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A monthly trip back in time to Walt Disney World - From pre-opening to 25 years ago; your four retro hosts discuss now closed, but not forgotten attractions, designs, architecture and more! Come experience the Vacation Kingdom of the World...the way it was...and the way it is in your memories!
Episodes
Monday Apr 08, 2019
Monday Apr 08, 2019
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 Chat With Jeff Blyth
Jeff Blyth joins us on this bonus episode, which is a follow-up to Episode 48, which is all about The Timekeeper. Jeff has been a film director for many years, getting his start in Circlevision with the original China film at EPCOT Center. We take a massively deep dive into what it takes to make these types of films. As you listen, your mind is going to be blown and you are in for a few surprises. Jeff has so many personal experiences with this type of film making and some of the techniques, skills and even issues all come up.
We move into what it took to actually make the film for The Timekeeper. This took Circlevision to a whole new level and we learn why, as some of the techniques seem basic when you compare it to a drone shot of today. Jeff is an amazing guest that is giving you an insiders look that we have never heard before. We focus mainly on The Timekeeper, but the art and technique of Circlevision is discussed in detail. This mini episode almost feels like it could be an attraction at the old Disney-MGM Studios. You really get to learn all about the art form and everything that goes into this whole process. We would like to thank Jeff for spending time with us and we hope you enjoy this bonus episode.
Next Month
- Join us very soon, as we finally get into Horizons. Our listeners have asked, begged and pleaded - we are finally ready to take you back to the gone, but never forgotten attraction. We thank you for your support and welcome you to enjoy all of our other offerings including our photos, restored films & The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society.
Wednesday Mar 20, 2019
Wednesday Mar 20, 2019
Welcome to Episode 48 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "The Timekeeper" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows.
Tonight we have a special guest joining us, Anthony got to sit in because of his generous donation. If you would be interested in joining us to get a behind the scenes listen, be sure to check out our Donation Page. Thank you Anthony!
Corrections
- Andy Hudson wrote in regarding the current state of the old Penny Arcade games. We discuss this a bit and give some insight into his question / concern.
- Next up, we got a message from Mike Skinner, regarding a 1979 episode of Charlie's Angels. During the opening sequence, you see The Eastern Winds, just moored out in the bay. Click Here to check this super quick view, don't blink!
Listener Mail
We're getting quite a bit of listener mail and we love to hear from ya! Keep the emails, tweet and calls comin' in!
- Amy wrote in, asking us what the average stay was back in the 1970s. We discuss this in detail, basing this on postcard collections, films and attractions. This is a deep question and this is a pretty thorough answer.
- Sarah is up next, having us discuss the Beauty and the Beast stage show, in MGM. We have some various ideas on what she might have seen and possibly if she saw an early showing of this production. How has some old times guides, which can help us out here...
- Kasey touches base about the change from 'EPCOT Center' to just 'Epcot'. Kasey is curious when this changed and why - Brian gives us all the info on this one, which is a fun little history of the Epcot name changing.
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.
Audio Rewind
Our audio rewind this month turned out to be the Future Corps! Keith Burton guesses right, and he will be receiving our famous Lake Buena Vista poster. Todd has some new items for this upcoming months prize - so listen carefully, as you could be a winner!
If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month we are picking four winners - each winner will get a poster and a shirt! All entries due 4/16/2019 and a random winner will be selected.
Main Topic
The Timekeeper
We
lcome to Circlevision and The Timekeeper. This super unique format was used throughout Disney properties and this episode we dive into one of the last productions, The Timekeeper. Our entire crew has a great recollection of this film and animatronic show, starring Robin Williams. The show itself, featured a unique character based on the actual camera system and they called her, Nine Eyes.
With this episode, we go scene by scene, discussing the stars, filming, production and more. The original film entitled From Time to Time, but was named The Timekeeper in Florida. We go into the location, which always felt a little off and out of place in Tomorrowland. The redo in 1994 is discussed and we hit on some of the backstory involved with this attraction, including a bit of Alien Encounter.
We discuss a few other things, including the old WDW travel VHS tapes, which had some great panning shots over the years. The group also gets into the preshows and we get a little bit of history and current location talk on the Renault concept car made for the attraction, The Reinastella. This ride is somewhat unique, as you had to look forward at The Timekeeper, so it kept the audience attention, looking one way. This is a great, 'New' Tomorrowland attraction that has met our criteria and we hope you really enjoy our look back. What is your favorite memory of The Timekeeper? Was this a must-do for you and your family? We would love to hear your memories as well.
