When The World Was Young: Trips to WDW in the 70's & 80's **NEW PICS pg. 15 (9/13)**

[randy4au]

While putting together my recent trip report (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1525129), I became nostalgic about my childhood trips to Walt Disney World. So I borrowed some of my mom's photos from those trips and scanned them so that I could share with you guys (my aunt is also going to let me borrow some of her photos to scan when she visits in a few weeks...I'll add those to this thread later). Obviously, the memories of what happened during those trips aren't quite fresh on my mind, so there won't be much meat to the actual reports. But I hope you will enjoy seeing the pics.

I'll first begin with a little family background which will introduce the people who accompanied me on those first trips in the 70's and 80's. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I am born...oops...my apologies Mr. Dickens...didn't mean to plagiarize (LOL). I was born on August 27, 1968, and then in the spring of 1972, my parents divorced. I was their only child (although when I was 23, my dad had a second child...so I now have a half-sister who's young enough to be my own daughter...LOL). Here's a photo of me when I was about 3 months old:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/Randy-3mo.jpg

After the divorce, my mom and I moved in with my grandmother (her mother), who is known by her grandchildren as Mama Jewell, and we lived with her until the fall of 1976. I also stayed with Mama Jewell during the day (while my mom was at work) in the summertime until I was old enough to stay at home by myself, so she played a big role in my upbringing.

My mom has one sister, Montez, who is 4 years older than her. Montez briefly attended college in Texas where she met her husband, Sinclair. They have two children: Sharon (4 years older than me) and Kenneth (one year older than me). Here is a photo of Sharon, Kenneth, and I in April of 1969 when I was only 8 months old:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/Sharon-Randy-Kenneth-4-69.jpg

In 1970 (a year after that photo was taken), my aunt, uncle, and cousins moved to Dallas, Texas. My uncle grew up in Texas, but moved to Birmingham when he married my aunt. He was working as a manager for Kroger in Birmingham before they moved. Kroger was a major player in the Birmingham grocery market during the 1960's, but by 1970, they began closing their stores here (they completely pulled out of the Birmingham market around 1971). So Sinclair decided to move his family to his home state of Texas (I'm not sure if he was transferred by Kroger or if he started working for another grocery chain at that time...I'll have to ask him).

As you all know (or should know...shame on you if you don't...LOL), Walt Disney World opened in October of 1971. My aunt (who shares the vacation-planning gene that I inherited) began making plans to visit WDW soon after it opened. I'm not sure if she originally intended to ask my parents and I to join them (prior to their divorce) or if she made that decision after my parents divorced in the spring of '72--perhaps she felt that my mom and I would enjoy a fun vacation after enduring the pain of the divorce. Anyway, plans were made for both of our families, along with my grandmother, to take a vacation to Florida in June of 1972. This would begin an annual tradition that continued until I graduated from high school. Every summer, my aunt and her family would come to Birmingham to vacation with us, and every December, my mother, grandmother, and I would spend Christmas at their house in Dallas (the only exception being 1973 when we visited Texas for summer vacation, and they came to Birmingham for Christmas). In addition to several vacations at WDW, we visited other places over the years such as Gatlinburg and Washington, DC (we went there in 1976 to celebrate the Bicentennial).

Anyway, now that you know who accompanied me during my first visits to WDW, I'll begin the first trip report.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1: June 1972 - My First Trip to WDW
APPEARS LATER IN THIS POST (scroll down)

PART 2: Summer of 1975 - Second Trip to WDW
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20270314&postcount=18

PART 3: Summer of 1980 - Third Trip to WDW
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20277506&postcount=28

PART 4: Summer of 1983 - Fourth Trip to WDW
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20289035&postcount=39

PART 5: February 1986 - Fifth Trip to WDW
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20296113&postcount=43

PART 6: The 21-Year Hiatus
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20316184&postcount=60

PART 7: Edited Pics - 1972
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20336399&postcount=85

PART 8: Edited Pics - 1975
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20400662&postcount=95

PART 9: Edited Pics - 1983
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20438468&postcount=119

PART 10: Additional pics from my mother (1972-1983)
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20534087&postcount=158

PART 11: Additional pics from my aunt (1975)
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20762641&postcount=209

PART 12: Other Family Vacations (1976 & 1977)
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20782423&postcount=222

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PART 1: June 1972 - My First Trip to WDW

My first visit to Walt Disney World took place about 2 months before my 4th birthday, so I do not remember very much about that trip. Our main destination was actually Daytona Beach, Florida. All seven of us piled into one car for the long drive to Florida--my aunt, uncle, and mother in the front seat (yes, 3 adults could sit in the front seat of a car back then as center consoles were not common at that time); and my grandmother, 2 cousins, and I in the back seat. Keep in mind that cars were much larger in the 1970's than the average car today, but we were still quite cramped. We only spent one day at WDW that year and returned to our motel (there's a word you don't hear much these days...LOL) in Daytona that night. I really need to ask my mother and aunt if they remember any details about that trip worth sharing, but I'm sure they've forgotten a lot after 35 years. If I do find out anything worth mentioning, I'll add it later. So this report about my first visit to WDW will mainly consist of the photos I scanned earlier today (well, it's after midnight now, so that would have been yesterday).

My mom was using a Kodak instamatic camera at that time. Does anyone remember those square photos with white borders (often with the date imprinted on the border during film processing)? Well, if you weren't old enough to have seen them when they were in vogue, perhaps you've seen them in your parents' or grandparents' photo albums. I was tempted to edit the color and image quality of these scans in PhotoShop, but that would have detracted from the nostalgia of seeing these old photos.

OK, the first photo is of Main Street Station. It still looks the same today (with a few minor exceptions such as the later addition of population and elevation figures on the sign):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646493/original.jpg

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Likewise, City Hall still looks basically the same today:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646496/original.jpg

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Now here is something you won't see today. This omnibus carried passengers along Main Street until moving to Epcot in 1982:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646498/original.jpg

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More Main Street scenes:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646503/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646501/original.jpg

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See those trees planted in the hub in front of Cinderella's Castle? Well, they're not there any longer. I'm not sure exactly when they were removed, but someone eventually wised up to the fact that they were blocking the view of the castle (and would have blocked it even more as they grew taller over the years). Only a few smaller trees can be found in the center of the hub today:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646505/original.jpg

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Here's the gang (minus my mother who shot the photo) in front of the castle. My mother doesn't appear in any of the photos I scanned today since she shot them all. Hopefully I'll have some photos that include her when my aunt loans her photos in a few weeks. And I have no clue as to why we're standing to the right instead of centered with the castle (LOL):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646508/original.jpg

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Now I know that there is another close-up shot of me and my cousins standing on the ramp leading to the castle. I'll have to remind my mother of that photo and see if she can find it.

Here is a side view of the castle and moat. CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THE CASTLE TODAY COMPARED TO ITS ORIGINAL APPEARANCE IN 1972?

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646510/original.jpg

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I don't remember the exact route we took when touring the Magic Kingdom that day, but I'm assuming like many first time visitors, we turned right at the hub, beginning at Tomorrowland and circling around the perimeter of the park to Adventureland. Unfortunately, my mom didn't shoot any photos of Tomorrowland. I would love to see how it looked in 1972, especially since Space Mountain had not yet been added at that time. Perhaps my aunt has some photos of it from that trip (I'll soon find out).

One attraction that could be found at Tomorrowland when the park opened in 1972 (and for many years afterward) was the Skyway to Fantasyland. The Skyway is now only a memory, but the former stations at either end still remain. Apparently from the photos, we rode the Skyway from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland that day. Here are a couple of photos shot during the ride:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646512/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646514/original.jpg

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And in this photo, you can see the Skyway towering above Fantasyland:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646516/original.jpg

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Here I am with my grandmother, aunt, and two cousins in Fantasyland:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646517/original.jpg

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Standing in line at the Haunted Mansion:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646519/original.jpg

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Here is the Admiral Joe Fowler, the original riverboat at Walt Disney World. It would be joined the following year by a second riverboat, the Richard F. Irvine. The Admiral Joe Fowler featured twin smokestacks which were in front of the cab, while the Richard F. Irvine only has one smokestack located behind the cab. Only the Irvine riverboat remains in service today. It was rechristened the Liberty Belle in the mid-90's (and no, I didn't know all of that trivia...I just looked it up on the internet when I noticed that the riverboat in this picture wasn't the same one I photographed during my trip last month...LOL):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646521/original.jpg

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And here I am wearing my first pair of Mickey Mouse ears with the riverboat and Haunted Mansion in the background:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646522/original.jpg

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I'm guessing this photo was taken at the Jungle Cruise:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646524/original.jpg

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Here I am with my grandmother and cousin Sharon on the bridge between Adventureland and the Hub:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646527/original.jpg

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And one last photo looking towards Adventureland from the Hub:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646529/original.jpg

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Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20270314&postcount=18) to continue to PART 2: Summer of 1975

[TrueEeyore]

That is so awesome!!! Great idea! Can't wait to see more.


You were a cute kid :thumbsup2

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I love that you decided to post about your old trips. It is really neat looking at all the old photographs. It is really amazing how technology has progressed.

You were a cutie as a child and I just love all the retro 70's clothes we are seeing in these photos:rotfl:

Can't wait for your next update:thumbsup2

[Cory's Gal]

Very cool trip report!! I can't wait to read more and see more of those pics!! Thank you for sharing them!!:goodvibes

[StephaBabe50]

This is great, I cant wait to see more!:thumbsup2

[LMO429]

AWESOME!!!!! I love the old skool pictures and tr!!! Keep up the great work!!!!

[randy4au]

Thanks Heather, Lessa, Cory's Gal, Stephanie, and LMO429! I only wish that the scans were larger. I used the scanner at my inlaws house. Apparently it doesn't produce enlarged images like my old scanner. Perhaps I'll bring them to work this week and try for better results with the scanner here.

OK, I'm going to start working on Part 2 now. Look for it in a little while!

[tabby1881]

Great pictures! I'm so glad that you posted pictures of the skyway. I was beginning to think that I had imagined such a ride at MK! I was there in 1975 for the first time. Back in the E ticket days! Thank you for a great report and wonderful pictures!:cool1:

[Leger13]

This report is awesome!! I love all the old pictures and seeing the "origional" WDW!! It's crazy to see how the World has become what it is today from what it was in it's early years. And wow, the crowds @ that time were so small!!

[SnoopyDancer]

This is going to be another great trip report! It's fun looking at the old pictures. I didn't realize that Space Mountain wasn't part of the original Disney. Fantasyland looks a little odd with the sky buckets, but I kind of like them.

Do you still have your first set of Mickey ears? Did they put names on them back then? They look a lot different.

I didn't know Kroger was ever in the Bham area. I didn't hear of Kroger until I went to college in Kentucky. I thought all Bham had was the Bruno's stores (FoodWorld, FoodMax, etc.), Winn-Dixie, and Piggly Wiggly. We don't have Winn-Dixies in Nashville, but everytime I think of Winn-Dixie I think of sweet tarts. For some reason, I have always associated Winn-Dixie with the smell of sweet tarts.

[Leger13]

I'm subscribing again!! I accidentally clicked the "unsubscribe" button.

DOH!! :headache:

[lookingforward]

Love it! Can't wait to see more.:thumbsup2

[Gregory]

:thumbsup2 Thanks for posting such a GREAT Trip Report. What a fantastic idea. I haven't seen a lot of the World when it first opened so this is a treat. Thanks for sharing. :surfweb:

[randy4au]

Great pictures! I'm so glad that you posted pictures of the skyway. I was beginning to think that I had imagined such a ride at MK! I was there in 1975 for the first time. Back in the E ticket days! Thank you for a great report and wonderful pictures!:cool1:

Thanks tabby1881! Oh, yes...the days of ticket books. I'm go glad they stopped using those. For those who don't know what we're talking about, in the early years at WDW, you were given ticket books with a certain number of lettered tickets (using the letters A through E). Each ticket category was for specific rides and attractions with E tickets being for the most thrilling rides. You can see an example at this link:

http://allearsnet.com/tix/abcde.jpg

This report is awesome!! I love all the old pictures and seeing the "origional" WDW!! It's crazy to see how the World has become what it is today from what it was in it's early years. And wow, the crowds @ that time were so small!!

Thanks Leger13! Yeah, it's neat to see how WDW has changed over the years (and also how some things still look the same). When I finish the trip reports, I may do a "Now and Then" post comparing some of these old pics with similar shots from my trip last month.

BTW, no one has yet to answer my question about how the castle has changed since 1972. Does anyone have a guess? Compare these pics of the castle to ones taken recently, and see if you can see if you can figure out the answer. ;)

This is going to be another great trip report! It's fun looking at the old pictures. I didn't realize that Space Mountain wasn't part of the original Disney. Fantasyland looks a little odd with the sky buckets, but I kind of like them.

Do you still have your first set of Mickey ears? Did they put names on them back then? They look a lot different.

I didn't know Kroger was ever in the Bham area. I didn't hear of Kroger until I went to college in Kentucky. I thought all Bham had was the Bruno's stores (FoodWorld, FoodMax, etc.), Winn-Dixie, and Piggly Wiggly. We don't have Winn-Dixies in Nashville, but everytime I think of Winn-Dixie I think of sweet tarts. For some reason, I have always associated Winn-Dixie with the smell of sweet tarts.

Thanks SnoopyDancer! Sadly my first set of mickey ears disappeared long ago. I can't remember if you could have them monogrammed back in the 70's.

When I was a kid, we had Food World (launched by Bruno's in '71 or '72...all existing Bruno's stores were changed to this new name at that time, and eventually, Bruno's stores were opened again as a more upscale chain), Winn-Dixie, Western, Piggly Wiggly, A&P, and Liberty. A&P and Liberty were gone by the end of the 70's or in the early 80's. Food Giant had entered the market by that time. Western eventually sold many of its stores to Delchamp's (I worked two summers at the Western in Center Point). Delchamp's eventually went out of business, and more recently, the remaining Western Supermarkets closed too. When Publix, Wal Mart, and Target entered the local market, Winn-Dixie closed several of its stores but is still around.

Love it! Can't wait to see more.:thumbsup2

Thanks lookingforward!

:thumbsup2 Thanks for posting such a GREAT Trip Report. What a fantastic idea. I haven't seen a lot of the World when it first opened so this is a treat. Thanks for sharing. :surfweb:

Thanks Gregory! I'm really glad I decided to create this thread because people really seem to be enjoying it. :)

[Jamie77]

Wow! Great photos, Randy. My dad visited the Magic Kingdom in '72 and through your photos, I'm now seeing some of what he saw. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait for Part 2.

[Disfan3]

very cool!!

popcorn::

[randy4au]

Thanks Jamie77 and Disfan3!

[randy4au]

PART 2: Summer of 1975 - Second Trip to WDW

After our first visit to WDW, we spent the next two summer vacations in Texas (1973) and the Smoky Mountains (1974). While we had a great time during those 2 summers, everyone was anxious to return to WDW, so my aunt began planning our 2nd trip which took place during the summer of 1975.

By this time, I was 6 years old (going on 7) and had just finished first grade. This is the first trip to WDW that I can actually remember, although after 32 years, I certainly can't recall every detail. Once again, we all loaded into my uncle's car (that year he was driving a Ford LTD)--3 adults in front, and 1 adult plus 3 kids in the back--and made the long drive to Orlando. I don't remember exactly where we stayed. All I know is that it was an off-site motel (there's that word again). This time around, we spent at least 2 days visiting Walt Disney World, and that was plenty of time to see everything since the Magic Kingdom was still the only theme park at the resort back then.

1975 is the year that WDW finally got a roller coaster as Space Mountain made its debut in Tomorrowland. I can only imagine that a lot of teens and pre-teens may have found the Magic Kingdom lacking in the thrill department during its first 4 years of operation before Space Mountain was added (it would be an even longer wait until the other "mountains"--Big Thunder and Splash--joined the line-up).

As you can imagine, my cousin Kenneth (who was now 8) and I were VERY eager to ride Space Mountain (I can't rember if my cousin Sharon shared our excitement). We already knew that it was some type of roller coaster. My mother, however, did not know what it was. I remember that the line was extremely long, although now that I am the father of a six-year-old who thinks that a 5 or 10 minute wait is an eternity, the line may not have been quite as long as I thought it was at that time. But this being Space Mountain's first year of operation and with all the excitement of the first major thrill ride opening at the Magic Kingdom, I'm pretty sure the line was as long as I remember it being (fastpasses were unheard of in those days).

As we progressed through the line, my mother could hear the periodic screams coming from the ride. Eventually, she figured out that it was an indoor roller coaster and became terror-stricken. But I insisted that she ride it with me, and being the overprotective mother that she is, I'm sure she did not want me riding without her. So she was brave and resisted the urge to flee towards the exit. Now my cousin Kenneth has always tried to act tough and macho, so as usual, he pretended to have no fear--UNTIL the ride started, at which time he screamed to his dad "ARE WE GOING TO DIE?" :lmao: :rotfl2:

Anyway, we all survived our first ride on Space Mountain. I absolutely loved it. Kenneth, although terrified at first, loved it too (or at least pretended to love it to avoid anyone thinking he was scared). My mother, however, was visibly shaken and saying stuff like "I can't believe y'all got me on that thing" and "I'll never ride that again." One thing I remember well is the RCA-sponsored "Home of Future Living" (1975-1985) through which you passed on the moving sidewalk as you exited Space Mountain.

The other rides that I remember most fondly from that trip were Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and the Haunted Mansion. Boy, do I miss Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (for those who don't know, it was replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh). It was great! I also was sad to find the Haunted Mansion closed for renovations during my visit last month. I loved that ride so much back in 1975, and I returned home with a Haunted Mansion 45 rpm record (for the youngsters reading this, that's a vinyl disc played on a phonograph, aka record player...LOL) which I listened to often. I also was captivated by the monorail that year, and it became my ambition to become a monorail driver I grew up. :thumbsup2

One night during that trip, we went to the luau at the Polynesian Resort. The only thing I remember from that night is that when we posed for a family photo in the lobby of the Polynesian, some kid snuck into the picture. My cousin and I were so mad about that (I think Kenneth wanted to beat him up...LOL).

OK, now it's time for some pictures. Keeping up with the Joneses, my mom upgraded to a pocket-sized Kodak Instamatic camera sometime between 1972 and 1975. These very popular cameras used Kodak's new 110-format, drop-in film cartridges, and while the resulting prints were no longer square and lacked the white borders of their predecessors, they weren't quite as wide as photos printed today. These prints also featured rounded corners.

My mom only loaned me 7 photos from that trip to scan. I know there are a few more that she forgot to give me, including a photo of me with a red, sunburned face lying on the bed in our hotel room surrounded by Disney characters. I sent her an e-mail about that today, so hopefully I'll be able to post the missing pics--along with any that my aunt lets me borrow--soon.

