With one whole year of podcasting behind us, we wanted to dig our heels into the history of one of our most beloved parts of the Walt Disney World Resort – Fort Wilderness! I recently reposted an article which I wrote back in 2014, and still stands today. My Ode to the Vacation Kingdom of the World is a great companion piece to this week’s episode. The article gives you a good idea of why Fort Wilderness is so well-loved, and perhaps underappreciated. I don’t often like to toot my own horn, but I highly recommend giving it a read either before or after listening to this week’s episode.
We start out our History of Fort Wilderness episode with a journey back, back, back to the early 1970’s. Covering the origin story of building a campground at Walt Disney World, and how (and who) went about doing that. If you’re wondering what it was like when Fort Wilderness opened, we discuss that too.
Next up, we list the various amenities and activities that made Fort Wilderness what it was. Marshmallow Marsh, the Wilderness Night Wildlife Expedition, what were they?! What activities still exist today? We’ll tell you. We also reminisce about that ol’ swimmin’ hole – River Country and our personal experiences with the first ever themed water park.
We don’t forget the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review and the dining options either. You’ll hear how Hoop Dee Doo came to be and just how much it’s changed since then. Trail’s End, Mickey’s Backyard BBQ, we cover all your vittles at Fort Wilderness.
If you’ve ever wondered what “could have been” or heard rumors about things like “Cypress Point” and “Buffalo Junction,” we shed some light on projects that never got the green light. You may be surprised to hear how they turned into what we know today in that area.
Of course, we couldn’t do a history of Fort Wilderness without a major discussion on the Fort Wilderness Railroad. The much loved (but seldom experienced) railroad was removed for good back in 1980, but it lives on in our hearts forever! Did you ever ride the Fort Wilderness Railroad?? We’d LOVE to hear from you!
We also discuss the amazing campsite decorations that guests create each year. One of our favorite traditions is renting a golf cart and riding through all the decorated sites. That is now part of the history and charm as well.
We loved walking down memory lane, and giving some love to this completely unique and impactful Disney resort. We hope you learned a little history of Fort Wilderness – if we forgot something that you know and love, let us know!
Actually, I know we DID forget something! In looking for photos to give Christian for editing into the video version of our show, I found this fun tidbit! Apparently, there was a “Melvin the Moose Breakfast Show!” at Pioneer Hall in Fort Wilderness! Read what Walt Dated World has to say about it:
Walt Dated World reader Alex sent in a memory about a character breakfast he remembers from Fort Wilderness: “The Melvin the Moose breakfast show featured the moose-head from the Country Bear Jamboree in sort of a Mickey Mouse Club parody. They gave out kazoos with the breakfast. I read somewhere that the version I saw ran only a year, from 1986-1987 after which they added Chip and Dale.”
Photo from WaltDatedWorld.com
Another Walt Dated World reader shared about the Chip and Dale Breakfast:
Brad sent in the following memory: “Before the show began it was like a standard character breakfast with Chip and Dale and a couple of the Country Bears greeting the tables. I remember Liver Lips being quite intimidating. He was a very tall bear. I can’t remember the whole menu, but chocolate Chip (and Dale!) muffins were part of it. Between all the singing and dancing, while folks were eating, they showed a couple of the old animated shorts projected on stage. Also, the kazoos they gave out were used in the big finale where the audience got to make a whole lot of noise as part of a song. It was a lot like the end of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue where people in the audience are given washboards to play along.”
Sounds so fun! I definitely wish I had attended. I only ever did the Empress Lilly character breakfast back in the day.
We also forgot the once infamous Lawn Mower Tree!! I love this story and definitely had planned to mention it. Darn it all! Well be sure to watch our Live Show on Thursday at 8pm (on facebook.com/zannaland and youtube.com/zannaland!) and we’ll discuss it then for a bit!
We hope you enjoyed our deep dive into the History of Fort Wilderness. Don’t forget to answer this week’s trivia question! Scott asked what designation or “record” the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue has achieved. Do you know the answer?
You can watch the episode below and see some fun images of the Fort way back then. You can of course listen too. We’ll include all the places to listen and connect with us below the video:
As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!
Listen to Up the Waterfall:
You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including:
(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)
Watch Up the Waterfall:
Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist– where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.
Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these hot button topics, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!
