How did you plan your trips before the Internet

[chartle]

I love this. I never even knew about it. Is there a list anywhere of what rides were what letters.

Also, I swear by the Unofficial Guide now and have bought countless for friends and family since 2005. Is there a good book that gives lots of trivia about WDW since it opened and up to current day. Thats the sort of stuff I love reading on the long journey there. I guess I have never really looked out for anything like that before.

Be prepared to be shocked to learn the Small World and CBJ was an E ticket.

 

[wisblue]

There are some things that haven't changed. Even the earliest guidebooks emphasized a few things to maximize your ability to get the most out of your Disney vacation. They were (in order of importance) :

1. Visit at a less busy time of the year if you can.

2. Arrive at the park early to do as many things as you can before crowds build up and/or stay until the park closes when it closes late enough for crowds to thin considerably.

3. Understand what the attractions are and how they load so that you can be sure to enjoy the ones that will be of interest to your group and get first to the ones for which lines build up fastest.

Once FP first came around in about 2000, learning how to use the FP system to your advantage was added to the list, either as a 4th item, or as part of number 3.

Now that FP+ will be replacing FP-, that 3rd item will be changed again. But, in my opinion, it will still be a very distant third to items 1 and 2 in determining how many attractions a guest will be able to enjoy in a given amount of time. And, as long as there are a lot of guests who don't do any or all of these things, the prepared guest will get to do more attractions. But, that doesn't mean they will enjoy their trips more.

 

[gorkt]

Back in the dark ages they had these things called books.

All humor aside, I bought copies of the Unofficial Guide (same people as touring plans) and the official Birnbaum guide to WDW and used that to plan my days.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Birnbaum books and highlighter markers in 4 different colors, passed around the book ( me, DH, & 2 DDs ) for each one to have " must do" then we discussed it all over the dinner table

Seems like 100 years ago but it was great fun I remember the make the breakfast & dinner reservations day of, we always started and ended at Chef Mickey which was in the Village Marketplace

 

[chartle]

Back in the dark ages they had these things called books.

All humor aside, I bought copies of the Unofficial Guide (same people as touring plans) and the official Birnbaum guide to WDW and used that to plan my days.

But what about those early explorers that visited the first year it was open, you know before the books could be written? When Dinosaurs wasn't a ride but real.

 

[dmccarty]

But what about those early explorers that visited the first year it was open, you know before the books could be written? When Dinosaurs wasn't a ride but real.

The Dinosaurs were Gators.

My family used to live in Orlando and my first trip to WDW was in 71 or 72 and we went at least once or twice a year until my mid teens. I was so lucky to grow up going to WDW, which back then, was just MK. We would show up at RD and leave just after the fireworks started because my aunt did not want to deal with the crowds after the fireworks were over.

We had to wait in line for rides and in the heat. There were no sun shades and misters like today. I can remember looking real hard at the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with my cousin while dripping with sweat. We were discussing if we could hop the fence and jump into the cool, clear water in the ride before the Mickey Police got us.

Back then there was no bottled water so you had to drink out of the water fountain which was ok because people did not use the fountains as baby bidets.

One of the coolest places to go was on TSI because the caves were both cool and cool.

The only reservations I can remember my mom making was to the Horse Shoe Review. My cousin and I did not really like it but my aunt and mom loved the show. I wish I could surprise my mom with a reservation to the show today but it is not regularly open.

We went to the parks and you waited in line. I can remember the Space Mountain line being to the entrance. There were no games in the line like today so we just waited in the line but at least the tunnel had AC! We did use tickets and after my cousin and I were around 10 or 12, we had the run of the park to ourselves. My mom and aunt would give us some tickets and we were off for a few hours on our own. We would meet back at the Arcade to go eat and/or get more tickets.

I was always fascinated by riding the monorail through CR. I swore that one day I would stay in CR. It took many decades for me to have the time and money to stay at CR, but eventually, I was able to complete my dream. Even then, we did not make ADRs which was a mistake. We wanted to eat at CG, and we did but we were late eater so we got away with not having ADRs. Our next trip, we had ADRs for CG. From that trip at the end of the 90's we had to start planning a bit. Things had changed at WDW...

Later,
Dan

 

[chartle]

The only reservations I can remember my mom making was to the Horse Shoe Review. My cousin and I did not really like it but my aunt and mom loved the show. I wish I could surprise my mom with a reservation to the show today but it is not regularly open.

We had a similar first trip and I too remember making an "ADR" for the horseshoe revue.

One little think about what you wrote. When the Horse Shoe review is open its either an overflow for Liberty Tavern or a CS that serves cold sandwiches, there is no more show.

