33.35 - Looking Back at Tomorrow - EPCOT35

33.35 - Looking Back at Tomorrow - EPCOT35

Author: Lake Buena Vista Historical Society October 10, 2017 Duration: 2:02:32

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.

Main Topic Looking Back At Tomorrow

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!

D23 Events

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.

Support RetroWDW

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


The Retro Disney World Podcast from the Lake Buena Vista Historical Society is a deep, conversational dive into the layers of history embedded in the Vacation Kingdom. Each monthly episode gathers four hosts with a shared passion for peeling back the contemporary veneer to examine what came before. Their discussions are less about listing facts and more about reconstructing the experience of a place in time, focusing on the architectural choices, attraction designs, and overall atmosphere that defined eras from the ambitious pre-opening plans up through the resort's evolution roughly twenty-five years ago. This isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a thoughtful look at how the park's physical and imaginative landscapes were built, changed, and live on in collective memory. You'll hear detailed recollections and analysis of spaces that are now closed but whose influence persists, understanding why certain elements resonate so powerfully. The podcast operates at the intersection of cultural study, travel memory, and societal observation, making it a unique resource for anyone who believes the story of a place is found in its details, transitions, and vanished corners. Tune in for a consistently engaging and richly specific exploration of Walt Disney World's past, thoughtfully preserved in audio form.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 138

Retro Disney World Podcast
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