San Francisco back in 1906, right before the big earthquake and fire. A Trip Down Main Street

We also found a video of the queue, in World of Motion just before it closes. Take a look!

Main Topic - We continue this month with more World of Motion.  Such a large attraction that we needed two episodes just to cover everything. The episode starts off with How discussing the World's First Traffic Jam and we work our way through the second half of the attraction. We learn all sorts of great facts including how they integrated the movie Tron into World of Motion and that you can never have enough speed tunnels. We wrap up with a full length discussion of the TransCenter, which some people may have never experienced as they were in such a hurry to get back on the ride for a second go around. For more views and a '91 perspective on the World of Motion, check out this great footage. 

Audio Puzzler - Congratulations to our winner, Andrew Toffoli, guessing Space Mountain. Andrew is the lucky winner of the 3D printed Spaceship Earth container. If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler this month, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com - All correct answers will also be entered into a drawing December 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!! This months prize is a 1993 WDW calendar!

Viewer Mail - We do two pieces of viewer mail this month. First, we got an email from Harry asking about vintage Tigger autographs. JT dug through his archives and found one from the 80s. Harry, if the price is right the autograph is yours... We also heard from Kurt who runs DisneyViewmaster on Instagram. He wants to know where John Lennon signed the breakup papers for The Beatles. Brian chimes in with his great source on this piece of history. Thank you!  Send your questions to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - We watch and discuss a retro film that has been restored with Pixcel and Imageworks. Follow along with us as we add color commentary to this 1972 Magic Kingdom architecture and landscape film. One of the best films ever featuring Mickey strolling down Main Street with an umbrella in hand and no cast member handler. Enjoy!

We hope you enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us on May 26th for Episode #7 - We discuss our favorite retro souvenirs & Todd shows his passion for Pictorial Souvenir Books. The team is also in contract negotiations to possibly record some mini episodes from time to time... one should be coming very soon..

Until next time... "Remember how easy it was to learn your ABCs? Thank the Phoenicans."

  We have created some original artwork for t-shirts, stickers, pillows, phone cases and more. Our first two designs are inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant and the World of Motion. Get into the 4th of july spirit with the "It's Fun to be Free" red white and blue tee or have your morning coffee in an Electrical Water Pageant mug...

All sales proceeds will go towards improving the equipment used to record the RetroWDW podcast!

Designs will be only available for a limited time order yours today before they are gone! www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Receipt Is In The Bag" We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of the previous shows along with our latest.

Introductions - The regular crew is all here, Todd, Brian, How & JT are all present and accounted for. Todd discusses some of his recent trip to Disneyland and how it relates back to the East Coast. He also touches on attractions left to rot away and the cast member experience. We also heard about the lack of DVC salesman...imagine that! No major updates on the World of Motion episodes, but if you'd like to go back and listen please feel free.

Main Topic - This episode is all about souvenirs and more souvenirs. The one thing every Disney fan can't get enough of and seems to never stop collecting. Todd opens up talking up with the infamous Pictoral Souvenirs - A true gem in the retro world showcasing everything the Vacation Kingdom had to offer. We also hear about Todd's favorite guest, the polka dot mystery girl. Your hosts also discuss their favorite souvenirs including a squeaky armed, hard plastic, cotton jumper wearing Mickey, How's impressive LP collection and a few plush from Brian's collection.

Call Ins - This was a new thing for us, we had live on the air call-ins from some of our biggest fans. These listeners called in to discuss their favorite souvenirs and also reminise about some of the classics. Thank you so much to Paula, Keith, and Joe for participating and taking time out of your evening to share your gems! Check out the special collection of souvenir photos from this episode: http://www.retrodisneyworld.com/pictorial-souvenir/podcast/episode-7.html

Audio Puzzler - Congratulations to our winner, Robert Myers, guessing the ferry between TTC and the Magic Kingdom. He wins the 1993 WDW Calendar!  If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler this month, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com - You can win the amazingly cool Disney transportation and attraction poster.  All correct answers will also be entered into a drawing in December of 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

Shirt Project - We are going to start to offer some limited edition, RetroWDW exclusive T-Shirts.  Please stay tuned for updates and learn how to buy your own shirts.  These will be exclusive to our listeners and fans and will help us update some of our audio equipment. 

Viewer Mail - This month we have an email from Johnny K, showing us a piece of jewelry from the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village.  This is a great souvenir from the early years of WDW and a true example of classic merch from the village.  Thank you Johnny!  Send your questions to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - We will be back next month for another great film restoration.  Please take a look at our YouTube Channel for some great films.  

We hope you enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 8 - The team is also in contract negotiations to possibly record some mini episodes from time to time... one should be coming very soon..

Until next time... "Make it a stretch. . .On the other hand, make it a super stretch" 

  We have created some original artwork for t-shirts, stickers, pillows, phone cases and more. Our first two designs are inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant and the World of Motion. Get into the 4th of july spirit with the "It's Fun to be Free" red white and blue tee or have your morning coffee in an Electrical Water Pageant mug...

All sales proceeds will go towards improving the equipment used to record the RetroWDW podcast!

Designs will be only available for a limited time order yours today before they are gone! www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Legends & Legacies of Lakes and Lagoons" We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of the previous shows along with our latest.

Corrections and Comments - We discuss a little bit about Todd's squeaky mickey doll, which you all heard during the last episode. Some light has been shed on the purpose and of course the cotton jumper. Brian is fresh off a WDW trip, but didn't make it to check on the famous sewage smell at Mousegear.   

Main Topic - This episode focuses on Bay Lake and The Seven Seas Lagoon. We discuss the layout, construction and attractions that were planned and also what made the final cut. The watercraft options compared to now are crazy different and we discuss what was available. Find out which lake is man made and which is natural, a common misconception. We have started doing photo albums for the different podcast episodes, so check out the Episode 8 Album to get a great visual as you listen.

Call Ins - We had two great call-ins this month from some very special people. Our first guest is Bill Cork and he is a former lead on the Admiral Joe Fowler. He shares an amazing story about how the ship ran off track at one point and also has some special easter eggs that you won't want to miss. Bill takes then takes you back in time for a journey around The Rivers of America as he narrates the spiel he remembers to this day. The second guest is Jeff, who is the end all be all expert on the Electrical Water Pageant. He has recreated the different versions throughout the years, digitally for your enjoyment. Jeff also knows each change, float, music and all the other details for one of our favorite shows at WDW. Jeff has a great site, that houses everything he discussed on the show, check out his Tomorrowsphere Blog. How dives super deep into the Electrical Water Pageant and we learn tons of facts and figures about this simple, yet long lasting show.

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner, Jennifer Silveira, guessing El Rio del Tiempo in the World Showcase. She is the winner of an amazing WDW Transportation Poster!  If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler this month, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win an Epcot attraction logo pavillion sign, custom made, in house at RetroWDW - All correct answers will also be entered into a drawing in December of 2015 for a Paul Hartley reproduction map from wdwmap.com!!

RetroWDW Merchandise - Our Redbubble store project is off to a great start. Many amazing products are available for you, our fans and listeners. The designs are exclusive to RetroWDW and will be rotated out and updated frequently. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today! Exclusive to our listeners and fans, these sales will help us update some of our audio equipment - check out the designs here: www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Viewer Mail - This month we have an email from Stephen, who brings up Little Oscar. Todd reminiscences about his visit with Little Oscar, the spokesman for Oscar Mayer. We also discuss some questions received on Instagram during the show. Thanks so much for your message, be sure to email us with any comments, questions or anything else you would like to discuss. Send your messages to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Film Restoration - This month we take a look at the Home of Future living, restored by Pixcel and Imageworks.  This features the area after Space Mountain,  the film has been brought back to life and color corrected for your enjoyment. How gives you a great commentary, comparing how the future turned out to be real in more aspects than one. 

We hope you enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Check back with us very soon for Episode 9, as we wander into World Showcase and discuss The American Adventure, in honor of the Fourth of July. Hope you are as excited as we are!

Until next time... "Ready when you are, CB!"

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to Episode 24 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "The Golf Resort" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Comments & Corrections- To start this episode, we discuss some emails regarding the Carousel of Progress. Animatronics, the father figure and lots of detail from the whole group.

Listener Mail - Chad wrote us mentioning he purchased some shirts from us. We also get into Chad's question about the Gold Key Vacations, which Todd has first hand knowledge of. We also got some tweets this month, discussing World Key and which attractions might have scared us. For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Audio Rewind - Congratulations to our winner from last month, Suzanne Gill, she guessed "Journey Into Imagination". Suzanne won a the brochure and Vacationland package! If you think you know the answer to the audio rewind this month, email us at podcast@retrodisneyworld.com for a chance to win the first Walt Disney World Cookbook: Cooking with Mickey. Send your guesses by November 28, 2016 - All answers will also be entered into the drawing for our next BIG PRIZE, which is a huge prize pot slowly built over the course of 2016.

Prize Pot Items - As you may have heard, our year end prize this year will include a different prize from every month. So far, we have an Orange Bird Yo-Yo from January, a brochure from The World of Motion given away in February, the March prize is a Golf Resort Mickey head logo golf bag tag, an Epcot Center salt and pepper shaker set, a Disney Glass Candy Dish, Tomorrowland Handbook, 1984 Disney News Magazine, The Walt Disney World Explorer CD Rom, expired Discovery Island Tickets, a Frontierland Viewmaster Slide, the WDW Tencenial Coing, a WDW Pocket Protector, and new this month........the RetroWDW Pin Collection! The pot will continue to grow each month with new and exciting prizes! To win the prize pot in December, just answer any audio rewind question each month for one entry.

Main Topic - For this month, we talk Golf. The Golf Resort is one of those early attractions that most people have never heard of. We take you back to the origins of golfing at WDW. Big thanks to George Taylor, Foxxy, and Passport to Dreams; we used some of their expertise to guide this podcast.  Brian starts us off by explaining how this resort came to be and from there we head into the Trophy Room for some eats and also delve into room sizes. This little known location, which is gone but not forgotten now, is truly going take you back. We all learned lots during this episode and we hope you do too, enjoy!

RetroWDW Merchandise - Fantasy Pins are here! We have a great set of custom pins for sale now. Be sure to get your pins and add them to your collection as these are limited time and won't be around forever. Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug- www.retrodisneyworld.com/supportus

The RetroWDW Lake and Lagoon Tour - Much faster than anticipated, the Lake & Lagoon Tour sold out in record time. We are accepting standby reservations, which will basically be a waiting list, in case an opening pops up or if we have the ability to open up another boat tour.  Thank you so much for your tour reservations and we are super excited to take this cruise with you all! We will all be around all weekend during Destination D, so please check our social media accounts for postings on where we will be and how you can meet us all.

Listener Memories - Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! 

Check back with us very soon for Episode 25 where we take you to the 25th Anniversary Celebration! Brian is super pumped to tell you all about this entire experience, in honor of our 25th episode. 

Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or email us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Podbean: podcast.retrodisneyworld.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-disney-world-podcast/id935548315 Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/retrodisneyworld/retro-disney-world-podcast

Welcome to the Preview Episode of the Retro Walt Disney World Podcast.  This is the very first, but not officially the first episode (get all that?) of a monthly podcast by your friends here at Retro Disney World.  We are going to maintain a consistent format that will last around an hour and you can look forward to new topics each month.

Introductions - Learn who we are and get a taste for how the show will be structured.

Main Topic - We quickly discuss the concept plans for WDW, including the original layouts, maps, land purchasing, resorts, Tomorrowland and more. Don't worry we will come back to all of this in a future episode!

Viewer Mail - From Andrew, we answer the question "Is Disney now creating life long Fans? Send your questions to podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Audio Puzzler - If you think you know the answer to the audio puzzler, email us! podcast@retrodisneyworld.com  We will enter all correct answers into a drawing for retro prizes!

Film Restoration - Todd goes over the film restoration process at a high level, Kodak prices, and inside the psyche of visitors with cameras. What restorations are coming next and we list out the holy grails of movie footage we are looking for.

We hope you enjoyed this preview episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com

Once you are done listening, you can discuss the podcast and interact with the team and other listeners in this thread. Be sure to check back with us on November 24th for the official Episode #1!

Until then, "Please stand clear of the doors..."

As announced in Episode 7 of the RetroWDW Podcast we have created some original artwork for t-shirts, stickers, pillows, iphone cases and more. Our first two designs are inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant and the World of Motion. Get into the 4th of july spirit with the "It's Fun to be Free" red white and blue tee or have your morning coffee in an Electrical Water Pageant mug...

All sales proceeds will go towards improving the equipment used to record the RetroWDW podcast!

Designs will be only available for a limited time order yours today before they are gone! www.retrodisneyworld.com/redbubble

Welcome to Episode 54.5 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Bringing the World Closer to You" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows! 

Back in Episode 42 (Communicore West) we interviewed Lisa Bastoni, granddaughter of Walter Einsel, the designer of the Age of Information Exhibit at Futurecom in Communicore West. Through her grandfather's notes and a correct search of the song, we were able to locate the author and lyricist of the song, Tom Tierney! In this episode we speak with Tom about the creation of the song, how he developed the melody and lyrics and his interaction with Walter and Naiad Einsel. We top it off with a special version of Bringing the World Closer to you performed at RetroMagic by Lisa Bastoni!

Tom's other works currently in production:

NARNIA (based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) is at the Serenbe Playhouse in Atlanta, GA through January 12, 2020. It's an "immersive" production - here’s a link… http://www.serenbeplayhouse.com/narnia http://www.NarniaTheMusical.com    And coming up in January, ELEANOR – An American Love Story at the Media Theatre in Media, PA (near Philadelphia) playing January 29 to February 23, 2020. It's about the young Eleanor & Franklin Roosevelt. For info and tickets, here’s the link… https://mediatheatre.org/event/eleanor-an-american-love-story/ www.EleanorTheMusical.com

You can find Lisa's music at www.lisabastoni.com and on itunes!

We have quite a year coming up and we want you to be a part of it, every step of the way. The 'How Bowers Archive' has been digitized, we have tons of restored film movies and so much more, just waiting to get posted. To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for Episode 55, where we take you back to The Disney-MGM Studios!

Welcome to Episode 58 of the RetroWDW Podcast: “Retro Menus” – We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows!

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com.

1. Mark is our first listener who wrote in, saying he found our podcast and is slowly working to catch up. His question is all about the WedWay Peoplemover and where it is stored. We kick you off with a super deep dive on this and give you our thoughts.
2. Holly writes us next from Missouri – She just found us and listens to us while sewing masks for a local hospital. Holly is a former Disneyland employee and her first visit to WDW was in 2007.
3. William Walker wants to know about Mickey’s Retreat on Little Lake Bryan. Brian & How get into this one to discuss and explain what this is. 
4. Art has been contacting us about Teen Magazine from 1972. There is a great set of photos in this magazine, including the Bob-A-Round Boat. We discuss this magazine and look through it a bit together.
5. Jason wrote in about his latest fireworks & backstage tour. He tells us a great Bob Gurr story, which sounds so crazy it almost has to be true. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know if you find out from Bob…

We love feedback and hearing your memories!

Drop us a line at podcast@retrowdw.com or call us and leave a voice mail at 978-71-RETRO. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Our audio rewind this month is The Blob from the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater – Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Geoffrey Nease!  – you will be getting a bunch of great Ephemera – hope you enjoy!

If you think you know the answer to this month’s audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com – This month, the winner will be getting a mystery prize! All entries are due 6/23/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

This month we aren’t taking you to a specific ride, resort or theme park. When looking back our first ephemera episode was a huge hit! We also did one on dining, Retro Food. So today, we are going to have Brian lead us through some really neat menus, food options, and dining.

