An apparatus for changing packaging material rolls on a stretch wrapping machine having a packaging material dispenser including a packaging material roll carrier and a plurality of rollers configured to dispense a web of packaging material from a roll of packaging material loaded onto the packaging material roll carrier, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of load stations, each load station including: a packaging material roll support configured to support a replacement roll of packaging material for loading onto the packaging material roll carrier during a roll change operation; and a packaging material guide assembly defining at least one receptacle (360, 362) for receiving the plurality of rollers of the packaging material dispenser during at least a portion of the roll change operation, the packaging material guide assembly configured to support a leading end of a web of packaging material from the replacement roll of packaging material in a tortuous path corresponding to a winding of packaging material through the plurality of rollers, and the packaging material guide assembly including a mechanically-actuated release mechanism configured to disengage the packaging material guide assembly from the leading end of the web and thereby release the leading end of the web onto the plurality of rollers when the plurality of rollers are positioned within the at least one receptacle; a positioning mechanism coupled to the plurality of load stations and configured to selectively position each of the plurality of load stations in a loading position; the apparatus being characterized by an actuator assembly including at least one mechanical actuator disposed in a fixed position relative to the loading position to actuate the mechanically-actuated release mechanism of any of the plurality of load stations when so positioned in the loading position. a plurality of load stations, each load station including: a packaging material roll support configured to support a replacement roll of packaging material for loading onto the packaging material roll carrier during a roll change operation; and a packaging material guide assembly defining at least one receptacle (360, 362) for receiving the plurality of rollers of the packaging material dispenser during at least a portion of the roll change operation, the packaging material guide assembly configured to support a leading end of a web of packaging material from the replacement roll of packaging material in a tortuous path corresponding to a winding of packaging material through the plurality of rollers, and the packaging material guide assembly including a mechanically-actuated release mechanism configured to disengage the packaging material guide assembly from the leading end of the web and thereby release the leading end of the web onto the plurality of rollers when the plurality of rollers are positioned within the at least one receptacle; a packaging material roll support configured to support a replacement roll of packaging material for loading onto the packaging material roll carrier during a roll change operation; and a packaging material guide assembly defining at least one receptacle (360, 362) for receiving the plurality of rollers of the packaging material dispenser during at least a portion of the roll change operation, the packaging material guide assembly configured to support a leading end of a web of packaging material from the replacement roll of packaging material in a tortuous path corresponding to a winding of packaging material through the plurality of rollers, and the packaging material guide assembly including a mechanically-actuated release mechanism configured to disengage the packaging material guide assembly from the leading end of the web and thereby release the leading end of the web onto the plurality of rollers when the plurality of rollers are positioned within the at least one receptacle; a positioning mechanism coupled to the plurality of load stations and configured to selectively position each of the plurality of load stations in a loading position; the apparatus being characterized by an actuator assembly including at least one mechanical actuator disposed in a fixed position relative to the loading position to actuate the mechanically-actuated release mechanism of any of the plurality of load stations when so positioned in the loading position.