unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Circle Vision 360
And yes, I DO remember when Tomorrowland looked like my avatar.
First visit - March 1972 :wave:
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who has been coming to DISNEY WORLD since it opened in 1971?
- Thread starter bjlc57
- Start date
Circle Vision 360
And yes, I DO remember when Tomorrowland looked like my avatar.
First visit - March 1972 :wave:
Dangeresque
Active Member
Since '76
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
What a lovely post!
Me, I am a youngster, and a Disney newbie. I have only visited WDW from 1979.
I was ten years old. One thing I remember is that the park was almost exclusively American - my family would always be one of the few Europeans around.
I was so excited when they build that new roller coaster, the Big Thunder!
What I miss, apart from individual rides, is the tranquility of the place. The Village - so peaceful. Boat rides into the silent waterways near the village, or to Discovery Island.
The elegance about the place. Disney World used to be more elegant, more sophisticated, more subdued. No neon lights, no big signs, no characters everywhere, no in-your-face marketing.
All was pristine too. Everyting moved at a leisurely pace. No fast passes, no reservations needed twenty months in advance just to get a sit down meal.
Then EPCOT opened! It changed the resort from a single park to a mulit-park resort. For a while, EPCOT did the impossible, and surpassed the Magic Kingdom as the greatest park on poperty. A feat which no other non-castle park has ever managed again. So beautiful, the old EPCOT...
But it's all good. The magic is always there. Has been from at least 1979. And I have never had a bad day either.
That's how I remember it, too. We always went in February when I was a child, so it never seemed crowded, and yes, it was pristine and much more subdued. Two days in the MK and you could see everything you wanted to see -- not that two days was ever enough!
Epcot when it opened was a wonderland as well. Despite all the criticism that guests didn't want "educational" attractions, I really enjoyed them (around age 19 on my first visit) and thought the park had a real magical character of its own.
ChrisFL
Premium Member
"If You Had Wings" was the ride sponsored by Eastern Airlines...and you could still watch black and white cartoons on Main Street at the very back of the Expo Hall (until very recently, not sure if it's being changed with the other things they're doing)
pixiesteno
Well-Known Member
Oh, the Swan Boats and the Skyway! I think the ride in tomorrow land where SGE is was actually called Flight to the Moon way back in '72. Terrified me! I fell over in Circle Vision 360 - 1970's parental response -- "they told you to hand on to the bar, next time listen!" lines, lines, lines - and more lines. I know we complain about the price of admission but when it first opened you paid admission, which got you from the TTC through the entrance gate and then everything else was done by tickets. Woe to the child that dropped their ticket book!
Disneydreamer23
Well-Known Member
I Am not old enough to have gone that long ago but my first trip was in 1990 at age 1! and Have gone 25 times since ( I am now 22)
I am sure that we rode the Swan Boats at least once. Sure wish they would come back. Photos I saw recently of the Skyway reminded me of riding high above Fantasyland and seeing the tops of the canopies on some rides, and a panorama of the whole MK. I remember feeling motion sickness in Circlevision and having to hold on tight, trying to hide it from my parents and cousin.
Does anyone remember that the food was actually quite bad back then? It was greasy hamburgers and hotdogs and limp fries, as I recall. Perhaps I'm thinking mostly of the Tomorrowland restaurants. There were some decent offerings like the bakery on Main Street, but I don't remember anything particularly healthy!
Walt Disney1955
Well-Known Member
On our last trip in 2010 I went over the old landing where the Swan Boats used to be and there was a Cast Member there putting some tables away or something. I went over and talked to him. He had been a cast member since 1973 and just seemed very happy to do it. He talked about the Swan Boats and the reason why they took them out. He wished they were back as well but the loading was a problem and etc. I sure can't see why Disney can't fix it even now, I've always thought it would be rather magical to take a boat ride around the moat of the Castle.
wedway71
Well-Known Member
I have
I was born in 1971 and parents took me to WDW when I was just a Baby. We lived in Florida(Ft.Lauderdale) at the time so it was just a 4 hour drive north.
Not to sound corny, but I think that is why I am such a HUGE Disney fan. I would go EVERY year until I was 18....then every few years.
My favorite memories are in the 70s at WDW. As much as I love Epcot and the other parks, there was a simple Florida charm about just having a few Disney Hotels on Property and one park.
Because there was only one park, we would spend like 3 or 4 days at MK. This may sound like a lot for just MK, but we would dissect and see every nook and cranny at each land. We would spend half a day on Main Street.
I do miss a lot of the old attractions like"If you Had Wings".... when I was small, my parents told me that my Uncle owned that attraction because he was a pilot for Eastern... I would always expect him to just walk around the corner like he lived there.
I was born in 1971 and parents took me to WDW when I was just a Baby. We lived in Florida(Ft.Lauderdale) at the time so it was just a 4 hour drive north.
Not to sound corny, but I think that is why I am such a HUGE Disney fan. I would go EVERY year until I was 18....then every few years.
My favorite memories are in the 70s at WDW. As much as I love Epcot and the other parks, there was a simple Florida charm about just having a few Disney Hotels on Property and one park.
Because there was only one park, we would spend like 3 or 4 days at MK. This may sound like a lot for just MK, but we would dissect and see every nook and cranny at each land. We would spend half a day on Main Street.
