My sis found some cool old stuff! About This Page:

[Goofy'sGal]

My sis came over last night with a photo album from our WDW trip way back in June 1985 (I was only 19!! *snif* LOL). Aside from the cool pictures, she also had a brochure from MK and Epcot "Center". I had such fun comparing the old maps to the new ones in my PP!

Although I've loved all things Disney for yrs, I've only become so "detail-oriented" about my favorite place since planning our 03 trip. So I have no idea if I've ever ridden 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, for instance, but there it is on the park map - I just might have! Ditto for Horizons and World of Motion and so many other rides which have "passed on". It's also funny to look at the MK map and see that it's missing a whole park (Toon Town - although I remember it as Mickey's Birthday land in '91!), a mountain (Splash), and a bunch of rides (the bldg that now houses Mickey's PhilharMagic and once housed Legend of the LK is on the map but not marked as anything; what's that all about?). Also, seeing a "space" in the World Showcase that is just perfect for Norway and a note on the map that says it is the future site of The Living Seas in Epcot was kind of neat!

We have a pic of my sister near a sign in Epcot that says, "FUTURE SITE: Feel the Heartbeat of Africa's Heartland - Equatorial Africa, A World of Beauty and Heritage". Now would that be referring to the Africa Outpost, refreshment site area? This might make sense b/c that seems to be between Germany and China on my PP map and if my sis' pics were put in the right order, this picture is between pics of Germany and China - how funny!

Also, the Epcot map shows what appears to be a small bldg near the UK (between the UK and France) that is marked: "Renaissance Food Festival (Seasonal)". Can anyone shed light on that? Funny also to NOT see a path through that way that would lead to the BC/BW/etc - b/c none of them existed yet!! Even the Grand Floridian (plus sooo many other resorts) is missing from the whole WDW map!

I guess I also just assumed that most of the dining areas have stayed the same over the yrs; prior to 03, the last time I'd been to WDW was '91, so in those 12 yrs, while so much had changed, lots of things were the same. So it took me by surprise to see that in '85, Tony's Town Square Restaurant was just "Town Square Cafe", Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe was what looks like the "Tomorrowland Terrace"; wondering if "The Good Turn Restaurant" in The Land was what became "The Garden Grill" - they don't mention that it is a revolving restaurant but the name kind of suggests it, no? LOL

I could go on and on - I love this kind of stuff (as you can tell! LOL), but two things that are really outstanding -looking at the brochure for MK - there's no emphasis on the Castle! The front pic is Mickey in a parade, it's not even highlighted on either the Main St or Fantasyland maps! You can see the Castle but that's it - and of course it was known as King Stefan's Banquet hall then!

The other thing is there is a montage of all kinds of Disney characters as an ad for the Disney channel - how funny that there is not one princess there!!! Of course, this is before the Lil' Mermaid, B&B , etc. but no Cindi, no Sleeping Beauty or Snow White!!

Hope you enjoyed a walk down memory lane!!

Also, from the MK brochure: "The Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center are still only part of the 43 square miles of Walt Disney World fun - ...." Only "43" square miles!! I love looking at this stuff!

It lists a "Broadway-style revue" at the Contemporary, River Country is the only water park and Discovery Island is promoted as "The Vacation Kingdom's own certified zoological park." Information about dinner shows and dining talks about making same-day reservations - ha! LOL

In

[Wendyismyname]

Oh Val! That is really awesome! Congrats!!

[disneyfan4994]

How cool! Think in 20 years we'll be looking at maps from our trips this year & see a lot of differences?

[rescuesk]

Well, this stroll down Memory Lane led me to dig up the first ever souvenir I had from WDW: A 1975 park map! No Epcot, just MK! Tomorrow Land Terrace was where Cosmic Ray's is now, serving hamburgers, hot dogs, steak and barbecue sandwiches, salads and Coca-Cola! The building with Mickey's Philharmagic housed "The Mickey Mouse Revue", and there was no Toontown or anything like it! The Enchated Tiki Birds were sponsored by the Florida Citrus Growers! If you didn't want to take the Liberty Square Riverboat, you could take a Davy Crockett canoe, or a Mike Fink Keelboat around the Rivers of America. Hall of Presidents was all decked out for the bicentennial, and the LTT offered "waitress service"! The skyway was still there, as well as Mr. Toad! TTA was called the "WEDway People Mover" and Stitch's Great Escape was Mission to Mars. TimeKeeper was Cricle Vision 360, and Buzz Lightyear was "If you had Wings"! COP was open and free!! No A, B, C, D, or E ticket required!

