Retro Disney World Podcast

105 - Three Times a Lady

Listen in on a lively discussion about Walt Disney attractions that have reused ride tracks three or more times, including Countdown to Extinction/Dinosaur/Indiana Jones, If You Had Wings/Dreamflight/Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Mission to Mars/Alien Encounter/Stitch Encounter, World of Motion/Test Track 1, 2, & 3, and some runner-ups like Carousel of Progress and Sunset Showcase. PLUS: Todd goes on vacation and adopts a dog!

104 - Orange Bird

Find out all about the Orange Bird, the former mascot of the Florida Citrus Growers who once appeared on merchandise everywhere around Florida and at the Sunshine Tree Pavilion at Walt Disney World. We'll talk about his origins, his work promoting citrus, and his eventual disappearance and later new lease on life at Disney's parks, first in Tokyo, and finally Walt Disney World.

101 - Downtown Disney West Side

Take a walk around Downtown Disney West Side as it was on opening day in 1997. The Virgin Megastore dominated the corner block, but there were fun smaller stores too like Magnetron and Starbillias. West Side was a ‘90s diners‘ paradise with themed restaurants like Bongos, Forty Thirst Street and Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe. We go into detail about each location, including when they closed, what they became, and where they were in relation to today's West Side. We also discuss the state of retail shopping in the 1990s and 2000s, the demographics that made Disney shopping boom, and how West Side's strategy of having tenants instead of Disney-run stores set up what Disney Springs would become.

102 - The Bicentennial at WDW

Step back with us to Walt Disney World during America’s 1976 birthday celebration, when the parks were dressed to the nines for the United States Bicentennial. We relive the sights and sounds of the era—patriotic parades and float details, nighttime fireworks, and the red-white-and-blue bunting and decorations that transformed Main Street and beyond. Expect lots of vivid nostalgia, deep-cut observations, and the little design choices that made the Bicentennial feel uniquely Disney.

99 - Orlandoland

This month How leads a discussion about the selection process that brought Walt Disney World to Orlando, the different sites in the area that were considered for purchase, and some of the alternate locations that were considered. He also talks about when Walt Disney World almost helped build a city of the future and theme park in Palm Beach Gardens in 1959!