Next Month
- Join us very soon, as we take behind the scenes with director Jeff Blyth. He is going to take us on an amazing journey, all about how these 360 films are shot. You seriously need to hear this! We thank you for your support and welcome you to enjoy all of our other offerings including our photos, restored films & The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society.
Thursday Feb 21, 2019
Thursday Feb 21, 2019
Welcome to Episode 47 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "A Room Full Of Fun" - 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
- Our first correction is in regard to our last episode, all about Snow White's Scary Adventure. A great memory shared and we feel you!
- How has a minor correction about the figures from Snow White's Scary Adventure, Disneyland Paris, duplicate figures and some other tidbits.
- Brian & How recently rode Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and How walks us through the repurposed figures, which you can go see right now.
- We also hear about a recent loss Brian experienced... Which relates very well to an old Eric Boardman Disney Channel video.
Listener Mail
- Kicking things off, Tom wrote us from New Hampshire - asking what our own personal Holy Grail item would be from Walt Disney World. This could include merchandise, ride pieces and anything else. Great question!
- Jake Nelson wrote in about Dreamflight and brought to our attention something that remains on Buzz Lightyear - we had no idea! Thanks so much Jake!
- David is up next, with some amazing audio clips he shared with us. Listen in to this great stuff from River Country, it sure is unique. More to come from David soon.....
- Jerry Massey sent us a commemorative VHS from the 1994 Walt Disney World Marathon. We are going to share this with you soon, so stay tuned!
- Joe Barlow wrote in about some of the old arcades - giving us a great memory about what it was like to walk into the Contemporary & The Fiesta Fun Center.
- Andrew wrote in with some great memories and it sparked the feeling we used to get, waiting forever to check into our resorts. We all give our accounts on how it felt and why it used to take forever...We even bring up the old Ving Room Key!
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.
Audio Rewind
Our audio rewind this month turned out to be the Enchanted Tiki Room, from the original show! The winner is Scott Chapin, winning a Vacation Kingdom poster. Great job and thanks for playing along to everybody!
If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will receive one of the Lake & Lagoon Vacation Kingdom posters. All entries due 3/12/2019 and a random winner will be selected.
Main Topic
Main Street Penny Arcade
We start off this month on Main Street, USA - more specifically the Penny Arcade! This classic is part of our overall topic of arcades and game rooms. How gives us an insanely detailed walk through, starting us off with the fortune telling machine and the old Mutoscope. We hear about 'Old San Francisco', 'Play Cowboy Rodeo Time', 'Burlesque Bouncer' and more. Todd also brings up some of the other titles shown on a stereoscope format as well.
The stories and facts continue as How tells us about the various strength testers, baseball games, love testers and so much more. If you ever spent any time in the Penny Arcade on Main Street, let us know if you have any interesting memories. We would also love to see your pictures! Finally, we let you know where the machines ended up with an interview by Todd Tuckey.
Fiesta Fun Center
Finally! We take you back to one of the greatest vintage spots in all of Walt Disney World – the infamous and now gone, Fiesta Fun Center. This was located on the first floor of the Contemporary Resort, down near the check-in desk. Currently, The Wave restaurant is located in the former spot of the arcade. We take a deep dive into this childhood paradise, which was absolutely massive. Originally, it was just an extra convention space, explaining the large size.
This started officially in 1973, resembling a Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse, filled with games that were similar to the ones featured in Jaws. There was even a smallish movie theater, costing $1 and it rotated various Disney movies. The theater is one place that seems to be very rarely pictured. We received some interesting facts and information relating to the caricature artists, which were there for a very long time. The shooting gallery, which was there in the middle of the Fiesta Fun Center run, is discussed as well during this segment.
We have some various videos that were dug up, relating to the Fun Center: S.A.M.I. by Midway and this great home movie from the 1990s, which covers some other parts of the resort. The Fiesta Fun Center always seemed to have some of the best machines, which we discuss. Over the top games, experiences you didn't get elsewhere and just an overall exciting experience.
Next Month
- Join us next month for another great episode, all about the 'new' Tomorrowland attraction: The Timekeeper! We thank you for your support and welcome you to enjoy all of our other offerings including our photos, restored films & The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society.
Thursday Jan 24, 2019
Thursday Jan 24, 2019
Welcome to Episode 46 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Snow White's Scary Adventures" - 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
- Paul wrote in about his big prize pot victory and to discuss some of the old Birnbaum's guides.