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This week we delve into one of my favorite topics: the unique and fascinating story of the Little Orange Bird and his residence at Walt Disney World. Much like Figment showing up in all the EPCOT festival merchandise, Orange Bird is now found all over the parks and resorts, when just 8 years ago, he couldn’t be found anywhere.
Back in the late 1960’s, Walt Disney World was still in its planning stages. Disney was working to obtain sponsorships from various corporations who wanted to be involved in the new park. With those sponsors came the opportunity to be affiliated with a particular attraction, show, or restaurant. The Florida Citrus Commission closed a deal with Disney on October 22, 1969, underwriting a “tropical bird show” for $3 million.
Image courtesy of MrThemeParkAudio
That “tropical bird show” of course became the Sunshine Pavilion, which included the Tropical Serenade (or Tiki Room) and with it the Sunshine Tree Terrace, serving the soon-to-be-famous Orange Swirl, among other citrus delicacies.
Disney company marketing maven Vince Jefferds came up with the Orange Bird idea and developed the backstory, which would be released in book form, with an accompanying record with six songs penned by the renowned Sherman brothers. Bob Moore, the designer who handled many special projects for the Disney Company including the Walt Disney postage stamp and the eagle mascot for the 1984 Olympic games, came up with the character design for the Little Orange Bird.
On this week’s episode of Up the Waterfall, we discuss all things Orange Bird, from his inception to appearances in the park, and reappearance 8 years ago. We hope you’ll join us for this citrus-filled discussion and memory sharing of the adorable little bird with an orange for a head. You can also read my article on the Return of Orange Bird from when he first reappeared at the Sunshine Tree Terrace back in 2012.
Do you have memories of the Little Orange Bird? Are you a Citrus Swirl fan? Or is it Dole Whip all the way? Let us know! Join in the discussion at Facebook.com/UpTheWaterfall or any of the places listed below. Thank you as always for listening or watching! If you enjoyed – please share with a friend you think may enjoy too!
As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!
Listen to Up the Waterfall:
You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including:
(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)
Watch Up the Waterfall:
Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist– where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.
Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these hot button topics, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!
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The 1980’s were a transformative time not only personally, but as a Disney fan as well. My interests of course changed as I grew. I went from being obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake and Barbie dolls, to being obsessed with movies like Annie and E.T. In the animation realm, I was more into The Last Unicorn and The Secret of NIMH. I guess I felt Disney animation wasn’t for me anymore, and as a result, I still haven’t seen The Great Mouse Detective.
In non-movie terms, I was newly discovering EPCOT Center in 1983 and falling in love with Figment and Walt Disney World in general. I left my interest in animated Disney movies behind, and it seems like I was not alone in that feeling, based on the numbers those early 80’s films pulled in.
By my sophomore year in high school, I had been in 5 different schools in 3 different states in 5 years (my parents liked to move around). I was firmly ensconced in the “theatre kid” life as a coping mechanism. I watched and listened to musicals, I was in drama club and several school productions and competitions. At my 5th and last school, I arrived in the middle of sophomore year, wondering if I could yet again make a new set of friends and start over. It was their production of Little Shop of Horrors that pushed me to audition for the next show. I was (and still am) absolutely in love with Little Shop, “Somewhere That’s Green” and “Suddenly, Seymour” are two of the best written and most pure musical numbers of all time.
Before the days of wikipedia (or me paying attention perhaps), I had no idea that the brilliant minds behind one of my favorite shows were working on something that would put Disney animation back on the map and change it forever. The Little Mermaid appeared on the horizon and looked and sounded unlike anything I’d seen before. It was the perfect time for this brand new relatable princess, with a soundtrack that told the story of the entire movie, with memorable, sing-along-to songs, to completely win me over.
I was also particularly obsessed with Phantom of the Opera and the Beauty and the Beast television series, as well as Labyrinth. I was fully embracing the villain-turned-good-guy storyline. (Okay, maybe Jareth in Labyrinth wasn’t ever a good guy, but come on, it was David Bowie…what’s a teenage girl supposed to think?) I distinctly remember Beauty and the Beast coming out at just the right time in my 17-year-old life and being so captivating that it was an instant classic. Again, I wasn’t alone.
