Pictures of things No Longer Seen at WDW

[Nancyg56]

More fine dining. (Sensing a theme?) This time, it was the Top of the World where the California Grill now resides. It was a "mod" supper club with headline entertainment. (If acts from the Catskills and Las Vegas could be considered "headline". Jack Jones. Barbara Eden. Phyllis Diller. Steve and Edie. Folks like that.)

I loved dining here! it was te first place a Sommelier brought us wine, and after dinner we stepped out onto the viewing area and wondered why Disney shut the light out so early! LOL! This is where Ifirst enjoyed theStrawberry soup nw served at the GF!

 

[Nancyg56]

That's all that matters, right?

Disney got quite a few complaints that the Big Red Boat experience was far, far from what people had come to expect from anything with Disney's name on it. The quality just wasn't there. So with the true Disney spirit, they decided that if they were going to have their name on something, they had better control the content and the quality. Hence, the birth of DCL at a cost of billions. The "low budget" comment wasn't meant to imply "inexpensive" so much as it was "done on the cheap". Disney's synergy with the Big Red Boat was about as cheesy as Warner Brothers or Hanna Barbera's characters roaming around your local amusement park.

When my kids were young, I could never afford to take them, so my fiance, now my husband, saved and saved. He took us on a ten day trip, starting in Daytona Beach on Christmas Eve, becasue we could no get into te Contempory until just before New Years Eve. Let us say that wih kids 8, 10 and 12, and a 17 year old nephew, the trip was "interesting". Anyway, as we were relaxing in our room, just after my youngest nearly catapulted over the concrete barrier overlook the monorail in th Contempory, I mentions the little brochure on the nightstand that was an offer for teh Big Red Boat..3 days free!!!, Buddy just Growled he was glad we did nto know, becasue by tat time he would have probably drowned all 4 of them! LOL Yep....memories!

 

[Nancyg56]

Not a great photo, but here is the Sunday Brunch at the Top of The World Restaurant before it became the California Grill. Best. Breakfast. Ever.

Oh memory lane!!!!!!! WE took the kids here, splurged on breakfast. The little ones would only eat the Rice Krispies in a box! LOL! Today we laugh, but back then, after spending a fortune daily on breakfast allwe could think was that we should have boughh a bunch of those little boxes and a gallon of milk!

 

[rainboots]

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I MUCH preferred the original TestTrack than what it is today.

You don't like Tron Track?

 

[Gorechick]

JIYI 1987

 

[Gorechick]

JIYI 1987

 

[Gorechick]

JIYI 1987

 

[Quin]

We were never any good at taking photos, and I always regret it years later. Does anybody have a picture of the afternoon tea service that used to be available at the Rose & Crown? We had it in 1991, I think. The restaurant must have closed between lunch & dinner, and just did a single seating teatime. Went to the tea at the GF years later and was sorely disappointed; the one at the Rose & Crown was SO much better.

 

[FigmentIsTheBest]

View attachment 90567

Wish we had been able to take this boat ride. Maybe they can bring it back with all the can construction at AK.

 

[amberama76]

This thread has been great-thanks! Forgive the quality of my photos. Does anyone remember the Fort Wilderness trailer homes, before the , Cabins (1987)?

My family stayed in one of these in 1982 (I think or 81).

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm surprised it took so long to find someone else who stayed in those cabins. We loved them. Here's another-breakfast at Spoodles-

 

[Disney Sheri]

I MUCH preferred the original TestTrack than what it is today.

I second that! The Old test track was alot better!

 

[DrivenByDisney]

Catwalk Bar in the old Soundstage Restaurant at MGM

 

[amandals2007]

Catwalk Bar in the old Soundstage Restaurant at MGM

where was this? soundstage restaurant? lookds so cool!!!

 

[DrivenByDisney]

The Soundstage Restaurant was what is now the Animation Academy area and where Playhouse Disney is now. The Catwalk Bar was above the restaurant looking down over it.

The Soundstage Restaurant and the inside were designed from the actual movie sets of the Plaza Hotel that had been used in the movie “Big Business”. To get to the Catwalk Bar, you'd have to use a stairway or elevator between the Soundstage Restaurant and the Brown Derby. The elevator is actually still there, so is the bar though it is used as storage.

I heard from some cast members that every once in a while someone turns on the old Catwalk Bar neon sign

Elevator and stairway entrance near the Brown Derby restrooms

The outside of the restaurant back in the day

 

[Chernabog1940]

Spectromagic

 

[Islamom]

Yellow rain ponchos..now they are clear

 

[Islamom]

Viking with Mickey Mouse Ears in Maelstrom

 

[FigmentIsTheBest]

View attachment 91407 Viking with Mickey Mouse Ears in Maelstrom

We rode this on our last trip before it closed (My first and only time). I did not notice the Mickey Eared Viking. Cool.
Maybe they will keep the mural with the new ride.