Retro Disney World Podcast

Dec 12 2024 128 ep. 95 mins 2.5k

Retro Disney World Podcast artwork

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

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94 - Cranium Command with Jerry Rees

Dec 12 2024 103 mins

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 bri

93.5 - A Chat with Tad Stones

Nov 25 2024 83 mins

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 con

93 - Birnbaum Guides

Oct 22 2024 119 mins

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

92 - Meet the Japan Pavilion

Aug 31 2024 148 mins

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 e

91 - Contests at Walt Disney World

Jul 24 2024 144 mins

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 c

90 - Computers at WDW

Jun 08 2024 143 mins

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 DisneyD

89.5 - A Chat with Foxx Nolte

Apr 30 2024 61 mins

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 bo

89 Pleasure Island - Part IV

Mar 26 2024 117 mins

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 ho

88 - Back to the Future: The Ride

Feb 20 2024 115 mins

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

87.5 - An Interview with Mr. Christmas Jim Heffelfinger

Jan 31 2024 30 mins

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 f