Who remembers 1985??

[Smee]

Great thread. We first went in 1980, on our honeymoon. MK was the only park. Contemporary and Poly were the only resorts. We thought MK was amazing. This was the time of ticket books, A-E, we had to buy a few extra E tickets. 20k was a very cool ride, although hot inside the subs. T-Land had Mission to Mars and If You Had Wings sponsored by Eastern Airlines. Main Street was a real old time street with many specialty stores and shops.

We were really impressed with River Country. We told all our friends about this incredible swimming area with slides, and tube rides. Never seen anything like it before. I think we paid $8 to get into River Country and thought that was pretty steep.

EPCOT construction was in full swing. We could tell something very large was being built in the distance. There were construction entrances all over the place. The biggest buildings we could see were eventully Swan and Dolphin. Just girders and scaffolding.

Next trip was a couple of months after EPCOT opened. It was awesome to see it brand new. The place shined like a new penny,everything was fresh and new. Only 5 pavillions in Future World, SSE, and Communicore east and west. You spent time in CE&W because of all the very cool high tech stuff to look at. The original U of E, Horizons, The Land, Journey to Imagination was a great ride we rode several times, and the wonderful World of Motion, a ride I miss very much. One of the best ever at EPCOT. World Showcase was just so large. We were blown away by American Experience, the animatronics were beyond description.

We were just floored by EPCOT,everything about the place was way beyond anything we had ever experienced before. To be sure it is even beter now, but back then I guess we impressed easier. EPCOT was a place you could not experience anywhere else in the world. It was light-years ahead of it's time.

 

[RobotWolf]

Oh I do...

Good ol 85! The year I was hired at the MK. While the backstage (and some on-stage) areas were showing some wear, I cannot describe how breathtaking it was for me to be a 16 y/o newly hired there.

Some tidbits regard those "old days":

The employee IDs were actually encoded with punch card holes. The time clocks were these big clunky things that sucked your id in and spat it back at you. Took a few weeks to get used to the timing otherwise you were inevitably scrambling to get your id off the floor.

The Grad Nights at the time featured such bands as "The Miami Sound Machine" and "Animotion."

The rivers of America were actually busy-looking. The keel-boat, the canoes, the Tom Sawyer rafts and the venerable Richard F. Irvine Riverboat. Much to the benefit of show, There were traffic jams on the river regularly. I imagine Walt would have been pleased.

Cross-departmental friendships were much more abundant. Any attraction in which you wanted to take an after hours tour merely required finding a friendly (preferrably bored) castmember there. And they would not only be willing to give you a walking tour, but proud to do so. The cast were so proud of their attractions back then. I recall many fun memories including being one of the rabble in the POTC auction scene screaming "We wants the redhead!" (I was required to acquire and wear a POTC male costume to pull this off) Though I must admit I jumped in a very non-animatronic fashion when the sign above my head registered a hit from the pirates across the track firing their rifles.

On a similar note, One might think that a backstage tour through the haunted mansion is the most scary or unsettling one which could be given. I heartily disagree. If you would like a B-Horror experience deluxe, get a tour of the stage of the Hall of Presidents' stage. But make sure its after the show has closed for the day. For the figures all have had their various actuator pressures drained for that day. Lincoln and Washington have their faces in their chairs, arms flung up behind them. And all the other presidents are in this hard to describe relaxed state where they're leaning and bending back in unnatural ways and otherwise looking very creepy. They all have zippers in the back of their heads. I know the reason why, of course, but nonetheless it adds touch of "Clive Barker's Hellraiser" to the experience. And none of them are actually wearing the shoes which are merely places in front of their leg poles. And to underscore the overall foreboding, When I asked my Ops buddy to run the show while we were on the stage, he flatly refused. Claiming that we would most likely get hurt, lol.

So to sum up, From talking to my friends who still work there, there were so many more fun things to do back then for the cast as well as the guests.

PS: Thank you for taking the time for reading this, my first official post!

:king:

 

[unkadug]

Good ol 85! The year I was hired at the MK. While the backstage (and some on-stage) areas were showing some wear, I cannot describe how breathtaking it was for me to be a 16 y/o newly hired there.

Some tidbits regard those "old days":

The employee IDs were actually encoded with punch card holes. The time clocks were these big clunky things that sucked your id in and spat it back at you. Took a few weeks to get used to the timing otherwise you were inevitably scrambling to get your id off the floor.

The Grad Nights at the time featured such bands as "The Miami Sound Machine" and "Animotion."

The rivers of America were actually busy-looking. The keel-boat, the canoes, the Tom Sawyer rafts and the venerable Richard F. Irvine Riverboat. Much to the benefit of show, There were traffic jams on the river regularly. I imagine Walt would have been pleased.

Cross-departmental friendships were much more abundant. Any attraction in which you wanted to take an after hours tour merely required finding a friendly (preferrably bored) castmember there. And they would not only be willing to give you a walking tour, but proud to do so. The cast were so proud of their attractions back then. I recall many fun memories including being one of the rabble in the POTC auction scene screaming "We wants the redhead!" (I was required to acquire and wear a POTC male costume to pull this off) Though I must admit I jumped in a very non-animatronic fashion when the sign above my head registered a hit from the pirates across the track firing their rifles.