What these new films managed to do was combine my love of Disney, musicals, and animation, as well as really cement my Disney fandom, even if I mostly kept it to myself at that point. Sure, Disney parks were full of animated movie references and attractions, but they were all at least 20 years old by then. These compelling tales gave life to various shows, parades, and attractions, while this new generation of fans felt at home with their new-found favorites represented in the parks. We didn’t realize it at the time, but this was the second golden age of Disney animation – the renaissance, if you will. And really, we have Howard Ashman to thank for that.
All of this personal backstory leads me to Howard, Don Hahn’s latest documentary chronicling the life and times of Howard Ashman. Even casual fans have heard of the Ashman and Menken duo, and seen the dedication on Beauty and the Beast: “To our friend, Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman 1950–1991.” But who is the man behind that dedication? What is his story? Die-hard fans have heard some bits and pieces from those who were there, but what Howard does is tell us where that man came from, and how his life was tragically cut short.
We recently discussed Don Hahn’s previous look at this time period, Waking Sleeping Beauty, on our Up the Waterfall podcast. I wanted to revisit it as a precursor to this new film, as it really sets the stage for when and how Howard came into the Disney realm. More than just that, we are treated to first-hand accounts of his childhood from the mouths of his sister and mother. Stories of his work ethic and dreams from his close friends. Tales from Disney and former Disney colleagues of the process of coming to Disney, and creating the stories that would soon live on forever. Heartbreaking memories from his partner, Bill. Howard is truly a love letter to all fans of Disney certainly, but also to those who are filled with creative spirit; a love letter to those with a dream.
More than just a dry documentary with talking heads and old still photos, Howard is crafted to draw you in and make you feel as if you are a part of the story. As Howard’s sister shares a moment in time when Howard created a whole other world for her from cowboy and Indian figures and whatever else lay about the room, the memory is recreated before you on screen. You hear his sister’s wistful remembrance and know how important this point on a timeline is, in explaining who Howard Ashman became.
Particularly poignant is the scene when Howard and Alan Menken were invited to speak at the 92nd Street Y in New York. We hear the event’s audio, we see the crowd in the audience, but we look at empty chairs on the stage. Knowing that right before this is when Howard learned of his HIV diagnosis makes the scene that much more powerful. You hear the difference in Howard’s voice, the weary uncertainty of what his future holds.
Beyond his time at Disney, Howard truly takes you on the journey of Howard Ashman’s life. From his childhood antics to children’s theatre performances in Baltimore, through his varied education and bold moves to open a theatre in derelict New York City of the 70’s – and make a success of it. He built a black box theatre from nothing, and put on some amazing shows, including, of course, Little Shop of Horrors. That success led to a failure, when he worked with Marvin Hamlisch to create Smile, which made it to Broadway, but was a flop. It was on the coattails of that failed dream, that his story led him to Disney.
We also aren’t shielded from his personal life, which does play an important role. Don Hahn created this film back in 2018, without “Disneyfying” and it is now being shared on Disney+ as it was envisioned by the director. Howard Ashman’s past comes into play, his diagnosis is shared, and of course, the tragic end of his life is covered. We share in Howard’s fears of sharing his HIV news with colleagues, we hear his worry about sending in his demo tape of “Belle” for Beauty and the Beast. Rumors of Howard representing himself as “The Beast” due to his diagnosis are quelled. All in all, it is a fully fleshed out story and one that you won’t want to miss.
Howard premieres August 7 on Disney+, which if you haven’t yet subscribed to, this is certainly reason enough to go for it. There are a handful of true gems within this Disney+ platform, Howard and Waking Sleeping Beauty among them. On a recent press call with Don, I asked if we could look forward to any “extras” or “bonus features” from the cutting room floor with the Howard release. Don said that in revisiting the film, he did find so much more content and he hopes to someday release them, perhaps as a webseries. So fingers crossed that all gets the green light.
On a personal note, I am truly grateful that we have people like Don who not only were there when this history played out, but have the incredible talent to share these gifts of knowledge and understanding with us all. People often ask “why Disney?” “why are you so into it, it’s just for kids” but stories like this one prove that behind every fairy tale is a lot of hard work, a lot of heartbreak, and almost always, the answer to the “reason why” we love what we love. Thank you, Don, and thank you, Howard.