Main Street USA:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646631/original.jpg

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A shot from one of the transportation vehicles on Main Street (not sure what type of vehicle we were riding):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646632/original.jpg

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Here's the gang (except for my mother) in front of the castle. Somehow this image turned out darker after being scanned:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646634/original.jpg

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And here I am in front of the castle, obviously on a different day since I'm wearing a different outfit:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646635/original.jpg

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Here is my aunt and grandmother outside of the Enchanted Tiki Room:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646636/original.jpg

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Kenneth and I somewhere in Adventureland:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646637/original.jpg

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And finally a photo from the Jungle Cruise:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646639/original.jpg

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Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20277506&postcount=28) to continue to Part 3: Summer of 1980

[SnoopyDancer]

I am learning so much trivia. Were you the one who said you were a trivia buff? I'm getting my threads confused, but I think it's you. Why did they get rid of the orginal steamboat? Did it burn down or something?

Thanks for reminding me about Liberty. I remember going there when I visited my great grandmother!

Sounds like Space Mtn. was a blast. Reading about your cousin reminds me of A Christmas Story or The Wonder Years. I know they are totally different eras, but the "are we going to die" quote was too funny. Where's the luau picture?

[buffy0214]

Hiya! I followed the link from your trip report. BTW I'm on page 4 and having trouble seeing the pics at the end of post 52 and in post 58. Is it just me?

Cool idea posting the nostolgic photos. I, too, became nostolgic about past trip when writing my pre-trip (shamless plug here) and I'm going to ask my mom about any past photos she might have. It is really neat seeing the Kingdom back in the day. No one is around ya'll in that castle photo! Oh, and I have no idea what is different about the castle.

"ARE WE GOING TO DIE?" :lmao: :rotfl2:

Yeah, man, your first time on Space Mountain will do that to you.

[Lesprivate]

Awesome pictures! I wish I had some of the photos from my trips as a kid. Every summer my mother would take us girls (me and my 2 sisters, by herself to Florida from NY. My father stayed home most trips to work) to Disney World on the way to see my great grandfather in south Florida.

[randy4au]

I am learning so much trivia. Were you the one who said you were a trivia buff? I'm getting my threads confused, but I think it's you. Why did they get rid of the orginal steamboat? Did it burn down or something?

Thanks for reminding me about Liberty. I remember going there when I visited my great grandmother!

Sounds like Space Mtn. was a blast. Reading about your cousin reminds me of A Christmas Story or The Wonder Years. I know they are totally different eras, but the "are we going to die" quote was too funny. Where's the luau picture?

Yes, that's me...the trivia buff! Here is what I found out about the original riverboat:

In 1980, the Admiral Joe Fowler was taken to dry dock for routine rehab. While the boat was being lifted by crane, it slipped and the hull was completely destroyed. The boat was then retired due to "mechanical problems". The broken boat was taken to the backstage "bone yard" for awhile before being buried somewhere on the property.

I don't think my mom has any photos from the luau. Perhaps my aunt will have some in the batch of photos she's promised to let me borrow in a few weeks.

Hiya! I followed the link from your trip report. BTW I'm on page 4 and having trouble seeing the pics at the end of post 52 and in post 58. Is it just me?

Cool idea posting the nostolgic photos. I, too, became nostolgic about past trip when writing my pre-trip (shamless plug here) and I'm going to ask my mom about any past photos she might have. It is really neat seeing the Kingdom back in the day. No one is around ya'll in that castle photo! Oh, and I have no idea what is different about the castle.

Yeah, man, your first time on Space Mountain will do that to you.

Hmmm...not sure why you were having trouble seeing the pics at the end of those two posts. I just looked at those posts and all the pics downloaded for me. Perhaps it was just a glitch with the server at that particular time. Sometimes when photos are downloading slower than normal, the server will time out, and the some photos will fail to download. If you follow the links at the end of each part of that trip report, it will open the next part in a new window, and you won't have to deal with waiting for photos in other parts of the report to finish downloading. Here are the links directly to those posts. Let me know if you're still experiencing problems with the pics.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19942192&postcount=52

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19944994&postcount=58

Awesome pictures! I wish I had some of the photos from my trips as a kid. Every summer my mother would take us girls (me and my 2 sisters, by herself to Florida from NY. My father stayed home most trips to work) to Disney World on the way to see my great grandfather in south Florida.

Thanks Lesprivate!

[jwwi]

My castle guess is that it is no longer white, now it is more of a grey color.

I love the old pictures. We have a great picture of our 28y/o DD smelling the flowers on a cart on main st. She was about 23 mo old, we had her recreate that shot when she was about 15, it is so cute. Gotta love the Disney memories.

Can't wait for more..............

[scottny]

First great report. I wish I had my old pics but they are long gone. Now for the part not to be mad at.
I copied 2 pics and tried to fix them in photoshop. Sorry just experimenting.,
here r the results. Not sure if it did anything, still waiting for new eyeglass prescription. :rotfl2:

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g134/scottny/wdw1972-05.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g134/scottny/wdw1972-05a.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g134/scottny/wdw1975-04.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g134/scottny/wdw1975-04a.jpg

See a difference????

[QTMichele]

GREAT idea, Randy!!! GREAT pictures too!

[hjd0411]

Fabulous, Randy - I'm loving it!! Looking forward to more!!

Thanks.

[randy4au]

My castle guess is that it is no longer white, now it is more of a grey color.

I love the old pictures. We have a great picture of our 28y/o DD smelling the flowers on a cart on main st. She was about 23 mo old, we had her recreate that shot when she was about 15, it is so cute. Gotta love the Disney memories.

Can't wait for more..............

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Yes, jwwi, you are correct! Specifically, the lower portion of the castle (the fortress walls) is now grey.

Compare:

1972
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-08.jpg

2007
http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/82556157/original.jpg

First great report. I wish I had my old pics but they are long gone. Now for the part not to be mad at.
I copied 2 pics and tried to fix them in photoshop. Sorry just experimenting.,
here r the results. Not sure if it did anything, still waiting for new eyeglass prescription. :rotfl2:

See a difference????

Thanks Scott! I did start off editing the color of the first pics with PhotoShop but felt that it detracted from their nostalgic quality. I wanted this series of trip reports to evoke the sensation of looking through an old photo album. However, one of my plans to keep this thread alive after the trip reporting is completed is to edit some or all of the previously-posted photos in PhotoShop and post them in this thread.

GREAT idea, Randy!!! GREAT pictures too!
Fabulous, Randy - I'm loving it!! Looking forward to more!! Thanks.

Thanks Michele and Heather!

[randy4au]

PART 3: Summer of 1980 - Third Trip to WDW

Another 5 years passed until we decided to return to Walt Disney World for our third visit. I was now 11 going on 12 at this time, and my cousins were 16 and 13. Obviously, the three of us were not going to fit in the backseat of a car with my grandmother as we'd done on the first two trips. My paternal grandfather had recently purchased a conversion van and allowed us to borrow it for our trip. The four adults sat comfortably in captain's chairs up front, while my cousins and I kept ourselves entertained sitting on the u-shaped seating area that surrounded a small table in the rear. Mad Libs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs) books were very popular at that time, and we spent hours enjoying them along the way.

This was the first time we stayed at an onsite resort. My aunt reserved a unit at the Vacation Villas (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/70s/7530-626152.jpg) that was large enough to sleep all 7 of us. The Vacation Villas looked like an apartment complex and were located directly across Village Lake from Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/70s/0111-2000.jpg) (later renamed Walt Disney World Village and now known as Downtown Disney Marketplace). This area of villas (that eventually became known as the Vilage Resort in the 80's) also included the Treehouse Villas (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/70s/7530-626150.jpg) and the Fairway Villas (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/70s/7530-626149.jpg). Eventually the villas became part of the Disney Institute and then were torn down to make way for the Saratoga Springs Resort.

In 1980, Magic Kingdom was still the only theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. However, construction of Epcot (which would open 2 years later) was already underway. The Magic Kingdom was basically unchanged since our last visit, and Space Mountain was still my favorite ride. The only major change at MK was the addition of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but it would not be completed until later that year. So we were teased with a glimpse of a great new thrill ride that we wouldn't be able to ride until our next visit. But the anticipation of visiting Epcot is what made us most anxious to return for another visit to WDW.

I'm not sure why, but my mother didn't include any photos from this trip in the batch of photos she loaned to me the other day. I'll have to see if she can locate them, and I'm also hoping that my aunt will include photos from this trip in the batch of photos she is going to let me borrow. If and when I obtain photos from this trip, I will add them to this thread.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20289035&postcount=39) to continue to PART 4: Summer of 1983

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

That is very cool that you got to stay at the villas. I have heard a lot about them here on the DIS.

[randy4au]

That is very cool that you got to stay at the villas. I have heard a lot about them here on the DIS.

Yeah, but it's kinda sad that they're gone now--especially the Treehouse Villas which were my favorite. :sad1:

[buffy0214]

Hmmm...not sure why you were having trouble seeing the pics at the end of those two posts.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19942192&postcount=52
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19944994&postcount=58

Thanks for the links! (BTW the links at the end of the posts are VERY helpful) I can see them now. I was using my wireless so maybe that had something to do with getting timed out?:confused3 Andrew laughing at Eeyeore and trying to grab him is so cute! I love the HOP pics. I haven't seen HOP in a long while so I'm on a mission this time to see it. Okay, I'll stop commenting on your other report.

ScottNY, I think the pics came out great. It's amazing what you can do with pictures now. I do think, Randy, that the yellowed photos add to the nostalgic feel. I hope your Aunt can find some more.

[william4192]

staying tuned!

[Leger13]

again, awesome pictures and awesome trivia and such. Great job!! :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 Also, I would never of even noticed about the bottom of the castle being changed had you of pointed it out and I've been going to WDW since the '80's haha :laughing: Shows how much I pay attention.

[randy4au]

Thanks for the links! (BTW the links at the end of the posts are VERY helpful) I can see them now. I was using my wireless so maybe that had something to do with getting timed out?:confused3 Andrew laughing at Eeyeore and trying to grab him is so cute! I love the HOP pics. I haven't seen HOP in a long while so I'm on a mission this time to see it. Okay, I'll stop commenting on your other report.

You're welcome! Yes, Andrew with Eeyore was too cute! (perhaps that will arouse the curiosity of those viewing this thread who haven't seen my other trip report...LOL)

staying tuned!

Welcome aboard, William!

again, awesome pictures and awesome trivia and such. Great job!! :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 Also, I would never of even noticed about the bottom of the castle being changed had you of pointed it out and I've been going to WDW since the '80's haha :laughing: Shows how much I pay attention.

Thanks Leger13! I'm always happy to spread the trivial knowledge around. ;)

[randy4au]

I wasn't pleased with the results I got from the scanner at my inlaws' house, so I have scanned all of the photos over again on the much better scanner in my office at work. I'm much more pleased with the results this time. Not only are the scans larger, but the image quality is better too. I'll finish all the editing and uploading tonight and replace the old scans with the new ones.

[FauntleroyFAN07]

I thought I would come over and check this out, I still am on the first page, just wanted to let you know I am here.

:thumbsup2

[TheLastPrincess]

I love seeing the World as a Young World!! I remember WDW from the 80s. I actually sort of miss the 80s incarnation of WDW. Like when you went to Epcot and actually got a "preview" of new technology so that next year when your friends got all that new technology, you said, "Oh yeah, I saw that last year at EPCOT Center." Sigh. The good old days!

[randy4au]

I thought I would come over and check this out, I still am on the first page, just wanted to let you know I am here.

Glad to have you here Dan! :thumbsup2

I love seeing the World as a Young World!! I remember WDW from the 80s. I actually sort of miss the 80s incarnation of WDW. Like when you went to Epcot and actually got a "preview" of new technology so that next year when your friends got all that new technology, you said, "Oh yeah, I saw that last year at EPCOT Center." Sigh. The good old days!

Glad you're enjoying these old photos! I agree about missing the original incarnation of Epcot. My first visit to Epcot is coming up in Part 4 which I'm about to post!

[randy4au]

PART 4: Summer of 1983 - Fourth Trip to WDW

I'm sure that my aunt began planning our next visit to Walt Disney World shortly after our third trip in 1980 as we were all eager to see Epcot when it finally opened. Just as we had visited the Magic Kingdom during its first year of operation, our fourth WDW trip would take place during Epcot's first year of operation.

This would also be the last time that all 7 of us would visit WDW together--and our group now included 8 members. My cousin Sharon (now 19) had become married a year earlier (right after graduating from high school), and her husband, Tony, would be joining us for this trip. It would be his first time to visit WDW, but definitely not his last. He and Sharon have returned numerous times with their two daughters over the years.

I was 14 going on 15 at this time, and my cousin Kenneth had just turned 16. We thought we were too cool to hang out with our parents, so we spent most of the time exploring the World apart from them. Therefore, my mom didn't have any photos with me in them from this trip. But here is a photo of Kenneth and I at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN the year before to give you an idea of what we looked like at this time (with the exception of being a year older):

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/KennethRandy1982.jpg

.

Once again, we stayed within the WDW resort, but this time we stayed at two hotels: 2 nights at the Contemporary Resort Hotel and 3 nights at the Howard Johnson Resort Hotel (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/NDP/hj91-01.jpg) at Lake Buena Vista (now the Holiday Inn at Downtown Disney). While at the Contemporary Resort Hotel, we stayed in the south garden wing (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/70s/7530-0277.jpg), and at the Howard Johnson, we stayed in the wing overlooking the pool (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/NDP/hj91-03.jpg).

At the Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was now in operation, so we finally had two options available to get our coaster fix. However, we spent little time at the Magic Kingdom that year because Epcot, which we'd been anxiously waiting to see, was now open. I was extremely impressed when we finally visited Epcot, which was then known as EPCOT Center (Epcot was written in all capital letters until 1994 since it was an acronym for the Experimental [b]Prototype Community Of Tomorrow that Walt Disney had envisioned before his death). We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the World's Fair in Knoxville a year earlier, and Epcot was like a World's Fair on steroids!

At the time of our first visit to Epcot, Future World consisted of Spaceship Earth, CommuniCore (now Innoventions), Universe of Energy (minus Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy), World of Motion (now Test Track), and The Land (minus Soarin'). World Showcase debuted with all of the present-day pavilions except for Morocco and Norway. Because I love architecture, travel, history, and learning about future technology, I felt the same excitement and enthusiasm during my first visit to Epcot that I had once felt during my first two visits to the Magic Kingdom as a small boy. Thus began my love affair with Epcot that still continues to this day.

The travel-lover in me couldn't get enough of the World Showcase. The pavilions that I enjoyed the most were Canada, France, and Germany. I fell in love with Canada after seeing the O Canada! CircleVision 360 film. Eventually I would make two visits to Canada--to Banff in 1995 where my wife and I celebrated our first anniversary (we stayed in the fabulous Banff Springs Hotel which is featured in the film at Epcot's Canada pavilion) and to Vancouver and Whistler in 2000. I also enjoyed watching Impressions de France at the France Pavilion (I haven't yet visited France but hope to some day...my 6-year-old son wants to go to Paris after seeing Ratatouille...LOL). I was impressed by the charming Bavarian architecture of the Germany pavilion, and the most memorable meal of that trip was at Oktoberfest. My experience at the Germany pavilion would eventually inspire my only other trip outside of the United States when my wife and I visited Germany (and Austria) in 1999.

Now for the photos. By now my mom was using a Kodak disc camera which had become very popular after being introduced in 1982. However, the image quality really didn't improve much from the instamatic film of the 70's. In fact, that camera probably produced more bad shots than her previous two instamatic cameras. I hope my aunt has better photos to share.

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646985/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646986/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646987/original.jpg

.

The only basic differences between World Showcase in 1983 and today is the addition of Norway and Morocco and the fact that the landscaping and trees have matured. If you look at the World Showcase photos in my other trip report (see link in signature), you can see the difference.

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646988/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646989/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646990/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646991/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646992/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646993/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646994/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646995/original.jpg

.

And finally, here's the only people shot my mom loaned me. This is my cousin Sharon with her husband Tony at the Walt Disney World Village (now Downtown Disney Marketplace) with the Empress Lilly (now Fulton's Crab House) behind them:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646996/original.jpg

.

One other thing worth mentioning about this trip is the mischief that Kenneth and I got into. I mentioned in a previous report that Kenneth was always trying to be tough and macho, even at an early age. By the time he reached his teens, he had become quite rebellious and was always getting into trouble. I, on the other hand, was Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes who tried to stay out of trouble. However, Kenneth was very persuasive and intimidating, and whenever I was around him (particular during our teen years), he was always trying to corrupt me and talking me into doing things I wouldn't have normally done.

Since we spent most of the time apart from our parents during this trip, the door for mischief was wide open. Kenneth got me to try smoking cigarettes for the first time, and we thought we were so cool walking around smoking. Cigarettes were readily available in vending machines in those days, so it was very easy for minors to get them. One day we decided to go from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT Center. We had just entered the line for the monorail to Epcot and were smoking when I spotted our parents way ahead of us in line. Kenneth, the rebellious one, didn't act like he was too concerned if they saw him smoking, but I was so worried that they would see us (if they hadn't already) and quickly got rid of the cigarette I was smoking. Fortunately, they didn't see us, or I would probably have been grounded for the rest of the summer. ;)

Another mischievious thing we did was pushing each other around the Magic Kingdom in a rental wheelchair that someone had abandoned (at least I hope it was abandoned...LOL). During my turn being pushed in the chair, a parade passed by. Cast members from the parade apparently felt sorry for me and kept giving me stuff as they walked past. It was extremely difficult to keep from bursting out in laughter, but I managed to keep a straight face. How embarrassing!!!

One day at the Howard Johnson hotel, Kenneth locked me out on the balcony of our room. There I was trapped on the balcony 6 floors up on a hot, summer day, and he left the room. The pool area was six floors below, and I yelled for someone to help me but could not be heard from that distance due to all the noise from people in the pool. Eventually, Kenneth let me back inside, and I was mad at him the rest of the day.

.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20296113&postcount=43) to continue to Part 5: February 1986

[jwwi]

Trivia winner checking in.:yay: Not sure where I read that about the castle, but when I saw your picture from your earlier trip it just stood out. I really am not good at trivia in general, but when it comes to disney, and my 24+ trips, it's easy.

I love to see all the old pictures, my first trip was in Spring of 72'. Offsite of course. The only low point to staying onsite in my many visits was our stay at the fairway villas of the Disney Institute. The room was very large, big loft bedroom, sico king in living area and lower level room had 2 double beds. 2 1/2 baths and full kitchen. But it sure needed an update, we had stayed in a 2 Bdrm at OKW when it was new, so this was quite a step down. The biggest plus to that visit, Dec 99', was the openning of Rock n Roller coaster. Still one of my favorite rides.

Keep up the great report, I sure can relate to getting in trouble with my cousin................:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[randy4au]

I love to see all the old pictures, my first trip was in Spring of 72'. Offsite of course. The only low point to staying onsite in my many visits was our stay at the fairway villas of the Disney Institute. The room was very large, big loft bedroom, sico king in living area and lower level room had 2 double beds. 2 1/2 baths and full kitchen. But it sure needed an update, we had stayed in a 2 Bdrm at OKW when it was new, so this was quite a step down. The biggest plus to that visit, Dec 99', was the openning of Rock n Roller coaster. Still one of my favorite rides.

