Remember When? Back In The Old Days...

[*Marty_Mouse_House*]

My family and I thought it would be fun to write a list of things we remember about Walt Disney World "back in the old days". Feel free to add your own!

Remember when ....

* There were ticket booklets, tickets for admission only and E-tickets with kiosks to buy the ticket booklets.

* The Magic Key Coupon. The Grand Plan.

* Old rides - Monsanto 360 degree movie (free attraction), Mission To Mars, If You Had Wings (free), Wedway (Peoplemover) which is now TTA, Skyway, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and 20000 Leagues Under The Sea. Carousel of Progress was also a free ride.

* Old Epcot rides - Captain EO, Horizons, World of Motion, original Universe of Energy, Walter Cronkite on Spaceship Earth.

* Playing golf at the Disney Inn cost $14.

* You made Fort Wilderness reservations a year in advance. The stays were limited. After arrival you could go on a list to see if they would let you stay longer.

* Fort Wilderness had a passenger train you could ride. The whistle would go off every morning at 7 a.m.

* Fort Wilderness provided basketballs.

* You could swim in River Country (pay) or swim in the lake (free).

* The Contemporary sidewalk and pool was open to all. You could pool hop to all of the resorts. There were no guard gates.

* You could rent the treehouses in Disney Village.

* You could go to church at the Polynesian Luau area on Sundays.

* The first year the Yacht Club opened, the rates were $99/night. A tram was provided to take you from Epcot to the Yacht Club to the Dolphin.

* You got a discount at restaurants with your Delta Frequent Flyer card.

* Minnie Moo cow.

* Daytime fireworks and hang glider show.

* Treasure Island became Discovery Island.

A lot of great memories and we are still making them! Next trip - August 2006

-------------------------

Previous Trips: 30 plus trips in 33 years staying at:
Fort Wilderness Campground, Fort Wilderness Cabins, Yacht Club, Caribbean Beach, Polynesian, Beach Club, Swan, Dolphin, All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, Port Orleans Riverside, Contemporary Resort.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Very fun. Yes, I do remember. Early trips were in 1975 and 1979 at ages 6 and 10. I do remember quite a bit. And, I do remember much longer lines on the now walk-ons...Small World and POC.

Thanks for posting!

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

Remember when you could Make PS the Same day and not have to plan out your vacation 6 months in advance.

Remember when you only had 2 parks to choose from.

Remember when ALL tickets had no expiration and park hopping.

Remember when MGM had "SuperStar Television" where the audience could reenact your favorite TV show.

Remember when you could actually see Disney Animators working on the next movie. (too cool)

 

[TikiGoddess]

I remember those ticket booklets...wasn't that weird?! I also had a board game that we bought on a Disney trip and it had all the rides (I think it was actually DisneyLAND) and it had the weird tickets to use with the game too. I used to use those tickets and pretend I was really at the parks at home. Somehow my swingset was not as exciting as Space Mountain.

 

[puggymom]

Wow, I remember a lot of those. My first trip was summer of '72 and we stayed at the Poly. I remember swimming in the lake and my parents having to buy more ticket books.

I also remember those blue strollers they used to have. Even those I was 6, my parents had lost me because back then the characters used to roam the park and everytime one wlked by I would stop dead in my tracks. To prevent losing me I had to ride in one of them. NOT COMFORTABLE!

 

[danny1649]

Around the Castle you could ride.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Swan Boats...Around the Castle you could ride.

I miss the Mike Fink Keel Boats that rode around Tom Sawyer Island.

 

[profdsny]

The tree house at the Poly.
But as far as the PS on the same day: I remember spending over two hours going from the Poly over to Epcot to talk to someone on at TV screen to making dining reservations for that evening. That was the only way you could do it. Don't miss that at all.

 

[Jinnyboom]

I remember the Walt Disney Story ... right inside the entrance to Main Street

 

[SQUIGGLE]

Remember when there was only one park - Magc Kingdom - and 2 Disney Resorts - CR and Poly?

 

[2xcited2slp]

the original Electric Light Parade--love and miss the music!! when i was a little girl my dream ambition was to be the first character--she was the one who led the parade--sat high atop a beautifully lit "skirt" --i used to practice my "parade wave"

 

[nhpooh]

Remember when there was only one park - Magc Kingdom - and 2 Disney Resorts - CR and Poly?

Yes and you had to make reservations years in advance.

 

[TnTsParty]

I remember going to both the Poly and Contemp when I was a kid. I remember also staying at FW in my Dad's van. That was back in the day when MK was all there was at WDW. I remember seeing the Water Parade from the balcony at the Contemp. I also remember almost drowning (well it seemed that way to me) at River Country. I totally forgot about the audience reenacted TV shows - I remember seeing an I Love Lucy show. I also remember all the animal topiary's around MK. Such memories.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Remember when you could Make PS the Same day and not have to plan out your vacation 6 months in advance.

I remember when, for Epcot WS resturaunts, you could only make ressies on the same day and everyone rushed to the World Key center at park opening, so that they could talk to the TV screens and make dining ressies. Then I remember when they let WDW resort guests make reservations a whole 3 days in advance!
Remember the colored flagged buses?
Remember when the characters didn't have scheduled meet and greets and handlers, they just "happened" any time/any place and it was just a mad dash to see them?
Remember when WS opened at 9:00 and you could eat breakfast at Boulangerie Pastry in France?
Remember Future Corps, or more recently the Main Street Band?
Remember Coach's Corner in WoL and getting tips from golf pros?

 

[grinningghost]

I remember laying on the beach at the Poly while my parents sat at the beach bar sipping pina coladas. Then we would all go swimming in Seven Seas Lagoon. It was so magical - the memory is as fresh as yesterday for me.

Remember when Space Mountain was new and it used to play the song "Color Track keeps the color on track..." and the ride was darker - alot darker - you couldn't see any of the track during the ride!

Remember when the penny arcade really was an old fashioned arcade?

Remember Kids of the Kingdom?

Oh yes, I love to wax nostalgic....

 

[#1Disfann]

everyone was allowed to take those canvas air mats into the surf pool at Typhoon Lagoon. OMG! That was so fun! You could ride a wave from the very deepest section all the way to the sand and you just ran over everyone in front of you (which is probably why they stopped it). I have video of my DH riding one in back on our first trip to the world! We love to watch it!

 

[Lisa AF]

Remember when...

The characters roamed the parks and

the Toy Story parade was at MGM studios

 

[BonnieA]

World showcase had double decker buses for transportation.

Space mountain had cars where you would ride double (one person practically in the others lap)

MGM had the star of the day who would have a show or meet/greet in the theater of the stars. I saw Mark Hamill and Howie Mandel on trips that I took. And they would have a ceremony where the stars would put their hands in the cement block to put in front of the Chinese theater. The ceremony took place right where the BAH is located now.

I remember when Epcot didn't have a cemetary (granite stones) in front of Spaceship Earth.

 

[BuzzPrincessMom]

My first trip was in '82. We went for 3 or 4 days and there was only Magic Kingdom. No lineing up for the characters, it was just a push and shove. My first picture with Mickey has a bunch of peoples arms in it and it just me (13), Mickey and my younger sister from the shoulders up.
My next trip was in '90 and I remember the talking to the screen to ask questions to a CM in Epcot.

 

[daretodream]

I absolutely loved world of motion. I remember being able to choose a mode of transportation at the end of the ride. I always thought it sooo cool that the dividers came up and traveled by sea, space, etc.