My 1973 Disney Trip, (Hillbillies in the Magic Kingdom)
I was lucky enough to go to Disney World in Florida as a child in the early 1970's. My family made the trip from our home in Huntington on the western edge of West Virginia. A literal stones throw from the Ohio River. Both of my parents had never traveled much and it was quite an adventure.
My mother was a Registered Nurse and acted as Head nurse at a local hospital. She was certified to work Intensive Care, Coronary Care, and Later Psychiatric Care. She never had a job where she did not rise immediately to the top. Believe me if something went wrong my mother was a person you were glad to have around. She was a gifted student and a witty and funny companion. My father was in the Korean conflict and made Corporal as a Medic before his tour was over. He worked for over 30 years at the C&O, B&O, Chessie, CSX Railroad in the Huntington Area. He built several homes in the area as a contractor and remodeled innumerable homes. He was one of the most physically powerful, naturally funny, tender hearted, and lovable people I have ever encountered. In spite of these impressive abilities Neither of them could read a map.
My older sister, Sherry, was the only person in our family that always gave the impression of knowing what was going on. I was her ADD over weight overly anxious little brother that was afraid of absolutely everything.
The year was 1973 we drove over the brand new Interstate System, in places it was not finished leading to some amazing Detours through exotic landscapes. These byways featured hand painted signs for such cultural icons as Rock City, Ruby Falls, and Lost Sea. We being the definition of tourists tried to see them all. Now you have to remember that the financial system was not as it is today. In those days there were no credit cards in wide use or cash machines far from your home bank. My father would get as much cash as he dared from their bank account and my mom would carry a checkbook in her purse.
No one seemed to know how much money we had at any given time. My sister was the only one who seemed to keep a running tally of the expenditures much to her discomfort. She still says that we acted as if we would blow into a tourist trap and beg them to take all of our money quickly before we threw it at someone else. It was amazing how well those people took our money for such treasures as, saltwater taffy, orange flavored divinity, and contraband fireworks. Sherry even found herself inexplicable drawn to an ape carved from a single coconut. It had glasses and a sea shell smile that looked kinda sneaky.
We made the trip in record time, for us, it took two days. It now takes only 13 to 18 hours with rest stops.
We stayed at Daytona Beach and drove to Orlando to visit the Magic Kingdom. Disney World was only three years old at that point. Everything was perfect and new. I remember the tour guide, yes we had a guide. My perpetually lost parents paid extra from the family stash to be led around by a very pretty little woman dressed in a plaid Catholic school girl skirt, a navy blue vest, ruffled blouse and for some unknown reason a pith helmet and riding crop. She told us all about Disney and the huge acreage that it sat upon. I remember her saying that most of the land would not be developed and become a wildlife reserve. She would likely be in her 50's now. I wonder what she thinks of the massive development of all that pristine wilderness for guest accommodations through the 90's.
I as I said was a extremely anxious child of eleven. I was unable to ride most amusement park rides such as roller coasters, puke sprayers, or stomach launchers. I was ecstatic to find that I could ride everything. I was almost in a religious state of ecstasy after riding the Haunted Mansion finding that I could do so without embarrassing myself. One major difference between now and then is Main Street. When I went In the Beginning it was an attraction of its own. The movie theater showed silent and talking black and white cartoons of Mickey and friends. The storefronts were themed and one had an assortment of early animation machines. There is only one of the card flipper animation machines left that I could find on my last trip in 2005. There was a huge one man band machine that played an amazing assortment of instruments including piano, cymbals, horns, and others. The room was crowded with people enjoying this collection of amazements. The air was filled with wonderful smells and the sound of the music was wonderfully exotic and exciting.
There was a show off of main street that helped set the mood for the whole Disney experience. It was a show that included some animatronic characters intermingled with a full sized screen showing the history of Walt and the whole Disney dream. I wish I knew the name of this show. My sister said that she was most amazed when the shadows of Cinderella and Prince Charming danced on the screen. She was enthralled. As we talked about our trip as children I could still hear her 14 year old self when she mentioned the fantasy shadows. I think of all the changes at WDW that I would undo the vivisection of Main Street USA. In 2005 the main street is something to be bypassed to go to the attractions. All of the amazements are gone and overprice plush toys and souvenirs have replaced them. The magic of main street is gone.
I love Disney World and have been to The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot several times now. But unfortunately there is one truth that cannot be avoided. You can only go to Disney World for the First Time once. I am now waiting for my now one year old daughter Abby to get old enough to go to Florida. I am anxious for her to be overwhelmed with happiness as I was.
Listen Up Imagineers you have until 2012 to get Main Street fixed for my baby. I am depending on you to make her First Trip as wonderful as mine.
