The Magic Kingdom, December 1982
Hooray, it's time for more scans from Lou and Sue! This time you'll see photos from the Magic Kingdom, circa 1982. I'll bet that was a great time to visit that park!
First up - unlike Disneyland's smaller castle, the towering Cinderella Castle actually contains a restaurant. It's a little odd that King Stephan (Sleeping Beauty's father) has an eatery in Cinderella Castle; clearly I am not alone, because I read that the folks in charge got so tired of addressing this quandary that they eventually changed the name to "Cinderella's Royal Table". I would have called it "Cinderella's Squat and Gobble", but nobody asked me. Did they have chicken strips? It's all I want.
Speaking of Cindy, here is a nice shot of "Cinderella's Golden Carrousel". Look at the lack of crowds! The Carrousel was renamed "Prince Charming Regal Carrousel"... there's an involved, hand-wavey story of why it was renamed (something to do with Prince Charming needing to train for tournaments). Was anyone upset that the princes didn't get much attention at the park? Who knows.
Look at that yellow Skyway gondola to the left, it's swinging and swaying, I hope they throw those guests in Disney Jail.
Lou snapped this artistic view from inside one of the shops so that the Clock Shop across the way would be framed by the darkened doorway. Does anybody know where Lou was standing?
Whoa, Lou had better run for cover, or he's going to get rained on. He's pointed his lens at the Dumbo attraction - again, very few guests are around, which sounds like heaven. This is the old, original 10-elephant version of the ride. That orange iron fence is rather plain and unmusical, but I kind of like it because it is humble.
In 1993, the ride was updated, for a total of 16 elephants. It's not easy to find an additional 6 flying elephants, so kudos to Disney. This ride is so popular that in 2012 a second Dumbo ride was built right next to the first one. They spin in opposite directions, in case you are keeping track of such things.
Some modest Christmas decorations adorn Main Street USA... just enough so that you know that it's that time of year. The Emporium sure looks grand and ornate. In spite of the weather, it must have been plenty warm, it's short sleeves for nearly everyone.
I usually can't help wondering what kind of fantastic merchandise was being sold at that time. Sorry, it was too early for Beanie Babies, the greatest merch of all.
There's the Carrousel again, and the Castle looming (always looming) over everything. I believe that the thing to our right is the Fantasyland Theater (the shield on the awning as "FT" on it), I could be wrong though. Chime in, experts!
MANY THANKS as always to Lou and Sue!
34 comments:
Major-
I wouldn't worry too much about that yellow Skyway gondola - it appears both of its occupants are residing on the right side of the gondola, throwing-off its center of gravity. I believe Lou grabbed that image of the New Century Clock Shop from the Market House.
Sorry, Major - depending on the year one dined with the 'ol Prince - the choices are either 'Fish Nuggets' or "tender strips of broasted chicken" at King Stefan's-! Clearly, it's not the 'fine dining' establishment of your dreams.
Thanks once again to Lou and Sue.
Why couldn't they change the name of the restaurant in the Castle, to Cinderella's Father-In-Law's Royal Banquet Hall?
Lou was standing in the doorway of this building, when he took that third shot:
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4175349,-81.5811497,3a,75y,42.83h,106.75t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJFdk5vSC0FMQR7MpXTfvUw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Gee, Lou must have been exhausted, continuously running back and forth like that, between Main Street and Fantasyland! ;-)
That theater was the former home of The Mickey Mouse Revue. It closed in 1980, and then packed up and sent to Japan for the opening of Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. They could have just duplicated it, like they did for every other attraction that was going into Tokyo Disneyland, but instead they just decided to sell them the existing attraction.
As far as I know, another attraction did not go into that theater, until the 3-D film "Magic Journeys" moved from EPCOT to The Magic Kingdom, in 1987. It had been bumped from it's theater in EPCOT, by the brand new "Captain EO." So I'm guessing the theater remained empty for all those years in between, sort of like Disneyland's Carousel Theater. Someone please correct me if something else had been in that theater between 1980 and 1987. Disney cartoons, perhaps?
Thank you Lou, Sue and the Major, too!
- Toyland Magic!
@ TM!-
Your name suggestion was rejected on account-a too many apostrophes-!
Actually, after the Mickey Mouse Revue closed, the Fantasyland Theater was home to the Folies Bergère - Disney Edition.
