Retro Disney World Podcast

Welcome to Episode 66 of the RetroWDW Podcast: “Retro Food Part II” – We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our

from over the years. We have visited multiple parks, resorts, and just about everything else in between. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will take you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Listener Mail

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at

Also, top-tier donors can even join us on a show!

.

1. Troy is our first letter of the episode. He is looking for early photos of the Fort Wilderness reception outpost and possibly of the old trailer that was out there. Do you have any of those? Let us know!
2. Our good friend Ed is on Episode 46 and is getting caught up. We always love our binge listeners and hearing from you! Ed has been digging into some photos from old trips from the early 70s, so best of luck with your listening and your photo search!
3. Joe is up next – we included him back on

! Joe brought up the Peoplemover in Texas and shared with us a video by . Thanks for this!

• We got a big thank you from Jimmy – he and his family enjoyed the
• we posted on Easter Sunday. He also let us know his favorite character is Roger Rabbit. Thanks for watching Jimmy!
• James wrote in, as a Florida local, and wondered what is going on with the Best Western on Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Brian helps us out with this, as we once

6. Next up is Dane, he is looking for some ephemera and also looking to trade. If you have something Dane is looking for, let us know!
7. Finally, Wesley wrote in about our last movie night – he has been a longtime fan and also our previous Prize Pot winner. Thanks!!

Prize Winner

Todd had a random prize giveaway, which was the Norman Rockwell/Mickey print – thanks to everyone who reached out! Our winner is Tracy – congratulations!

Main Topic

Before you get started into our main topic, take a look at

and

. These are all food and dining related so they connect really well to this episode. We begin by answering listener questions and memories, which is so much fun! If you sent us something in relation to this episode, there is a good chance it ended up on the show here. Let’s get started:

For this episode, we work our way through tons of listener questions and memories. These came from all over and discuss so many interesting topics. We get into everything including: 100 Years of Magic bars, Columbia Harbor House, The Diamond Horseshoe changes and so much more. We appreciate everyone reaching out and sharing their memories and experiences, as we really enjoyed digging into this.

After this we get into some various dining options from over the years. One being, the various character breakfasts at Disney-MGM Studios. How discusses the Aladdin breakfast that took place in the Catwalk Bar area / soundstage. We also get into the 1981 Walt Disney World Menu Book. This document is absolutely amazing and we have used it a ton throughout the episode. One area we zero in on, is the Lake Buena Vista Village & Club; this area is not well documented as far as dining options and menus. Brian leads us restaurant by restaurant, diving deep into each menu. As we get into these various restaurants, lounges, and other eating options, we hope these are bringing back memories or giving you a small window into dining at Walt Disney World in 1981.

2021: Year Two of The Film

To make sure you are the first to know when items are released,

. Be sure to click the notification bell too, that way you are alerted when we post.  Finally, be sure to if that is your thing, as we will post there as well.

Welcome to Episode 65 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Pleasure Island - Part 1" - 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. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will bring you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Listener Mail

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top-tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Dan, The Person of the Century, wrote in about the Swan & Dolphin. He shared an amazing photo with us that you have to see!
2. Jennifer is up next. She picked our collective brains all about the 'walkways around the world'. This has been newly updated, but we get into the history of this whole thing. 
3. Jake wrote us with a random family picture, trying to locate where they were standing at WDW. We love doing this and seeing if we can figure out where you are. Send them our way!
4. Our friend Randy wrote in about being a performer at WDW. He actually worked the old breakfast show at Fort Wilderness. Randy informs us all about Melvin The Moose. Check out Episode 3 from way back in the archives.
5. The next email on the list is from Ed who informed us about a Christmas present he received from the Swan/Dolphin group. Take a look!
6. Erik wrote us regarding the specific scent of the Yacht Club. Like most WDW Resorts, there is a unique smell. Erik says he pinpointed this to Axe Body Spray! Judge for yourself.
7. Angela wrote us on Instagram about a Figment inflatable. This opened a huge can of worms which we discuss. Here is a link we found related to the discussion.
8. Todd wants to share a bit from Kevin regarding the FAA, the Dolphin/Swan and some info regarding the height of these buildings.
9. Finally, Brian wants to bring up our friend BJ Major and all of the recent notes sent our way. Thank you for bringing us back and keeping our back catalog running!