- We got some updates on Pleasure Island from Mike, discussing the rivers, lakes and Mr. Pleasure. Mike also brings up Church Street in Orlando and how it was competition.
Listener Mail
- Our first message is from Megan - she wants to know about an old window in the PeopleMover. What did this window once overlook?
- Plant Sitting... We discuss this service that was once offered up at WDW. This unique aspect of the Vacation Kingdom covered your own ferns and also new purchases. Let us know if you have any extra information about this service...
- Dave wrote in about just discovering us. He is curious about The Fiesta Fun Center, which we go into detail on - this topic though, is going to require a full episode.
- Our next message, from GWS II, is super excited about the LBVHS and has been with us since the start. We thank you for your support and will continue creating engaging content for you and the WDW fan community.
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.
[listenerfeedback]
Map News
For our latest event, we put together a really special giveaway. This one-of-a-kind collectors map is truly amazing and you really need to get one for your home or office. The details Jason drew, the small Easter eggs - it is just insane. If you would like your own, please visit our 'Donate' page - the entire donation is tax deductible and you will get this amazing work of art. Be sure to share where you end up hanging your posters and show us those custom frame jobs!
Audio Rewind
Our audio rewind this month turned out to be Pablo Cruise: Worlds Away! The winner is Jim Collins, winning a Vacation Kingdom poster. Great job and thanks for playing along to everybody!
If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will receive one of the Lake & Lagoon Vacation Kingdom posters.
All entries due 2/12/2019 and a random winner will be selected.
Main Topic
Snow White's Scary Adventures
This month, we take you back to one of the opening day attractions and one of the more recently closed dark rides at the Magic Kingdom. How takes the lead to go through the various versions of this ride and also takes a deep dive into the word 'scary', relating to this ride. The comparisons to Mr. Toad appear in this episode as well as the vintage origins of this type of ride. Dark undertones are brought up and we also get into why they had to add the word 'scary' to the title.
We also dive into the origins of ride creation and what perspective the creators were trying to give us. The other dark rides at WDW are brought in for comparisons, which is neat because you can still ride some of the originals today. The fairy tale concept is discussed and how dark it actually was. Snow White is a very dark movie and the ride connects well. Finally, we discuss the closing and how it was handled by the fans at the time, including Benjamin - take a look at his story, which is a good one. We hope you really enjoy this episode and all of the discussion we have on this classic.
Next Month
- Join us next month for another great episode! We thank you for your support and welcome you to enjoy all of our other offerings including our photos, restored films & The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society.
Monday Dec 24, 2018
Monday Dec 24, 2018
Welcome to Episode 45 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Holiday Potluck" - 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
- Todd gets everybody up to speed regarding the Tailor / Taylor Ham discussions and research. If you have listened to our previous episodes, this shouldn't be totally random for you.
- We had a listener write in, regarding a live band for Mickey's Birthdayland. How recalls this and also potentially knew somebody who was involved in the show.
- Another listener wrote in, regarding an SNL skit where 20,000 leagues kept popping up, throughout the sketch. Sounds pretty funny -if you have a link, please share it with us.
Listener Mail
- Our first message is from one of our newest binge listeners. Jacob's first visit was earlier than our era, but he has really enjoyed catching up with all the history shared.
- This next message is from a fan and also a Lake & Lagoon Tour participant. Dan wants to know all about the Fort Wilderness Arcade, which is back behind Crockett's Tavern & Trails End Buffet. He is curious about the two levels, if it has always been for an arcade and even why... We weren't totally sure, but maybe a listener or former cast member can chime in.
- Our friend Reese wrote in regarding a sentence or wording on the Progress City display, while riding the Peoplemover. Todd did some investigating and so did a few others, so we are going to dig into this a bit more, but we have some information for you right now.
- Keith Beaulie has been doing an amazing job, transcribing our episodes into a legible and functional set of documents. We wanted to give him a shout out and also tell him thank you for taking the time to get this going. The automatic systems just weren't cutting it, but Keith has really done an amazing job.
- Finally, Alan Bowers wrote in to ask why Florida was actually chosen for Walt Disney World. Brian & How go through some of the major reasons and also break down why other locations were not utilized.
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.
[listenerfeedback]
Map News
For our latest event, we put together a really special giveaway. This one-of-a-kind collectors map is truly amazing and you really need to get one for your home or office. The details Jason drew, the small Easter eggs - it is just insane. If you would like your own, please visit our 'Donate' page - the entire donation is tax deductible and you will get this amazing work of art. Be sure to share where you end up hanging your posters and show us those custom frame jobs!