Does anyone know what the text says in those signs above King Stephan's Banquet Hall entrance? I tried sharpening it, but to no avail.
Nanook got it all wrong with Lou's 'through the doorway shot'. Lou was standing in Walt Disney World, planet Earth. (It's so obvious.)
Toyland Magic!, Fine! Make a liar out of me! Interesting that they changed the Clock Shop (it looks like Glock Shop, which would be something completely different!) to the Emporium.
Dumbo photo #1- the Big Guy sitting on the bench seems to be having quite a struggle untangling the strap on his camera.
Dumbo #2- "They spin in opposite directions". It's that Coriolis effect again, Major. Gotta keep it balanced or the Earth will spin off its axis.
Timothy Mouse is asking for trouble, tickling green-blanketed Dumbo on the foot like that. I hope he has an 'advance directive' filled out.
In the next pic, There is a single mylar Mickey balloon mixed in with all the colorful latex Mickey Ear balloons.
Major, "Beanie Babies, the greatest merch of all." Strange to think that, during their peak, Beanie Babies were the greatest merch of all. I didn't understand why.
Sue, thanks for showing us more of Lou's wonderful photos. And thanks to the Major for doing whatever it is he does... oh yeah, this Blog!
Nanook, Ooh-la-la!
- Jack-in-the-Box (as opposed to a Charlie-in-the-Box. "No child wants to play with a Charlie-in-the-box!")
Nanook, ha, ha! Then how about, "The King's Banquet Hall"? If they wanted to save on paint, they could have just called it, "Cindy's Place."
I forgot about that Fantasyland Theater show! I've heard that when Clarabelle Cow spun all of her tassels, it was quite a sight. I think maybe I've been watching too many vintage Match Game episodes, on the Buzzr Channel!
P.S. And as the Major and Jackie B. mentioned, they spin in opposite directions. Oh wait, you were both talking about Dumbo. Never mind.
Tokyo, Haha. I was about to hit Publish with this: I hope Clarabelle spun her tassels in opposite directions; the Coriolis effect again. When your P.S. came through.
Jackie B., sorry that I beat you to it! By the way, I think the two signs over the doorway read, "Come For The Mutton" and "Stay For The Gout."
Toyland Magic!, I'm sure that's what the signs say, it makes perfect sense to me.
The Mickey Mouse Revue wasn’t the only attraction to be offered up to Tokyo Disneyland for direct shipment: America Sings from California was offered to Oriental Land Company : in 1977 WED was working on creating a all new Carousel of Progress for Disneyland called THE CENTURY OF PROGRESS with the sponsor Edison Electric Institute from Florida’s WEDWAY fame. I have the script for one of about 5 phases of the attraction and the new song “HERE COMES TOMORROW ( there goes the past)” on my old TOMORROWLOUNGE BLOG.
However in 1978 Delmonte (a division of the same company that owned Kikoman ) did a AMERICA SINGS - MARKET HOUSE sponsorship and Edison Electric had expressed interest in sponsoring the newly GOODYEAR -less PeopleMover the DISNEYLAND’s PeopleMover was not the same system as Florida and DISNEY didn’t have the money to install the level track system into Disneyland .... that would have been different had WED gotten a sponsor for the EPCOT CENTER WEDWAY...however.....
Incidentally I had another one of my Goodyear PeopleMover animated sign dreams again recently ......this time in the dream I found out the signs had been relocated to the Disneyland Hotel and had been there all these years and I didn’t know it!!!
“HI-FLYERS GO GO GOODYEAR!!!” ...... “GOODYEAR FOAM RUBBER KEEPS YOU SITTING PRETTY!!!” , “RACE CAR WINNERS GO GO GOODYEAR!!” I can see them still like yesterday was 1977!!! Why didn’t Goodyear give out booklets with those T. Hee signs like Monsanto did with their T. HEE signs!???
I didn’t get to eat at King Stephens Banquet Hall till 1984...... and I had 4 little meat pies 2 beef Wellington and 2 Shepard’s Pie esque ones ....and my grand father had fish ( I think Trout ) and my grandma had Beef Medallions. Neither I or my sister could recall what she had .... but we did all have salad and baked Bree cheese before dinner .... that gives you an idea of what kinda fare was being served there in the 1980’s ...
