Take a Trip down Memory Lane-- WDW parks circa 1993

[eeyore0062]

I was home sick and looking for something fun to read and ran across this unofficial guide from 1993. It was so much fun to read everything and realize how far WDW has come since then. Come with me as we explore WDW, circa 1993.

Live entertainment in the Magic Kingdom:
Fantasy Faire Stage which was the site of various concerts. I remember seeing Mary Poppins and her Pearly Band there. It was in the spot behind Dumbo where there now is a juice kiosk and goes back to Ariel's Grotto.

Steel Drum Bands played daily at the Caribbean Plaza in Adventureland

Kids of the Kingdom: (those were the days!) performed popular music daily in the Castle Forecourt. Did you know that one of those performers now performs as one of the lead singers in Tarzan Rocks?

Frontierland Stuntmen-- there were stage shootouts in Frontierland... can't imagine that happening now!

Tomorrowland Terrace Stage and Tomorrowland Theatre-- these featured top 40 rock, rap and jazz as well as Disney characters and Kids of the Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom Bands-- Various banjo, dixieland, steel drum, marching, and fife and drum bands roam the Magic Kingdom daily.

The Afternoon Parade featured bands, floats and huge inflated Disney characters towering 55 feet abouve Main Street. At the time New Orleans Mardi Gras, Brazil's Carnivale de Rio, and Europe's Carnival in Venice were represented.

There was only one tour behind the scenes at the Magic Kingdom: Innovations in Action, which took groups of no fewer than 15 adults (17 and older) to tour the Magic Kingdom behind he scenes. It provided an informative and detailed look at the logistical, technical, and operational side of the Magic Kingdom.

Sunbank sponsered the ATMs in the parks.

Part II: Attractions of the Magic Kingdom Circa 1993, coming soon.

 

[Ilovestitch]

That's neat.

I have Birnbaum's books from 96 and 98 and they are fun to look at and see what's changed. What's sad is how many of the same pictures they use in the 2005 book.

 

[DVCLiz]

What kind of "stage shootouts" did they have in Frontierland? Because I thought I had heard of something like a mock gunfight in the street fairly recently. I've never seen it myself, though.

 

[eeyore0062]

Don't know... never saw one myself.

 

[danny1649]

It does bring back some happy memories and moments we had back then.

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

OP brought back some serious flashbacks for me. DW and I first went to WDW in '91. I had forgotten about alot of those.

The fronier shootout took place on the balconies on top of Pecos Bill's, extending out to where the Country Bears show is. The stunt men would reenact a bank robbery with jumps, high falls, and lots of shooting and shouting.

I remember the steel drums, and seeing shows at the Fantasy Faire Stage.

Not to jump ahead, but the mention of the one behind the scenes tour reminded me of the behind the scenes tour at Epcot. Does anyone remember the tour that started in Communicore and brought you down in to the computer room?

I cant wait for eeyore's part II.

 

[plutospup]

I remember the "Computer Room" in Communicore! There was an "image" of Julie who walked from computer to computer and explained how computers were used at EPCOT. I'm sure today's computer central only takes a fraction of space that was used back in the 80's. ...but how did they create that image of Julie back then?

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

...but how did they create that image of Julie back then?

If I remember right, it was just a projection that was reflected off of a glass wall. Do you remember that she had some kind of little electronic "sidekick"? I dont remember what it was, or it's name, but I seem to remember something about it.

I think back now on all of the big main frames they had installed in this room and the massive consoles they used to run them and wonder if it all got shrunk down to a few racks of high end servers...

Ahhh, the good old days when computers took up acres of space.

 

[plutospup]

Was the sidekick's name "IO"? At the time I really enjoyed this "backstage tour". I can't believe I use to wait in a loooonnnnng line to see this!

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

Pluto, I think you might be right on the name.

DW and I saw this on our very first trip ever to WDW on our honeymoon. I remember we had absolutely no idea what we were getting in line for, we just saw a bunch of people standing in a line so we decided to join in. If I remember correctly, we thought it was some kind of underground ride (think Epcot style utilidors).