Listen to the Episode:
Welcome to Episode 95 of the RetroWDW Podcast: Photographs, Movies, & Film at WDW – 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
We open the mailbag monthly and are ready to hear from you. Be sure to reach out with questions, stories, memories, and more. You never know if your letter will be read on a future episode: podcast@retrowdw.com
- Our first letter this episode is from Joey and he directed us to a super unique guidebook. Spoiler alert, Todd purchased it live while recording so we will have more information on this soon. Maybe we will be able to give one of these away soon…
- Les is up next with a question about Episode 29. We spoke about The Land Pavilion and how we obtained some of the information we spoke about. We fact check ourselves, but feel free to go back to Episode 29.
- Syliva is our next letter, speaking about Episode 56.5. The EPCOT pylons were for sure iconic and if you have not heard the stories from Gene, be sure to take a listen to this episode. The old pylons were an entirely different animal when compared to what we have today.
- Our next letter is from Caryn and this is a neat one. She has a great story about the old Contemporary Resort orchids and where they possibly have come from…
- Finally, we heard from Pat who has just taken on the task of listening to all the episodes. This is quite a journey and we wish you well!
Main Topic
This episode is about a long-lost art form that used to be very prominent at Walt Disney World. The idea of lugging camera equipment around, having it serviced at WDW, and even developing your pictures all on-site are almost laughable this day in age. When we look back through history, Walt Disney World is brought back to us from family photos and film/video. Depending on your era, the method could vary drastically and so did the technical aspects. In this episode, we dive into nearly every aspect of capturing the memories of your trip. With different sources, being professional resources and personal stories, this episode should hit with anyone who has captured their trip on some sort of film.
The theme parks were very different 50 years ago, including things like a bank, card shops, flowers to purchase, and even furniture. Disney took on the memory business and you could do everything from bringing all your own equipment to renting on site. Film purchases, VHS tapes, servicing your camera and more; the different parks and resorts had an immense list of services and supplies for everyone. Nowadays, you are lucky to find a disposable camera, which we dare you to locate… We try our best to not get into the weeds too much, but at the same time you will get a little bit of a techy history in this episode, which is almost needed if you did not live in this era. As you listen to this one, drop us a note about your experiences with the camera centers or even having Walt Disney World develop your photographs in under an hour. Enjoy!
RetroMagic Updates
We celebrated 40 years of EPCOT back in the fall of 2023. If you would like to relive that event, all the videos are now live: Click Here.
Our next big event is in the works and we are planning to be in Florida late September 26-28, 2025. As always, these things can change in dates, times, and venues. In the meantime, if you have any specific questions please let us know.
RetroWDW Film Archive
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.
RetroWDW Merchandise
How designed some great new shirts for this month’s release, so be sure to check out the following: The Sun Care Center Logo and the famous ‘I’m a Winner’ collection. Both of these items have been in our discussions for a while now and we are excited to bring them to you.
Be sure to get your shirt, iPhone case, tote bag, pillow or coffee mug today: www.retrowdw.com/supportus
Some of Our Latest Designs
Post-Show Fun
- Join us next time for another amazing episode of the RetroWDW Podcast!
- Read for another movie night? Subscribe on YouTube & hit that notification bell so you are ready.
- Check out SpectroRadio for all their WDW music, including Throwback Thursday at 9:00am.
- Click Here to donate to the Lake Buena Vista Historical Society and join us on a future episode – Muppet 3D ornaments are shipping now!
- Check out our friends at Mouse Adventure to see where you can join them next on a super fun adventure: Mouse Adventure
Thanks for sharing the anecdote about Henry Fonda being a spokesman for cameras. That has helped clarify why that commercial was on the 1971 TV special over and over again.