Podcast

Podcast Episode 41: Fort Wilderness Railroad

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So this month, we take you back to Fort Wilderness. The main topic is the now removed Fort Wilderness Railroad that provided transportation inside the resort in a unique way. Todd has done his research, focusing on text and personal interviews to give us an amazingly detailed picture into the railroad. If you are familiar with Fort Wilderness, you know that they use the standard bus transportation for the internal resort loop. In the past, they…Read More...

Podcast

Podcast Episode 40.5: WDW Radio Loops Part I

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Welcome to Episode 40.5 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "WDW Radio Loops Part I" - 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 WDW Radio Stations A few episodes back we discussed the WDW Radio loop that played on the interstate highway system in Florida as you approached Walt Disney World. Wayne from Alabama sent us a copy of...Read More...

Podcast

Podcast Episode 40: Skyway & Swan Boats

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Brian 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. Then we head to the Plaza Swan Boats where Todd shares an interesting memory how his family used to love the Swan Boats and were super disappointed when it closed. How could…Read More...

Podcast

Episode 39.5 – The Premier of You’ll Find me on Main Street

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This is one of our periodic mini-episodes featuring an interview with a supporter of the show who has an interesting story to tell to our listeners. Tammy Tuckey is an actress, singer, writer, director and Emmy Award winning filmmaker who has hosted her own podcast since she was 14 years old. Her “Tiara Talk Show” can be found on YouTube and iTunes and features occasional interviews with men and women behind some of our favorite Walt…Read More...

Podcast

Podcast Episode 39: Hotel Plaza Boulevard

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We go back to Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Brian gets us started this month, taking us hotel by hotel. We learn quite a bit about this area that consists of seven hotels, not owned by The Walt Disney Company. One of the first items constructed ever on property was the Walt Disney World Preview Center. How actually visited this and gives us a little insight into what was here. Todd also gives some input on what was…Read More...

Brian's Corner, Slides

Over 130 unique Magic Kingdom Slides from 1979

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Recently Brian has been scanning hundreds of slides to add to our pictorial souvenir. This latest set comes from January 1979 and has a few interesting things to see: Interior of the Town Square Barber Shop Interior of the Main Street Clock Shop Interior of Crystal Palace Interior of the Main Street Ceramics Shop Interior of King Stefan’s Banquet Hall (now Cinderella’s Royal Table) On-ride photos of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride On-ride photos of Snow White’s...Read More...

Restored Films

Springtime at the Magic Kingdom – April 1974 – Home Movie

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The Jungle Cruise was often the first attraction many guests experienced if they headed left at the end of Main Street USA. Our movie makers in this April 1974 film did just that as they capture their journey on Jungle Cruise before boarding the Walt Disney World Railroad and capture the scenes along the way – even racing the monorail at one point! Views of the hub and the waterways around it are captured before we...Read More...

Restored Films, Videos

Rare 1980s Publicity Video – Walt Disney World

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This was a unique find. It was a ¾” U-Matic videotape of publicity footage prepared for media outlets by Walt Disney World. It had two audio tracks. The first was narrated and the second had just ambient noise captured in the footage. This was so the footage could be used either as a promotional piece or as B-Roll for media reports (nightly news, etc.) This is a terrific overview of the entire WDW property in 198X....Read More...

Restored Films

Magic Kingdom – 1971 Home Movie

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We have lucked out by continuing to discover films taken in Walt Disney World’s first weeks of operation. This film from November 1971 begins with passenger boarding the ill-fated original trams (which overheated and could not handle the heavy passenger load). We get a very nice early glimpse at the Ticket & Transportation Center and the Southern Seas sidewheeler loading and carrying passengers to the Magic Kingdom. Main Street and Town Square are busy with vehicles,...Read More...