Audio Rewind
Our audio rewind this month turned out to be background music from The Germany Pavilion in EPCOT Center! The winner is Ryan/Katie Welsh, winning the 1992 Burger King Calendar. Great job and thanks for playing along to everybody!
If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will receive one of the Lake & Lagoon Vacation Kingdom
All entries due 1/10/2019 and a random winner will be selected.
Prize Pot
Prize Pot #2 has begun! Each month, we add a vintage or classic item to the pot. The winner will be announced in December and they get it all. Follow along as we add items and remember, each entry/guess of the audio rewind gets you an entry for the prize pot. Thanks for playing along!
2018 Prize Pot #2 Contents
- WDW Resort Pocket Sewing Kit (See It)
- The Official Album of WDW/Disneyland on vinyl, sealed!
- 2018 D23 Gold Member Kit - Featuring Mickey's 90th Birthday (see it & its contents)
- Disney News collection from the 1990s
- Numbered & Signed Vacation Kingdom Lake/Lagoon Poster
We used the "Phone-A-Friend" from Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, to call JT's sister. She is stationed live, inside The Land Pavilion, to have a random person pick a number. This number correlates with over 500 guesses and emails for the second half of 2018. The winner of the 2018 Prize Pot Par #2 is...... Paul Zimmerman!
Main Topic
Magic of Christmas at Walt Disney World - 1991
Starting us off, Brian takes us through this vintage VHS. This was sold alongside the other VHS tapes - A Day at The Magic Kingdom, A Day at EPCOT Center, and A Day at Disney MGM Studios. We discuss how Santa takes us on a journey, throughout the resort, about what is done for Christmas at WDW. There are some hidden gems in this video that have not really been seen too often. This will be a fun watch around the holidays, so be sure to check it out.
1994 Holiday Trip
Next up, Todd shares a very unique gallery from his grandparents, when they visited in November of 1994. We see lots of great holiday photos, new Tomorrowland under construction, the amazingly classic 90s Grand Floridian rooms and so much more. Be sure to take note of the sleigh photo-op on Center Street! These have that great 90s look, color and focus, which we discuss why... Hope you enjoy these!
New Year's Eve Every Night!
Finally, How takes us to our favorite night out at Pleasure Island! We go through a small history of the park and then into how the original idea was scrapped. New Year's Eve, every single night became a huge deal and also had a nightly countdown. The entire park had many changes throughout the years, which we discuss and also look into some of the clubs. Don't forget - time this section up right to do a vintage/retro countdown on New Year's! Hope you enjoy this look at Pleasure Island!
Episode Gallery
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Be sure to check out our previous Christmas podcast episodes too:
RetroWDW Merchandise
[supportus]
Next Month
- Join us next year, for our first episode of 2019! We want to thank you for listening all year, joining us on our tours and also thank you for any merchandise you purchased or donations you made. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year's!
Saturday Nov 17, 2018
Saturday Nov 17, 2018
Welcome to Episode 44 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Mickey's Birthdayland" - 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
- Eric wrote in, regarding the show 'Chance of the lifetime', which offered a million dollar prize. We stated it was 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire', and we were clearly wrong. Thanks for the correction! We discussed this on Episode 43.
- The giant AT&T phone came up again, and the current phone number owner actually brought it up at a company meeting! Big shout-out to the Disney Vacation Club cast members who listen to the show and also to our friend who has the number.
- How also gives us some updates on the current status of the 20k submarines. He found them snorkeling at Castaway Cay and informs us all about what they currently look like. Very cool story!
Listener Mail
- Joe Barlow wrote in about some vintage coffee mugs. How did a little research, since he has a mug just like this! He explains the numbers and also a little bit about the history on these mugs.
- Mike wrote in regarding 1-hour photo development. Did Disney have a 1-hour photo option at the EPCOT Center Camera Center? Brian tells us the tale on this one.
- Next up, Jared gave us a call on the Retro Line! Take a listen to his great story.
- Finally, we got tons of great notes regarding the Lake Buena Vista Historical Society. We really do appreciate all of the kind words and support. This is a huge undertaking and we look forward to sharing it with you.
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.