Giveaway Results

Foxx Nolte sent us a copy of her book, Boundless Realm: Deep Exploration Inside Disney's Haunted Mansion
Our contest winner Isabelle Carlton! How will be sending this your way - congratulations!

Main Topic

This month, we are taking you back to the mid-late 80s. Pleasure Island has quite the history and How will get us started in 1967... Surprised? Then you must be new here. How is planning to take his time and get you into the why of how this all came to be. We have to add, that this episode took an extra week of planning, so apologies for the delay.

Throughout this episode, we dive into the early years of Pleasure Island. If you have ever gone, even towards the end, this episode will really give you a good picture as to how this place looked when first opened. The differences, hours, pricing, and so much more will probably surprise you. Some of the offerings that were there opening day very quickly changed, while others ended up sticking around for the duration.

The aspect of theme restaurants is discussed, as are the different clubs and how they changed. We even get into a bit of a discussion trying to place ourselves at the various buildings that exist currently, relating to what was once there on the island in 1989. This was a unique time for Walt Disney World as many new offerings were coming online, Pleasure Island being one of them. So stick with us on this one as we take you back to the early years. Don't forget to read all the plaques too....

Welcome to Episode 64 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Crescent Lake" - 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. We hope you stick with us through 2021 as we bring you some great content that will bring you back to WDW each month.  Enjoy!

Listener Mail

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Dane wrote in about a 1976-1977 channel guide at the Contemporary, which we discussed during our Project 90 episode.
2. Kevin is next up and he found an amazing brochure from the 15 Years of Magic promotion!
3. Kurt sent us a great little piece from the Polynesian that has all of the character autographs.  Thanks for sharing this Kurt, amazing piece of history from 1985!
4. Our next letter is from Nate and he discusses the Houston airport Wedway Peoplemover. Such a fun take on this historical piece that is connected to Disney.
5. Huge thanks to everybody that called in during our New Year's Eve call-in event. That was so much fun to hear from you all!
6. Finally - Jared.  This is an amazingly detailed and long cast member take from working at Alien Encounter. This is amazing and you have to take in all of the unique details Jared sent our way.

Giveaway Time

Foxx Nolte sent us a copy of her book, Boundless Realm: Deep Exploration Inside Disney's Haunted Mansion
If you would like to win a copy of this book, send us your name - contest@retrowdw.com - use the subject line "Spooky"....
Best of luck and thanks for the amazing book Foxx! All entries due 2/8/2021.

Main Topic

We take you to Crescent Lake this month and we couldn't be more excited. This area is an entire vacation in itself, housing multiple resorts, restaurants, boating and so much more. If you are a regular to this area or your home resort is over here, this episode will be right up your alley. Most of us have stayed in at least one of these resorts with varying opinions. Throughout this episode, we will get into the history, mindset and much more throughout the era these places were constructed. 
Everybody has a part in this episode with Brian starting us off regarding hotel occupancy and why this area was even needed. 

Throughout the episode, we touch on design and architecture. This was key in the development of the Swan & Dolphin, which created many urban legends, myths and pre-internet 'fan chatter'. We have searched all over for a variety of sources to debunk or prove these rumors, so you won't want to skip these parts as we discuss. Yesterland provided us with some of these details this month, along with lots of digging into newspaper articles from back in this era. The Dolphin has a super unique design, with an almost unusable peak. Learn the secrets of this area and at the same time, take a look at the presidential suite up top!

In the past, we have touched on Yacht & Beach Club through various letters and discussions. Going to the Wayback Machine, we found this great site that isn't too vintage, but the pictures scream 1991 by their coloring and also just the old decor of the Yacht/Beach. This site is definitely worth a look, as it is the original from the architect, Robert A.M. Stern. We also discuss how Michael Eisner and how he had his hand in much of this, mostly the Yacht & Beach. Almost two years ago, David Carver reached out to confirm the freshwater fish in Stormalong Bay - he happened to be staying there when they were having issues.  Read the full text right here - thank you David!

