143. Martin Smith on Documenting the Disney Parks at Martin's Videos

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris is one of Disney's most impressive landmarks.

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Back in the Internet’s early days, even a brief attraction clip was incredible. The chance to see the full experience of Horizons, World of Motion, or other past gems was a pipe dream. We’re spoiled today with virtually everything just a few clicks away. The best channels do a lot more than just present attractions. A perfect example is the work of Martin Smith, who has presented videos of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and more online for nearly 20 years.

Martin is my guest on this episode of The Tomorrow Society Podcast to talk about his videos and a lot more. His extensive ultimate tributes include detailed backgrounds of the attractions and changes over the years. I’ve really enjoyed Martin’s presentations of classic EPCOT Center attractions on YouTube. We talk about what inspired him to shoot footage of the parks going back to early family trips in the ’80s and ’90s. Early material from those vacations provided the baseline for many of his recent projects.

Martin Smith poses in front of Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland.

Martin also describes upgrades that have made his work a lot easier. Copying from tape to tape wasn’t so feasible, so he needed to wait for technology to catch up first. There’s a lot more involved than just shooting a POV of the attraction. We close the episode by talking about some of his favorite things about the parks, including from Disneyland Paris. I really enjoyed the chance to learn more about Martin’s work and what drives his passion project. It was great to dive into favorite past and current attractions in the parks.