That's cool that you were also there during WDW's first year of operation and only 2 or 3 months before my first visit. The villas were only 5 years old when we stayed in them, so obviously they were much nicer at that time.

[randy4au]

I wasn't pleased with the results I got from the scanner at my inlaw's house. Not only were they a little smaller than I was hoping for, it seems that their scanner (or the program I was using on their computer) automatically adjusts the contrast (and in some of the scans, there was way too much contrast). So, I took the photos to work today and scanned them again...this time with much better results. For those of you who've already visited this thread before, look back at the previously posted photos, and you will see that I've added larger, better-looking photos. I'm still waiting to improve them using PhotoShop in a future post in this thread.

Here is a comparison between one of the old scanned images and the new, improved version:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/wdw1972-15.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw_1972_15.jpg

[randy4au]

PART 5: February 1986 - Fifth Trip to WDW

Before telling about this trip, I must give a little background. I went to a private Christian school from 3rd through 12th grade. My future wife, Cindy, also attended this school, and our families both attended the church that operated the school. Cindy and I had known each other for a long time and had become good friends by this time, but it would be 6 years later before we actually started dating. In February of 1986, when I was a senior and Cindy was a junior, our church youth group invited all interested juniors and seniors to attend "college days" at a bible college in Lakeland, Florida. The invitation was also extended to students at our school, and even though we had no intentions of attending this college after graduation, the opportunity to take a trip to Florida and miss a few days a school was to tempting to resist.

About 15 to 20 people signed up for the trip, including Cindy and I, and the group made the long drive down to Lakeland, Florida in two vans. This was only about 2 weeks after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, so it was quite sobering to be in Central Florida that soon after the event which was still so fresh on everyone's mind. The highlight of the trip was going to be a day trip to Walt Disney World which is less than an hour away from Lakeland. Everyone was given the choice between going to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot. Most chose to go to the Magic Kingdom. Cindy and I were among the minority who chose to go to Epcot. So when the day came for the WDW trip, one van departed for the Magic Kingdom, and the other departed for Epcot. When we arrived at Epcot, we discovered that Epcot was going to be open two hours later than the Magic Kingdom, and the few of us who chose to go there would later rub it in when we saw those in the other group who had to leave WDW two hours after we did. :)

In addition to the attractions that were at Epcot when I visited two years earlier, Future World now included The Living Seas (now known as The Seas with Nemo & Friends), which had opened only one month earlier, and Horizons (later replaced by Mission: Space) which opened a few months after my first visit in '83. The only pavilion at World Showcase that had been added since my previous visit was Morocco.

When Cindy and I (only friends at this time) were watching O Canada! at the Canada pavilion, we had no clue that one day we'd be spending our first anniversary at one of the sites featured in the film--the Banff Springs Hotel--or that we'd also visit Vancouver (also featured in that film) 14 years later while she was carrying our first child in her womb. And when we strolled through the Germany pavilion, we had no clue that this was merely a preview of the trip to Germany we'd be taking together 13 years later. So during that trip, World Showcase became Future World as we unknowingly previewed scenes from our future married life.

Anyway, I did not have a camera with me during that trip, so I have no photos to share. But here is a photo taken of me about 7 months later (when I was a freshman in college) to give you an idea of what I looked like at that time:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/Randy1986.jpg

.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20316184&postcount=60) to continue to Part 6: The 21-Year Hiatus

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Great updates! That is so cool that you and Cindy went to the same school and had a trip to Epcot together way before you were a couple.

[randy4au]

Great updates! That is so cool that you and Cindy went to the same school and had a trip to Epcot together way before you were a couple.

Thanks Lessa! Yeah, it is cool. I guess that trip to Epcot was almost like a first date...accompanied by friends...LOL!

BTW, I need to check out what I've missed in your thread during the last day or two. I'll try to do that tomorrow!

[katdocnorf]

PART 4: Summer of 1983 - Fourth Trip to WDW


Once again, we stayed within the WDW resort, but this time we stayed at two hotels: 2 nights at the Contemporary Resort Hotel and 3 nights at the Howard Johnson Resort Hotel (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/NDP/hj91-01.jpg) at Lake Buena Vista (now the Holiday Inn at Downtown Disney). While at the Contemporary Resort Hotel, we stayed in the south garden wing (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/70s/7530-0277.jpg), and at the Howard Johnson, we stayed in the wing overlooking the pool (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/NDP/hj91-03.jpg).




I had stayed at the Howard Johnson in 1989. It doesn't look like it had changed much in those 6 years. I can't find my pics of that trip. I found just a couple. I know I had one from our balcony of the pool. I believe we were on the 9th floor overlooking the pool. I love looking at old pictures. I started a thread, although no one has posted anything to it in awhile, for anyone to post old and nastalgic type items. Some of yours would be interesting to add. And you may get a kick out of some others have posted as well.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1518476

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES....

[randy4au]

I had stayed at the Howard Johnson in 1989. It doesn't look like it had changed much in those 6 years. I can't find my pics of that trip. I found just a couple. I know I had one from our balcony of the pool. I believe we were on the 9th floor overlooking the pool. I love looking at old pictures. I started a thread, although no one has posted anything to it in awhile, for anyone to post old and nastalgic type items. Some of yours would be interesting to add. And you may get a kick out of some others have posted as well.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1518476

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES....

Glad you enjoyed the thread, Kathy! Thanks for letting me know about your thread. Once things slow down in this thread and my other trip report thread, I may add some pics to your nostalgia thread (I'm still waiting to receive more photos from my mom and aunt at this time...I'll try to pick some of my faves once I have the entire collection). I also found a link to this thread in the one you directed me too:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1117864

BTW, those photos of Howard Johnson and the villas weren't mine. I didn't have any to post, so I posted links to photos that I found elsewhere on the net. ;)

[Leger13]

PART 4: Summer of 1983 - Fourth Trip to WDW

I'm sure that my aunt began planning our next visit to Walt Disney World shortly after our third trip in 1980 as we were all eager to see Epcot when it finally opened. Just as we had visited the Magic Kingdom during its first year of operation, our fourth WDW trip would take place during Epcot's first year of operation.

This would also be the last time that all 7 of us would visit WDW together--and our group now included 8 members. My cousin Sharon (now 19) had become married a year earlier (right after graduating from high school), and her husband, Tony, would be joining us for this trip. It would be his first time to visit WDW, but definitely not his last. He and Sharon have returned numerous times with their two daughters over the years.

I was 14 going on 15 at this time, and my cousin Kenneth had just turned 16. We thought we were too cool to hang out with our parents, so we spent most of the time exploring the World apart from them. Therefore, my mom didn't have any photos with me in them from this trip. But here is a photo of Kenneth and I at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN the year before to give you an idea of what we looked like at this time (with the exception of being a year older):

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/KennethRandy1982.jpg

.

Once again, we stayed within the WDW resort, but this time we stayed at two hotels: 2 nights at the Contemporary Resort Hotel and 3 nights at the Howard Johnson Resort Hotel (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/NDP/hj91-01.jpg) at Lake Buena Vista (now the Holiday Inn at Downtown Disney). While at the Contemporary Resort Hotel, we stayed in the south garden wing (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/70s/7530-0277.jpg), and at the Howard Johnson, we stayed in the wing overlooking the pool (http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/NDP/hj91-03.jpg).

At the Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was now in operation, so we finally had two options available to get our coaster fix. However, we spent little time at the Magic Kingdom that year because Epcot, which we'd been anxiously waiting to see, was now open. I was extremely impressed when we finally visited Epcot, which was then known as EPCOT Center (Epcot was written in all capital letters until 1994 since it was an acronym for the Experimental [b]Prototype Community Of Tomorrow that Walt Disney had envisioned before his death). We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the World's Fair in Knoxville a year earlier, and Epcot was like a World's Fair on steroids!

At the time of our first visit to Epcot, Future World consisted of Spaceship Earth, CommuniCore (now Innoventions), Universe of Energy (minus Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy), World of Motion (now Test Track), and The Land (minus Soarin'). World Showcase debuted with all of the present-day pavilions except for Morocco and Norway. Because I love architecture, travel, history, and learning about future technology, I felt the same excitement and enthusiasm during my first visit to Epcot that I had once felt during my first two visits to the Magic Kingdom as a small boy. Thus began my love affair with Epcot that still continues to this day.

The travel-lover in me couldn't get enough of the World Showcase. The pavilions that I enjoyed the most were Canada, France, and Germany. I fell in love with Canada after seeing the O Canada! CircleVision 360 film. Eventually I would make two visits to Canada--to Banff in 1995 where my wife and I celebrated our first anniversary (we stayed in the fabulous Banff Springs Hotel which is featured in the film at Epcot's Canada pavilion) and to Vancouver and Whistler in 2000. I also enjoyed watching Impressions de France at the France Pavilion (I haven't yet visited France but hope to some day...my 6-year-old son wants to go to Paris after seeing Ratatouille...LOL). I was impressed by the charming Bavarian architecture of the Germany pavilion, and the most memorable meal of that trip was at Oktoberfest. My experience at the Germany pavilion would eventually inspire my only other trip outside of the United States when my wife and I visited Germany (and Austria) in 1999.

Now for the photos. By now my mom was using a Kodak disc camera which had become very popular after being introduced in 1982. However, the image quality really didn't improve much from the instamatic film of the 70's. In fact, that camera probably produced more bad shots than her previous two instamatic cameras. I hope my aunt has better photos to share.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_01.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_02.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_03.jpg

.

The only basic differences between World Showcase in 1983 and today is the addition of Norway and Morocco and the fact that the landscaping and trees have matured. If you look at the World Showcase photos in my other trip report (see link in signature), you can see the difference.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_04.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_05.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_06.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_07.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_08.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_09.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_10.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_11.jpg

.

And finally, here's the only people shot my mom loaned me. This is my cousin Sharon with her husband Tony at the Walt Disney World Village (now Downtown Disney Marketplace) with the Empress Lilly (now Fulton's Crab House) behind them:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/wdw_1983_12.jpg

.

One other thing worth mentioning about this trip is the mischief that Kenneth and I got into. I mentioned in a previous report that Kenneth was always trying to be tough and macho, even at an early age. By the time he reached his teens, he had become quite rebellious and was always getting into trouble. I, on the other hand, was Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes who tried to stay out of trouble. However, Kenneth was very persuasive and intimidating, and whenever I was around him (particular during our teen years), he was always trying to corrupt me and talking me into doing things I wouldn't have normally done.

Since we spent most of the time apart from our parents during this trip, the door for mischief was wide open. Kenneth got me to try smoking cigarettes for the first time, and we thought we were so cool walking around smoking. Cigarettes were readily available in vending machines in those days, so it was very easy for minors to get them. One day we decided to go from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT Center. We had just entered the line for the monorail to Epcot and were smoking when I spotted our parents way ahead of us in line. Kenneth, the rebellious one, didn't act like he was too concerned if they saw him smoking, but I was so worried that they would see us (if they hadn't already) and quickly got rid of the cigarette I was smoking. Fortunately, they didn't see us, or I would probably have been grounded for the rest of the summer. ;)

Another mischievious thing we did was pushing each other around the Magic Kingdom in a rental wheelchair that someone had abandoned (at least I hope it was abandoned...LOL). During my turn being pushed in the chair, a parade passed by. Cast members from the parade apparently felt sorry for me and kept giving me stuff as they walked past. It was extremely difficult to keep from bursting out in laughter, but I managed to keep a straight face. How embarrassing!!!

One day at the Howard Johnson hotel, Kenneth locked me out on the balcony of our room. There I was trapped on the balcony 6 floors up on a hot, summer day, and he left the room. The pool area was six floors below, and I yelled for someone to help me but could not be heard from that distance due to all the noise from people in the pool. Eventually, Kenneth let me back inside, and I was mad at him the rest of the day.

.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20296113&postcount=43) to continue to Part 5: February 1986

I absolutely love seeing all the pictures of the origional Epcot. I'm looking forward to seeing the ball once again in all it's glory w/o the wand! :yay:

Shame on you for causing so much trouble @ Epcot!! :laughing: j/k. That's pretty funny though about all the trouble you could've gotten in but got away with. I would have been ticked too about being locked on the balcony. Your cousin probably thought it was hillarious, huh?

[Leger13]

PART 5: February 1986 - Fifth Trip to WDW

Before telling about this trip, I must give a little background. I went to a private Christian school from 3rd through 12th grade. My future wife, Cindy, also attended this school, and our families both attended the church that operated the school. Cindy and I had known each other for a long time and had become good friends by this time, but it would be 6 years later before we actually started dating. In February of 1986, when I was a senior and Cindy was a junior, our church youth group invited all interested juniors and seniors to attend "college days" at a bible college in Lakeland, Florida. The invitation was also extended to students at our school, and even though we had no intentions of attending this college after graduation, the opportunity to take a trip to Florida and miss a few days a school was to tempting to resist.

About 15 to 20 people signed up for the trip, including Cindy and I, and the group made the long drive down to Lakeland, Florida in two vans. This was only about 2 weeks after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, so it was quite sobering to be in Central Florida that soon after the event which was still so fresh on everyone's mind. The highlight of the trip was going to be a day trip to Walt Disney World which is less than an hour away from Lakeland. Everyone was given the choice between going to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot. Most chose to go to the Magic Kingdom. Cindy and I were among the minority who chose to go to Epcot. So when the day came for the WDW trip, one van departed for the Magic Kingdom, and the other departed for Epcot. When we arrived at Epcot, we discovered that Epcot was going to be open two hours later than the Magic Kingdom, and the few of us who chose to go there would later rub it in when we saw those in the other group who had to leave WDW two hours after we did. :)

In addition to the attractions that were at Epcot when I visited two years earlier, Future World now included The Living Seas (now known as The Seas with Nemo & Friends), which had opened only one month earlier, and Horizons (later replaced by Mission: Space) which opened a few months after my first visit in '83. The only pavilion at World Showcase that had been added since my previous visit was Morocco.

When Cindy and I (only friends at this time) were watching O Canada! at the Canada pavilion, we had no clue that one day we'd be spending our first anniversary at one of the sites featured in the film--the Banff Springs Hotel--or that we'd also visit Vancouver (also featured in that film) 14 years later while she was carrying our first child in her womb. And when we strolled through the Germany pavilion, we had no clue that this was merely a preview of the trip to Germany we'd be taking together 13 years later. So during that trip, World Showcase became Future World as we unknowingly previewed scenes from our future married life.

Anyway, I did not have a camera with me during that trip, so I have no photos to share. But here is a photo taken of me about 7 months later (when I was a freshman in college) to give you an idea of what I looked like at that time:



this gave me chills that about you and your wife sharing all those experiances and not even knowing where you would be later in life. It's soooo weird how life works out in ways we never would've imagined when we were younger. How awesome that you guys have all those memories to look back on together. :thumbsup2

[TheLastPrincess]

[b][size=4][color=navy]

When Cindy and I (only friends at this time) were watching O Canada! at the Canada pavilion, we had no clue that one day we'd be spending our first anniversary at one of the sites featured in the film--the Banff Springs Hotel--or that we'd also visit Vancouver (also featured in that film) 14 years later while she was carrying our first child in her womb. And when we strolled through the Germany pavilion, we had no clue that this was merely a preview of the trip to Germany we'd be taking together 13 years later. So during that trip, World Showcase became Future World as we unknowingly previewed scenes from our future married life.



WOW!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! popcorn:: I feel like I'm watching a movie!

That reminds me of some moments I can remember at Disney. Watching Grand Marshals go by before the parade, thinking to myself, Who are those people and how did they get picked for that? I *wish* I could do that someday. But who am I kidding? I'M nobody special!

Or wishing I could go there on my honeymoon with my future DH. Thinking of the all the places I wanted to take him! Now I get to!

Perhaps unbeknownst to you at the time, your heart was making a wish. And it came true! (Sigh). Disney! :cloud9:

[william4192]

So what happened to Ken? Is he in Prision? On the Supreme Court?

[randy4au]

I absolutely love seeing all the pictures of the origional Epcot. I'm looking forward to seeing the ball once again in all it's glory w/o the wand! :yay:

Shame on you for causing so much trouble @ Epcot!! :laughing: j/k. That's pretty funny though about all the trouble you could've gotten in but got away with. I would have been ticked too about being locked on the balcony. Your cousin probably thought it was hillarious, huh?

You and me both. That wand had no business being on Spaceship Earth. ;)

Yeah, I'm sure Kenneth thought it was hilarious. He acted like it wasn't that big of a deal and said I was acting like a baby.

this gave me chills that about you and your wife sharing all those experiances and not even knowing where you would be later in life. It's soooo weird how life works out in ways we never would've imagined when we were younger. How awesome that you guys have all those memories to look back on together. :thumbsup2

Some people wonder why I love Epcot so much, but anyone who's read that thread can understand why it's such a special place to me. And it was so awesome returning to Epcot last month with Cindy as my spouse. :love:

WOW!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! popcorn:: I feel like I'm watching a movie!

That reminds me of some moments I can remember at Disney. Watching Grand Marshals go by before the parade, thinking to myself, Who are those people and how did they get picked for that? I *wish* I could do that someday. But who am I kidding? I'M nobody special!

Or wishing I could go there on my honeymoon with my future DH. Thinking of the all the places I wanted to take him! Now I get to!

Perhaps unbeknownst to you at the time, your heart was making a wish. And it came true! (Sigh). Disney! :cloud9:

You may be right...my heart may have been making a wish that came true. Congratulations on your recent marriage! I'm guessing from the link in your signature that you did not take a honeymoon right away. That is what happened to my wife and I. I had actually booked the aforementioned trip to Banff for our honeymoon, but one month before our wedding, I started a new job that required 4 weeks of training that I couldn't miss. So, we had to postpone the honeymoon and only got a honeyday after the wedding. So our first year anniversary trip to Banff was actually our postponed honeymoon. ;)

So what happened to Ken? Is he in Prision? On the Supreme Court?

How'd you guess? Kenneth got really messed up with drugs not long after that trip. About 2 years later, he, along with some friends, were arrested after months of stealing to get money for drugs. He went to prison, eventually got out but had a parole violation and went back for a longer term. He finally got out about 3 or 4 years ago and seems to have his life straightened out (I hope). :sad2:

[william4192]

How did I know? We all have a "Ken" in our lives. They never seem to make it to an "average" life. Either they are very successful or very NOT successful. My best wishes to Ken and I hope his life is on track...now keep the pics coming! :)

[randy4au]

How did I know? We all have a "Ken" in our lives. They never seem to make it to an "average" life. Either they are very successful or very NOT successful. My best wishes to Ken and I hope his life is on track...now keep the pics coming! :)

So true! Thanks for wishing him well. I'll post more pics tonight.

[CaptainH00k]

I finally made it in here! Great pictures, details, and information about Disney in the 70s and 80s compared to the 90s and 2000s.

