Forty-Six Years Ago I Was At WDW

[disney junky]

We stayed at the Contemporary. I was 15. We ate at the Top of the World, which was the restaurant/club at the top of the Contemporary, and the performer was Johnnie Ray. He worked the room, shaking every hand. I had no idea who he was, but my parents did. The beginning of my love of all things Disney....

 

[lisaviolet]

We stayed at the Contemporary. I was 15. We ate at the Top of the World, which was the restaurant/club at the top of the Contemporary, and the performer was Johnnie Ray. He worked the room, shaking every hand. I had no idea who he was, but my parents did. The beginning of my love of all things Disney....

Edit.

I just typed out a very sentimental story about how much your post personally touched me with both WDW and Johnnie Ray. But I think it's important I keep it close to me.

But thanks for your post. It made me smile and shed a tear.

 

[Donna M]

Forty-four years for me, I was 17. We stayed in the garden wing at the Contemporary. I thought the big round pool was amazing and so unique even though it wasn't heated. They had blue and white striped beach towels too. So many things at WDW weren't there. I'm sure driving around was easy then.

 

[CraigInPA]

Forty-Four years ago this past July, I was staying at the Poly in a room overlooking the 7 seas lagoon with my parents and 2 younger brothers. I was 13 years old. We'd go to the Magic Kingdom in the morning, swim in the lagoon in the afternoon (ok, we did the pool one afternoon), and go out to dinner in the evening. We enjoyed the Crystal Palace, the restaurant (more like a diner) in the Poly (where Kona is today), the steakhouse in the Contemporary concourse, and Liberty Tree Tavern.

I recall going out to the Contemporary to go to the Arcade multiple nights, and our parents trusted us to get back to the Poly by ourselves. One night we mis-read the time and found out that the monorail had stopped running at 10pm, 30 minutes earlier. So, we walked from the Contemporary back to the Poly. If you've ever looked at that route, running underneath the monorail (which were the only lights lit at the time), you'd understand when I say that it was "an adventure" getting back. Of course, Mom and Dad only found out about our walk home after we left WDW. LOL

 

[kniquy]

Ok a little different twist - 46 years ago i was not even a thought in my parents eyes, but growing up we could not afford to go to WDW. In a little way it saddens me that my family couldn't experience it, but we created our own enjoyment with camping trips we could afford. I am thankful now that we could afford a small contract and now we can give our kids the WDW trips that i never experienced. My first trip at the age of 39 with my twin boys for NYE was a special one that i will treasure forever. It is amazing how disney memories are so permanently etched in our memories. Some memories in life tend to fade and you lose the details, but disney memories live long and strong in our hearts and minds.

 

[DduzDis]

We could not afford WDW when I was growing up either. My first trip was with my then girlfriend in 2009 (celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary in July this year). We stayed offsite since we were struggling college grads. I remember riding the monorail through the Contemporary as well as seeing Chef Mickey's. I thought at the time it was a stretch, but one day I thought it would be awesome to take our (future) children to Chef Mickey's. Flash forward through some hard work, children and a BLT resale contract and we have fulfilled that dream. My 5 year old DD has been to WDW 3 times with 2 trips on the books for next year. My 20 month old DD experienced her first trip last March with 2 more to go next year. I love that my girls will be able to grow up with memories I too never got to experience. We are also super blessed that our best friends at home are also DVC members so we have gotten to combine trips with them and their family as well. We have found the larger group adds to the experiences for us (especially with parent swap). We do have a trip for just us and our kids in March. We really look forward to that trip too. We love our DVC.

 

[ScubaCat]

We stayed at the Contemporary. I was 15. We ate at the Top of the World, which was the restaurant/club at the top of the Contemporary, and the performer was Johnnie Ray. He worked the room, shaking every hand. I had no idea who he was, but my parents did. The beginning of my love of all things Disney....

