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: 50

Retro Disney World Podcast
Podcast Episodes
89.5 - A Chat with Foxx Nolte [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:30
Welcome back to another episode and this time, we have a special guest for this ‘half episode’, Foxx Nolte. Foxx has been in the Disney community for years and has been a trailblazer in all things Disney history. For thi…
89 Pleasure Island - Part IV [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:26
For the main topic this month, we head back to Pleasure Island for more fun and excitement. This is Part IV and if you haven’t enjoyed Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3, we highly recommend you take a listen back as these were r…
88 - Back to the Future: The Ride [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:57
For Episode 88, we are ready to Ride the Movies! Universal Studios in the late 80s brought their A-Game to central Florida and Back to the Future: The Ride was one of their top attractions. For this episode, we solely fo…
87.5 - An Interview with Mr. Christmas Jim Heffelfinger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:17
This mini-episode is a compliment to our 2022 holiday episode. We promised we'd eventually track down the fellow responsible for bringing the Lights of Winter to EPCOT Center. Brian and Todd talk to Jim Heffelfinger whos…
87 - Hungry for Hollywood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:16:43
Welcome to Episode 87 of the RetroWDW Podcast: Hungry For Hollywood - 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…
85 - Mickey Mouse Revue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:07
We take you back to an attraction and for our fans that wanted us to go way back, we are going way back. The Mickey Mouse Revue which opened October 1, 1971 last about nine years closing in the fall of 1980. How is leadi…
84.5 - DVC Feedback [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03:01
So our last episode, Episode 84: Disney Vacation Club, we dug into the history of the vacation club and the original resort. Throughout this episode, we were able to discuss our personal experiences with DVC and also our…
83.5 - Glowing in Timeless Places [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:59
For episode 83.5, we have a special guest joining us and we are so excited. Tammy Tuckey who has joined us in the past for numerous events and happenings is on the show to discuss her new album, Glowing in Timeless Place…
84 - The Disney Vacation Club [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:14:09
For our main topic, we take you back to the late 80s and early 90s and get into the history of the Disney Vacation Club. We all know what the vacation club is nowadays, but how did it start, and why? In this era of Walt…