Today those signs would say : “ all guests MUST have 9 month old reservations”
Genie Fast Lane Dining : current price 32.00 with immediate seating upon payment verification”
The Cinderella Castle entrance no longer plays the strains of “When You Wish Upon A Star” and has been replaced with the song from Disney’s Small One ; “ Clink-Clink, Clank-Clank take the money to the Bank”
I was looking at the signs above the doorway at King Stefan's and it looks like the left one says "Guests With Seating Times" and the one on the right says "For Seating Times Register Here."
Great batch of pics! Thank you Major, Lou and Sue!
Those lighted signs behind the “King Stefan’s Bar & Grill” placard read “Guests With Seating Times: on the left and :”For Seating Times Register Here” on the right. No idea of how Cindy runs things now that Stefan’s lease has run out, but back in the day reservations were same-day-only, like the Golden Horseshoe, Diamond Horseshoe, and Blue Bayou. If you wanted to eat there, you sent at least one member of your party to get reservations while everyone else ran to Space Mountain to get a few rides in before the line got too long.
Love that authentic Medieval bench-and-planter combo next to the Carrousel. Man, does that scream “1971.”
Nanook and TM! are correct - the doorway-framed shot was taken from what was then the Market House. Interesting to note that the Crystal Arts shop, originally tucked into the back of the Market House building behind the Main Street bakery, has expanded into the former Market House area as shown in the picture TM! shared.
The Fantasyland Theater had a whole lot of nothing going on. It’s not even listed in this 1982 guidebook: https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/maps/gallery/01jul1982-magic-kingdom-guide-book-1982.htm. That’s inexcusable. It’s not like WED was distracted with any other major projects that year.
Interesting to see how many women are wearing skirts in these photos. It’s a nice look.
JB, Rudolph references two days in a row, and it’s not even December!
Mike, I first ate at King Stefan’s in 1979. I was 10. I turned the corner at the top of the spiral stairs to the dining area, was startled by the suit of armor, and jumped backwards involuntarily. My mom was right behind me and wearing open-toed shoes and I managed to catch and peel back the nail on one of her big toes. Pretty sure I’ve told this story here before, but since it comes up every time our family has a conversation about going to WDW, I wanted to make sure you all could share that experience with me. :—)
And with regards to “When You Wish Upon a Star:…ouch!
Looks like Gojira beat me to the punch on the sign translation. That’s what I get for being long-winded.
Not only did they add another collection of Dumbi, they moved them to the east a ways into the circus part of The New Fantasyland (cue trumpets). They also added a water feature, which the WDW version had always lacked. I remember riding this Dumbo when they were building The New Fantasyland (cue trumpets). It was night, but you could still see over the construction walls to view...a mess (cue muted Waa-waa trumpets).
I've also ridden the new version (Dueling Dumbos) and it really doesn't seem any different than the original.
I also ate in the castle in about 1995. I had prime rib. My then five year old daughter was mostly impressed with the butter that was molded into a Mickey head. Kids. Years later, I ate there for a princess breakfast and I don't think they had that butter. My daughter could probably tell you more. My main memory of the hall was lots of colorful banners and stained glass. Very pretty, actually. You can still eat there, but now the big ticket is the Beast's castle for "Be Our Guest." I've eaten there too, but still prefer the old castle for atmosphere.
Thanks Major, Lou and Sue for the WDW trip.
When I finally decide to go, I’ll be fully prepared. Comments here are priceless, of course. I can’t believe GDB is free.
Major, why did they stop at two counter-rotating Dumbii? Seems like four, or even six would be a good balance. “Dumbii for Everybody!”
Those Skyway riders are going to end up sentenced to making churros in the Castle Dungeon.
I always thought FT meant Financial Times, relieved to hear I was wrong.
Chuck, thanks for sharing that story. Was it the bird-beaked suit from HM? Also points out the hazard of open-toed shoes in Disney parks (or Scout camps). We have been over that before, too. I hope you all managed to have a good day in spite of the unfortunate unguical incident.
Major, have a good time and say hi to our favorite Tiki!
JG
Now I'm motivated to find my pics from WDW. I've only been there once, back in 1981, it was an excursion from Keesler AFB, in Mississippi, to WDW on a long weekend. I spent two day in WDW and I don't remember much but I have pictures to jog my memory cells.