Eleven years may have passed since the 2009 Don Hahn directed documentary release, Waking Sleeping Beauty. Don Hahn has another documentary coming out in just a couple of days on Disney+. Howard, which premiers on Disney+ August 7 and tells the story of Howard Ashman. Howard is of course half of the Ashman/Menken duo that really played an integral part in the Walt Disney Animation renaissance of the late 80’s and early 90’s. I recently got the chance to be on a press call for Howard with Don Hahn, and view the film in advance. I’ll have an article reviewing Howard coming up so keep an eye out. For now, we thought discussing Waking Sleeping Beauty on our Up the Waterfall podcast would be a great way to set the stage for the upcoming Howard Ashman film.
On this week’s episode, we discuss just that; the importance of this time period in Disney and Disney animation history and the impact these major changes and shake-ups within the company had on the animation side things. Hear our thoughts and some insights as we recall this time and its representation in this fly-on-the-wall documentary.
As mentioned on the podcast, there is an upcoming Evening with Alan Menken concert with Lin-Manuel Miranda put on as a fundraiser for the Walt Disney Family Museum. It is taking place this Thursday August 6 at 5pm pacific time. If you are able to donate, it is such a wonderful foundation, but if not, there is a free registration option as well.
We hope you enjoy this week’s show – give us a comment below if you’ve seen Waking Sleeping Beauty and tell us your favorite part of the film. Are you looking forward to Howard on August 7? Don’t forget to listen and answer our trivia question too! You can email zanna with your trivia answers before next week!
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our LIVE show, starting Monday, August 3, 2020. We’ll be broadcasting live from the Zannaland facebook page, so be sure you are following along there and like the page to be notified when we go live!
As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!
Listen to Up the Waterfall:
You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including:
(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)
Watch Up the Waterfall:
Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist– where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.
Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these hot button topics, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!
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Disney California Adventure has had quite the history in its short 19 years of existence. February 8th saw DCA’s 19th birthday, so to celebrate we thought we’d venture Up the Waterfalland discuss all the crazy changes this young park has experienced over the years. It’s definitely had some…growing pains. Special thanks to Yesterland.com for all the incredible photos from California Adventure‘s opening days.
Personally, I did not get to enjoy Disney’s California Adventure in its original or even secondary “glory.” This was due to the fact that around the time it was built I was not only dealing with two kids under two, but I was still in California-is-a-foreign-country-I-may-never-get-to mode regarding Disneyland. (But once I did get to experience the Disneyland Difference, I fell head-over-heels in love!)
As a result of not visiting California Adventure for years, I missed a lot of the things we discuss in the beginning of the episode. Sure, I knew about Super Star Limo and the pun-filled Paradise Pier area, but that was sort of it. So this episode was really fun for me to discover some of these things for the first time too.
In this episode, we start out with the history of a second park on the west coast; where and what could have been. Next we chronicle how Disney’s California Adventure first came to be. We cover all of the strange design and attraction choices that existed at park opening in 2001. Followed by the little changes and the major changes that followed.
ARE Egg Rolls the fastest?
When I finally got to visit DCA in 2011, it was full of construction walls and not much else. Really, just Paradise Pier and World of Color were the highlights for me. Certainly, when I returned in 2012, it was a whole new world. Cars Land, Buena Vista Street brought with it a new design standard. All the additions that came with those areas really improved the whole park, making it a must-see destination.
Rounding out the discussion, we share where we think the park will go in the future with the upcoming Avengers Campus. Above all, we ponder what will become of Disney California Adventure in the years to come. What do you think will happen?
We hope you enjoy this week’s episode of Up the Waterfall!
How to Listen to Up the Waterfall
You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including:
(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)
How to Watch Up the Waterfall
Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist– where you can see our opening sequence and some unique images of the Disney California Adventure over the years. Here’s the latest episode:
Feel free to comment below with your memories of Disney California Adventure, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow DCA fans!
How Can I Learn More About This Episode?
Here are some of the books we referenced for this episode (the links will go to the item on amazon.com and are affiliate links – meaning no extra cost for you but a small portion goes back to zannaland if you make a purchase – thank you for supporting our site!):
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Now most carousels just go round and round without getting anywhere. But on this one, at every turn, we’ll be making progress. And progress is not just moving ahead. It’s dreaming and working and building a better way of life. Progress is the sound of a motor, the hum of a turbine, the heartbeat of a factory, the sound of a symphony, the roar of a rocket. Progress is people getting release from drudgery, gaining more time to enjoy themselves and live richer lives. And as long as man dreams and works and builds, this progress will go on…in your life and mine.
