Calling all those who visited WDW when it was 1 park & 3 hotels...

[famsen]

I went in 1982. My sister and I tagged along with our aunt, uncle and cousins. We rented a station wagon and stayed off-site. Epcot was about to open. The Epcot monorail was open to take visitors for a sneak peek of Epcot. We did that and it was very cool. Too bad we missed the opening by a couple of months.
I know we visited MK at least two days of our trip. The rest of our trip was spent visiting friends in Tampa and going to Kennedy Space Center.
I still remember taking the ferry boat back to TTC on our last night of our vacation.
As we pulled away from the dock and the lights of the Magic Kingdom got further away. I stood there with tears in my eyes swearing to myself that I would be back someday, maybe on my Honeymoon.
Here we are 30 years later and I have been back as an adult over a dozen times and we are DVC owners.
Hey, at least I kept once promise to myself.

 

[JenniD44]

My first trip was in 1976. For some reason we took a major 2 week vacation that year. We did a cruise for a week and then went around Florida for a week. I think we were at Disney 2 or 3 days. We stayed off site. I remember there was a lot going on for the Bicentennial--I think the theme of the parade was Bicentennial.

My favorite attraction was the Haunted Mansion and it's still one of my favorites today. My mom loved Small World. My dad took me on Space Mountain and told my mom at some point later, that he thought he was going to have a stroke. That was such a thrill ride back then. It also broke down right after we rode it. My mom actually thought we were stuck inside because it happened before we had exited.

Also, I loved the monorail. My dream was to stay at the CR because that was so modern--a monorail through the building. I've never stayed there simply because there are so many other resorts now, my kids prefer other places.

We also went to Busch Gardens (rained the whole day, so not much fun) and Cypress Gardens. I didn't really like that very much, just a bunch of gardens.

We went back in I think '83 to see Epcot. Was it open then?

 

[laughinplace199]

I was 11 for my first trip in 1979. We went for a week and stayed at the Poly. I remember that we had a 3 day pass to MK. The pass also included a couple of days at River Country. It was a cardboard pass that you had to wear somewhere on your person and I think it had little stubs at the bottom to tear off for your River Country admission.

We easily filled a week with MK, RC, and hanging out at the resort. I remember that you could swim in the 7 Seas Lagoon at that time. There was a floating dock off the Poly beach that you could swim out to and then jump off. We also rented water mice.

We also went to what is now DTD. I'm not sure what it was called then, Lake Buena Vista something or other? There were a few shops and the Empress Lily.

No wonder why I always feel that a week isn't enough these days!

 

[Pakey]

My first trip was in 1976 and my husband and I stayed at the Contemporary. I grew up going to Disneyland but having that monorail going through the resort seemed so modern!

 

[fla4fun]

Our first trip was 1971. We stayed off property from 1971 through 1981 when we moved to Florida. We didn't stay on property until I was old enough to have a job and save up for it - that first on property trip was 1986 and I've never looked back!

I remember sitting at the tables behind what was the antique store in MK (now the Christmas Shop in Liberty Square) discussing where to go next and how many ride tickets we had left. Dad wouldn't buy extra tickets, so what was in the ticket book was what we had to work with. On those early trips, we would just spend one day at WDW, and then go to the Gulf beaches for two weeks. When Epcot opened in 1982, we would stay a couple nights off property and do one day at MK and one day at Epcot. I remember when the characters roamed free in the parks and there were always other kids in the photos with you.

I remember the first year I saved up my own spending money (a whole $8 - which was probably equivalent to about $50 today, lol) and spending ages in the Emporium trying to decide what to buy.

I remember the huge arcade at CR. I remember the movie theater behind the arcade. I remember the big rectangular pool too, and the old volcano pool at Poly. I remember when anyone could go out on the observation deck of CR, and I remember CR before the big convention center was built. The parking lot was much smaller then.

I remember when you had to show a resort ID to use Disney transportation. The ID's were paper back then instead of plastic, and we would bring laminating sheets to protect them. I remember the monorails were all bench seats and each row had it's own door (at the end of the night . . . slam, slam, slam, slam, slam as the CM's ran down the platform). I remember when the room keys at Poly and CR were actual keys instead of cards (the first card keys we had were when POFQ opened - they were gray plastic with holes punched in patterns to unlock the door).