F. Wayne Johnson
Logan, WV
fwjohnson@hotmail.com
I was lucky enough to go to Disney World in Florida as a child in the early 1970's. My family made the trip from our home in Huntington on the western edge of West Virginia. A literal stones throw from the Ohio River. Both of my parents had never traveled much and it was quite an adventure.
My mother was a Registered Nurse and acted as Head nurse at a local hospital. She was certified to work Intensive Care, Coronary Care, and Later Psychiatric Care. She never had a job where she did not rise immediately to the top. Believe me if something went wrong my mother was a person you were glad to have around. She was a gifted student and a witty and funny companion. My father was in the Korean conflict and made Corporal as a Medic before his tour was over. He worked for over 30 years at the C&O, B&O, Chessie, CSX Railroad in the Huntington Area. He built several homes in the area as a contractor and remodeled innumerable homes. He was one of the most physically powerful, naturally funny, tender hearted, and lovable people I have ever encountered. In spite of these impressive abilities Neither of them could read a map.
My older sister, Sherry, was the only person in our family that always gave the impression of knowing what was going on. I was her ADD over weight overly anxious little brother that was afraid of absolutely everything.
The year was 1973 we drove over the brand new Interstate System, in places it was not finished leading to some amazing Detours through exotic landscapes. These byways featured hand painted signs for such cultural icons as Rock City, Ruby Falls, and Lost Sea. We being the definition of tourists tried to see them all. Now you have to remember that the financial system was not as it is today. In those days there were no credit cards in wide use or cash machines far from your home bank. My father would get as much cash as he dared from their bank account and my mom would carry a checkbook in her purse.
No one seemed to know how much money we had at any given time. My sister was the only one who seemed to keep a running tally of the expenditures much to her discomfort. She still says that we acted as if we would blow into a tourist trap and beg them to take all of our money quickly before we threw it at someone else. It was amazing how well those people took our money for such treasures as, saltwater taffy, orange flavored divinity, and contraband fireworks. Sherry even found herself inexplicable drawn to an ape carved from a single coconut. It had glasses and a sea shell smile that looked kinda sneaky.
We made the trip in record time, for us, it took two days. It now takes only 13 to 18 hours with rest stops.
We stayed at Daytona Beach and drove to Orlando to visit the Magic Kingdom. Disney World was only three years old at that point. Everything was perfect and new. I remember the tour guide, yes we had a guide. My perpetually lost parents paid extra from the family stash to be led around by a very pretty little woman dressed in a plaid Catholic school girl skirt, a navy blue vest, ruffled blouse and for some unknown reason a pith helmet and riding crop. She told us all about Disney and the huge acreage that it sat upon. I remember her saying that most of the land would not be developed and become a wildlife reserve. She would likely be in her 50's now. I wonder what she thinks of the massive development of all that pristine wilderness for guest accommodations through the 90's.
I as I said was a extremely anxious child of eleven. I was unable to ride most amusement park rides such as roller coasters, puke sprayers, or stomach launchers. I was ecstatic to find that I could ride everything. I was almost in a religious state of ecstasy after riding the Haunted Mansion finding that I could do so without embarrassing myself. One major difference between now and then is Main Street. When I went In the Beginning it was an attraction of its own. The movie theater showed silent and talking black and white cartoons of Mickey and friends. The storefronts were themed and one had an assortment of early animation machines. There is only one of the card flipper animation machines left that I could find on my last trip in 2005. There was a huge one man band machine that played an amazing assortment of instruments including piano, cymbals, horns, and others. The room was crowded with people enjoying this collection of amazements. The air was filled with wonderful smells and the sound of the music was wonderfully exotic and exciting.
There was a show off of main street that helped set the mood for the whole Disney experience. It was a show that included some animatronic characters intermingled with a full sized screen showing the history of Walt and the whole Disney dream. I wish I knew the name of this show. My sister said that she was most amazed when the shadows of Cinderella and Prince Charming danced on the screen. She was enthralled. As we talked about our trip as children I could still hear her 14 year old self when she mentioned the fantasy shadows. I think of all the changes at WDW that I would undo the vivisection of Main Street USA. In 2005 the main street is something to be bypassed to go to the attractions. All of the amazements are gone and overprice plush toys and souvenirs have replaced them. The magic of main street is gone.
I love Disney World and have been to The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot several times now. But unfortunately there is one truth that cannot be avoided. You can only go to Disney World for the First Time once. I am now waiting for my now one year old daughter Abby to get old enough to go to Florida. I am anxious for her to be overwhelmed with happiness as I was.
Listen Up Imagineers you have until 2012 to get Main Street fixed for my baby. I am depending on you to make her First Trip as wonderful as mine.
F. Wayne Johnson
Logan, WV
fwjohnson@hotmail.com
