If You Had Wings opened 38 years ago today

Expo_Seeker40

Expo_Seeker40

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
38 years ago today,June 5th 1972, the first new attraction to open at the Magic Kingdom since opening day was If You Had Wings. Presented by the official airline of Walt Disney World, Eastern Airlines, If You Had Wings took was an Omnimover attraction through 3D, 2D, and projected scenes of exotic places. It was to show that the jet age was fast, fun, and becoming more and more affordable. The attraction closed in June 1987, where it was temporary overhauled to become "If You Could Fly". It later become Delta Dreamflight, Take Flight, and is now Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger spin. The vehicles are the same ones from 1972 just modified, and still run along on the same track that's been there since 1972.

Here are two videos, one showing it when it was "If You Had Wings" and the other when it was "If You Could Fly". Enjoy! :wave:

If You Had Wings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vmfc8aVW-U

If You Could Fly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s50N4syOQ6U
 
G

Gepettotrevor

Member
If you had wings...had wings, had wings....if you had wings....ihad wings, had wings, had wings, had wings

The music still plays in the Tomorrowland BGM!
 
Tazer19

Tazer19

Active Member
My main memory of If You Could Fly was my first time on it when the screens towards the end gave me motion sickness. Only time I think that's ever happened.

Somehow my parents convinced me to try it again and all was good.
 
Thrill Seeker

Thrill Seeker

Well-Known Member
SMRT-1 said:
obviously not the same vehicles...but does space ranger spin use the same track? really?
Click to expand...

It's an omnimover, so they don't really have to alter the ride path in order to implement changes. Yes, SRS has the same ride path as all of the attractions in that space before it. The difference is that everything else for the most part has changed. The ride vehicles I believe are the same, but modified to include the self controlled spinning mechanism.

I never rode IYHW, but I do remember Delta Dreamflight. Good ride, but SRS is the best thing to occupy that building.
 
Enchantâmes

Enchantâmes

Active Member
Thrill Seeker said:
It's an omnimover, so they don't really have to alter the ride path in order to implement changes. Yes, SRS has the same ride path as all of the attractions in that space before it. The difference is that everything else for the most part has changed. The ride vehicles I believe are the same, but modified to include the self controlled spinning mechanism.

I never rode IYHW, but I do remember Delta Dreamflight. Good ride, but SRS is the best thing to occupy that building.
Click to expand...
Dreamflight was soooooo much better, SRS feels cheap and bland.
 
TrevorA

TrevorA

Active Member
In the Parks
Yes
Enchantâmes said:
Dreamflight was soooooo much better, SRS feels cheap and bland.
Click to expand...

At least, it has felt cheap since Toy Story Mania moved in. I mean, you got one Toy Story-themed shooter, and then you have a not-nearly-as-good Toy Story-themed shooter.


---TrevorA
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Thrill Seeker said:
It's an omnimover, so they don't really have to alter the ride path in order to implement changes. Yes, SRS has the same ride path as all of the attractions in that space before it. The difference is that everything else for the most part has changed. The ride vehicles I believe are the same, but modified to include the self controlled spinning mechanism.

I never rode IYHW, but I do remember Delta Dreamflight. Good ride, but SRS is the best thing to occupy that building.
Click to expand...
Yes, the track is 1972 vintage. As are the main show spaces. And the speed tunnel (the only one left)

That building has more MK history than most others.... not planned, rushed to be built, WEDway windows, 5 attractions... and SRS deserves to be somewhere more lavished than a cramped showbuilding with darklight sets.
 
SMRT-1

SMRT-1

Active Member
marni1971 said:
Yes, the track is 1972 vintage. As are the main show spaces. And the speed tunnel (the only one left)

That building has more MK history than most others.... not planned, rushed to be built, WEDway windows, 5 attractions... and SRS deserves to be somewhere more lavished than a cramped showbuilding with darklight sets.
Click to expand...


interesting...yea i figured that the speed tunnel had to be left over.
 
Mr Wizard

Mr Wizard

Active Member
Ahh. . . . . . . . . .fond memories ( if you had wings ) of the first trips ( if you had wings ) to WDW. It was a great place ( if you had wings ) to escape the heat too. And now ( if YOU had wings ) since this ride has been brought up ( if you had wings, had wings, had wings, had wings. . . . . ) I will spend the next 24 hrs trying to get that song out of my head, my head, my head.
 
CumulusIsobar

CumulusIsobar

Member
Mr Wizard said:
Ahh. . . . . . . . . .fond memories ( if you had wings ) of the first trips ( if you had wings ) to WDW. It was a great place ( if you had wings ) to escape the heat too. And now ( if YOU had wings ) since this ride has been brought up ( if you had wings, had wings, had wings, had wings. . . . . ) I will spend the next 24 hrs trying to get that song out of my head, my head, my head.
Click to expand...

Loved it! And you didn't have to burn a ticket to ride it.
 
StageFrenzy

StageFrenzy

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
Yes, the track is 1972 vintage. As are the main show spaces. And the speed tunnel (the only one left)

That building has more MK history than most others.... not planned, rushed to be built, WEDway windows, 5 attractions... and SRS deserves to be somewhere more lavished than a cramped showbuilding with darklight sets.
Click to expand...


Sometimes i feel like they should re-do the front of tomorrowland
 
MomofKatie

MomofKatie

Member
CumulusIsobar said:
Loved it! And you didn't have to burn a ticket to ride it.
Click to expand...
Ooh! I remember riding If You Had Wings over and over on our trip in 1973. But, if I remember correctly, IYHW was a "free" attraction- because it was sponsored by Eastern Airlines, you could ride without redeeming a ticket. That is why we rode it so much- we could do so without having to buy more ticket books.

I remember being thrilled that we flew to FL on Eastern, since it was "the official airline of Walt Disney World".
 

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