I especially loved looking at the World Showcase in your '82 Epcot pictures and seeing how it hasn't changed a bit (except the two added countries you mentioned.)

My Mom told me about riding the Skyway when she went to Disney World in the 70s; it seemed like a pretty cool way of travelling from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland and vice versa.

That looks like a long line in your Haunted Mansion photo. You guys really should've gotten a FASTPASS for it! :)

Great thread as usual Randy!

[randy4au]

I finally made it in here! Great pictures, details, and information about Disney in the 70s and 80s compared to the 90s and 2000s.

I especially loved looking at the World Showcase in your '82 Epcot pictures and seeing how it hasn't changed a bit (except the two added countries you mentioned.)

My Mom told me about riding the Skyway when she went to Disney World in the 70s; it seemed like a pretty cool way of travelling from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland and vice versa.

That looks like a long line in your Haunted Mansion photo. You guys really should've gotten a FASTPASS for it! :)

Great thread as usual Randy!

Thanks Ethan! Yeah, I thought that line looked rather long considering that the crowd doesn't look that large in the other pics. I guess HM was a crowd favorite that year.

[QTMichele]

Randy,

We're going to Disney in less than two weeks! (YIPEE!) The last time I went, my girls were 4 years old and 6 months old. We had a great trip, but only because I had a "go with the flow" attitude. We didn't get to do nearly enough because of my baby (who was still nursing - a very fun thing to do in the theme parks ;)), but I'm hoping this trip we'll be able to fit more in. So, here's my question... Do you have any tips on travelling with the wee ones? We plan on going to the parks in the morning and leaving mid afternoon to visit my DH's brother who lives in Orlando before going back to the parks for our dinner ressies. Of course, we'll have the same "go with the flow" attitude as before (actually, my DH wasn't there - he hasn't been to Disney since her was a young boy), but I'd appreciate any of your Disney tips!

[randy4au]

Randy,

We're going to Disney in less than two weeks! (YIPEE!) The last time I went, my girls were 4 years old and 6 months old. We had a great trip, but only because I had a "go with the flow" attitude. We didn't get to do nearly enough because of my baby (who was still nursing - a very fun thing to do in the theme parks ;)), but I'm hoping this trip we'll be able to fit more in. So, here's my question... Do you have any tips on travelling with the wee ones? We plan on going to the parks in the morning and leaving mid afternoon to visit my DH's brother who lives in Orlando before going back to the parks for our dinner ressies. Of course, we'll have the same "go with the flow" attitude as before (actually, my DH wasn't there - he hasn't been to Disney since her was a young boy), but I'd appreciate any of your Disney tips!

Two weeks!!! Hooray!!! I think your plan about leaving mid-afternoon and returning for dinner sounds like a good plan, especially if one or both of your girls still takes naps. Austin (6yo) stopped taking naps about 2 years ago, and since our stroller reclines, Andrew (5mo) was able to nap whenever he needed to. So, we were able to stay at a park all day if we wanted to. But if Austin would have been 2 years younger, we definitely would have needed an afternoon break for his nap. Don't forget to bring snacks and drinks for them (we were so glad that WDW allows you to do that).

[QTMichele]

Two weeks!!! Hooray!!! I think your plan about leaving mid-afternoon and returning for dinner sounds like a good plan, especially if one or both of your girls still takes naps. Austin (6yo) stopped taking naps about 2 years ago, and since our stroller reclines, Andrew (5mo) was able to nap whenever he needed to. So, we were able to stay at a park all day if we wanted to. But if Austin would have been 2 years younger, we definitely would have needed an afternoon break for his nap. Don't forget to bring snacks and drinks for them (we were so glad that WDW allows you to do that).

Thanks for the tips - especially about bringing snacks and drinks into the park. We won't be bringing our own stroller, but do plan on renting one. The last time I went, my older daughter and niece (4 & 8 at the time) shared a stroller. They walked some of the time, but we encouraged them to ride as much as possible. I think this helped with their energy level. We'll do the same this year and hope for the best! My girls are 7.5 and almost 4 - much better ages this time around! :)

Thanks again!

[randy4au]

PART 6: The 21-Year Hiatus

After my fifth trip to WDW in 1986, it would be another 21 years before I returned for my sixth trip (last month). 3 months after the last trip, I graduated from high school and then attended college at Auburn University.

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/49942725/large.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/49984536/large.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/67131210/original.jpg

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During college, I worked every summer and never had time for a vacation. In 1992, Cindy and I began dating, and 2 years later, we got married.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/wedding2.jpg http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/wedding3.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/wedding6.jpg http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/wedding7.jpg

.

Cindy and I love to travel, and over the years we visited many places including Hawaii, Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Seattle. Just like the baby in the movie Baby's Day Out who went to all the places in his favorite storybook, several of the trips we've taken over the years seem to have been inspired by our day together at Epcot in 1986. Our first Epcot-inspired destination was to the Canadian Rockies where we spent our first anniversary at the fabulous Banff Springs Hotel. Our photo album from this trip has been packed up since we're moving in 2 weeks, so here's a photo I found on the net:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/banff_springs.jpg

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Four years later, we took our second Epcot-inspired trip to Germany (and Austria too). Here we are at Neuschwanstein:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/neuschwanstein4.jpg

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Originally, Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland was supposed to be an exact replica of Neuschwanstein (as seen in this early rendering of the park in the link below), but the design was later changed.

http://www.usc.edu/libraries/archives/la/disneyland/dland_model_1955.jpg

Our third Epcot-inspired trip was a return visit to Canada--this time to Vancouver, British Columbia in November of 2000. Here I am in Whistler, a popular resort town north of Vancouver:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/RandyinWhistler.jpg

.

So you're probably wondering if we love to travel so much, why didn't we go back to Walt Disney World sooner? Well, we talked about going back to Walt Disney World not long after we got married, but we decided to wait until we had children so that they could enjoy the magic of Disney along with us. Little did we know that our first child wouldn't arrive until 7 years later. We endured several years of inertility treatments and then a miscarriage until finally on March 10, 2001, our first son, Austin, was born:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/DSCF0038.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/Randy-Cindy-Austin-1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/DSCF0152.jpg

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During our childless, globetrotting years, people would say "enjoy it now, because when you have kids, you won't be able to travel very much." Not true for us. Four months after Austin's first birthday, we flew to Tampa, Florida to spend a week. My mother came along with us, and my aunt and uncle from Texas met us there (it was just like one of my childhood vacations--minus my grandmother and two cousins). Our primary reason for visiting Tampa was to see my great aunt who we had not seen in many years. Now in her 90's, she had been a widow for many years and had been living in the Tampa Bay area ever since she retired. We are all SO glad we decided to pay her a visit because about two or three years later, she passed away.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/DSCF0622.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/DSCF0627.jpg

.

While we were in Tampa, we decided to take a day trip to Orlando. We were torn between visiting Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. Since none of us had been to Universal Studios before, we decided to go there. Austin was a HUGE Barney fan at this time, so we knew that he would be so excited to see the Barney show at Universal.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/DSCF0495.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/DSCF0462.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/DSCF0376.jpg

.

Yes, I know some of you are still in shock that we chose Universal Studios over Walt Disney World (LOL), but we knew that one day just wasn't enough to spend at WDW, especially since 2 new parks had been added since our last visit. Besides, we knew that Austin wouldn't even remember this trip, and we wanted him to be old enough to fully enjoy AND remember his first trip to WDW.

Over the next four years, we weren't sure if we wanted to have any more children. When we first got married, Cindy wanted to have at least 2 or 3 children, but after having to wait so long for the first to come along, she was just glad to finally have one child. We were getting closer to 40, and in addition to being concerned about the greater risks of birth defects and other problems as she grew older, she was also worried about becoming a diabetic. During her first pregnancy, she had gestational diabetes, and her mom became a diabetic after giving birth to Cindy.

Once Austin turned 5, we thought he was at the perfect age for his first trip to WDW. So we began planning to take a trip later that year. Around the same time, Cindy decided that in spite of the risks, she wanted to try to have another child. Well, unlike the first time, it didn't take very long for her to become pregnant the second time. But now that she was pregnant, we decided to postpone our trip to WDW. As expected, Austin was disappointed, but we promised we would go as soon as possible.

On February 8 of this year, our second son, Andrew, was born (two weeks early):

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/IMG_2892.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/IMG_2897.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/IMG_2952.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/IMG_2967.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/80493890/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/80493896/original.jpg

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Well, it didn't take long for us to resume planning the trip to WDW that had been postponed last year. About a month after Andrew was born, we decided that we would go to WDW in July since Andrew would be 5 months old by then--old enough to enjoy the trip (even though he wouldn't remember it).

To find out the rest of the story, click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1525129) to read my other trip report.

But wait, that's not all! I promised to edit the photos presented earlier in this thread using PhotoShop to enhance the colors and image quality. I also plan to do a Now and Then comparison between some of the old pics and similar shots taken during our trip last month. However, I'll be out of town Friday through Sunday, so it may be next week before I get around to doing that (I'll see what I can get done tomorrow night).

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20336399&postcount=85) to continue to PART 7: Edited Pics - 1972

[scottny]

That last pic is adorable.

[randy4au]

That last pic is adorable.

I didn't expect anyone to read that last installment so quickly. :eek: :)

Thanks Scott!

[scottny]

I am going to bed and it popped up in email so i read it. Now I am off to bed.
Have a great weekend.

[Code]

Already posted on your other trip report, just subscribing here also :) This report is what inspired me to scan some of my mom's photos from my childhood WDW trips for use in my pre-trip! (though they definitely don't date back as far)

[randy4au]

I am going to bed and it popped up in email so i read it. Now I am off to bed.
Have a great weekend.

You have a great weekend too!

Already posted on your other trip report, just subscribing here also :) This report is what inspired me to scan some of my mom's photos from my childhood WDW trips for use in my pre-trip! (though they definitely don't date back as far)

:welcome: Code! I just read and responded to your reply in my other thread. I'm going to check out your pre-TR now!

[TheLastPrincess]

Randy, great pics, what a nice family love story...your boys are adorable! :goodvibes

[randy4au]

Randy, great pics, what a nice family love story...your boys are adorable! :goodvibes

Thanks Colleen! :)

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Once again. great update:thumbsup2 Your boys are adorable!

[randy4au]

Once again. great update:thumbsup2 Your boys are adorable!

Thanks Lessa! :)

[randy4au]

Since my boys were featured in the last update, I might as well share their latest professional portraits taken a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/83231576/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/83231579/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/83231581/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/83231583/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/83231586/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/83231589/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/83231591/original.jpg

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Randy, I am finally getting threw these pictures. I love to see how the park used to look and how it has changed, I really like how you can see different atrations and lands from others. The way they have it not, it is hard to see another land when you are in one. We used to love the skyway. I rember when I was a kid riding it. I thought it was the coolest that you could see the buildings that housed 20000 leagues under the sea. Back to the next installment.

:thumbsup2

[CaptainH00k]

Great new installments! I really enjoyed the Canada vacation pictures, as well as your wedding and, of course, the pictures of your little guys.

Andrew always looks so happy - I bet he's usually a good baby. :)

Looking forward to more!

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Comment on a few trips:

I love that you guys went down in the LTD, we had one growing up also....but that was in about 92ish. Very comfy car. Took many long trips in that thing.

I really like the monorail picture toward the contempary, that is a neat angle to take a picture.

Another attraction that I wished they would have kept was the Horizons. That was a great ride. i loved how you got to pick your ending and the orange smells that were in the groves. That was really fun. The other thing that was great about it was, my dads work would get him into the hospitality room for GE and we would always go up to the top of there and get V-8 juice and snacks. They had really good orange flavored candies in there. They also had a camera on top of the building that you could control and zoom into stuff going on in the park. There was a big TV that you watched it on. It would about make it to the other side and you could see people walking and stuff. Then we would go down the elevator and get on the ride before everyone waiting in line.

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Yah Im finished.

The wedding train on your wifes dress is very pretty, you dont see to many that long now adays. That Banff hotel is also breathtaking. Where exactly was that again? I would love to visit that place someday.
What do they have to do around there?

Good looking kids. You should watch out though it looks like a bear is about to get your baby.

:lmao:

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Your oldest son really takes after you, same facial features:thumbsup2

[randy4au]

Randy, I am finally getting threw these pictures. I love to see how the park used to look and how it has changed, I really like how you can see different atrations and lands from others. The way they have it not, it is hard to see another land when you are in one. We used to love the skyway. I rember when I was a kid riding it. I thought it was the coolest that you could see the buildings that housed 20000 leagues under the sea. Back to the next installment.

:thumbsup2

I used to love the Skyway too. I'm glad that Six Flags Over Georgia still has their Sky Buckets, but with these types of rides gradually disappearing from theme parks across the country, I don't know if they'll be around forever. I also miss 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. :sad1:

Great new installments! I really enjoyed the Canada vacation pictures, as well as your wedding and, of course, the pictures of your little guys.

Andrew always looks so happy - I bet he's usually a good baby. :)

Looking forward to more!

Thanks Ethan! Yes, Andrew is such a happy baby. He smiles at everyone and rarely gets fussy. He's just now starting to giggle a lot, and his little laugh is so cute. :)

Comment on a few trips:

I love that you guys went down in the LTD, we had one growing up also....but that was in about 92ish. Very comfy car. Took many long trips in that thing.

I really like the monorail picture toward the contempary, that is a neat angle to take a picture.

Another attraction that I wished they would have kept was the Horizons. That was a great ride. i loved how you got to pick your ending and the orange smells that were in the groves. That was really fun. The other thing that was great about it was, my dads work would get him into the hospitality room for GE and we would always go up to the top of there and get V-8 juice and snacks. They had really good orange flavored candies in there. They also had a camera on top of the building that you could control and zoom into stuff going on in the park. There was a big TV that you watched it on. It would about make it to the other side and you could see people walking and stuff. Then we would go down the elevator and get on the ride before everyone waiting in line.

The LTD we were riding in was a '75 model (I believe):

http://pics.thebiglot.com/430066.jpg
http://pics.thebiglot.com/430066_1.jpg
http://www.flee.com/ltd/brochure/ltdbrochure.htm

That GE hospitality room sounds awesome, especially the zoom camera. :thumbsup2

Yah Im finished.

The wedding train on your wifes dress is very pretty, you dont see to many that long now adays. That Banff hotel is also breathtaking. Where exactly was that again? I would love to visit that place someday.
What do they have to do around there?

Good looking kids. You should watch out though it looks like a bear is about to get your baby.

:lmao:

While packing up in preparation for our upcoming move, my wife pulled our her wedding dress and showed it to Austin. He said "that looks like Cinderella" (hey, her name is Cindy) and wanted her to wear it...LOL!

Banff Springs Hotel is in the resort town of Banff located in Banff National Park. The town is about 1-1/2 hours west of Calgary. Another famous spot in Banff NP is Lake Louise. Follow these links for more info:

http://www.banff.com/
http://www.banfflakelouise.com/
http://www.discoverbanff.com/
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/index_e.asp
http://www.banffnationalpark.com/
http://www.fairmont.com/banffsprings/

Your oldest son really takes after you, same facial features:thumbsup2

Yeah, Austin not only looks like me, he thinks and acts like me too. We often call him "Little Randy." ;)

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

BTW, I simply love Banff and I am glad that you and your wife have enjoyed your trips to Canada.

My dream if I ever were to get married is to have my wedding at the Banff Springs Hotel or the Chateau Lake Louise. They are absolutely beautiful both in the summer and the winter. Plus there is so much to do there!

Lovely hiking trails in the summer with swimming and water sports and in the winter there is of course skiing which is what Banff is famous for.:thumbsup2 And I would love to take a horse-drawn sleigh ride around the lake and forest.:love:

Did you visit Victoria when you were in Vancouver? I lived there for a few years and loved it. It is a really lovely city.

[randy4au]

BTW, I simply love Banff and I am glad that you and your wife have enjoyed your trips to Canada.

My dream if I ever were to get married is to have my wedding at the Banff Springs Hotel or the Chateau Lake Louise. They are absolutely beautiful both in the summer and the winter. Plus there is so much to do there!

Lovely hiking trails in the summer with swimming and water sports and in the winter there is of course skiing which is what Banff is famous for.:thumbsup2 And I would love to take a horse-drawn sleigh ride around the lake and forest.:love:

Did you visit Victoria when you were in Vancouver? I lived there for a few years and loved it. It is a really lovely city.

No, we didn't have time to visit Victoria. I'd love to go there someday. What I'd really like to do is to go back to Banff, spend a few days there, and then ride a train through the mountains to Vancouver (and visit Victoria too).

While in Vancouver, we stayed at a charming B&B run by wonderful lady from England. It was located on a steep hillside in North Vancouver. We had a wonderful time on that trip.

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

My dad's side of the family lives out in BC but I haven't been out to visit them in years.:sad2: My cousin just bought an apartment in downtown Vancouver. Hopefully I will be able to crash at his place during the Olympics in 2010! I really like Vancouver as well. I nearly went to school out there but chose Queen's instead.

[randy4au]

My dad's side of the family lives out in BC but I haven't been out to visit them in years.:sad2: My cousin just bought an apartment in downtown Vancouver. Hopefully I will be able to crash at his place during the Olympics in 2010! I really like Vancouver as well. I nearly went to school out there but chose Queen's instead.

I recall you saying that you once lived in Virginia. Are you originally from the USA or Canada? If the latter, what brought your family to live in Virginia?

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I recall you saying that you once lived in Virginia. Are you originally from the USA or Canada? If the latter, what brought your family to live in Virginia?

: I am half and half. My mom is from Toledo, Ohio and my dad is originally from a small town in Ontario. When my parents got married my mom moved to live with my dad in Halifax, Nova Scotia and that is where I was born. My dad is in the Canadian Navy so we have lived all over the place. So my mothers side of the family is in Ohio and my dad's side of the family now resides in BC.

We started out in Halifax then moved to Victoria. Then we moved to Ottawa and lived there until 1989. My dad then got posted to Monterey, CA where he did post-grad work at the military college there. We lived in CA for 2 1/2 years and then moved back to Ottawa. We lived in Ottawa the second time for 2 years until my dad got posted back to Victoria. After two years there my dad was sent on an exchange posting arranged through NATO to work at the navel base in Virginia Beach and we lived there for 6 years. I came up here to Kingston for school and a year later the family followed me but separately as my parents divorced. My dad also lived here in Kingston for 2 years while he got his MBA paid for by the military. He now has three degrees:rolleyes: He really likes school I guess.

So my mom and brothers currently live in Kingston with me and my dad and his wife and step-daughter live two hours away in Ottawa. Did you follow all that?:lmao:

Halifax to Victoria
Victoria to Ottawa
Ottawa to Monterey,CA
Monterey to Ottawa
Ottawa to Victoria
Victoria to Virginia Beach
Va Beach to Kingston

I pretty much spent half my childhood living in the states and the other half in Canada.

If I had to pick a place to call my home town it would probably be Virginia Beach as we lived there the longest and it just feels like going home whenever I visit.