The days of just MK were good, but I actually prefer the mid to late 80's, when Epcot was at it's prime and MK had added attractions not there on opening day.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I went in 1980 as well. We didn't do just WDW though, we went to Seaworld, Busch Gardens and other places in Florida.

This trip started the obsession, lol.

 

[gator girl]

Yep, staying at the campground, swimming in Bay Lake, long days at River Country, the character meal in the paddlewheel boat, hours in the CR gameroom. Oh, and the MK too I guess.

 

[disnel]

I can remember visiting in the 70's and having some type of ticket were you had to pick and choose which rides you wanted to ride. Glad they changed it.

 

[chartle]

I can remember visiting in the 70's and having some type of ticket were you had to pick and choose which rides you wanted to ride. Glad they changed it.

Yes those are the A-E tickets. The term E ticket is still around for the upper end in demand rides.

Hard to believe but PoTC, Jungle cruise, Country Bears, HM, HoP, Small World and 20,000 leagues were the first E tickets attractions.

 

["Cinder" Ella's Mom]

We took our first trip in 1979. I was in 4th or 5th grade and we stayed at the Poly. I remember we also did Sea World and LOVED River Country. MK was probably two days, although we are wearing the same clothes in all of the pictures I can dig up! We went so many times after that, it is hard to keep the first trip straight. I know we went to Disney Village and shopped (now DTD) and ate lunch on the Empress Lily riverboat docked there (not sure of this was the same trip though). HDDR was also awesome. What I can remember for certain was how magical it all felt....which is why I have never stopped going!

 

[sdzman]

We would spend in a week in Orlando. We would go to MK for a few days and fill the rest of the time with secondary attractions such as Circus World (Boardwalk and Baseball), Seaworld, Mystery Fun House, Gatorland and other places on I-Drive. We would also spend a day at The Disney Village (DTD) boating and shopping.

 

[GovieMom]

My first visit was in 1973, when the Magic Kingdom was practically brand-new. I remember riding the swan boats and skylift, and visiting the flower shop and penny arcade on Main Street. Back then Main Street wasn't all souvenir shops; it had plenty of things to see and do.

But MK back then was a one-day stop for us; the rest of our Florida trip consisted of Silver Springs, Cypress Gardens and Busch Gardens, etc. Those were the days. Now our Florida visit takes up the whole week at WDW!

 

[MAYNARDS99]

I know the exact dates my father and I went to Disney World, staying at the Contemporary with a theme park view. It was for three nights beginning July 30, 1974. My mother and sister sent us down to Florida since my nephew was due to be born! We traveled by Amtrak overnight from Wilson, North Carolina close to where my sister and brother-in-law who was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base lived.

The first night, I recall being asked by someone on the monorail as we went back to the hotel when we arrived; I said yesterday, even though we had arrived that morning. It was such a long day, and there was so much to do!

The trip by Amtrak was too much fun! My father and I spent quite a bit of time in the lounge car, so that he could smoke and have some drinks. I'm sure I had plenty of Shirley Temples, as I was ten. By the time we got to Orlando, my father was not as enamored with the train. At check in, he asked how much airfare home would be. Needless to say, we took the train home!

I recall riding the monorail by myself, including up front while my father took a nap. The park map had boxes you could check off as you did the attractions or shows.

We did the Luau one night, and had steak in the Concourse, with the monorail zooming by above us.

Thanks OP for sparking these great memories!

 

[themilesfamily]

My first trip was sometime in '75-'76. My great-aunt and great-uncle took my brother and I. I think we were 5 and 7 at the time. We stayed off-site, but I do remember the E-tickets.

The rides we road that are no longer there:
The Skyway ride over the park
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
If You Had Wings (this was one of my favorites)
Circlevision

We also rode the Haunted Mansion, Carousel of Progress, It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, the Jungle Cruise, the teacups, the People Mover and we did the shooting gallery.

I think Space Mountain had just opened -- but we wouldn't have gone on that in a million years with two elderly people and two kids.

It was July, but I don't remember it being all that hot or crowded. (Although I'm sure it was both.) We just had a blast.

On that trip, we spent one or two days at Disney. We also did Weeki Wachee (the mermaids), went to Busch Gardens, Sea World, and spent a day at the beach. I remember eating octopus soup at a Greek restaurant somewhere.

I cry to this day, walking down Main Street, remembering my aunt and uncle who have passed. Since that trip I've taken almost every last person who I love to Disney -- parents, siblings, child, spouse. I just want everyone to experience it at least once in their life.