On a similar note, One might think that a backstage tour through the haunted mansion is the most scary or unsettling one which could be given. I heartily disagree. If you would like a B-Horror experience deluxe, get a tour of the stage of the Hall of Presidents' stage. But make sure its after the show has closed for the day. For the figures all have had their various actuator pressures drained for that day. Lincoln and Washington have their faces in their chairs, arms flung up behind them. And all the other presidents are in this hard to describe relaxed state where they're leaning and bending back in unnatural ways and otherwise looking very creepy. They all have zippers in the back of their heads. I know the reason why, of course, but nonetheless it adds touch of "Clive Barker's Hellraiser" to the experience. And none of them are actually wearing the shoes which are merely places in front of their leg poles. And to underscore the overall foreboding, When I asked my Ops buddy to run the show while we were on the stage, he flatly refused. Claiming that we would most likely get hurt, lol.

So to sum up, From talking to my friends who still work there, there were so many more fun things to do back then for the cast as well as the guests.

PS: Thank you for taking the time for reading this, my first official post!

:king:

Welcome. :wave: and great first post.:sohappy:

re: "The Miami Sound Machine" and "Animotion." - it seems like only yesterday !! :lol:

 

[Punkss]

Good ol 85! The year I was hired at the MK. While the backstage (and some on-stage) areas were showing some wear, I cannot describe how breathtaking it was for me to be a 16 y/o newly hired there.

Some tidbits regard those "old days":

The employee IDs were actually encoded with punch card holes. The time clocks were these big clunky things that sucked your id in and spat it back at you. Took a few weeks to get used to the timing otherwise you were inevitably scrambling to get your id off the floor.

The Grad Nights at the time featured such bands as "The Miami Sound Machine" and "Animotion."

The rivers of America were actually busy-looking. The keel-boat, the canoes, the Tom Sawyer rafts and the venerable Richard F. Irvine Riverboat. Much to the benefit of show, There were traffic jams on the river regularly. I imagine Walt would have been pleased.

Cross-departmental friendships were much more abundant. Any attraction in which you wanted to take an after hours tour merely required finding a friendly (preferrably bored) castmember there. And they would not only be willing to give you a walking tour, but proud to do so. The cast were so proud of their attractions back then. I recall many fun memories including being one of the rabble in the POTC auction scene screaming "We wants the redhead!" (I was required to acquire and wear a POTC male costume to pull this off) Though I must admit I jumped in a very non-animatronic fashion when the sign above my head registered a hit from the pirates across the track firing their rifles.

On a similar note, One might think that a backstage tour through the haunted mansion is the most scary or unsettling one which could be given. I heartily disagree. If you would like a B-Horror experience deluxe, get a tour of the stage of the Hall of Presidents' stage. But make sure its after the show has closed for the day. For the figures all have had their various actuator pressures drained for that day. Lincoln and Washington have their faces in their chairs, arms flung up behind them. And all the other presidents are in this hard to describe relaxed state where they're leaning and bending back in unnatural ways and otherwise looking very creepy. They all have zippers in the back of their heads. I know the reason why, of course, but nonetheless it adds touch of "Clive Barker's Hellraiser" to the experience. And none of them are actually wearing the shoes which are merely places in front of their leg poles. And to underscore the overall foreboding, When I asked my Ops buddy to run the show while we were on the stage, he flatly refused. Claiming that we would most likely get hurt, lol.

So to sum up, From talking to my friends who still work there, there were so many more fun things to do back then for the cast as well as the guests.

PS: Thank you for taking the time for reading this, my first official post!

:king:

Welcome welcome! Good to see a veteran and yes I remember being on a canoe with the paddle steamer behind, a little unsettling. "Mum can they see us?! Wave wave!?"

 

[Nemo14]

Wow - I love this thread! So many magical memories!

 

[MickeyTigg]

I was touring with Led Zepplin so...I don't remember much of 1985.

 

[mikeanabean]

(Summer of) 1985 Memories:

Return to Oz float in Main Street Electric Parade, disappeared without warning when the movie bombed. Suddenly, the parade was 3 to 5 minutes shorter. :lol:

Magic Kingdom open until 1:00 a.m., Main Street 1:30 a. m.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (and 20,000 mile long queue!)

Kitchen Cabaret

85 cent popcorn

Tinkerbell took her first flight to start the fireworks show!

no lids at all and only paper straws for drinks

no napkins for ice cream or popcorn on the wagons

No Pleasure Island, Disney-MGM Studios, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach or Animal Kingdom (Church St Station, Wet and Wild and River Country were the places to be!)

Ah, those were some days! :wave:

(definitely no boat from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT Center - as has been pointed out, there were "friendship boats" to take you from Future World to World Showcase inside EPCOT, but the direct connection between EPCOT Center and the Ticket & Transportation Center at the Magic Kingdom was the Monorail.)

Ah the paper straws.

 

[MKCP 1985]

Horizons had the multiple endings.