And...a 2 day ticket which included 2 days use of the WDW transportation systems (just the monorail and the boat...no buses yet!) admission to 16 attractions and one coupon good for a World Cruise to Treasure Island (Discovery Island) was....(ready?) $14.25 for adults, $13.25 for Juniors (age 12-17) and $12.25 for children (3-11).

The Guided tour, which included park admission and a 3 1/2 hour walking tour of 5 attractions (Hmm...sounds suspiciously like KTTK, doesn't it?) was $8.25!

You could enter the park for just $5.25 to see all the free attractions: The Walt Disney Story (where the Main St theater is now), the Diamond Horseshoe Revue, Hall of Presidents, COP, If you Had Wings, and Circle Vision 360.

Oh...and all you scoffers..."It's a Small World" was an E-ticket ride!

Thanks for this thread, Val! I love this stuff, too!

[rescuesk]

Oh, one more thing...Town Square Cafe served breakfast, lunch and dinner in a Victorian setting. Waitress service was provided, and they served "Oscar Mayer Specialties". Hot Dogs? Bologna sandwiches?

[chezp]

That is so - thanks for sharing all that with us.

[LizardCop]

While we're on "the old stuff", here's a few pictures from 1985

[karmic]

Wow all that info is really cool! Coincidently June 1985 was my very first trip to WDW.

[RobinKay6573]

If you love looking at WDW of the past you will LOVE this web page Alison does an awesome job describing loved but not forgotten WDW attractions, shows, resorts, shops, restaurants and food stands.

[Goofy'sGal]

Thank you Robin! What a great site! I'm going to just make it to pick up DD6 from school as I "got lost" in there - I was having too good a time!!

I had to come back since I was in a rush before - just wanted to say great pictures Bill and more great info, Sue! I love this stuff too!

[Nick and Ryans Mom]

Great thread! I love this stuff

[DisneyDoll]

I LOVE this kind of stuff!!! I have nothing prior to 1996 in the way of WDW but do have some good stuff from DL. Love those pics. Don't you just miss the skyway? I get a little misty everytime I see an old pic of it!

[Joanne929]

This is great stuff!! Thanks for sharing and bringing back memories of my first trip (with my parents ans sisters)!!

[ladyt]

After reading this post, I made my sister go to my mom's house (I live 4 hours away) and look for the old photo albums. She called me back and she found them! I have been to WDW one more time than I remembered! How funny is that? I asked my sister why she thought I didn't remember that trip and she said "you were going through your poor attitude stage". I was about 15 and we went to "Epcot Center". How funny! Well, I'll see if we have any decent pictures and maybe I'll share!

[TheGoof]

I loved the Broadway on top of the World show, the broadway style review that was at the top of the Contemporary Resort. It was alot of fun and I miss it. They also used to have a fabulous Sunday Brunch there, and none of the current buffets do it justice.

Did the Epcot Center map talk about the Worldkey Information System screens at Spaceship Earth? Back then the World Showcase restaurants took real reservations, on-site guests could book a whopping 2 days ahead of time, while others could only do so the day of the meal. You had to go to Spaceship Earth to a bank of TV Screens with Video Cameras and you had a video conversation with a host/hostess to make your ressie.

They had a few more of these in other places but the majority of them were under Spaceship Earth.

Also the Odyssey was a fast food restaurant with Ambrosia Salad on the menu. (Birnbaum 1990)

The Penny Arcade was an Arcade, with Mute-o-scopes etc. The fire house was for the Fire Engine, and the Barber Shop was on the Main Street, not in the circle where it is today. (Funny last April when I was trying to find the Barber Shop, I asked a CM where it was and was told there wasn't one. I did find it and later went back and politely told her where it was.)

Do you remember needing hard to get same day ressies for the Diamond Horseshoe Review show? You had to get them out in front of where Tony's town square is now first thing in the morning.

And there was a full service branch of The Sun Bank next to City Hall.


Our first trip to Epcot, the Garden Grille was called the Land Grill and was a full menu restaurant. (The had the most wonderful Cheese Bread, yum!)

And Food Rocks was Kitchen Kaberet.... Vegi Vegi Fruit Fruit....

Oh and back then if you stayed on site, you were free to use any facilities including pools from any of the resorts.