when disney first opened..

[dixiegirl]

Ok guys havea question for ya. who here was at walt disney world the day it first opened?? I bought a book today that shows many pics of the early days in disney world i believe its dated 1979.. so its kinda stirred my mind if anyone here was there the very first day it opened or perhaps know anyone who was there the day it opened..if so what sticks out in your mind about that day???

 

[mkt]

October 1971...

unfortunately, my earliest Disney memories are from the mid-late 80's...

 

[bjlc57]

i went the first year...

Yes I was there the first year.. No Pirates of the Carribean. THere was a big TREE right at the opening of the park before you went through the gates. .No Space Mountain, No Thunder Mountain, 20,000 leagues was a GREAT RIDE! Mission to mars was the space ride. Plus the was a surround vision in Tommorrow land as well, This is all from memory. .. The Country Bears and the TIki Birds were great as well. and you when into the mile long bar.

 

[marni1971]

I wouldn`t pop into the world for another 2 months!! I have really researched the early days of WDW and have tons of info, what sticks out the most is the obvious lack of rides (PotC, Splash, BTM, Tom Sawyer, Liberty Sq. Riverboat(s), Walt Disney Story Theatre etc.)

Not to mention Tomorrowland had on opening day... Circlevision360, Flight to the Moon, Skyway, Grand Prix Raceway and one resteraunt. How empty!!??!

 

[WDWHeadBanger]

I wish I was there the first day. That would be raw as hell.

 

[nicholas]

One of my favorite pictures is the one of Mickey escorting the very first guest into the park. That lucky punk.

 

[aimster]

I believe my first visit to WDW was in 1977 or 1978. My mom still has a photo somewhere of little me (I was only like 3 or 4) getting an autograph from Goofy. I should see if she can dig it out and send it to me.

 

[Chape19714]

I was not born yet. Sadly, I have only seen one WDW Theme Park open: Animal Kingdom. I missed the MGM opening by about 5 months. I did go to Animal Kingdom the first mounth it was open, and my relitives went to the cast preview. That's all I remember of WDW openings.

 

[aimster]

I remember back in 1989 (when I still lived in Michigan), a radio DJ friend of mine got to fly down and cover the grand opening of MGM. I remember listening to his broadcast live on the radio and being so jealous.

 

[Sloan]

first year

Though I was very young, my parents took me to the Magic Kingdom the year that it opened. I think that's one of the reasons that the Monorail still holds such fascination for me - as a Floridian, I don't know that I'd ever been on any sort of train before, and the Monorail seemed so futuristic at the time - as did the Contemporary. I recall the 20,000 leagues ride pretty well, and know I was on Space Mountain soon after it opened as well, but not sure it was the first trip. Of course, back then, there really WERE "e-ticket" rides! I know it's not the "first day", but it was close ...

 

[dixiegirl]

keep em coming!

hays guys these are great responses..keep em coming if you like..i'd love to see the pics of the day the park opened ..gues i'll have to do some online research...i gotta see the pic of that lucky kid with micky..

 

[Atta83]

My mom went in 1982 and she loved it , even though it was the only park so far. I see the pictues and wish I was there when it first opened. I think it opened on October 1st 1971. If so its an easy date to remember my grandfathers b-day!

 

[raven]

I was at Epcot the first year it was open. But I worked with another CM who's uncle was there the year MK opened. They were selling lifetime passes for $100. He didn't get one because it was too expensive. He's kicking himself now. :lol:

 

[scorp111]

I was a twinkle in my fathers eye...


But it would have been cool....

 

[brentley2]

Originally posted by marni1971
I wouldn`t pop into the world for another 2 months!! I have really researched the early days of WDW and have tons of info, what sticks out the most is the obvious lack of rides (PotC, Splash, BTM, Tom Sawyer, Liberty Sq. Riverboat(s), Walt Disney Story Theatre etc.)

Not to mention Tomorrowland had on opening day... Circlevision360, Flight to the Moon, Skyway, Grand Prix Raceway and one resteraunt. How empty!!??!

Here's a question I have wondered about...
How did people feel about the park when it first opened?
Was the reviews positive?

It seems from what I have heard that people felt it was done on the cheap, somewhat...with no Pirates, and with Small World and other rides being scaled back quite a bit...also, with the proposed new Fantasyland rides being jettisoned for the rides at DL...
I could see that people might not be pleased with it.
But then again, you could still see that castle...oh, that would be worth the price of admission (for me at least)

 

[MartyMouse]

My first trip was in 1975 (or at least I'm told) I have memories of the electrical parade, and I remember buying a toy space shuttle from Mickey’s Star Traders totally unaware that a real version was in works over at NASA. I can also remember the ticket system and that we could ride If You Had Wings for free (no tickets) I also remember it raining one time and my mom lost a bag with a mask that she a bought from the magic shop. But most of what I recall was from the early 80s – I remember the EPCOT preview center and the construction of the Grand Floridian very vividly. I can also remember a Fox and the Hound float and (I believe) a Tron float in the Electrical Parade.

I do wish I would have been born early enough to have been there opening day, but my dad was such a butt head that I doubt he would have taken us. I did however make it to Disney/MGM and Animal Kingdom within a month of their openings.

 

[bcv2204]

i remember when i was about 2 or 3 my parents took me to wdw and there was a monorail preview tour of EPCOT. It was the current epcot monorail just EPCOT wasnt completed yet! As i got older i always though i imagined the tour but a couple of years ago i found the tickets.

 

[chucknstuff]

I was born Oct 9 1971, and we lived ouside the park in Lakeland. My mom still has the pictures of me as a 1month old getting nuzzled by Minnie as my mom was holding me. She said I freaked out at Small World (wouldn't you)

 

[marni1971]

Re: first year

Originally posted by Sloan
I was on Space Mountain soon after it opened as well, but not sure it was the first trip.

SM opened January 15th 1975 - hope that helps you figure out your visit timeline!

Here is an aerial taken in 1971:

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

I heard the MK was quite the flop the first year it opened! Plus, guests were complaining because the park lacked the POTC attraction! Of course, management quickly built the new version, but this time cheap! (This is no Eisner bashing, it was long before he came)