The former dining locations are a great way to look back and experience how the resort used to be. Dining was huge back in the 1970s and Disney made sure the dining was just as special as the trip itself. Brian has a whole pile of menus and we all follow along as we dissect and discuss what people were eating many years ago. We start off at the Contemporary Resort Top of the World restaurant. This was an amazing space with entertainment, food and just an insanely great decor. This is great because we compare the pricing over the years and changes. Another amazing location we take you to is The Outer Rim. Most of you know this as the current bar/lounge in the Contemporary. Well, it existed in a different format many years ago and they were actually able to keep the name. The menu doesn’t miss and it sounds like a great place to enjoy a meal. We round this all out with some room service menus, The Magnolia Dining Room and of course the Pueblo Room. We hope you enjoy this look back at some of the old menus and food selections from WDW History.

• The Contemporary Resort in the 1970s
• The Contemporary Resort Through the 1990s

This is a great episode How has in store for you all this month, filled with busted myths, detailed descriptions, and so much more. The Wonders of Life Pavilion was originally developed back in the 70s and if you didn’t catch the earlier episode, take some time to listen back by clicking here. We are going to step foot into the infamous golden dome, which if you poll people nowadays, odds are most have never seen these attractions or taken a ride on the Wondercycles. This 100,000-square-foot pavilion that is 65 feet tall was set back in a way that almost didn’t invite you in like the other EPCOT pavilions. The dome concept though was super clever and useful for what they had in mind, which seems to be low maintenance and not overly expensive to build when compared to something like World of Motion.

How gets into the METLife sponsorship and some of the other options that were discussed at WDI for this. One of the major things we have had in the works for quite a long time – the entrance signs over the years. Initially, there was a very slick looking archway that you walked under to enter. After some years, the arch was gone in favor of a more standard sign that was basically on a stick. What happened to the arch though? We dig into this and for your viewing pleasure, we have written up a thesis on the topic.

Throughout this episode, How breaks down each little section that you could partake in over the years. This includes everything from Coach’s Corner to the Sensory Funhouse and more. The pavilion really had a late 80s/early 90s mall feel with the street lights, natural lighting, and live plants inside. Brian even gives us a very detailed look at the various food options that were in the pavilion over the years, which has a unique history in itself. The entire Wonders of Life complex housed many favorite attractions for EPCOT Center guests over the years, but like many things in this style, the mini attractions did not have the engagement that would get you back into the pavilion again on another visit. For that matter, the pavilion itself was not something that would make you want to revisit EPCOT. These duties were still done by all of the heavy hitters in the park. Either way though, we hope you enjoy this look back inside Wonders of Life and make sure you throw on your teal and pink, in honor of this gone but not forgotten attraction.

We are heading back into the golden dome which is known as Wonders of Life. Over the months, we have taken you through many different episodes all about Wonders of Life including: Body Wars/Making of Me, the pavilion and sponsorship, the original concept, and finally the heated debate on the Magic Kingdom toll plaza sign. As we continue into this amazing pavilion, this episode we decided to take a deep dive into the classic show, Cranium Command. We could not have done this episode or concluded with Wonders of Life without involving some guest stars. This is a huge deal and we are super excited to welcome @bunny_wars and @DreamFinderGuy. Brian welcomes our two guests into the episode and we get a brief history of their EPCOT love, Wonders of Life experiences, and also how they are preserving the history of Wonders of Life. As we get started, make sure as you listen you check out the Wonders of Life Archive. Bunny and DFG have an amazing passion for the pavilion and also Cranium Command. They have spent hours upon hours digging up old resources, history, and tons more. You are going to really enjoy everything they have to offer throughout this episode. As a duo, Bunny & DFG get us started by going through the preshow of Cranium Command. We get to hear all about this attraction from their vast archive, which includes cast member interviews and pulling facts from old documents in their archive. The history of Cranium Command is very interesting in how it changed throughout its development. DFG does a great job explaining how the versions changed when exchanging hands between Disney and Colossal Pictures, which is very interesting. We also get into scripts and movie format of the show that was never made. Wonders of Life had many of the attractions tucked away, Cranium Command was no different as the pavilion tried to promote discovery. As you look at the history of this show, the entryway did change over the years to draw people in. We continue on throughout the show, going nearly line by line and scene by scene. The celebrity connection on Cranium Command was one of the most beloved parts and we dig into each of those. Cranium Command is such an amazing show experience, which makes this episode nearly two hours. Bunny & DFG have been amazing throughout all of this, offering us facts and info that none of us have heard before. Make sure you listen to this one twice; the details are immense and you are going to want to take notes for your next viewing of the attraction. We hope you have enjoyed this visit back to Wonders of Life and throughout this journey inside Cranium Command. 

In this episode, we are taking you back to EPCOT Center and more specifically, the Norway pavilion and Maelstrom. How has been hard at work researching and also editing this episode together for your listening enjoyment. We hit on the 1988 television special, starring Willard Scott. If you have never seen this, take a minute after you listen to the episode to enjoy this: Grand Opening of Maelstrom

The high seas Viking adventure was billed as a stormy boat ride with tons of excitement, danger, and thrills. Many articles were written to describe how amazing this ride was going to be and the hype machine was up and running at full speed. This really was the first thrill ride at EPCOT Center, so they played that angle as much as possible. How guides us through so many neat aspects about how this ride came to be, including the items the sponsors wanted to see on the ride. You have to remember how these early EPCOT Center rides came to be and how they were funded. This was a very different era at Walt Disney World that we all know and love, but things came to be in an entirely different way.

Throughout this episode, we hit on everything from the woodwork colors, how the queue changed a bit, which imagineers actually worked on this project, and so much more. One fun fact, this ride was designed entirely on computers through CAD and no hand-drawn items were used to help create the track layout.

As we get through this episode, we spend a good amount of time discussing the closure of this ride. This is one of the more recent closures of a classic attraction that can be debated for hours. Were you one of the fans that did not want to see this go? Are you happy with the replacement? We get into all of this at length, as we feel it is an important part of the history of Maelstrom. This ride truly had that 80s EPCOT Center feel that lasted into the 2000s and beyond, until Frozen was a hit. We appreciate you taking the time to listen to the history of Maelstrom and we hope you enjoyed this super detailed look at the classic EPCOT attraction.

Welcome to Episode 65 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Pleasure Island - Part 1" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will bring you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top-tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Dan, The Person of the Century, wrote in about the Swan & Dolphin. He shared an amazing photo with us that you have to see!
2. Jennifer is up next. She picked our collective brains all about the 'walkways around the world'. This has been newly updated, but we get into the history of this whole thing. 
3. Jake wrote us with a random family picture, trying to locate where they were standing at WDW. We love doing this and seeing if we can figure out where you are. Send them our way!
4. Our friend Randy wrote in about being a performer at WDW. He actually worked the old breakfast show at Fort Wilderness. Randy informs us all about Melvin The Moose. Check out Episode 3 from way back in the archives.
5. The next email on the list is from Ed who informed us about a Christmas present he received from the Swan/Dolphin group. Take a look!
6. Erik wrote us regarding the specific scent of the Yacht Club. Like most WDW Resorts, there is a unique smell. Erik says he pinpointed this to Axe Body Spray! Judge for yourself.
7. Angela wrote us on Instagram about a Figment inflatable. This opened a huge can of worms which we discuss. Here is a link we found related to the discussion.
8. Todd wants to share a bit from Kevin regarding the FAA, the Dolphin/Swan and some info regarding the height of these buildings.
9. Finally, Brian wants to bring up our friend BJ Major and all of the recent notes sent our way. Thank you for bringing us back and keeping our back catalog running!

Foxx Nolte sent us a copy of her book, Boundless Realm: Deep Exploration Inside Disney's Haunted Mansion Our contest winner Isabelle Carlton! How will be sending this your way - congratulations!

This month, we are taking you back to the mid-late 80s. Pleasure Island has quite the history and How will get us started in 1967... Surprised? Then you must be new here. How is planning to take his time and get you into the why of how this all came to be. We have to add, that this episode took an extra week of planning, so apologies for the delay. Throughout this episode, we dive into the early years of Pleasure Island. If you have ever gone, even towards the end, this episode will really give you a good picture as to how this place looked when first opened. The differences, hours, pricing, and so much more will probably surprise you. Some of the offerings that were there opening day very quickly changed, while others ended up sticking around for the duration. The aspect of theme restaurants is discussed, as are the different clubs and how they changed. We even get into a bit of a discussion trying to place ourselves at the various buildings that exist currently, relating to what was once there on the island in 1989. This was a unique time for Walt Disney World as many new offerings were coming online, Pleasure Island being one of them. So stick with us on this one as we take you back to the early years. Don't forget to read all the plaques too....

Welcome to Episode 69 of the RetroWDW Podcast: Pleasure Island Part II – We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will take you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top-tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Joie is up first this month – sharing a photo collection of every page from ‘The Magic of Disneyland & Walt Disney World’ from 1979. Click Here to see all this hard work – thank you!!
2. Joie also shared packaging from Todd’s infamous “Squeaky Mickey”. This is HUGE! From 1978, this mickey toots his own horn, blows bubbles, and party favors. Take a look at this! Big thanks to Joie for the fun mail items this month. We spoke about Squeaky Mickey on Episode 7 and Episode 8.
3. Our next message is from Michael Landis. He decided to reach out and ask about SMTV: Space Mountain TV. Here is a video for reference. We get into what the point of this was, including Crazy Larry! This is a great flashback to the 90s and New Tomorrowland. One item from that refurb that is possibly lost in your memories. Michael notes that it was very similar to a cross between MTV and Nickelodeon of the time.  The preshow videos were tied to the Fedex Sponsorship with took effect in 1993, more research on who created the video loop is needed. The video loop continued to run, minus the Fedex ads after 2003 when the Fedex sponsorship ended, until around 2009 when the queue was remodeled.
4. Lindsay writes in to share about another Tom Cruise experience. She was working in the College Program in 2012 and was assigned to Cinderella’s Royal Table, on the date she was supposed to be taking a cast tour of the Dream Suite, Tom Cruise and his daughter ended up booking the room and her tour was canceled.  She goes on to say that Tom ordered some food from the kitchen and other staff members from the restaurant took it up to the suite. People magazine covered the stay
5. Cody then asks about the Epcot confusion of the East/West sections of Future World. Since Epcot was built on a north/south orientation with the entrance at the northern end of the park, it was decided to use the compass points for east and west for the two sides of CommuniCore and the Pavilions. Cody then asked about expansion of the monorail system asking if it was mostly the cost, the cost of creating new monorail lines was the main issue along with the flexibility of busses being another important factor. Cody’s last question was about when the ability to ride in the front of the monorails went away, which was stopped after the fatal monorail crash the evening of July 5th 2009 near the Magic Kingdom.
6. Our last letter comes from Tobias a new listener to the podcast who might have had another celebrity encounter. He tells the story of a park closing in 1983 being brought into the Magic Shop at the Magic Kingdom where he was asked to see and assist several magic tricks being presented by someone who was dressed like Michael Jackson but called himself Michael Jason.  If anyone knows of any of the magicians who might match this memory please let us know.

Welcome back to Pleasure Island! This is part three of our trilogy, which could possibly have a part four in the near future. We have been all over for our first two episodes, Part I & Part II. For this episode though, we are going to dig into two of the more famous Pleasure Island venues, The Comedy Warehouse & The Adventurer’s Club.

The Comedy Warehouse

We begin with The Comedy Warehouse, which is actually the current location of STK. How leads us once again, starting off with typefaces, logos, and Brian also gets things going with a short history of comedy in the 70s & 80s. This is a super interesting look at the warehouse which discusses the concept art and also the club atmosphere, which is pretty much lost to history. One super interesting part of How’s take on this club is the use of props and Disney items. I absolutely love how they tied all of this into the Comedy Warehouse. Finally, How drops the bomb on us that the show was totally scripted and wasn’t standard, open mic comedy. The show actually made fun of Walt Disney World. We have a video on our YouTube Channel, and you can check that out right here.

The outside of the building was themed to a warehouse with corrugated metal siding and sporting various editions of the signage until one with chattering teeth and mixed letting on the Warehouse section were used from that point on.

Brian leads a brief discussion of the expansion of comedy clubs in the late 70’s into the 80’s.  Before this period comedians were relegated to opening acts, but suddenly various clubs were being opened in major cities nationwide. The expansion of cable channels started to push major comedy specials which lead to more comedy clubs opening.

The entrance to the club was near the West End Stage with the queue running outside the club.  A temporary popup bar originally served those waiting, later a bar named Laughers was built to handle drinks for people waiting in the queue outside which was outside.

Inside the theater there were three sections, floor, mid and balcony areas which could hold up to 290 guests, each seating row had stools to sit on and a pathway behind where the waiters could come and provide food and drinks.

The concept art showed a couple of different possible stage setups, the warehouse ended up having a large number of rare and unique Disney props all over the walls. 

Although most comedy clubs of the time would just have several stand-up comedians perform each night with a couple of clubs devoted to Improv, the Comedy Warehouse opened with a stage show called Forbidden Disney which was set up to make fun of all aspects of a Disney Vacation.   The show was written and directed by Tom Sherohman who also worked on some of the Adventures Club and Wonders of Life skits.

The show was over 60 minutes in length and presented as a show inside a show, the performers were stuck in line elsewhere, but the staff needed to start the show.  The show featured three main vacationers, a Father who wanted to do everything, a Mother who wanted to take it easier and a Daughter who didn’t want to be there at all. The first version of the show lasted about a year, between management’s hesitation at running the show and the lack of interest from repeat Pleasure Island visitors.   Various segments of the show were still included after the change to an improv show.

Chris Oyen, who moved to the Orlando area in 1990, was responsible for the direction for the new Improv style shows The Improv format continued to draw crowds until the closing of the Pleasure Island clubs in 2008.  In later years the warehouse would just sometimes have show normal stand up shows instead of improv. 

One of the regular most memorable improv show techniques was to use a phone that would ring one of the phones at the end of the rows of the audience and build a song based on the feedback from the call.  Most of the other skits would take the random suggestions from the audience to build their comedy routines

The comedy warehouse cast has reunited a number of times since the club closed, including some holiday shows at the Hollywood studios. 

After a brief discussion of which hosts had visited the club during it’s years of operation before we head across the west end to the Adventures Club.

The Adventurers Club

An all-time fan favorite that led to Mr. Toad level protest and outrage when it closed. It was patterned off the NYC Explorer’s Club from the early 1900s. This dinner theater/dinner show/theme bar/everything else you want to refer it to was something different when compared to all the other clubs. Improvised characters, animatronics, multiple rooms, and multiple floors all went together to make this a super fun experience. As a group, we all get into our own personal experiences with The Adventurer’s Club. Each of us went in different eras and also have different opinions on the club. Todd has an especially fun story that connected his family to the club and it sounds like it was a great time. We have a few different videos on our YouTube channel, which you can check out here and here. While the Adventurer’s Club has left us, the memories are everlasting for many, many fans.

As stated earlier in the Podcast, there seems to be the need for a fourth part of the Pleasure Island saga. This could very well end up as a box set on your bookshelf in the future! As always, when How gets into things the details are immense and the stories are plentiful. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoyed this almost finished journey through Pleasure Island.

The entrance to the Adventures Club started as a very plain building before remodeling in the early 90s.  The club was modeled after New York’s Explorers Club which was founded in the early 1900’s as well as other adventure style clubs of that era.

The backstory for the club was that it was New Years Eve 1937 and the club was holding an Open House for all of those interested. Guests would enter on the second floor and pick up a schedule for the events of the evening.  The events would be split between the mask room, treasure room, the salon and the Library which was the largest room in the club.

The Mezzanine level had numerous artifacts and black and white photos as well as some seating areas, there was a small bar on this level with an elevator and staircase that lead down to the main floor.