I wish I had more memories of the Magic Kingdom. I have very few, and these aren't sparking any new ones (about WDW anyway.) Sooooo....It's Cinderella's Castle, and King Stephan is from Sleeping Beauty...so I think I will also go for "Cindy's Diner"...seems much more appropriate for a Chicken Fingers and Fish Sticks dinner. I could eat Chicken Fingers every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner and be perfectly content. Chicken Fingers reminds me of working at the "Space Place" in the Space Mountain complex. I only worked there for one shift, and it wasn't very long. We were all in the kitchen with Johnny Catapano screaming at fry cooks about how the chicken fingers looked like "F"-"S". The girls at the window were not screamed at like the guys in the kitchen. Girls at window. Boys in kitchen. I forgot where I got assigned. The screaming scared me so perhaps I went back to my popcorn wagon. 2 Dumbos? Had no idea. I don't remember one Dumbo there. In fact, I don't remember Fantasyland at all in WDW. Maybe I was day-drinking? Probably. I do remember being slightly put off about the lack of charm that full scale Main Street buildings conveyed. I remember the merchandise was exactly the same as Disneyland, but with a WDW logo instead. Otherwise, it was completely the same. In my memory anyway. I look at it now and think : "open doors in Florida heat"....how does that work with the HVAC. I built some buildings in Houston and Florida and the humidity gets out of control when doors are open. Looks like the Mouse figured it out earlier than I. I am thinking I am remembering the Audio Animatronic Mickey Mouse Revue thing. But it left before I visited. Perhaps I had the sound track/record. In the late 70's they came out with an very inclusive Disney record set...it was $100.00. Perhaps 1978? It had everything from everything- and that is probably where I heard that show. Christmas decorations are better when less is more, and things are decorated as a vintage turn of the century village would be. I saw some photos on my Google news feed. "oh dear" (clutching pearls with mouth agape). I'm not sure my admission charge should go for such ostentation. The current great unwashed of today is a different one than in 1980. Is there a "they ruin everything" for the Magic Kingdom too?
JG, I’m pretty sure the same suit of armor is shown in the second picture in this blog post (https://www.disneytouristblog.com/cinderellas-royal-table-review/comment-page-2/), relocated from the top of the stairs to the waiting hall on the ground floor. I think I have a photo of it in it’s original location. If I can find it, I’ll send it to you.
Major, these scans must be from those slides I mailed to you, a while back, as I don't ever remember seeing some of these. Those dark ones are awfully dreary and depressing. I've been to WDW in December and the weather can go either way. Usually it's sunny and in the 70s (sometimes 80s) - but we've also experienced 24 hours of COLD, heavy rain. My folks were there one year when it snowed - REAL snow (am serious).
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I only remember "King Stefan's Banquest Hall" (from our trips from 1990 to around 2002) as a nice sit-down restaurant - though very pricey. The food was really good, but we stopped eating there after 2002 when my dad and a friend got food poisoning from eating there. They spent the next day, all day, in their hotel room.
Stu, if you get a chance, ask your daughter if the MM butter was possibly the whole body of MM, standing on the butter plate. That's what I recall, but I may be thinking of another restaurant. He was cute, but it was sad when you had to cut him up.
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Gee, Lou must have been exhausted, continuously running back and forth like that, between Main Street and Fantasyland!
Hahaha! My dad would keep walking and wandering for hours, snapping pictures, and we (my mom and I) were always losing him (before cell phones).
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"...open doors in Florida heat"....how does that work with the HVAC.
Bu, that works GREAT when you're outside and walk past the open doors!
I saw some photos on my Google news feed. "oh dear" (clutching pearls with mouth agape).
Bu, when my friend and I went out to lunch, a few weeks ago, the handsome young waiter came to our table looking all nice and neat and clean-cut - and wearing a beautiful string of pearls. All I can say is it beats those huge holes in the earlobes.
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MRaymond, please get your pictures to Major!
Thanks, everyone, for your fun comments!!
Mike Cozart, you saved us from our silly banter by providing us with some actual, factual info!
Gojira, Thanks! I think you're right about the signs. Mike C. wasn't too far off the mark with his sarcasm!
Chuck, Nice to have that verification of the signs. I almost got to eat at the "Bar & Grill" (roast beef) in '77. I was in the process of making lunch reservations, but my brothers and I decided to eat someplace where we could get in, and out, much quicker.
I think Merlin had some input with that 1971 bench/planter. He was a time traveler of sorts, y'know.
I think they already showed "Rudolph" on TV... and (as you said) it's not even December! So I'm in good company (or bad).