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Oh another interesting tidbit about my childhood. All those cross-continental moves were done by car.:scared1: We would take a month and drive to where we were moving so that we could stop and see the sites. I think we have been to almost every major National Park and tourist site in the US and Canada. We have been to every state except for Texas, New Mexico and Hawaii and every province in Canada except for PEI and the territories.

[anbouk]

THANKS for sharing all of your memories at WDW with all of us! Amazing pics...time just does fly by!:sad1:

[randy4au]

Wow, Lessa, you've moved around a lot! That's cool that your family took time during each move to visit so many interesting places.

BTW, Virginia is one of my favorite states. My wife and I LOVE history, and there are so many historic sites in Virginia. One of my favorite childhood trips was to Washington DC and Virginia in 1976 (the Bicentennial year). In Virginia we went to Charlottesville and Williamsburg. 10 years ago, my wife and I visited the same places together, but we spent more time in Virginia than I did with my family in 1976. We spent two days in Charlottesville, and in addition to visiting the Monticello, we also toured the beautiful campus of the University of Virginia. My wife has a cousin who lives in Newport News, so we stayed with them during the two days we were in that area and visited Norfolk and Williamsburg (we didn't make it out to Virginia Beach though). We also visited many of the historic plantations along the James River. More recently, we visited a great little historic town in the western part of the state--Abingdon.

THANKS for sharing all of your memories at WDW with all of us! Amazing pics...time just does fly by!:sad1:

anbouk, I'm glad you enjoyed everything! Yes, time definitely flies by. :eek:

[randy4au]

PART 7: Edited Pics - 1972

As promised, I am editing all of the previously posted photos in PhotoShop to improve the color and image quality. I'll begin with the photos from my first trip in 1972. For this batch, I've also removed the nostalgic white border so that I could also present larger versions of these images than previously seen. However, these larger versions show more of that graininess that is typical of scanned images, but I think you'll enjoy being able to see more of the detail (particularly the people) in the photos.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-01.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-02.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-03.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-04.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-05.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-06.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-07.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-08.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-09.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-10.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-11.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-12.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-13.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-14.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-15.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-16.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-17.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1972/wdw1972-18.jpg

.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20400662&postcount=95) to continue to PART 8: Edited Pics - 1975

[randy4au]

I'm back, but I guess nobody missed me. :sad2:

I'm not sure if I should edit the rest of the pics since no one seems to have enjoyed the first batch that I edited. :confused3

[WDW Poly Princess]

Loving all the old pics!

I think I actually like the castle better like that - all one color of stone.

[jwwi]

Also was gone the past 3 days, up north/WI. Really am enjoying all the old pics. I will be checking back for further updates.............

[randy4au]

Loving all the old pics!

I think I actually like the castle better like that - all one color of stone.

Thanks Crystal! I'm not sure which way I like the castle better. :confused3

Also was gone the past 3 days, up north/WI. Really am enjoying all the old pics. I will be checking back for further updates.............

Thanks jwwi! I'll edit the other pics later (tonight I've been busy editing photos from this weekend's trip to the beach) and soon I'll have even more old WDW pics to share. :thumbsup2

[TheLastPrincess]

Hey there! :wave: Just stopping by to say hello and once again enjoying your pics vintage-style. :thumbsup2

[CaptainH00k]

I'm back, but I guess nobody missed me. :sad2:

I'm not sure if I should edit the rest of the pics since no one seems to have enjoyed the first batch that I edited. :confused3

I like them! :cool2:

[randy4au]

Thanks Princess and Ethan! :)

[Mic_n_Min]

Loving all of the old pics- what fun. Thanks for taking the time to scan in and upload all of them!

[randy4au]

Loving all of the old pics- what fun. Thanks for taking the time to scan in and upload all of them!

Thanks Mic_n_Min! Glad you enjoyed them!

[randy4au]

PART 8: Edited Pics - 1975

Tonight, I edited the photos from the 1975 trip. Enjoy!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1975/75_edited/wdw_1975_01.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1975/75_edited/wdw_1975_02.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1975/75_edited/wdw_1975_03.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1975/75_edited/wdw_1975_04.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1975/75_edited/wdw_1975_05.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1975/75_edited/wdw_1975_06.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1975/75_edited/wdw_1975_07.jpg

.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20438468&postcount=119) to continue to PART 9: Edited Pics - 1983

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Love the edited pictures:thumbsup2

[randy4au]

Love the edited pictures:thumbsup2

Glad you enjoyed them Lessa!

[william4192]

Love them...keep them coming...:cool1:

[randy4au]

Love them...keep them coming...:cool1:

Thanks William!

[Leger13]

love the edited version of the origionals. They are turning out great!! :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

[Mic_n_Min]

Another great set of pictures!:thumbsup2

[Snoopymom]

Wow, just stumbled upon this while searching for Daytona Beach info (going this weekend) and now for some reason I'm practically in tears...:upsidedow

I guess, thinking about my first trip as a giggly teen who would have probably followed you and your cousin around

remembering how amazing it was to ride SM and see the monorail fly right through the Contemporary

all the way through to traveling to NYC, Boston, Colorado, Ireland and many other places with dh

to going through all the infertility stuff we went through and the long process to adopt ds

and the incredible joy we felt taking him to Disney for the first time

...life sure is a journey and I think Disney (and Universal) are some of the greatest stops along the way. :goodvibes

You have a beautiful family! Thanks so much for sharing. :thumbsup2

[randy4au]

Thanks Leger13 and Mic_n_Min!

Wow, just stumbled upon this while searching for Daytona Beach info (going this weekend) and now for some reason I'm practically in tears...:upsidedow

I guess, thinking about my first trip as a giggly teen who would have probably followed you and your cousin around

remembering how amazing it was to ride SM and see the monorail fly right through the Contemporary

all the way through to traveling to NYC, Boston, Colorado, Ireland and many other places with dh

to going through all the infertility stuff we went through and the long process to adopt ds

and the incredible joy we felt taking him to Disney for the first time

...life sure is a journey and I think Disney (and Universal) are some of the greatest stops along the way. :goodvibes

You have a beautiful family! Thanks so much for sharing. :thumbsup2

Thanks Snoopymom! Reading a reply like that really makes me glad I decided to create this thread. :)

[thptrek]

My first trip to WDW was in 1972 when I was 11. Then our family went back in 75 to go on Space Mountain. I can remember us waiting like 2 hours to get on but it was worth it.

What a great thread!!

[randy4au]

My first trip to WDW was in 1972 when I was 11. Then our family went back in 75 to go on Space Mountain. I can remember us waiting like 2 hours to get on but it was worth it.

What a great thread!!

Thanks thptrek! So my memory about the line for Space Mountain being REALLY long in 1975 must be accurate. ;)

[mauimouse]

Randy, thanks for sharing all your old photos. I wish that I knew what happen to ours. :thumbsup2

[randy4au]

Randy, thanks for sharing all your old photos. I wish that I knew what happen to ours. :thumbsup2

Glad you enjoyed them Mary! :)

[samc]

wow.......I'm so excited I found this trip report! It's like going down memory lane....my family visited WDW for the first time in 1972 too....unfortunately my parents didn't even bring a camera!!! I caught myself looking for a glimpse of my family in your pics although I don't think we were there at the same time of year! I didn't make it back to WDW though until 2003 when my son was 5....alot had changed!!! But I've taken him back several times since then...they grow up sooooo fast.

Thanks for sharing.....I've really enjoyed your pictures. :)

BTW....my son was also born at St. V.

[randy4au]

wow.......I'm so excited I found this trip report! It's like going down memory lane....my family visited WDW for the first time in 1972 too....unfortunately my parents didn't even bring a camera!!! I caught myself looking for a glimpse of my family in your pics although I don't think we were there at the same time of year! I didn't make it back to WDW though until 2003 when my son was 5....alot had changed!!! But I've taken him back several times since then...they grow up sooooo fast.

Thanks for sharing.....I've really enjoyed your pictures. :)

BTW....my son was also born at St. V.

Thanks samc! I'm glad you enjoyed the walk down memory lane. Wow! You didn't go back for 31 years? Well, I see you've made up for it since 2003, because you've now visited 3 more times than I have. Anyway, that's cool that we both visited for the first time in 1972 and that our sons were born at St. V. :thumbsup2

[TheLastPrincess]

Randy, I was listening to Disney radio stations yesterday on Live365, and they played the old Living Seas video, and it totally took me back!!!! Do you have any pictures of the "old" Living Seas? I wish I had a picture of those elevators with the bubbles. I miss the Living Seas, man. I miss actually thinking we were going "into" the ocean, and being somewhat scared, because the narrator lady of the video talked about how the ocean can be a volatile place. I have so many memories of that place!!!!!!!!

Sigh. I wish I could spend a day (or a week) back in time, for my first trip to WDW, back when The Living Seas was not inhabited by Nemo & Friends.

[MissMichelle]

ONLY on Page 1 but I have to SUB into this one! I love it. You definitely caught my attention.

Hopefully I can get a lot of reading in before tomorrow night.

[randy4au]

Randy, I was listening to Disney radio stations yesterday on Live365, and they played the old Living Seas video, and it totally took me back!!!! Do you have any pictures of the "old" Living Seas? I wish I had a picture of those elevators with the bubbles. I miss the Living Seas, man. I miss actually thinking we were going "into" the ocean, and being somewhat scared, because the narrator lady of the video talked about how the ocean can be a volatile place. I have so many memories of that place!!!!!!!!

Sigh. I wish I could spend a day (or a week) back in time, for my first trip to WDW, back when The Living Seas was not inhabited by Nemo & Friends.

I only got to see The Living Seas once (1986) before our trip last month, and that was the trip I did not have a camera with me (daytrip with church youth group). I do remember it being much more impressive than it is now. Not that the Nemo ride isn't fun, but this gigantic aquarium no longer lives up to its potential.

BTW, if you want to see a great aquarium and relive that "going into the ocean" feeling, you should visit the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62847659/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62847830/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62847857/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62848619/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62848755/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62848771/original.jpg

[randy4au]

ONLY on Page 1 but I have to SUB into this one! I love it. You definitely caught my attention.

Hopefully I can get a lot of reading in before tomorrow night.

:welcome: Michelle! Hope you enjoy the rest of the report!

[TheLastPrincess]

Whooooaaaa!!! Great aquarium photos, Randy!!! Yes I know what you're saying about "not being all that impressed with the Seas in recent years." I remember back in 1990 it was SO popular, the place was just FILLED with people...and that was in January! Then as the years went on, it became less and less popular. I guess Disney's answer to that was, "Let's stick a cartoon face on it!" Sigh. A lot of the things I loved as a kid are gone. Some more:

1. Cranium Command
2. El Rio de Tiempo
3. DREAMFLIGHT

But, thankfully, my mother's brand new, 400 lb video camera came with us to Disney for our first trip, and since we didn't know if we'd EVER be back, she videotaped EVERYTHING. Rides, shows, movies...you name it, she has it on video. Thanks Mom!!

[randy4au]

Whooooaaaa!!! Great aquarium photos, Randy!!! Yes I know what you're saying about "not being all that impressed with the Seas in recent years." I remember back in 1990 it was SO popular, the place was just FILLED with people...and that was in January! Then as the years went on, it became less and less popular. I guess Disney's answer to that was, "Let's stick a cartoon face on it!" Sigh. A lot of the things I loved as a kid are gone. Some more:

1. Cranium Command
2. El Rio de Tiempo
3. DREAMFLIGHT

But, thankfully, my mother's brand new, 400 lb video camera came with us to Disney for our first trip, and since we didn't know if we'd EVER be back, she videotaped EVERYTHING. Rides, shows, movies...you name it, she has it on video. Thanks Mom!!

Thanks Colleen! I'm not sure if I ever saw Cranium Compound. I miss El Rio De Tiempo, but the new version staring the Three Caballeros is great too. I never saw Dreamflight, but I did see it's predecessor If You Had Wings. I remember using a "400 lb video camera" (LOL) on our trip to Banff in '94 (borrowed it from the inlaws). I wish I had video footage from my childhood vacations. :sad1:

[Leger13]

great pictures of the GA Aquarium Randy!! I love that place :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

[TheLastPrincess]

Thanks Colleen! I'm not sure if I ever saw Cranium Compound. I miss El Rio De Tiempo, but the new version staring the Three Caballeros is great too. I never saw Dreamflight, but I did see it's predecessor If You Had Wings. I remember using a "400 lb video camera" (LOL) on our trip to Banff in '94 (borrowed it from the inlaws). I wish I had video footage from my childhood vacations. :sad1:

Cranium Command was more "cute" than it was "cool." I'm sure you could find a video of it on YouTube somewhere. It was just a show.

I'm anxious to see the updated El Rio. I have a feeling my DH will like the updated version anyway. He loves Donald. I'm nostalgic about El Rio, but when we went on it last year, it was so OBVIOUS that it needed to be updated.

I just watched Dreamflight on YouTube. Wow!!! It's so 80s. :rotfl:

[randy4au]

great pictures of the GA Aquarium Randy!! I love that place :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

Thanks Leger13! I love it too and can't wait to go back!

Cranium Command was more "cute" than it was "cool." I'm sure you could find a video of it on YouTube somewhere. It was just a show.

I'm anxious to see the updated El Rio. I have a feeling my DH will like the updated version anyway. He loves Donald. I'm nostalgic about El Rio, but when we went on it last year, it was so OBVIOUS that it needed to be updated.

I just watched Dreamflight on YouTube. Wow!!! It's so 80s. :rotfl:

If you're DH loves Donald, then he'll LOVE the new version of El Rio. I'll have to watch those videos on youtube. :thumbsup2

[randy4au]

PART 9: Edited Pics - 1983

Here are the edited versions of the 1983 pics. Even though the color is better, the quality of most of the pics still isn't that great. I'm convinced that Kodak disc film from the 80's is the worst film ever made!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_01.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_02.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_03.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_04.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_05.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_06.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_07.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_08.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_09.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_10.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_11.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/WaltDisneyWorld/1983/83_edited/wdw_1983_12.jpg

.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20534087&postcount=158) to continue to PART 10: Additional pics from my mother (1972-1983)

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Hey randy,
Im back from my business trip and able to post on other threads now. I had a hard enough time trying to keep mine going while I was gone. Now I have days to catch up on everyones threads. I liked the old version of the photos because they just look cool. I have always liked old photos. The edited versions are good, but there is just something unique about old ones.

I love the pics from the aquarium. That is a awesome viewing point in the penguie house. I will have to try and check that out when I go visit my aunt in Atlanta next time.

Keep up the good work.
dan

[Leger13]

heh you did your best on editing those pictures. That Kodak film...ugh! But the nostalga of the old photos is cool too. The France shot turned out really good with edit though. I think the biggest thing that Kodak screwed up on was focusing 'cause most of the pictures just look blury. The colors look great though.

Anyways, good job and I look forward to seeing the pictures from your Mom and Aunt!! :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

[randy4au]

Hey randy,
Im back from my business trip and able to post on other threads now. I had a hard enough time trying to keep mine going while I was gone. Now I have days to catch up on everyones threads. I liked the old version of the photos because they just look cool. I have always liked old photos. The edited versions are good, but there is just something unique about old ones.

I love the pics from the aquarium. That is a awesome viewing point in the penguie house. I will have to try and check that out when I go visit my aunt in Atlanta next time.

Keep up the good work.
dan

Welcome back, Dan! Yeah, I purposely left the photos in the actual trip reports unedited to retain their nostalgic quality and then posted the edited versions in the later installments. Glad you enjoyed the aquarium pics! Have you been to the Georgia Aquarium before?

heh you did your best on editing those pictures. That Kodak film...ugh! But the nostalga of the old photos is cool too. The France shot turned out really good with edit though. I think the biggest thing that Kodak screwed up on was focusing 'cause most of the pictures just look blury. The colors look great though.

Anyways, good job and I look forward to seeing the pictures from your Mom and Aunt!! :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

Thanks Leger13! Yeah, the focus on that camera was definitely bad, but if you look at the colors of the unedited pics, it's obvious that the disc film was not great either. Overall, the photos taken with the instamatic film during the '72 and '75 trips look better than the '83 pics IMHO.

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Welcome back, Dan! Yeah, I purposely left the photos in the actual trip reports unedited to retain their nostalgic quality and then posted the edited versions in the later installments. Glad you enjoyed the aquarium pics! Have you been to the Georgia Aquarium before?


I have been to alot of different places in Atlanta but not the aquarium.

Underground Atlanta, Coke plant, CNN building tour, the park that is left of from the olympics when they had the concerts in the summer for free, i forget the real name for it, but that huge rock that is out of the ground that you can go up to the top. Those are all really cool, I want to plan a trip back, but not sure when. My aunt lives in Marrietta I think is the name of the town.

[Leger13]

I have been to alot of different places in Atlanta but not the aquarium.

Underground Atlanta, Coke plant, CNN building tour, the park that is left of from the olympics when they had the concerts in the summer for free, i forget the real name for it, but that huge rock that is out of the ground that you can go up to the top. Those are all really cool, I want to plan a trip back, but not sure when. My aunt lives in Marrietta I think is the name of the town.

the old coke plant has closed down...come see the new one.

also, I WORK in Marietta!! Small world. :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

btw, the park you are referring to is called the "Centennial Olympic Park"

[randy4au]

the old coke plant has closed down...come see the new one.

also, I WORK in Marietta!! Small world. :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

btw, the park you are referring to is called the "Centennial Olympic Park"

And "that huge rock that is out of the ground that you can go up to the top" is Stone Mountain. ;)

[FauntleroyFAN07]

man you are full of knowledge, i did not know the old coke plant closed, do they still have the coke flying threw the air in the tasting area. I loved that when you could see it coming over to your cup.

[Missus Toad]

These are great-- thanks for sharing. IMO, the early EPCOT years were the golden years at WDW. It's still great of course, but there was something so very fresh and earnest about that time.

[randy4au]

man you are full of knowledge, i did not know the old coke plant closed, do they still have the coke flying threw the air in the tasting area. I loved that when you could see it coming over to your cup.

I haven't been to the new World of Coca-Cola yet. Perhaps Leger13 has been (it just opened this summer). Here's the website:

http://www.woccatlanta.com/

These are great-- thanks for sharing. IMO, the early EPCOT years were the golden years at WDW. It's still great of course, but there was something so very fresh and earnest about that time.

Thanks Missus Toad!

[Leger13]

man you are full of knowledge, i did not know the old coke plant closed, do they still have the coke flying threw the air in the tasting area. I loved that when you could see it coming over to your cup.

I unfortunately haven't been to the new world of coke yet :sad2: my Dh and i were gonna go for the grand opening but he ended up getting sick (it was the day of our anniversary:guilty: ) we do plan on going eventually though. I've heard it's a lot better than the old one.

I haven't been to the new World of Coca-Cola yet. Perhaps Leger13 has been (it just opened this summer). Here's the website:

http://www.woccatlanta.com/



Thanks Missus Toad!

no i haven't, not yet...see above.

[byoung]

Great report!