The Main Salon was the central area of the club with the primary bar located here.  The bar had a number of themed alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well as some special bar stools that could be slowly lowered by the bartenders. 

On one of the walls of the Main Salon was the Yakoose an animatronic mounted head that would come to life during the night and talk with the guests or Babylonia who was a large stone face puppet on the opposite wall.  The final character in the main salon was Colonel Critchlow Sunchbench who would interact with the other Adventure’s Club cast as well as lead the new inductees in the club song.

There were two small rooms off of the Main Salon, the Mask Room and the Treasure Room.  Inside the Mask Room, two large masks at the front of the room, Arnie and Claude talked, while other masks in the room moved their eyes, moved and laughed.  In the Treasure Room who would find the genie Beezle who’s head would appear and float around in one of the cabinets.

The largest room on the first floor was the Library a two-level space where the grand piano has crashed down from the second floor killing the pianist who haunts the piano as Fingers Zambezi.  The shows in the Library were usually held around every 40 minutes or so and included shows such as:

Welcome Party

Radio Broadcast

The Balderdash Cup Competition

The RadioThon

The Hoopla – which was the final show of the evening

There was a regular cast of characters at the Club, the actors could and would change characters throughout the night, the usual characters included:

            Pamelia Perkins – Club President.

            Otis T. Wren – Club Treasurer and ichthyologist

            Hathaway Browne – Aviator, and the club’s resident innuendo-making ladies’ man.

            Fletcher Hodges – Absent-minded Club Curator, he is said to have “mounted every object in the club.”

            Graves – Club Butler.

            The Maid

            Marcel – A man in an ape suit

The Adventures Club offered Club Memberships for a reasonable fee per year bringing in more and more locals who would return weekly or more often to partake in the club’s activities.

One of the downsides of the Club was some of the confusion, which may have been planned, that new people would feel walking into the Club, seeing the schedule and having no idea what any of it meant.  When the main show was going on in the Library the club was rather dead, a explanation video or something else to help first-timers might have been helpful.

A discussion was held about the locals who held a great fandom of the adventures club in comparison to other group event fandoms such as the Rocky Horror Picture show.

The Jekyll And Hyde Club in New York City has a similar intent to the concept of the Adventures Club with different rooms and different events happening during the dining experience.  The closest experience still left at Walt Disney World would be the Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen which has different themed rooms with various artifacts and jokes found throughout the building.

The Adventures Club, along with the rest of Pleasure Island, closed on Sept 27th 2008,  the cast reunited for one last performance and “membership renewal” during the 2014 D23 Destination D event at the Contemporary Resort

Welcome back to another episode and this time, we have a special guest for this ‘half episode’, Foxx Nolte. Foxx has been in the Disney community for years and has been a trailblazer in all things Disney history. For this episode, we are excited to have the ‘Queen of Lake Buena Vista’ joining us to talk all about her latest book, Hidden History of Walt Disney World. This book is filled with a treasure trove of tales and stories curated by Foxx, which were hand-picked and organized in an entertaining way. Todd and the fellas touch a bit on an earlier episode where we got into the old stories told to us about Bay Lake & the various watercraft duties. Check out Episode 8 if you haven’t already!

One of the main discussion points that Foxx brings up, is the 44,000 word limit in this book. As she states, she had to ‘cut the crap’, which makes this a very fun read that comes in somewhat short snippets. You get the information, you digest it, and you keep going without going too far into the weeds. If you remember, Foxx also wrote Boundless Realms a few years back. Her sense of history and record keeping is right in line with how most of us think; this history has to be documented and recorded before it is forgotten or lost. We love that and hope she continues to record these stories and memories before it is too late.

We get into one story in particular, all about a packing house. During the construction of Walt Disney World, they utilized a closed-down packing house to build ride pieces and set items. Foxx dug deep into this little bit of history, getting down to the type of windows in each building, shed designs, and when these places were shut down. One big issue she has run into is the history is murky due to so many people moving in and out of the area. This book also hits on the old ticket system, which allowed Disney to see which rides drew in the crowds and allowed you to adjust the maintenance schedules based on use. Another fun chapter is all about McDonald’s in the parks, which if you don’t remember when this was a thing, you need to get into this bit of Disney history as it was a magical time. Overall, this was such a fun read and a fun interview. We hope you take some time to pick up a copy and enjoy it the next time you are traveling to WDW, heading on a summer road trip, or even sitting by your favorite resort pool. Huge thanks to Foxx Nolte for sharing copies with all of us and for spending time with us on this episode.

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.

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.

Welcome to Episode 62 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Thunder in Paradise" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between.

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Shane is first with a comment about Alien Encounter. He was curious if Tyra Banks was the only host for the pre-show at Alien Encounter.
2. Miranda sent us some new ephemera which is a 'Vacation Kingdom' brochure from 1984. Take a look at these!
3. Our next write-in was Daniel, who discusses the talking elevator at The Contemporary Resort. He sent us a photo of the elevator and Daniel also has one at his office building.
4. Jared wrote us a touching story about his father and attending RetroMagic. We love hearing those stories and Jared has some great memories to remember.
5. We heard from Gary regarding Tomorrowland and an area just past DreamFlight. We have the picture here and think you should take a look.
6. Joe Barlow, our turnstile inspector, wrote in about the radio loops asking where they transmitted from. The group explains all of this and how everything worked years ago.
7. BONUS: We had a tweet about the AAA Comfort Lounge! Interesting area we don't know much about..

Our audio rewind this month is from Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Hollywood Studios - Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Jason!

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month, the winner will be getting an LBVHS & RetroWDW Pin, including bonus swag. All entries are due 11/17/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

This month...what can we say. Hulk Hogan is in the building. Well not yet, but hopefully soon. Instead, we are taking you to Paradise - Thunder in Paradise! Our crew takes a deep dive into this show that was almost entirely filmed on the property at Walt Disney World. The idea behind this show was a takeoff on Baywatch and various other 90s action stylized tv shows. We love watching these episodes though and trying to analyze where they filmed the show. We get into the reason behind the show, production, storylines and so much more. Each member of the group has seen this show at various stages and years, so we all have a little bit to add. As we progress into this main topic, we get into the various episodes and discuss locations.  Some are absurd and others are cleverly done. The production team really had free rein to go wherever they needed including the Magic Kingdom, all over the Seven Seas Lagoon, The Grand Floridian and so much more. The one thing we are all curious about though, who was vacationing at WDW during the filming? We would love to see some behind the scenes footage of Thunder driving around the Rivers of America... Enjoy this super random but super topical episode all about one of the more major film/tv productions that occurred at Walt Disney World.

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for Episode 63, where we take you back on another fun episode about WDW history

Welcome to Episode 59 of the RetroWDW Podcast: “Tickets & Ephemera” – We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows!  While you are listening, please browse through our entire album of ephemera. We have tons in there and if you click this link, be ready for an adventure that could take up an entire evening. Also, let us know if you have any images you would like to add to this collection, as we are working to make it very comprehensive. 

Last month we had the great food and menu episode and the response was great. Thanks for all the feedback and items shared relating to food stories, menus, and anything else. It sure was fun to sift through and see how much everybody enjoyed it!

1. Zach wrote in about the breakfast at the Top of the World. His mother chimed in on this memory and confirmed this as well. Thanks so much for the help Zach! Brian also discusses the champagne brunch up there, which was also confirmed.
2. We next heard from Brian all about the Trophy Room. He tells us about this being a buffet, menu service and then a ticket center type of location. Our Brian gets you some info on this and also reminds us to check out the Golf Resort/Shades of Green Episode we did a number of years back.
3. Linda is next discussing crepes, onion soup in cast iron kettles at Liberty Tree Tavern, and also our album of the Crystal Palace from the mid-70s. Linda also remembers some selections from the Adventureland Veranda.
4. Joe writes in about the Sandtrap Restaurant being a hidden gem at WDW. The 18th hole of both courses are visible and the air conditioning was top notch. Joe also tells us there was an official WDW weather channel showing the radar and weather forecast, specifically by Disney.
5. Finally, Bioreconstruct reaches out about the question we had last month, regarding the Peoplemover and where it is stored. Well, he took a look for us and informed us of what he found. How gives us some more info on this and we discuss in detail. Take a listen to last month’s episode if you would like to get caught up with us.

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com.

1. We first heard from Jen Miller discussing how she is a Disneyland fan, but she also lived down in Florida. Believe it or not, her father was an actual animator at The Disney-MGM Studios! She even would walk around during operating hours and take in the animators practicing their craft. She shares tons of great memories in this amazing email, along with a couple of quick questions – thank you so much!
2. Craig wrote us next about Mickey’s Retreat. He wanted to tell us all about his experience and what he saw and did there.  Thanks, Craig!

We love feedback and hearing your memories!

Drop us a line at podcast@retrowdw.com or call us and leave a voice mail at 978-71-RETRO. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Our audio rewind this month is from Spaceship Earth – Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations David Andrews!  – you will be getting a bunch of great Ephemera! – hope you enjoy!

If you think you know the answer to this month’s audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com – This month, the winner will be getting a party package! All entries are due 7/20/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

This month, we are taking you back to the ephemera and this is also guided by you, our listeners. We got some amazing and interesting stuff from our listeners and fans which we couldn’t believe! Ephemera defined by us and most everybody else are things that aren’t souvenirs or sold items. These small items like ticket stubs, napkins, brochures, paper items, and things that aren’t really meant to be kept. Is the biggest and most common piece of ephemera tickets? Well, Todd gets us into some ticket history and items, mostly brought to us from AllEars.net – tons of amazing information here, so check them out! Throughout this episode, we start you off in 1971 and work our way up. The tickets changed yearly in prices, type, size, and even security measures. Brian gives us a great story which relates to all of us, our parents throwing away ephemera and ‘trash’ – I’ll bet you all have a similar story where something valuable got thrown out by mom or dad. After our ticket walkthrough, we each go through some different items we find interesting and we also get to hear from some of our listeners and what they have. We hear about the Pirate’s Point Excursion, a complimentary Discovery Island/Pleasure Island ticket, the cast Christmas parties, a Fort Wilderness info sheet taken from the resort, some Canadian sweepstakes winner paperwork, and so much more. We hope you enjoy this look back at some vintage paperwork and ephemera! -Follow along and look through our ephemera collection here-

Check out David Coolidge’s new website: https://www.davidcoolidge.com/

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well. This past month we have posted so many great ones including – Computer-A-Coaster, Imagineering Typhoon Lagoon, and Restored Resort TV from 1993 – check these out, as they are amazingly fun to watch.

Brian takes this lead for this episode and we are super excited to get into all of the areas where computers innovated and impacted the first couple decades at Walt Disney World. After awhile, computers became common all over, but through the 70s & 80s, these innovative pieces of tech helped WDW in many ways. We start off with some pre-opening documentation, which is on DisneyDocs. RCA had a huge plan for the communication system of the entire property, so be sure to dig into this doc, it is amazing! Next up is communications and we discuss the switchboard inside Cinderella’s Castle, which actually was a real thing. We also get into the water monitoring in Reedy Creek, which were powered by solar panels, relaying information to a satellite dish in space. The entire process is insane and super innovative for the era. Brian and How get into the old DACS system, how this worked, and even discuss some of the old school techniques used at Disneyland and the World’s Fair. Brian mentions the Honeywell 516, which is insanely vintage and absolutely massive.  Take a look at this thing! Brian also digs into the changes in cash registers because in the early days, they were super archaic. After a little time though, they got upgraded to a newer and fancier register from NCR.  We also discuss our own experiences with early tech at home, home computers, and more. The world has changed so much and this old stuff in the home was so neat for the time. The big change in computers at WDW took place at EPCOT Center. The computers turned towards the guest and were not just used to run things behind the scenes. Sperry, Bell, General Motors, and nearly every sponsor at EPCOT attempted to incorporate advanced technology into their exhibits. Brian also talks about how they filmed the movie D.A.R.Y.L. at EPCOT Center, which is a fun movie from 1985. If you watch the following clip, you can match up what Brian is saying from an old Twitter conversation, as they filmed this scene right at EPCOT. For another look at some of the computers at EPCOT, take a look at this video on our channel. This episode has been a blast to record and we hope you enjoyed it too! Be sure to ask any questions or share any computer memories you have from Walt Disney World.

In the last episode, we took you back to the early 1990s and discussed the filming and history of Thunder in Paradise! Now we've got an exclusive interview with Parker Rabe who's father was the brains behind the custom modified Wellcraft Scarab boat was the pilot for the series as well!. Parker recalls filming locations, boat details, and even his interaction with the cast on set! Don't mess with Thunder!

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for Episode 63, where we take you back on another fun episode about WDW history!
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

Welcome to another episode of the RetroWDW Podcast. We have quite a few things in the works, but we felt it was best to put those aside and focus on a Disney Legend who recently passed, Rolly Crump. If you remember back to 2019, the crew from The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society made the journey to California to meet with Rolly. What was initially planned as a quick Q&A, turned into a multi-hour interview with a film crew to properly document this influential imagineer.

For this episode, we are using the audio from our YouTube Live event where we honored and discussed Rolly. Throughout this episode, you will hear from our usual team but also special guests Ryan Ritchey, Jeff Heimbuch, and Michael Crawford. Each guest on this episode has a unique connection and perspective with Rolly, which leads to an amazing bunch of stories and memories. Rolly was one of a kind and the main idea that came out of this was his amazing personality and warmth toward fans of his work. We will never forget Rolly and we hope with this episode, you will get a taste of just how amazing a person he was.

For our main topic, we take you back to the late 80s and early 90s and get into the history of the Disney Vacation Club. We all know what the vacation club is nowadays, but how did it start, and why? In this era of Walt Disney World, things were much different, and the concept of a timeshare at Disney World seemed impossible. Disney decided to change this and tackled the concept of taking ownership in their properties. The Disney Vacation Club Resort was the original, changing names to Old Key West as it is called now. To kick this one off, we get into some personal stories about timeshares, how people get picked to purchase, some of the trickery that has occurred over the years, and more. As we move along, the episode discusses what Old Key West was upon opening. How actually spent some time there in the early years, describing how different it was compared to now. Take a look at this video from May of 1992. If you look at Old Key West on an aerial view, you can really take in what they were going for back then. The resort is basically built around the golf course and it sits on the Sassagoula River, which makes the entire feel of the resort unique at the time of the build. We discuss how this one feels when you compare it to the newer properties, where Old Key West is very much more like a community and less of a resort type of thing. Finally, we get into what went wrong for them at the start, running into development problems and where they went from there as a company. DVC is still going strong but it has changed to what it is now. The perks back then were much better and they slowly have chipped away at what made DVC an interesting proposition back in 1992. Either way, this portion of Disney history and how this adds to the WDW property is an interesting one. We all have stayed at DVC properties but none of us are members. What is it like being an official Disney Vacation Club member? Have you found it to be a good value? Do you regret the purchase? We would love to hear from you and what this has done for you and your family. Thanks so much for listening and we hope you have enjoyed this look at the early years of DVC.

We know many of you are at home for the next few weeks and we wanted to get a few new episodes and films out as quickly as possible to keep you busy. In this mini-episode, the team interviews Gene Brignola and gets the inside scoop on the original Pylon Fountain at EPCOT Center. From how was conceptualized, designed, manufactured to installation! You'll never believe what the pylons actually represent and the time that went into creating it.

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well. This past month we have posted a great resort tour from The Disney Channel, The original DVC Resort Tour, and a great Innoventions commercial from the mid-90s. As a bonus, to accompany this episode we have released a great new video from 1980 Sea World. This was shot on Super8 with sound! You are going to love this vintage footage that looks amazing – especially the Whale & Dolphin show.

Let us take you back to the New Years Eve of old as we run through all the events of the past and their included musical numbers! Nearly 50 clips of the hottest-bands at the time, and some wash-ups as well!

