If you could go back in time and visit WDW what time frame would you visit and why? 1971-1975, 1976-1980, 1981-1985, 1986-1990, 1991-1995, 1996-2000? I would pick 91-95 because in my opinion that was the pinnacle of the Magic Kingdom. 20,000 was still operating along with the skyway and mr toad. Also splash mountain was built in 92 and the old tiki room was still kicking. River Country was still around as well. Let's hear what you folks have to say and why!
Great thread! It's so hard to pick just one, so I'm going to "cheat" and pick three periods with an explanation for each one.
1991-1995 - I agree with you for my first choice! This was arguably the heyday of both the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. In the MK, as you said, you could still experience 20K, Toad, the Skyway, and the original Tiki Room. Also the Walt Disney Story, Main Street Cinema, and Penny Arcade were still there, as was more River traffic like the Keel Boats and Canoes, and also the Diamond Horsehoe Revue was still there. And the Country Bears were still doing their Christmas show! Of course, all these things were still there in the 80's as well, but picking the first half of the 90's adds Splash Mountain to the mix, as you pointed out, which is in my Top 2 in all of current WDW!
In Epcot, the original Imagination ride and Image Works were still there in all their glory, as was Kitchen Kabaret, El Rio Del Tiempo, Horizons, World Of Motion, Wonders of Life, and the original Communicore.
However, there were a lot of things added to WDW since then that I love, leading to my second choice:
2006-2010 - This period will always be special to me as it marks my first five years (and possibly last!) as a seasonal resident and it also represents, as a HUGE Toontown fan, a peak from which the MK can never recover (for my taste). Mickey's Toontown Fair, my favorite version of what began as Birthdayland, is still present in these years as is another favorite, the soon to be removed Snow White's Adventures (and in 2006-10, it can be experienced in its 1994 version which I prefer over the original). Although Toad is gone, the Pooh ride is here which is actually my favorite of the short dark rides in the history of Fantasyland, and one of my Top 5 attractions in all of WDW. Small World has a spiffy new load area with the WDW version of Disneyland's happy clock. And the Fantasyland Concert Hall presents Mickey's Philharmagic, my favorite tenant in that space since the original Mickey Mouse Revue closed in 1980.
In Epcot, the original Figment is gone but at least the current version of his ride blows away the second. I love the new Nemo omnimover ride that premiered in this period, and ended up loving the Gran Fiesta Tour even more than I loved El Rio, which was already a perennial favorite for me. Soarin' is a solid addition and my favorite "simulator" of all time.
Animal Kingdom is here during this period, which is a park I love and in some moods rivals Epcot for second fave at WDW. In the years 2006-2008, AK was at it's attraction peak as Everest opened in 2006 (without anything being removed to make way for it - a rarity compared to the cutthroat way TDO usually runs things!). For 3 years, AK had the most attractions in its history, but then near the end of 2008 my beloved Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends show had to close to make way for.... an empty theatre!
Also, during these 5 years, the Studios is also at its peak with IMO its best attraction roster ever, and Fantasmic! is still presented NIGHTLY during most of this time!
1976-1980 - I picked this period as my third choice primarily because it was the last 5 years of Mickey Mouse Revue, my favorite attraction in the history of Disney theme parks. It would also be a time when one could see other attractions that had since been removed before my first choice of 1991-95, such as the Plaza Swan Boats, If You Had Wings, and the original version of the Space Mountain postshow, the Home Of Future Living.