 

[MsThumper]

This is a great site to see what WDW looked like in 1973 (my first visit). You can see the ticket breakdown.

Thank you for posting. Great blast from the past. It made me smile.

 

[bcrook]

The Dinosaurs were Gators.

My family used to live in Orlando and my first trip to WDW was in 71 or 72 and we went at least once or twice a year until my mid teens. I was so lucky to grow up going to WDW, which back then, was just MK. We would show up at RD and leave just after the fireworks started because my aunt did not want to deal with the crowds after the fireworks were over.

We had to wait in line for rides and in the heat. There were no sun shades and misters like today. I can remember looking real hard at the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with my cousin while dripping with sweat. We were discussing if we could hop the fence and jump into the cool, clear water in the ride before the Mickey Police got us.

Back then there was no bottled water so you had to drink out of the water fountain which was ok because people did not use the fountains as baby bidets.

One of the coolest places to go was on TSI because the caves were both cool and cool.

The only reservations I can remember my mom making was to the Horse Shoe Review. My cousin and I did not really like it but my aunt and mom loved the show. I wish I could surprise my mom with a reservation to the show today but it is not regularly open.

We went to the parks and you waited in line. I can remember the Space Mountain line being to the entrance. There were no games in the line like today so we just waited in the line but at least the tunnel had AC! We did use tickets and after my cousin and I were around 10 or 12, we had the run of the park to ourselves. My mom and aunt would give us some tickets and we were off for a few hours on our own. We would meet back at the Arcade to go eat and/or get more tickets.

I was always fascinated by riding the monorail through CR. I swore that one day I would stay in CR. It took many decades for me to have the time and money to stay at CR, but eventually, I was able to complete my dream. Even then, we did not make ADRs which was a mistake. We wanted to eat at CG, and we did but we were late eater so we got away with not having ADRs. Our next trip, we had ADRs for CG. From that trip at the end of the 90's we had to start planning a bit. Things had changed at WDW...

Later,
Dan

This was a good read!

I felt the same as you about CR, I have been to wdw quite few times, but I never even stepped foot into the contemporary until 2012, almost 40 years later. When I finally stopped and got off the monorail to look around, I felt like a little kid. That Mary Blair mosaic mesmerized me. I wandered around for a long time and I stopped to watch each time the monorail came through. My kids thought I was nuts. We came back two more times that trip to eat at the wave and the California Grill. I will probably never stay in that building, but I do remember wanting very badly as a kid.

 

[xie]

Before the internet, this is how we planned WDW trips:

1. Pick a date
2. Decide whether to drive or fly
2a. Buy plane tickets if necessary, and book a Mears car
3. Book a moderate room on property for ~$80 a night
4. Arrive at WDW
5. Check in, decide what park we want to go to for the evening
6. Ride rides, pulling fast passes as the mood strikes
7. Sleep, decide when we wake up what park we want to visit today
8. Book any restaurant we want the day of - i.e. at the computer terminals inside the Epcot gate, or from the phone in the room before we leave for the park, or just walk up and ask for a table
9. After the parks close, ride the bus to Pleasure Island and drink Kungalooshes at Adventurer's Club, where each skit gets progressively funnier than the last one, as more Kungalooshes are consumed
10. Sleep, decide when we wake up what park we want to visit today...

Basically, 15 years ago before the internet was really used by DisneyWorld, you didn't HAVE to plan beyond a hotel reservation and possibly a plane ticket. You weren't locked out of activities and restaurants.

It was a real, unscheduled, what-do-we-want-to-do-today vacation.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

By "before the Internet", I assume you mean before the World Wide Web because popular (mid 90's), as opposed to before 1969. In any case, I was too young to plan my own Disney vacation before the World Wide Web.

But that does lead to a question: How big was the Disney resort community on the Internet before the world wide web? Was there a big usenet group or BBS's for Disney planning in the late 70's to the early 90's?

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

Our planning consisted of:
Booking a hotel off property, figuring out where to buy our tickets, planning the drive down from Texas & where to stop midway & and buying & reading the unofficial guide to WDW.
We then followed the guide in the back of the unofficial guide & we found it worked awesome for newbies!
We arrived before the parks opened & used FP & we rode everything!
It was so so hot as we went in the summer & we baked our buns sitting on the curb waiting for the 3 pm parade! It told us to get there early & we did.
We ate all CS except one restaurant which was San Angel Inn. We had no ADR but had no problem. All our other TS we ate off property.
Everybody told us the places so huge you'll ride only a few things but we rode everything we wished & more than once too. We watched all parades & saw all fireworks. However, nobody was into M & G so only waited in a few characters photo lines.
Only at the then MGM did we seem to run out if energy & the crowds overwhelmed us & we left that park early.
It was kind of fun to go those days when you didn't know about ADR's & booking everything 180 days ahead!