We start this month with some sports, weather and candy updates. The Disney World stuff will come eventually, we promise.

1. Big update on the old school turnstiles around the parks. Carla Carle gave us the full report with pictures – thank you!!
2. The Kugel Ball is huge – literally! We’ve been getting updates on local Kugel Balls, pictures are being sent and we love seeing this.
3. How gives us some more information on the Tomorrowland palm trees. We discuss some of the manufacturing, history, and theories on these things. The story goes on….

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Downey wrote in asking about the talking elevator at The Contemporary Resort. We discuss this being a real thing and also the 80s/90s talking craze.
2. Keith touched base this month regarding Birnbaum’s, which we cite often. Keith actually worked on the books – thanks so much for writing Keith.
3. We heard from Andie regarding injuries on Alien Encounter. Her mother had some issues on this ‘ride’ and we’re curious who else has been injured on Alien Encounter?
4. Bill wrote in about being in the College Program and how he collected Alien Encounter flyers, which helped promote the ride. These are so amazing and we’re so glad you saved these and scanned them for us.
5. Our final note is from Neuro, he gives us some fun acronyms for EPCOT. Good stuff Neuro!

Our audio rewind this month is from the Space Mountain exit queue – Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Chuck Jordan!

If you think you know the answer to this month’s audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com – This month, the winner will be getting a 2016 WDW Poster Art Calendar. All entries are due 10/12/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

We are staying in Tomorrowland this month, but zeroing in on a specific attraction that is no longer with us: Alien Encounter, or the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter if you are using its full legal name. This one came online back when Tomorrowland had the major overhaul in 1995 and is a fan favorite. X-S Tech is hosting a demonstration at the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center and everyone is invited, including you! How leads us this month with lots of history, first-hand experiences, and also the two versions. With this being Part 1, we focus on the versions and what everything looked and felt like.

One of the first things everybody notices are those porthole type windows; they had a tint to them that really didn’t allow you to see in, which created some questions right from the get-go outside. We learn about why there is a manhole cover lifted and also why the massive yellow tower is on top of the building. The story elements were plentiful and most of them went unnoticed. This attraction was designed to draw in those teenagers and pull them back from Universal. It was high energy and extreme – which is what the Magic Kingdom needed for that particular crowd.

Now this attraction had two versions – we include them both in this episode comparing the similarities and differences. The first show is missing a bit to connect some dots and the second gets darker and creepier. How explains how the pre-show undergoes a major change across the versions as well. If you never had the chance to go on Alien Encounter, this episode will paint a pretty good picture with lots of audio clips and on-ride sounds. We also get into answering lots of why questions as a group, as we all took a spin on this one over the years with varied success and enjoyment. We hope you have a good time with us back in Tomorrowland of the 90s!

We take you back to an attraction and for our fans that wanted us to go way back, we are going way back. The Mickey Mouse Revue which opened October 1, 1971 last about nine years closing in the fall of 1980. How is leading us this month which only means one thing: we are going super deep into this topic. He begins by going over the homophone of Revue vs. Review and also how little is out there on the Mickey Mouse Revue. This attraction was located where the current Mickey’s PhilharMagic is playing each day, so you can get a feeling as to how this played and where it was in the 70s. Throughout this episode, we walk you through the history and how the show plays out from start to finish. We recommend you watch the following video, just so you can get a visual of this attraction. How also gets us into how the attraction felt, which I appreciated very much because many of us have not seen this one in person. The voice of Mickey is discussed from this episode and it is not one of the better versions… This quirky and unique show has lots of small details and stories that really make it unique. As we dig into the history of this one you are really going to be blown away as to how this whole thing played out. Finally, we get into what happened after the doors closed in 1980 and where the entire thing ended up, with some recent updates! We hope you enjoy this look back at this unique attraction.

Welcome to Episode 57 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "El Rio del Tiempo" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows!

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com.

1. Cory wrote in thanking us for doing the show and he has been binging the show. We love these - thank you so much Cory and we hope you enjoy our latest and greatest.
2. Our next letter is from Steve and he wanted to discuss all things Sea World in California. This mini-history lesson was appreciated and we hope you get to Orlando soon.
3. Scott has a question about film and movies. We get this question often, regarding 'do you want my footage?' - We always are interested in footage so please let us know what you have and we can discuss options. 
4. The next letter we received is from Abby. She shared with us the 2002 GE commercial that has the Horizons DNA sequence footage - very cool and thank you to everybody that shared this with us, including Abby! Take a look
5. Michael sent us a note about the cast member 'I have an idea' program. Michael is possibly the original creator of the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater! This program is no longer around, but that is a great story and maybe somebody from WDW will confirm where they got the idea.

[listenerfeedback]

Did we make a mistake? Do you have a correction? Let us know!

1. Brian goes into some more information on Hula Pie from Sea World and the Hawaiin Punch Village. If you love Hula Pie, take a listen!

Our audio rewind this month is Impressions de France - Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Steve Tanner!  - you won the books from author Christopher Smith. These are great and you are going to love them.

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month, the winner will be getting a grab bag of random WDW ephemera and goodies - All entries due 5/19/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

Our good friend How takes the lead this episode and we can't be more excited. You can always expect a deep dive into whatever it is he is discussing, which is always amazing. This episode we take you back to EPCOT Center and right into World Showcase. One of our favorite countries that was actually the only World Showcase 'ride' when the park opened. This attraction has stayed very similar to the opening day form with some minor updates, and we will get into those throughout this episode. As we get into this one, we hear about who was in charge of the pavilion, where the inspiration is from, and even some of the early concept art. Speaking of art, the very talented people who were involved in this are discussed in detail and How gives us some of their personal history and past projects. We go over the ride step by step, so make sure you take a look at some ride footage before or after you hit up this episode. Each scene is discussed in detail though and How even connects some of the original locations that inspired the ride design. This episode has me wanting to go ride this once more to look at all the hidden details and also to connect the history and real-world models. We hope you enjoy your ride on El Rio del Tiempo once more!

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well. This past month we have posted so many great ones including - 1992 WDW Information Channel, 1982 EPCOT Center w/Harold & Yvonne, and the hugely popular Easter Parade from 1992.  As a bonus, to accompany this episode we will be releasing two unseen rides of El Rio del Tiempo this Cinco de Mayo. Check our YouTube channel for those on 5/5/2020. 

• Join us next time for Episode 57, which we have not fully planned out, but you won't want to miss it  Thanks for joining us!

Our main topic this month is all about Wonders of Life. With this being Part I, we are just going to scratch the surface about all this pavilion and attraction had to offer. This pavilion is actually still around, the golden dome that is next to Mission: Space, Guardians of the Galaxy, and it also served as a festival center from time to time over the years. How is leading us here in our journey through Wonder of Life, starting us off in 1976.

How actually reads to us some of the original sponsorship concepts presented for the EPCOT Project, which are quite fascinating. Rolly Crump was named the show lead on this project and along with Dr. Lewis, following the mindset “If it’s a ton of fun, and an ounce of information, we’ve reached the teachable moment”. The group settled on the eight health habits, which seem to have been lost to history. How gives us his best estimate based on what he found in his research. Using these habits, attractions and shows were developed.

As How goes through the early concept pieces for Wonders of Life, we connect the various concepts to the actual attractions that came about. Ideas never really went away and some actually made it to the final show as the years went by. The Tooth Follies is a comical idea that didn’t seem to make the final cut, but what a name and also imagine sitting inside the actual mouth. We also discuss the early versions of Body Wars and how they were developed. How gives us so much good info as we can easily compare the development of all these attractions to what really came to be. Part II and probably Part III will be covering all of the attractions you know and love, so please remember to subscribe and get ready for these upcoming episodes.

Welcome to Episode 87 of the RetroWDW Podcast: Hungry For Hollywood - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between.

We open the mailbag monthly and are ready to hear from you. Be sure to reach out with questions, stories, memories, and more. You never know if your letter will be read on a future episode: podcast@retrowdw.com

1. Our first letter is from Mike and he is curious about a particular stairway at Magic Kingdom. We need some experts out there to help Mike out with this stairway and what happened to it....
2. Amy is our next letter and she is a new listener, welcome! Amy gives us some great information about working at The Disney Institute and how she was able to take courses for free as an employee. Thanks for the fun stories Amy.
3. Another Amy, another letter. This Amy is talking about Episode 32 which was all about Universe of Energy. She gives us some information on the dinosaur song we spoke of, which can be heard here. Enjoy!
4. Sylvia is up next and she is curious as to what happened with the Cigar Store Indians from Magic Kingdom. We give some insight into those and where they might have ended up. She also wanted to know where this photo was taken... Thanks for your letter Sylvia!
5. Emily is the next note we received, she was showing off her Dreamfinder Watch, which you can still get for yourself or as a gift. Visit our LBV History page for more information.
6. Paula wrote in with another vintage family photo taken on Main Street. We have been collecting these gems where you dress up and it looks old timey. Thanks Paula!
7. Finally, our last letter is from Donna and she speaks about the Room with a Skew and how her son loved playing in there. Donna is a former Gold Key Member along with Todd and she has some fighting words for Brian, which leads to a little history about The Pretzel Belt. Who knew?

Buckle up because we are going back to Hollywood, well the way it was in your memories, but never was. Brian is leading us through the early years of food and drink at the Disney-MGM Studios. One of the last great theme parks on Disney property and one that always has fascinating stories coming to us about the opening days and how things were drastically different when compared to now.  We get to go through the different eateries that existed in the early years, including the Hollywood Brown Derby. How as very disappointed that it wasn't in the shape of a derby hat. We also discuss the Echo Lake restaurants, highlighting that the Fifties Primetime Cafe and the Hollywood and Vine cafeteria share a kitchen. The team discussed the unique dining experience offered at these restaurants and the challenges faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our handy Birnbaum's guide is utilized throughout the episode, as is our good friend Reimund Pitz, who you may remember joined us during RetroMagic 50. Take a trip with us and Reimund around the Disney-MGM Studios, discussing each restaurant and how each menu has been changed over the years. We lost a ton of great options over the years and we even get a little history along the way about why some of these changes have happened. We hope you enjoy!

We are so glad so many of you could make it to our most recent event all about EPCOT Center and the 40 year anniversary. The videos from the event will be posted to our YouTube channel soon, but please take a minute to listen/watch our live recap we did a few weeks ago. Enjoy! Click Here To View

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for another amazing episode of the RetroWDW Podcast!
• Read for another movie night? Subscribe on YouTube & hit that notification bell so you are ready.
• Check out SpectroRadio for all their WDW music, including Throwback Thursday at 9am.
• Click Here to donate to the Lake Buena Vista Historical Society and join us on a future episode!
• Check out our friends at Mouse Adventure to see where you can join them next on a super fun adventure: Mouse Adventure

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.

Welcome to Episode 67 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Pleasure Island Part II - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will take you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top-tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Our first letter is from way back in July of 2020! Jimmy Tucker wrote us about 'Walt Disney World: The First Decade'. We discuss the various hardcover books that have come out as souvenir books and they are loaded with pictures. Everyone chimes in with the various ones in their collections, as these were very popular during the anniversaries they were celebrating.
2. Lanie from Boston wrote us and she successfully made Lime Chiffon Pie. It looked absolutely amazing and we are not only jealous of your pie, but also that view you have there. Take a look at this masterpiece - thanks for sharing!
3. John wrote us about butter! He remembers the butter at the Brown Derby, shaped like a derby hat. We have a memory of this, but no photos. If you have any photos of this, please share them with us as we would love to see them and add these images to the site.
4. Paul is up next and he wants to discuss The Boardwalk and their famous clown slide. He is curious if there is a Bozo The Clown reference tied in here....
5. We had numerous people write in about Pinocchio Village Haus and all of the seating options. Well, we are corrected, and still being corrected! Also, Brian was correct originally.
6. Linda called and left us a voicemail, asking if we were all ok. That was super nice and we appreciate you reaching out, along with all of the other kind messages.
7. Our last message is from Matthew, he works for the Space Foundation Discovery Center in Colorado Springs. He is super curious about this craft that is in their possession. This was inside EPCOT in the fall of 1998. Take a look, and let us know if you have any info or remember seeing this inside EPCOT.

For this episode, we continue where we left off on the first episode of this series, Pleasure Island Part I. If you missed Part I, please take a minute to download that episode and get caught up. How is once again leading us and we are so excited to get into the 90s where Pleasure Island went through some changes. Within a few months of opening, we learn that it wasn't drawing the crowds that were expected. There is no official statement, but How speculates the access was an issue, meaning a ticketing problem. Todd also throws in that the changing access and idea of it being different, day and night, could have been a concern. Finally, confusing ticketing could have added to problems as well. How gives us some inflation prices on tickets and we learn that it was super expensive back when it opened. Either way, changes were needed and we get to discuss these next. How gives us the history of age limits and how this changed over the years. Some clubs never allowed guests under 21 years old, but this did change a bit from time to time. One fun bit of history that is almost never forgotten, the Fort Wilderness Railroad train cars were repurposed as ticket booths right off the island, obviously colored in the amazing 90s color scheme. One of the big draws, the roller skating at XZFR, mysteriously stopped randomly at one point. How gets into some of the rumors and also busts a pretty large myth on this one. We continue to get into the changes and clubs being renamed, as this seemed like a regular occurrence every few years. The side attractions were a big deal too: Orbitrons, Velcro Walls, Ice Luges, Test Tube Shots, and so much more. All of these things added another layer of fun and excitement to a night out. Overall, Pleasure Island somewhat had a heyday and if you are curious about what happened during this time period, this episode is what you want to listen to. Disney really worked hard to make this work with the constant changes and updates, but as we'll learn in the near future, things didn't last forever. Over the years, there were even more changes and modifications to the island, which we will get into in a future episode.

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for Episode 68, where we take you back to EPCOT Center once again.
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

After months of planning and organizing, RetroMagic 50 has come and gone. Over the long weekend, all of us had an amazing time putting on this event and we hope everyone that attended enjoyed themselves. When an event like this starts to take shape, we have a rough idea as to how we want the day to go. We also have learned from our past events, trying to include what people like, enjoy, and even request. Throughout all the planning though, we try to create an event that we would want to attend.

In this short episode, we recap the entire weekend from start to finish: the behind-the-scenes stories, our reactions to how things went, and so much more. If you were able to attend RetroMagic 50, this episode will be a great follow-up to the whirlwind day we all experienced back in April. If you did not make it to RetroMagic this time around, we will be posting up our event videos on our YouTube channel soon. Please make sure you are subscribed and ready to enjoy these amazingly edited videos.

Finally, we want to thank all of our volunteers who made this event possible. The list is massive and without you: hotel bookings, transportation, set-up, cleaning, organizing, folding, building, welcoming, passing out, and more would not have happened. Thank you so much for your help during the event and also leading up to RetroMagic 50. We hope everyone enjoys this mini-episode recap and be sure to check back for normal episodes soon; we have so many great topics coming your way.

For Episode 88, we are ready to Ride the Movies! Universal Studios in the late 80s brought their A-Game to central Florida and Back to the Future: The Ride was one of their top attractions.  For this episode, we solely focus on Back to the Future and go from start to finish, from development to closing. How is our lead this month and for all of us having experienced this, the movie quotes are plentiful and the ride experiences come from all directions. We initially get into why this ride came to be and how it was somewhat of a mess to start. The entire ride system was pretty groundbreaking for the time, really capturing all of us as parkgoers. Before you get too far into this though, if you have not seen Back to the Future, we recommend you pause the episode and check it out.

We go through the entire facility, the pre-show, and even the ride mechanics. The neat part about this ride is many people have documented it over the years, including the BTTF Bluray’s that include the ride in a somewhat remastered format. The ride was so timeless in that you really felt as though you were stepping into the movies which we all know and loved. As How guides us through the spacetime continuum, we are given tons of descriptive visuals and walkthroughs about the entire ride.  For reference, we touch on the Back to the Future Visual Guide, which has a full history on this ride as well.

