BBC's Whicker's World - Pixie Dust On Goody-Goody Land (1971)

Whicker's World was a BBC TV News Magazine that ran from 1959-1994 hosted by British journalist Alan Whicker. Each season would be a series of shows about the exploits of Alan Whicker in a different region of the world. In 1971 he did a season in the Caribbean and ran this episode on the soon to be opened Walt Disney World. It's a bit of a hit-piece and condescending of American culture and Walt Disney, however, we have included it in this archive because it shows what both Florida and Walt Disney World looked like before it opened. This rare footage is historical and invaluable even though this broadcast is negative toward Americans, Walt Disney, and Walt Disney World. It just goes to prove these negative types have always existed. There are still glimpses at what Walt Disney Productions was like at the time. It would have been interesting to have followed up with some of these Florida residents a few decades later and see if any had changed their tune. If you can look passed the snark you'll see a few things you hadn't before.

Original airdate July 19, 1971