Who Else Remembers the 1964 New York World's Fair???

[iankh]

This is a copy over from a reply I gave to Viki's reply to my recent solo trip to WDW:

OK Viki, you got me started now... Do you remember the Illinois pavillion and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln?

Did the 1964 NY World's Fair begin a facination for you with Disney and theme parks? They did for me. I was 9 years old at the me. I have to admit, every time I go to Epcot, it is just a little bit like the first time I went to the World's Fair.

I also loved the Traveller's Insurance Company Pavillion where you went on a journey through time, and of course, General Motor's Futurama Pavillion! That was the best.

I also loved AT&T's pavillion where you could try out a real working picture-phone!

Oh, oh, and Goodyear's giant ferris wheel that looked like a big tire!

Geez how I loved that vision of the future, plenty of open space and clean air for everyone (according to GM) and a world filled with happy, durable sherbet colored plastics.

I really do think that the World's Fair is the reason I love Disney World so much.

[wallyb]

Viki Got Me Started too -
Got me started on her trip report that is!
:rolleyes1 :rolleyes1 :rolleyes1

An (as yet) unfinished work of art.
:sad: :sad: :sad:

[Viki]

This is a copy over from a reply I gave to Viki's reply to my recent solo trip to WDW:

OK Viki, you got me started now... Do you remember the Illinois pavillion and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln?

Did the 1964 NY World's Fair begin a facination for you with Disney and theme parks? They did for me. I was 9 years old at the me. I have to admit, every time I go to Epcot, it is just a little bit like the first time I went to the World's Fair.

I also loved the Traveller's Insurance Company Pavillion where you went on a journey through time, and of course, General Motor's Futurama Pavillion! That was the best.

I also loved AT&T's pavillion where you could try out a real working picture-phone!

Oh, oh, and Goodyear's giant ferris wheel that looked like a big tire!

Geez how I loved that vision of the future, plenty of open space and clean air for everyone (according to GM) and a world filled with happy, durable sherbet colored plastics.

I really do think that the World's Fair is the reason I love Disney World so much.

Wow! I don't know how I missed this thread the first time around, but it certainly deserves a response, if not a full-blown resurrection!

In fact, it's downright weird; I was just wondering yesterday if my passion for WDW was fueled by my family's visit to the World's Fair? Last night they reran an oldy but goody about WDW on the Travel Channel and there it was again - Walt's passion for the Fair and its tie-in with "It's a Small World" and what eventually became the World Showcase in Epcot.

Thanks for raising this!

[iankh]

Wow! I don't know how I missed this thread the first time around, but it certainly deserves a response, if not a full-blown resurrection!

In fact, it's downright weird; I was just wondering yesterday if my passion for WDW was fueled by my family's visit to the World's Fair? Last night they reran an oldy but goody about WDW on the Travel Channel and there it was again - Walt's passion for the Fair and its tie-in with "It's a Small World" and what eventually became the World Showcase in Epcot.

Thanks for raising this!

I know that my interest in WDW is definitely linked to the New York World's Fair.

If Carousel of Progess is open when I visit I always have to go in. I'm transported back to the amazement I had when I was 8 years old. Also, when just walking right in, I always chuckle a bit, thinking back to the 120 minute waits to see Carousel of Progess back in 1964/65 at the fair.

Also 2+ hours to see It's a Small World, if you can believe that.

[Viki]

I know that my interest in WDW is definitely linked to the New York World's Fair.

If Carousel of Progess is open when I visit I always have to go in. I'm transported back to the amazement I had when I was 8 years old. Also, when just walking right in, I always chuckle a bit, thinking back to the 120 minute waits to see Carousel of Progess back in 1964/65 at the fair.

Also 2+ hours to see It's a Small World, if you can believe that.

Oh, I beleive it! I was only six years old, so I don't remember in as much detail as you - you must be very old :), but I certainly remember the heat and the lines. I have a vivid image of getting in a line that went on 4-EVER. It's part of the reason I will not stand in lines at WDW. Been there, done that.

