91 - Contests at Walt Disney World

91 - Contests at Walt Disney World

Author: Lake Buena Vista Historical Society July 24, 2024 Duration: 2:24:15
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 contest they have each won, in one form or another. To follow this up, we reached out to listeners and fans to see what they have won. We had lots of great responses, including the ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire: Play It!’ prizes that Jared supplied us to showcase at the various events we hold. Another fun one we heard about was Eric and the story about winning a Segway Scooter at EPCOT; amazing!The mother of all prizes though, the infamous Night in the Castle during the Year of a Million Dreams. Everyone wanted this one and we tracked down a real person who actually won and spent the night in the castle. Ian joins us from Intercot, which we have a little history with, and gives us the entire story on how this all came to be. Brian gives us his experiences with this contest and we all chime in on how big of a promotion this was. Hearing how big of a deal this was, it is amazing nothing like this has happened in recent years for all the anniversaries. For the next portion, we go through a massive assortment of contests, ads, promos, and even local contests that connect with Walt Disney World. Some of these contests are very obscure and interesting, which we take deep dives into. Overall, these things are an absolute blast to look back on and we hope we do most of them justice by discussing them in detail. We did not hit them all by any means, but we would like to hear from you. Have you won a contest that got you to WDW? Did you enter one and get the consolation prize? Either way, let us know! This was a fun episode and we hope you have enjoyed this journey with us through contests at Walt Disney World.

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…