Map News
For our latest event, we put together a really special giveaway. This one-of-a-kind collectors map is truly amazing and you really need to get one for your home or office. The details Jason drew, the small Easter eggs - it is just insane. If you would like your own, please visit our 'Donate' page - the entire donation is tax deductible and you will get this amazing work of art. Be sure to share where you end up hanging your posters and show us those custom frame jobs!
Audio Rewind
Our audio rewind this month turned out to be the nightmare filled Magic Journeys! The winner is Ben West, winning a copy of The Universe of Energy comic book. Great job and thanks for playing along to everybody!
If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will receive the 1992 Burger King 20th Anniversary calendar. This prize will legitimately work in 2020, as your new calendar.
All entries due 12/8/2018 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the Second 2018 Prize Pot!
Prize Pot
Prize Pot #2 has begun! Each month, we add a vintage or classic item to the pot. The winner will be announced in December and they get it all. Follow along as we add items and remember, each entry/guess of the audio rewind gets you an entry for the prize pot. Thanks for playing along!
2018 Prize Pot #2 Contents
- WDW Resort Pocket Sewing Kit (See It)
- The Official Album of WDW/Disneyland on vinyl, sealed!
- 2018 D23 Gold Member Kit - Featuring Mickey's 90th Birthday
- Disney News collection from the 1990s
Main Topic
Mickey's Birthdayland
This month we honor our good friend Mickey Mouse by taking a trip back to Birthdayland. We start off in 1988, discussing some of the special events to commemorate his 60th birthday. We examine some old artifacts and events that were done during this era. How moves into the way Birthdayland came to be and also tells us about a hidden gem in the book Todd is holding...Mickey is 60!
We learn about how cheap Disney went for this land and what lasted and didn't last. Mickey was always a walk around character, so guests really wanted to meet him, but couldn't necessarily lock down a meet and greet. This land changed that forever and you'll hear about some trade secrets that still happen today. Todd entertains us with some music from the Birthdayland Express, which is absolutely amazing. The petting zoo concept comes up, Minnie Moo and the barn that is still there at Goofy's Barnstormer. Todd takes us through all of the changes the land has gone through as well. The fair concept is discussed, along with Donald's original boat. We also get into Bonkers, The Disney Afternoon and so much more.
Happy Birthday to the legend himself, Mickey Mouse! Hope you have enjoyed this episode and also had a great time celebrating Mickey's birthday.
Monday Oct 29, 2018
Monday Oct 29, 2018
We are still plugging along in the Episode 43 series, this time with 43.75. The crew welcomes Jim Sarno, an artist who has been all over the entertainment industry. Jim spent some time with The Muppets, Hannah-Barbera and beyond. He moved into the Disney realm, getting his first gig with MAPO, making body parts out of fiberglass. As you listen to this episode, you will hear Jim drop so many names of his former friends & colleagues, which is super interesting.
Jim was moved away from MAPO and joined 'The Model Shop', which he discusses working on the early EPCOT Center models at the time. The conversation also leads to some insight into Teddy Ruxpin. We get into the main things Jim did, which were SMRT-1 and the sculpture/fountain in The Land. Jim has some first hand knowledge on how he made SMRT-1 and also what parts went into making him.
We discuss the secret signature within the fountain and also some other place Jim worked, including Disneyland. He designed the landing platform for Tinkerbell! This is a great episode, with lots of neat facts and stories we never would have heard without Jim joining us. Huge thanks goes out to him for taking the time to sit down and chat with us.
Thank you for listening, be sure to check out our latest venture, The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society. You won't want to miss what we have coming soon! We also have our next event coming soon, The Lake & Lagoon Tour: Discovery Edition. Hopefully you can join us for this new adventure at The Vacation Kingdom!
Tuesday Oct 23, 2018
Tuesday Oct 23, 2018
We interrupt your normal podcast, for a special edition of the podcast. This episode is filled with lots of news, updates and tour info; so here we go!
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- Our Lake & Lagoon Tour: Discovery Edition is getting closer and closer each day. We have less than one month to go and we are so pumped for this. The old Animal Kingdom boats are being fueled up and float tested as we speak, just for you! Right now, we only have a handful of tickets left, so if you want to join us, click here!
- How has some news about construction on Bay Lake, which means this tour could be your last chance to get an up close look at River Country. This is new and could be one of your last chances...
- The gift for our upcoming event is in production and looking amazing. Our tour members will receive a special limited edition version!
- Join us! We will be at The Outer Rim, Saturday, November 17th from 4:30pm-6:00pm. This is open to anybody who would like to chat, enjoy a drink from the bar and just relax after a fun day.