Funny, though, that even with getting sick that night (too much heat, too many lines), my overall impressions are positive and, like yours, keep playing themselvs out at the World.

So, was anyone else there???

[DVC~OKW~96]

No. :( But I was a at the 1967 World Expo in Montreal. :)

[Viki]

No. :( But I was a at the 1967 World Expo in Montreal. :)


That counts! Do you have any Disney connections you can make between the two, even if only because of the gosh darn lines?

[DVC~OKW~96]

Oh absolutely! I think it's the main reason I am a total WS freak. The thing I remember most about the WE in Montreal is the many different pavilions from the many different countries. In Japan the CM there used chopsticks on my long hair (didn't all "good girls" have long hair then? LOL) to demonstrate how versatile they were. Iran was a beautiful pavilion and very exotic. (Shah days). The US was a trip! It was a huge globe (shades of Spaceship Earth) and I loved the Habitat.

All sorts of new foods to try, Germany, Norway, England... sound familiar? :D

Yep, even the monorail!!!

Loved it then, love it now.

[Viki]

Oh absolutely! I think it's the main reason I am a total WS freak. The thing I remember most about the WE in Montreal is the many different pavilions from the many different countries. In Japan the CM there used chopsticks on my long hair (didn't all "good girls" have long hair then? LOL) to demonstrate how versatile they were. Iran was a beautiful pavilion and very exotic. (Shah days). The US was a trip! It was a huge globe (shades of Spaceship Earth) and I loved the Habitat.

All sorts of new foods to try, Germany, Norway, England... sound familiar? :D

Yep, even the monorail!!!

Loved it then, love it now.

Hey! I wasn't born yesterday ... I'm thinking, let's see, maybe there's a connection with ... er World Showcase???

[DVC~OKW~96]

Yep, yep, yep! The WS freak! That's me! :D

[Viki]

Yep, yep, yep! The WS freak! That's me! :D

Me too. It's one of the reasons we love BCV - whenever we want we just wander over the Interational Bridge and there we are, at the feet of the World.

[Psychometrika]

I went to the fair in utero. Does that count? It really WAS a small world after all. :rotfl:

[DVC~OKW~96]

LOLOLOL! Well, do you remember anything? LOL!

Viki, we do too. Like to stay at the BCV that is. Particularly during the FWF!

[iankh]

I was 9 years old in 1964.

Going to the fair was a complete, experience. We travelled all the way from Brighton near Coney Island in Brooklyn to the Fair in Flushing, Queens.

I remember that it was a very long trip, but what was very exciting was that the trains to the Fair on the flushing line were new and repainted to give them a streamlined, futuristic look.

When you entered, you immediately saw the Unisphere just like you see Spaceship Earth when you enter Epcot.

There are many many many similarities between the Fair and Epcot.

One of my favorite pavillions of all was the GM Futurama exhibit. It was a ride through and you ultimately got to see what a city of the 21st century was going to look like. The old Horizons was a hell of a lot like GM's Futurama.

So yes, everytime I go to WDW, I recall, both in MK and Epcot the World's Fair.

[Missy1961]

Hi! I was very little when the World's Fair was in NY, but I lived a subway stop away, and we went often. (we lived in Long Island City). I was 3 & 4 during the time period. But I do have some memories of it. I remember crying in terror when Mickey Mouse approached me! And now I go out of my way to visit him. A lot of my memories are from the family movies my dad took. I kind of remember It's A Small World & Mr. Lincoln & I made sure I saw that when I went to DL in 1995.

And of course, I still see the Fairgrounds when I go to Shea Stadium to watch the Mets!

[iankh]

OK, I am very excited. I found this link to a TV commercials for the 1964/65 World's Fair, so click and relive the memories with me:

http://www.carouselofprogress.com/commercials.wmv

It is REALLY FABULOUS!

