Resort Circa 1980

[contemp_mj]

I just called my mom and told her to look around and post any pictures we took back in 84. Man i remember going up the elevator looking out into the lobby,,,awesome.

So is that correct, it is now a Holiday Inn? Should someone start a Holiday in thread to get new photo's? Heck, I might go over there in July!

 

[Claire L]

Marie, did you notice a air hockey table in the gameroom? If I remember, when you come in the side door from the pool, or maybe the front door, it was just to the left, before you go up some stairs to the upper floors. I still won't know if this is the Ho Jo I stayed at until I go back and look around it for myself.

Other than maybe the exterior and the atrium alot will have changed no dount due to the remodelling that is due to be completed by early next year.

Claire

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

EndUserX:

Was it the high rise building at Downtown Disney? That is the Holiday Inn that everyone is mentioning.

Dh and I stayed at the Howard Johnson, Park Square Inn on Palm Parkway on our honeymoon in 1992. That Hojos had a large lawn, and was well off the street. A Courtyard has since bought the property, built onto the front of it, making it virtually unrecognizable.

 

[disneyfan55]

We stayed at a HJ Maingate in early 1976. It was located on 192 and I'm not sure if it's still there. We also stayed at the HJ in the Disney Village that everyone is talking about later that same year. Back then there were just the Poly, CR and Golf Resort (now sog) and Fort Wilderness Campground and 4 hotels in the Disney village. I guess the villas and treehouses might have been there back in 1976, but I'm not 100% sure. We stayed in those back in the early 1980s. It was a very nice time to visit WDW back then, yes, only the MK but not quite so commercial like and basically WDW was the only place to purchase all the Disney items. Just thinking back!

 

[End_User-X]

I don't remember all the details about it, such as how tall it was, or the atrium, etc...my aunt says that it did have an atrium lobby though, so it's probably the same one. I just remember specific little details, like the pool, the gift shop, and that air hockey table . I was 9 years old haha all I cared about was the fun of a theme park.

 

[End_User-X]

As a bit of side trivia that's totally , on the way back home, I heard the song Funkytown for the first time ever on the radio. I have a vivid memory about that.

 

[Sk8Leigh]

My Funkytown memories are from the roller rink!

In '78 we stayed at my uncle's in-laws' condo or timeshare or something. It was on a beach. I have no idea where we stayed in '80 and '84. I'll have to see if my parents can remember, but I bet they can't. (I was 6 in '80.) In '88 I think we stayed near where they were building Universal? That's what my dad said once. I do actually have a few pics from that hotel, I think, but not from the earlier ones.

I don't really have a lot of hotel memories, though.

 

[northriver]

Just waving hi to all of you 70's vintage Dis'ers, LOL!

My first trip was in 1981, I think, I would have been 11. We stayed at the Villas, condos near the tree houses, gone now, that is the area where Sarasota Springs is now. I remember Spaceship Earth halfway built. We ate at the resturant at the top of the Contemporary and there was a dinner show where they sang show tunes. Mostly I remember my parents and my sister pawning me off on some random family to wait in a HUGE line for Space. My family is STILL a bunch of ride weanies. I can't imagine leaving my 11 yr old with some random family in line for Space, but apparantly it didn't bother my parents any.

I remember many of the old rides, 10,000 leagues under the sea, Mr Toad, etc. There is a neat website maybe called Walt Dated World? They have pictures of many of the old rides.

I think one of my favorite memories is River Country. I LOVED that place.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I loved Funkytown!

The late 70s were pretty cool.

I turned 11 in 1980.

 

[End_User-X]

I still like funkytown for sentimental reasons, of course .