And with those words, Rex Allen began the original “Progressland” attraction hosted by General Electric at the 1964-65 World’s Fair in New York. Progressland is more familiar to us as the theatre portion of the experience – the Carousel of Progress. In truth, there was quite a lot more to the World’s Fair exhibit and we go over all of its retro-fabulous history. While we may all be able to recite the current iteration of the classic Carousel of Progress attraction, it does have a very interesting and storied past, including Walt Disney’s personal involvement in its creation.
General Electric’s Progressland pavilion – a Walt Disney Production – from the 1964-65 World’s Fair in New York
In this episode of Up the Waterfall podcast, we journey back to the very beginnings of this beloved attraction, the changes it has experienced over the decades, and what we hope will happen for its future. We hope you enjoy this info-packed episode, I know we loved recording it!
General Electric’s Progressland pavilion at night
You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including:
(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)
You can also watch on our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist– where you can see our fun opening sequence and some fun images of the Carousel of Progress over the years. Here’s the latest episode:
Feel free to comment below with your memories of Carousel of Progress, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Carousel of Progress fans!
Early concept art for the Progressland energy-filled future
Artist rendering of the incredible drama of nuclear fusion from the Progressland exhibit
Here are some of the books and recordings mentioned in this episode (the links will go to the item on amazon.com and are affiliate links – meaning no extra cost for you but a small portion goes back to zannaland if you make a purchase – thank you for supporting our site!):
The images from this post are from this CD set and booklet an amazing trove of Disney history!Designing Disney – Imagineering and the Art of the Show by John Hench Walt Disney Imagineering – A Behind the Dreams Look at Making Magic Real
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With the 4th annual Epcot Festival of the Arts underway, we thought it would be great to discuss one of our loves, which is showcased at the Festival – Disney on Broadway! It’s hard to imagine a time before Disney had a presence on the Broadway scene, but they just celebrated 25 years last year. We head all the way back to the Disney Theatre Group and Disney Theatre Productions origins and discuss how they came to be, and how far they’ve come since inception.
In this episode of Up the Waterfall, Zanna and Scott share their own experiences with attending musical theatre and how they first enjoyed Disney on Broadway, as well as the storied history of Disney theatrical productions and how different each show has been.
Have you been to a Disney show on Broadway or a national tour? What about a show on a Disney Cruise Line ship? Let us know in the comments below what your favorite(s) were or what you hope to see in the future. What Disney story would you like to see brought to the stage? Scroll to the bottom to watch the show on video!
Also discussed at the end of episode are some wonderful books showcasing the Disney Broadway productions, as well as the New Amsterdam Theatre, which Disney completely restored for the opening of The Lion King on Broadway. We’ve collected the list of books below in case you want to keep an eye out for one, or add it to your collection! Know of a book we’ve missed? Let us know!
Up the Waterfall is a weekly Disney history podcast hosted by Zanna and her husband, Disney history buff and bibliophile, Scott Otis, where they share stories of Disney past, present and future.
Disney-MGM Studios past, and what we miss, is the topic for this week and last, and what we miss about the Disney-MGM Studios. The hey day of its original opening and the years that followed. We discuss what it was like visiting the park back then and reminisce about our favorites. In this first part, we go over the original Animation Tour, the Backlot Tour (walking and tram), Superstar Television and Monster Sound Show. We also dip a little bit into the Great Movie Ride, in part 1 which we all miss greatly. As you can see below, this turned into a two part series, so we hope you’ll listen or watch to both and take a stroll down Hollywood Blvd or the Streets of America with us as we say, “ACTION!” to episodes 14 and 15 of Up the Waterfall podcast.
The Rocketeer’s Bulldog Cafe on the Backlot Tour
We hope you enjoy the show, and share with us what YOU miss the most about Disney-MGM Studios, what your favorite parts were and what you think we’ll cover in part 2! As always, we thank you so much for listening, watching, and spreading the word to your friends and family. I’ve recently personally gotten some feedback from folks who discovered Up the Waterfall, and I can’t tell you how much it means to hear that people actually listened AND liked it! But no one will know we exist if they don’t hear from our listeners that they recommend Up the Waterfall. We need your help! If you can spread the word, but liking our videos, rating us 5-stars on Apple Podcasts, Google, or wherever you listen, or share this post so others can discover us, we would be eternally grateful. This is a family passion project, and we consider our listeners family too. Thank you for your support!
