Wednesday, November 26, 2014

More WDW Snapshots, December 1971

Here are the last four vintage snapshots (from a lot of seven), dating from the park's opening year. 

Walking through the tunnels beneath the railroad tracks brings you into Town Square; there's the train station, looking huge even from this oddball angle. Pluto has stopped to pose with some kids while a mom and her brood wait their turn. Do characters in either park just stroll around anymore? Or is it there always a line? 


Heading up Main Street U.S.A., we can admire the architectural details, and the 1971 fashions (like those yellow bell bottoms to our right)!


Looks like dad is considering stopping for a breakfast (check out those long morning shadows, they must have just dropped the rope), but his little girl wants to keep on heading to Cinderella Castle. 


This is a very pretty shot, with all the flowers and striped umbrellas. I have NO idea what restaurant that could be, though I'll bet some of you do. I sure wish I could have seen the Florida park in its early days… just like Disneyland, it has undergone many changes over the years.


Never fear, I have more vintage Magic Kingdom photos to come!

7 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

Bell bottoms just as Nature intended: Big, Big, BIG-! And let's not forget all those stripes - gotta look your best, after all.

And I believe the "mystery" restaurant is the Crystal Palace. Yummy.

Thanks, Major.

K. Martinez said...

The mystery restaurant in the eastward view is not the Crystal Palace, but actually the Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner now called "Casey's Corner". The red and white patio umbrellas offer a clue. It's at the same Main Street location as Disneyland's Refreshment Corner is. Across the way is the Ice Cream Parlor & Plaza Restaurant. The Crystal Palace would be out of view west of the Refreshment Corner.

TokyoMagic! said...

Sadly, the interior of Walt Disney World's Main St. Cinema is now a store.....because they needed another shop that sells the exact same stuff as every other shop in the park! I sincerely hope that never happens to Disneyland's Main St. Cinema!

Chuck said...

Just as depressing, the entirety of Walt Disney World's West Center Street was filled in and is now a store...because they needed YET ANOTHER shop that sells the exact same stuff as every other shop in the park...and everywhere else in the resort. I guess they were having trouble squeezing enough money from those stingy guests that flock to the place in ever-increasing numbers to buy admission tickets at ever-increasing prices.

I'll stop. Curmudgeon doesn't really become me.

Ken is right - that Hub restaurant is Refreshment/Casey's Corner. Best hot dogs in the Park - and the highest concentration of begging ducks that side of Tom Sawyer Island.

Thanks for the trip back to the early days, Major!

Nanook said...

@ Ken-

Thank you for identifying the obvious. (I don't know what I was thinking. Must've been too late).

Melissa said...

The Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner was the site of my very first Disney Park meal. It cost $3.00. Please pardon me while my head explodes.

Melissa said...

@Chuck - Re: begging ducks, I don't know how long it's been up, but in 2011 I noticed a sign by the tables saying, "Please Do Not Feed the Birds." It was all I could do not to add "Fine: Tuppence a Bag" at the bottom.