As we wrap up this episode, let us know your thoughts on the ‘Good Neighbors’ episodes and if you would like us to branch out more often. While this won’t be done regularly, we are always interested in the history of Central Florida and all the fun tourist spots in the area. Thanks so much for listening!

On this episode, we are joined by Disney entertainer Ray DeForest. Ray spent many years in Walt Disney World entertainment and has a large number of stories and tales we are so excited to hear.  Throughout this episode, we discuss how Ray got his start with the Walt Disney Company in Washington, DC, and then how he made his way to central Florida. As you will learn, Ray was a pioneer in WDW entertainment, working in everything from characters, dancing, performing in the two theme parks, and more. We also hear some great side stories about flying in ‘The Mouse’, where the entertainment offices are, and also how he was able to beat the heat performing in front of the castle. Ray has two areas of performance that caught our attention though; The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue and the opening day celebration at EPCOT Center. Ray talks with JT in detail about these two exciting but different opportunities he was given at Walt Disney World.  If you have ever seen any of the guide books with photos of the opening of EPCOT Center, you have seen Ray on stage ushering in the 21st Century in 1982. The Hoop-Dee-Doo segment of this interview has Ray sharing some fond memories, giving a few secrets, and also paying tribute to some other amazing cast members. Ray shared with us a number of great photos from his time at Walt Disney World. He really was part of something special back then and we are so lucky we were able to discuss all of this with him. To find Ray online, take a look at the following sites: – Doris Dear: YouTube, Instagram, Website – Ray’s Instagram

Kat Cressida is a renowned voice actress and respected Disney historian whose connection with Disney began with her father’s work with WED and Disneyland in the 1970s. She is known not only for bringing characters to life in Disney Parks ("Little Girl Lost" in the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Toy Story's Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl in shows and attractions worldwide and Constance Hatchaway, the 'Black Widow Bride' in The Haunted Mansion) but also for top AAA video game titles (Marvel Heroes, World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls, The Wolf Among Us, Fallout 76) as well as animation (Toy Story titles, Dexter’s Laboratory, Phineas and Ferb).

Kat began her career as a Shakespeare major at UC Berkley, became a cast member at Disneyland, and after a successful on-camera career, transitioned into full-time voicer. Besides her career achievements in voice over, she’s also a professional keynote speaker – addressing pediatric cancer and patient advocacy  – leveraging her recovery from fatal cancer to help others navigate the health care system.

In 2019, she gave a well-received TEDTalk at UCLA on the value of playtime.

In this episode, we speak with Kat about her personal connection with Disneyland, both as a frequent visitor and eventual cast member, the beginnings of her professional involvement with Disney Parks recording scratch tracks and "walla" (background crowd sounds) for Imagineering, and her eventual casting as "The Black Widow Bride," Constance Hatchaway, in the 2006 revision to the Haunted Mansion's attic scene.

Our rollicking conversation touches many topics; including fans' love for the Constance character, the effort made to make the new character be a seamless addition to the classic attraction, and plans for the Orlando Mansion uncovered during her research for the character that never came to be.

We also learn about the fascinating preparation and vocal techniques Kat uses for voice-matching Hollywood celebrities in films, which she leverages to bring Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl from the "Toy Story" films to life in attractions and shows in the Disney Parks worldwide.

For incredible daily deep Disney history and trivia, be sure to follow Kat on social media:

• Twitter - @KatCressida
• Instagram - @KatCressida
• Facebook - @kat.cressida

Welcome to Episode 79: Wonders of Life Part III, which focuses on Body Wars & Making of Me. We continue on this epic journey through the golden dome and we have even more for you throughout this episode. Our entire crew is here to take us through these attractions, but also joining us is Dr. Bill who was one of our top donors to the historical society. He will be sitting in on this episode and also giving us some real-world experience when it comes to the human body and Wonders of Life.

We start you off by going through the mailbag, which is filled with tons of good questions and memories. If you would like to join in on that fun, send us a message: podcast@retrowdw.com

For our main topic, we get into Body Wars, which is one of those lost attractions that has a love-it-or-hate-it type of memory for most past guests. The theming is on point we dig into how accurate this really was, thanks to Dr. Bill. Now keep in mind, the questions keep coming as we take full advantage of having a medical professional on the show this month. We discuss the star power throughout this attraction and if you have not seen this firsthand, you really need to do a ride-through on YouTube.

The second half of this episode, How digs into The Making of Me. We learn all about the production, who some of the creative minds behind it were, and so much more. This is a super interesting concept and idea for EPCOT and Walt Disney World that was unique and also informative. The entire thing really fits in well with this pavilion and attraction. Thank you so much for joining us this month and we hope to see you again soon for Episode 80!

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. 

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.

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. 

Welcome to Episode 64 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Crescent Lake" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will bring you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Dane wrote in about a 1976-1977 channel guide at the Contemporary, which we discussed during our Project 90 episode.
2. Kevin is next up and he found an amazing brochure from the 15 Years of Magic promotion!
3. Kurt sent us a great little piece from the Polynesian that has all of the character autographs.  Thanks for sharing this Kurt, amazing piece of history from 1985!
4. Our next letter is from Nate and he discusses the Houston airport Wedway Peoplemover. Such a fun take on this historical piece that is connected to Disney.
5. Huge thanks to everybody that called in during our New Year's Eve call-in event. That was so much fun to hear from you all!
6. Finally - Jared.  This is an amazingly detailed and long cast member take from working at Alien Encounter. This is amazing and you have to take in all of the unique details Jared sent our way.

Foxx Nolte sent us a copy of her book, Boundless Realm: Deep Exploration Inside Disney's Haunted Mansion If you would like to win a copy of this book, send us your name - contest@retrowdw.com - use the subject line "Spooky".... Best of luck and thanks for the amazing book Foxx! All entries due 2/8/2021.

We take you to Crescent Lake this month and we couldn't be more excited. This area is an entire vacation in itself, housing multiple resorts, restaurants, boating and so much more. If you are a regular to this area or your home resort is over here, this episode will be right up your alley. Most of us have stayed in at least one of these resorts with varying opinions. Throughout this episode, we will get into the history, mindset and much more throughout the era these places were constructed.  Everybody has a part in this episode with Brian starting us off regarding hotel occupancy and why this area was even needed.  Throughout the episode, we touch on design and architecture. This was key in the development of the Swan & Dolphin, which created many urban legends, myths and pre-internet 'fan chatter'. We have searched all over for a variety of sources to debunk or prove these rumors, so you won't want to skip these parts as we discuss. Yesterland provided us with some of these details this month, along with lots of digging into newspaper articles from back in this era. The Dolphin has a super unique design, with an almost unusable peak. Learn the secrets of this area and at the same time, take a look at the presidential suite up top! In the past, we have touched on Yacht & Beach Club through various letters and discussions. Going to the Wayback Machine, we found this great site that isn't too vintage, but the pictures scream 1991 by their coloring and also just the old decor of the Yacht/Beach. This site is definitely worth a look, as it is the original from the architect, Robert A.M. Stern. We also discuss how Michael Eisner and how he had his hand in much of this, mostly the Yacht & Beach. Almost two years ago, David Carver reached out to confirm the freshwater fish in Stormalong Bay - he happened to be staying there when they were having issues.  Read the full text right here - thank you David!

Any trip to Crescent Lake isn't complete without a visit to the Boardwalk Inn. Our original Boardwalk vacationers give us their take on this resort and we all had one gripe regarding the layout. During this time, we talk about some of the various venues at the Boardwalk, like The Attic and what that is all about. We also get into an amazing discussion with a former tram driver who made his rounds before the Boardwalk arrived. One fun fact of these trams: they used to be the ones that drove guests around Fort Wilderness, which is super cool to hear!  Take a look at this video, which shows the route around the area. This episode is full - covering about five resorts, transportation, attractions and so much more. We hope you enjoy and let us know if you have any fun stories from Crescent Lake.

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for Episode 65, where we take you back on another fun episode about WDW history!
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

Welcome to Episode 60 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Tomorrowland '94" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows!  While you are listening, please browse through our entire album of ephemera. We have tons in there and if you click this link, be ready for an adventure that could take up an entire evening. Also, let us know if you have any images you would like to add to this collection, as we are working to make it very comprehensive. 

Last month we had the great food and menu episode and the response was great. Thanks for all the feedback and items shared relating to food stories, menus, and anything else. It sure was fun to sift through and see how much everybody enjoyed it!

1. Huge thank you for all the ephemera that was sent in. We got tons of great items and this will all be added to the site soon. Your time and effort is appreciated!
2. Our good friend @bioreconstruct let us know about an add-on for a 43" monitor he found on Amazon that has the old school infrared beams. He also found it being used in Imageworks inside Epcot.
3. A friend of the show, Joe called in to discuss Disney Dollars - this is a great story! Thanks Joe!
4. Turnstiles came up during the last episode and where they are still located. Joe Barlow wrote in with instructions on how to lock them and he also issues an apology. 

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com.

1. Carla wrote in regarding the turnstiles and where they are still located - thanks Carla!
2. Miranda, AJ, and Joe - You three are featured in the listener mail section with some solid ephemera. We discuss this during the show and they are super cool so I had to put them up high for everybody to see. Thank you and enjoy!
3. Eric wrote in the same day as the show and his librarian and archival skills are insane! We are all super jealous and need you to come to organize ours! Take a look..
4. We had a favor to ask for this episode regarding Birnbaum's - Joe Siler was among many others that reached out to us with some solid scans.  Thanks Joe, we appreciate your help!

[ngg src="tags" ids="ep60ephemera" display="pro_sidescroll"]

[listenerfeedback]

Our audio rewind this month is from Muppet Vision 3D - Thank you for all the guesses and emails! How gives us a little bonus, telling you all about the extended queue at muppet Vision.

We have a winner! Congratulations Natalie B!  - you will be getting a bunch of great Ephemera! - hope you enjoy!

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month, the winner will be getting a party package! All entries are due 9/7/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

For this month, we are discussing a major overhaul of a land at the Magic Kingdom. Many of the lands have slowly evolved and changed, but Tomorrowland had a major change with nearly everything being touched in 1994. Brian & How start us off at Disneyland in 1983 with the expansion of Fantasyland - bringing comparisons to our main topic. All of these major refurbs work towards making the park appealing to a new audience - which is why the funds were sent to the Magic Kingdom and Tomorrowland. We are basing this episode off a major press release which we just acquired. 

As we work through our initial discussions about Tomorrowland, our FIRST podcast episode is brought up, and I guess way back when we discuss early Tomorrowland - if you are brave and want to hear our early stuff, here you go: Episode One-Planning for Tomorrow.

1994-95 Disney Press Release - New Tomorrowland Featuring... Alien Encounter

So we basically learn that in the late 80s and early 90s, Disney learns that you can't build a land that needs to be updated every other year, especially when you call it Tomorrowland. EPCOT ran into this problem a bit and the original Tomorrowland just had so much trouble keeping up with technology. This overview episode of the entire land covers nearly everything from design and lighting to ride updates and add-ons. The signage is discussed, as this was one highlight for some of the guests. We also get into sponsorship changes and how this land impacted each of us, as I'm sure you will pick a side on if you really liked this update or not. At one point in this episode, we discuss The Timekeeper, which we did an entire episode on - click here. The new arcade that was installed right next to Space Mountain was massive. It has many games, prizes, and just a fun, Tomorrowland arcade feel. We hit a bit on the Penny Arcade, which we discuss in Episode 47 of the podcast - check it out. We spend considerable time discussing the infamous Kugel Ball, or germ ball as Todd calls it. These are more common than you think and this one has gone through some changes. It seems like there wasn't a ride or attraction that was left alone and this includes The Carousel of Progress. We go through some of the changes that made this what it is today.

Throughout the episode, we have some great sound drops and audio clips. That 90s Tomorrowland background loop makes this one fun to listen to overall. We hope you have fun going back to the mid-90s and we want to know - what is your favorite memory of this 'new' land at Magic Kingdom? Send us a message and tell us!  Enjoy!

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for Episode 61, we are staying in Tomorrowland but taking you into Alien Encounter. It will be ExtraTERRORestrial!
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

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.

For the main topic this month, we head back to Pleasure Island for more fun and excitement. This is Part IV and if you haven’t enjoyed Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3, we highly recommend you take a listen back as these were recorded years ago!  How gives us a little recap of how each episode went in the past. The story on this episode though is changes. How gets us into each club and how they changed after a few years, including themes and names. These include Cage, The Wildhorse Saloon, 8-Trax, Planet Hollywood, Motion, Fulton’s Crab House, BET Club and more. We go through our memories of each of the various iterations and also what we thought of them over the years. The interesting aspect we get into here with Pleasure Island is that it evolved frequently and for the most part, was done to keep people attending and trying to find that club that hit. This episode also has us reflecting on fads of the era from Wine Coolers, The Chicken Dance, Zima, Planet Hollywood, and line dancing. Even though this area has come and gone, we discuss where it went and how it went out. Many of us have memories of the big changes in the end and we even discuss the unused concept of Hyperion Wharf. Pleasure Island was a fun concept that worked in many areas and did not work in others. How has promised us a Part V episode about Pleasure Island, so make sure you message him if you are interested in hearing even more history on ‘PI’. Thanks for listening!

Welcome back to another mini-episode, filled with Radio Loops. We had a number of these sent in from fans, listeners and others who were thinking there might be a podcast someday that wants to share these. To start, we go way back to 1995 and this loop has an amazingly catchy theme song at the beginning of the broadcast. Quality is AM and if you are playing this in your car, this will give you all the feels of a car from the past. This loop includes ticket tips, cleaning up with Jiminy Cricket, AAA tips, and even current room rates. With this being a mini-episode, we run about 25 minutes and wrap up with the 'exit loop', which gives directions, thanks you for coming and so much more. The range seems to be an issue, as this one is not super clear and seems to almost cut out - but it's super cool to hear this once again.  We hope you enjoy this mini-episode of radio loops and can't wait for you to listen to our next full episode that will be coming soon. 

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for Episode 62 where we take you back on another fun episode about WDW history!
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

The Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure was one of the early attractions at the Disney-MGM Studios that opened in late 1990, following the success of the film Honey I Shrunk the Kids which opened in 1989. Before we start, let’s read a small blurb from a WDW press photo:

‘A Big Ride For Little Tykes: Kids who visit the ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure’ can climb on board an extra-large sized ant, just like in the hit movie! The gigantic scaled backyard play area is the newest addition to the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park and has made a ‘big’ impression on park visitors. With three-story-tall blades of grass, lifeboat-sized cereal bits, and a twenty-foot tall paper clip, the re-creation of the movie set allows guests to experience the special effects of movie-making firsthand (1991)’

In this episode we start with the film itself and the success of this movie. Back then, this movie was made way different and it lent perfectly to the Disney-MGM Studios and the reason for the park attractions. We dig into the ride from start to finish, including the location at MGM-Studios and how each little part of this attraction was presented. If you attended this as an adult or a child, you had different experiences. As a kid, it was an amazingly cool playground that made you really feel like you were in the movies. As an adult, it was a chance to take a minute to relax, and most times, the adults participated with their kids, which is awesome. This entire attraction lasted until 2016, which is insane if you think about it. We also get into some rehabs that occurred, which saw some new add-ons put into the play area due to sponsorships and partnerships. Some items were needed while others were very specifically placed for a reason. Overall, this was super close to an opening day attraction for MGM-Studios and everyone treats it as one of the originals from that park, which it felt like. Nowadays, this is currently Galaxy’s Edge and there really is nothing left of it. We hope you enjoy this look back on this classic attraction that took the concept of a playground and ramped it up to an eleven. 