[randy4au]

Great report!

Thanks byoung!

[Lease]

But that's not all! Don't forget that I will soon be adding additional pics from my mother and aunt.

STAY TUNED!!!

You have some great pictures I hope you family's pics are just and interesting to see.

[randy4au]

You have some great pictures I hope you family's pics are just and interesting to see.

Thanks Lease!

[princess jackie]

subscribing...I haven't been able to read everything yet! From what I've read and seen I can't wait untill I can get to the rest of it. Thanks for the old pictures! :thumbsup2

[randy4au]

subscribing...I haven't been able to read everything yet! From what I've read and seen I can't wait untill I can get to the rest of it. Thanks for the old pictures! :thumbsup2

:welcome: Jackie! Glad you're enjoying my walk down memory lane! :thumbsup2

[FauntleroyFAN07]

stone mountain thats it....i loved that place, well one of you has to get to the new plant to talk about it. That would be a great place for you to take pics randy. :thumbsup2 I am trying to think of the subdivision area she lives in, I know that the entrance is right next to an elementary school, but that is about all that I got. There is a home depot about a block away, we were there all the time when we moved her into her new home. I will have to find out the name the main road she lives off of....I will report back to you on that one.

[Leger13]

stone mountain thats it....i loved that place, well one of you has to get to the new plant to talk about it. That would be a great place for you to take pics randy. :thumbsup2 I am trying to think of the subdivision area she lives in, I know that the entrance is right next to an elementary school, but that is about all that I got. There is a home depot about a block away, we were there all the time when we moved her into her new home. I will have to find out the name the main road she lives off of....I will report back to you on that one.

hmmmm...well, considering Marietta is a pretty big town there's a few HD's in rural areas so that doesn't really narrow it down. If you get the name of the main road she's near I'll probably at least have heard of it. It really is a small world!

I plan on getting to the new World of Coke soon. I'm actually thinking about trying to get DH to take me there over Labor Day weekend if he's not working. If we go I will for sure be posting pictures! :thumbsup2 They won't be as good as Randy's...but my camera still does a decent job. Love Casio! :thumbsup2

[FauntleroyFAN07]

hmmmm...well, considering Marietta is a pretty big town there's a few HD's in rural areas so that doesn't really narrow it down. If you get the name of the main road she's near I'll probably at least have heard of it. It really is a small world!

I plan on getting to the new World of Coke soon. I'm actually thinking about trying to get DH to take me there over Labor Day weekend if he's not working. If we go I will for sure be posting pictures! :thumbsup2 They won't be as good as Randy's...but my camera still does a decent job. Love Casio! :thumbsup2

Wow you seemed a little peeved in that reply...JK, I know it was a large area that I was giving you, i was just waiting for a response, because I did not have time to go and look it up...I did however just find the address, I used my wonderful mapping skills and found that she lives just off of 120 or Roswell RD, it is a subdivision that incorpartes Indian Hills Country Club between roswell Rd and Lower Roswell Rd. I think that was a pretty good job in describing it. I saw in an aerial photo the for mentioned Home Depot. :thumbsup2

And you better take pictures of the coke plant, unless randy gets there first and takes better pictures which we know he has the capability of doing...Go Randy Go Randy Go

[randy4au]

Leger13 and Dan, you are too kind. ;) Now the pressure's on to take outstanding pics of the new World of Coca-Cola. :eek:

[daly7o9]

Randy,

I just found this thread and I have to say that its a GREAT idea. I'm really enjoying the photos, especially the ones from the 70s. I was in high school at that time and I can remember frequent day trips with my high school pals during those years.

Your smoking story reminded me of a little piece from my past. One thing that I remember from that time is a tobacco shop on main street :eek: that carried tobacco products from all over the world. Being in high school and all, I felt quite grown up, so I purchased a pack of Dunhill cigarettes from England :sad2: Well, I learned my lesson...ruined the rest of my day :sick: .

Needless to say I gave up smoking.

Thanks for the blast from the past :thumbsup2 .

[randy4au]

Randy,

I just found this thread and I have to say that its a GREAT idea. I'm really enjoying the photos, especially the ones from the 70s. I was in high school at that time and I can remember frequent day trips with my high school pals during those years.

Your smoking story reminded me of a little piece from my past. One thing that I remember from that time is a tobacco shop on main street :eek: that carried tobacco products from all over the world. Being in high school and all, I felt quite grown up, so I purchased a pack of Dunhill cigarettes from England :sad2: Well, I learned my lesson...ruined the rest of my day :sick: .

Needless to say I gave up smoking.

Thanks for the blast from the past :thumbsup2 .

Glad you enjoyed the photos daly7o9! And glad you gave up smoking that day. ;)

[Leger13]

Wow you seemed a little peeved in that reply...JK, I know it was a large area that I was giving you, i was just waiting for a response, because I did not have time to go and look it up...I did however just find the address, I used my wonderful mapping skills and found that she lives just off of 120 or Roswell RD, it is a subdivision that incorpartes Indian Hills Country Club between roswell Rd and Lower Roswell Rd. I think that was a pretty good job in describing it. I saw in an aerial photo the for mentioned Home Depot. :thumbsup2

And you better take pictures of the coke plant, unless randy gets there first and takes better pictures which we know he has the capability of doing...Go Randy Go Randy Go

:lmao: I promise I wasn't peeved.

and yes, I know Roswell Rd and I know where abouts the Indian Hills subdivision is. Although I don't frequent that area often I have been around that area a time or two. That's cool that she lives in that area of marietta :thumbsup2

Leger13 and Dan, you are too kind. ;) Now the pressure's on to take outstanding pics of the new World of Coca-Cola. :eek:

yes, its on!! :rotfl: even if i do get there first we all know that whenever you make it out there your pictures will be better!

[randy4au]

yes, its on!!

LOL!

BTW, my mother finally gave me some additional photos yesterday, but my wife forgot to take them out of her purse before leaving for work this morning. So I won't be able to scan them until tomorrow (at the earliest). :rolleyes:

[Leger13]

LOL!

BTW, my mother finally gave me some additional photos yesterday, but my wife forgot to take them out of her purse before leaving for work this morning. So I won't be able to scan them until tomorrow (at the earliest). :rolleyes:

oooo ooo can't wait to see them! Oh, and I'm gonna try and convince my DH to go to the World of Coke Labor Day weekend since he's not working that weekend. :banana:

[FauntleroyFAN07]

yes it is def. on as you put it randy.:lmao: I issued a challange now lets see who steps up to the plate.......

Do you have pics of stone mountain or underground atlanta?

[Leger13]

yes it is def. on as you put it randy.:lmao: I issued a challange now lets see who steps up to the plate.......

Do you have pics of stone mountain or underground atlanta?

:lmao: I have pictures of neither...sorry :confused3 Randy...I'm sure you've got some!

[randy4au]

yes it is def. on as you put it randy.:lmao: I issued a challange now lets see who steps up to the plate.......

Do you have pics of stone mountain or underground atlanta?

Well, we just moved in with the inlaws over the weekend until our new house is completed, so I can only access the photos that I already have online at this time. It's been 4 years since I last went to Stone Mountain Park (I have some pics from that trip on a CD), but I did fly over Stone Mountain (returning from NYC) last year and shot these pics:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/59955923/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/59955925/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/59955927/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/59955928/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/59955929/original.jpg

.

We did go to Underground Atlanta to catch the shuttle bus to Turner Field (for a Braves game) last summer. I didn't shoot many pics of Underground Atlanta (but I have in the past)--mainly the plaza between Underground and the old World of Coca-Cola (which we visited one last time prior to the game):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62993126/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62906435/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62906438/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62906432/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62906425/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62906426/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62906428/original.jpg

.

And here we are at Turner Field

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62906803/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/62906806/original.jpg

.

You can see all of my Atlanta photos (most buildings since I'm into architecture) from the last year and a half here:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/atlanta

[scottny]

Nice airplane shots.

[randy4au]

Nice airplane shots.

Thanks Scott!

[randy4au]

Hey, Dan (and Leger13), look what I found. I just remembered that I have photos on my old imagestation account (which I haven't uploaded anything to in several years), and I found several of my Underground Atlanta photos there. Unfortunately, I can't view the full-sized pics without paying to upgrade my membership (which I'm not going to do just for that purpose). I'll find the originals eventually and share them (and more if I have them):

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/underground001.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/underground002.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/underground003.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/underground004.jpg

.

BTW, I also found this photo on my computer at work. I shot it 6 years ago, and it's always been one of my favorite Atlanta pics (even if it was shot with a 1.3 MP camera):

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j301/randy4au/peachtree_at_woodruff.jpg

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Wow that was great thanks Randy for taking me back...We used to stop in ATL. all the time going and coming home from atlanta with our camper. It was a nice "free" stop over night at my aunts house. Stone Mount pics were awesome I loved that view from the plane. Also was that a little road up the right side of the mountain, I have never noticed that before. If so do you know if they use it or not?

I Knew you would come through since Leger dropped the ball on the pictures.

:lmao:

[randy4au]

Wow that was great thanks Randy for taking me back...We used to stop in ATL. all the time going and coming home from atlanta with our camper. It was a nice "free" stop over night at my aunts house. Stone Mount pics were awesome I loved that view from the plane. Also was that a little road up the right side of the mountain, I have never noticed that before. If so do you know if they use it or not?

I Knew you would come through since Leger dropped the ball on the pictures.

:lmao:

You're welcome, Dan! That "little road" is a hiking trail to the top of the mountain.

[FauntleroyFAN07]

You're welcome, Dan! That "little road" is a hiking trail to the top of the mountain.

Randy is awesome, he is offically the king of ATL. Dont even bother asking Leger a question about that town, she will not know it. JK Leger. Hey randy I told leger where my aunt lives, are you familiar with roswell Rd and lower rosswell RD that is the roads boarding the country club area that she lives in. I forget the name of the club, I posted it somewhere on here, just cant remeber where.

[randy4au]

Randy is awesome, he is offically the king of ATL. Dont even bother asking Leger a question about that town, she will not know it. JK Leger. Hey randy I told leger where my aunt lives, are you familiar with roswell Rd and lower rosswell RD that is the roads boarding the country club area that she lives in. I forget the name of the club, I posted it somewhere on here, just cant remeber where.

LOL!!! Where's my crown? :rotfl2:

Yes, I'm familiar with those roads between Marietta and Roswell (in the area referred to as "East Cobb"). Are you referring to Indian Hills Country Club?

[FauntleroyFAN07]

LOL!!! Where's my crown? :rotfl2:

Yes, I'm familiar with those roads between Marietta and Roswell (in the area referred to as "East Cobb"). Are you referring to Indian Hills Country Club?

Yep that is it, do you know the place well? When you enter the subdivision from rosewell road, she used to live in the homes to the left, now she lives in the condos/townhomes to the right behind the school

[TheLastPrincess]

Hey Randy...nice pics but what is a Stone Mountain?:confused3

Your wife has such a sweet face, I'm sure I've seen it before. Weird huh?:scratchin

[randy4au]

Yep that is it, do you know the place well? When you enter the subdivision from rosewell road, she used to live in the homes to the left, now she lives in the condos/townhomes to the right behind the school

It's been a while since I've explored the East Cobb area. When my wife and I first got married, we wanted to move to Atlanta. For several years, I kept track of all commerical and residential development (I used to pick up a copy of the Sunday edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution regularly). I still keep track of commercial development since I love architecture, but it's been a while since I kept up with the latest residential developments in the suburbs. Even though I love to visit Atlanta (and usually do at least 2 or 3 times a year), I'm not so sure that I want to live there any longer (the traffic is bad enough here in Birmingham...but nothing like Atlanta traffic).

Hey Randy...nice pics but what is a Stone Mountain?:confused3

Your wife has such a sweet face, I'm sure I've seen it before. Weird huh?:scratchin

I'll have to tell my wife you said that. :)

Stone Mountain is a large granite dome located east of Atlanta. A gigantic carving of three Confederate leaders (begun in the 1920's but not completed until 1972) is featured on one side of the mountain, and eventually a park with created which now features places to stay, recreational activities, a cable car to the top of the mountain, a train circling the base of the mountain, and more.

http://www.stonemountainpark.com/

[randy4au]

PART 10: Additional pics from my mother (1972-1983)

Over the weekend, my mother loaned me these additional pics:

1972

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646531/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646532/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646534/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646536/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646538/original.jpg

.

1975

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646640/original.jpg

.

1980
Finally, I have photos to share from this trip (I had none to post in the original trip report for the 1980 trip).
I was going through my chubby phase at this time, although compared to now, I was skinny then (LOL).
And I look like the love child of one of the Beatles with that hairdo. :lmao:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646728/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646729/original.jpg

.

1983
Well, my mom did have a photo of me from the 1983 trip after all. Check out the shorts ("we wear short shorts") and those socks! :rotfl2:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/84646997/original.jpg

.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20762641&postcount=209) to continue to PART 11: Additional pics from my aunt (1975)

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

:lmao: Love the short shorts!:rotfl:

[randy4au]

:lmao: Love the short shorts!:rotfl:

:)

Lessa, you were definitely right that a lot of fashion crimes were committed in the 80's (this being a prime example, although the short shorts were a trend from the 70's that hadn't died yet), although I still think more (and worse) fashion crimes were committed in the 70's. Thankfully, by the latter half of the 80's, styles were much more tasteful. ;)

[randy4au]

Well, I thought the REALLY short shorts would generate more comments...or is everyone (except Lessa) speechless? LOL!!! :rotfl2: I just added a line about the additional pics in my signature, so maybe that will spark some interest in this thread again.

BTW, when I asked my aunt if I had remembered the details of our trips to WDW in the 70's and 80's correctlly, she informed me of a few things that weren't correct and supplied some additional info (I'll update the info in the trip reports later):


On our first trip in 1972, we stayed in St. Petersburg, not Daytona Beach.
We stayed in a brand new Days Inn in Kissimmee during the 1975 trip.
It was during the 1980 trip that we also visited Daytona Beach (and St. Augustine too).
My cousin Sharon got married just a few weeks before our trip in 1983--not a year earlier as I had thought.

[scottny]

It was during the 1980 trip that we also visited Daytona Beach (and St. Augustine too).[/LIST]

I loved going to St. Augustine. Every February it would be Daytona beach with a trip to St. Augustine. A day trip to Marine Land (I think that was the name) and then off to Disney.
Went to the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine and drank the water. :sick: MEDIC.

[randy4au]

I loved going to St. Augustine. Every February it would be Daytona beach with a trip to St. Augustine. A day trip to Marine Land (I think that was the name) and then off to Disney.
Went to the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine and drank the water. :sick: MEDIC.

Did you travel from New York during all of those trips, or did you live closer to Florida at that time? I've only been to St. Augustine once. I need to go back someday.

[scottny]

Did you travel from New York during all of those trips, or did you live closer to Florida at that time? I've only been to St. Augustine once. I need to go back someday.

I grew up in a town named Northvale in NJ and we drove down for 2 weeks every February. My mother would not fly.

[randy4au]

OOPS...this reply was meant for Scott's other thread...LOL!

[TheLastPrincess]

I am SO glad I missed the era of short shorts. Just barely, but I missed it.

Great pics once again, Randy. I wish I had pics to share, but they are at my parents' house, and it would take me ALL day to scan them on the computer. Maybe when the weather gets colder and my DH is off playing football with his buddies, I'll start my OWN "When the World was an Adolescent" LOL...since our first trip was in January, 1990!!! Hard to believe that 17 years later, we have gone back 8 times. I am sooooo spoiled. princess:

[FauntleroyFAN07]

randy I would like to comment on the shorts, but I dont have enough time, I have to run home and cut my even shorter. I want to try and recreate the shorts like you had and take a picture in front of the castle. :lmao:

Great pics, and good thing you didnt move to atlanta, it is very busy, and a fun place to visit but to crazy to live.

Nothing against anyone that lives there, just to busy for me.

Who wears short shorts. If you dare wear short shorts, randy wears short shorts.

:rotfl2:
Sorry I had to

Talk to you when I get back.:yay:

[randy4au]

I am SO glad I missed the era of short shorts. Just barely, but I missed it.

Great pics once again, Randy. I wish I had pics to share, but they are at my parents' house, and it would take me ALL day to scan them on the computer. Maybe when the weather gets colder and my DH is off playing football with his buddies, I'll start my OWN "When the World was an Adolescent" LOL...since our first trip was in January, 1990!!! Hard to believe that 17 years later, we have gone back 8 times. I am sooooo spoiled. princess:

Thanks Colleen! Yeah, that would be a great title ("When the World was an Adolescent")...LOL! Well, for those who missed the era of short shorts, it will probably come back eventually (history always repeats itself, especially in the fashion world). But I'll just have to be out of style when that happens. :thumbsup2

randy I would like to comment on the shorts, but I dont have enough time, I have to run home and cut my even shorter. I want to try and recreate the shorts like you had and take a picture in front of the castle. :lmao:

Great pics, and good thing you didnt move to atlanta, it is very busy, and a fun place to visit but to crazy to live.

Nothing against anyone that lives there, just to busy for me.

Who wears short shorts. If you dare wear short shorts, randy wears short shorts.

:rotfl2:
Sorry I had to

Talk to you when I get back.:yay:

Can't wait to see photos of you with your even shorter shorts when you return from WDW! :lmao:

Who wears shorter shorts...Dan wears shorter shorts :lmao:

Have a great trip!

[scottny]

I remember shorts like that. 1983 I was in 8th/9th grade and was 14. i did have some. :eek:

[csuzannet]

Thanks for the great pics and all the blasts from my pasts. :lmao:

[randy4au]

I remember shorts like that. 1983 I was in 8th/9th grade and was 14. i did have some. :eek:

I was between 9th and 10th grade that summer. ;)

[randy4au]

Thanks for the great pics and all the blasts from my pasts. :lmao:

csuzannet, glad you enjoyed the blast from the past! :thumbsup2

[ThinkTink75]

That was a really fun thing for me to just scroll through! I followed the link in your sig after seeing the teacup picture you posted on Lynda's TR. I was born in 1983 and never had a WDW trip as a kid so our January 06 trip was my first and it was so much fun. It was very historic to read all the tidbits and see the pictures of the young WDW. You did a really great job. Thanks for sharing!

[randy4au]

That was a really fun thing for me to just scroll through! I followed the link in your sig after seeing the teacup picture you posted on Lynda's TR. I was born in 1983 and never had a WDW trip as a kid so our January 06 trip was my first and it was so much fun. It was very historic to read all the tidbits and see the pictures of the young WDW. You did a really great job. Thanks for sharing!

