Podcast Episode 96 – Banking at Walt Disney World

This month Brian leads a discussion about banking at Walt Disney World and everything guests had to do to pay for their transactions at the parks and resorts before debit card terminals and Magic Bands became ubiquitous. Cash was king, but Traveler's Checks and personal checks were also common before Walt Disney World began allowing credit cards. We'll reveal how they worked, their benefits, and their frustrations.Read More...

Episode 83: The Disney Institute

In this episode, we head back to the mid-1980s when Michael Eisner took a vacation at The Chautauqua Institution and decided to bring its blend of enrichment, entertainment, and fun back to Florida, adding a "uniquely Disney" touch. Originally conceived to be part of the Disney Development Corporation's "Celebration" project, The Disney Institute opened in February of 1996 on the site of the former Lake Buena Vista Townhouses/The Disney Village Resort, offering "Discovery Vacations" where guests…Read More...

Lake Buena Vista Townhomes Brochure (1972)

A few weeks ago our friend Dr. Alan Bowers shared some scans of a brochure promoting townhome ownership in the Lake Buena Vista planned residential community for Walt Disney World.  The brochure is dated 1972 and outlines the community details, floor plans available and costs associated with buying into the new community. We could write a long article about Lake Buena Vista and its many phases of life before becoming, today, Disney Springs and Saratoga Springs...Read More...

You voted for it: 1975 Lake Buena Vista Restored Home Film!

A few weeks back we presented some home movies filmed by David Coolidge. David was impressed with our restoration work and as a result submitted an additional few films for us to restore. David and his family stayed at the Lake Buena Vista town homes - personally I remember staying in these in 1986. The film is short, but there are some great views of the pool area, architecture and the waterways around.Read More...