Any trip to Crescent Lake isn't complete without a visit to the Boardwalk Inn. Our original Boardwalk vacationers give us their take on this resort and we all had one gripe regarding the layout. During this time, we talk about some of the various venues at the Boardwalk, like The Attic and what that is all about. We also get into an amazing discussion with a former tram driver who made his rounds before the Boardwalk arrived. One fun fact of these trams: they used to be the ones that drove guests around Fort Wilderness, which is super cool to hear!  Take a look at this video, which shows the route around the area. This episode is full - covering about five resorts, transportation, attractions and so much more. We hope you enjoy and let us know if you have any fun stories from Crescent Lake.

2021: Year Two of The Film

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.

Next Month

• Join us next time for Episode 65, where we take you back on another fun episode about WDW history!
  
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

Welcome to Episode 63 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Project 90" - 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. This month, Ted Linhart joins us as one of our top tier donors - this episode is guided by Ted and his amazing set of documents. Last month we hit Thunder in Paradise pretty hard with multiple episodes.

Listener Mail

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Scott Jensen is first with some great pics of Hogan's Beach Shop, which is actually in Clearwater and the Orlando area. Thanks Scott!
2. Stephen Myers also wrote in about Thunder in Paradise, saying him and Terry have discussed his time at WDW often. Thanks Stephen!
3. Norris is up next - he wrote in about a vehicle on WDW property that has a mickey head tread pattern. JT is digging into this a bit and found they are made by Trelleborg. We are hoping for more info soon...
4. Tracy wanted to know if we had any Space Mountain under construction photos, as her father worked on the ride.  We found a few, so just do a quick search on our site for "Space Mountain Construction" - this should be a fun rabbit hole to go down.
5. Mark wrote in complimenting the big three-part Horizons Podcast series. He has a great story about Walt Disney Elementary School, which is near him.
6. Dane wrote us about a vintage map from the late 70s and it is so cool! Thank you so much Dane!

Audio Rewind

Our audio rewind this month is called Beautiful Beulah, it is from Summer Magic starring Hayley Mills & Burl Ives - Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Carolina Nedal - you will get some RetroWDW & LBVHS Pins!

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - All entries are due 1/11/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

Main Topic

This month we get into Project 90. Ted Linhart is with us and ready to go with this amazingly important and topical document put together by RCA. We start you off with the history of RCA, how they connected with Disney and what the point of this document is. You have to imagine that back in the late 60s & early 70s, Disney was embarking on an entirely new concept of vacationing with Walt Disney World. Now before you get to into this, you might want to look at the document, and we will make it very easy for you to look at on Ted's site.

Click Here For The Project 90 Doc

The plan, as you can see above, is incredibly in-depth and really is taking the hospitality industry to another level. Nearly every aspect of the RCA corporation is put into use with WDW, and it is all fully outlined in this doc and this episode. The communication systems, security, charging and so much - all linked up and it sounds so seriously 2013 with the invention of the Magic Band. We go through most of this and discuss, so you might want to have the doc pulled up to flip through the pages as we talk.  If you imagine the era, what vacationing was like in the 60s/70s, and then also picture the commitment this would require by Disney, it is all super ambitious and neat for the era.

We would like to thank Ted for joining us once again - he always brings something unique and fun to the show and what is great about his mission, you can all join him. Take a look at his site, Disney Docs, where everything is organized and cataloged for your enjoyment.  We hope you enjoyed this month's episode and also wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Main Topic

In the last episode, we took you back to the early 1990s and discussed the filming and history of Thunder in Paradise! Now we've got an exclusive interview with Parker Rabe who's father was the brains behind the custom modified Wellcraft Scarab boat was the pilot for the series as well!. Parker recalls filming locations, boat details, and even his interaction with the cast on set! Don't mess with Thunder!

2020: The Year of Film

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.

Next Month

• Join us next time for Episode 63, where we take you back on another fun episode about WDW history!
  