[TuckandStuiesMom]

seeing previews of it on the news reels @ the thee-ater, making a diorama in a shoe-box about it in school, & getting ALL thrilled & excited about maybe... possibly... potentially going (I was 10).
Then my parent's house's 100+ year old (probably something like that anyway) pipe connecting to the city sewer system collapsed into a stinking, bubbling, oozing depression in the front yard.
There went our vacation savings.
There went our trip.
I think the first time I heard Mick Jagger wailing about "you CAIN'T always GIT what you WA-ANT", this is the event I flashed on.
So YEAH! There IS a connection for me! Thwarted desire! :rotfl:
:rockband:
Ahm gittin' what Ah WA-ANT now,
Ahm gittin' what Ah NEEEED!
Ahm gonna SPEND all ma MUNNY,
See a MOUSE and a BEAR and his HUNNY!
-----
p.s. -- I'm gonna check out IanK's link now and try to remember what pavilion my diorama was supposed to represent...

HAVE A GREAT DAY, EVERYBODY! :wave2:

[iankh]

p.s. -- I'm gonna check out IanK's link now and try to remember what pavilion my diorama was supposed to represent...

I made dioramas too! (Do kids still make dioramas?).

I also remember making a model of the Unisphere for school out of construction paper.

[Viki]

seeing previews of it on the news reels @ the thee-ater, making a diorama in a shoe-box about it in school, & getting ALL thrilled & excited about maybe... possibly... potentially going (I was 10).
Then my parent's house's 100+ year old (probably something like that anyway) pipe connecting to the city sewer system collapsed into a stinking, bubbling, oozing depression in the front yard.
There went our vacation savings.
There went our trip.
I think the first time I heard Mick Jagger wailing about "you CAIN'T always GIT what you WA-ANT", this is the event I flashed on.
So YEAH! There IS a connection for me! Thwarted desire! :rotfl:
:rockband:
Ahm gittin' what Ah WA-ANT now,
Ahm gittin' what Ah NEEEED!
Ahm gonna SPEND all ma MUNNY,
See a MOUSE and a BEAR and his HUNNY!
-----
p.s. -- I'm gonna check out IanK's link now and try to remember what pavilion my diorama was supposed to represent...

HAVE A GREAT DAY, EVERYBODY! :wave2:

Oh, my gosh, that's sad, bordering on TRAGIC!!!

[Viki]

OK, I am very excited. I found this link to a TV commercials for the 1964/65 World's Fair, so click and relive the memories with me:

http://www.carouselofprogress.com/commercials.wmv

It is REALLY FABULOUS!

Oh, darn, that link failed for me; I tried it a couple of times but to no effect.

[iankh]

Oh, darn, that link failed for me; I tried it a couple of time but to no effect.

I just checked in again and it is working. Do you have some sort of pop-up blocker that may be preventing it?

It is a windoze media file that you'd be opening, so you would need the media player.

[DVC~OKW~96]

Wow! That's one heck of a video! 15 cents for a "train ride" and $2 admission! Sheesh.

[iankh]

Wow! That's one heck of a video! 15 cents for a "train ride" and $2 admission! Sheesh.

As I recall, I think the adminssion price to the Fair was considered quite expensive at the time.

You have to remember that rent on a 2 bedroom apartment was about $45 or $50 a month at the time. I do remember being able to get a lunch of a slice of pizza and a coke for about 20 cents. So, $2 was a bit high comparatively.

[Viki]

I couldn't run the commercial, but I watched the slides. Wow, that memories they bring back!

[DVC~OKW~96]

I do remember buying a slice of pineapple (spear) in the Staten Island Ferry terminal for 5 cents. That was in... ummmm...1970! I was totally awed.

So, yeah. It would be relatively costly in retrospect. Heck, you could purchase a house for $30,000. Maybe not in the actual city, but upstate for sure. New car? $2,000 easy.

Times they sure did change.

[FergieTCat]

I was only 3 or 4 when I went, but I do have vague memories. I remember being in that Goodyear Tire ferris wheel with my brother (he would have been 11). I can't imagine why my mother would do that, but she did.

When I first visited WDW in 1981, I was happy to see IASW and COP. It sent me right back to childhood.