Glad you enjoyed the pics Mel! Sorry you didn't get to go as a child, but glad you finally made it in '06. I see you made it back again this summer. I'll go check out your trip report. ;)

[randy4au]

Perhaps I need to change the title of this thread to attract more interest. :confused3

I just hope someone is still interested when I post my aunt's pics next week, but judging from the level of interest generated by the pics I added this week, I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up. :sad2:

[TheLastPrincess]

Hey, I am a loyal "Viewers Like You" contributor! I resent your last comment. I will be here to read and comment on your pictures, Randy. I am the only one who matters, anyway! :snooty: :laughing:

[randy4au]

Hey, I am a loyal "Viewers Like You" contributor! I resent your last comment. I will be here to read and comment on your pictures, Randy. I am the only one who matters, anyway! :snooty: :laughing:

Hey Colleen! I didn't say "lack of interest" but "level of interest," meaning that only a handful of nice people like you bothered to reply after the last set of pics were added. I just saw this thread was about to drop off the first page of the trip reports index and was sad to see that so few seemed to be interested in it. I guess I need to go pimp this thread like I did my first thread a few weeks ago...LOL! :lmao:

BTW, I'm confused by the "viewers like you" quote. Did I say that somewhere in this thread? :confused3

[Leger13]

Wow that was great thanks Randy for taking me back...We used to stop in ATL. all the time going and coming home from atlanta with our camper. It was a nice "free" stop over night at my aunts house. Stone Mount pics were awesome I loved that view from the plane. Also was that a little road up the right side of the mountain, I have never noticed that before. If so do you know if they use it or not?

I Knew you would come through since Leger dropped the ball on the pictures.

:lmao:

Randy is awesome, he is offically the king of ATL. Dont even bother asking Leger a question about that town, she will not know it. JK Leger. Hey randy I told leger where my aunt lives, are you familiar with roswell Rd and lower rosswell RD that is the roads boarding the country club area that she lives in. I forget the name of the club, I posted it somewhere on here, just cant remeber where.


yeah, thanks for doggin' me. Poopcicle! ;) Hope a bird poops on your head at WDW LOL!!!!

J/K again.....or AM I!? muahahahahahaha :)

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Hey Randy,

I am definitely interested in seeing your aunts pictures once you get them. As for people not posting, some days on the Dis are slower than others, don't take it personally, there have been many days when my TR has fallen onto the second page. Not to mention lots of people just like to look/read and not post and that is proven by the view count which is always higher than the post count. For instance on my thread I have 449 posts and 13,771 views. That means to me that there are way more people reading my TR than posting so I do not get offended that people aren't posting like crazy all the time because I also never used to post on TR's but that didn't mean I wasn't reading. I am just glad that people are reading and enjoying even if they choose not to speak up and post. So what I am trying to say is don't get discouraged. Your vintage pictures are great and I love that you are sharing them with us!

[Leger13]

I still love your vintage pictures. I hadn't had a chance to look @ your pictures you posted yesterday. I wasn't around much yesterday. I've been a little down in the dumps for the past few days :confused3 I'm getting caught up right now...as you can see.

[TheLastPrincess]

Hey Colleen! I didn't say "lack of interest" but "level of interest," meaning that only a handful of nice people like you bothered to reply after the last set of pics were added. I just saw this thread was about to drop off the first page of the trip reports index and was sad to see that so few seemed to be interested in it. I guess I need to go pimp this thread like I did my first thread a few weeks ago...LOL! :lmao:

BTW, I'm confused by the "viewers like you" quote. Did I say that somewhere in this thread? :confused3

I am just messing with you. But no one is interested in my thread either. Not even with a catchy name. Not even with the word "Lovers" in it. You think people would be, on account of how many people saw the Proposal pics and stuff. Oh well. We can't all be DisneySnob!

"Viewers Like You".....like on PBS.

[Leger13]

:eek: :eek: those shorts crack me up!! I love the pictures from the '80s. That's when I remember the world. Well, considering I was born in '81 I don't remember the 1980 "World" but any time after that I was so there! :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

[randy4au]

Nothing like a little pity party to bring a thread back to life...LOL! :lmao:

yeah, thanks for doggin' me. Poopcicle! ;) Hope a bird poops on your head at WDW LOL!!!!

J/K again.....or AM I!? muahahahahahaha :)

Hahaha!!! Watch out for those birds Dan! ;)

Hey Randy,

I am definitely interested in seeing your aunts pictures once you get them. As for people not posting, some days on the Dis are slower than others, don't take it personally, there have been many days when my TR has fallen onto the second page. Not to mention lots of people just like to look/read and not post and that is proven by the view count which is always higher than the post count. For instance on my thread I have 449 posts and 13,771 views. That means to me that there are way more people reading my TR than posting so I do not get offended that people aren't posting like crazy all the time because I also never used to post on TR's but that didn't mean I wasn't reading. I am just glad that people are reading and enjoying even if they choose not to speak up and post. So what I am trying to say is don't get discouraged. Your vintage pictures are great and I love that you are sharing them with us!

Thanks Lessa! It wasn't so much that it was a slow day, but this thread was just 5 or 6 slots from the bottom and about to fall off to the dreaded 2nd page (where few dare to tread). I just didn't want it to drop off the radar so quickly.

BTW, I'm usually more optimistic about things as you are. But when I see how the views far outnumber the posts, I start thinking "did all those other people not enjoy my thread?" "Was it not even worth a quick reply?" LOL!

I still love your vintage pictures. I hadn't had a chance to look @ your pictures you posted yesterday. I wasn't around much yesterday. I've been a little down in the dumps for the past few days :confused3 I'm getting caught up right now...as you can see.
:eek: :eek: those shorts crack me up!! I love the pictures from the '80s. That's when I remember the world. Well, considering I was born in '81 I don't remember the 1980 "World" but any time after that I was so there! :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

Thanks Leger! Sorry to hear that you were down in the dumps. Hope you're in better spirits now. Yeah, I knew the shorts would crack people up. I guess that's why I expected more people to comment after I posted those pics--especially after I added "NEW PICS on Pg 11" to the title and then posted the line about "REALLY short shorts" in my signature. :confused3

I am just messing with you. But no one is interested in my thread either. Not even with a catchy name. Not even with the word "Lovers" in it. You think people would be, on account of how many people saw the Proposal pics and stuff. Oh well. We can't all be DisneySnob!

"Viewers Like You".....like on PBS.

Oh, I'm glad you weren't really miffed with me. It's hard to tell sometimes when people are being serious or just kidding around on the internet. ;)

I'm still interested in your thread too. I'll go post a reply right now. :)

[Leger13]

Nothing like a little pity party to bring a thread back to life...LOL! :lmao:



Hahaha!!! Watch out for those birds Dan! ;)



Thanks Leger! Sorry to hear that you were down in the dumps. Hope you're in better spirits now. Yeah, I knew the shorts would crack people up. I guess that's why I expected more people to comment after I posted those pics--especially after I added "NEW PICS on Pg 11" to the title and then posted the line about "REALLY short shorts" in my signature. :confused3

:)

oh so true. have you seen all the pictures I posted over on TheLastPrincess's thread!? :lmao:

:lmao: :lmao: I hope he packed lots of camo :lmao:

you're very welcome and thanks to you too for the sympathy but I am feeling better now :thumbsup2 I know when I saw the new title of your thread it definitely made me want to read. Weren't those short shorts the ones that inspired "UMBRO" shorts!? Do you remember those!? :lmao: :lmao: omg I had them in every color!! :rotfl:

[Leger13]

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/3013/9040779jb9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[KatInHat]

Just wanted to let you know that I'm here and enjoying all of your pictures. I will try not to be such a lurker in the future. Please keep posting your pictures; they bring back memories of my first trip to WDW. Thanks for sharing.

[randy4au]

Weren't those short shorts the ones that inspired "UMBRO" shorts!? Do you remember those!? :lmao: :lmao: omg I had them in every color!! :rotfl:

Probably so, although the following quote from the Wikipedia article on Umbro suggests that Umbro inspired other brands (perhaps the other brands introduced their short shorts in the USA before Umbro did?). The article must have been written by a Brit since they refer to soccer as "football." ;)

Umbro also manufactured a popular style of shorts, which reached its peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were made of nylon, had a drawstring waistband, and often came in bright colors. These shorts, nicknamed "Umbros", are football shorts, intended to be part of a football strip. With the growth of youth soccer leagues in the United States in the 1980s, many youths, teens, and young adults began wearing them as everyday clothing. Like football itself, they were equally popular among both genders. At the height of the fashion, other brands of football shorts, such as Adidas, Diadora, Hummel, Lotto, Mitre, and Xara, also became popular. However, by the mid 1990s, Umbros began to lose their appeal among youth to other styles, such as cargo shorts.

Just wanted to let you know that I'm here and enjoying all of your pictures. I will try not to be such a lurker in the future. Please keep posting your pictures; they bring back memories of my first trip to WDW. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Melissa! :)

[randy4au]

Leger, now that I think about it, the REALLY short shorts worn in the early 80's were running shorts (not soccer shorts) inspired by the running craze that began in the mid to late 70's (when everyone started wearing running shoes and brands like Nike, Saucony, ASICS, and New Balance became popular...this was before the Reebok craze of the mid-80's).

[Leger13]

Probably so, although the following quote from the Wikipedia article on Umbro suggests that Umbro inspired other brands (perhaps the other brands introduced their short shorts in the USA before Umbro did?). The article must have been written by a Brit since they refer to soccer as "football." ;)

Umbro also manufactured a popular style of shorts, which reached its peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were made of nylon, had a drawstring waistband, and often came in bright colors. These shorts, nicknamed "Umbros", are football shorts, intended to be part of a football strip. With the growth of youth soccer leagues in the United States in the 1980s, many youths, teens, and young adults began wearing them as everyday clothing. Like football itself, they were equally popular among both genders. At the height of the fashion, other brands of football shorts, such as Adidas, Diadora, Hummel, Lotto, Mitre, and Xara, also became popular. However, by the mid 1990s, Umbros began to lose their appeal among youth to other styles, such as cargo shorts.



Thanks Melissa! :)

Brits and their darn football :lmao:



Leger, now that I think about it, the REALLY short shorts worn in the early 80's were running shorts (not soccer shorts) inspired by the running craze that began in the mid to late 70's (when everyone started wearing running shoes and brands like Nike, Saucony, ASICS, and New Balance became popular...this was before the Reebok craze of the mid-80's).

ahhh history. Gotta love it. I guess the running shorts reminded me of umbros because the running shorts were before my time. :thumbsup2

[SnoopyDancer]

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I've been out of town. Actually, I was in your neck of the woods visiting my mom and grandma. Since my grandma isn't able to get around very well, I didn't get to do any shopping at the new shopping center. I'm not complaining, but thought I would throw that in because we mentioned it upthread. ;)

Very cool reading your report. Sorry to hear about your cousin, but I'm glad you got to visit Epcot with your wife before she was even your girlfriend. It's nice you are documenting your trip for your family. It's fun to look back. It's even reminding me of things I had forgotten about like the Kodak disc and 110cartridges too. Digital is so much better! :rotfl:

I think I agree with you about 70s fashion looking bad. When I was a kid, I didn't want to wear any pants that even resembled bell bottoms. I think my view of 70s clothing was influenced by Brady Bunch reruns. Now, when I watch videos on VH1 or see some old movies from the 80s, I thnk Leesa may be right about the 80s. What was up with the shoulder pads?

Don't take the post count personally. School is starting, so some people may not have as much time to get on the boards (like me). :goodvibes

[randy4au]

Brits and their darn football :lmao:

Yeah...but football really is a better name for soccer since it's all about kicking. I wonder what would be a more appropriate name for American football? :confused3

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I've been out of town. Actually, I was in your neck of the woods visiting my mom and grandma. Since my grandma isn't able to get around very well, I didn't get to do any shopping at the new shopping center. I'm not complaining, but thought I would throw that in because we mentioned it upthread. ;)

Very cool reading your report. Sorry to hear about your cousin, but I'm glad you got to visit Epcot with your wife before she was even your girlfriend. It's nice you are documenting your trip for your family. It's fun to look back. It's even reminding me of things I had forgotten about like the Kodak disc and 110cartridges too. Digital is so much better! :rotfl:

I think I agree with you about 70s fashion looking bad. When I was a kid, I didn't want to wear any pants that even resembled bell bottoms. I think my view of 70s clothing was influenced by Brady Bunch reruns. Now, when I watch videos on VH1 or see some old movies from the 80s, I thnk Leesa may be right about the 80s. What was up with the shoulder pads?

Hey SnoopyDancer! Great to hear from you again! We'll soon be living very close to the new shopping center. Do you know where Velma's is located on Hwy. 11? Well, if you turn there, go over the railroad tracks and then up and over the hill, there are several subdivisions back in there. Our new house is located in the newest subdivision, Glen Cross. Hopefully, it will be finished by the end of September. Right now we're living with the inlaws in Sherman Oaks (do you know where that is?).

Every decade has some fads that we look back on and wonder why anyone wanted to wear that. Shoulder pads, though, were popular before the 80's (particularly the 1940's). When I think of the 80's, I think of the Preppie look (which is classic and never really goes out of style)--button downs, Izod and Polo shirts (still popular today), anything argyle or plaid, boat shoes, Sebago camp shoes (those were VERY popular during my senior year and in college--mid to late 80's), and penny loafers. Of course, designer jeans were really big in the early 80's. I had a pair of Jordache jeans, but they didn't fit my husky frame very well. Levi's jeans were what I usually wore (and still wear). Then there were the fads like parachute pants (I actually wore them skiing in Gatlinburg once...LOL), leg warmers (never wore those...haha), sock ties, etc. But the worst fads of the 80's can't compare to the horrible fads and styles of the 70's, the worst being leisure suits (barf out, gag me with a spoon...had to throw in a little 80's Valspeak...LOL).

[Leger13]

Yeah...but football really is a better name for soccer since it's all about kicking. I wonder what would be a more appropriate name for American football? :confused3


um, thats a good question :confused3 Can't be "hand ball" cause there's already a game out there called that. Wow, I can't even think of anything :rotfl: Have you come up with anything yet? :confused:

[SnoopyDancer]

Do you know where Velma's is located on Hwy. 11?
My grandma owns that place! Just kidding, her name is Velma and everytime we would drive pass that place we would tease her about owning it. :rotfl: Is Sherman Oaks closer to Amerex? I don't think I know where that is. My mom and grandma live in Chalkville, so I'm not as familiar with Trussville. Sometimes I'll drive to the old part of Trussville when I have extra time just to see what has changed. Congratulations on your new house! That is so exciting, and it sounds like it will be close to a bunch of stuff.

This is a little off topic, but since you were talking about the 80s, do you remember the house on Mary Vann Lane that was always decorated for Christmas? I have never seen anyone top that house at Christmas time. I always thought the person who lived there must have been an imagineer.


But the worst fads of the 80's can't compare to the horrible fads and styles of the 70's, the worst being leisure suits (barf out, gag me with a spoon...had to throw in a little 80's Valspeak...LOL). Like, OMG, you're totally reminding me of the Cheerwine commericials. :cutie:

[randy4au]

um, thats a good question :confused3 Can't be "hand ball" cause there's already a game out there called that. Wow, I can't even think of anything :rotfl: Have you come up with anything yet? :confused:

Hmmm...it really is a tough question. I guess since they call the ball a pigskin, we could call it hamball. :lmao: :rotfl2:

My grandma owns that place! Just kidding, her name is Velma and everytime we would drive pass that place we would tease her about owning it. :rotfl: Is Sherman Oaks closer to Amerex? I don't think I know where that is. My mom and grandma live in Chalkville, so I'm not as familiar with Trussville. Sometimes I'll drive to the old part of Trussville when I have extra time just to see what has changed. Congratulations on your new house! That is so exciting, and it sounds like it will be close to a bunch of stuff.

This is a little off topic, but since you were talking about the 80s, do you remember the house on Mary Vann Lane that was always decorated for Christmas? I have never seen anyone top that house at Christmas time. I always thought the person who lived there must have been an imagineer.


Like, OMG, you're totally reminding me of the Cheerwine commericials. :cutie:

Oh, I thought you grew up in Trussville, but I guess you just said you graduated from Hewitt-Trussville--obviously before Clay-Chalkville HS opened unless you lived in one of the areas that were still zoned for Hewitt. The house we sold was in Grayson Valley. Sherman Oaks is sort of close to Amerex. It's on Hwy 11 between Downtown Trussville and Deerfoot Pkwy (on the left).

Yes, I remember the house on Mary Vann Lane that went overboard with the Christmas decorations. I haven't driven by it during Christmastime in a while, so I'm not sure if they still put on as big of a light display as they did in the past.

Like, OMG, I used to LOVE Cheerwine! I was so disappointed when they stopped selling it around here. :sad1:

[SnoopyDancer]

Oh, I thought you grew up in Trussville, but I guess you just said you graduated from Hewitt-Trussville--obviously before Clay-Chalkville HS opened unless you lived in one of the areas that were still zoned for Hewitt. The house we sold was in Grayson Valley. Sherman Oaks is sort of close to Amerex. It's on Hwy 11 between Downtown Trussville and Deerfoot Pkwy (on the left).

I thought Sherman Oaks was on the other side of town from Velma's. I think one of my lunch buddies lived there. When I went to Hewitt, Clay and Chalkville were zoned for Hewitt. It was a long distance phone call for kids who lived in Trussville to call the kids who lived in Clay. Since we moved to Trussville in junior high, I was not happy about the long distance situation because my best friend lived in Clay. Wow, have times changed...

[randy4au]

I thought Sherman Oaks was on the other side of town from Velma's. I think one of my lunch buddies lived there. When I went to Hewitt, Clay and Chalkville were zoned for Hewitt. It was a long distance phone call for kids who lived in Trussville to call the kids who lived in Clay. Since we moved to Trussville in junior high, I was not happy about the long distance situation because my best friend lived in Clay. Wow, have times changed...

So you did live in Trussville at one time? I thought you may have said that once. Yes, I remember when it calls between Clay and Trussville were long distance. I lived in the Huffman/Center Point area when I was growing up, but I had friends from church who went to Hewitt who complained about that issue.

[TheLastPrincess]

Hey Randy!! Just wanted to let you know, I FOUND most of the Adolescent Disney pictures at my parents' house over the weekend. They are GREAT! We even have a pic of the hydrolators!:goodvibes Anyway, the scanner was broken and my mom absolutely REFUSED to let me take the pics, so I'll have to get them scanned and up here another time. I can't wait!

[randy4au]

Hey Randy!! Just wanted to let you know, I FOUND most of the Adolescent Disney pictures at my parents' house over the weekend. They are GREAT! We even have a pic of the hydrolators!:goodvibes Anyway, the scanner was broken and my mom absolutely REFUSED to let me take the pics, so I'll have to get them scanned and up here another time. I can't wait!

Great! Can't wait to see them! :thumbsup2

[Leger13]

Hmmm...it really is a tough question. I guess since they call the ball a pigskin, we could call it hamball. :lmao: :rotfl2:



:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: that's great!! The new name for american football is now Hamball! Spread the word! :lmao: :lmao:

[FauntleroyFAN07]

yeah, thanks for doggin' me. Poopcicle! ;) Hope a bird poops on your head at WDW LOL!!!!

J/K again.....or AM I!? muahahahahahaha :)

Hey that is not nice at all, Randy ban her from your thread...wishing to get pooped on. You guys will just have to read the report to see if I got pooped on.