- The Walking Tour is back! Join us for another free event, Sunday November 18th - 11:30am. We will be at the main entrance fountain, right in front of Spaceship Earth. This tour will include the former WorldKey site, the news ticker, flamingos, Horizons and so much more. We did this last year and had tons of fun, so we hope you can join us for this bonus event.
- Contest - We have a contest coming right around the weekend of November 17th. Please check our social media and website for more information regarding this...
- Finally, we wanted to tell you about something new. The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society. This has been in the works for over a year, and we wanted to create something to preserve the history we are sharing with you. Brian & Todd explain everything regarding this new initiative, which we are super excited for you to join us on.
Tuesday Oct 16, 2018
Tuesday Oct 16, 2018
Welcome to Episode 43.5! We are here tonight to chat with Chris Debiec, who plays a key role in the early days of Disney-MGM Studios. Todd, Brian & How are in attendance tonight and we start you off with some information about the upcoming Lake & Lagoon tour. Some information is also revealed about the gift for this upcoming event and also some key information if you would like to meet any of us.
For more information, please visit here - Click Here
At the moment, Chris is working on some top secret projects, but we get him on the phone to talk about his time at Disney. He started at the studios in the late 80s, as a production assistant. Like many people, Chris started in the Disney College Program, being one of the last classes at the Snow White Village. We also learn that Chris worked at Captain Cook's at the Polynesian.
Throughout this episode, Chris has so many amazing stories. We learn all about stealing ice in World Showcase, conversations with Jim Washburn and The Muppets. The entire conversation is filled with amazing, never heard stories related to the early days of Disney-MGM. As a real, working studio, you get real Hollywood stories - which is amazing. The stories almost don't feel like a theme park and more from the backstage area of a movie set, which totally makes sense.
Huge thanks to Chris for spending time with us and answering our questions. We really enjoyed talking with him and found him to be full of amazing stories.
Tuesday Sep 25, 2018
Tuesday Sep 25, 2018
Welcome to Episode 43 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "MGM-Studios Game Shows" - 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
- Doug Skinner wrote in to us regarding the giant phone inside Communicore. We did a little research on this, which leads to a live call on the air. Have a magical day!
- Our next letter from KJ was about the 1984 Olympics, which were shown live on the screens in Earth Station. We get into a little discussion on how the '84 Olympics were huge, and how the Olympics back then were way different compared to now.
- Joe wrote in with an absolutely amazing story about some spilled soup, shared pants and a free meal at The Coral Reef restaurant. You seriously have to hear this story, which is one of the best we have ever gotten.
- We next heard from Eric about the Eastern Airlines desk outside of If You Had Wings, which was a travel kiosk where you could make reservations and even extend your trip. We are still searching for the airplane phone though....
- Andy was curious about the Birnbaum's travel guides, which we refer to often. We dig into the history of Birnbaum and also share with you what we use often.
- We heard from Johnny regarding the Tomorrowland Train Station, which we get into why it isn't a thing...How tells us a little history on this forgotten spot.
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 Space Mountain Tunnel! The winner is Jenny Buchannan, winning a copy of The World of Motion brochure. Great job and thanks for playing along to everybody!
If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month the winner will receive the Micky & Goofy visiting the Universe of Energy comic book.
All entries due 10/15/2018 and a random winner will be selected. Even if you don't win, you will gain an entry into the Second 2018 Prize Pot!
Prize Pot
Prize Pot #2 has begun! Each month, we add a vintage or classic item to the pot. The winner will be announced in December and they get it all. Follow along as we add items and remember, each entry/guess of the audio rewind gets you an entry for the prize pot. Thanks for playing along!
2018 Prize Pot #2 Contents
- WDW Resort Pocket Sewing Kit (See It)
- The Official Album of WDW/Disneyland on vinyl, sealed!
- 2018 D23 Gold Member Kit - Featuring Mickey's Birthday
Main Topic
Disney-MGM Studios Gameshows
This month is somewhat unique, as we take you back to the studios and give you a taste of the old, working studio. How takes the lead and the main topic relates to how game shows used to be filmed on site, you could visit the sets and even play with a live studio audience! As a group, we join How with a game show styled game where we answer trivia questions and discuss this history.
The game shows filmed here are legendary, somewhat unique and also random in some cases. We hear about everything from Burt Reynolds to DOS games and how some of the shows were simplified for park guests. We go into quite a bit and you get to hear all about the gaming history of the studios in their heyday.