I do miss a lot of the old attractions like"If you Had Wings".... when I was small, my parents told me that my Uncle owned that attraction because he was a pilot for Eastern... I would always expect him to just walk around the corner like he lived there.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
If there is one thing that has improved at Disney, it is the food.
Before EPCOT Center, basically you had to go to the hotels or the Empress Lilly if you wanted to eat anything but standard amusement park fare. Junk food everywhere. Breakfast I would do at the hotel or at the Crystal Palace. Then some junk food for lunch. Which is fine for one meal a day. You walk a lot anyway. But you can't eat that twice a day. So the dinners were always a bit of a problem.
docnabox
Active Member
I was born in 1968 and my parents took my brother and I for our first trip in 1972 just after I turned 4. My father traveled on business and we always stayed at a wonderful HJ in Winter Park. He would work during the day and we would go in the afternoon. Funny, I was always a nightowl, even as a kid and I can remember back then, it was not unusual for MK to routinely stay open until 1 AM in the summer regardless.
We went every year when my Dad travelled to FL....much to my parents' dismay. :lol:
I have been every year since and for a while,during college and med school, I had an annual pass and would go with my brother several times a year.
I was a nut from a little child. I used to get thrills when we got in range to listen to the MK radio broadcast regarding parking etc... Eventually, when they built the Welcome Center in Ocala, it became an unstated MUST that my parents stop for me to get out and look around. I always begged them to make a reservation to stay on property but we always stuckwith the HJ and now, I would not trade those memories.
We went every year when my Dad travelled to FL....much to my parents' dismay. :lol:
I have been every year since and for a while,during college and med school, I had an annual pass and would go with my brother several times a year.
I was a nut from a little child. I used to get thrills when we got in range to listen to the MK radio broadcast regarding parking etc... Eventually, when they built the Welcome Center in Ocala, it became an unstated MUST that my parents stop for me to get out and look around. I always begged them to make a reservation to stay on property but we always stuckwith the HJ and now, I would not trade those memories.
dramamama
Member
I did not have the pleasure of growing up going to Disney. My DH took me for my first trip when I was 29 - we were dating - in 2000. We just got back from our 10th wedding anniversary trip there - making it my 10th trip. My DH (who grew up in South Florida) was at Disney World in '71 as a baby and figures that with family and school trips he may have been about 100 times.
He loves to tell me all about how things have changed through the years. He misses lots of the things others here have mentioned, but loves how much more there is to do now.
He loves to tell me all about how things have changed through the years. He misses lots of the things others here have mentioned, but loves how much more there is to do now.
fauna
Active Member
My first visit was in 1974 (I was 7). But, I visited the Walt Disney World Preview Center when I was 3 - does that count?
We visited several times thru my childhood - my favorite memories are "If You Had Wings" (um, no ticket needed. we rode that A LOT) and the Mickey Mouse Revue. And I will NEVER forget going in the early 80's with my brother who was 15, very ill and needed to use a wheelchair. He was treated so well by all the CM's, and we were all touched by how everyone seemed to go out of their way to make that trip :king:magical:king: for him. I really cherish that memory.
I have a large gap between my senior class trip and when we started going with my kids. I was SO happy to continue the tradition of magical family memories.
We visited several times thru my childhood - my favorite memories are "If You Had Wings" (um, no ticket needed. we rode that A LOT) and the Mickey Mouse Revue. And I will NEVER forget going in the early 80's with my brother who was 15, very ill and needed to use a wheelchair. He was treated so well by all the CM's, and we were all touched by how everyone seemed to go out of their way to make that trip :king:magical:king: for him. I really cherish that memory.
I have a large gap between my senior class trip and when we started going with my kids. I was SO happy to continue the tradition of magical family memories.
First visit was the summer of '71 when I was less than 2 hears old. We stayed at the Contemporary that year but moved over to the Poly from then on. I've been back to WDW almost every year since then, first as a kid with my family, now with my wife and kids. Honeymooned at the Poly in '98 and continue to stay there every summer. So many memories! Swimming at River Country, shopping at the old Lake Buena Vista (before Downtown Disney), Magic Kingdom being the only park, Discovery Island. The list goes on and on.
obrienIII
Active Member
First visit was summer of '75. My grandparents, parents, baby sister, and I went to Clearwater to visit my great grandparents. Fond memories of our first trip to Disney, Sea World, and Stars Hall of Fame(the old wax museum). Visited again in '77 with my parents and sister just months before their divorce
Visited again in 1980 with my dad. My mom remarried in '81, and we moved to Orlando in the summer of that year. We had seasonal passes through the 80's, and visited the Magic Kingdom and Epcot hundreds of times until I graduated in '90. Moved away for college and didn't return again until a trip with my sister's family in 2004. Have been back with my daughters and my Mom several times the last few years, and will be staying at the Poly for 10 days at the end of May. Many, many memories through the years, but honestly enjoy the trips with my kids the most! Hoping one of my daughters will get married there, but not anytime soon (12 & 14)
Visited again in 1980 with my dad. My mom remarried in '81, and we moved to Orlando in the summer of that year. We had seasonal passes through the 80's, and visited the Magic Kingdom and Epcot hundreds of times until I graduated in '90. Moved away for college and didn't return again until a trip with my sister's family in 2004. Have been back with my daughters and my Mom several times the last few years, and will be staying at the Poly for 10 days at the end of May. Many, many memories through the years, but honestly enjoy the trips with my kids the most! Hoping one of my daughters will get married there, but not anytime soon (12 & 14)