 

[maxaroni]

My first trip was with my parents August 1972. It was an awesome 2 days and my cousin set us up with a VIP tour. Did not stay onsite Next trip was in 1981 as part of our honeymoon. Still only MK was open. We stayed at the royal plaza which was THE place to stay if not on site. We had fantastic 7 day stay and had a character breakfast at the Empress Lily. We didn't go back until 2001 with DS and by then all 4 parks

 

[Pixiedust34]

My first visit was 1974. We drove in a station wagon from Pittsburgh and slept in a tent at Fort Wilderness. My sister was still in diapers. I marvel at my parents' patience. I don't remember a lot of details about that trip. What I remember most of all is that I was SO IMPRESSED that we took a boat from our campground to get to the Magic Kingdom. I thought that boat ride was the coolest thing ever!

I'm not sure if it was on that trip or another one, but we saw Goofy water ski one day and that was also impressive to me! The Swan Boats were my dad's favorite, and were a must do for us. I loved Fantasyland. I still miss Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Maybe someday I'll get to do that at DLR. I remember the old Magic Shop on Main Street. A cast member would do magic tricks for us. There was also a penny arcade with the old fashioned movie players. FUN! Some of those are at the RR Station, but they are no longer operating. I also remember the smell of the tobacco shop on Main Street!

 

[Mr. Pig]

We went for the first time in 1972 (we had been to DL a few times before) and have seen the evolution of WDW well. We were actually disappointed the first visit after having been to DL as the attractions at MK didn't live up to DL. POTC was shorter, no Grand Canyon/Primevil World on the train, and so on. The early times we only went to the Disney park twice. We also went to Daytona Beach and other parks like Cypress Gardens and Silver Springs (remember those?) and Busch Gardens.

Looking back there have been so much growth from there. I remember the A-E tickets (still have a few, but no E-tickets - they would always get used).

I remember staying at Poly for $75 a night. You just about had to make reservations a year in advance for peak summer times.

We went in 82 the year Epcot opened. We also went to the World's Fair in Knoxville that year and it was so crowded we had a better time at Epcot.

New resorts added like GF, BC and YC. Then came the first moderate - CBR - which I didn't think I would like but I was wrong. The buses had flags printed on the side saying where they were going. The buses were more efficient that I thought they were going to be.

From then on it just mushroomed with new parks and resorts. It's fun to look back on how it all started and I'm glad they did it well enough at the start to allow them to keep on growing.

 

[T1gger]

I think it was 86/87? It was Mk's 15th year and I can still remember the song! Epcot was open, I was 14 and we had a week on International Drive and a week at St Pete's beach.

I remember the mountains, 20,000 Leagues (awesome!!), Main St, Swiss Treehouse, POTC from MK and Epcots WS mainly. Also Busch Gardens (Scorpion and another big rollercoaster?) and Seaworld.

We were blown away then by things like 360 vision(O canada) , moving theatres(Carousel), theatre seats that go on tracks into a ride (was that Ellen?).

I dont remember characters being a big part of the experience for us back then - maybe they were there & I was at the wrong age to remember or maybe they just werent

It was a major holiday - we didnt know anyone then who had been to WDW - even travel to the US wasn't that common - now we know loads going the same time as us !

 

[wahoostampingirl]

My first visit was in 1972 and I was five. We were in FL to visit my grandparents, who lived pretty far away from Orlando. We just spent one day at the MK. I remember that the line for 20,000 Leagues under the Sea was so long that my parents let my older brother take me over to the Teacups for a ride while they waited. I loved 20,000 Leagues. It seemed so real to me at the time. I also remember that I never go to ride on Dumbo that day because it was either closed for rain or the lines were long. I also sort of remember a ride about being on an airplane trip. I think that might have been If you had Wings. Oh, and of course, IASW was a highlight for me. I wished we could have stayed at WDW a lot longer than a day.

That was the only time I went to Disney until my own kids were 5. The first thing I did on that trip was make a beeline for Dumbo!

 

[tiggerunner]

I still have my leftover tickets from our 74 trip! The Polynesian was still being built and coming back on the ferry they were promoting the grand opening. It was winter break, spent 2 days after driving down for 2 days from NY.
You couldn't take any kind of food in at that time and we had to leave it all in a locker.