We conclude our season on Amusement Parks and Florida in discussing EPCOT Center in the late 1990's and all the changes that turned many enthusiasts off.

Episode 257: Michael Ovitz Disney tenure and cost-cutting

18 days ago 19m 41s

We discuss the disastrous tenure of Michael Ovitz at Disney and the subsequent cost-cutting and ride-closing at the Magic Kingdom.

Episode 256: The Greatest Floridian- Bob Graham

28 days ago 45m 27s

We pay tribute to the greatest Floridian of recent memory, Governor and Senator Bob Graham who passed away this week at the age of 87

Episode 255: Walt Disney World in the 1990's: The change begins to come

Apr 16th, 2024 18m 37s

We begin describing how Disney's amusement park business changed in the 1990's. We cover the period until the appointment of Michael Ovitz.

Episode 254: Universal Studios Florida

Apr 9th, 2024 24m 26s

We discuss the opening of Universal Studios Florida in 1990 and the seismic events it created for the landscape in Central Florida.

Episode 253: Sea World and Central Florida minor attractions

Apr 2nd, 2024 17m 50s

We discuss a few other Central Florida amusement parks this week.

Episode 252: The Country Bear Jamboree

Mar 26th, 2024 14m 7s

We discuss one of the most beloved attractions at the Magic Kingdom, the Country Bear Jamboree.

Episode 251: Disney in the 1980's - The Dark Age and MGM

Mar 19th, 2024 23m 29s

Disney is a media company and Florida wants more film and television in the state - so the simple solution is for Disney to be incentivized to build a film studio as a "third gate" on its property. However things don't go to plan as Disney it

Episode 250: EPCOT center development problems and opening

Mar 12th, 2024 25m 52s

EPCOT Center was a grand vision of Walt Disney. But the eventual park was not only not true to Walt's vision but dramatically scaled-down and over-budget from what had been planned in the 1970's. We discuss the original plans, then the plan fo

Episode 249: Disney World opens but it's not all positive

Mar 5th, 2024 21m 25s

This week we discuss the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971 including the popularity of some of its original attractions like its a Small World, Carousel of Progress and Country Bear Jamboree but also discuss the environmental and traffic imp

Episode 248: The Florida Project

Feb 27th, 2024 18m

Walt Disney's Florida Project is thrown into doubt with Walt's untimely December 1966 passing, but brother Roy Disney keep pushing toward a 1971 opening of the Magic Kingdom. But EPCOT will have to wait.

Episode 247: Walt Disney targets Florida

Feb 20th, 2024 23m 45s

In the first episode of our new season on Florida amusement parks, we discuss the years between 1959 and 1965 when Walt Disney began looking for a site for a second Disney park, and the process to finally arrive at a Central Florida site.

Trailer

TRAILER: New Podcast Season- Disney and Florida Amusement Parks

Feb 13th, 2024 30s

A new season of the Florida History Podcast begins next Tuesday as we take a deep dive into the history of Walt Disney World and other amusement parks in Florida.

Episode 246: Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Florida

Feb 6th, 2024 42m 23s

We look at how the 3rd, 4th and 5th President interacted with Spanish Florida, from research Kartik Krishnaiyer conducted in writing his new book "The American Conquest of Florida."

Episode 245: Matanzas Massacre

Jan 30th, 2024 16m 41s

We discuss the 1565 massacre of French protestants by the Spanish at the current site of Fort Matanzas.

Episode 244: Key West and the Civil War

Jan 23rd, 2024 21m 28s

Dr Angela Zombek joins us again to discuss and an area which she is working on a book related to - Key West in Civil War.Key West was central to union war planning and the city went through many trials and tribulations during the war as most

Episode 243: Egmont Key

Jan 16th, 2024 12m 32s

On this episode we discuss Egmont Key with Dr Angela Zombek. Here is Dr Zombek's written work on Egmont Key's history:https://www.journalofthecivilwarera.org/2016/08/paradise-lost-floridas-egmont-key-civil-war/

Episode 242: Fort Brickell

Jan 9th, 2024 10m 34s

We conclude our fort series by discussing the Spanish-American War fort that stimulated Miami's growth.

Episode 241: Fort Myers and the Third Seminole War

Jan 2nd, 2024 15m 38s

We discuss Fort Myers, the Third Seminole War and the unconquered Seminoles that survived FIVE attempts by the United States to conquer them or drive them west.

Episode 240: Fort King and the Second Seminole War

Dec 26th, 2023 24m 8s

We discuss Fort King in Marion County and its role in the Second Seminole War.

Episode 239: Fort Gadsden

Dec 19th, 2023 22m 14s

Continuing our fort series we discuss Fort Gadsden" also know as the negro fort which was built by the British in 1812 and was the scene of the Americans slaughtering runaway African-Americans and Seminole during the First Seminole War.

Episode 238: Fort Jefferson and protecting the Florida Keys

Dec 12th, 2023 19m 50s

Ryan Ray joins us to discuss Fort Jefferson, the latest stop on our tour of Florida forts.

Episode 237: Fort Taylor and the Civil War

Dec 5th, 2023 11m 55s

Dr. Angela Zombek of UNC-Wilmington, who is one of the foremost experts on Florida and the Civil War joins us to discuss the pivotal role that Key West's Fort Taylor played in Union war planning at the very highest levels and in the Civil War i