Thanks for reminding us of your mom's bent-up toenail... a holiday tradition!
Stu, (cue muted waa-waa trumpets), I liked your "Dueling Dumbos" appellation.
JG, NOW you did it! The Major will soon be insisting on an up-charge to post on GDB.
Bu, I loved that hilarious whirlwind of memories!
Sue, I actually laughed when I read "but it was sad when you had to cut him up." I picture knives slashing through mouse flesh.
Wow, one doesn't normally associate food poisoning with a Disney park. I wonder how THAT happened?
About yesterday's emoticon challenge- I still can't figure out who this is @:-) \
Maybe one of the Junior Gorillas will chime in?
- Jack...Box
Bu: you are probably thinking of the four record album boxed Disney music set by OVATION. It was sold thru tv and magazines as well as Radio Shack Stores.
The theme park album contained several attractions not offered on their own albums or compilations ....including The (American ) Mickey Mouse Revue soundtrack .... selections from it anyhow.
In the 1970’s Disney announced a record soundtrack record album along with Country Bear Jamboree and Hall of Presidents. But it was released as Mickey Mouse - this is your life and featured a narrated history linked with musical segments from Mickey’s films. The cover of the album still has the imagery from the attraction “The Mickey Mouse Revue” . The inside album contents features the attraction as Mickey’s newest accomplishment.... but the audio
Has nothing from the attraction at all.
When stuff was being pulled for the WALT DISNEY WORLD FOREVER cd making systems .... the unreleased version of the Mickey Mouse Revue soundtrack tapes were provided along with the country bear jamboree..... these were the full shows ready to go and were expected to cost less than pulling the WDI tapes ( which were stored in a salt mine in New Jersey or something ) but then legal brought up an issue that the album arrangements for BEAR and Mickey Mouse Revue were technically Walt Disney Records property .... ( this came up when Disneyland used the America Sings press album from WD RECORDS in their Disneyland Forever machines.
This is why the soundtracks for Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree and Mickey Mouse Revue were never loaded onto the cd menus but appeared in the opening overview menu videos.
WDI did offer two Hall of Presidents instrumental recordings done for the Mya Angelo version of the show .
Eventually an agreement was worked out with Walt Disney Records to release the vintage albums on the WDW FOREVER ....but because the attraction soundtrack for Mickey Mouse Revue was not a completed previously cataloged item ... it went by the wayside as the original WDI team for WDW/DL Forever was disbanded....
There was hopes of a WDW 50th anniversary music album cd or something like that to include The Mickey Mouse Revue and so many other great recordings never offered before ... including the English version of MEET THE WORLD from Tokyo originally intended for Epcot Center ... but always it didn’t get off the ground and Florida expressed little interest...
@ Sue-
"Basic black, and a string of pearls... a girl (guy)-!) can't go wrong". Either way - it's a fashion plus.
”Was anyone upset that the princes didn't get much attention at the park? Who knows.”
When I was planning trips in the 2010’s there was a ton of discourse on the message boards about “The Magic Kingdom is just for girls” and “Why is there nothing for my sons in the Magic Kingdom?” And when I was there I heard all kinds of families making plans for “Dad’s going to take the boys and do pirates while Mom takes the girls to do princesses.” I do not remember things being that gender-essentialist when I was there as a kid. We just... all had fun together?
Melissa, you are sooo right! During my childhood Disneyland trips in the 60s and 70s, no one planned their trips around the princesses, etc. Sure, we enjoyed seeing the characters, but Disneyland and WDW were about so much more...no gender-splitting, that I recall. Boys and girls loved POTC and TSI, alike, for example.
"Basic black, and a string of pearls...."
Nanook, when I read what you said, THIS PHOTO came to mind.
JB (Just Befuddled), did you figure it out yet?
;o)
Sue, NO! TellmeTellmeTellme!!! (Or at least give me another clue?)
The answer is in today’s comments.
@ Sue-
I don't have a neck that can pull-off that many strands of pearls-! But thanks for the suggestion.
Nanook, LOL!
Sue, I'm gonna have to go with either Cinderella Or Prince. Is it one of them? (I even tried Googling it...nuthin'.)
JB, did you take a look at the photo I attached earlier?
Ah! No I didn't (sorry. The one time I don't click on a link, and look what it cost me!). So it's Audrey Hepburn! And the backslash is her cigarette holder?
Yep, JB!
:o)
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