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WEDway Radio - Walt Disney World and Disneyland Examined with some Disney History

NOW! #121 - Aaron Wallace and the Thinking Fans Guide to WDW: Epcot

·36 min·3 clips
Disney podcaster Aaron Wallace reveals the surprising history behind Epcot's original narrator in his new book.
The episode begins with host Nate Parrish introducing the show and sponsor Magic for Less Travel before welcoming guest Aaron Wallace, a Disney podcaster and author. Wallace explains his start in podcasting in 2005 with 'Disney DuPont' and his writing for UltimateDisney.com. He discusses his book series, 'The Thinking Fan's Guide to Disney,' including books on Magic Kingdom, 'Hocus Pocus,' and the new Epcot volume. Wallace recounts how he got into podcasting through Jesse Osbaum's early show 'Mouse Pod' and inherited his audience. The conversation shifts to 'Hocus Pocus,' detailing its initial failure and later resurgence as a cult classic. Wallace describes the inspiration for his books, aiming to provide in-depth analysis of Disney attractions and films, rejecting the idea of 'guilty pleasures.' He explains the title 'Thinking Fan's Guide' as a blend of scholarly and fan perspectives. Research methods for the Epcot book included academic journals, historical books, Disney archives, and contemporaneous newspaper articles. Wallace notes that Epcot has more history than Magic Kingdom despite being younger, due to its evolution and ties to Walt Disney's original vision. He critiques changes to Epcot's Future World, arguing it has lost its original optimistic spirit while acknowledging the need for updates in the 1990s. Interesting research tidbits include the unresolved question of Spaceship Earth's original narrator and the debated opening date of Space Mountain. Wallace shares his favorite original Epcot attraction, Journey into Imagination, for its exploration of human creativity. Personal Epcot favorites include the Jeremy Irons version of Spaceship Earth and the updated American Adventure show. The episode concludes with Wallace encouraging fans to maintain optimism about Epcot's future and directing listeners to his website for signed books.

As heard by us

A source-driven Disney history conversation about why Epcot's story reaches beyond its 1982 opening.

Epcot is treated as a layered history subject, with Aaron Wallace joining host Nate Parrish to talk through his new book on the park. Wallace frames Epcot as a place whose story reaches well beyond its 1982 opening, starting with Walt Disney's 1966 television broadcast and…

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Why you'd press play

Want to know why Epcot carries more history than its age suggests? Follow Aaron Wallace through the research trail behind his new book.

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