62 - Thunder in Paradise

62 - Thunder in Paradise

Author: Lake Buena Vista Historical Society November 13, 2020 Duration: 1:25:12

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.

Listener Mail

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..
Audio Rewind

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.

Main Topic

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.

2020: The Year of Film

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.

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

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
55 - Backlot Studio Tram Tour [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:18:36
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! Comments & Corre…
54.5 - Bringing the World Closer to You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:26
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! Ma…
54 - A Very 90s Christmas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:52
Welcome to Episode 54 of the RetroWDW Podcast: “A Very ’90s Christmas” – 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 & C…
53 - Cute Stories with Rolly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:57
Welcome to Episode 53 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Cute Stories With Rolly" - 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…
52 - Twenty Questions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:58
Welcome to Episode 52 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Twenty Questions" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows and also look into Tw…
51 - Horizons Part III - The Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:14:29
Welcome to Episode 51 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Horizons - Part 3: The Legacy" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows. Listen…
50 - Horizons Part II - The Promise [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:13:41
Corrections Rick wrote in, regarding The Timekeeper. At one point in the film, The Timekeeper mentions something about “If you had wings”. We find out if that was intentional or not from the director himself. Connor wrot…
49.5 - RetroMagic Event Details and Tickets! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:28
The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society cordially invites you to our 5th Anniversary Celebration: Tickets Tickets will go on sale May 18th at 1pm EST at this link: Event Details EPCOT Forever VIP Reception and Viewing* (…
49 - Horizons Part I - The Prologue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:14
Welcome to Episode 49 of the RetroWDW Podcast: “Horizons – Part 1: The Prologue” – We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows. For t…
48.5 - A Chat with Jeff Blyth - Director of the Timekeeper Film [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:05:28
Welcome to Episode 48.5 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "A Chat With Jeff Blyth" - 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 A…