 

[kboo]

41 years ago this past summer was my first trip to WDW. My sister was a baby, and we drove for 3 days from MA to stay at a Days Inn with kitchenette. We could barely afford it - both of my parents were public school teachers - and so we never stayed on site or ate onsite, except for once we got hot dogs at Casey's. I still remember them! Also remember taking the monorail through the Contemporary and thinking, "I want to stay there someday...."

I also remember always having a glut of B and C tickets, for some reason. A tickets were easily used on the carousel, and D and E tickets were always easy, but B and C for some reason were hard to use.

 

[Dano1182]

First trip was about 40 years ago.

Took AMTRAK form NYC. Thought that was great . We stayed in a motel I think it was Motel 27 or something. Not even a motel 6!! . It was in the middle of nowhere . Next to an Orange grove.

We were there for Christmas .
Though that was once in life time . Now we own DVC and go every year.
Kids have no idea how spoiled they are.

 

[Micca]

When DW & I started going to WDW about 40 years ago we used to drive up from Miami for long weekends and we'd stay at some crummy motel off-site. We always marveled at the Disney resorts and wonder "How do we get there? How do we do that?" Before long we were strictly on-site guests and eventually bought into DVC. While we raised our DDs staying on-site, our DGDs will be enjoying the DVC amenities as they grow-up. They're only 5 & 6 years old but they're already fans of staying at DVC.

 

[Ellester]

I was 4 in 1973 on my first trip to the Magic Kingdom. We stayed offsite, ate at King Stephan’s (now Cinderella’s Royal Table). I loved the Haunted Mansion, I had a book with a “read along record” that I had worn out at Home. We rode 20,000 Leagues and the Jungle Cruise and the Skybuckets, which gave us a great view of the construction of Space Mountain.

 

[Dano1182]

I left out how incredible I thought the Monorail going through the contemporary was. I never ever thought I would be able to stay there.

I had tears in my eyes when we were able to take the kids there and stay at Bay Lake tower .

 

[Murron]

First trip to Magic Kingdom was shortly after it opened in late 1971 (I recall November). I was 19. Stayed at the Contemporary. Wow...46 years ago and I can see it as if it were yesterday!

 

[Wakey]

1 October 1971, I was born.... just as WDW was opening its doors.
Whilst 100 is probably over optimistic, I’d hope to be there for at least its’ and mine 70th birthday party, if I could get there for 80 I’ll be writing and asking if I could be in the parade.

 

[ScubaCat]

I remember the restaurants in the contemporary being called the "terrace buffeteria" and "terrace cafe". I also stayed in the fort wilderness trailers a couple of times. (the world's only trailers with room service.) I do miss the fiesta fun center and the little screening room, but obviously those things aren't popular these days since everyone has game systems and devices.

Ah, the good old days....

 

[kboo]

I left out how incredible I thought the Monorail going through the contemporary was. I never ever thought I would be able to stay there.

I had tears in my eyes when we were able to take the kids there and stay at Bay Lake tower .

Same here. Our first onsite stay with our kid was at the Contemporary, and I think this played a role in our buying BLT.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Our first trip was in 1977, we stayed at the Poly. First son was 3, second son was to be born in August. It was in January and I remember the night parade on the water.

My mom turned 85 in Disney in 2004, she went trick or treating for her very first time in 2005 at a MNSSHP!

We took our boys to WDW every three years, and once they were old enough we always visited other FL venues. I firmly believe there is more to see in FL than Disney! However, Disney still holds a very special place in my heart. I will never ever forget the time my oldest DGD, she was 3, (11 years ago) held my hand as we walked through Tomorrowland for a Princess meet. She left her family and trusted me, it was so special to me since, really, we did not live anywhere near them as the other grandparents did.

 

[DduzDis]

Same here. Our first onsite stay with our kid was at the Contemporary, and I think this played a role in our buying BLT.

Our first onsite we rented points at BLT and were able to take my in-laws in a 1BR. That was such a great experience and probably contributed to our BLT purchase as well.