I’m going to add Part 2 here as well – where we finish up our nostalgic but historic look at the Disney-MGM Studios of yesteryear. In Part 2, we go over the shows at the Premier Theatre – (Hunchback anyone?) as well as the many parades and entertainment spectaculars such as the Rocketeer live every night, Sorcery in the Sky fireworks and more! We hope you enjoy – and let us know your favorites!
Here are some of the blog posts I’ve written on Disney’s Hollywood Studios (or MGM) past:
Since the Christmas holiday season really starts at 12:01 on November 1st, we thought we’d jump right in and share the history of celebrating the Holidays at Disneyland on our latest Up the Waterfall podcast. There is SO much happening in all the Disney parks during the holidays these days, we wanted to take a look at how it all began and see how far the California parks have come in the last 64 years.
In this episode we’ll discuss the very first Christmas at Disneyland and what that meant for the park. We’ll see how that’s changed over the years, and even touch on New Years Eve history in Disneyland. Since the Disneyland Resort isn’t just one park anymore, we’ll showcase Disney California Adventure‘s holiday fun, and the resorts as well.
You can listen to the Up the Waterfall podcast (that link will show you many options or you can search wherever you listen), but as always, we encourage you to watch the YouTube video version as well for some fun visuals of what we’re discussing.
If you enjoyed the podcast, we’d love you to subscribe, give us a thumbs up or rate us on your podcasting platform of choice, click the notifications button so you know when a new episode or video has been uploaded, and as always, we’d love you to share us with a friend.
The more the merrier and we want to hear what your favorite holiday memories of Disneyland are, or if you haven’t been, what do you most want to experience over there? I’m sure we’ll cover other parks for the holidays in the future, but until then, thank you for joining us Up the Waterfall!
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Happy Sunday! Another Up the Waterfall episode is up to listen to or watch! We are wrapping up our EPCOT Center series with the remainder of the World Showcase countries, and some nighttime entertainment options as well.
If you haven’t been following along, be sure to listen to/watch the Up the Waterfall
EPCOT Episode Part 1: we discussed the original Future World east, including Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, World of Motion, and Horizons, along with a bit of CommuniCore East.
EPCOT Part 2: we share our thoughts and memories of The Land, The Living Seas, and of course Journey into Imagination. We also head back over to the east side and bring up the Wonders of Life pavilion.
EPCOT Part 3: we finish up Future World with CommuniCore discussion, and make it from Mexico to Equatorial Africa.
The EPCOT Center Series Part 4: we finish our loop around World Showcase, including a round up of all the nighttime shows as well. In next week’s episode, we’ll round out what has turned into EPCOT Month with our thoughts on the future of EPCOT, and a bonus episode with our promised Show and Tell from Scott showcasing all of his original EPCOT Center books and ephemera. Whew!
Me with a World Showcase Dancer back in 1983, before the American Gardens Theatre had a roof!
Whether you are an original EPCOT Center visitor like us, or a fan, or new to Disney parks, we hope you’ll listen in and get a feel for what it was like Growing Up EPCOT. We thank you for listening in or watching, and hope you enjoy our little corner of the Disney podcasting world. As always, we encourage you to subscribe to our podcast wherever you normally listen, rate us (5 stars would be amazing!) and even comment so hopefully more people can discover us too.
You can also watch us on YouTube to see all of our silly facial expressions, and the books we reference in each episode. We’d love to hear from you, let us know what you think of the podcast, your favorite EPCOT Center memories, what you want to hear us discuss, just say hi, we welcome all feedback!
For these episodes, we wanted to give a guide of sorts to where you can learn more about the original EPCOT Center we describe, if you didn’t get a chance to experience it yourself, or if you’d just like to take a stroll down memory lane.
Martin’s Vids – Martin Smith has been chronicling Disney parks for decades, and compiling incredibly detailed complete history tributes to extinct attractions. We’re linking to his entire EPCOT Future World playlist, where you can experience EPCOT Center as it once was.
Here are some of the books we discussed, since they are out of print, these are all from 3rd party Marketplace sellers on amazon, but still, some good options and prices are out there. I’m just linking one of the Pictorial Souvenirs, but all of the ones from the 80’s are great fun to flip through. We’ll be doing a little EPCOT Books guide soon, so stay tuned for that as well. Click the photos below to get to the amazon* page for these books.
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Walt Disney Imagineering – A Behind the Dreams Look at Making Magic Real