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

Welcome to Episode 62 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Thunder in Paradise" - 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

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Shane is first with a comment about Alien Encounter. He was curious if Tyra Banks was the only host for the pre-show at Alien Encounter.
2. Miranda sent us some new ephemera which is a 'Vacation Kingdom' brochure from 1984. Take a look at these!
3. Our next write-in was Daniel, who discusses the talking elevator at The Contemporary Resort. He sent us a photo of the elevator and Daniel also has one at his office building.
4. Jared wrote us a touching story about his father and attending RetroMagic. We love hearing those stories and Jared has some great memories to remember.
5. We heard from Gary regarding Tomorrowland and an area just past DreamFlight. We have the picture here and think you should take a look.
6. Joe Barlow, our turnstile inspector, wrote in about the radio loops asking where they transmitted from. The group explains all of this and how everything worked years ago.
7. BONUS: We had a tweet about the AAA Comfort Lounge! Interesting area we don't know much about..

Audio Rewind

Our audio rewind this month is from Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Hollywood Studios - Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Jason!

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month, the winner will be getting an LBVHS & RetroWDW Pin, including bonus swag. All entries are due 11/17/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

Main Topic

This month...what can we say. Hulk Hogan is in the building. Well not yet, but hopefully soon. Instead, we are taking you to Paradise - Thunder in Paradise! Our crew takes a deep dive into this show that was almost entirely filmed on the property at Walt Disney World. The idea behind this show was a takeoff on Baywatch and various other 90s action stylized tv shows. We love watching these episodes though and trying to analyze where they filmed the show.

We get into the reason behind the show, production, storylines and so much more. Each member of the group has seen this show at various stages and years, so we all have a little bit to add. As we progress into this main topic, we get into the various episodes and discuss locations.  Some are absurd and others are cleverly done. The production team really had free rein to go wherever they needed including the Magic Kingdom, all over the Seven Seas Lagoon, The Grand Floridian and so much more. The one thing we are all curious about though, who was vacationing at WDW during the filming? We would love to see some behind the scenes footage of Thunder driving around the Rivers of America...

Enjoy this super random but super topical episode all about one of the more major film/tv productions that occurred at Walt Disney World.

2020: The Year of Film

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.

Next Month

• Join us next time for Episode 63, where we take you back on another fun episode about WDW history

Main Topic

Welcome back to another mini-episode, filled with Radio Loops. We had a number of these sent in from fans, listeners and others who were thinking there might be a podcast someday that wants to share these. To start, we go way back to 1995 and this loop has an amazingly catchy theme song at the beginning of the broadcast. Quality is AM and if you are playing this in your car, this will give you all the feels of a car from the past.

This loop includes ticket tips, cleaning up with Jiminy Cricket, AAA tips, and even current room rates. With this being a mini-episode, we run about 25 minutes and wrap up with the 'exit loop', which gives directions, thanks you for coming and so much more. The range seems to be an issue, as this one is not super clear and seems to almost cut out - but it's super cool to hear this once again.  We hope you enjoy this mini-episode of radio loops and can't wait for you to listen to our next full episode that will be coming soon. 

2020: The Year of Film

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.

 

Next Month

• Join us next time for Episode 62 where we take you back on another fun episode about WDW history!
  
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

Comments & Corrections

We start this month with some sports, weather and candy updates. The Disney World stuff will come eventually, we promise.

1. Big update on the old school turnstiles around the parks. Carla Carle gave us the full report with pictures – thank you!!
2. The Kugel Ball is huge – literally! We’ve been getting updates on local Kugel Balls, pictures are being sent and we love seeing this.
3. How gives us some more information on the Tomorrowland palm trees. We discuss some of the manufacturing, history, and theories on these things. The story goes on….

Listener Mail

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com. Also, top tier donors can even join us on a show! Take a look at how you can join us live on an episode.

1. Downey wrote in asking about the talking elevator at The Contemporary Resort. We discuss this being a real thing and also the 80s/90s talking craze.
2. Keith touched base this month regarding Birnbaum’s, which we cite often. Keith actually worked on the books – thanks so much for writing Keith.
3. We heard from Andie regarding injuries on Alien Encounter. Her mother had some issues on this ‘ride’ and we’re curious who else has been injured on Alien Encounter?
4. Bill wrote in about being in the College Program and how he collected Alien Encounter flyers, which helped promote the ride. These are so amazing and we’re so glad you saved these and scanned them for us.
5. Our final note is from Neuro, he gives us some fun acronyms for EPCOT. Good stuff Neuro!

Audio Rewind

Our audio rewind this month is from the Space Mountain exit queue – Thank you for all the guesses and emails!

We have a winner! Congratulations Chuck Jordan!