Tell your aunt to hurry up with the pictures or is it you that has them and is just waiting to post them.

We hated to leave, but it is good to be back with the people of the DIS

:thumbsup2

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Yeah post number 200 and I didnt even realize it


:cool1:

[Leger13]

Hey that is not nice at all, Randy ban her from your thread...wishing to get pooped on. You guys will just have to read the report to see if I got pooped on.

Tell your aunt to hurry up with the pictures or is it you that has them and is just waiting to post them.

We hated to leave, but it is good to be back with the people of the DIS

:thumbsup2

:lmao: you can dish it but can't take it huh? :lmao: it's all in good fun faulteroy. Randy wouldn't ban me. :thumbsup2 I was just joking anyways, here's a :hug: to make you feel better.

[randy4au]

Hey that is not nice at all, Randy ban her from your thread...wishing to get pooped on. You guys will just have to read the report to see if I got pooped on.

Tell your aunt to hurry up with the pictures or is it you that has them and is just waiting to post them.

We hated to leave, but it is good to be back with the people of the DIS

:thumbsup2

Welcome back from WDW, Dan! Can't wait to read the poop scoop...LOL!

Actually, I just got the pics from my Aunt yesterday. I was going to take them to work to scan them today and placed them near the door so I wouldn't forget to take them with me. But Cindy ended up moving them somewhere else, so when I got to work, I realized I didn't bring them and wondered why they weren't where I left them. I'm going to put them in my car before I go to bed tonight so I will be sure not to forget them. :thumbsup2

Yeah post number 200 and I didnt even realize it

Thanks for keeping my thread alive and helping it reach 200 posts! :cheer2:

:lmao: you can dish it but can't take it huh? :lmao: it's all in good fun faulteroy. Randy wouldn't ban me. :thumbsup2 I was just joking anyways, here's a :hug: to make you feel better.

LOL! No, I could never ban Leger13. I feel like Rex from Toy Story: "I don't like confrontations!"

[TheLastPrincess]

LOL! No, I could never ban Leger13. I feel like Rex from Toy Story: "I don't like confrontations!"

HAHA I just watched that movie a week ago and that part always makes me laugh. :happytv: Rex is great! I may just start calling you Rex from now on. :scratchin

[Leger13]

Welcome back from WDW, Dan! Can't wait to read the poop scoop...LOL!

Actually, I just got the pics from my Aunt yesterday. I was going to take them to work to scan them today and placed them near the door so I wouldn't forget to take them with me. But Cindy ended up moving them somewhere else, so when I got to work, I realized I didn't bring them and wondered why they weren't where I left them. I'm going to put them in my car before I go to bed tonight so I will be sure not to forget them. :thumbsup2



Thanks for keeping my thread alive and helping it reach 200 posts! :cheer2:



LOL! No, I could never ban Leger13. I feel like Rex from Toy Story: "I don't like confrontations!"

:lmao:

[randy4au]

HAHA I just watched that movie a week ago and that part always makes me laugh. :happytv: Rex is great! I may just start calling you Rex from now on. :scratchin

Perhaps I should change my avatar. :)

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Welcome back from WDW, Dan! Can't wait to read the poop scoop...LOL!

Actually, I just got the pics from my Aunt yesterday. I was going to take them to work to scan them today and placed them near the door so I wouldn't forget to take them with me. But Cindy ended up moving them somewhere else, so when I got to work, I realized I didn't bring them and wondered why they weren't where I left them. I'm going to put them in my car before I go to bed tonight so I will be sure not to forget them. :thumbsup2

Thanks for keeping my thread alive and helping it reach 200 posts! :cheer2:

LOL! No, I could never ban Leger13. I feel like Rex from Toy Story: "I don't like confrontations!"

The poop scope I love that title...I hate it when DW moves my stuff, she always says that I just lay my things down, but I can always remeber where I put them until she puts them into the right place. Sometimes I will come home from work and my dresser will be all cleaned off, and I have no idea where my things are.

Your welcome for helping it get to 200 posts, it has been a fun ride.

Make her "Disappear, Disappear!!" That is from a Disney ride can anyone name it?
J/K leger
Ill give you hint, it is in WDW. :rotfl2:

[randy4au]

The poop scope I love that title...I hate it when DW moves my stuff, she always says that I just lay my things down, but I can always remeber where I put them until she puts them into the right place. Sometimes I will come home from work and my dresser will be all cleaned off, and I have no idea where my things are.

Your welcome for helping it get to 200 posts, it has been a fun ride.

My DW does that all the time. She can't stand to see anything sitting around and she ALWAYS puts things in the LAST place I'd think of looking for it. Sometimes she even forgets where she's hidden my stuff. :sad2:

Make her "Disappear, Disappear!!" That is from a Disney ride can anyone name it?
J/K leger
Ill give you hint, it is in WDW. :rotfl2:

Hmmm....is it the WDW in Florida? LOL! I must have missed that ride because that quote doesn't ring a bell. :confused3

[randy4au]

PART 11: Additional pics from my aunt (1975)

I finally received additional pics to scan from my aunt this weekend. She only brought photos from the 1975 trip,
but she also brought photos from other vacations in the 70's which I may scan and post later.

Her photos haven't aged as well as my mothers. Perhaps because most were kept in photo albums, and the colors
have faded quite a bit over the years (most of the ones my mom let me borrow were stored in boxes which probably
preserved them better).

.

Apparently we rode the boat to the Magic Kingdom on one of the days we were there. Here are views of the
Contemporary Resort and Space Mountain from the boat. Note how barren the landscape is compared to today

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471118/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471119/original.jpg

.

Here we are (minus my aunt who was taking the photo) in front of Main Street Station, this time with my mother
in the picture (she was absent from all the previously-posted pics taken by her). And no, my mother doesn't have a
beehive hairdo. She's wearing a ridiculously oversized cap that was stylish in the mid-70's. I refer to it as her
vacation hat because she was also wore it on vacations in the following two years (my aunt had a similar one
on one of our trips):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471101/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471102/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471103/original.jpg

.

Me, my cousin Kenneth (on the left) and my grandmother (right) on Main Street:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471104/original.jpg

.

My aunt, uncle, cousins, and I:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471106/original.jpg

.

Another photo of the omnibus (later relocated to Epcot and only used by characters now):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471107/original.jpg

.

My uncle, cousin Kenneth, and I:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471109/original.jpg

.

LOL at the ladies in dresses! And note how much more visible Liberty Square was from the Hub in those days:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471110/original.jpg

.

Here's a blast from the past. The 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea submarines:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471112/original.jpg

.

My mother wearing THE HAT while waiting in line for the Haunted Mansion:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471114/original.jpg

.

My cousin Kenneth and uncle in the stocks at Liberty Square (does anyone know if those are still there?):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471115/original.jpg

.

Adventureland

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471116/original.jpg

.

One thing my aunt forgot to mention when I asked for details about our trips to WDW was that we also visited one
of the beaches in Florida during this trip. I'll have to ask her which one we visited in 1975. Here are pictures from
the unknown beach:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471120/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471121/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471122/original.jpg

.

Click HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20782423&postcount=222) to continue to Part 12: Other Family Vacations (1976 & 1977)

[scottny]

Great pics. I don't think they r that bad. Try fixing them with photoshop. it is nice to see the parks back then.

[randy4au]

Great pics. I don't think they r that bad. Try fixing them with photoshop. it is nice to see the parks back then.

Thanks Scott! I started to break with the tradition of posting unedited pics with their nostalgic quality on the first presentation and then editing and presenting them again in a later post, but when I started on the first one, it was going to take a LOT of editing to improve it. So I decided to wait until later to do that since I need to go to bed soon. ;)

[randy4au]

"Disappear, Disappear!!" That is from a Disney ride can anyone name it?

Dan, I did a Google search and found the answer: Maelstrom! I rode Maelstrom, but I don't remember that line. I must have been talking with Austin or Kirk during that part of the ride. :confused3 ;)

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I don't think your aunt's pictures are that bad.

You would think that the pictures in the photo album would be better perserved than the ones kept in a box because they would have had protective covering.:confused3

[ILMICKEY]

Here's a blast from the past. The 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea submarines:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471112/original.jpg


I totally miss this place. I don't know what they were thinking when they got rid of it!


One thing my aunt forgot to mention when I asked for details about our trips to WDW was that we also visited one
of the beaches in Florida during this trip. I'll have to ask her which one we visited in 1975. Here are pictures from
the unknown beach:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85471120/original.jpg

I just love the "look" back then. I want big hair to come back! (makes me look taller)
Oh, I think someone forgot to zip up his pants!

[randy4au]

I don't think your aunt's pictures are that bad.

You would think that the pictures in the photo album would be better perserved than the ones kept in a box because they would have had protective covering.:confused3

Well, they have faded a lot more than my mother's photos from the same year. Photos are safer in boxes (unless they are looked at often) because they are less likely to be exposed to light. Also, photo albums back in the 70's usually weren't acid-free which was later discovered to cause damage to photos (my mother transferred the photos she had in old albums to newer, acid-free albums about 15 years ago when she found out about this).

I totally miss this place. I don't know what they were thinking when they got rid of it!


I just love the "look" back then. I want big hair to come back! (makes me look taller)
Oh, I think someone forgot to zip up his pants!

Yeah, I miss the submarines too! While I'm not to crazy about that particular hairdo, I am glad to see the return of Farrah Fawcett-inspired hairdos of the late 70's. 80's big hair was my favorite. LOL about my cousin's unzipped shorts. I didn't notice that before. :lmao: :rotfl2:

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Dan, I did a Google search and found the answer: Maelstrom! I rode Maelstrom, but I don't remember that line. I must have been talking with Austin or Kirk during that part of the ride. :confused3 ;)


You are correct, it is when you are backwards and that troll guy comes up, it was still saying it this year, but not as loud as some years.

That is funny your zipper is down. nice catch, I had to go back and look.

I also hope that pastel clothes make a comeback. I would look good in teal.
:rotfl2: Sorry I had to comment.

[TheLastPrincess]

Great pics, Randy! Again, we are enjoying The World when it was "young." You know it's funny when I look at pics from the 60s and 70s...you know how they are all really bad quality...it almost makes me think that it actually WAS like that back then. Hard to picture it like normal. I know, that makes me seem REALLY young, doesn't it? :upsidedow

[randy4au]

You are correct, it is when you are backwards and that troll guy comes up, it was still saying it this year, but not as loud as some years.

That is funny your zipper is down. nice catch, I had to go back and look.

I also hope that pastel clothes make a comeback. I would look good in teal.
:rotfl2: Sorry I had to comment.

Hey, it was my cousin with the zipper down...not me (he's the one with darker hair and taller since he's a year older)! ;)

Great pics, Randy! Again, we are enjoying The World when it was "young." You know it's funny when I look at pics from the 60s and 70s...you know how they are all really bad quality...it almost makes me think that it actually WAS like that back then. Hard to picture it like normal. I know, that makes me seem REALLY young, doesn't it? :upsidedow

Thanks Colleen! LOL! I know what you mean about looking at old photos. It's hard to picture scenes from years ago as they actually looked. I'll try to edit these pics (and the last set) in PhotoShop to make the colors look better.

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Hey, it was my cousin with the zipper down...not me (he's the one with darker hair and taller since he's a year older)! ;)


Yeah right that was you. :thumbsup2

I got confused as to who was who.

[Leger13]

more awesome pictures Randy. I especially love the one of 20,000 leagues!

I believe the prisoner thing is still at MK. I think I have a picture of me and DH there somewhere. :thumbsup2

Your Mom's Vacation Hat cracks me up :rotfl:

[randy4au]

Yeah right that was you. :thumbsup2

I got confused as to who was who.

DON'T let it happen again! JUST KIDDING!!! :lmao:

more awesome pictures Randy. I especially love the one of 20,000 leagues!

I believe the prisoner thing is still at MK. I think I have a picture of me and DH there somewhere. :thumbsup2

Your Mom's Vacation Hat cracks me up :rotfl:

Thanks Leger! I need a smiley with one of those hats. :wizard: :santa: pirate: princess:

[randy4au]

PART 12: Other Family Vacations (1976 & 1977)

My aunt also let me borrow photos from two other vacations. The first was in 1976 when we visited Washington DC to celebrate America's Bicentennial. Here I am (in the middle...don't want Dan to be confused again...LOL) with my cousins somewhere on The Mall. And my cousin Sharon now has a "vacation hat" of her own (or perhaps she borrowed my mom's? LOL):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519144/original.jpg

.

Here we are (on the right) approaching the Capitol:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519145/original.jpg

.

My grandmother, aunt, uncle, and cousin Kenneth posing on the Capitol steps (that's me in the background on the right):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519146/original.jpg

.

My cousin Sharon in her snazzy 70's garb and "vacation hat":

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519147/original.jpg

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My cousin Kenneth and I at the Jefferson Memorial:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519148/original.jpg

.

After spending 2 or 3 days in Washington, we spent the rest of the week in Virginia (Charlottesville and Williamsburg). Here I am with my cousins in Williamsburg:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519150/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519151/original.jpg

.

My mom (wearing her "vacation hat"...it looks taller than the one Sharon was wearing earlier, so they must have had their own hats) and cousin Sharon:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519153/original.jpg

.

My cousin Kenneth (back) and I (front) playing with a cannon (again, trying to help Dan identify me...LOL):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519155/original.jpg

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My mother and I:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519158/original.jpg

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The gang minus my mother (shooting the photo obviously). Check out my uncle's leisure suit and mutton chop sideburns...LOL!

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519160/original.jpg

.

The following year (1977), we went to the Great Smoky Mountains. Here we are at the park entrance sign:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519162/original.jpg

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Here we are overlooking Gatlinburg (that's the Park Vista Hotel in the background for those familiar with Gatlinburg...it opened as a Sheraton one year earlier). You'll notice that my cousins and I all have binoculars. They were gifts from my grandmother. She would always buy the same thing for all of us so that no one would be envious. Note that Kenneth and I have our binocular cases strapped across our shoulders. Apparently I thought I was so cool carrying my binocular case around because I have it with me in nearly every photo from that trip. Little did I know that looking back on these pics 30 years later, I look like I've got a purse...LOL!!! Oh, and there's my mom wearing the "vacation hat" for the third year in a row (and looking like she's in mid sneeze...LOL):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519163/original.jpg

.

My cousins and I posing on some rocks at the beginning of the Clingman's Dome trail (Dan, just look for "the purse" if you're not sure which one is me):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519164/original.jpg

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My cousins (top) and my mother and I (bottom) at Clingman's Dome:

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519165/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519166/original.jpg

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My cousins and I (not sure where we were in this photo):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519167/original.jpg

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My grandmother and her new boyfriend (LOL) in Cherokee, NC (on the other side of the Smokies):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519168/original.jpg

.

Someone mentioned in another thread that my cousin Kenneth looked like Bobby Brady in one of the pics from the '75 WDW trip. In this pic, he looks more like Peter Brady (or perhaps a cross between Peter and Bobby?):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519169/original.jpg

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My mother and I and someone's finger (hey mom, where's your hat?):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519170/original.jpg

.

My mom and I back at my grandmother's house in Birmingham (love that blue eye shadow...LOL):

http://www.pbase.com/randy4au/image/85519171/original.jpg

[TheLastPrincess]

Great pics Randy!! Wow I can't believe people actually looked like that back then...LOL...although what can we say about people today...pants below their behinds and people DRESS to look FAT and so forth. Does anyone else think it's interesting that everyone in those pics looks fairly skinny?

[scottny]

Oh the fashion horrors. :rotfl2: the 70's were not the best fashion era. I think he does look like Bobby Brady.
Thanks for sharing.

[randy4au]

Great pics Randy!! Wow I can't believe people actually looked like that back then...LOL...although what can we say about people today...pants below their behinds and people DRESS to look FAT and so forth. Does anyone else think it's interesting that everyone in those pics looks fairly skinny?

Glad you enjoyed them Colleen! Lessa (Lifelong_Dreamer) said that more fashion crimes were committed in the 80's, but I believe these pics prove that the 70's wins that distinction. But every decade has fads that we look back on later and wonder "what were we/they thinking?" When you said "people DRESS to look FAT" are you referring to those baby doll tops that look like maternity clothes? I am so puzzled as to why any non-pregnant woman would want to wear a top like that. :confused3

Oh the fashion horrors. :rotfl2: the 70's were not the best fashion era. I think he does look like Bobby Brady.
Thanks for sharing.

Yes, and you and I had to live through that ear of extreme fashion horrors. I'm surprised we weren't scarred for life by it...LOL! :lmao:

Glad you enjoyed the latest batch of pics!

[FauntleroyFAN07]

HAHA you were wearing a purse on your shoulder. :lmao: It did help me find you. Thanks for letting me know where you were in the pictures. It helped out alot.

:thumbsup2

I love the trips to other places, and looking at his chops made me think of some good pork chops we had the other night. Very tender.

Thanks for the pics and helping me out.

[randy4au]

HAHA you were wearing a purse on your shoulder. :lmao: It did help me find you. Thanks for letting me know where you were in the pictures. It helped out alot.

Yeah, it's funny how we don't care if what we're wearing (or in this case, carrying) looks funny when we're kids...then we become teenagers and that all changes. ;)

[TheLastPrincess]

Glad you enjoyed them Colleen! Lessa (Lifelong_Dreamer) said that more fashion crimes were committed in the 80's, but I believe these pics prove that the 70's wins that distinction. But every decade has fads that we look back on later and wonder "what were we/they thinking?" When you said "people DRESS to look FAT" are you referring to those baby doll tops that look like maternity clothes? I am so puzzled as to why any non-pregnant woman would want to wear a top like that. :confused3


I am not referring to that so much, but I guess that is part of what I'm saying. Mostly what I'm referring to is the extremely OVERSIZED clothes. I don't understand this trend.

Why don't people want to look NICE? You get taken seriously if you look nice and professional. Maybe I am just old-fashioned.

[randy4au]

Why don't people want to look NICE? You get taken seriously if you look nice and professional. Maybe I am just old-fashioned.

Well I must be old-fashioned too because I agree 100%. ;)

[Shmu]

Bumping this for Randy. These are great.

[randy4au]

Bumping this for Randy. These are great.

Thanks Shmu! Glad you enjoyed the walk down memory lane. :thumbsup2

[crunchymomma]

OMG Randy. You are awesome. I am digging out my photo boxes and finding my old Disney pics this week!

Great pictures... beautiful family... "I give it a very enthusiatic two thumbs up"!

....Ok movie trivia fans.... What movie is that "quote" from?

[randy4au]

OMG Randy. You are awesome. I am digging out my photo boxes and finding my old Disney pics this week!

Great pictures... beautiful family... "I give it a very enthusiatic two thumbs up"!

....Ok movie trivia fans.... What movie is that "quote" from?

Thanks crunchymomma! Are you going to post some of your old Disney pics here in the forum? I'd love to see them!

About that quote, I'm not sure what movie that came from. :confused3