Welcome to Episode 68 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Magic Journeys - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will take you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top-tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Our first letter is from Andy all about the Mannequins - he goes through this photo, explaining what each piece of hardware does. This is super helpful and also neat to look back; the system also included the classic 3.5" Floppy Disk!
2. Going back to September, Jason sent us a tweet about his trip to WDW. So many good shots of the topics we have discussed over the years. Thanks, Jason!
3. John touched base with us about the Mardi Gras parade items and props sitting in Port Orleans: French Quarter. Brian gives us the full story on this one and the connection is amazing. We also heard from Jacques, giving even more insight into this whole thing. Mr. Mardi Gras comes up and we love this back story. Thanks, everyone!
4. We heard from Colleen on Instagram and she shared with us a super neat cup from Pleasure Island. These aren't very common to see anymore but we absolutely loved that you shared this with us!
5. Dane wrote us about 'The Guide to Tomorrowland' - This was from way back in Episode 26: Tiny Bubbles. We included this item in our giveaway for the year - click here to read it!
6. We got a letter from Carla regarding the Retro Food episode we recently did. She had quite a few corrections and insight into some restaurants in WDW.
7. Phil wrote in about a friend who does high-profile celebrity security. Apparently, Tom Cruise used the services during a visit to WDW. This trip had many great stories and experiences, which Phil shared with us. Thank you so much Phil; this was great!

We have a copy of 'Walt Disney World: The First Decade' to send to one lucky winner. Send us an email with the subject line Decade to contest@retrowdw.com - we will pick a random winner from the entries to get this hardcover book from the 80s. Good Luck!

This month, we take you back to EPCOT Center and as far back as opening day. Magic Journeys: This is one of those short-lived attractions that most have not seen, but if you did, you get it. This was extremely high tech, advanced and the effort level that went into this is absolutely insane. Todd takes the lead, giving us a bit of history and why this whole thing came about. We hear from Murray Lerner, including original audio and interviews looking back at the creation of this film. Overall though, this film was intended to see the world through the eyes of a child. Of course, we get the technical reasons as to why 3D works and what is actually happening with your eyes. The 'how' of this film is something you really won't believe. Two whole years in the making with computer graphics, 75mm film, multiple frames on top of one another - the making of this film is a treasure trove of facts and figures. We also include clips from our interview with Mark Eades. He played a major role in creating this film, helping with the setup, and also was integral in making sure it worked. We also discuss the film made with the Dreamfinder, Ron Schneider. He goes into how they had to create a preview film all about Magic Journeys, just to have something in the theater for opening day.

We have set our date for the next big Lake Buena Vista Historical Society event: RetroMagic 50. We will all be back at Walt Disney World in 2022 for this weekend-long event which takes place April 23-24.

Please click the following link to sign up for ticket sale information and notifications. We hope to see you all real soon!

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

Welcome to Episode 66 of the RetroWDW Podcast: “Retro Food Part II” – We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our

from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will take you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at

Also, top-tier donors can even join us on a show!

.

1. Troy is our first letter of the episode. He is looking for early photos of the Fort Wilderness reception outpost and possibly of the old trailer that was out there. Do you have any of those? Let us know!
2. Our good friend Ed is on Episode 46 and is getting caught up. We always love our binge listeners and hearing from you! Ed has been digging into some photos from old trips from the early 70s, so best of luck with your listening and your photo search!
3. Joe is up next – we included him back on

! Joe brought up the Peoplemover in Texas and shared with us a video by . Thanks for this!

• We got a big thank you from Jimmy – he and his family enjoyed the
• we posted on Easter Sunday. He also let us know his favorite character is Roger Rabbit. Thanks for watching Jimmy!
• James wrote in, as a Florida local, and wondered what is going on with the Best Western on Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Brian helps us out with this, as we once

6. Next up is Dane, he is looking for some ephemera and also looking to trade. If you have something Dane is looking for, let us know!
7. Finally, Wesley wrote in about our last movie night – he has been a longtime fan and also our previous Prize Pot winner. Thanks!!

Todd had a random prize giveaway, which was the Norman Rockwell/Mickey print – thanks to everyone who reached out! Our winner is Tracy – congratulations!

Before you get started into our main topic, take a look at

and

. These are all food and dining related so they connect really well to this episode. We begin by answering listener questions and memories, which is so much fun! If you sent us something in relation to this episode, there is a good chance it ended up on the show here. Let’s get started: For this episode, we work our way through tons of listener questions and memories. These came from all over and discuss so many interesting topics. We get into everything including: 100 Years of Magic bars, Columbia Harbor House, The Diamond Horseshoe changes and so much more. We appreciate everyone reaching out and sharing their memories and experiences, as we really enjoyed digging into this.

After this we get into some various dining options from over the years. One being, the various character breakfasts at Disney-MGM Studios. How discusses the Aladdin breakfast that took place in the Catwalk Bar area / soundstage. We also get into the 1981 Walt Disney World Menu Book. This document is absolutely amazing and we have used it a ton throughout the episode. One area we zero in on, is the Lake Buena Vista Village & Club; this area is not well documented as far as dining options and menus. Brian leads us restaurant by restaurant, diving deep into each menu. As we get into these various restaurants, lounges, and other eating options, we hope these are bringing back memories or giving you a small window into dining at Walt Disney World in 1981.

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released,

. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

Welcome to Episode 63 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Project 90" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. This month, Ted Linhart joins us as one of our top tier donors - this episode is guided by Ted and his amazing set of documents. Last month we hit Thunder in Paradise pretty hard with multiple episodes.

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Scott Jensen is first with some great pics of Hogan's Beach Shop, which is actually in Clearwater and the Orlando area. Thanks Scott!
2. Stephen Myers also wrote in about Thunder in Paradise, saying him and Terry have discussed his time at WDW often. Thanks Stephen!
3. Norris is up next - he wrote in about a vehicle on WDW property that has a mickey head tread pattern. JT is digging into this a bit and found they are made by Trelleborg. We are hoping for more info soon...
4. Tracy wanted to know if we had any Space Mountain under construction photos, as her father worked on the ride.  We found a few, so just do a quick search on our site for "Space Mountain Construction" - this should be a fun rabbit hole to go down.
5. Mark wrote in complimenting the big three-part Horizons Podcast series. He has a great story about Walt Disney Elementary School, which is near him.
6. Dane wrote us about a vintage map from the late 70s and it is so cool! Thank you so much Dane!

Our audio rewind this month is called Beautiful Beulah, it is from Summer Magic starring Hayley Mills & Burl Ives - Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Carolina Nedal - you will get some RetroWDW & LBVHS Pins!

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - All entries are due 1/11/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

This month we get into Project 90. Ted Linhart is with us and ready to go with this amazingly important and topical document put together by RCA. We start you off with the history of RCA, how they connected with Disney and what the point of this document is. You have to imagine that back in the late 60s & early 70s, Disney was embarking on an entirely new concept of vacationing with Walt Disney World. Now before you get to into this, you might want to look at the document, and we will make it very easy for you to look at on Ted's site. Click Here For The Project 90 Doc The plan, as you can see above, is incredibly in-depth and really is taking the hospitality industry to another level. Nearly every aspect of the RCA corporation is put into use with WDW, and it is all fully outlined in this doc and this episode. The communication systems, security, charging and so much - all linked up and it sounds so seriously 2013 with the invention of the Magic Band. We go through most of this and discuss, so you might want to have the doc pulled up to flip through the pages as we talk.  If you imagine the era, what vacationing was like in the 60s/70s, and then also picture the commitment this would require by Disney, it is all super ambitious and neat for the era. We would like to thank Ted for joining us once again - he always brings something unique and fun to the show and what is great about his mission, you can all join him. Take a look at his site, Disney Docs, where everything is organized and cataloged for your enjoyment.  We hope you enjoyed this month's episode and also wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This mini-episode is a compliment to our 2022 holiday episode.  We promised we'd eventually track down the fellow responsible for bringing the Lights of Winter to EPCOT Center.  Brian and Todd talk to Jim Heffelfinger whose 20 year career with Walt Disney World began as stage manager at the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review at Pioneer Hall (where he met and shares a great story about our friend Billy Flanigan).

Over the next two decades he worked with Disney Legend Ron Logan and the rest of the entertainment team to bring Christmas as we know it to EPCOT, Fantasmic to Florida, the Muppets to Hollywood Boulevard, the holidays and a parade to Animal Kingdom and the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights to Disney-MGM Studios.

Some of his shows, like Beauty & The Beast Live on Stage are still running today much as he designed them while others are very fondly remembered.

This is a fun interview where you’ll learn a lot and, of course, we ask him for memories of Ron Logan and Dick Nunis and invite him to a future RetroMagic event.

Jim Heffelfinger is an unsung hero of holidays in Walt Disney World and many beloved live shows. Enjoy the interview.

Welcome to Episode 71.5 of the RetroWDW Podcast: 50th Anniversary Memories - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will take you back to WDW each month. For this episode, we are focusing on you the listener, and all the feedback you sent us from Episode 71. The outpouring of memories was overwhelming and we felt we needed to showcase this on an episode. While we do not have time to get through everyone, this episode features many of you and also what you had to say. If you enjoy memories, you won't want to skip this one. We get into lots of great stories that were shared with us and we hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

For this main topic, the plan is to give you a short synopsis of each letter we discuss. This should help guide you through this episode and also give you a letter or two to look forward to if the topic matches your interest.  Jim: Discusses visiting the parks with his children, which changed his magical experience, including the Crystal Palace character meal. The WDW sign was a huge hit for his children and they even moved to Florida. Jim is also a fan of just sitting on a bench too! John: To start, reminds us that the shells from the Polynesian are Puka Shells. John also brings up 'South of the Border' signs which appear on the highway. He remembers staying at Fort Wilderness, staying on the Jack Rabbit Run Loop, and of course the boat/train whistle. Craig: Gives us some great examples of the legendary WDW customer service, including freebies and meeting Mickey. Craig also praises Lego Land for its customer service. We all get into our stories about freebies and how it's the little things that make a big difference. Claudia: Starts with some phases of the trip/visit. Also, Claudia gets into the past visits with people who have passed on. She also gets into closed-down attractions and also spoilers before visiting an attraction. Finally, she discusses WDW customer service. Matt: Sent us a story about customer service at Fort Wilderness. The bed was too soft and at 8pm, cast members drove over to fix the situation in an unimaginable way. Great story Matt! Ramon: Really enjoyed Episode 71 and he felt it was so nice to be unscripted. He will be traveling to Fort Wilderness soon and puts Episode 71 in his top three. Michael: Felt the last episode was somewhat therapeutic and also made him think a bit at the end. When getting into where things are heading for the parks, maybe we are not the target audience anymore... Michael also gave us a call! Thanks, Michael! Scott: Sent this through Instagram, Scott really enjoyed Episode 71. Thanks for your kind words about our show and past episodes. We discuss our different visits, history, and trip experiences. @JLBNerdy: Episode 71 brought her to tears and she is going in November, taking her niece for the first time. We hope you have a fabulous trip! Josh: Joined the show around the time of our Horizons episodes, playing catchup ever since. Happy 50th to you Josh! Andrew: This is another voicemail and Andrew tells us about ordering a cake on Main Street, taking that cake to the Contemporary, then enjoying the Electrical Water Pageant. This is amazing and we all would love to spend our birthday like this. Bob: Discusses major news events that occur when you are in the parks. Bob also defends Todd and the Gold Key Package, which of course is for high rollers only. Todd vows to cover this on a future episode or movie night. @JustEllenIGuess: Would like to hear more stories and loved the format of our last episode. We work to keep it real, research the memories to verify them and also keep it respectful. Brian still thinks 20k is a boring ride! @ServoIsNaked: Discusses Tiny Mic and plans to sit on the lip-shaped couch interviewing anybody and everybody once we set that up. This refers to Mariah Carey and her couch requests for the castle stay. Scott: We get another voicemail and Scott loved everything WDW. His first visit wasn't until 1994, but it was like a dream come true. 24 trips later and he still loves every aspect of his WDW vacations. Justin: We heard from Justin on the Retro Line, he shares a sad memory. His mom took him to WDW when she was battling cancer and he has many fond memories from his trips to WDW. Special people connect us to the parks. Nathan: Wrote to us about How and his disgust for Champion's Gate Traffic. This is great! We even get Walt talking directly to How, which is hilarious. We also get a live look at the traffic near Champion's Gate. Michele: A WDW College Program student, we hear about a special walkway between Universe of Energy & Mission Space. This was a favorite place for Michele to sit, enjoy a coffee or donut and just relax. We all discuss our favorites around the property. Joe: Another voicemail and this one is about his memory from 1985 at Fort Wilderness. They drove from NJ and went for a walk at night, stumbling upon Chip & Dale roasting marshmallows. Joe also leaves another message, this time all about a celebrity encounter. We would like to wrap up by letting everyone know that our little podcast, run by four random guys that randomly met, has passed one million downloads. This is awesome and we are so thankful that so many of you have decided to download our show and join us as we share memories each month. The news of a million is still tough to comprehend, but we love doing this for our listeners and also sharing memories with you.

Tickets are on sale now! We announced our RetroMagic 50 VIP List and we cannot wait to see you on April 24, 2022. Should you have any questions regarding this upcoming event, please send us a message so we can help you out. Click Here To Purchase Tickets Tickets are going quickly and you will not want to miss out on our next big event.

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

• Join us next time for Episode 72, as we get things back to normal for a full-on attraction-based episode.
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 
• Click Here to donate to the Lake Buena Vista Historical Society
• Follow along for updates on RetroMagic 50

We start off this episode with some corrections and comments from the last couple of months.

1. Jim is our first correction, which was very similar to some others we received. We were all corrected on our Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman relationship history, which we wrongly stated they met during Far and Away filming. It was actually on the set of Days of Thunder - thanks for helping us out with that one.
2. How gives us some insight into the 2003 Adventurer's Club from an anonymous source. This person saw the backside of the genie head bureau, cast wardrobe, and offers up some backstage secrets regarding The Adventurer's Club. If you didn't catch last month, be sure to listen to our podcast focusing mostly on this club.

The mailbag is full and ready to sift through. Be sure to reach out with questions, stories, memories, and more. You never know if your letter will be read on a future episode: podcast@retrowdw.com

1. Jeremy scanned some photos from 1986 and shared them with us. He has tons of good stuff you have to check out. CLICK HERE to see his photo collection - Thanks Jeremy!
2. Andy is up next with a small Disney connection story. Douglas Cuddle Toys made the small plus toys we spoke about during our Crescent Lake Episode. Andy happened to be in the neighborhood and stopped by. He shared a photo with us and we really appreciate that. Thanks Andy, great find!
3. Tom from Detroit wrote us about the Adventurer's Club, discussing the falling bar stool gag. He experienced this joke at The Safe House bar, which sounds like a blast. Check it out
4. Next up, we heard from Mitch. He discusses the Jekyll & Hyde Bar in NYC. We discussed this in the episode and How gives some more comparisons.
5. John Kuzner wrote us about Antique's Roadshow and how they had a display with 'dolphins'. These are super similar to the Dolphin Resort dolphins we have all seen, so take a look and see what you think. Photo1  Photo2
6. Darryl wrote in regarding some great footage from 1974. We would LOVE to restore this footage, so fingers crossed you still have the film... Let us know! podcast@retrowdw.com
7. Finally, Robert C wrote in about actually roller skating at XZFR. We want to hear more Robert, so let us know of any stories, memories, or things that happened at XZFR. Robert also hit on the much-loved opinion about the Adventurer's Club we discussed last episode.

Todd picked our random winner of 'The Disney Decade' - Jennifer is our winner! Congratulations and we hope you enjoy the book.

