Trip Report It Began Here ~ Magic Kingdom, July 1972 *COMPLETED*

The title says it all....my love for Walt Disney World began with my very first visit a mere 9 months after the Magic Kingdom opened its gates. My grandparents had recently moved to Florida and we made the long drive from New England to spend a week with them. During that week we would get to spend one glorious day at the Most Magical Place On Earth.

I can still remember my excitement and anticipation. Naturally I wanted to see my grandparents, but this Disney World had captured my thoughts. What would it be like? The only castle I had ever seen was one made of sand. How beautiful a real castle must be! I counted the hours until our pre-dawn departure (it was a couple hours drive.) Once on the road I kept my eyes peeled for THE sign: Disney World, Next Exit.

One sign, one exit. No grand archway like there is now. No purple directional signs. No mouse ears. Nothing but a two lane road. A very long, straight and boring road! (Try to visualize World Drive with nothing to look at!) Where was this Magic Kingdom? Why is it taking so long to get there?

Finally....the Toll Plaza. But as you all know, you can't see the Magic Kingdom from the Toll Plaza!

Just a few minutes longer and we parked the car. Then we got to ride the coolest form of transportation ever.....the monorail!! Which deposited us here:

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Okay, I am getting a little ahead of myself. Let me explain the pictures. My dad had a 35mm camera from which he developed slides. Which, 35 years later, we scanned into his computer. So the quality of the photos is marginal at best. And film was expensive in 1972, so he didn't take many pictures (which we all regret now!)

Today I was at my parents' house to discuss their upcoming Disney vacation with my youngest brother's family. I decided to tag along when I saw the ridiculously low Southwest fares (SW got me too, @Doc Disney!) Mom was able to add me to their dining reservations and I was able to snag similar fastpass times (even for Frozen Ever After! :happy:) We ran across these old pictures that I thought would be fun to share with my WDWMagic friends.

So if you wouldn't mind being a little more patient for my July 2016 trip report (I'm looking at you, @TrolleyFollower91 ;)) I now give you this:

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Main Street, July 1972
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
For years we have given my dad grief over this photo. Was he really shooting the Market House or surreptitiously capturing the young lady in the tube top and hip huggers? ;)

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Yep, nothing says comfort like touring a theme park in long pants...in central Florida...in July.

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There she is.....Cinderella's real castle!!

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Ahh, the spires of Tomorrowland!

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Look Ma, no stage! And a curb!

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Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
I remember walking through the castle and being mesmerized by the murals. I wonder how many guests today bother to stop and look at them. They are exquisite and worth a brief detour from the rush to get to 7DMT.

My brother Mannix (not his real name, he just loved the show!) by Cinderella's Golden Carrousel and the Mickey Mouse Revue. He's rockin' those Brady Bunch striped shorts!

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Characters roamed free....no handlers! I know this guy is from Pinocchio, anyone know his name? Think he was trying to get me to go to Pleasure Island?

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I bought my only souvenir in the AristoCats shop. Just like Carissa (the gal in the DME bus video) I bought a stuffed Dumbo. I loved my Dumbo! He sat on my bed until I went to college. My parents moved during my first year of college and Dumbo didn't make the move. :(

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Adventureland and the Sunshine Tree Terrace (far right) ~ which served Orange Juice, not Dole Whips!
(Freshly squeezed orange juice was a true extravagance to those who lived outside the state of Florida.)

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Waiting for Dad to bring us our lunch from the Advertureland Verandah ~ now known as Skipper Canteen!

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Look at the size of the map! :jawdrop:
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
The MPB (or train, as the rest of the world calls it) had only two stations, Main Street and Frontierland. Apparently, it was a popular attraction judging by the crowds!

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(Can you spot me? Yeah, I'm chillin' :cool:)

Only the ferries from the TTC to the MK sport capacity crowds these days. When was the last time you saw the Riverboat with this many people?

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Oh, and those people in line? Not waiting for the boat. Can you tell what they are queued for?



If you guessed this, you are right:

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Love me some Haunted Mansion! :D

You think the wait for the Speedway is hot and smelly now? Back then there was no covering over the queue to give relief from the blazing sun. And no foliage to absorb some of the gas odor. But I was a kid about to drive her very own car and the wait didn't bother me one bit!

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Tomorrowland, BSM (before Space Mountain)

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Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Wow great pictures thanks for sharing your memories - I found some pictures a couple of months back from 1996 with trees and curbs down Main Street!
Isn't it fun to see "the way it was"?! MK has certainly changed a lot through the years, some good and some not-so-good. I miss the trees (and the twinkling lights at night) but do enjoy the unobstructed castle view. Thanks for reading!
 

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