If you think you know the answer to this month’s audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com – This month, the winner will be getting a 2016 WDW Poster Art Calendar. All entries are due 10/12/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

Main Topic

We are staying in Tomorrowland this month, but zeroing in on a specific attraction that is no longer with us: Alien Encounter, or the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter if you are using its full legal name. This one came online back when Tomorrowland had the major overhaul in 1995 and is a fan favorite. X-S Tech is hosting a demonstration at the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center and everyone is invited, including you! How leads us this month with lots of history, first-hand experiences, and also the two versions. With this being Part 1, we focus on the versions and what everything looked and felt like.

One of the first things everybody notices are those porthole type windows; they had a tint to them that really didn’t allow you to see in, which created some questions right from the get-go outside. We learn about why there is a manhole cover lifted and also why the massive yellow tower is on top of the building. The story elements were plentiful and most of them went unnoticed. This attraction was designed to draw in those teenagers and pull them back from Universal. It was high energy and extreme – which is what the Magic Kingdom needed for that particular crowd.

Now this attraction had two versions – we include them both in this episode comparing the similarities and differences. The first show is missing a bit to connect some dots and the second gets darker and creepier. How explains how the pre-show undergoes a major change across the versions as well. If you never had the chance to go on Alien Encounter, this episode will paint a pretty good picture with lots of audio clips and on-ride sounds. We also get into answering lots of why questions as a group, as we all took a spin on this one over the years with varied success and enjoyment. We hope you have a good time with us back in Tomorrowland of the 90s!

Welcome to Episode 60 of the RetroWDW Podcast: "Tomorrowland '94" - We appreciate your support and hope you have been enjoying each and every episode. Be sure to check out some of our previous shows!  While you are listening, please browse through our entire album of ephemera. We have tons in there and if you click this link, be ready for an adventure that could take up an entire evening. Also, let us know if you have any images you would like to add to this collection, as we are working to make it very comprehensive. 

Comments & Corrections

Last month we had the great food and menu episode and the response was great. Thanks for all the feedback and items shared relating to food stories, menus, and anything else. It sure was fun to sift through and see how much everybody enjoyed it!

1. Huge thank you for all the ephemera that was sent in. We got tons of great items and this will all be added to the site soon. Your time and effort is appreciated!
2. Our good friend @bioreconstruct let us know about an add-on for a 43" monitor he found on Amazon that has the old school infrared beams. He also found it being used in Imageworks inside Epcot.
3. A friend of the show, Joe called in to discuss Disney Dollars - this is a great story! Thanks Joe!
4. Turnstiles came up during the last episode and where they are still located. Joe Barlow wrote in with instructions on how to lock them and he also issues an apology. 

Listener Mail

Right to the mailbag this month! The bag is full and we love that! Every month, you can possibly get on the show, so be sure to write to us at podcast@retrowdw.com.

1. Carla wrote in regarding the turnstiles and where they are still located - thanks Carla!
2. Miranda, AJ, and Joe - You three are featured in the listener mail section with some solid ephemera. We discuss this during the show and they are super cool so I had to put them up high for everybody to see. Thank you and enjoy!
3. Eric wrote in the same day as the show and his librarian and archival skills are insane! We are all super jealous and need you to come to organize ours! Take a look..
4. We had a favor to ask for this episode regarding Birnbaum's - Joe Siler was among many others that reached out to us with some solid scans.  Thanks Joe, we appreciate your help!

 

Listener Ephemera Gallery

[ngg src="tags" ids="ep60ephemera" display="pro_sidescroll"]

 

[listenerfeedback]

Audio Rewind

Our audio rewind this month is from Muppet Vision 3D - Thank you for all the guesses and emails! How gives us a little bonus, telling you all about the extended queue at muppet Vision.

We have a winner! Congratulations Natalie B!  - you will be getting a bunch of great Ephemera! - hope you enjoy!

If you think you know the answer to this month's audio rewind, email us! contest@retrowdw.com - This month, the winner will be getting a party package! All entries are due 9/7/2020 and a random winner will be selected.

