40 - Skyway and Swan Boats

40 - Skyway and Swan Boats

Author: Lake Buena Vista Historical Society May 31, 2018 Duration: 1:51:18
Corrections & Listener Mail CorrectionsFirst off, we got a note about The Dutch Inn, with the "Sleepy Bear" - he would greet you as you entered the hotel. Very neat little tip about that chain of hotels. Another listener wrote in about the Vistana resort and how they were the first timeshare you could get into. We got lots of great memories related to Hotel Plaza Boulevard.  Eric Jacobson wrote in about an article from 1985, regarding the EPCOT Center Polls. We go through some of the information related to this vintage poll from EPCOT and it also led write to a letter from Dan.  Listener Mail Dan wrote in, a former cast member, about how he was "The Person of the Century". Basically, Dan messed this all up for Disney and he would tell people all day to "Vote For Dan".  This led to a mysterious closure of this area, which we are guessing was due to our listener Dan.  Such a great story, thanks for sharing! Next up, we heard from Christopher. He recently visited Fort Wilderness and sent us a picture of the original River Country Restroom sign. Such a cool gem that is leftover back there. Elizabeth wrote in regarding the third floor of The Contemporary Resort and the compressed floor. We discuss what we know regarding this, but we'd love to hear from some others. Such an interesting topic.... Reese touched base about a guard on Tom Sawyer's Island. She wanted some more information about this fort guard, which How is happy to offer.  John wrote in with some artifacts, books, scans and lots of good stuff for us to share. Thanks! Finally, we had numerous listeners ask for the full radio loop from WDW.  This will be coming soon and we have a plan, don't worry! 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 Horizons! The winner is Kevin Hitchcock, winning the Giant WDW Pencil. 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 the book "Mouse Tales".  All entries due 6/11/2018 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the Early 2018 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 Turning Dreams into Reality - Autographed by Bob Gurr! This will be given away next episode, so be sure to get your entry in before the big drawing!! Main Topic SkywayBrian starts us off with the Skyways, another attraction that is no longer around. We do a little bit of Disneyland history along with Skyway history in general. This episode takes you for a ride on the Skyway through our unique perspectives and memories. Most of us have ridden this one, so the picture we paint and the mechanical end of things we go into is quite detailed.  Hope you enjoy!Swan BoatsThis is an interesting one, because none of us have ridden this one. Todd shares an interesting memory how his family used to love the Swan Boats and were super disappointed when it closed. How could have possibly ridden it, but we really don't know for sure. We g

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: 100

Retro Disney World Podcast
Podcast Episodes
104 - Orange Bird [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:52
Find out all about the Orange Bird, the former mascot of the Florida Citrus Growers who once appeared on merchandise everywhere around Florida and at the Sunshine Tree Pavilion at Walt Disney World. We'll talk about his…
101 - Downtown Disney West Side [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:19:05
Take a walk around Downtown Disney West Side as it was on opening day in 1997. The Virgin Megastore dominated the corner block, but there were fun smaller stores too like Magnetron and Starbillias. West Side was a ‘90s d…
102 - The Bicentennial at WDW [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…