This month, we take you back to the early days of the Disney-MGM Studios. When the park first opened, it was mostly show and attraction-based with less emphasis on rides. You may have noticed before we got to the main topic here, but this episode sounds a little bit different. We are recording in and this adds an amazingly fun layer to this episode, which is all about sound. Todd starts us off with our old friends at Birnbaum, most importantly 1989. This attraction was not very well known at the start as most people really didn't know what was going on in this show building. How as at Disney-MGM Studios on opening day, which we discussed in Episode 10. In the early days of the Disney MGM-Studios, movies and technology were used in much different ways compared to how they are now. Even our podcast process is so much more advanced than most everything at the studios back in the day. Sound design, engineering, and effects all had their own 'movie magic' way about them. Even to this day, the sound design makes or breaks a movie. If done properly, it makes for an outstanding movie experience and also have created some timeless sound effects over the years. The Monster Sound Show was an attraction that allowed park guests to experience this process in a fun way that put them right in the action of movie-making. Such a perfect attraction for those early days at the studios. As a group, we discuss the involvement of David Letterman, which was somewhat an odd fit for the time period. At the same time though, we go over all the aspects he was used for in this attraction, including a Top Ten List. Todd leads us through this attraction which includes many sound gags for you, the listener. If you have never experienced this attraction in person, this episode will help you paint a great picture in your mind. What is amazing about the Monster Sound Show is that it starts Chevy Chase and Martin Short. Two SNL alums and also two actors who are in so many classic comedy films of the 80s and 90s. The timing of them being in this attraction is perfect. As we get through this attraction, don't forget to visit Soundworks post-show. The documentation of this area is very limited, so if you have any photos of video of this post-show area, let us know. This area is also where we learn about the styrofoam head that How brought into the parks in an attempt to capture the audio of some of these small post-show audio gags. Overall though, if sound and movies are your thing, you would have really enjoyed this attraction and area overall. The movie-making business back in the 80s was featured in so many unique ways throughout this theme park. We hope you got a sense of this attraction through clever audio and everything in stereo.

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!

Welcome to Episode 56 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Good Neighbors" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows!

1. Jake Nelson wrote in about a possible hidden skeleton somewhere inside Catastrophe Canyon. We give our take on this one from the old days of MGM.
2. Reuben wrote us asking about the old shop to the left right inside the entrance to the Disney-MGM Studios. He is referring to Sid Cahuenga's of course! We discuss this store and the various items we have seen there over the years.
3. Joe Barlow wrote in about some backlot vehicles, mainly the Hardcastle and McCormick car. We misidentified it as a Lamborghini, but Joe tells us it really is a kit car from back then.

The mailbag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com.

1. Tom Potter is our first letter and it is all about time capsules. Tom brings up the opening of Coronado Springs and how they placed a capsule back in 1997.
2. Next up is Ron. He asks us about trucks being buried at the Magic Kingdom from way back during the late 60s construction. We hear about some trucks out in the lakes, but as far as the parks, we aren't really sure...
3. John wrote us and has been a binge listener since August. He is curious about the EPCOT Center pavilion logos and who designed them and why. This is right in How's wheel-well and is super fun to learn about.
4. Finally, we got a tweet from Michael, giving some major props on the upcoming Horizons release we have coming. Todd gives us the updates next...

Our audio rewind this month is El Rio del Tiempo - Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Jimmy Tucker!  - you won the book by Marty Sklar from Brian.

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month, the winner will be getting 3 books from author Christopher Smith - All entries due 4/15/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

This month, our main topic is Good Neighbors mostly focusing on Sea World. The early days of Lake Buena Vista had just one theme park so people needed more to do and more places to stay. A few years back, we discussed some of the good neighbor hotels and that program back on Episode 39. Brian leads us this month through some of the history and how Sea World got it's start. This includes California, Ohio and the other locations as this is all an important part of the story.  We walk you through every attraction through the years with personal experiences and also lots of great memories. This includes things like the Dolphin Feeding Pool, original Whale and Dolphin Stadium, Fountain Fantasy, Water Skiing and so much more. The construction history is also discussed, which has changed quite a bit over the years.  This wouldn't be an episode of the RetroWDW Podcast without some food discussions. We take a deep-dive into the Hawaiian Punch Village along with some very detailed discussion about 'Hula Pie'. If you have ever been to Sea World since it opened, this episode will for sure take you back and also give you a look at how it has changed over the years. We hope you enjoy this look at one of our favorite 'Good Neighbors'.

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well. This past month we have posted a great resort tour from The Disney Channel, The original DVC Resort Tour, and a great Innoventions commercial from the mid-90s. As a bonus, to accompany this episode we have released a great new video from 1980 Sea World. This was shot on Super8 with sound! You are going to love this vintage footage that looks amazing - especially the Whale & Dolphin show.

• Join us next time for Episode 57, which we have not fully planned out, but you won't want to miss it  Thanks for joining us!

This month, we take you through the glorious two-hour special that is The Walt Disney World Fourth of July Spectacular from 1988. This is a commentary on the entire special, which is on YouTube currently on many different channels. Here is the link we used: Click Here. As we go through this discussion, we look at each section, analyzing how things have changed and also how the special seems just a bit off.

The entire show is filled with celebrity appearances, song and dance numbers, testimonials, and even the Beach Boys. We notice many instances of synergy within the company and even some super early shots of Disney-MGM and the backlot/Streets of America in 1988. Todd leads us on this one as we get into who is who throughout the special. We hope you enjoy this Fourth of July special as we take you back to 1988 and a different era for the Walt Disney Company. Enjoy!

As we get started on our main topic, get out your old pamphlets, flyers, books, magazines, and leaflets. This month we are talking all about planning your Walt Disney World Vacation from the early years all the way up to the mid-90s. The ways this has changed over the years is fascinating when you dig into all the details and ways to book. Todd takes the lead for Episode 74, digging into old planning guides and comparing them to some of his own trips, especially his 1980 visit. Throughout this episode, you are going to notice a world of vacation packages that you might have never heard of before. Everything from small trips to massive all-inclusive style trips with camcorders and meals included. The inflation calculator is brought out often so we can get a somewhat accurate comparison to what we have nowadays. We were super curious if one of our listeners would be sitting down with their slide rule and spreadsheets to compare what the best deal was and when it took place back then...

Todd also digs into some tickets and options for each package back then, which we discuss how you went about booking in the 70s and 80s. There was no internet and there was no google to check on what was being offered. The options seemed to be always changing and always evolving, which isn't too different when compared to trips of today. As always, we also go off on a bit of a tangent about rental cars, vehicles in the 70s/80s, and of course the Chevrolet Citation. While we were talking, Brian remembered the old Citation commercial and he also reminisces a bit about his mid-80s rental car being an Oldsmobile Calais. This episode led most of us to dig into our ephemera boxes again to compare notes and also look at the various vacation packages that we seem to overlook for more exciting imagery over planning details. Do you have anything unique in your piles at home? Send them in so we can add them to the archive of ephemera on the site. Also, take a look at our gallery of ephemera that is loaded with tons of great stuff.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again, and the RetroWDW crew is here with another festive holiday episode. Brian takes up back to the Walt Disney World in the early 1990s when the seasonal festivities shifted their focus from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT Center. He tells us about Epcot’s much beloved “Lights of Winter” musical light show and its European origins, as well as other early holiday offerings at the park. Then we make a stop at each of the monorail resorts and finally the Disney Marketplace and Pleasure Island. From chestnuts roasting on an open fire to electrical boat shows, the 1990s made WDW visitors’ seasons bright. 

The mailbag is full and ready to sift through. Be sure to reach out with questions, stories, memories, and more. You never know if your letter will be read on a future episode: podcast@retrowdw.com

1. Brian is up next with a celebrity sighting at WDW. He spotted Mick Foley at Cinderella’s Royal Table, tried to snap a photo and made a minor mistake… This is a great story and we would love to see that photo!
2. Katie wrote us about Mariah Carey and what she required to stay in the castle. This leads to a major tangent about couches, which of course is why you tune in to the RetroWDW Podcast.
3. We heard from Michael Landis about the infamous Monorail Pilots License – if you have never seen one of these, check it out. Obviously, these aren’t around anymore, but this was a neat perk of riding upfront in the monorail.
4. Miranda has a question – When did the Plaza Restaurant inside the Magic Kingdom open up at the current location?
5. Joe, among many others, reached out about our challenge in regards to celebrities appearing in more than one attraction. We discuss a few of these that were emailed to us, along with some other ideas listeners had.

As we get started, this episode will be a little different than what you are used to. For the 50th Anniversary, how do we celebrate that at RetroWDW? We bounced many ideas around, including lists, top 50, sharing memories, and even going back to cover the various anniversary specials. Brian gets us started discussing the way things used to be, which all of us can do for hours on end, you the listener included. Each of us has stories and special things that we remember from the past fifty years. Experiences, memories, family trips, events; we all have so many things to share and reminisce about. This episode is all about that. Throughout Episode 71, we don’t sit on just one topic or park. Many of the stories are personal and lead to more tangents, but we think you’re really going to connect and relate to many of these observations from the past fifty years. As we worked our way through this recording, it’s tough to bring together fifty years of vacationing. The kingdom has so many things for so many people, including us. We are always looking for what’s next, our future trips, and making memories. This podcast is all about memories at Walt Disney World, even if they are super detailed and take us all down a rabbit hole. From Episode 71 all the way back to Episode 1, this show, website, videos, and our events have added another layer of WDW to all of our lives. As we continue to add to our individual and group stories about trips to WDW, we hope you continue to join us each month.

We have set our date for the next big Lake Buena Vista Historical Society event: RetroMagic 50. We will all be back at Walt Disney World in 2022 for this weekend-long event which takes place April 23-24.

Please click the following link to sign up for ticket sale information and notifications. We hope to see you all real soon!

Welcome to Episode 55 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Backstage Tour - MGM" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows!

1. Take a listen to our latest mini-episode, Bringing The World Closer To You - this was a quick one but ended up being very good. Enjoy!

The mailbag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com.

1. Rob wrote in, asking about the VIP Lounges at EPCOT. Rob is mainly interested in the Kodak lounge at Journey into Imagination. Brian gives us his take on it. As I was putting this write-up together, I realized Rob is the owner of the site we reference. Check out his collection of VIP lounge pictures and information: Future World's Hidden VIP Lounges
2. Next letter we discuss purchasing fog machines at Innoventions. Was this actually a thing? We discuss...
3. Dane writes in, regarding ephemera. Do we have any from Toys Fantastique? Todd gets us up to speed on how our photo archive is growing and improving at this very moment. What any RetroWDW fan can do, is use the search and find so many more images! This is great, use this link and give it a try: Photo Search

[listenerfeedback]

Our audio rewind this month is the opening of Holiday Illuminations - Thank you for all the guesses and emails, and we didn't get many!

We have a winner! Congratulations Beth Goldman!  - you won a set of RetroMagic ornaments!

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month, the winner will be getting a copy of the Marty Sklar book, Dream it, Do it - All entries due 2/17/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

The main topic this month is one of the recently closed classics, The Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour. There have been so many changes and updates over the years, but we are going to focus on the original, for the most part. How is our guide on this episode, walking us through the entire tram portion of the tour. We take it right back to 1989, going through how the Disney-MGM Studios actually worked. The concept of going past the theme park and then entering the studio - this is how the tour basically began. The walking tour was part of this, but we are not going to discuss this.

The backlot tour had so many different aspects including residential street, the boneyard, the various production trailers, and so many other little nuggets. The tour seemed to change often, as far as props and items but the tour wasn't complete with a look at the Streets of America, or the New York street set. You would know this as the set for "The Lottery", which seems to be the only movie filmed here that we ever hear about. To accompany this episode, we have a great video on our YouTube channel - click here to watch after the episode!

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released, subscribe to us on YouTube. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to check out Vimeo if that is your thing, as we will post there as well. This past month we have posted the Backlot Tour video, a ride around the monorail in 1991 and the 1994 runDisney Marathon. Enjoy!

• Join us next time for Episode 56, which we have not fully planned out, but you won't want to miss it  Thanks for joining us!

Delta Rae drummer Mike McKee sat down with Brian and Todd the other night to discuss a bit about the band, retro Disney, and the much missed SpectroMagic parade; find out why his mom uses the chords in the theme song to teach music to her students!

Delta Rae is a country rock band that will be performing at EPCOT Center on August 31 and September 1 2017 at the American Gardens Theater (In front of the American Adventure attraction in World Showcase). If you'll be in town for the shows stop by and give them a big cheer! Delta Rae will also be performing in Clearwater FL on September 3rd. Full tour schedule can be found at www.deltarae.com 

We start off on the Seven Seas Lagoon & Bay Lake, taking you to each resort and discussing what has come and gone over the years. The offerings at time are very interesting and unique, while some are still the same to this day. Everybody brings out their old menus for this episode, refreshing your memories.The episode is really a must listen, mainly because it focuses on lots of great places and cuisine items you may have never heard of. We continue to the theme parks, which almost need their own episodes just to discuss the varying items. We hit on many random things and have a somewhat order, but like any discussion, we go off randomly reflecting on some memories. Hope you enjoy and let us know if you have any retro menus to share!"]

Welcome to Episode 33 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Retro Food" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

Todd kicks us off with the infamous Universe of Energy dog food pump for the lava. ProgressCity USA had some information on this, which we discuss. 

The Universe of Energy, which we found had always been planned for the actual spot it ended up. Well...We found and heard from some listeners that this isn't entirely true. Brian also discusses some initial problems with the big turntable for the ride vehicles. This story is so crazy and absolutely amazing it happened this way. We also go over the audio poll from last month, Graces vs. Braces - Well we have the results and here is the final tally. Faces - 1 vote Graces - 8 votes Braces - 14 votes

Mike wrote in and asked about our Tom Nabbe episode, regarding the monorail power systems. We clear up what we think Tom meant and how this was slightly confusing. Reese also wrote in, asking about the voice of 'Buzzy' and how it seemed to be two different people in the attraction compared to the pre-show. We all chime in on this to give our opinion.

Thank you for all the emails, tweets and comments you have sent our way. We try to respond to almost everything and do our best to pick unique questions for the show. 

For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com.

Our audio rewind this month turned out to be The World of Motion, It's Fun To Be Free! The winner is Laura H, winning some RetroWDW pins and a 1986 photo envelope. Great job and thanks for the entries.

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a 1983 Disney News Magazine, all about food in WDW! Perfect to accompany this months episode.

All entries due 10/2/2017 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the Fall/Winter Prize Pot, being picked in December.

This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter.

We have moved onto Prize Pot #2! All prizes added to the pot will be given to one lucky winner this December.  Here is what we have so far:

• Life Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)
• Look Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)
• WDW Easter Egg Hunt Invitation - 1986

All entries for the audio rewind go to winning the next prize pot.  Email us to enter: podcast@retrowdw.com

This month, we travel all over the vacation kingdom, looking at vintage restaurants and menus. We start off on the Seven Seas Lagoon & Bay Lake, taking you to each resort and discussing what has come and gone over the years. The offerings at time are very interesting and unique, while some are still the same to this day. Everybody brings out their old menus for this episode, refreshing your memories.

The episode is really a must listen, mainly because it focuses on lots of great places and cuisine items you may have never heard of. We continue to the theme parks, which almost need their own episodes just to discuss the varying items. We hit on many random things and have a somewhat order, but like any discussion, we go off randomly reflecting on some memories. Hope you enjoy and let us know if you have any retro menus to share!

Welcome to Episode 33.35 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Looking Back at Tomorrow" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows. This episode is unique in that we are recapping the entire Epcot35 weekend; from our event to the D23 events we attended. Join us as we take you back to the 35th anniversary of EPCOT Center, 2017.