Anyone else remember when guests could ride the double decker bus in Epcot?

One of my room-mates on the CP was hired to drive the double decker bus. It was thought the trek around the World Showcase lagoon was too long for the average person, so guests had the options of taking the friendship boats or the double decker bus. There was a spiel he had to memorize, although I have no idea what they had to say.

Yes, there was a monorail fire incident that summer, and it made the local television newscast.

Ray, the only show Led Zeppelin played in 1985 was their reunion gig at Live Aid! I remember it was carried on the local rock station, and I remember hearing them break into Stairway to Heaven on a little portable AM/FM radio we had in the outdoor foods garage. Luckily, one of my roommates taped it for me. (prized possession)

 

[marni1971]

Robotwolf - welcome! What a great first post. I hope you have some more interesting tales to tell!

Smee - you wouldn`t have seen the Swan or Dolphin under construction then. Groundgreaking wasn`t until 1988! The studios didn`t break ground until March 1986 either. Interesting.

 

[MickeyTigg]

Ray, the only show Led Zeppelin played in 1985 was their reunion gig at Live Aid! I remember it was carried on the local rock station, and I remember hearing them break into Stairway to Heaven on a little portable AM/FM radio we had in the outdoor foods garage. Luckily, one of my roommates taped it for me. (prized possession)

Wow...the last thing I remember was going on tour...then it was 1986.

:lookaroun

 

[jeffb]

So if you could go back to EPCOT 1985, what five things would you do?

Here are mine:

1. Journey into Imagination ver 1.
2. Horizons
3. Build a Coaster in Communicore
4. SMRT-1 in Communicore
5. Gaze at SSE (with the original 4 glass / acrylic? towers) from the front entry without having to see the wand and the leave a legacy tombstones.

 

[jmvd20]

So if you could go back to EPCOT 1985, what five things would you do?

Here are mine:

1. Journey into Imagination ver 1.
2. Horizons
3. Build a Coaster in Communicore
4. SMRT-1 in Communicore
5. Gaze at SSE (with the original 4 glass / acrylic? towers) from the front entry without having to see the wand and the leave a legacy tombstones.

1. Horizons
2. Spaceship Earth - Fully functional, quit track, and great audio
3. World of Motion
4. Journey into Imagination
5. Repeat above until Illuminations starts

 

[mikeanabean]

Wasn't there some sort of musical act or something @ the Odessey resturant during that time?

 

[marni1971]

There were regular charecter meals in Odyssey back when management decided to keep it open.

 

[Teenchy]

Ah the paper straws.

You stole my thought.

Of all the great things mentioned and remembered you had to bring up those paper straws that gave me the willies! :lol:

I also have some old passes from the past with my digital photo printed on it. I would love to "cash it in" on my next visit, but now its such a cool memory I dont think I can. Not to mention it a whole "Picture of Dorian Gray" thing, keeping me looking younger!:lol:

 

[Maryssa*]

Aw this thread makes me sad.

The original Journey Into Imagination was and still is my #1 favorite thing in all of Disneyworld. I actually just watched a video clip of the whole ride last night and I was just so sad that it's gone forever.

I agree that EPCOT was *the* coolest thing ever back then. I remember doing the roller coaster building and that other game where you had to match colored luggage to people at an airport. I can remember waiting like 2 hours to get on Living With the Land... and at my age at the time (7) waiting that long for a ride REALLY sucks. Imagination also had a ridiculously long line. Horizons is also sorely missed... I loved the song for it.

All the pavillions were so new and all "went" together... they all had their cool little circle icons and I thought that was so awesome. These days Epcot just seems so much more.. disjointed or something. While the theme of innovations still remains, there was just something so much more fitting about the old Epcot.

 

[disney9752]

wow 1985, rocket jets, cop with the old song, the mark IV monorails with the manual doors, discovery island, the disney inn, no convention center at contemporary, could you still park at the lobby entrance?? i cant remember... and last but not least MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE was in its glory in mk.

 

[wedway71]

MAN DO I REMEMBER 1985!!!!
I was a sophomore in High School and had to do a report on what career I wanted to have when older.Being a Disney freak I did one on working WDW.As a 15 year old I thought being a career Monorail pilot would do me just fine for a living-lol. Anyway I called Disney Casting(which was a set of trailors back then) and they sent me a bunch of info and a cool brochure about working for Disney.I still have that brochure in perfect condition.Its so retro to see the brochure showing all of the 80s CMs and their costumes and typical 80s haircuts with the 80s version of the Disney Look.

I also love 85 since it was a great year for Epcot in its hayday.

OK im singing "MEMORIES IN THE CORNER OF MY MIND"

 

[figmentmom]

Our first trip to WDW was in 1988, so I can't speak to what the place was like in '85! :lol: I can, however, assure you that our trip in '88 was absolutely magical in every way. One of our favorite rides was Horizons - the kids LOVED making that decision about the ending of the ride - and one of their favorite memories of that fiirst trip to EPCOT is meeting Figment and Dreamfinder outside Imagination.

 

[dm77]

I miss 1985, Tom Sawyers as well as Discovery Island were still around.