Resort Circa 1980

[End_User-X]

Hi, I'm kinda new to the forums here. I was in the world in 1980, when all there was, was MK (I could see Epcot being constructed in the distance at one point). I was about 9 years old. I stayed at a Howard Johnson, I believe off-site. Is there any chance anyone remembers that hotel, and where it was, from so long ago? I recently went to WDW in Oct. 2007 and it brought back lots of memories.

 

[End_User-X]

Hi, I'm kinda new to the forums here. I was in the World in 1980, when all there was, was MK (I could see Epcot being constructed in the distance at one point). I was about 9 years old. I stayed at a Howard Johnson, I believe off-site. Is there any chance anyone remembers that hotel, and where it was, from so long ago? I recently went to WDW in Oct. 2007 and it brought back lots of memories.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Hi, I'm kinda new to the forums here. I was in the World in 1980, when all there was, was MK (I could see Epcot being constructed in the distance at one point). I was about 9 years old. I stayed at a Howard Johnson, I believe off-site. Is there any chance anyone remembers that hotel, and where it was, from so long ago? I recently went to WDW in Oct. 2007 and it brought back lots of memories.

There was a Howard Johnson's at Downtown Disney (then called the Walt Disney World Village at Lake Buena Vista). Maybe that was it. It was about 14 to 15 stories tall and had an atrium type lobby. This resort became a Holiday Inn which sustained major damage from one the hurricanes seveal years ago. I don't think it ever reopened.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Maybe it was the Ho Jo in the Downtown Disney area - then known as Disney Village. It was a popular hotel at the time.

Some of those hotels have changed hands over the years, but I remember that one very well because we came very clsoe to staying there...wound up at the Contempoary instead.

 

[sotoalf]

If you still own photos, End-User, by all means post them. I love vintage WDW photos!

 

[safetymom]

No it hasn't reopened.

 

[fla4fun]

If it was the DTD one, it was a Howard Johnson's, then a Courtyard by Marriott, and then a Holiday Inn. But there were, and still are, several Howard Johnson's in the area. It might help if you have a picture of the hotel you could post . . . .

 

[contemp_mj]

we satyed at that HoJo back in 84, i wish i had photo's of it also. I think i was 11 years old. Someone has got to have photos!

 

[End_User-X]

I wish I still had pics...they're long gone. I was living in Dallas at the time, and I remember it taking two days to get there! Well, you know, staying the night about halfway. I remember the polaroids from the trip. This was 28 years ago! I still can remember swimming in the pool and having a view of the gift shop window from there, with the stuffed Mickeys in the window. It also had a very small "arcade" room on the lobby floor with a air hockey table. ahh the memories. When I went 8 months ago, It's a Small World looked just like I remembered it. I also got to ride the Captain Nemo ride before they got rid of it. What is this Disney village you speak of? What was that exactly? Oh yeah, they also had River Country back then. Way before BB and TL.

 

[End_User-X]

I actually asked a mousekeeper at AKL and she remembered it. It did seem like she mentioned it becoming a Holiday Inn. She said she'd worked for Disney for about 30 years.

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

I stayed at the HoJo in 1982 - it was great!!! Not a lot there then. MK, EPCOT was new, Seaworld, Cypress Gardens, Busch Gardens and a park called Circus Circus or Circus World which was fun. Who'd have ever thought then what it is today! Great little hotel - had my first cocktail there at the age of 8 - a Shirley Temple!!!!

 

[crazy4wdw]

See if these help? Do the pics look familiar?

http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/HolidayInn.html

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/dislb?rpb=hotel&crUrl=/h/d/hi/1/en/hotelsearchresults

 

[Claire L]

Yes it is now the Holiday Inn - link.

As of last week it was still undergoing major refurbishment and I note the official website says opening in 2009.

Claire

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Ah, the memories! In August 1981 we had a 3 day MK tkt, which included admission to River Country and Discovery Island (it, maybe still is, a bird sanctury on Bay Lake). The tks were paper and had a piece of string with a safty pin attached so guests could wear it if so desired - this was because mulitday tkts for all attractions were new.

The price was so inexpensive, even for 1981 - I'll try to find it and post the cost. No scanner or would scan it as well. We pd $79 per ngt inc tx for the Contemporary Garden Wing ( we wre so excited to watch the monrai,glide by every few minutes) and $101 for the Tower the summer of '82.

Those were the days...the entire 6 ngt trip, including air fare, CR, tkts and food was about $1200 for 1 adult/3 kids ages 7, 9 and 11...and we did the Hoop-Dee-Doo and Luau. Kids back then up to and including age 11. Disney even had a Jr tkt price (and meals) for ages 12-17.

Sweet memories Thanks!

August,1981:
adult 3 day tkt: $31.30 inc tx (3 day MK, 1 day River Country, 1 Discovery Island visit)
child (3-11) 3 day tkt: $23.75 inc tx

air: $119 per adult (the 11 yr old had an adult tkt so the others could go free)
2 children free

 

[WildernessBride]

Was the HOJOs near the check in place for the TreeHouses?? I have some vague memory of a HOJO near where my brother went to check in for our TreeHouse stay back in 1985. I had some weird flashback when I read this and was just curious if anyone knew...the Disney Village stuff sounds familiar.

 

[End_User-X]

Wow $1200 was cheap for all expenses paid back then. I spent that and a bit more staying at a value resort last year (AS Sports) with MYW + Dining. No flight, just driving. That site has photos of all the resorts except Holiday Inn. Just my luck. hahaha

 

[Freiden8]

The Howard Johnson is where we stayed our first time, too. The building is still there in the DTD area.

:: memories ::

 

[meowmarie]

We were also at that HoJo's when I was 7, about 1982 lol. Too funny! Actually the thing I remember most was the Ms. Pacman machine in the lobby! It had recently debuted and there was a line for it every morning but I really wanted to play. I kept forgetting... I was at DISNEY and there was way cooler stuff there lol. Thanks for the flashback

 

[Taja]

I remember that HoJo! I had lunch there in 1981 - Labour Day weekend! It was my first WDW visit, sandwiched between two east coast business trips. *LOL* Stayed at Club Lake Villas, which was part of the Disney Convention Center. Booked the visit in June and was lucky to get a room!

 

[End_User-X]

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.