So looking back, at Looking Back At Tomorrow, it almost seems like a blur. We had a major event planned that has taken months of planning, and it has come and gone. The time, energy and effort that went into making this entire night a success took many people and tons of phone calls. As you listen back to our previous episodes, you can see our various teasers and hints we would randomly drop.

Well on Saturday, September 30th, it all came together. We had some last minute additions, some fancy character visits and a cake that now has more photos than the original from EPCOT Center 20 years ago.

See our event opening film here.

In the episode, we recap some of our impressions and how we thought the night went overall. We also discuss the super rare character greeting, our pretzel situation and also take you behind the scenes on the now infamous EPCOT Center Fountain gift.

Looking Back At Tomorrow guests were lucky enough to not only meet Tom Nabbe, but as a day of surprise, Bob Gurr joined the party. We really enjoyed hosting everyone in the Living Seas Salon and hope you had a time to remember. As we close out this part of the show, we welcome you to upload your photos, videos and anything else from the event. Attendees will also be sent a survey soon, to help us plan our next big thing....

See our site for How's drink recipies!

In addition to our event, D23 hosted some pretty amazing fan events for EPCOT35. Brian, Todd & How were able to attend the daytime event in World Showcase. They discuss some highlights and answered questions during this recap episode.

After the morning, we hosted our walking tour with some fans of the show. This was a very relaxed and fun trip down memory lane where we all seemed to learn something. How, Brian, Todd and JT all were there to guide you around Future World and show off some different things that are still hanging around or only exist and remnants.

We all had the opportunity to attend the evening D23 event which featured three corporate lounges, food from all over EPCOT and an amazingly awesome surprise to end the night. We give you all the details on this amazingly special event which ended our EPCOT35 weekend.

Since our event, we have had so many people asking how they can get their very own EPCOT Center Fountain model. This was a limited run, but we anticipated some people being interested in purchasing an extra after the event, or even somebody who could not attend wanting one.

In this episode, we explain our latest initiative to support RetroWDW, which can include your very own fountain model. This support goes to our episodes, website and future events. We genuinely thank you for listening, supporting us and also attending our events over the years.

This is a super fun side hobby that we all enjoy and wouldn't be able to accomplish anything without your continued listening and support.  Thank you again to everybody who listens, visits the site and also attends our events. For information on supporting - CLICK HERE

This is one of our periodic mini-episodes featuring an interview with a supporter of the show who has an interesting story to tell to our listeners.  Tammy Tuckey is an actress, singer, writer, director and Emmy Award winning filmmaker who has hosted her own podcast since she was 14 years old.  Her “Tiara Talk Show” can be found on YouTube and iTunes and features occasional interviews with men and women behind some of our favorite Walt Disney World shows and attractions.

We talk to Tammy about her show and her many fascinating interviews with Disney legends, imagineers, actors and Cast Members current and former.  Tammy was responsible for connecting us with Corine Cook Gulli, the redhead from Horizons who attended our EPCOT35 event.

The primary reason for our chat with Tammy was to talk about her latest project: putting her vocal talents to good use recording an album of Disney songs including a duet with Ali Olmo, the voice behind the song “Two Brothers” in EPCOT’s “American Adventure” attraction.  We go over ways you can help make Tammy’s album a success.

Finally we spend a few minutes talking about the fascinating arcade game business Tammy’s family owns and operates in the Delaware Valley and discuss some of our favorite classic arcade games. http://www.tntamusements.com

This is a really fun chat. 

Check out Tammy’s website TammyTuckey.com and her fascinating show at  http://thetiaratalkshow.com

Welcome to Episode 35 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Christmas Around The World - Part II" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

As always, we start off with corrections and listener mail. This month we had some really fun notes, letters, cards and messages. We start off the show with some amazingly comical stories from Dreamflight. In 1991, listener Brian had a fellow rider exit the ride too quickly, claiming the ride was on fire! What a story!

We also got some information about the Grand Central Air Terminal, which is actually the bus depot from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. If you look below at a screen grab from the movie, and an old postcard, you can see exactly what we're talking about. Thanks for the note Kevin and everybody else that sent us facts about this space.

How also brings up a conversation he had with Tony Baxter regarding 20,000 Leagues and if the reference to Mr. Baxter is referring to him. The answer might or might not surprise you.....

Brian has a correction from two years ago, Christmas related. The small railroad in Germany has a different origin than we originally thought. This is not a Christmas attraction!

Reese wrote in asking about the colors on the sides of Universe of Energy. She is wondering why these changed and if there was some specific reasons on the color choices. Brian and How help us out and give us some backstory on the colors.

Rob wrote in about the hot air balloon and powered glider show, asking how long it was in production and if it was related to the electrical water pageant. How chimes in on how this was an opening day special and gives us some other facts.

Finally, we hear from Wayne regarding a Nestle chocolate chip cookie tin, with special magnets. Well Wayne took it upon himself to do a hard target search and we can't wait for you to hear how he found his magnet...

Thank you for all the emails, tweets and comments you have sent our way. We try to respond to almost everything and do our best to pick unique questions for the show. 

For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com.

Our audio rewind this month turned out to be SpectroMagic, the piano version! The winner is Brandom Fitzgerald, winning the 1autographed picture of Corinne, from Horizons! Great job and thanks for the entries.

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a Disney Christmas Vinyl LP Record, Disney's Christmas All-Time Favorites from 1981.

All entries due 1/8/2018 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the NEW PRIZE POT! The new prize pot already has one item, which are some EPCOT Posters. Best of luck to our 2018 Part 1 Prize Pot contestants! 

The time has come to give away our Fall/Winter 2017 Prize Pot!  JT heads to the basement to fire up the old computer again, but runs into some technical problems... Our lucky winner is........ John Marado!

Here is what John will receive:

• Life Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)
• Look Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)
• WDW Easter Egg Hunt Invitation - 1986
• 1991 Magic Kingdom & MGM Theme Park guidebooks (Color Coded)
• Vintage Epcot Center World Showcase postcards
• EPCOT Cooler Bag from D23
• RetroWDW Embroidered Hat - 1 of 5 made!

Brian takes the lead this month for another amazing round of Christmas Around the World. Part 1 took place way back in 2015 on Episode 14, if you would like to listen back, click here. We discuss the 1978 special in detail this month, which offers up an amazing look at lots of our favorite vintage things at WDW.  We highly recommend you take a look either before or after you listen to this episode.  We go into such great detail about everything from Shields & Yarnell, Pablo Cruise, the amazingly interesting Gepetto scene and of course lots and lots of 70s stars.  https://youtu.be/iswtfFAobiA

There are tons of hidden gems and weirdness throughout. Brian takes us back to our 2015 episode for a quick recap before hitting on some new Christmas details that appear throughout WDW. One of the most interesting items we discuss is the tree from The Contemporary that was suspended from the ceiling! Brian also discusses some very odd mannequins from The Grand Floridian lobby. Take a look at the images below, but be warned, you cannot un-see these! This episode has lots of great details to get you into the Disney World holiday spirit! Enjoy!

Welcome to Episode 34 of the Retro Disney World Podcast: "Dreamflight" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.

We start off with some great feedback from "Retro Food", or last full episode. Chris wrote in with some kind words and we appreciate all the menus coming in. Please send those our way if you have any. Carla brings up the drink, Pink Leilani, which we discuss and even get How to think about making it a legit adult beverage. Next up, Bill wrote in about the Pepsi/Coke connection to the Magic Kingdom. He gave us some insight, which is unique being a former PepsiCo employee.  Bill also brings up hollowing out rolls for the infamous Handwich. We got a huge email from Mike in Minnesota, a few months back, where Mike sent us photos and video of the Fort Wilderness roundhouse and also DC6. Brian explains how we let these slip up and we almost forgot about them! Mike rode his bike around FW, looking for the roundhouse and he found it! The tracks are still there, inside the building. DC6 is still there and used for warehouse purposes. The videos will be coming soon and Brian has tweeted out some photos. A full story will be coming soon with this info.

Jeff in Philly sent us a quick email about the Mickey & Goofy comic from Universe of Energy. We discuss where they were handed out and also how it focused on fossil fuels. The comic is on hand to take us back to the Universe of Energy. 

Thank you for all the emails, tweets and comments you have sent our way. We try to respond to almost everything and do our best to pick unique questions for the show.  For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com.

Our audio rewind this month turned out to be The Tiki Room song! The winner is Johnathan Cooper, winning the 1983 Disney News Magazine. Great job and thanks for the entries.

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get some #Epcot35 items - an autographed photo of Corinne and an event wrist band!

All entries due 11/20/2017 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the Fall/Winter Prize Pot, being picked in December.

This year, we are going to do a new and exciting prize giveaway. The RetroWDW Podcast will have two prize pots this year; one summer, one winter.

We have moved onto Prize Pot #2! All prizes added to the pot will be given to one lucky winner this December.  Here is what we have so far:

• Life Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)
• Look Magazine - 1971 (Courtesy of David)
• WDW Easter Egg Hunt Invitation - 1986
• 1991 Magic Kingdom & MGM Theme Park guidebooks (Color Coded)
• Vintage Epcot Center World Showcase postcards

We take you back this month to Dreamflight! This attraction is one of the few that has the original layout, still to this day. The airline connection to WDW always seemed to be present back in our era, including giveaways, posters, and discounts. How has all the history for us on this one with George McGinnis and how he worked on lots of various attractions. This episode paints an amazing picture of this attraction, where if you have never ridden it, you really get a sense to how it felt and looked. Delta had a major role in this attraction and we get into some old Delta airport decor, as part of the attraction has an airport built right in. If you have never heard about this aspect, you have to hear this! The Barnstormer section is discussed in depth with Disney Imagineer Eric Vergarmi.  We get his insight throughout the episode, which is amazing to hear. He discusses creating the various show pieces, construction and even some things that we wish we could go look at now. Eric has tons of inside info that you won't want to miss. We wrap up this episode with some commentary on some of our latest films.  Please take a look at these, as they are absolutely amazing! 

• Join us next month as we discuss more Christmas! Brian leads us on an adventure through the resorts and various Christmas things from WDW, that is a fan favorite. We alo. have another Art & Linda film release!

Corrections Japan Concept ArtBrian mentioned a song last month, from the holiday special. We found out the correct song title and reveal we were about 85% correct regarding 1970s theater. Big thanks for all the messages regarding how odd this special was; we are relieved that we aren't the only ones disturbed by this special. How uncovered some information regarding the Japan pavilion, thanks to Ted Linhart. How discusses a "Meet The World" attraction and how it was uncovered in a long, lost diagram. Japan Concept Art Note the double bridge leading into the large castle in the back of the pavilion - that led into/from the never-built "Meet The World Show" Japan Concept Art Harper Goff Japan Pavilion Concept Art 01 Harper Goff Japan Pavilion Concept Art 02 Harper Goff Japan Pavilion Concept Art 03 - Meet The World Show Harper Goff Japan Pavilion Concept Art 04 Harper Goff Japan Pavilion Concept Art 05 Japan Pavilion Omnimover Concept Art (Ginza) Listener Mail     Brian wrote us to ask about The Future Corps. The history, length of time they were in the parks, etc. We refresh your memory with a little bit of their music and Brian gives us the back story on how and where they played. Brian also asked about the Wave Machine, and how he would love to see a video.  We are still searching....but have some leads. Todd does mention one of our Holy Grails we recently released.     Gary was up next and asked all about EPCOT Magazine. He felt he was on the show at one point, so we inform him all about this daily digest style show from The Disney Channel. This show ran from 1983 - 1986 and was hosted by Michael Young. Brian gives all the details on this gone, but not forgotten shows. We restored a 16mm film that shows some of the filming, behind the scenes. Check the 3:00 minute mark in this video. Thank you for all the emails, tweets and comments you have sent our way. We try to respond to almost everything and do our best to pick unique questions for the show. For questions, comments and concerns, please write us - podcast@retrowdw.com.

Audio Rewind Wave Machine Wave Surfer (from Eyes and Ears)Our audio rewind this month turned out to be Buzzy, from Cranium Command! The winner is Lauren , winning the Christmas Favorites Album, courtesy of Brian. Great job and thanks for the entries. If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind puzzler, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will get a copy of Eyes & Ears from 1975! All entries due 2/4/2018 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the NEW PRIZE POT! Prize Pot We are back with a new Prize Pot for 2018! Once again, we will be putting together tons of gifts & random items for our January - June 2018 Prize Pot. Every guess for our audio rewind each month gets you an entry for the Prize Pot. For the best odds of winning, be sure to take a guess every month, even if you do not know. Best of luck and here is what we have so far: 2018 Prize Pot #1     EPCOT Poster Set     RetroWDW Logo Embroidered Hat     McFarkle Family Christmas Card created by our fan, Reese Main Topic Polynesian Village Resort ConstructionPolynesian Dreams Part I We are officially in the hands of How Bowers for the next two months, and we couldn't be more excited. The Polynesian episode has been teased, discussed and in the works ever since Episode 1. How has researched, re-researched and compiled so much information, we couldn't cram it all into just one episode. So for part I, we discuss the original concepts and ideas involved with the Polynesian. How gives us some of the crazy and some of the real ideas that actually came to be. The Polynesian, being a themed resort, was not normal back in this era. Design is discussed, including the idea of grass shacks in Florida and how these were constructed. The infamous Chest of Drawers is brought back to the forefront, but the Polynesian does things a bit differently with US Steel. How also goes into capacities and details planned in the late 60s, which is crazy to think all of this was planned in that era. You really need to listen to this one twice to take in all the details. Check back next month for more info, mascots, food/drink and the changes over the years. We also have some special guests lined up.... Polynesian Village Gallery Polynesian Resort Postcard featuring concept artwork for the Polynesian Resort Polynesian Resort Page 3 and 4 Complete Edition About WDW Cover Polynesian Design Early Concept of WDW including South Seas Themed Hotel WDW Concept Model 1968-69 WDW Concept Model 1968 Polynesian Village Resort Construction Polynesian Village Resort Construction Polynesian Resort Room Construction Polynesian Village Resort Construction Polynesian Village Resort Construction Polynesian Themed Resort (Concept Art) Polynesian Village 1973 Aerial Photo Early Polynesian Resort Concept Art Polynesian Village Resort Construction Original Polynesian Village Map Polynesian Room Being Loaded - Ready to Deliver! Polynesian Village Resort Room Assembly Plant (US Steel) Links Mentioned:     Michael Crawford's ProgressCityUSA.com - See more of the 1968 WDW Concept model     Royal Kona Resort on Kailua Bay, Hawaii Film Restoration Ford Photo Shoot and Eastern Winds We have a real gem for you this month! A silent, 8mm was put into our collection with some really rare and unusual things, including a holy grail! The film starts off with some sort of behind the scenes footage of a 1974 Ford Station Wagon photo shoot. You see the various models lined up with Disney characters inside and around the cars, while the photographer does his thing. This was showcased in some various magazine print ads in the 1970s. The next section of this restored film is some various Magic Kingdom shots. Most importantly though, we see the famous and probably never before seen on film, The Eastern Winds. The boat rolls by the Magic Kingdom docking area and is in full, beautiful color. You really need to check this one out. This also would be a great time to go back, and watch another one of our restored films from 1973, all about the Polynesian Resort. Enjoy! RetroWDW Merchandise Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrowdw.com/supportus

Listener Memories Keep the calls coming, sharing your memories and giving us feedback. If you would like to call and leave us a message, please dial 978-71-RETRO. Keep the calls coming! Tweet at us, send us a Facebook post or message, tag us on Instagram or send us your thoughts..We hope you have enjoyed this episode! If you have any questions, suggestions or find errors please email us podcast@retrodisneyworld.com. Next Month     Join us next month as we continue this two part series, all about the Polynesian Resort. How has even more for Part II, so be sure to follow along for the next episode!