39 - Hotel Plaza Boulevard

39 - Hotel Plaza Boulevard

Author: Lake Buena Vista Historical Society April 24, 2018 Duration: 1:38:07

Corrections Wayne in Alabama writes in about Walt Disney World / AAA Rest Area. We discuss this in a little more detail and also some billboards along the way. Wayne had an amazing techno tip from back in the day on how he recorded the WDW radio loop. This comment led us into a little bit of retro tech discussion. We also heard from some listeners regarding the touch screens from Communicore. Todd & How take us into how they worked and how they differ compared to current touchscreens. Listener Mail     Wayne also reached out about a WDW Special, A Dream Come True. There is some great footage from Communicore in this special, so take a look.     David was up next, bringing up two memories. One memory David brings up for discussion is the return hand stamp smell. Todd brings up an interesting hack to see your stamp.... Resort TV also comes up from the 1970s - We discuss early Resort TV and how people used to actually film the screen. This led to yet another retro tech discussion.     John W. wrote in letting us know about a sad memory visiting WDW. He thought it was an indoor place that smelled of cheese. John asked about the radio station, which we mentioned earlier.  Big thanks to Wayne for the audio on this! 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. Questions, Comments & Concerns 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. Audio Rewind Our audio rewind this month turned out to be the music from The American Adventure! The winner is Brendan , winning the EPCOT Center Wheel Brochure by Kodak. Great job and thanks for playing along to everybody! If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! podcast@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will win a giant WDW Pencil! All entries due 5/14/2018 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     EPCOT Center Coin / Medallion     Mickey Earforce One Balloon Pin     Set of Retro Disney Pennants Main Topic Hotel Plaza Boulevard We go back to Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Brian gets us started this month, taking us hotel by hotel. We learn quite a bit about this area that consists of seven hotels, not owned by The Walt Disney Company. One of the first items constructed ever on property was the Walt Disney World Preview Center. How actually visited this and gives us a little insight into what was here. Todd also gives some input on what was going on at this place. Each hotel had it's own theme and feel, which has been changed over the years. Brian gives us great detail on the infamous Michael Jackson suite and even where Bob Hope would stay. This area is almost a forgotten part of the WDW history and we really think you are going to enjoy everything Hotel Plaza Boulevard has to offer. There are so many random facts thrown out and you really get a feel of the 70s, 80s, and even 90s as we go into great detail of each property. RetroWDW Merchandise Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrowdw.com/supportus Some of Our Latest Designs Eastern Winds Chinese Junk Polynesian Village Resort T-shirt Design Dick Nunis's Artificial Surf Generators (WDW Wave Machine) T-shirt Design Dreamflight Kinetic Mosaic The Rock That Burns Next Month     Join us next month as we head to The Magic Kingdom! The Swan Boats & The Skyway are up next - which are no longer in existence. Please join us as we share some vintage footage and also some memories on these two lost attractions.


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
Podcast Episodes
102 - The Bicentennial at WDW (101 is coming soon) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:18
Step back with us to Walt Disney World during America’s 1976 birthday celebration, when the parks were dressed to the nines for the United States Bicentennial. We relive the sights and sounds of the era—patriotic parades…
99 - Orlandoland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:15
This month How leads a discussion about the selection process that brought Walt Disney World to Orlando, the different sites in the area that were considered for purchase, and some of the alternate locations that were co…
98.5 RetroMagic June Update [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:12
This episode of the RetroWDW Podcast is somewhat unique and calls for a different type of introduction. Our team has been hard at work planning for RetroMagic, which will take place from September 26th to September 28th,…
98 - The Disney Difference [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:31:11
This one has been in the works for quite some time, and we are excited to bring it to you. Years ago, Disney was just a different type of place to vacation, and we all have our memories of things we have lost over the ye…
97.5 - RetroMagic 2025 - Sept. 26-28, 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:22
In this mini-episode (or is it an infomercial?), we discuss our upcoming RetroMagic 2025 event, coming to the Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World the weekend of September 26-28, 2025. Tickets are available at ht…
97 Music of EPCOT Center [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:15:12
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…
96 - Banking at Walt Disney World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:29:40
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.…
95 - Camera Shops and Film at WDW [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:32:25
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 al…