Main Topic

For this month, we are discussing a major overhaul of a land at the Magic Kingdom. Many of the lands have slowly evolved and changed, but Tomorrowland had a major change with nearly everything being touched in 1994. Brian & How start us off at Disneyland in 1983 with the expansion of Fantasyland - bringing comparisons to our main topic. All of these major refurbs work towards making the park appealing to a new audience - which is why the funds were sent to the Magic Kingdom and Tomorrowland. We are basing this episode off a major press release which we just acquired. 

As we work through our initial discussions about Tomorrowland, our FIRST podcast episode is brought up, and I guess way back when we discuss early Tomorrowland - if you are brave and want to hear our early stuff, here you go: Episode One-Planning for Tomorrow.

1994-95 Disney Press Release - New Tomorrowland Featuring... Alien Encounter

So we basically learn that in the late 80s and early 90s, Disney learns that you can't build a land that needs to be updated every other year, especially when you call it Tomorrowland. EPCOT ran into this problem a bit and the original Tomorrowland just had so much trouble keeping up with technology. This overview episode of the entire land covers nearly everything from design and lighting to ride updates and add-ons. The signage is discussed, as this was one highlight for some of the guests. We also get into sponsorship changes and how this land impacted each of us, as I'm sure you will pick a side on if you really liked this update or not. At one point in this episode, we discuss The Timekeeper, which we did an entire episode on - click here. The new arcade that was installed right next to Space Mountain was massive. It has many games, prizes, and just a fun, Tomorrowland arcade feel. We hit a bit on the Penny Arcade, which we discuss in Episode 47 of the podcast - check it out. We spend considerable time discussing the infamous Kugel Ball, or germ ball as Todd calls it. These are more common than you think and this one has gone through some changes. It seems like there wasn't a ride or attraction that was left alone and this includes The Carousel of Progress. We go through some of the changes that made this what it is today.

Throughout the episode, we have some great sound drops and audio clips. That 90s Tomorrowland background loop makes this one fun to listen to overall. We hope you have fun going back to the mid-90s and we want to know - what is your favorite memory of this 'new' land at Magic Kingdom? Send us a message and tell us!  Enjoy!

2020: The Year of Film

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.

 

Next Month

• Join us next time for Episode 61, we are staying in Tomorrowland but taking you into Alien Encounter. It will be ExtraTERRORestrial!
  
• We have another movie night coming soon too...  Subscribe on YouTube so you are ready. 

Kat Cressida is a renowned voice actress and respected Disney historian whose connection with Disney began with her father’s work with WED and Disneyland in the 1970s. She is known not only for bringing characters to life in Disney Parks ("Little Girl Lost" in the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Toy Story's Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl in shows and attractions worldwide and Constance Hatchaway, the 'Black Widow Bride' in The Haunted Mansion) but also for top AAA video game titles (Marvel Heroes, World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls, The Wolf Among Us, Fallout 76) as well as animation (Toy Story titles, Dexter’s Laboratory, Phineas and Ferb).

Kat began her career as a Shakespeare major at UC Berkley, became a cast member at Disneyland, and after a successful on-camera career, transitioned into full-time voicer. Besides her career achievements in voice over, she’s also a professional keynote speaker – addressing pediatric cancer and patient advocacy  – leveraging her recovery from fatal cancer to help others navigate the health care system.

In 2019, she gave a well-received TEDTalk at UCLA on the value of playtime.

In this episode, we speak with Kat about her personal connection with Disneyland, both as a frequent visitor and eventual cast member, the beginnings of her professional involvement with Disney Parks recording scratch tracks and "walla" (background crowd sounds) for Imagineering, and her eventual casting as "The Black Widow Bride," Constance Hatchaway, in the 2006 revision to the Haunted Mansion's attic scene.

Our rollicking conversation touches many topics; including fans' love for the Constance character, the effort made to make the new character be a seamless addition to the classic attraction, and plans for the Orlando Mansion uncovered during her research for the character that never came to be.

We also learn about the fascinating preparation and vocal techniques Kat uses for voice-matching Hollywood celebrities in films, which she leverages to bring Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl from the "Toy Story" films to life in attractions and shows in the Disney Parks worldwide.

For incredible daily deep Disney history and trivia, be sure to follow Kat on social media:

• Twitter - @KatCressida
• Instagram - @KatCressida
• Facebook - @kat.cressida