 

[nimbuscat]

My first trip to Disney World in 1992 was with my parents - I was only 10. But you know how we planned for that trip? We used the Holiday Inn lodge directory that used to be in every Holiday Inn hotel nationwide...found one that was close to WDW, and used the telephone to book it. We bought our tickets at the gate, and didn't know that you could make reservations for restaurants or dinner shows. As a result, I believe we only ate at two on-site dining venues, and that was because there was little wait at either (Chefs de France for lunch at Epcot, and the previous incarnation of Kona Cafe at the Poly. I think the name was different back then, but they served an excellent lunch.)

 

[BlueStarryHat]

We sent away for brochures for our first trip, which was in 1992. I went with my Mom and three other people, and the two of us who were planning narrowed it down to either the Contemporary or the Polynesian just by looking at the brochures they sent. We talked everyone into the Poly as I recall.

Then we made it easy by going to a travel agent.

 

[chartle]

Then we made it easy by going to a travel agent.

Ah yes of course a travel agent.

I remember them they used to book your entire trip and would advertise on Disney's behalf.

 

[klmall]

Our first family trip was 1990 and though there was an internet it didn't have the DIS etc. but AOL had a very active Disney message board that I used and there were a couple other active boards like RADP which was distantly related to the current DIS.

For that trip I also used the Unofficial Guide which was very helpful. It helped me choose a less-crowded time to go and reviewed every ride and attraction quite well. We went fully prepared with our meal reservations done ahead which back then you had to confirm something like 24 hrs in advance. I also used the official Disney Guidebook by Birnbaum. Actually we planned that late November trip starting in June and still easily got a reservation at Victoria and Albert's and Le Cellier etc.

In many ways it was easier and a lot less complicated to plan a trip back then. I don't remember any major problems and we loved every minute of that first trip.

Here's the link to my pictures and documents from that trip.

 

[chartle]

1. Our first family trip was 1990 and though there was an internet it didn't have the DIS etc. but AOL had a very active Disney message board that I used and there were a couple other active boards like RADP which was distantly related to the current DIS.

2. In many ways it was easier and a lot less complicated to plan a trip back then. I don't remember any major problems and we loved every minute of that first trip.

1. rec.arts.disney.parks (radp) is actually still around but doesn't have near the traffic it used to. In case anyone is wondering what rec.arts.disney.parks is its a newsgroup, an early form of a bulletin board system but all text based.

Google kind of took them over when they bought dejanews.com and rebranded them Google Groups but you can still use a program like outlook express to connect to them if you can find an account somewhere. Verizon and the like stopped supporting them years ago.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/rec.arts.disney.parks

2. but in another way without all this info it would be harder to plan a trip at least for my family. We did a trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and I was going crazy not knowing things like menus.

 

[klmall]

1. rec.arts.disney.parks (radp) is actually still around but doesn't have near the traffic it used to. In case anyone is wondering what rec.arts.disney.parks is its a newsgroup, an early form of a bulletin board system but all text based.

Google kind of took them over when they bought dejanews.com and rebranded them Google Groups but you can still use a program like outlook express to connect to them if you can find an account somewhere. Verizon and the like stopped supporting them years ago.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/rec.arts.disney.parks

2. but in another way without all this info it would be harder to plan a trip at least for my family. We did a trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and I was going crazy not knowing things like menus.

Thanks for reminding me about what RADP was; like a stroll down memory lane! We actually attended a RADP meet in December 1999 and were part of about 12 boats booked for Illuminations that trip. It was quite an active newsgroup back then and almost the only way I got my Disney information online.

To really date myself I remember being excited when I got an account for posting online on at a newsboard at the local university. Woo Hoo! Very few people had an account back then and I used a little Mac Apple IIe for that and word processing.

Now I'm excited about my first tablet (Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Tablet 2014)! I'm a bit behind the times I guess!

 

[klmall]

2. but in another way without all this info it would be harder to plan a trip at least for my family. We did a trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and I was going crazy not knowing things like menus.

That's so true! Planning for Disney over the years has really taught me so much about trip planning for anywhere. DH knows and expects that I will have the required (and more) information at my fingertrips when we travel. If I can't answer a question he looks at me with that shocked look!

 

[chartle]

That's so true! Planning for Disney over the years has really taught me so much about trip planning for anywhere. DH knows and expects that I will have the required (and more) information at my fingertrips when we travel. If I can't answer a question he looks at me with that shocked look!

For me its the opposite in that I'm the planner and my DW and sons look to me for info.

Even on band trips where usually the chaperones are ditched I had a quarter of the band with me (small band).